r e g r e t s

Milo laughed and shook his head. “I do weird shit if I’m bored, I have the attention span of a squirrel.” He went into the cafe area and got her a chocolate muffin, coming back with it in a napkin and setting it down before going back to get himself a fresh cup of coffee. “One of my friends made those, they’re pretty fucking good.” He paused to dump creme and sugar in his coffee and then came back to his seat. “No, don’t worry about it. I get it. And yeah, well, I was also ten when she showed me the Exorcist. I cannot tell you how much she regretted that one. It was way worse than Rosemary’s Baby.”

“Am I supposed to be impressed?” she chuckled at his squirrel comment, then nodded when he said his friend made the muffin. She tried it then gave a thumbs up, confirming. “Yeah? What traumatized you about The Exorcist? The vomit? The spider walk? The voice?” She was curious, and almost made a joke about the man’s age, but decided not to. 

“Pomegranate-apple, please,” Mack said softly, looking up at her sister with adoring eyes. It seemed surreal, to be so domestic with her sister again and for them both to be safe while they did it. that hadn’t happened since Holden.  Groaning a little, she let go of her sister’s hand. “Okay, be responsible big sister,” she said playfully, though she knew her smile said she appreciated it. “Thank you… And yes, please. Anything funny. Or scary. One or the other, please.”

She flipped through the movies and selected the first Saw movie for her sister, then offered the remote so if she didn’t like it, Mack could always change it. There was also I Love You, Man available, Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Insidious, The Conjuring, Child’s Play, and more. But Saw was a classic, the beginning of an overdone franchise whose first movie was spectacular and so smart. At least in Maya’s opinion. Her boyfriends loved the gore-porn and made her watch it, so the other movies made her sick to her stomach, associated with negative energy and memories, but the first one would always have a nice place in her heart because she had first watched it with her baby sister ages ago. They’d snuck the movie in under Maya’s shirt and set up the DVD player in their room on a full moon when their father ignored them. 

As Mack got the movie ready, Maya poured the juice and brought it to her sister. Now the prep of the food took less long than she anticipated, surprisingly, and she called out to her sister “Is everything okay? I’m almost done. Do you need anything? Want some crackers?” when the soup was nearing its end. Of course she had been checking up on her throughout the movie and topping off her juice here and there, bringing a water bottle for extra hydration, holding her hand (and taking some pain away) when the soup came up to a boil, etc. It sucked that she couldn’t be in two places at once, or cast a spell if she were a witch, but she did her damn near best.

Milo nodded and pulled out his charger cord, handing it to her. “Go ahead and plug it in.” He gave a small laugh and nodded his head, grinning loosely. “My older sister showed me that movie when I was ten. I had nightmares for a week and she really regretted that decision. But I know the scene you mean.” He took the phone and repeated the number before handing it back. When she’d hung up, he said, “Want me to grab you that muffin? On the house, don’t worry about it. I was bored out of my mind so you’re saving me.”

“You’re bored so you’re giving a stranger a free muffin?” she asked, confused yet smiling. “I won’t say no. Chocolate chip, pumpkin, or poppy seed. If none of those, then, I guess, whatever you’ve got,” she chuckled. “If it’s okay with you, I’m gonna stay with my phone. Not that I don’t trust your establishment, I just don’t have enough money to replace my phone right now. And I can’t believe you were ten when you watched the devil rape an innocent woman. That’s harsh.”

“They’ve taken a great shine to each others, its cute to watch. They both seem to enjoy having something to do and share with somebody else, though I think Mack seems to enjoy doing something that doesn’t involve any of her gifts?” she ventured gently, thoughtful. She liked Mack, and she enjoyed anybody who brought a smile to Clark’s face the way she did, too. A frowned slowly crossed her face, reading a little between the lines on that phrase and studying Maya a little more closely. Well, signs of iffiness didn’t always show on the face, did it? She shook her head. “I was born here, though I left when I was a teenager. I came from California as well, I used to be a doctor in San Fransisco. Which isn’t specific at all, given how big the area is,” she said, laughing quietly. There was no point in getting into the specifics of her leaving or her coming back, but she did add, “Lethe is my home though so it eventually called me back. And how long have you two lived here? I only really know your sister in passing through Clark honestly, but I like to think we’re friends, too.”

