Rabbit Hole Carnival: Post-Session

“I’m gonna go talk to them. Look after her. And Renee?” Cel said. “If I have to pick between one of you two? You’re showing up and he’s not.”

“Make yourself a Shocking Apple first.” Nick replied. “I’ll get my Planted Beanstock.”

“I just don’t feel like forcing people to pick me again.” Renee said. “Okay?”

“No.” Nick said, “Not okay. Renee you’re not forcing anything.”

“I know.” Renee replied. “But no matter what I do, or I think I can’t change feeling that way.”

“Well just stop it then.” Susie replied, as she walked in then. “That last one was completely out of line.”

“Doesn’t mean it was wrong.” Renee said. “Maybe I should just have stayed alone.”

“Okay, start at the beginning, What happened?” Nick asked.

“We did some D&D.” Susie replied. “Renee played a warlock who is a little obsessed with connecting to people.”

“And tied the group to two two side quests as a result.”

“Cel is the DM?” Nick asked

“Yeah.” Both Renee and Susie replied.

“Do you ever think about running without her?” Nick asked.

“Of course not.” Renee replied. “She guides the story.”

“And just told you she wants you, or whoever this problem lad is.” Nick said. “Is at least a 3 to one vote on playing without.”

“She said that?” Susie asked.

“In so many words” Renee said.

“Well then what’s the problem?” Susie replied. “You heard the rest of us.”

“She gets like this at times.” Nick said. “Knowing my brother, I'm not surprised. He’s always convincing people he did something wrong.”

“It’s her first D&D campaign, and she's been doing a pretty good job. She has been bonding with Cody’s character a lot.”

“I’m just gonna head upstairs.” Renee said.

Susie tried to stop her, but Nick stopped that and let her walk upstairs. “She knows.” Nick replies. “She knows it not the best for her, and she knows she shouldn’t feel like the failure she feels like.”

“Then why does she?!” Susie asked.

“I have no idea.” Nick replied. “And I have asked, and let her describe things that don’t make sense to me.”

“Off the word of Cel.” Susie said.

“No, I started this habit of mine long before Cel.” Nick replied. “She never felt good enough, and who's gonna blame her? Her own mother wants an abusive jackass over her.”

“So you just let her be alone?” Susie asked.

“I check on her at least twice a day.” Nick replied. “She made the most important step to me already.”
“What was that step?” Susie asked.

“She came here.” Nick replied. “In the middle of the night. Mike got to be a little too much for her, and a girl with a bruise on her cheek crashed here tonight.”

“A bruise?” Susie asked.

“I still remember it.” Nick said. “I thought she told you.’

Cel knocked loudly on her door the next day. “Renee?! We need to talk.”