marleyxmadden

[marleyxmadden]

Marley nodded as Courtney talked about she was glad she didn't have a panic attack. "I know, but you were calm and that's what matters." She said and looked around her friend's place to see where a cat could possibly sneak in. "I have no idea. Cats tend to be sneaky, though." From what she heard at least. Her parents never liked cats because they associated them with witches. "I definitely get it." She said before smiling at her best friend. "Glad to hear it." She said and nodded. "Me too. I just really thought I worked through all this stuff." @courtneyxblake

"I'm just glad I didn't have a panic attack, because you know," she replied as she gestured about. Not that she suffered constant anxiety, but she did have some from time to time and had had panic attacks in the past. "I just wonder how she had gotten in, because I'm usually so careful and so is Cohen, but I'm kind of glad she had chosen our place.. If that even makes sense?" then nodded, she smiled at Marley, "I know and they love you too, I know Seymour surely does." To which the pittie came over and rested his head upon Courtney's knee, his little stub of a tail wiggling back and forth. "That's great to hear, I'm really glad it's helping." @marleyxmadden

[marleyxmadden]

She just smiled and nodded at Solana as she said she should take her up on it. It was always a nice gesture, but there was something about being alone during the holidays that had felt better for Marley. At least for the moment. "I'm glad you have that too. You deserve that." They both did and she understood completely how Solana felt. "Hey, they call it trauma bonding for a reason, right?" She smiled, trying to joke a little bit. @solanaxortiz

"You should," she knew the holidays were a ways away, especially this early in the year, but the offer would still stand months from now. However, Solana did not expect Marley to go through with it. From how she felt when Vance died, she had always found it easier to isolate herself. "They are," she nodded her head in agreement, "I'm lucky to have the people that care about me that do and this group," the group had been a life saver for Solana when she first joined. "I know we all have different stories, but the grief binds us. Even as sad as that sounds, I've made some great friends here." @marleyxmadden

[marleyxmadden]

She shook her head. "It wasn't that. I mean, yeah it was unexpected, but it was really things I thought I had processed already. I didn't realize things were so fresh." Marley tried explaining, but she wasn't sure if it was coming out right. "That'd be nice." She smiled at him and her heart skipped a beat. "Good to know." She thought for a moment. "I guess I'll have a glass of tawny port?" She shrugged. It was her usual drink when she did drink so figured it wouldn't be a bad choice. @liamxadair

"Hey, emotions don't often let us control the setting that they come out, as much as we want to." Liam let out a soft chuckle with the words he spoke. "I understand that. It was unexpected, I sprung it on you and I should not have done that," he told her, "I'll call, next time," he said with a playful tone coating the words. Liam actually had no plans to leave Kismet Harbor. "Yeah, if you want something to drink, no pressure or anythin'. This isn't that kind of place." @marleyxmadden

[marleyxmadden]

She laughed a little bit and nodded. "I understand that." She shook her head. "I get that. It was a good thing you were there." Though, it didn't sound like there were any complications or anything so it probably would've been fine. Or, so she hoped. "I know, but still." She waved her off. She didn't mind being alone sometimes. "I appreciate it. I love seeing them. And you and Cohen too." Marley grinned and nodded. "It is. It's helped a lot lately." @courtneyxblake

"You're telling me, it did, though let's just say I don't ever need to see anyone give birth ever again," she shuddered at the sight and sound of it. "They really do, but on a plus I'm kind of glad it wasn't during the day and I was gone though. Who knows what would have happened," she didn't want to think about that, plus she figured they'd have to keep them all, probably from Seymour falling in love with all of them. "You're welcome here whenever to visit, you know that," she smiled before adding, "I'm sure they both love having you here just as much as I do. Because I do." Marley was in fact her best friend in all of Kismet and the world, unless you counted Cohen. "That's great to hear!" @marleyxmadden

[marleyxmadden]

She cocked her head at him as Liam said she didn't have to apologize. "Of course I do. If anything, I shouldn't have done it like that. I should've been more in control." Marley told him. "It's just seeing you again brought out a lot of things I thought I had worked through and apparently there's some unresolved things going on, but I'm working through it." She was seeing her therapist weekly again instead of every two weeks and it seemed to be helping her. "Oh, um, are you sure?" @liamxadair