“Oh! Neighbors! I’m from Santa Cruz, an hour-and-a-half south or so.” Maya wasn’t great at reading body language, so she couldn’t tell that Mira knew something was up, hence her uppity-ness. “I’ve only been here for a couple months, Mack a little bit longer. She contacted to meet me here, and invited her friend too, who should be coming anytime. A werewolf. I don’t know her. I guess she makes friends everywhere she goes.” She was happy for her sister. Jealousy was the wrong word because she wanted her sister to thrive, but she also wanted to meet people for herself without getting hit upside the head. She wanted to know how Mack did it, found the good in people instead of attracting the bad ones. Well, maybe it was just Lethe (or the screening process, really) because she hadn’t been hit once since entering its walls. 

“You are not the first person to spy on me, or the first to follow me some place. But you are the only one who has come up and explained why,” she said lightly, shrugging, walking out of the building and moving to sit down on the steps. Maya wouldn’t look at her, interesting how similar the girls were in that way, but something about Maya seemed a lot quieter. “Aliza Mor, if she never told you, I cannot say how much she remembered of her first couple sessions given how inebriated she was, but she is a delightful young woman.” Aliza tapped her fingers on her knee, frowning. Her knowledge of the Brennan sisters’ history was a little foggy still, that type of thing only came with time, but it saddened her to know no specialist had helped. There weren’t many, she knew, and that made it all the worse. “I cannot promise to have answers for it. Hybrids are unique in that no two are the same, not just in personalities, but down to their very core they differ so wildly,” she said, fingers splaying as though to illustrate the possibilities. “I will not stop looking for ways to help. Does she use her gifts often, do you know?”

“No way,” she smiled at the comment that she was the only person to explain her odd behavior. That continued to make her feel brave and strong, for whatever reason. Maybe this Aliza woman was a lucky charm. “Oh no, she’s drinking again? Fuck I’ll have to...” She blushed, embarrassed. Swearing was a habit she learned from exes, always being in the wrong crowd. It began as a ‘fuck you’ to her parents, pristine and proper, but then it just became the norm. “I’m sorry. I’ll talk to her. What are big sisters for, right?” She offered a watery smile. She listened to Aliza explain about hybrids, and a wave of relief overcame her. Though it wasn’t good news, it was news. “No, I do not think so. Can I give you my number, or you give me yours, or...? Sorry, I don’t mean to bombard you I just... You seem like an integral part of our journey now that we’re here. I’m sorry we didn’t come sooner.” For many reasons.  

“Why would you think I was a dad? Do I look like a dad to you?” Trent replied looking down an reconsidering the shirt he was wearing. He usually took a lot of effort into his appearance but after his moms death things started to slip past him. “ Someone named Mel? I can’t be sure.  I didn’t get a lot of information, to be honest “ He added feeling like he had been sent on a a false lead. “ No, Well I don’t think so. “ Trent made a confused face when she opened the door wide and he stayed in the door frame watching as she walked off. “ If I’m completely off I can go. “

Maya shrugged. “Could be. A young one. With your 9-5 job and sweater vest... I dunno.” She shrugged again, this time smiling. Maya then shook her head at his suggestion of who he was here to talk to. “This is Mack and Maya. The M&M’s. Does the name Mckenzie ring a bell?” She shook her head and gestured for the taller man to follow. “Come on in. What are the questions you need to ask. Maybe you can interview a nobody and get booed from townspeople.”

Milo chuckled a little and gave the girl a grin. “I’m a little surprised to hear you even mention a payphone. Been a while since I’ve seen one, and you look like you might be young enough to not even have used one. But here.” He lifted the landline from under the desk and slid it towards her. “What charger do you need? Might be able to help you with that too if you want to hang out and have a cup of coffee while it charges up a bit.”

Maya chuckled. “I’ve heard stories and seen movies, but its nice to know you think I look young I suppose.” She pulled the landline towards her and lifted the receiver. “An android, micro usb.” She watched him rummage under the counter for a moment before speaking again. “You ever seen Rosemary’s Baby? There’s an entire scene, one shot, in a phone booth. I know they were nickels and dimes back in the day, maybe quarters or a dollar most recently. And uh, thanks. I’ll look into a muffin or something to hold me over.” She dialed the phone and got the answering machine. “You ass pick up the phone, it’s me!” she hissed. “Do I get dinner? Are you making it? Call me back. Um, what’s the number?” she handed the strange man the phone so he could announce the return phone number into the receiver. “Thanks. Bye babe. I’m at... TriBeCa bookshop and more,” she shrugged, looking around the shop. It was a good size and even had a little cafe. It looked brand new.

