strangetrip | Two Women, Two Books (OTA)

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Two Women, Two Books (OTA)

It was a nice day out and the sun was shining bright.

Liz Parker took up residence in one of the lounge chairs by the pool, clad in jean shorts and a t-shirt, and was currently writing in her journal. She had a lot of thoughts about what she had learned with her readings with Emma. Several days after the initial news, Liz was no longer prone to crying if she dwelled too long on the subject of Max and Tess and Tess' pregnancy. Still, she hadn't quite gotten around to telling Kitty or Poitr or anyone else she might usually confide in. Only Peter knew.

I can't believe out of everyone at the Inn, the first person to know about my heartbreak with another guy is my boyfriend.

Meanwhile, a pregnant red Tiefling sat on the edge of the pool in a above-the-knee blue maternity dress. Her legs swished around idly in the water as she held up the What to Expect When You're Expecting. She was particularly looking for any sort of information on twins because, apparently, that was what she was having - they did run in the family, after all.

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Corbie grinned. Not many people got the impression that Mildmay was nice. Most people at home thought he looked kind of scary, which wasn't helped by how he never smiled. "He is. He's shy, though. Private. Ain't very likely to walk up and introduce himself to people." She tried not to intervene too much with regard to that because he was a grown man and all, though she'd definitely feel better if he made a friend or two.

"I have a friend like that at home. He's very guarded. Took a while for him to trust me." She was sure Michael still felt a little like a burden, even though that definitely wasn't the truth. "Should I, um. Should I say hi if I see him or would he hate that?"

"Say hi," Corbie said without hesitation. Then, because it was Liz and she seemed to be just about the most self-conscious person Corbie knew, she added, "Sometimes people who ain't used to talking to him can have trouble understanding him. The scar... well, that side of his face doesn't move right anymore. Don't feel bad if you need him to repeat himself." It was when people looked to Felix or her or someone else to translate him like he wasn't right there that he got pissed.

Liz listened carefully and made a mental note about him talking. She hoped that maybe she could understand more of it than not, but nodded. It was good to know she could ask him to repeat himself, though she still would probably feel awkward about doing it.

"I think I'd like to meet him." She meant it too, not just being polite. "And, I'm glad he showed up for you."

"Me too," Corbie agreed, her small smile soft and fond. "He's a very dear friend. I've missed him a lot."

She knew that feeling. Maybe one day she'd be lucky.

After a moment of silence, "Corbie? Thanks. You're.. you're easy to talk to."

Corbie shrugged a shoulder awkwardly. "No problem. Everybody needs someone to listen. I like being that someone, if I can."

She paused a beat. "Plus I was a hooker for a couple of years. You'd be amazed how much of that is people telling you things they don't think they can tell anybody else." Often it was just whatever they were into that they couldn't tell their wife or girlfriend about, but not always.

Liz paused and blinked and then blushed because, well, she was sure they had some prostitutes, but Liz had never seen them. "Oh." Corbie obviously didn't seem to feel awkward about it, but Liz wasn't sure what you said to someone how announced that. Did you apologize?

The blush remained. "I mean, I guess that makes sense. It's, an, um.. a comfort thing."

Oh, the poor kid. Corbie had been trying to get Liz to crack a smile, but she supposed this only confirmed a bet she'd made with herself. By the time Corbie was sixteen, she'd already been a professional.

She giggled, but it was a soft sound without the harsh edge of mocking. "Basically, yeah. " But she didn't steer that anywhere lurid. Even if Liz was ready for that, that wasn't her point. "Sometimes they're just lonely and want to talk to somebody."

No one ever really talked about how that was probably a lot of the job for prostitutes. Everyone just sort of thought they did sex for money. Probably some just did that. The whole profession was sort of one Liz didn't really know much about - Somewhere her father was thanking the Lord for that.

"I think I'm a lot better at listening than I am giving advice.... maybe because I'm always worried if I give the wrong advice it's my fault if it turns out badly."

"A lot of talking to people's really listening to them." You couldn't get much of anywhere if you didn't know what they were dealing with and going through. "As for advice, no one's obligated to take it once you give it. What they do with it from there's on them."

Liz thought that might be easier to remember than feel, about not letting what people did with the advice get to her, but she tried to keep that in mind. "Maybe one day I'll be as confident as you about everything." Liz offered a smile. She thought Corbie just about had her life together completely.

Corbie ducked her head. "Oh, I ain't. I promise you. There's a lot I'm not confident about."

There was surprise in Liz's face, like Corbie had just admitted something that hadn't even occurred to her. "There are?" Liz tried to think of what those could be. She couldn't quite think of them.

There was a slight pause. "I guess... I guess that's why they have the saying 'everybody's human'." Although everybody wasn't. Max and the others were alien.

"Fuck, yes." Corbie didn't quite laugh, but in that moment she felt almost old. Sliding her hands back through her curls--a gesture she'd picked up from Felix, she tried to think of at least an example or two so Liz wouldn't think she was making it up.

"It ain't something that translates here completely, but at home? Girl like you'd have nothing to do with me. Cause you're a good middle class girl and I'm the bastard of a teenage momma and who even knows, who didn't have a lick of education from eight to seventeen, and spent two indictions working on my back. I'm not ashamed of any of that, but you can only take so much of people looking down their nose at you before you fold."

Liz frowned. Even if Corbie wasn't ashamed of it all, Liz couldn't help but wish for a different life for Corbie. It wasn't so much as feeling bad for her as wishing life was different.

"I'm sorry... That's not a good reason for people to treat you differently." She knew it happened everywhere though. Even at school there were those who got picked on. Alec was one of those people.

Corbie shrugged. She was used to it. "Another thing you learn talking to so many people? Nobody's got everything figured out. Most everybody's a mess somehow. You just learn how to deal well enough, and then it's who to show your mess to and who not."

Liz took that in as new information. Maybe she was right, considering Kyle's dad sometimes didn't seem to have it all figured out. Kyle certainly thought his dad didn't.

"Is there any time you figure it all out?" Was there maybe a magic age? Liz hated feeling like she had no idea what she was doing most of the time.

"Not that I'm aware of," Corbie said, shaking her head. "I've seen people become more okay with their messes, but clean them up completely? Nah."

"That's a little depressing." Liz leaned forward a little. "I always thought things got easier as you got older."

Corbie bumped her shoulder against the younger girl's. "It's kinda shit, yeah. But that's why you find people to help. And eventually you realize, 'oh hey, I can take care of myself and I know who to ask questions when I don't know a thing. This isn't so bad.'"

It was a lot more complicated than that, but it was enough for right now.

That pulled a smile to her lips and she nodded. That made sense. That's how it kind of was already with Maria and Alex. "Yeah. You're right." She paused. "I think that's why I really miss my friend Maria. Even when we both don't know what's going on or how to fix something, we know if we have each other we can probably figure it out."

Corbie nodded. "You gonna be okay?"

"Yeah." She nodded. "Thank you." Liz smiled. She felt a little better now, after talking to Corbie. She really appreciated it.

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