AUTHOR'S NOTE:
FACECLAIMS: Raegan's father, William O'Malley - Sebastian Roche.
Uncle Michael - Jake Gyllenhaal
Raegan's mother: Bridget (McCall) O'Malley - Eva Green
Stay tuned, kiddies, we're getting there.
Raegan's POV.
Enjoy.
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STORY CONTINUES:
I jolted in my bed, sweat beads rolling down my face. My heart was pounding against its cage, begging to escape. I sat up, taking deep breaths, "Just a dream, Rae. Some silly screaming meemie's. That's all." I quietly comfort myself, repeating the words until I was calm enough to check the time.
"Two in the fecking morning?!" I sighed out in disbelief, rubbing my temples. I suddenly froze, remembering something else. "I can write back!"
I climbed out of bed to get to my desk and turns on a lamp, lifting my sleeve to check my wrist. As I expected, there were scribbles on my wrist. I had started feeling very guilty for not understanding what they were trying to tell me, although I still had a feeling it was something good, and since the first scribbles, they had succeeded to write something everyday. Remembering what day it was, I could start doing the same. The first birthday in years that I didn't exactly hate.
I grabbed a marker from my bag and climbed back into bed, thinking about what I could say. I had no idea if he'd understand me. "I wonder if he..." I paused, holding my breath for almost a minute.
He?
I blinked a few times. How could I possibly know if it actually was a guy? I got lost in thought, wondering who my mother's soulmate really was, if my hunch was correct. I even found myself wondering about Aunt Viv. I've never seen her with anyone, she always wore long sleeves, like I had started doing. I caught a glimpse of ink on her pinky once, and she'd kept a finger to her lips, like she was silently begging me not to tell anyone.
I had managed to pull myself from my thoughts with the idea of coffee. I started having my morning cup much earlier, so that I would be in a better mood when breakfast time rolled around. Aunt Viv and I even started taking turns to cook, apparently she enjoyed my experimental culinary skills. We got along alright, she was just very strict. She could also get verbally abusive, but unlike my father, she realised when she was hurting me and would try to fix it by badmouthing herself. She really confused me sometimes.
My favourite mug stood in the dry rack ready to use, it was a rather nice and large cup, a dull grey on the outside, and the inside was a sort of dirty baby blue, stained from my bitter nectar, I suppose. Either way, I grab the amazing thing and placed it on the counter top, replaced the filter in the coffee pot and started a fresh brew.
Upon waiting for the lovely liquid to perfect itself, I checked the kitchen clock read it was about 3:45am. My eyes nearly pop out of me (Irish accent) sockets "Where did the time run off to?"
The brewer buzzed, and I squealed in delight. Adding a single sugar to my gorgeous mug, I couldn't contain my excitement when I finally filled it with the warm liquid. It was sheer art. The taste on my lips was magical, washing all my sorrows away with that first bewitching sip. I let it calm me before I placed my mug down on my spot at the dining table, and ventured to the freezer to grab some bacon, like my aunt had asked me to do the night before. Then I simply sat and continued to ponder on what my first words would be.
Aunt Vivien had told me that locations were pointless, but for some reason the only words that I could think of were "Where are you?" So that's what I wrote. I could only hope he would understand it.
"I have no idea how you function waking up this early." my aunt questioned while walking into the kitchen, startling me. I hurriedly pulled down my sleeve, but that only raised her suspicions, and she raised her brow at me. "I wanted to wake up earlier to prepare, but I suppose there is no beating you to the worm. Happy birthday, darling." she said, ruffling my already messy hair, "Little early bird."
I gave a small smile, "Thank you." I took another delightful sip of coffee while Aunt Viv poured herself a brew in her average sized pink polka-dotted black cup, a gift from me.
"Which is this?" my aunt questioned, sipping her coffee with a gleeful sigh.
"The Brazilian brew." I announced, gulping down the rest of my own cup, but leaving the last sip. I could never stomach the last sip of any drink I had.
"Ahh, your favourite brew. Truly delicious, and you do make it the best." She commented, causing me to wrinkle up my nose and give her an embarrassed grin. "So I see those arms are well hidden. Does your significant other still write daily?" her question was blunt, taking a seat next to me, her gaze stayed firm on my left arm.
"He does, and it's still in a foreign language. I wrote something, but I'm worried he might not understand it." my heart dropped slightly at the thought and I started picking at my nails.
My aunt gave me a slight smirk, "I see you've already guessed his gender. This means you will most likely have a very strong bond."
I look at her, curious, "How do you know that?" I ask, knowing she'll probably never give me a direct answer. She loved answering questions like this in the most confusing ways possible.
I was right, "Well, your mother had quite an interesting bond with her best friend. Didn't she?" she smiled once more, standing up from her seat to start with breakfast, leaving me more confused. "Oh, we'll be moving to Australia in roughly two or three years, so be prepared for that. I found a trainer to help you with your modelling career."
I grimaced, really not interested in this, but if I could improve, I might be able to make enough money to do what I really wanted to do. "Have you met your mate yet, Aunt Viv?" I ask, trying my very best to change the subject back to what it had started off with.
She seemed to pause for a moment, "I think she's Australian." she said, straightforward for once, while still working on our food.
I blinked a few times, letting the information sink in. She. I couldn't help but smile, knowing that nothing else mattered, as long as your souls were meant to be joined. This also made sense as to why we were moving to Australia. Sly, Aunt Viv.
