The Time Traveler's Wife

The Kiss

October 2012

"Hope you haven't lost your ability to bake some tasty cupcakes," Carmilla comments as she settles down on a blanket across from Laura in the park.

Laura laughs. "Just don't insult my sandwiches again."

"I make no guarantees," Carmilla replies. Then her eyes widen. "Wait, it's not your mom's anniversary, is it?"

Laura shakes her head with a smile. "No, but I've perfected the ability to cry and pout to get my way with you over the years."

Carmilla holds up her hands in mock surrender. "Consider me aptly warned."

Laura grins and unwraps her sandwich.

"So what have you got planned after being stuck in a car the past few days alone?" Carmilla asks.

Laura cocks her head to the side, smiling.

"What?" Carmilla asks.

"Nothing. You just seem more... relaxed. Lighter," Laura observes.

Carmilla takes a slow, thoughtful bite of the sandwich. "Hmm," she hums contentedly.

Laura raises an eyebrow. "What?"

"Tastes better."

"Well, I should hope so. It'd kinda suck if my sandwich-making skills peaked at the tender age of eight."

"Well, as I live and breathe," a voice says sarcastically nearby. "Laura Hollis? With someone else? In public?"

A tall redhead runs over to them and faces Carmilla as Laura rolls her eyes.

"Are you holding her hostage? Did you bribe her? How ever did you get this girl to leave her dorm?"

"Ha. Ha. So funny, Danny," Laura says dryly.

A curly redhaired woman walks over, narrowing her eyes in concentration at Carmilla. "Wait a minute. We've seen her before, haven't we?" she says to a short-haired redhead.

"Jesus, cupcake. Does a redhead support group meet up around here or something?" Carmilla comments.

"Oh, sweet Christmas," the short-haired redhead remarks. "Isn't this the gal Laura brought to--"

Laura's eyes widen. "--This is Carmilla, yep," she interrupts. "The Carmilla you guys met is this Carmilla in the future. As in, she has no idea what you're about to talk about, LaFontaine," she adds pointedly.

LaFontaine snickers. "Have an aneurism, why don't you?"

Laura crosses her arms.

"Sh-She's not really a time traveler, right?" the curly redhead stammers, nervously glancing from Laura to Carmilla. "Right? You're not?"

Carmilla stares at Laura, all teasing tone dropped. "So it's actually a support group for redheads you've blabbed my secret to?"

Laura's mouth drops open in offense. "It was SO not my fault!"

"Oh, yeah? Then whose was it?" Carmilla demands in an angry growl.

Danny cackles. "It was yours, H. G. Wells."

Carmilla frowns.

"I mean, when Laur was little she was going on and on about her friend, the time traveler, til about middle school," LaFontaine says. "But we all thought she was crazy. Some of us still do, right, Perry?"

Perry scoffs. "Well, of course. There's no such thing as time traveling, o-or Chrono-impairment, or whatever you want to call it!"

LaFontaine nods eagerly. "Sure, Per. Sure. That totally explains why Carmilla here looks at least half a decade younger than the last time we saw her."