[✔️] 𝑇𝐻𝐼𝑁𝐾 𝑂𝐹 𝑀𝐸 | 𝐃𝐈𝐄𝐆𝐎 𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐆𝐑𝐄𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐒

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐎𝐍𝐄

"Really?" she gave a small gasp, a pitiful expression on her face as she pressed a hand over her heart. "How come? Your family isn't religious?"

Mara shrugged once more as she moved onto the next rack. "We just didn't really do celebrations in general—birthdays, Easter, Halloween, Christmas . . . none of it."

"You don't speak of your family much," Annie suddenly remarked, her thin lips pressing together after. "What are they like? As much of a joy as you?"

"Depends who you're talking about," she laughed as she pulled out a hanger and readjusted the dress on it before putting it back. "It's a wide range of personalities."

Annie, clearly eager to learn more—Mara rarely spoke of her past life to her—leaned back against the counter and asked, "Tell me about each of them."

"Well, Luther—he's a pretty strong guy, uh, into weightlifting and stuff." Mara shrugged, then moving to a nearby table and refolding some of the blouses. "He's kind of like the leader of the group, I guess, but he can be pretty stupid."

"Sounds a lot like my boyfriend," Annie giggled. "But his name is James, so don't worry."

Mara gave a light laugh as she picked up a shirt and folded it. "Then there's Klaus. He's a bit of a funny guy, he's made some poor choices in life, but he's got a lot of love in his heart."

"That's nice," Annie remarked with a small smile as she walked over to the table and began helping Mara in folding the clothes.

"Five . . . he looks pretty young, but he's an old man at heart," Mara said carefully. "He comes off as arrogant and rude, but I know he wants the best for us."

Annie paused for a moment, her eyebrows raised. "Interesting name."

"Our parents were . . . creative," she reluctantly said, finding no way to sugarcoat 'Our father branded us with numbers'. "Then Allison. She's beautiful—like a movie star—and caring. She has a young daughter named Claire, who's usually the sweetest little thing—but she has quite the temper. "

"I always wished I had a sister," sighed Annie.

"Vanya is more of a quiet girl," Mara continued with a small frown, deciding not to mention that she had ended the world. "Though, she's really talented with her violin."

Annie sighed once again, even more dramatically. "Oh, I've always wished I could play an instrument. I tried learning guitar when I was twelve, but the strings all snapped because I wound them up too tight."

Mara giggled and patted her on the shoulder before leaning up and fixing the mannequin's dress. "And Diego . . . Well, pretty headstrong. He likes being a hero, and can come off like a dick, but . . . he loves deeply," she told her as she folded her arms and leaned against the table.

Mara bit her lip as her mind crossed over the thought of the man. She missed him so much—more than she could've ever thought—and had wanted nothing but to talk to him and kiss him during the last five months.

She had no idea where he was—if he even was in 1963. She had spent the first couple of weeks looking for him, along with looking for everyone else, but after coming up with absolutely nothing, she had no choice but to settle into this life. And while she didn't mind folding clothes and dealing with customers, she missed the university, and it pained her to think that all of her research and study now meant nothing.

Noticing the faraway look that had glazed over Mara's eyes, Annie gently asked, "You miss him?"

"Yeah," she murmured, giving her a small nod as she looked over at her.