Lilac Valley

Officer Alvarez, Dr. Rosen, and Lila Jones

Con's new partner is Clari Alvarez.

Twenty-six years old.

Long wavy dark hair in a bun and brown eyes.

"Welcome to Lilac Valley," Con says. "I heard you're good. You could've had a long career in the NYPD."

"Heard the same about you," she says.

"And you're a..." Con asks.

"Mermaid and werewolf," she replies. He nods. "You're a werewolf. Your father is the town minister. Don't hit on me. I want to keep this strictly professional."

"I don't do that anymore," Con says. Clari frowns, a little disappointed. "Let's get to work."

~

Arnold Rosen sits at a Starbucks in Chappaqua.

Eddie always found it strange that his mother kept the name.

Marty would always point out that she used Ms. in front of it.

Their mother would always say she never got around to changing it.

Marty and Eddie enter together. They spot the fifty-seven-year-old man and walk to his table.

They sit across from him.

"Look at you two," he says. "All grown-up."

"Have you been living a town over our whole lives?" Eddie asks.

"For the last fifteen years I have," he answers.

"I'm a history teacher now," Marty says. "And I have a wife." He takes out his wallet. "Her name is Autumn. We've been together since high school." He shows him their wedding picture. "And we have three kids. Winter is ten, Aquamarine is five, and Poppy is a few months." He shows more pictures.

Arnold smiles.

"What about you Eddie?" he asks.

"I'm a dentist," he says.

"That's not surprising," Arnold says. "I'm a pediatrician. I was in medical school when you two were born."

"You and mom met at a party, right?" Eddie asks.

"Your mom was a regular in the city," Arnold tells them. "She was always open to people from all backgrounds. I was glad you called. I thought about reaching out when you two were eighteen."

"Why didn't you?" Eddie asks.

"My wife was pregnant," Arnold answers. "I know that's no excuse. Why now?"

"I was at my boyfriend's dad's house for dinner and he told his dad that we're together," Eddie explains. "His dad's a minister, so it didn't go well."

"That's putting it lightly," Marty says.

"And you were curious to see how I would react?" Arnold guesses.

"Yeah," Eddie answers.

"Is your boyfriend um...a vampire?" he asks.

"Werewolf," Eddie says. Arnold nods.

"My wife is half-fairy half-witch," Marty adds, not sure how Arnold would react to Eddie's information.

"I didn't know how to do it," he admits. "I had two years left of medical school and I had never met a magical creature before your mother. I didn't know how to raise two vampire sons. I was a scared 24-year-old. I should've at least sent presents and spent a day with you here or there. I'm sorry. If you want me in your life now, I'll be there. Catch me up on the last thirty-three years."

Eddie smiles. Marty takes more pictures out of his wallet.

~

Amber does not expect to run into her youngest sister at a J. Crew in a mall in D.C.

"That's cute," Lila says. "Heard you got your magic back. And you're engaged to Secretary Li."

"The whole country knows about Carter and me," Amber points out. "How did you know about the magic?"

"We have our ways of knowing," Lila tells her. She looks through the shirts along with her sister. "I know you found your mother. This world you're joining is filled with monsters. They want to kill humans."

"I was never fully human," Amber explains. "Dad made my mother drain my powers. And that's just not true."

"You can't trust them," Lila says. "One of your friends killed Sabrina."

"Which one?" Amber asks. "Marty and Autumn weren't there, Con was unconscious, Carter was at town hall...and Eddie? You really think Eddie is capable of murder?"

"We have footage," Lila says. "He killed Sabrina." She pauses. "If you can't decide, I like the red one." She leaves the store.