"Good morning, beautiful girl." Elodie smiles as she sees Rebecca standing at the counter, the griddle in front of her steaming with the smells of cinnamon pancakes.
"Hi." She offers softly, sliding onto a stool across from her, "You know you don't have to feed us fancy meals the entire time we are home."
"Yes I do. I only have you two home for a few days before you are off on your next adventure together." Rebecca swats at her with the spatula in her hand.
"At least we are going together." El shrugs, reaching for one of the finished pancakes and taking a bite, "I love your cooking."
"I do love that my babies are working together."
"You literally didn't meet me until I was fifteen." El laughs.
"Still my baby, always one of my babies." Rebecca shrugs. "Got any plans today?"
"Yes. One of my foster sisters got in contact with me on instagram about a month ago, and I asked her if she wanted to get together while I was home. We're going to lunch today."
"That's exciting! How did she find you though?"
"All the hullabaloo that bands fans made about me, apparently she saw a photo and realized who I was so she reached out, now that she's over eighteen and could."
"Is it Sadie?" Rebecca asks, turning the griddle off as she pulls the last of the pancakes off of it.
"Ya, I'm really excited actually." Elodie nods, "I don't miss what life was like before I found you and Peter, but I miss some of the people, and Sadie is one I miss more than the rest."
"Well then eat up, and go get ready. You have someone to see today!"
"Thanks, Rebecca." El chuckles, taking the plate she is offered and filling it with pancakes, adding toppings before digging into the delicious breakfast.
***
Elodie scrolls through her phone as she waits in the coffee shop, her eyes glancing up to the door each time she hears the small bell sound. Going through her photos from Europe she pauses as she sees the one she took of Luke in Milan, laying on the floor with his guitar. How was he doing after getting home a couple nights ago? He never texted her, so hopefully that is a good thing. Maybe Amy actually left the house so he could go home safely, although she doubts it, she's hoping that is what happened.
"This seat taken?" She looks up suddenly, her eyes meeting a pair of beautiful brown ones behind thin round gold glasses.
"Sadie." She stands quickly, pulling the younger girl into a tight hug.
"Hi, sis." Sadie's arms tighten around Elodie's middle, both girls holding tightly for a long minute.
"I've missed you so much." Elodie finally lets go, stepping back enough to meet Sadie's eyes again.
"You have no idea how much I have been dying to reconnect with you, El. I can't believe it's been seven years."
"But it never will be again." El grins, pulling Sadie with her to the line.
"Never. How are you, El?"
"I'm doing well. I ended up getting adopted by the mom who fostered me after we were split up, and she is amazing, as is her son."
"I'm so glad you got put in a good place."
"Where did you end up? You had a full six years left in the system when everything happened." El asks as they step to the front of the line, Elodie showing the barista her mobile order number as Sadie orders at the register.
"So, I floated for about two years, in and out of foster homes here and there, trying to find a place for me to stay after everything. I ended up in the middle of nowhere up north when I was fourteen and it wasn't too bad." Sadie answers as they take their seats again, "The family was nice enough, and I had some space for myself, and they had a large farm where I could get lost outside when I needed time away with my thoughts and my past. It was healing to be there in some ways, but rather lonely too. Their family had three boys, but they were all quite young and never really took to me much. I came back down to St. Louis at fifteen, and stayed with an older lady who pretty much kept to herself until I aged out. I knew I wasn't going to end up adopted when I landed with her and so I started working after school, it kept me out of the silent house and in social situations, and I saved up so I could find a place when I graduated. I ended up getting some financial help through Scholarships for college and I have been staying on campus at Washington U since I moved out last summer. I've got a management position at a retail store and I'm almost done with my first year of college."
"I'm so proud of you, Sade." El smiles, standing when their names are called and collecting their drinks.
"But what about you, El?" Sadie asks as she takes her drink, "Your life seems pretty spectacular now."
"Let's go for a walk, and we can talk about it." Elodie offers, feeling her social battery draining quickly in the crowded shop.
"Still shy?" Sadie gives her a sympathetic smile, nodding though and standing to leave.
"I regressed into a very tight shell after I found a soft place to land." El nods, grateful when they exit the shop onto the street,
"How so?"
"I didn't talk to my foster mom or brother for months after I was placed with them, and they took that so well. I was shocked honestly, but I stayed quiet when I realized they were okay with it, and I waited until I was comfortable, and I trusted them to use my voice. It's kind of become my thing, silence has always been the safest bet in my life, you know that, and it's become who I am."
"You don't talk?" Sadie laughs, "I don't remember a day that you weren't fighting loudly for me and the others when we were sisters."
"Ya, well... Talked my whole life's worth out in those days, and now I let myself be selective in who gets to hear my voice, it's much less stressful this way."
"How did you end up as a guitar tech for the lead singer of such a huge band if you don't talk to anyone?" Sadie's eyebrow raises as she brings her coffee to her lips.
"My foster brother, Peter, is a huge guitar nerd." El laughs. "I always liked music, and I played the guitars in the school we attended for years, so when I ended up in a home with a dozen of them I thought I fell right into heaven. Pete and I bonded over guitars, and he taught me more consistently than what I'd done for myself between band classes and the internet. He started working with the band about five years ago, and I kept working on my own. I got a scholarship for my playing and got my degree in musical theory and composition. I graduated last spring and Peter kept talking me up to the band and their managers and they needed a second guitar tech, so I got the job. Honestly it's been the best job too. I spent the spring traveling through Europe and playing some of the most beautiful guitars I've ever seen. We got home two days ago and are headed for Mexico in just a couple days, then the US and Canada over the summer, and Australia come December. It's a dream, and the band has been nothing but nice, Peter told them I'm shy and wouldn't talk much and no one has pushed me on that once. It's a perfect situation really. I get to do what I love, and I am respected for exactly who I am."
"I'm so happy for you, El. You deserve the world and despite everything the world stacked against you in your childhood you've made it."
"Ya... I think I have."
***
Guitargirl9
Liked by lukehemmings, and others
Guitargirl9: We were only kids, just tryna work it out, Wonder what they'd think if they could see us now, yea, 'cause we made it ❤️🔥
Sadielady: best person I know 🥰
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Thoughts on Sadie? Any ideas what their past was like?
Mexico is coming, what happens when Elodie and Luke see each other again?
Sorry, I tried to get this up before work, but it's been the longest week capped off with a crazy day today!
Vote and comment!
I love you guys!!!
~M =)