Chosen by the Fates

Morning Glow

Ashleigh ~

I wake still feeling her familiar warmth against me. It has been so long, but the memories of Delphi roll over me as I lie still with my eyes closed. They had always felt like home to me, and in this life she is no different. 

Tears fill my eyes, and I squeeze them closed tighter. Loss, pain, relief, love, and need are a turmoil of emotions within me. The fleeting moments of recognition when she looked at me were painful in so many ways. Those moments gave me hope, but were also a harsh reminder of my own loss.

A loss she doesn't even know to remember. 

I take slow deep breaths. When she wakes up, she may forget it all over again. Dreams for those who are not lucid are fleeting and temporary things. Easily forgotten, unimportant compared to the trials of the one life they live.

For a lucid, their dreaming form is eternal, and any single life they wake to is one of many throughout the planes and times of existence. But for someone who isn't lucid... 

My emotions settle, thoughts forming in their stead as I process my feelings. In this life, this simpler time and world, she is a husk of who she is meant to be. 

I can still feel her lips on mine, every part of her against me. But if she doesn't remember... I'll have to set the reality of last night aside. She can't be told everything. Lucids awaken as children and are trained from childhood. There is a reason for this. Their minds must be molded, and during neural development is the ideal time. 

To be awoken abruptly, especially as an adult, could fracture her being. At best she won't believe it. At worst, if her mind experiences the cognitive dissonance of something other than its own reality and narrative, she could be lost forever. 

We witnessed evidence of that even in the dream, when we challenged the boundaries of her mind, attempting to take her beyond.

I wrap my arms around myself, pulling my blankets and pillows into my chest. I open my eyes and let the dream drift away. I need to let what happened last night go, for her sake. My heart aches. And perhaps a little for my sake as well.

But for this one, singular moment, I close my eyes and remember what it feels like to have Delphi in my arms.

***

Aisling ~

Reality slowly takes me from my dream. My entire body feels relaxed and good. I can still feel him against me. 

Who? 

Most of the dream escapes my grasp as I reach for the memories. I was... somewhere warm and safe. With someone I've known for a long time. My boyfriend? No...My partner?  My heart feels full thinking of it. It's been so long since I've had either. 

I take in a deep breath as the feeling of being entangled in someone's arms fades, leaving behind an empty feeling. The loss leaves an inexplicable ache in my heart. 

Tiffa's right. I may definitely need to get laid.

My s****l angst is apparently now translating into steamy dreamscapades with made up boyfriends. I open my eyes and the air suddenly feels cold. My hands come away wet when I reach up to rub the sleep from my eyes.

Was I crying? 

A frown pulls at my lips. Well fortunately I work the evening shift today, so I have the morning to pull myself together. I suddenly remember Sol hadn't texted back when I went to bed. I dig under my pillow for my phone, only to discover that my own text letting him know I got home alright still has no reply. 

I frown again. Uhg. I should have stayed asleep with my dream boyfriend.

A disappointed sigh escapes me. I also have five other notifications. I check the one from Tiffa first, 'Hey girl! Headed out. Be back around 1.' 

The other three are from ... Ashleigh?  

As the final fog of sleep fades, I remember the three brothers I met the day before. I offered to help them find their friend. 'When you wake up we are free if you'd like to meet up.' 'Anywhere is fine.' 'We can pick you up if that's easier.' 

I feel annoyance bubble up, remembering the way he grabbed my wrist and made demands yesterday. He didn't even ask if I am free.

The fifth message is from Sionainn. 'Are you free today, or another day this week? (Please don't mind Ashleigh's /enthusiasm/)' Sionainn clearly got the manners in the family. Enthusiasm. I snort to myself. That sure is a nice way of saying rude.

I decide to reply to Sionainn instead. 'I have to be to work later, but I'm free this afternoon?'

He replies almost immediately. 'Great! Do you want to meet somewhere, or for us to pick you up?' 

I really don't know them well enough to be inviting them to the house. Although they seemed fine yesterday. I check the clock, thinking for a moment before deciding. 'I can meet at the coffee shop. Is 12pm ok?' That gives me about an hour to get ready and leave. 

'Sure.' Followed by, 'See you then!'

Miss Meow Meow stares at me from her perch against my legs as I check to see Sol still hasn't messaged me. I look back at her, "What? Don't judge me."

"That date yesterday was an emotionally confusing experience for me." I mutter as I get up. 

It'll be better if I'm ready and able to go straight to work after I meet with the brothers. I'm not sure what I'll be able to help with, but I definitely know this city better than them. So maybe I can help them figure things out that way.

***

After pulling up to the coffee shop, I pause to send a quick text to Tiffa. 

Earlier, when I'd texted that I was going to meet with the brothers, she'd demanded to join us. Unlike me, she always seems to have the beat on everyone who is famous. She wants to meet them, both out of curiosity and to be sure they aren't just weird creepers.

As I step into my familiar coffee haven, I see the brothers have already arrived and are lounging about the fireplace with their drinks. They look as comfortable as they would in their own homes. My seat has been taken by Ashleigh. Of course. I fight to keep from scowling at him. 

