Work Text:
From: [email protected]
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: Upcoming Visit
… My big brother finally got a family of his own and I can’t wait to meet them! I’ll be able to share all of your embarrassing family stories with your wife and stepson!
PS: I know you have a complicated relationship with the Church and our childhood faith (and for good reason), but do you still wear your medals? I know that was a point of contention when you were dating Leon, but I was wondering how you felt about it now?
All the best,
Dr. Caroline Blofis
From:[email protected]
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: Upcoming Visit
… Sally and Percy are looking forward to meeting you too. But must you tell them your embarrassing stories about me? We’re both adults. Haven’t you grown out of teasing me?
As to your last question, yes, I still wear my medals. Sally and Percy know I grew up Catholic; they don’t have a problem with it. I will warn you though, Sally and Percy aren’t Christian, so please don’t bother them with any of that.
Sincerely,
Paul Blofis
From: [email protected]
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: Upcoming Visit
…Paul, I am your little sister. It is my job to tease you. I am never going to grow out of it.
Cool. Just wondering.
I won’t, Paul. Don’t worry. I’m not our mother. Though I wish you’d told me that before I sent out your Christmas cards. Please give Sally and Percy my apologies for that. Just make sure you send me a list of what holidays your family celebrates so I know what cards to send out.
All the best,
Dr. Caroline Blofis
*****
“So your sister is just visiting for the weekend?” Percy asked.
Paul looked up from loading the dishwasher over to where his stepson was sweeping, “Yes. I’m picking her up from the airport tomorrow at ten. Why?”
“Just making sure,” Percy replied, focussing on sweeping around the table legs. “I mean, I need to know how long I have to go with being mauled by a monster or wrecking the plumbing.”
“Were you planning on getting mauled by a monster or wrecking the plumbing?” Paul asked.
“No,” Percy replied. “Just… you know, that’s the kind of thing that happens with me around.”
“I’m sure things will be fine, Percy,” Paul reassured his stepson. “If anything happens, your mom and I will take care of it. And I’m sure the Mist will help. But also, if you’re not ready for Caroline to stay over, I can talk to her about it. She’s spending the rest of the week at my mother’s anyway. She’ll understand if you need more time.”
“No, it’s not that,” Percy said. “I want to meet her. I mean, she’s got to be a better aunt than Hera, right? It’s just… your sister’s a doctor, right? I don’t know how we’re going to hide a monster injuring me, even with the Mist’s help.”
“We’re going to hide it the same way we hid it from Paul before we told him the truth,” Sally said, coming into the living room with a load of laundry. “It will be fine, sweetie.”
“Your mom’s right, Percy,” Paul agreed, shutting the dishwasher and starting it. “Don’t worry about something that hasn’t happened yet, and let your mom and I worry about it if it does, okay? Just do your best to stay safe. We’ll handle the rest.”
Percy sighed, “Okay, ya, okay.”
“It will be okay,” Sally said, giving Percy a kiss on the side of his head, and passing him the dustpan.
*****
“Paul and Philip were so mad that we weren’t including them in our fun,” Caroline said over dinner.
“So what did you do?” Sally asked, smiling as she stabbed a bite of salad.
“Well, naturally, Martha and I were all too happy to let them join us,” Caroline said.
“That’s because you had two willing volunteers to try your ‘potions’ out on,” Paul said, trying to act exasperated, though the effect was ruined by his smile.
“You tried it!” Percy said, “Paul even I– actually, I don’t know better than to try random potions my family members offer so I completely understand why you did it.”
Sally shot Percy a look.
“I’m fine!” he protested.
“I see that,” Sally said, dryly, “But please don’t drink random liquids, sweetie.”
“I haven’t done that in a few years,” Percy said, digging into his lasagna. “So what happened next?”
“I believe that I threw up on you and Martha’s shoes and Philip tried to wipe off his tongue using the sidewalk,” Paul continued.
“Honestly, I’m surprised that neither of you got sick from whatever was in that puddle we were using as a caldron,” Caroline said. “Mom was so furious when she found out what we’d done.”
“She was,” Paul confirmed. “Mother and father got in such a huge argument over how we should be punished. Mother wanted to make us clean and our father seemed to think we were sufficiently punished by drinking the ‘potion’ and being thrown up on.”
