A Bitter Pill To Swallow

"Oh yeah," Eva answers quietly, nodding. "All good."

Sitting back up straight, she tries to pay attention to the meeting, but then glances sideways at the other blonde again. "Why? Do I not seem good? I do want to talk to you after the meeting... but I think I'm good."

ANNESBURG, 1 NOV 2023
The Mill Coffeehouse

"Yeah, maybe." Melissa wraps her hands around the new cup and enjoys the warmth of it. "Anyway, she and I aren't that close, so ..." Taking a sip, she sets the cup back down, wondering what to say next.

"So ... uh ... where do we go from here?"

Now that Anna was a bit less hostile, he turned the conversation, "So, when did you first begin having trouble with your meta abilities? Do you think it's tied to your sleep troubles?"

GRAYBRIDGE, 1 NOV 2023
Episcopal Cathedral of St. Javelina, Basement
"Of course they're tied together, brainiac," Anna says, arms crossed and her glare now returning to Dave. "Both started at the same time, just like this damn headache. A week ago. Well, not quite. I was still feeling fine when Brock went here last week. It only started after that." She doesn't seem to know anything else that seems related to her current condition. No change in habits or anything like that.

"No, you look good," Tanya replies to Eva. She still seems to be partially listening to Anna, but is more focused on the other blonde next to herself. "I mean... I don't mean... You know what I mean." She chuckles, then tries to turn her attention back to the meeting, smiling at the fact that Eva said she'd like to talk to her afterwards.

Aside from Anna's outbreak, there isn't much unusual going on, just the few people attending talking about their week and how they're dealing with their individual reasons for being here. Eventually, Dave calls the meeting to an end. He notices Anna stumble briefly as she gets up but then she leaves pretty quickly. One after the other, people file out of the room as Tanya begins cleaning up the leftover snacks and drinks, packing them into the large backpack in which she carried them here. As she's working, she turns her head towards Eva. "If you want, you could walk me home. Or partway at least. Or we could go for a drink somewhere."

Meanwhile, Tim seems to be hanging around as well, looking uncertain and drifting towards the door and back repeatedly. He looks like something is bothering him and he wants to talk about it but is also scared to. His eyes also keep flitting to Tanya. Eventually, he seems to gather his courage. He turns to Dave and says, quietly so that Tanya won't hear him. "There, uhm... I wanted to talk to you about last week. If that's okay?" He shrinks back immediately after saying these words as if expecting Dave to react violently.

ANNESBURG, 1 NOV 2023
The Mill Coffeehouse
She was going to ignore him, her brain tuned out the small talk automatically to just concentrate on the problem before her. A distraction was what she needed though.

"Depends on the date and what the third is to do," she answers coyly. "In this case, you're right. I came in support of a recent breakup, but looks like it was just a fight." She waits for him to bring the ice cream and as he scoops it into a serving bowl, says, "Only, he's my ex too." She laughs. "I'm a moron waiting to drive her home after her date with my man."

GRAYBRIDGE, 1 NOV 2023
Episcopal Cathedral of St. Javelina, Basement

"Sure. Always happy to lend an ear." he stops folding up the circle of chairs and looked pensive for a moment before deadpan muttering "I'm pretty sure I still have a couple in a desk drawer at home..." He shook his head slightly to clear his musings, "What's on your mind?" Picking up on Tim's cue he interposed himself into the line of sight between Tim and Tanya.

Even though she's distracted by Tanya, Eva does notice a few things Anna says, and does. Her loss of powers. Her complaints of a headache... her stumble on the way out of the room after the meeting adjourns.

The big blonde nods at Gable when the other woman suggests she walk her home, or that they stop for a drink. It's unclear which Eva is agreeing to, but she doesn't clarify as she stands, grabs her jacket, says goodbye to a few people and gives Dave a quick salute, letting him know she'll be in touch soon.

GRAYBRIDGE, 1 NOV 2023
Episcopal Cathedral of St. Javelina, Basement
Tanya turns to Dave but, noticing that he seems to be busy in conversation with Timothy, she just says, "Goodbye, Mr. Draven. I'll see you next week." She then picks up her backpack and heads outside with Eva. It's still drizzling lightly but the residents of Graybridge are used to far worse. Tanya leads Eva to the street where a single bicycle is leaning against the wall. As she unlocks the bike, she says, "I'm not sure why Mr. Draven keeps this Tim around. He attacked me last week. I don't feel comfortable around him."

She then begins pushing the bike down the road as she and Eva are walking side by side. She seems eager to quickly move away from the church, maybe because of Tim, or maybe just to be alone with Eva. "How have you been, Eva?" she then asks, her eyes scanning the taller woman's face. "Have you... Did you try the medicine I gave you?"

Tim takes a couple of shaky breaths, clearly bracing himself, though with dubious success. "Please don't hurt me," he asks quietly.
When Tanya speaks up, saying her goodbye, he flinches, but once she and Eva have left the room, he seems to relax a slight bit. "Last week, I wasn't actually trying to mug Tanya. I'd never do anything like that. I swear." He swallows nervously. "This is going to sound even worse, but I swear, it didn't in my head before I agreed to it." His voice so quiet that Dave can almost not hear it anymore, he admits, "Someone paid me. Not to hurt her or anything. Just to scare her a bit."

