07 The Return_ Midnight - L. J. Smith

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Meredith and Matt were sitting at the breakfast table, which seemed sadly empty without Bonnie. It
was amazing how much space that slight body had seemed to fill, and how much more serious
everyone was without her. Meredith knew that if Elena had done her best, she could have offset it. But
she also knew that Elena had one thing on her mind above all others, and that was Stefan, who was
stricken with guilt for allowing his brother to abduct Bonnie. And meanwhile Meredith knew that both
she and Matt were feeling guilty too, because today they would be leaving the other three, even if only
for the evening. They each had been summoned home by parents who demanded to see them for
dinner.
Mrs. Flowers clearly didn’t want them to feel too badly. “With the help you’ve given, I
can make our urns,” she said. “Since Matt has found my wheel—”
“I didn’t exactly find it,” Matt said under his breath. “It was there in the storage room all
the time and it fell on me.”
“—and since Meredith has received her pictures—along, I’m sure, with an email from
Mr. Saltzman—perhaps she could get them enlarged or whatever.”
“Of course, and show them to the Saitous, too, to make sure that the symbols say the
things we want them to,” Meredith promised. “And Bonnie can—”
She broke off short. Idiot! She was an idiot, she thought. And, as a hunter-slayer, she was
supposed to be clear-minded and at all times maintain control. She felt terrible when she looked at
Matt and saw the naked pain in his face.
“Dear Bonnie will surely be home soon,” Mrs. Flowers finished for her.
And we all know that’s a lie, and I don’t have to be psychic to detect it, Meredith
thought. She noticed that Mrs. Flowers hadn’t weighed in with anything from Mama.
“We’ll all be just fine here,” Elena said, finally picking up the ball as she realized that
Mrs. Flowers was looking at her with ladylike distress. “You two think we’re some kind of babies
who need to be taken care of,” she said, smiling at Matt and Meredith, “but you’re just babies too! Off
you go! But be careful.”
They went, Meredith giving Elena one last glance. Elena nodded very slightly, then
turned stiffly, mimicking holding a bayonet. It was the changing of the guard.
Elena let Stefan help her clean up the dishes—they were all letting him do little things now because
he looked so much better. They spent the morning trying to contact Bonnie in different ways. But then