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message 151:
by
Ji Mei , The Meticulous Secretary
(new)
Dec 27, 2013 10:40AM
"I know," he said with a laugh, though her words reminded him of what his brother used to say. Setting down his glass, Reggie smiled extra brightly in attempt to squash his thoughts. "Today was different, so that must be why I was so easy to pounce upon."
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"It was?" Ecaterina asked. "How so?" she queried, cocking her head to the side as she regarded him with large sea foam green eyes that seemed to bore into his very soul.
Under such an intense gaze, it was hard for Reggie to look anywhere else. Her sea foam green eyes were quite pretty, he thought before he forced his gaze somewhere else. "Today is the anniversary day for my brother's disappearance," Reggie explained, not fully telling the truth.
"His disappearance?" Ecaterina repeated. "What happened?" she asked him bluntly but not rudely, never taking her eyes off of him even when he looked away.
"I happened." Reggie took a long drink, debating whether to say anything. But he hadn't spoken to anyone for so long and it was getting lonely to keep this thoughts to himself. "My brother is accused of murder and has been running from the law for years."
"Wow," Ecaterina replied simply. "But he is innocent," she guessed. "How do you fit in?" she prodded, taking a sip of her drink then.
"Well, innocent of murder. Maybe not innocent of manslaughter," Reggie replied, looking down at his glass. "I fit in with starting everything."
"Do you want to talk about it?" Ecaterina asked bluntly, never one to beat around the bush. "I do not mind either way," she told him honestly, not wanting him to feel uncomfortable.
He gave a shrug, looking down at his tattoos as he folded his hands together. "Not really. I can't do anything to change what happened no matter what I do."
Ecaterina nodded at his response, but she couldn't help adding, "That may not be entirely true. You should see if there is something you can do. Even if you do not want to talk about it," she told him bluntly, picking up her drink to take another sip.
"What more can I do to change the conclusion reached in a closed case from years ago? There were no witnesses except myself and it doesn't matter, because I can't find my brother even if I want to correct what happened." Reggie frowned, trying to stop the flow of words that inevitably spouted forth.
"Is your brother in hiding?" Ecaterina questioned. "Is he upset at you?" she wondered out loud.
"He is and on the run from the authorities as well, and I don't know if he's upset with me," he responded, giving a shrug. Would his twin brother hate him for his mistake? Though it seemed like Eddie didn't blame him, things change over the years. And his brother was easy to get angry.
"I would want to find out," Ecaterina told Reggie bluntly, looking at him with her large, sea foam green eyes. "Perhaps I can help you," she suggested. "I am a fortune teller. Maybe my cards or crystal globe will tell me something," she shrugged, completely serious.
"A fortune teller?" Reggie repeated, surprised and a little doubtful, but he tried to keep it out of his voice. "Can a fortune be that specific?"
"It really depends on what I have to work with," Ecaterina told him truthfully. "Some people leave more of a residue which makes it easier for me to find information. But there is no scientific formula," she added with a shrug. She was used to these kinds of reactions--that was, until she had her customers reeling with the truth she gave them about information she couldn't have possibly known about.
He nodded. "Makes sense. But you can't tell me my fortune here, right?" Leaning forward, Reggie smiled. "I think I'll take up on your offer. Where do you reside or work?"
"I can read your hand, but it will not give you the kind of information you seek," Ecaterina replied. "I was just recently employed at the circus in town," she told Reggie. "I start tomorrow."
"Really? That's good. Perhaps I can be your first customer for your business," Reggie suggested, grinning over at her.
Ecaterina grinned back. "I was not going to charge you, but if you insist," she told him cheekily, giving him a gallant shrug with her bony shoulder.
Laughing, he leaned back and gave a shrug of his own. "Might as well pay. You have already helped me, so charging me would make things a little more even, don't you think?"
"It might," Ecaterina agreed. "But you did help me at the factories too," she mused, rubbing her chin thoughtfully, as if she were really thinking about it.
"Perhaps. Unless you call that free service," Reggie replied, smiling. Maybe he was being pesky pressing the matter of payment, but he thought it would be a kind gesture all the same to help with her business.
"Fine," Ecaterina said with a roll of her sea foam green eyes. "I can get you free popcorn though," she added. "Have you ever tried that? It is absolutely delightful. I never did until moving to Boston."
"Popcorn? Eh, can't say that I have. I've seen it and smelled it, but never had the chance to buy it," Reggie said, running a hand across his stubbly jaw.
"Never?" Ecaterina repeated, sea foam green eyes widening even more. "I thought you were from Boston," she argued. She hadn't even been here for three months and it was safe to say the little gypsy had tried just about everything the city had to offer food wise.
"Well, I've lived in Boston for a long time and my grandmother doesn't exactly believe in giving kids strange foods in her opinion. Just the bland combination of everything on potatoes," Reggie explained, giving as shrug as if to say, "What can you do?"
Ecaterina arched an eyebrow. "So, you were not raised by your parents?" she deduced. Was he an orphan too? Weird, she'd met a lot of those recently. Boston did not lack in their fair share of bad parents.
Nodding, Reggie gave a small smile. "No, they were caught in the Gale of 1815. I hardly remember them, so I suppose it's not as tragic as it sounds." And it was true, he never wondered what his parents were like, just figuring they were okay people from their portrait.
Ecaterina nodded at his explanation. "I did not know my parents either," she admitted, picking up her drink to take a sip. "I suppose it is a good thing that it is not as tragic as it sounds," she added with a small grin.
He chuckled. "Yeah. As if the world needs anymore tragedy from us."
"Tragedy cannot be avoided if it is seeking to find you," Ecaterina told Reggie sagely. As an oracle, she should know. If only she had the power to stop half of the things she saw. The world would be a better place. Glancing down at her glass then, she traced one bony finger around the rim, lost in thought, her mind flitting back to when she'd had an episode in front of Kurtis.
Watching her, Reggie was wondering what the mysterious woman's background was to give such a deep and contemplative statement. Perhaps it was just him, but it felt slightly eerie to think over the past tragedies in his life and what more that may follow him. To recover himself, he took a drink from his glass. "Well, I'll just have to take the bull by its horns when it comes to that."
"It is the best way to do it," Ecaterina agreed, glancing up then and looking deep at Reggie with her large sea foam green eyes, her gaze unwavering.
Reggie nodded, resisting the urge to shift around in his seat like a school boy in trouble. He didn't know what to do or say under such an intense gaze, but he tried to not let it bother him. Instead he smiled. "Good. Then I'll prepare for when the time comes."
"Excellent," Ecaterina replied, downing her drink then with a loud gasp. She pulled his wrist to her then and glancing at his watch, she read the time and signed. "I must go. My roommate will want to see me," she explained to him.
Reggie grinned, leaned forward, and held out his hand. "All right. You have yourself a great day." He didn't expect time to fly by so quickly nor did he think he would have talked about such things on this day. Perhaps the alcohol loosened his tongue, but he was glad that there was someone to share the day with him.
"I will see you at the circus," Ecaterina said to him, taking his larger hand in her own tiny one to shake it firmly. Rising to her feet then, she studied him with her large sea foam green eyes and said, "It was nice drinking with you. Watch your new watch," she added with a grin.
Giving her a wink, he replied, "Same here. And thank you." He looked at her meaningfully, giving his thanks for more than just the watch. Reggie was sure that he'd come by the circus soon.
***END OF SCENE***
