I was just thinking about the cute Matt x Karen moment in DD S2 where Karen helps Matt out with tying his tie in his apartment and he goes “you seem good at this” and she replies “well my brother never was so that’s where I came in” when I realized…the last time Karen probably helped her brother Kevin out with tying his tie was mostly likely on the morning of their mom’s funeral…*bites lip as eyes water*.
Do you have any idea what Karen Page's mother's name is? I've done some searching, but haven't found anything.
Her name is Penelope! Though to be honest, we aren’t sure where this information came from, since she is never mentioned by name in her only appearances (in vol. 1 #56-57). The Marvel Wiki isn’t a perfect source, but it tends to be fairly reliable, so this may just be a brain fart on our part. We suspect she may be mentioned by name in one of the Marvel handbooks, or something.
THERE’S A BLACK HOLE
A VACUUM, IN DEEP OUTER SPACE
THAT SWALLOWS ALL MATTER WITHOUT ANY TRACE
WHERE LIFE IS SUSPENDED IN PHYSICS AND TIME
EVERY WORD YOU SAID HANGS LIKE AN UNFINISHED RHYME
It rained when she left. It only makes sense that it’s cloudy and drizzling when she returns.
She shouldn’t have come home. But she had to see him. This was goodbye. A genuine one this time, for good. Karen was planning to never return to this corner.
She stands in the field. The field where the car, her car, flipped seven times with Kevin inside. He doesn’t have a grave. Her parents...
“I’m sorry Kevin. I’m sorry.”
She keeps repeating this, like a summoning spell. Like if she apologizes enough all will go back to normal.
“Karen?”
She freezes. A voice that once brought comfort and tough love now results in Karen grinding her teeth and balling her hands into fists.
“So that’s it then? You’re just gonna ignore me?”
Karen relents and turns to face her mother. She’s gotten a little older but her face is as grave as ever. Her blue eyes are still fierce too, framed with graying hair. She casts her eyes down, half hoping she’ll sink into the earth to get away from her. Not even the back roads were able to hide Karen for this brief return, someone must’ve saw so they blabbed. Typical.
“Penelope.”
“You better look at me when you speak to me. What happened to your manners? Also what is with this Penelope?”
“That’s your name isn’t it?” Karen meets her gaze, hoping some of her mother’s steel is running in her veins.
“Yes but as far as I know I’m still your mother and you will address me as such.”
“No I won’t.”
“Still stubborn as ever. You said you were never coming back. I see that lasted long.”
“I was just leaving. I had to say goodbye.”
Penelope steps closer.
“You’re not getting away that easy.”
“I have nothing to say to you.”
“Oh but I do. How dare you shame your father and me? You ditch college, take your funds and go to California. And going by Paige Angel, you think word wouldn’t get back here.”
“I don’t regret anything.”
“You slut. The devil has always been in you and you’ve done nothing but embrace him.”
“Keep thinking that, I don’t give a shit...”
“Language.“
“...I’m starting over and I will never come back here again.”
“Start over all you want, you’ll never escape Fagan. Or me. Or your father. Or Kevin.”
Karen looks up. It was the first time Penelope had said his name since the accident. All she sees is red.
“Don’t say his name.”
“He was my son...”
“You erased his existence after he died! You wanted me to pretend he was never here!”
They’re toe to toe but the hag is unflinching. Her mouth is a hard line and the drizzle has matted Penelope’s ponytail and coated it with a sheen of droplets.
“You’re not worth my time. Goodbye Penelope. And go to hell.”
Karen stomps away. She thinks of New York City and how hopefully the Hudson can keep everything on the other side of the bay. That if anyone, Penelope, Paxton, her friends from California, tries to cross the river they will all drown in the cloudy water. And the city’s lights will blind them. Then and only then will Karen find peace.
Hours later and she’s waiting for the bus. Luckily the stop is a couple hours away from Fagan so no one is throwing looks her way. A puddle has formed in a pothole a few feet away from the bench she’s sitting on. Karen sees Kevin’s shadow jump in it, his scrawny legs in mid air. When they would walk down the mile road that led to their home, he’d find every puddle and make the biggest splash he could. Even at sixteen he was trekking mud everywhere.
The void inside her expands. She sinks into it so easily now and as the bus arrives, she hears only Mr. Brightside and nothing else.
