papa don't preach

“Oh I didn’t mean this,” Tallulah said, not even realizing she’d been dipping fries into her ice cream until she looked down at her own actions. “But like…every night for the past 3 nights I’ll get up at like 2 or 3, and make myself these bizarre sandwiches. I don’t know what’s up honestly. Maybe I was abducted by aliens and brought back weird and don’t know it yet.” 

Meredith grabbed two fries and shoved them in her mouth. “What kinda bizzare sandwiches are we talking about? Maybe if we analyze what’s in them we can like, google was the ingredients mean? Like I’ve heard if you crave carbs like break and potatoes it might mean you have low blood sugar..” she paused, then looked at the girl. “It could be aliens though. You have been looking a little green lately. Kidding.”

*wants to pry deeper but decides not to push it* Fine but you know that you can talk to me right, about anything? I mean come on, we’re like extensions of each other. 

Of course I know that. I’m just.. trying to figure things out right now before I talk to you about it.. Please understand.

I asked if I could sit here since the rest of the tables are filled. I could always it outside if you wanted to sit alone though. 

Alex, no. Of course you can sit here. Don’t be silly. Sorry I didn’t hear you the first time. My brain is kinda all over the place today.

x

Slowly the man pushed himself into a sitting position, opening one eye as he tried to shake the sleep that still lingered. When his eye fell on the girl from his mom’s record store he became even more confused then he already was. Pressing his palm into his closed eye he gave it a good rub, bruising the rest of the lingering sleep away. “I musta massaged you instead of my sister by mistake. She was supposed to drop off her spawn with me so I could take him to school for her.”

“Eli, Eli, Eli.. one mustn't sleep text, it’s almost as bad as drunk texting. You better hurry up and text Anna,” Mer said as she sat up in her seat. “You want me to get you a coffee or somethin’?”

“You know that’s not the first time I’ve gotten that,” Tallulah said, straightening up in her chair, even as she was getting up. “There was like, this one time in camp everybody thought I was a witch because I predicted this super quiet guy getting sent home, anyway— be right back—” she gestured to the cash register, where she got up to grab the muffins from. Two minutes and she was back again, sliding a tray of the muffins for her and Meredith. “Here you gooo.” 

Meredith sat there silently while her friend went to get them treats, almost nodding off again before she heard Tallulah make her presence known again. “Have I told you how much I love you today?” she asked as she picked up her muffin and began to pick at it, shoveling little bits of it into her mouth. “Two other questions for you. One, how much do I owe you? And two, why was the boy sent home? Like.. was it because he was too quiet, did he do something wrong, or what?”

“Sorry love! Just wanted to say your shirt looks amazing. I’m in love with it.” Paige pulled the seat out across from the other patron. “Where did you get it?”

Meredith looked down at her shirt as she pulled at the bottom hem. “This old thing? Oh man, I think it’s from Wet Seal from like.. a billion years ago,” she looked back over at the woman who was now sitting across from her. “I appreciate the compliment though, it’s definitely one of my staple wardrobe pieces. It’s managed to stick around through the several rounds of Marie Kondo-ing I’ve done.”

“I said I was gonna go get a muffin… do you want one? I’m thinking blueberry.”

Her eyes spring open at the mention of a blueberry muffin to which she quickly nods in reply. “Lula, I don’t know how you did that.. but in the brief five seconds of time I was checked out I was imagining that I was eating a blueberry muffin. Are you like a psychic or a mind reader or something?” she asked, giving the girl a small smile. “But anyway.. I would love a blueberry muffin.”

Are you sure that’s all? No offense but you’ve been acting off lately. 

[she bites her bottom lip] I.. [takes in a deep breath before shaking her head] I really don’t know what you mean. I’ve just got a lot on my mind right now. Everything is a-okay. Now, where is this brownie?

Reagan gives Meredith a smile. “I’m glad you are fun and trust me i know all about being tired from work.” they said and look at her. “Don’t worry about it and yeah i’m doing okay.”

“I don’t know if it’s from work.. I think it’s just life in general that has be tired. There’s a lot going on,” she said. “What’ve you been up to, Reagan? I feel like it’s been forever since I last saw you.”

location: the freeze

“Having really weird food cravings is like, a sign of being pregnant right?” she asks, dipping a fry into her frosty. Except it’s not a frosty and this isn’t Wendy’s, but Tallulah makes do with the local substitute. “Not that I would be cause you’d have to actually, you know—“ Lula makes odd hand gestures that could only mean one thing. “And I haven’t.” 

Meredith was sitting across from the girl, sipping on her own milkshake which was almost sent out of her nose at Tallulah’s comment. She coughed to clear the milkshake from her airways before saying, “Hey now, dipping fries into a shake isn’t that weird..” She trailed off for a few seconds as she ate a fry from her own plate. “It isn’t that weird, is it?”

I asked if you wanted to split the brownie with me. *looks at her concerned* Are you okay Mer?

Margot, do you know me at all? I mean, come on.. have I ever turned down a brownie? [forces a fake smile] I’m okay. I promise. I’m just exhausted. It’s been a long week. 

Reagan would look at Meredith with a smile  “I was asking if you are doing okay?”

Meredith looked over at Reagan, nodding slowly. “I-I’m fine, just really freakin’ tired. Really tired. So freaking tired.” She sighs loudly as she tucks a piece of hair behind her ear. “Sorry for totally spacing. You doin’ okay?”