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After breakfast, I took a cold shower, to prepare for my day. I would be visiting my uncle Mike for the majority of my birthday, so that we could do some training recap. I grabbed my duffle bag and filled it with a pair of extra clothes in case my current attire got dirty or damaged, as well as a jacket in case it got cold. When I picked my bag up, I noticed a new sentence start to form on my arm, this time in English, not perfect, but at least I knew we could communicate now... sort of.
"Locations not work, but will find you." the writing was cute and messy, almost child like. I kept my marker with me and wrote a simple reply on my way out, while waving goodbye to my aunt.
"Not if I find you first." I smirked slightly, again hoping he'd understand it.
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I arrived at the police station and waited for Mike's shift to end to go home with him. Immediately I walk to the holding cells, my favourite little visiting area.
"Well hello, Rae. Happy birthday to ya, doll." Officer Sasha greeted me with a smile, always having her tongue slightly stick out between her toothy grin.
"Why, thank you officer. Glad to be here on my special day." I smiled back, taking a seat on her desk, placing my duffel bag on the floor in front of me. Shifting my gaze to one of the cells, I grin. "Hi Eddie, back again, I see? Looks like you like it here more than I do." I give a slight chuckle.
The male in question scoffed, rolling his eyes. "No one in their right mind would want to be in a shit place like this."
My gaze was like fire as I stare him down, "I have no doubt having a roof over your head and getting three meals a day is much better than living on the streets, or being forced to do drugs with your abusive parents." I ruthlessly spat.
He immediately retorts by hammering himself onto the rails of his cell, "Least I have parents, and one of them ain't above us."
I froze, staring at him with empty eyes. I had been holding my breath for over a minute processing those words, "My father is here? In this prison?" My voice comes out as more of a muffled whisper, and I suddenly didn't feel safe being here. I have never felt safe being in the same building as that thing, not even if he was being restrained. While I was about to pick up my bag and exit the building, Mike came down the stairs to the holding cells.
"Oh, hey Rae. Happy bir-" his words are cut off at my glare when I let go of my bag.
"Why didn't anyone tell me my father was walking distance away from me?" my voice was low and venomous, not asking, but rather insisting on an answer.
Mike sighed, leaning against the wall by the stairs he had just descended. "It would only be for a while, the prison he was meant to be transferred to had a bombing incident and needed to get some repairs done. When they're done with securing all the damaged cells, he's being moved."
I rapidly blinked a few times at his answer, before finally letting out the breath I was yet again holding in subconsciously. "Ahh, I see. That does make sense. Still, why not just tell me?" I asked more curious than upset this time.
Mike giggled slightly at the goofy shift in my attitude, "We didn't think it would take this long, really. I also wanted you to keep visiting cool Uncle Mike at work." he gave me a cheeky grin.
I scrunched up my nose and smiled slightly.
"So am I forgiven?" he asked sincerely, pushing away from the wall.
"Sure, if we can get donuts on our way out." I tried to strike a deal with him. He laughed and nodded at my demand.
"Coffee too, I'm assuming?" he walks past me, not even waiting for a reply. He simply picked up my bag and walked towards the exit.
"Be safe, and don't kill the poor kid, Mike!" Sasha warned, mocking her partner.
"This little masochist? There's no shaking her." Mike retorted, earning a giggle from me. "Seriously, her endurance is terrifying. I put a bulletproof vest on her the other day, and even though getting shot still hurts, she was laughing like someone just made a joke." the last thing I saw was Sasha and Eddie's jaws dropping before the door shut.
"What? I wasn't that bad! It stung a bit, it wasn't funny." I retorted, trying to grab my bag back while we were getting closer to his car.
"Yea, sure, Like you didn't curl into a ball giggling like a guppy asking me to shoot again." he raised a brow at me, lifting the bag higher away so that I couldn't reach it.
I growled in response and huffed out in surrender while I scrunched up my nose again.
"I thought so." he threw my black duffel bag into the back of his Nissan Skyline and proceeded to pull out a box from behind the one headrest, giving it to me with a soft smile. "Happy hatch day, Jellybean."
I could feel my heart clench. Ma used to wish me happy birthday like that, and I haven't heard that nickname since...
With a shaky hand I take the box, the tears involuntarily started to roll, forcing me to take a deep, slow breath. It was a simple white box, nothing fancy. I hated fancy. All that mattered to me was the effort of whatever content was hidden within it. Forcing down my sorrows, I pulled at the tape that was keeping the box sealed and cautiously ripped it off. When I finally opened it, I bit my lip, trying even harder not to cry. It was a carved wooden frame made from a willow tree by my guess, as that was my favourite tree, in the frame was a picture of my mother, and with it, was one of her favourite rings dangling from a chain.
"My fingers have always been way too small to wear her rings. Wearing it as a necklace is genius, but how did you get this? It was her favourite." I asked, immediately pulling the item over my head, wiping at the waterworks on my face.
"Maybe you'll grow into it," he mocked, "She wanted me to hide it from your dad for your thirteenth birthday, so your father wouldn't know." he blew out a big chunk of air, like he was holding in a breath as I had done a few minutes prior.
"Why?" I wondered, hoping I could milk for answers.
Unfortunately, that hope was snuffed with the mere sigh that left Mike's lips, "I'll talk to you more about it another time. How about we just get that coffee for now?" he gave me a smile before getting in the driver's seat. I followed his lead and got into the passenger's seat.
"And donuts!" I brashly reminded him with a matching cheeky smile.
He chuckled at my silly antics, "And we certainly won't forget the donuts."