Eva walks along beside Tanya in the light rain. She's wearing a green raincoat she got in a second-hand store, and glances sidelong at the shorter woman as they walk. "Yeah. Yeah, I took it. And it made me feel better. A lot better. That's what I wanted to talk to you about. What was that? Well, that, and why you... how you seemed to know it would help. It feels like you know me somehow? But I don't know you...?"

Walking through a puddle, splashing along as her pants start to soak through at the thighs, she adds, "Does that make sense? Do you know me somehow?"

GRAYBRIDGE, 1 NOV 2023
Episcopal Cathedral of St. Javelina, Basement

Dave rubbed his stubbly chin as he listened to Tim speak, the boy's body language speaking as much as the kid did. "Interesting. Any idea who it was that paid you? How much? Where did they contact you? Why her? " he asked before turning and waving to the two departing blondes, a mock smile on his face. "See you next week, Tanya. Eva, I'll check in with you later. You working a shift tonight?", he called down to hallway at the two blondes. Eva could handle herself, Dave thought, most of the time...but the more Tanya was around the less he felt that was the case. Once they were gone, he turned back to Tim, quite a bit more seriously "Start talking, kid. I'm listenin'.

ANNESBURG, 1 NOV 2023
The Mill Coffeehouse
"That's..." the man pauses, considering Augusta's words again. "That's a whole mess. And kind of a dick move, excuse my language." He looks over to Melissa and Brian again. "By your friend, I mean. And your ex." Focusing back on Augusta, he adds, "Do you want a drink? Tea or coffee. On the house. Or on his bill, if you prefer." He nods to Brian with a dry smile. "I guess your ex and your friend are free to date who they want, but rubbing it in your face like this is..." He shrugs, unsure how to politely end the sentence.

ANNESBURG, 1 NOV 2023
The Mill Coffeehouse

Augusta hears the man offer her his condolences. It's like she's a damsel in distress, and requires complimentary hot beverages to sooth her emotions. She knows that the guy is just being nice, and maybe genuinely feels bad, but it's Brian that put her in this position. He wanted her to leave, and so made it awkward. Smooth talking asshole, and there was Melissa getting re-roofied as she sat there doing nothing.

Polite Augusta, the public performer, she would do nothing. That's not her.

"Thanks, you're sweet. I'm just going to bail."

She texts Melissa. Text me when you want a ride. I'm going to go drive a little bit.

Then she heads for her car. She's going to drive, but then she's going to park, run back and scratch up Brian's car.

GRAYBRIDGE, 1 NOV 2023
Walking the Streets
For some people, hearing those words would be a shock. Would be a bombshell. Eva has so little frame of reference for these situations -- both in her own life, but also because she's been so isolated and cut off from pop culture for most of her years -- that she just glances at the other, smaller woman and makes a skeptical face. There's no soap opera or sitcom drama.

"I don't... have a sister, Tanya. What makes you say that?"

Melissa has to stop herself from blurting out an overenthusiastic yes. Her heart starts to beat rapidly as she looks at Brian, glances at Augusta leaving the coffeehouse then down at her phone when it pings.

Am I a completely selfish bitch for doing this?

Buying some time to at least pretend she was thinking about it, Melissa blows over her hot beverage and takes a few sips.

"Brian, I'd like that. Dinner would be nice. Something casual and romantic. Maybe take it slow this time? Do you think you could drop me at home after we finish up here? I can't ask Augusta to drive me home. That would be wrong under the circumstances. In fact, I feel pretty shitty about this whole situation. If that's okay I'll text her back. She just asked me to let her know when I'm ready to leave."

After all this, she's still willing to give me a ride home. I'll make it up to her, somehow. Yeah, that's what I'll do.

ANNESBURG, 1 NOV 2023
The Mill Coffeehouse, Parking Lot
When Augusta returns to the parking lot, it takes her less than a minute to spot Brian's car. Even though the vehicles here are in general noticeably nicer than they would be in Graybridge, it's still nice enough to stands out. And Augusta has been inside it enough times that she has no trouble picking it out. Things coming together for her perfectly, she finds herself alone in the parking lot...Meanwhile, Melissa and Brian finish their respective coffees inside. He of course agrees to drop Melissa off at home and she lets Augusta know not to worry about giving her a ride back. Their conversation is light as they reacquaint themselves. It's not like they have been separated for a long time, but after Brian's break-up text and Melissa's resentment for him since, it's not quite like slipping back into their previous pattern. Still, Brian is warm, attentive and as always good at conversation, so the talk doesn't turn uncomfortable and there are no awkward breaks or silences. Eventually, Brian pays, leaving a generous tip for their waitress, then helps Melissa into her jacket before walking outside with her. He doesn't hold her hand, but he walks close enough for their arms to brush regularly.
Stepping outside, Melissa spots Brian's car not far from the entrance. While Brian isn't paying attention to it yet, Melissa notices that something about it looks wrong. It takes her a second but then she realizes that it seems to have been vandalized.