Mystic Waters: Out of the blue

Chapter 24

Meranda was unsettled and her head felt thick like fog, thick fluorescent green fog. At night her dreams were filled with giant red eyed lamprey and serpents and toxic barrels. During the day she called the Environmental Agency and left numerous messages.

She decided no more phone calls, either Chloe wasn't giving Pete the messages, or he wasn't in the office. Meranda made up her mind, she was going to town and talk to Pete face to face. To find out if she still had a job or not, last she knew she was still an employee of the Environmental Protection Agency.

That night she sat down to dinner with her brother and they were getting to know each other as adults. Things still seemed different at the farm, but without dad there it would never be the same and that was a fact she would come to terms with in time.

She and Thor were watching American Ninja Warrior when Meranda announce that she was going into town tomorrow and needed see if she still had a job. She wasn't asking her brothers permission, but she still had driving restrictions.

"I'd be happy to take you." Thor frowned looking more like their father as he got older. "What time are we leaving sis?"

"I would like to be there at eight, so be ready to leave by seven." Meranda didn't care about much at that moment; she just wanted to talk to Pete face to face and straighten out her future.

"Not a problem, I'm going stir crazy around here anyways. I'm not use to all this quiet time. Frankly, I am bored senseless." Thor tried to suck the words back hoping Meranda wouldn't take it wrong. She still seemed so sensitive. Meranda looked over at him and smiled at his discomfort. "I just want you to know sis that I don't care for your boss."

"You don't have to like him, but he is my boss, so you need to mind your manners. If you can't control yourself then you need to wait in the car. Are we clear?" Meranda tone was clear.

"Yeah, we're clear." Thor didn't like his baby sister calling the shots.

The morning couldn't come fast enough. Meranda had laid awake most of the night thinking about her imaginary family. She finally had fallen asleep just as the alarm went off, at least that what it felt like.

Meranda's woke to the smell of coffee brewing and that always put her in a good mood. Climbing out of her loft she stumbled into the kitchen and there was her big brother cooking breakfast for his little sister. She smiled realizing how much she had really missed him. How lonely she had been. How abandoned.

"Yum smells good." Meranda gave him his kudos.

"Well, I figured we might want to start this day out on the right foot. I am ready to go when you are." He was excited to go to town. He looked quite handsome, clean shaven, shined cowboy boots and a clean shirt. If Meranda didn't know better, she would think he was going on a date.

They got to town early and Meranda asked Thor to drop her off at the Lakewalk she wanted to go for a walk and clear her head. Her brother just shrugged nodding his head yes. He had a few errands to run and would meet her back at the EPA in a couple of hours.

The Lakewalk was a paved path that followed the northern shores of Lake Superior. She was surprised that it was bustling with people so early in the morning. People were setting up booths and stands for some event and wondered what was going on until she saw a sign, Fall Fest.

It smelled like it was going to be a beautiful day. The lake was shimmering and calm and the heavy dew hung on the vibrant colored leaves. She looked up at the hillside and fall had painted the backdrop of this port city. It was breathtaking.