As Marley began to apologize, Liam already felt his head shaking with it. He hadn't felt like she needed to apologize, though the moment had been with him since it happened. "Hey, I appreciate your apology but know that you didn't have to." But Liam knew what it was like to get a weight off one's shoulders. "I get feeling bad, but it wasn't unwarranted," he told her, "so," his lips curled into a smile, "what can I get you? On the house." @marleyxmadden

[marleyxmadden]

"That's good." She grinned at her before nodding. "Thank you, I appreciate that. I'll keep that in mind for this year." She told her and while she would always probably have it in the back of her mind, she wouldn't go through with it. Marley never wanted to intrude, so she didn't get out too much. Hearing the sigh in Solana's voice, she understood completely how the other felt; well, to an extent. "I get it. The holidays kept me from coming as well. I'm sorry. Anniversaries are the hardest." @solanaxortiz

"It was nice," though there were tension between her and Tanner currently, Solana still allowed herself to have a good time for the few hours she spent over there. "I understand," she'd heard enough of what had happened when they were in high school to know why Marley spent the holidays alone. "You're always welcome to tag along to my hodge podge family," she suggested, "we never mind another guest." Solana offered for the upcoming year as a kindness. "It has been," a sigh passed over her lips, "all the holidays I feel like kept me from coming and that's when I needed it the most. It was two years this November." @marleyxmadden

[marleyxmadden]

Marley laughed a little bit. "God, I can't imagine. I would've freaked out." She shook her head. "These things always happen at the worst times." She smiled and nodded. "Maybe one day I'll have a pet, but for now, I'll come visit yours." She told her friend. "Same. I started going to Mindful Madness again so it's been good, but everything's been okay lately." @courtneyxblake

"Honestly I almost had a panic attack," she chuckled nervously, "between the weird noises and then actually witnessing everything. I wasn't sure what to do." She shook her head and exhaled loudly, "and of course Cohen had to be working late that night," she said while rolling her eyes. "There's no love like a pet, I'll tell you that," looking down at the ball of fur in her lap before shaking her head. "Things are okay, can't really complain to be honest. How about you?" @marleyxmadden

[marleyxmadden]

She watched as he looked at the clock and then back at her. She was nervous for a moment that he was going to say no, which she would've understood, but luckily he said he did. "I just wanted to apologize for that day we ran into each other at the farmer's market. I was in bad place and I just let out all the feelings I had thought I worked through in therapy out at you and you didn't deserve that." Marley apologized to him. "I just felt bad about it and I'm sorry." @liamxadair

Liam was working his second job, the one that he didn't need but rather wanted to work. He had picked up bartending in North Carolina when he lived there and had really grown to enjoy the social aspect of it all and getting to know people. Granted, being back in Kismet Harbor, there were plenty of people that he knew but he'd been absent from their lives for the last eighteen years. From the corner of his eye, he saw someone approaching the bar. "Hey, what can-" he paused, seeing that it was Marley. He glanced up at the clock and nodded his head, "Yeah," the brewery was quiet this evening, "what's up?" @marleyxmadden

[marleyxmadden]

closed starter for @liamxadair location: mad monk brewery

It had been a minute since Marley had seen Liam and yet, all she could think about was him. Since he had came back to town, her thoughts seemed to always be plagued by him somehow and all the things she wished would've happened between them. She had felt bad after their last interaction where she yelled at him, but her emotions were so high and she couldn't help it. It was all things she needed to get off her chest at the time. Now, she had time to think and she wanted to properly apologize so she head to Mad Monk after work and walked over to the bar where he was working. "Hey." She said as she sat on the stool. "You got a minute?"

[marleyxmadden]

[marleyxmadden]

She laughed a little bit and nodded. "I'm sure it was. I don't think I would've reacted as well." She shook her head. "Besides, I don't think I need a pet." Though, maybe some companionship wouldn't be too bad. She had lived on her own for almost nine years now. Then again, she did like the quiet of her place. "How are things, though? I feel like it's been a minute since we've talked." @courtneyxblake

Looking down at the sweet orange ball of fur, Courtney nodded, "yeah we probably would," chuckling she absolutely agreed. Plus if they could afford it, they'd probably have more too. She was a sucker to help an innocent animal, as was Cohen. She held the spoon in one hand while petting Garfield with the other. "I'm surprised you didn't either, and boy let me tell you it was the most random thing to hear at three on the morning," she nodded to the side of the couch where the cat had given birth two months ago. @marleyxmadden

[marleyxmadden]

