The Time Traveler's Wife - The Other Side

Ye Olde Selfie

February 1998

It's been a year and a half since Laura met Carmilla in the park. She'd started asking her mom about the time traveler but Eileen insisted that was just a lovely woman and her partner out on a stroll.

By the time she was almost seven, Laura's insisting got more and more persistent and eventually her parents had her see a professional, since she was a bit too old to be talking so adamantly about time travel.

By February 1998, the family was focused on more pressing matters and Laura had stopped asking about Carmilla. But still, she left the pile of clothes in the attic.

Just in case.

Her mom had another visit to the doctor's and it was taking much longer than usual for her dad to bring her home. She'd had some fevers lately, and other things that Laura knew she shouldn't know about, but the whispers betrayed the secrets her parents were trying to keep from her.

The whispers increased when she had strep throat.

The house phone rings.

"Hello?" she answers.

"Hi, sweetie," her dad replies. He sounds scared, but trying to hide it. "I had to take mommy to the hospital for some small tests. Absolutely nothing to worry about, okay? I promise." A pause. "But in case these small tests take a while, will you be okay by yourself tonight? I can call Mrs. Lawrence to bring you to Danny's house if you want."

Laura mulls this over. There's a new episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer tonight, and Danny didn't like watching that show. "Oh. Yeah, I'll be fine alone. Tell mommy I love her."

"I will, honey," Sherman says before hanging up.

Laura sighs and decides she needs to sit down, if only for a bit. She heads for the living room when she senses something-- or someone-- on the stairs and sees them in the corner of her eye.

"Holy poop!" she exclaims, screaming and grabbing her chest before her brain registers that it's Carmilla.

"Sorry, sorry," Carmilla apologizes profusely, running down the stairs but approaching her carefully. "I didn't mean to scare you." She looks around. "You're home alone?"

Laura nods, eyeing Carmilla warily. "It's been so long, I wasn't sure I really met you." She crosses her arms. "Plus, that man my mommy and daddy had me talk to told me you were an imaginary friend, different than the lady my mommy was talking to."

Carmilla frowns. "I told you not to tell anyone about me, you stubborn creampuff."

With absolutely no other response ready, Laura sticks her tongue out before plopping down on the couch, glancing at the spot next to her.

"So how long are you here for?" Laura asks. As much as she didn't want to hear Danny's comments about Buffy the Vampire Slayer, the idea of being alone tonight wasn't sitting well with her, either.

"Not sure. Can't control it, remember?" Carmilla replies, taking a seat beside her. "When am I?"

Laura gives her a perplexed look. What a weird question. "February 1998."

Carmilla hums.

"Well, I'm here alone and my dad probably just lied to me about how bad it is with my mommy coz he doesn't want me to worry but I doubt they'll eat all the dinner we made, so do you want some?"

Carmilla doesn't seem to be hearing a word Laura's just said. ANNOYING.

"Hello? Laura to Carmilla. Are you even listening to me?"