When his bright eyes lift to mine, my mind is suddenly filled with the sensations and vivid images of my dream. I feel a flush creep into my cheeks, and the fact that I am blushing just annoys me more. Of all the people, why would I have dreamed of him?

I force a smile and wave, seeing that they saved a spot on a long loveseat for me. "Thanks, I'll be right back."

I go to get my drink, fighting the urge to glance back.

Well, all embarrassment aside, I feel mostly like myself again. Which is a far cry better than my date yesterday. My body doesn't feel different or beyond my control, despite remembering that intimate dream. And it's not like he would know about that, I remind myself.

 I feel my shoulders untense and relax as a familiar barista smiles at me while taking my order. I get a wrap in addition to my usual chai. I didn't get the chance to make breakfast before leaving.

Once I have my food and drink, I settle into the seat the brothers have saved for me. "I hope you don't mind, I invited my friend Tiffa?" I take a bite of my wrap.

Ashleigh rolls his eyes, but before he can say anything Sionainn interjects, "We'd love to meet any friend of yours. We can use all the help we can get. Thank you so much." 

Cian nods his quiet agreement with Sionnain. I find it amazing that he can hear anything at all around the hefty padding of the noise cancelling headset he is wearing. It reminds me of my dream once more. It looks like the same headset he'd been wearing in my dream. He wasn't wearing a headset when I met him, was he? I briefly remember him in a broad brimmed hat, but my thoughts are interrupted by Ashleigh.

'How did your date go?' I am both surprised at the attempt at a conversational tone in his question, and also a bit confused. Why would he care?

"Fine I guess." It's my turn to study him the way he's always looking at me. The way he looked at me in my dream... Stupid brain. I push the thought aside.

"Just fine, huh?" Is it just me, or does he sound a little relieved at my mediocre reply?

"So your friend? How did you end up losing them?" I change the subject. I don't feel like having salt rubbed into my weird night of insecurity. Especially not by this guy who is infuriatingly handsome and equally as rude. I intend to chalk yesterday's date up to temporary insanity on my part and move on.

"Delphi."

I frown, not understanding.

"They're name is Delphi." He leans forward to watch me as he explains, as if curious what my response will be.

"That's an unusual, and pretty name." I smile. He scoffs as if it's not the reaction he was looking for, then leans back with a shrug.

"And should be an easy name to track in this town!~" The singsong voice of Tiffa cuts in, I hadn't heard her enter the coffee shop. She is dressed in her usual bright colors and carrying a mug of steaming coffee. She flops a backpack down beside me and climbs over the back of the loveseat to sit with us.  

 "Hi! I'm her BFF and roomie Tiffa, and you are?" Her eyes are twinkling in delight, as if she may already know the answer to her question.

Ashleigh seems to catch on, muttering his name as he looks away. Tiffa looks Ashleigh up and down. 

Sionainn's smile practically lights up the room, almost compensating for Ashleigh's sullen attitude. "Sionainn, charmed." He offers his hand, which Tiffa leans forward to take. 

"You realize I'm never going to be able to wash my hand again now, right?" She whispers to him.

Sionainn chuckles. "Well if you find you need to, I could always shake your hand again?" He winks at her. For the first time in my life I see Tiffa blush, and she seems delighted.

"And this is Cian." Sionainn gestures politely toward Cian, who waves with a shy smile.

Tiffa sits back, one eyebrow is up as she smiles like the Cheshire cat. I know that look on her, she is definitely appreciating the eye candy. She elbows me, "You didn't tell me you knew famous people." She whispers this conspiratorially and loud enough for them to hear, while looking between the brothers.

My eyebrows go up in surprise. I think part of me thought they were just three, well dressed, tourists and possibly well-to-do weirdos. 

Sionainn laughs at that. If I thought his smile lights up a room, his laugh is musical and fills the space even more. 

"I have to admit, I sort of imagined Ashleigh as a little more of a debonair playboy, though." Her tone is teasing now, and I feel a sense of smug amusement watching a flush rise into his cheeks. Even Ashleigh is looking her way, looking as if he's about to retort.

"Oh I assure you, he typically is. He is just particularly worried about our friend, Delphi." Sionainn is definitely a charmer. I catch Ashleigh glancing at me again.

"Well, I've never met them. But I can definitely check with my network of folks after you fill us in?" Tiffa smiles brightly in reply. 

The next half an hour Sionainn explains the situation as his brothers observe Tiffa and me. The brothers are stage performers, used to an intense schedule and quite a bit of travel. They're well known in some areas of the world more than others. Delphi lives here, and they maintained their friendship online as the brothers Travelled. They'd never exchanged addresses, and the brothers had never visited. The four of them became very close over the years, with plans to meet up at a concert overseas. When Delphi didn't show, they became worried. They managed to contact Delphi more recently, and they were told to meet here at the Rise and Grind prior to Delphi's date. 

"Which is what led to our encounter yesterday." Sionainn finishes with a long sigh before sipping at his tea.

