#bergen_county

"I don't even know what she's on, but she's not crazy."

"The pills are keeping her nightmares away. Might be better to taper off. Else there might be some sort of rebound."

Grimace, nod.

"Okay, okay, this.. this is stupid, but, like, what if..."

"Like, you know magic isn't my strong point, but could we... nightmares are still made of glamour, right?"

"Could we... I dunno, go into the Dreaming and punch the nightmares? Dagmar smash?"

He considers. “Dream-walking. Olgar might know that art. Or, Zane?”

"Olgar is off looking for Jonas right now."

"But Zane, maybe?"

A brow wrinkle. “Wasn’t Jonas helping at that North Dakota shelter?” Frowning. “If he’s on a quest that explains why Anne Marie is pulling long hours with these migrants.”

Grimace. "Sor-..."

"I mean..."

"Yeah, he's on a Dreaming quest, but he has to get back soon."

“Hey. Mom wouldn’t be helping if she didn’t want to. You should have heard her talking you up. You did good.”

“Still, sooner is better. Want to call Zane?”

"We could. And maybe talk to Sylvi. I mean, she kinda started this..." Her phone bloops. Symon's, o course, is probably silenced.

He reaches into a pocket- vibrate! A glance at the phone. “Sylvi took initiative. Do you want to try to talk to May alone first?”

She bites on her lip.

"I... I, uh..."

“Lupe first?”

Swallow, nod.

“That makes sense. If she’s coming to this…” nose wrinkle “party, we should tell her about May first.”

"If May comes."

“If she doesn’t, you know where she lives.” He shrugs. “Don’t need to go chasing problems that don’t exist yet.”

A deep breath. Nod. "Right."

TXT: sounds good, missed everyone

He checks the group text, and gives her a thumbs up.

"You can hide on my lee side."

“That’s my spot, after all.” He gums at a lip, thoughtfully. “I had thought maybe… ask Cairrean if she wanted to come to the 4th. Maybe Sylvi’s thing would be better. Worse? She doesn’t know any of the holds in the area yet…”

"The Lee-lee." She rubs the back of her neck. "The fourth has the grown-ups, so take that for what it's worth?"

A snort at Lee-lee. Then a wince. “Anne Marie is a -lot-.”

"I... could maybe invite Maisy, so your friend isn't the only 'outsider' at the fourth? Maisy is really outgoing. Satyrs."

A grateful expression. “I never really got to know her. She seemed… nice?”

"She does seem nice. I've... been kinda weird with her, I think."

"Um. Can I ask if your friend is a sluagh?"

He shakes his head. “Probably wouldn’t invite to a pool party if so. Clurichaun. Not many of them around here… maybe she’d like to make friends.”

"Clurichaun?" Surprise. "Okay. Okay, but she can probably handle the Lodge party - I mean, she's got to meet your mom sometime, right?"

"Big party versus, like, small dinner with no escape routes at home..."

Reluctance. “Maybe… in a couple years….” He says, only half joking.

Brow.

A thin smile.

"I'm just sayin', it might be easier."

“I’ll give her the choice?”

"Yeah, that'd be best."

A pause. "You, uh - tell her about us?"

“Well.” He glances towards Dagmar’s phone. “You should text Lupe.”

Then, a small nod. “Of course. You’re important.”

A flush of purple across her cheeks.

"Okay."

TXT: Lupe can we meet sometime before Sylvi's party?

“Pizza.” Symon suggests, remembering Sylvi mention the pizza place the girls used to hang at.