“Well, I’m pretty sure that was enough to teach you not to do that again,” Sally said.
“Well, Martha and I continued making ‘potions’ but we never let anyone drink them after that,” Caroline agreed.
“And Philip and I were a lot more suspicious of anything the two of you offered after that,” Paul said.
“Smart,” Percy commented.
“So, should I ask about the story behind the ‘potion’ you drank?” Caroline asked. “Because you made it sound like you were older than eight when you did the same thing.”
Paul shot a nervous look at Percy and Sally. Sally stilled momentarily, before continuing like there was nothing unusual about the question. Percy looked like he was trying to play off getting caught doing something he shouldn’t have been.
“Ah no,” Percy started, swallowing hard. “Thirteen. It was something my… second cousin, I think, concocted. She’s really persuasive.”
“And definitely knows better than to give that to children,” Sally said, taking a sip of her wine.
“Ya,” Percy agreed. “Luckily my girlfriend, we were friends at the time, was there. She was able to get me away from my second cousin before things got too bad. Everything turned out fine in the end, but uhhh… I definitely should have known better than to drink randon liquids no matter how tasty they looked.”
“Well, I’m glad you’re okay,” Caroline said, trying to send a covert concerned glance to Paul.
The look Paul gave her in return clearly conveyed one thing: later.
*****
It was evening before Caroline pulled Paul to the side. They were watching a movie and she offered to help Paul with the snacks and drinks. Sally had protested that she was a guest and should choose the movie. Caroline had replied it was fine, besides choosing snacks was way more fun.
“What kind of pretzels are these? Did they invent a new brand while I was out of the country?” Caroline said, inspecting the pretzel bag Paul had grabbed from the cabinet.
“Ah no,” Paul told his sister. “I just don’t think they’re as popular because they are extremely salty. Like painfully salty.”
Caroline looked at her brother sceptically, “Why do you have painfully salty pretzels?”
“Percy likes them,” Paul replied.
“Hmmm,” Caroline said, grabbing some glasses from another cabinet. “Speaking of him…” Caroline sighed, and put her hand on her older brother’s shoulder. “I know it’s none of my business, but– Paul what do I do for a living?”
Paul looked serious, cautious as he answered, “You go to places experiencing disasters or crises and provide helpcare. What does this have to do with Percy?”
“Paul, I see lots of people who have gone through hell, who are going through hell,” Caroline said carefully. “I know what that looks like. And Percy looks like way too many of my patients. I don’t need to know the details,” Caroline said when it looked like Paul was going to interject. “Like I said, it’s none of my business, just… Paul, promise me that you and Sally are getting him whatever help he needs.”
“We are,” Paul said, solemnly.
“Good,” Caroline said. “Also, I have something for you,” she said, pulling a small plastic bag from her pocket.
Paul put down the pop he had grabbed from the fridge and took the plastic bag. He chuckled when he saw which saint medal was inside. “St. Joseph?” he asked playfully.
“It seemed appropriate since you’re at stepfather now,” Caroline teased.
“You have no idea how appropriate that it, Cara,” Paul said, slipping the chain that held his other saint medals off his neck and adding the new one.
Caroline frowned when she saw his medals, “When did you get a third one?”
“Ah, this past year,” Paul said, putting his necklace back on. “Would you like water? Tea? Hot chocolate?”
“Hot chocolate’s fine,” Caroline said, putting a bag of popcorn in the microwave. “So who is it?”
“St. Jude,” Paul admitted, grabbing mugs.
“Paul…” Caroline sighed, “You know you can talk to me about these things, right? I’m not going to tell mom anything about what’s going on in your life.”
“I know, Cara,” Paul said, filling and starting the kettle. “But it’s not my place to tell you.”
“Okay, got it. It’s not my business,” Caroline said. “But Paul, you know that if you or Sally or Percy need help, I will help however I can. There’s enough horrors going on in the world. I’d like to spare you and your family whatever part of those horrors I can.”
“I know,” Paul said, smiling sadly.
“Good,” Caroline said. “Now, where do you keep your large bowls? I’m going to need to put this popcorn somewhere.”
Paul opened a cabinet and grabbed a bowl. Together they finished gathering the snacks and drinks before joining Sally and Percy to watch A Wrinkle in Time.