Honeymoon

“So, how have you been feeling?”

June Berry asked the same question in the same way she always did at the beginning of Marnie's therapy sessions. However, this time Marnie responded with a genuine grin, instead of his usual reserved tone.

“I've been…pretty great, actually,” he declared. “I've made a new friend, and uh…started some new hobbies. Ya know, like you suggested. Even had my um…first kiss.”

“Really?” June smiled as if she'd never expected such an answer. “That's wonderful! I'm so happy for you!”

Hearing that phrase tugged at the corners of Marnie's mouth a bit. He wasn't used to praise, nor the strange uplifting feeling it left a small burst of in his chest. Even though he didn't care about his therapist's opinion, it was a nice sensation.

“What about work?” She continued. “And your health?”

“Great! Great,” Marnie rushed to answer, not meaning to. “They're both…great. Eating, sleeping, gym…membership. The seniors are proud of my progress, too.”

“Well, that's great!” The therapist beamed at him. “Really. I'm so happy for you!”

“Ah… T-thanks.”

Marnie offered an awkward little grin as he ran his fingers through his curls. It was the warmest he'd ever been with June, however, his leg was bouncing anxiously. He still wanted to leave as soon as possible.

Not that she noticed or cared.

“You know, now that your personal life is finally filling out,” June pushed with her sickly sweet smile. “Maybe we can start to make progress on the trauma related to your parents.”

Marnie's bouncing leg halted abruptly. The walls went up again — his grin evaporated, and the slender fingers which once played with his hair now clamped onto his arms. All of this was more of a response than Marnie's mouth would give.

Yet, the therapist continued to push.

“I know it's hard to think about,” she continued. “But I really do think you would benefit from sorting it all out. Maybe we can start with revisiting some happy memories with them? Birthdays, holidays, family ti—”

“Sorry, I should be getting going,” Marnie wouldn't allow her to say another word, standing up from the obnoxious sofa sharply. “I have, uh, plans. With that friend I mentioned. So, right, thanks for the session, but I'll be leaving.”

He then awkwardly rushed out the door, scribbled his signature on the sign-out sheet, and exited the office. All before June Berry had the chance to fully process what had happened.

Who was she to even suggest such a thing, anyway? It'd been roughly a week since Marnie had started taking RabbitHole, and that tiny pill was doing more for him than any therapist had in years. So why should he give a damn about what they say?

Marnie stormed off down the street, his mind swirling with indignant thoughts. That was another thing that had started happening more often since taking the RabbitHole. It was as if Marnie's emotions and desires were stronger and more wild than he'd ever remembered them being. To many people, such a change would feel frightening, but to Marnie it was a welcome adventure.

It meant that he was real.

Before long, the daydreamer approached the door of The Badlands. By now his feet knew the path by heart, even though it was a relatively short time. Even though he still got lost on the way to the grocery store.

The wave of incense that washed over him when he opened the door made Marnie smile. It felt like home. Or, at least, something close to it.

“Marnie! Welcome!” Kaede greeted his friend with a bright smile, banging into the counter and knocking down several trinkets as he tried to stand up. He was apparently trying to do some sort of inventory while the store was empty.

Actually, Marnie knew that he wasn't the only customer who visited the apothecary, yet somehow it was always empty when he was around. He might have found this strange if he didn't find it so relieving.

“Hey, Kaede. You, uh… You okay?” Marnie inquired with a small chuckle. “Don't get a concussion or something on my account.”

“Nonsense, I'm fine,” his eccentric friend shuffled the fallen trinkets around on the counter. “What about you? Didn't you have a therapy appointment today?”

“Eh,” Marnie shrugged. “It was about as disappointing as ever, so I bailed. This place is a lot more relaxing.”

“Haha, do you mean here, or do you mean the Other Side?”

They were weighted words uttered like the brush of a feather. Marnie laughed along with Kaede, believing it to be playful teasing, unaware of the way the phrase lodged itself in a far corner of his brain. It was the sort of moment one would come to reflect on when things were too far gone.

“While we're on the subject,” Marnie chimed after sharing their friendly laughter. “I was hoping I could get some more of that today.”

“Oh?” Kaede raised an eyebrow inconspicuously, habitually preparing tea. “My my, that's been nearly every day now. To think you need my drug that frequently…”

“Kaede, you don't know how much better my life has gotten since RabbitHole, though!”

A strange light flashed through Marnie's blue eyes, but he smiled with excitement. It was the most alive his face had looked since Kaede met him, and that fact alone was enough to silence the apothecary’s concerns. It was hard to say no to someone so happy when they were usually plagued by gloom.

“Truly?” Kaede grinned as he collected their tea tray. “That's wonderful, then. I'm so happy to be able to help! Come, I want to hear about it all before you set off.”

He led the delighted Marnie into the lounge, which had now become a fairly standard routine for their meetings. What felt like intrusive and annoying questions in the therapist's office now served for lively conversation topics within the den of the eccentric. Marnie laughed and joked as he told stories of small moments at work, what he decided to have for meals, and his inability to confront the overly energetic gym trainer about cancelling his useless membership.

Once in the lounge, Marnie plopped himself onto the lounge chair as if it were his own home. Comfortable, unreserved — it made Kaede smile to see him so carefree.

“I'm impressed with your progress,” he said, setting down the tea tray and hanging Marnie a cup. “That gym fiasco sounds like a real struggle for you, though. Since you're taking it anyway, why don't you search the Other Side for the courage you need to handle it?”

“That—” Marnie snapped his fingers and pointed at the apothecary. “—is a great idea, Kaede. I think I will.”

He took a sip of the Himalayan Golden tea provided, waiting patiently while his friend rustled around his coat pockets. After producing the bottle he sought, Kaede poured a few pills into his palm.

“By the way, since you're taking RabbitHole so frequently now, I think we should up your dosage,” he explained, delicately sorting the pills in his palm with pink-and-purple-nailed fingers. After separating a number from the rest of the lot, he dropped the unnecessary ones back in the bottle and twisted the cap closed.

“Alright, sure.” Marnie nodded, holding out his hand.

“Be careful,” Kaede then presented him with two pills instead of the usual single. “Let me know if there are any unusual side effects as well.”

“Right, I will.”

Marnie agreed without thinking much of it. So focused on the fun awaiting him on the Other Side, he eagerly knocked back the pills with his tea. The sweet, earthy flavor was a comforting companion for traversing the void.