A Ghost of a Chance

Visitors, Pt. 1

"So you haven't seen Carmilla in a couple days?" Perry asks, absentmindedly dusting Laura's living room.

Laura gives LaFontaine a puzzled look at Perry's actions, but they merely shrug, looking amused as they take a bite out of some sweets put out for company. Perry had a tendency to clean Laura's house while they were doing research, but it was still an odd sight to behold. "Uhm, nope," Laura replies. "Just the random cookie grab or curtain thing. Kinda stopped with the furniture business, though."

"Once again, ya gotta wonder what the ghost does in her spare time when she's not around you," LaF says, taking a sip of hot chocolate. "What if this whole 'nice ghost' thing is just a ruse and she's actually still plotting a way to get her Mother to take you away?"

Laura frowns. "Carm wouldn't do that," she replies immediately.

"Glad you have a lotta faith in me, babe," Carmilla comments, appearing on the couch next to Laura. "Misplaced faith, but still."

Laura giggles. "I figure if you wanted to feed me to your mother, you would've done that by now."

"Ah, but then who would buy the cupcakes?"

"Talking to yourself again, Hollis?" LaF teases.

Laura chuckles and shakes her head as a cupcake disappears from view and moves into Carmilla's hand. She starts to fire back a reply when there's a knock at the door.

Laura bounces over to answer it. "Ah! Hi, Danny."

Carmilla's face wrinkles up in disgust. "And that's my cue to—"

"--And who's this?" Laura asks.

"This is Mel," Danny says. "She's a friend from college. Hope you don't mind I brought her along, too?"

Carmilla feels a weird vibe as the trio walks into the house and she decides not to disappear as she had planned.

"No, no, it's fine," Laura insists. "Have some cupcakes!"

Mel enters the room behind Danny and Laura and reaches forward before pausing. She looks up from the plate and then—right at Carmilla. Her eyes hover for a few moments longer before she shrugs and grabs a cupcake.

Laura and Carmilla share an uneasy, confused look.

"So, uh, how was Danny in college?" Laura asks.

Mel looks distracted, so Danny starts to answer instead. "Freshman year, she was this little nerd. And I was this snotty athlete. But we were roommates and I guess opposites attract. Not exactly prime grounds for a friendship, but we were good for each other. Kept each other in our toes. Am I right, Mel?"

They glance over but Mel is staring at a spot on the floor. "One moment, please," she mumbles before turning and walking outside.

"Is she okay?" Laura asks.

Danny frowns and shrugs. "I've never seen her act like that before."

Carmilla scoffs. "Wow, buttercup. You invite real winners into this house."

"Be nice," Laura scolds. The others give her a confused look and she gestures at the couch cushions where Carmilla is sitting, hoping her annoyed expression would fill in the blanks.

"You're telling me to be nice, when she's the one who got into a staring contest with me?" Carmilla asks, offended.

"Just because she looked at you doesn't mean she knows you're here," Laura sighs. "I know this is your home, but can't you be a little more lenient about letting people in?"