When you’re as old as her, you start to recognize the feel of eyes on your back and today was no exception to that. Aliza shivered the entire walk to her office, and it was only when she was entering the building that she caught a flutter of hair and a slightly familiar face. Slightly because she couldn’t figure out who or how, and Aliza marched to one of the windows, waiting it out. It wasn’t often they had peeping toms, it was why her lab was deeper into the building, but it suited her purposes right now. “Ah, its you,” she mouthed through the window, seeing her face. The Brennan sister’s had a remarkable similarities to their faces, enough that Aliza recognized this one from her interactions. She reached out, knocking a fist on the window gently and inclining her head towards the door. “Meet me at the door,” she gestured, trying not to laugh at the woman’s startled expression. Aliza turned her back to her, heading for the front doors, half expecting she would have run away. “Brave woman, I did think you would have made a run for it. Any relative of McKenzie must be tough indeed. You are Maya, yes? I have heard about you, but I did think if we ever met, you would, perhaps, introduce yourself to me rather than try to spy.”

‘You must be tough indeed.’ Why did that strike such a chord with Maya? It wouldn’t usually, but because she had just been a chickenshit, and because she was used to, well, people beating her down... it meant a lot. And she forced a smile, to let the other know she came in peace. “Yes. Maya. Sorry I didn’t mean... any offense...” she said, darting her eyes. Though she had been told for years to make eye contact, that was one thing that a good slap across the cheek could never fix. It might’ve been ingrained from her childhood, her parents’ ideology of ‘children should be seen not heard,’ and knowing that she was inferior. “I just wanted to meet you since you seem to be working hard with my sister. And I wanna thank you for that. She’s never had a specialist before, just doctors who don’t understand what supernatural hybrids are.”

Mack groaned, even though that sounded really good. She squirmed under her sister’s hand on her stomach, giggling a little even though no tickling was even happening and it had been so long ago. “Okay, okay. Let’s go.” She got to her feet and followed her sister to their living room, eyes tired and drooping as she rubbed at them with the hand not intertwined with Maya’s. “Soup, crackers, and cookies,” she reminded her sister with a tired smile. The thing about being so sickly in general was that it didn’t take much in the way of sickness for her to feel like she was on her deathbed. Her head pounded, her body ached, her chest felt like it might rupture from congestion, her nose hurt, and her throat was making it hard to swallow at all. And that was all without the cough that was threatening to become bronchitis. “Maya, I feel awful,” she moaned as she sunk onto the couch and stretched out. “But I’m really glad you’re here.”

Maya wanted to let go of her sister’s hand to guide her to the couch, but Mack’s squeezing wouldn’t allow her to raise her hand to the younger’s back. Oh well, whatever Mack wanted Maya was here to provide. “Hey, the soup will take at least an hour with prep and everything. Do you want water or some juice to sip on? I think we’ve got orange or pomegranate-apple.” Maya sat on the couch next to her sister, rubbing her belly lovingly. If she were on her stomach or side, it would be easier for her to rub her back, but she used this action to take some of the hurt and fatigue away from her sister. Even if it didn’t last long, even if it wasn’t a perfect fix. She hated to see her in so much agony. They had just gotten back together, she wanted to make memories that were good, not sad. 

“Okay, I know you wanna hold hands but I have to prep the food, okay? Do you wanna watch some TV?” she asked, running her hand through her hair in contemplation. 

Location: outside Church Club

“I just think its fishy that you call yourself ‘Rod.’ On purpose,” she scoffed, but a smile was upon her lips. He was cute, she couldn’t deny that. “Fuck me! Why did I have to bring a black cat to a club at night! Of course he got out the door, the bouncer said he saw him, but cats are so fast and--” She tried to calm her breathing. They were both fae, she could smell it on him, she didn’t want them both to wig out. Besides, right about now she would normally get smacked upside the head. “Stupid Halloween party. And Mack is back there getting wasted... she couldn’t even help me...” She sighed heavily, then looked up at him. “Sorry for unloading. Bagheera’s been in my life for six years, I will really miss that cat. Don’t suppose you know a witch who can do a locating spell? If that’s even a thing.” She only had werewolves and fae in her family, so she didn’t know much about witches even though the Shephards were witches. When they were close, the Shephard family was too young to really be practicing, or rather the Brennan sisters were too young to even understand what was being explained by Holden. Thinking of those girls though helped ease her anxiety and she was breathing almost back to normal now, though her mascara was slightly smudged from a tear that let loose earlier.

