Marie Absconded

I am going to murder my mother!

Marie seethed a breath from the house full of people that were all bright grins and applauding; a contrast to the winter chill behind her. Her Uber driver made a swift and silent exit, probably feeling the piercing, red-hot rage permeating off of Marie in waves! Everything in front of her, more accurately, everyone in front of her was a sheer contrast to the conversation they had from the airport. Marie was expecting a quiet Christmas with just Christina and Graham, not a world-class festival with a banner:

Welcome Home, Marie!

It was hard to tell why her heart was racing so wildly; the undisputed hand-trembling, vision-blurring, lip-quaking incensed state she was in or from the fright of her mother, her brother, aunts, uncle, cousins, and other miscellaneous people all cheering, surprise! when she came in. Marie had a knuckle-white grip on her suitcase while the other - brought in by her driver - was standing alone in the corner.

Marie didn't bother giving a fake smile when they all started cheering and clapping. Christina - blonde haired and blue eyed, like Graham - was the first one to come and hug her. "Oh, welcome home, Rie!" Christina winced when she felt that trademarked bristle in her eldest's shoulders. Still, Christina tried to lighten her mood. "Did you have a good flight?"

Marie rolled her eyes to see none other than Conner Hawke in the flesh! He wasn't illy grey or about to heave his last meal or so bony he looked like he would shatter if someone blew on him. His elephant-sized ears hidden by a head of brown hair; that was new too. Marie's blue eyes shot to Graham and his pulled face from seeing how cold his sister's face was.

"It wasn't me!" Graham's holler turned the entire room, Christina too, on him. "I swear I had no idea you were even coming home until mom told me."

Christina turned back to Marie. "Rie?"

"I very specifically asked you not to do this," Marie gritted, loud enough for the entire living room to hear.

"Oh, come on! Rie, you haven't been home in five years! Of course we had to--"

"I told you not to tell anyone. I meant anyone!"

"Yeesh," a familiar voice came in the crowd. Her voice was followed by her signature Doc Martens thumping over the wooden floor. "And people say I'm the mean one." Logan winked at her before coming in for a hug. "I told her Conner was a bad idea," she whispered into Marie's ear. Marie sighed again. "Need a hand," Logan went on, already grabbing the free suitcase and lugging it towards the stairs.

"Thanks," Marie breathed. Logan had a pixie cut that was spiky and pointed in every direction. Marie wheeled her suitcase into her old bedroom that didn't change that much since she left. "You have got to be fucking kidding me," Marie jeered, turning on Logan. Logan only shrugged with her boyish facial features pulled aside. "Did I miss something?"

Logan parked the second suitcase against the rack Charlie installed for her fabrics. Now it stood barren. "Urg, fortunately yes. You missed about half an hour of Conner going on, and on, and on about he missed you and how he can't wait to have you back." Marie gagged at that. "Ooh, also. Apparently, you're a WAGS; his WAGS."

"Huh." Marie dug for her phone. "Enzo is going to love that," she stated while messaging him. After pressing send, Marie sighed then looked to Logan. "This is the last thing I needed."

"Honestly, I'm with Christina on this one. Just think about it; the last time you were here-- the last time most of us saw you, was the pandemic. Some even before that. But now that you're back, they can all stop using the 'oh, France? I know somebody there' card." Marie froze from looking around her room to furrow her eyebrows at Logan. "What?"

"What, 'what'? You made it sound like I'm here to stay."

"Aren't you?"

Marie folded her arms. "What did my mother tell you?"

Logan narrowed her eyes. "I get the feeling the information was inaccurate," she pointed out. "I was told that you're finally moving back."

"I'm here for Christmas," Marie corrected. "A-and, um..." Marie sniffed then looked at her old sewing machine that Christina evidently tried to keep clean. "What I'm about to tell you does not leave this room." Logan nodded wordlessly. "The reason why I asked my mother not to do this was because I'm changing my Visa."

"'Changing' as in...?"

"No more working student Visa. I'm applying for a permanent residency Visa."

"Holy...!" Logan covered her mouth. She gave a low whistle then nodded. "And Christina doesn't know?"

"That's not something you talk about over the phone."