the discovery
Enid Sinclair was jumpscared by a piece of paper on a Thursday morning.
She had been walking to work when the wind picked up and a paper smacked her in the face. She knows the saying that reality slaps you in the face sometimes but damn. She picked the paper off her face and held it out so she could read it.
It proclaimed there would be a book signing at the Barnes and Noble down the street from Enid’s apartment. That alone wasn’t remarkable. There were book signings there every once in a while. Her eyes fell on the name of the authour who would be signing.
World Acclaimed Horror/Mystery Writer Wednesday Addams.
Oh. Fuck.
—
Enid was sitting at her desk, very unable to concentrate on her work. She had a column due next Monday and she couldn’t focus on it. She stared at the flyer that she had pinned to the wall. If she were a real werewolf (not a failure of one like her mom says), she’d be on a nerve fueled rampage right about now. As it was, her leg was bouncing so aggressively she occasionally banged it into the bottom of her desk, knocking over her pen holder and spilling office supplies on the floor. That had happened six times in the last hour.
Shit. Make that seven.
She concluded that no work was going to get done today so she packed her stuff up and went to her boss’s office, declaring that she had come down with a bad case of hay fever and needed to go home right away to get her Flonase. She then bolted, thinking to herself that using hay fever as an excuse in early January wasn’t her smartest move.
—
She sat heavily on her couch after retrieving two books from her room. She set the second one on the coffee table and turned the first over in her hand.
The Horrifying Exploits of Viper de la Muerte. The first copy to have ever been printed. Wednesday had given it to her as a gift for being “an adequate presence during the writing process” which...what? Enid could only remember Wednesday complaining that she’d interrupted writing time (“ Again, Enid. It is like you do not want me to publish my novel.” Enid had accordingly rolled her eyes) But she had treasured the gift. It meant a lot to her that Wednesday had prioritised her over her own family, who Wednesday loved dearly whether she admitted it or not. Her heart clenched painfully when she remembered the last time she saw Wednesday.
—-
It was the last day of term at Nevermore. Enid had been crying practically all day. They had graduated. They were leaving for good, off to do their own thing. Make their mark on the world. Enid and Yoko had parted with teary goodbyes, even though they knew they wouldn’t stop talking. Enid had said goodbye to Ajax, Eugene, Xavier, even Bianca. Now it was time for the most painful one.
Wednesday was standing with her parents and Pugsley by their car. Lurch was putting the last of her luggage in the trunk. Gomez noticed Enid’s hesitant approach.
“Hola lobita! Why do you look so glum?”
Enid opened her mouth to respond but was beaten to it by Wednesday. “Enid is a disastrously sentimental person, Father. She is going to miss the fools she calls friends.”
“Wednesday! They’re your friends too!”
Wednesday glares at her before turning her attention to her parents. “Mother, Father, please wait in the car. If you eavesdrop Pugsley, I will not hesitate to feed you to Kitty.”
The Addamses go and sit in the car.
Wednesday sighs and says in her famous monotone voice “You have 15 seconds, Enid. Get it over with.”
Enid rushes into Wednesday’s arms and cries into her shoulder. She’s going to miss Wednesday more than anyone else (sorry Yoko). She’s grown to really enjoy living with her roomie, and she’s developed some, shall we say, more than platonic feelings for the girl. She feels Wednesday's arms snake around her back and hold her tight and she just about stops breathing.
Those 15 seconds feel like a lifetime, yet they are over way too quickly. So in a way, it’s exactly like a lifetime. Geez, she’s definitely been spending too much time reading Wednesday’s depressing poetry books.
When they separate, Wednesday has a strange look in her eyes. Before Enid can figure out what it is, Wednesday turns her head towards the car. Gomez and Morticia are indeed watching them with soft looks on their faces, making Enid’s face burn. Pugsley’s eyes look like they’re going to pop out of his skull. Enid stifles a laugh.
—-
Enid is shaken from her memory by furious knocking at the front door. She gets up and starts toward it. The knocking increases in intensity.
“God, what? I’m coming!”
“Enid Sinclair, open this fucking door right now!”
Enid sighs. Yoko.
She opens the door to a windswept Yoko who looked as if she’d ran the whole way to Enid’s apartment. Enid wouldn’t be surprised if she did, it’s happened before.
“Why are you trying to break my door down? I told you it’s too thin for your rampage knocking.” Enid says while leading Yoko into the kitchen to grab her a glass of water. “Cut the bullshit, Enid. We both know short, dark, and terrifying is coming to town. I know your stalkery ass is well aware.”
Enid starts to protest but Yoko cuts her off. “No. We are going to this book thing. I haven’t dealt with your pining for five years just to not force you to see her when she’s here. It’s what besties are for.”
“But she didn’t tell me she’d be here. Maybe she doesn’t want me to come.”
Yoko sighs, exasperated. “Enid, you say that like she hasn’t been radio silent since leaving Nevermore. Has she told you she’d be anywhere in the last five years?”
Enid stays quiet. Yoko huffs. “Look, that sounded harsh. But I think it would be good for you to go. In the name of closure. Maybe find out why she hasn’t called or written a letter or sent a carrier pigeon, whatever. And for what it’s worth, I don’t think she’d be upset to see you.”
Enid looks up from staring at her shoes. “Maybe. Will you come with me?”
“Of course”, Yoko smirks. “I can’t wait to see you make a mess of yourself.”
“YOKO!”