“I’m sure they were great, just that I can’t see them with it this wet,” she said with a blink, a little confused at the scoff. And again at the question, bemused. Most days, people already know who she is, like her relation to Meyer is stapled to her forehead, though this time around she expected this person to know her. “I’m Mira Lowell.” Did that help? She didn’t wait to find out, continuing on while Lionel plops onto the grass, as if he has no care for his own clothes. “You probably know my boyfriend, Clark? I’m, uh, friends with your sister,” she offered with a half shrug, unable to explain it beyond that. Her eyes linger on the remaining pages, catching sight of one that remained unscathed. “She didn’t tell me you were an artist though, but I’ve noticed she’s a bit private.”

“Yeah! Mack loves Clark, she’s learned a lot from him, lots of helpful tips. It goes over my head. I like working with my hands, but I don’t want to be elbow-deep in the sewer or anything,” she chuckled. Obviously it was an exaggeration, there was protective gear and tools and the like, but she had to make her point. “Oh, we both... ahem, are private. It runs in the family, I guess.” Blue bloods, or rather coming from wealth, the Brennans always had to keep their ‘image’ pristine. That’s what their mother said. Pristine. She wouldn’t dare having a daughter who didn’t cover her blemishes, and she made them go to the gym thrice a week. She almost gave Mack an eating disorder at one point. All to ‘look good.’ But Mira surely didn’t need to know this. “Are you from Lethe? We’re from California, I don’t know how well you know my sister...” She trailed off a little awkwardly, not having that constant berating on the back of her neck for a few years. She was getting rusty, truth be told. 

Location: TriBeCa

Status: closed with @miloadkins​

“Excuse me,” she said, walking up to the man who, hopefully, was as harmless as he appeared. If a little disheveled. “Do you have a payphone in here? I didn’t realize my phone had died until after I left work and my sister may call me asking what’s for dinner and... oh, you know, can’t live without our phones in this day and age, right?” She shrugged, a little uneasy. Not because of him, not even due to any danger as they were safely indoors, just because she felt awkward. “Or maybe you have a phone charger behind that desk of yours?” she grinned. 

“No I’m in my twenties. “ Trent replied making a face. He looked down and had to double check he always looked professional and he still did. So he wasn’t in some nightmare where he was dressed like a boyscout. “Oh well that’s nice. I’m here for an interview. I was the journalist that was supposed to be sent over.”

“You could still be a dad or volunteer,” she muttered under her breath. “Who are you interviewing?” Maya asked, though she kept the door open for the man and even stepped aside before he answered, silently inviting him in. “Mack didn’t tell me anything about a journalist, is it she you’re supposed to be interviewing? Let me see if I have something to eat...” She kept the door wide open (he looked harmless! though when had she been wrong before? a lot) and went to go look in the pantry for some oreos or chicken in a biscuit. Maybe a soda, too. 

“It’s in the north of Germany. It really is a lovely place” he mentioned with a shrug, smiling. Lethe already felt like home but that didn’t mean Hamburg no longer was that for him. After spending many of his years there, that city would always hold a special place in his heart. There were various elements to her story that he wasn’t quite sure what to say about them, the nymph just nodded along her words, and in the end he just commented on what sounded most positive about it all. “It must be nice being reunited with your sister”. 

“Yes, actually... do you have any siblings?” she asked, trying to switch the conversation away from her. She didn’t like talking about herself, especially back when she had bruises around her cheeks that, even with healing, still showed. “If you do, you must be the baby of the family. Too much happiness to be the oldest or middle, who get pushed aside.” She grinned. It was another joke, though it hit close to home. But to be fair, the Brennan parents weren’t loving to anybody, not even each other. Huh, maybe she did have a dark sense of humor.

@trent-buckingham