She nodded and just gave the woman a smile. She knew how it was and she wasn't going to pry for more when the woman said she was okay. "That's nice. I hope it was all a good time." Marley said before taking a deep breath. "They were quiet. I spent it on my own, but I prefer it that way, honestly." Since she stopped talking to her family, she didn't have to worry about going over to their place for the holidays and she didn't go to church anymore so every holiday was just a private celebration at her place. It did always make her think, though, of how things could've been. "I'm ready for one of these meetings, though. I feel like it's been forever." @solanaxortiz

Mindful Madness had been a saving grace for Solana since returning to Kismet Harbor. The loss of Vance still weighed so heavily on her, even two years after the fact. With the holidays having come and gone, Solana found herself back at Mindful Madness, hoping to find the upcoming year more peaceful than the last. Solana liked to go early, finding that a busy body meant that her mind stayed busy as well, helping set up for the arrival of more members. Solana was working on the coffee when she heard her name. Turning to look, she smiled at Marley, "Hey," she greeted the other in return, "I'm okay," she gave a small nod as she thinned her lips. "They were busy, I spent it with Tanner's family," she spoke of her adopted cousin, "he didn't come to town, but my aunt and uncle," the two people that adopted her when she had no one left, "What about you?" @marleyxmadden

[marleyxmadden]

Marley laughed a little bit as she looked at the cat and took the ice cream from her best friend. "I'd say the same, but I know you and Cohen. I'm sure if you had a bigger place, you'd have all the pets you possibly could." She teased her and took a spoonful of ice cream and ate it. "I'm surprised I didn't cave and took one of the kittens from you when you still had them." @courtneyxblake

Who: @marleyxmadden and Courtney

Where: Courtney's home

When: January 2025

"I still don't know how I ended up with three pets," she pointed to Seymour who was snoozing away on his bed, Garfield the kitten in her lap, and then Roscoe their bearded dragon in his habitat. She then took a scoop of her ice cream before handed the pint over to Marley. There was a movie playing on TV, the glow from the screen the only thing illuminating the living room. "And yet, I feel like Cohen would totally bring home more if he found another stray."

[marleyxmadden]

closed starter for @solanaxortiz location: kismet harbor high, mindful madness meeting

It had been a few weeks since Marley had been to a Mindful Madness meeting. The whole month of December, she was busy with the performances of the glee club and then work as well. Plus, she tried not to go out too much during the festival just in case she ran into anyone in her family. She tended to stick to herself during the holidays and she was used to it after all these years. She finally had the time that Tuesday night and she was early so she decided to help set things up. "Hey, Solana." She said as she saw a familiar face as she walked over to help make some coffee. "How are you? How was your holidays?"

[marleyxmadden]

END

closed event starter for @havearileymazingday

"So, what did you get Carol for Christmas?" Marley asked Riley as they walked around the winter festival and looked through the booths that were set up full of gifts. Every year, Marley strived to get the perfect gift for the woman who helped her after her parents had kicked her out and this year was no different. Hell, she even did it for the rest of the Days. "Or have you gotten her gift yet?"

[marleyxmadden]

She laughed a little bit. "Pineapple is good, though. If it was a banana or something, I think that would be cause of issue. Besides, we put tomatoes on them and they are fruit, right?" Marely grinned at the woman before shaking her head. "I haven't and don't think I ever would personally." She watched as the woman took a bite of her pizza and she waited to see her reaction. "Definitely not ever everyone, then." @sashaxjones

[marleyxmadden]

She looked down as he agreed that it was up to their parents to help them. Logically, she knew that, but it was so hard to feel that way sometimes. "I know. I do. I just feel responsible still." She sniffled and wiped her cheeks before looking back up at him. "I wish you could've too." Even if it wasn't a good idea at the time, she just wished she could've had him for the time she needed him the most. "Thank you. I forgive you. And I'm sorry too." She sighed and swallowed. "I should go. Bye, Liam." She moved passed him and headed towards her car to get home. @liamxadair

END

"It was up to them," now that they were both adults, that was something he could see more clearly. At the age that they were going to have a baby, they thought they had to do it all themselves. Liam hated to see the tears rolling down her cheeks but knew that there was nothing he could do to stop them. He even fought back the urge to wipe them away. "I wish I could have taken you with me," but looking back, he didn't think it would have done either of them any good. "I'm really sorry, Marely. I am." @marleyxmadden