Dickinson
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Otherwise it feels a little like cheating.
This is probably not a premonition of anything, nothing to worry about here.
Em wakes up to leave a poem about wild nights on her desk, addressed to Sue.
You cant just leave salacious content like that lying around!
You guys know what Im talking about.
Someone who is not Sue is definitely going to see this letter.
Does it shock you to learn that this party is Ems idea?
She says a party is like a shipwreck because its supposed to fuck you up.
I … am not sold on that analogy, but sure.
Or is this just genuinely her concern that shes offering nothing to her husband-to-be?
George arrives early, as I figure must be his standard practice, bearing white lilies for Em.
Theyre the symbol of death, she says.
He thought it was going to be a just-the-two-of-them thing; he is going to be very disappointed.
But we dont really dwell on it here.
She gets better as the night goes on (re: does she play the harp?
I like to think it plays me.
), and eventually she does, in fact, make out with him.
Go, Vinnie, go!
Wow, what a drag the 1800s must have been.
I love the party banter we overhear ItsveryJeffersonian.
between Austin and George.
But enough pleasantries: Its opium time!
Em does approximately 10,000 drops.
Opium looks … fantastic?
If they were married, he tells her, they could have parties like this all the time!
They make out and Em IMMEDIATELY keels over and runs away.
Dont take it personally, George!
There are forces here beyond your control!
Everyone claps awkwardly and Sue bolts to find Em.
NOT a great look for the engagement announcement.
Would do terribly on your Insta Stories.
Em leans into the melodrama of it all, crawling across the ribbon-infested hellscape that is Lavinias room.
Sue bursts in and Em reports: Life is an endless sea of pain.
Meanwhile, Austin and Jane are having a little chat on the porch.
That Jane has picked up on this makes me like her more than I did 15 minutes ago.
How perceptive, Jane!
Austin walks in on Em and Sue in a very passionate and not-sisterly kiss.
I mean, I guess its sisterly in aFlowers in the Attickind of way.
But that book wont be published for about 100 years, so.
I guess, on foot?
With no supplies or food or bags or directions or anything?
At 3 a.m. or whatever?