The Time Traveler's Wife - The Other Side

The Mother

September 2019

Carmilla had been gone for almost two months during this latest travel, but that didn't really bother Laura.

After her exclusive article about the Goat Kidnapper, Laura's name was a national household name. Suddenly she was being asked left and right to be a guest writer for articles in publications, and also be the subject of articles being written about the case.

Laura realizes now why Future Carmilla was so insistent that they'd be able to afford this house. Even without Carmilla's shifts, the payments were no longer extremely difficult to fit into their budget.

She's working on her latest article about the Fountain of Youth-- a new energy drink company that was being sued for "false advertising"-- when Carmilla reappears right where she'd left-- next to the fireplace.

"Hey!" Laura Hollis greets from the dining room table.

"Hey."

Carmilla's tone worries Laura, but she can't quite place it. It sounds more profoundly sad than she's ever heard Carmilla, and extensively more exhausted.

Laura tosses a hoodie and a pair of sweatpants at her from across the room. "When did you go this time?" she asks carefully.

"1995." Carmilla's voice is flat and she's clearly in shock

1995 is when Carmilla's dad died. When Carmilla watched her dad die, Laura realizes.

Her eyes widen and she gets up, walking slowly towards Carmilla. "Oh, Carm. I'm so sorry."

"Yeah, that was... odd," Carmilla says, gesturing for Laura to sit down beside her on their couch. "Which you know is saying something given... all the usual oddness."

Laura silently opens her arms and Carmilla curls up against Laura, letting out a long sigh of relief.

"It sucked more than I thought it would. Me seeing Mini-Me have no idea what just happened, or that her dad's dead. Me trying to prepare her for the tough life ahead of her... How broken she's gonna be when she finally meets you..."

"You weren't broken when you met me, Carm," Laura insists softly, giving her a soft peck on the top of her head.

Carmilla chuckles dryly. "You would think that, wouldn't you? You wouldn't be you if you didn't." She gives Laura a small grin and chuckle. "Always seeing the best in me."

"That just means the best is already there," Laura says sweetly. "You just needed a stubborn creampuff to show you where it is."

"I'm serious," Carmilla laughs softly. "Seeing that frightened girl that I was... Knowing the crap she's gonna have to face with her mother, and the time-traveling... You saved me. You're my hero."

"And you're mine," Laura replies.

Carmilla smiles and as Laura gives her a long, deep kiss. "So you've said." She frowns. "How long was I gone this time?"

Laura shifts awkwardly. "A couple... months..."

Carmilla's eyes widen in horror and she swallows hard. "I'm so sorry," she whispers, frustrated. "These stupid treatments aren't doing anything."

Laura giggles and gives her another peck on the lips. "We're gonna be okay, Carm. We're gonna grow old in this nice ol' house together. It's gonna be full of love and laughter. Time travel can't do anything bad to us."

Carmilla hums. "Promise?"

Laura nods. "Promise."

The doorbell rings and Laura laughs when Carmilla rolls her eyes into the void before she gets up to answer it. Laura looks out of the peephole before frowning and carefully opening the door.