Hide & Seek | Roman Godfrey • Hemlock Grove

01; Prelude • Welcome Back

It's not as though she had much of a choice in the matter though, blood being thicker than water and stronger than even her aversion to Hemlock Grove.

Her mother has recently married again, some best selling self help author named Gregory. In addition to a honeymoon in Italy, Gregory has a chain of speaking engagements along the west coast that will keep both he and her mother out of town for the next few months.

"I hate to ask you, darling, but I thought since your classes are out for the summer..." her mother had tiptoed around the subject on the phone. "Just for a few months."

Even through the phone, Fawn could practically see her twirling a lock of red hair around her finger, nervously chewing her lip the way her mother was prone to doing when she was asking a favor. Someone had to feed the cats, after all.

As she takes in how little the town has changed in the past five or so years, she ponders what has. She, for one, isn't a hormonal, emotional teenager anymore.

She is no longer in love with Roman Godfrey or plastering Blink 182 and My Chemical Romance posters on her walls, no longer collecting Beanie Babies or dying her ginger hair jet black.

Not everything about her is entirely different, however. It seems the hate she has always carried for the town has only died down to a acidic simmer in the pit of her stomach.

Again, she tries to ignore the feeling, plastering on a smile as she pulls up the driveway that leads to her mother's house. It feels a little awkward to think it's now both her mother and Gregory's home, another thing she mentally adds to the list of things to ignore for the moment.

Her mother is waiting on the front porch when she steps out of the car, a beaming smile etched over her features. She looks much the same as she always has, quite like an older and slightly heavier version of Fawn herself, though her hair is worn wild and wavy rather than pin straight like her daughter's.

She lets loose a squeal of joy and dashes towards her Fawn, arms open to ensnare her in a hug.

"I'm so glad to see you," her mother gushes, pulling Fawn back to arm's length to look her over. "You look wonderful! I hope you had a safe trip. Was traffic still backed up coming into town? It's been so awful just off the turnpike since construction started last month..."

And just like that, her mother is back in full rambling mode, her natural state. It's the first familiar and comforting thing Fawn has experienced since leaving her father's, and it brings a smile to her lips.

She listens to the woman tell her about construction, about the new car she's recently purchased, about everything new in her life aside from the obvious. It's almost easy enough to forget there's a husband in the picture at all until Gregory steps onto the porch and clears his throat.

"Oh, honey. This is Greg," her mother's eyes light up like a teenage girl as she turns and looks at her husband, pushing the two of them towards one another. "Greg, this is my Fawna."

She cringes at the usage of her full name but overlooks it, shyly offering her hand to Gregory. He is a tall, thin man who looks to be around the same age as her mother, which is in and of itself surprising.

His salt and pepper hair is kept neat and short and he has glasses perched on his nose which do not seem out of place at all for a self help guru. Not really her mother's type from what she's gathered over the years, but his eyes are kind as he smiles.

"Hey there, Fawna," he greets, clasping her hand in his and giving it a firm shake.

"Oh, just Fawn is fine," she corrects him gently. "It's nice to meet you."