I think to my experience at the restaurant yesterday. Maybe when Delphi showed up at that original concert and saw the millions of people there to see these handsome global superstars, Delphi felt small and overwhelmed?

"Is it possible they did show on purpose?"

Sionainn smiles sadly, "I suppose anything is possible. We just want to be sure Delphi is safe. I suppose we could hire a detective, but we wouldn't even know where to begin. It's such an unusual situation. We were hoping the meet up yesterday would affirm they were okay. But now Delphi appears to be lost in the wind."

"I don't suppose you know their last name?" Tiffa finishes the last of her coffee.  

"No." Ashleigh replies.

Tiffa regards the three of them, curiosity writ across her features. "Delphi must be super important to you, to fly all the way out here just to meet with them. Without knowing literally anything about them at all." 

Ashleigh frowns. "We've known Delphi nearly our whole lives. A person is more than a last name, their location, or the details of the day to day." He looks irritable, and I can't shake the feeling there's something missing, or something more that he wants to say.

"No~ but knowing that stuff helps us take care of the people we care about. This is quite a bind. Do you even know if Delphi is their real name or just an alias?" Tiffa seems to be going through a check list of questions in her mind.

"Delphi is their real name." Ashleigh sounds irritable.

"Do you have a photo of them?" Tiffa tries another angle.

Ashleigh's lips draw in a tight line. He leans back, taking in a slow breath. I recognize it as the same thing I do to calm myself when my mind has run away from me. The way he is sitting reminds me of the way he sat in my dream. I drop my eyes away to avoid further mental imagery. When I look back up, I catch Ashleigh watching me again.

"We don't have any photos, but we have seen them before and believe we would recognize Delphi if we saw them. We are actually more concerned that Delphi may not know who we are..." Sionainn's tone is thoughtful.

"Wait, so let me get this straight..." Tiffa sets her empty cup down, "You video chatted, but didn't tell Delphi you were superstars? You just invited them to your concert in what? The hope that you could run into Delphi after without being recognized?"

"Something like that." Cian answers, surprising both Tiffa and me. His voice is deep, but gentle.

"Well there are so many holes in this, I can't even begin to figure out how to help you guys. You're hopeless. What if Delphi figured it out, and was mortified? Some people don't like the spotlight. Or what if Delphi was catfishing you... although it would be the longest catfish in history only to not even ask you for any money. I don't know." Tiffa rubs at her temples. She's never been one to filter her thoughts.

"Well dwelling on the unknowns won't help us find them faster. But what if..." I hesitate, not wanting to hurt the brother's feelings. They clearly care about their friend, even trusting Delphi enough to go an extraordinary way out of their way to meet up, and are worried that their friend didn't show. I take a breath, "What if Delphi doesn't want to be found?"

Ashleigh snorts at that, as if in disbelief. Arrogant. Of course he would assume that's not possible.

Sionainn frowns, and Cian looks between his brothers. 

"But then why would Delphi ask to meet here?" Tiffa counters me.  

"Some people just give excuses? I don't know. It is all a little weird." I consider how I would feel, if I'd grown close to these men over the course of years. If we were meant to meet up, why wouldn't I go? Why would I ask to meet up again, only to not show? 

As I look between the brothers, my heart feels full. Some deep, intrinsic part of me wants them to find Delphi. The feeling is barely a whisper within me. Something pulls at the back of my mind, almost like a memory. I find myself imagining what it must be like, lounging in the middle of these men as comfortably as they are around the fireplace. Ashleigh's arms around me, my feet resting on Sionainn's lap, and Cian sprawled out with his head in my lap. Like a family of siblings I've never had...

Tiffa bolts upright, interrupting my own thoughts. "I know! I have an ideaaaa~ I'm a genius."

Sionainn leans forward, elbows on his knees and hands folded. "What course of action does our resident genius advise, then?" His smile is playful, and Tiffa grins in reply. 

"I grew up here! I have a yearbook for every school I attended, and my dad moved us around the city a lot. AND, I bet I can find even more of the alumni from various school districts through social media. Also, we've both attended college here." Tiffa elbows me, eyebrows wiggling.

I stare at her blankly.

"Which means..." She attempts to lead me.

"...Which means.... maybe we went to school with Delphi?" I ask, not sure that's what she's getting at.

"Close enough! Which means we can check with the college too! I've never met anyone named Delphi, so anyone who has will definitely remember them... probably." Tiffa sits up, grabbing her backpack. "Everyone ready to go?"

The brother's exchange a look. 

"Didn't you hear me? I have yearbooks at home you all need to look through. Let’s go!" Tiffa claps her hands. I finish my coffee and stand. 

Ashleigh looks annoyed, "You can't just order us around like this."

Tiffa places both hands on her hips, one eyebrow raised as she looks down her nose at him. Before she can say anything, I'm already snipping at him. "I suppose you don't care so much about finding your friend then?"

Ashleigh stands to his full height in front of me, and we hold each other’s glare. His cheeks are flushed, his lips are tight. Frustration paints his features. I wonder if I've taken it too far, but something in me refuses to let me back down. 

Sionainn looks between us curiously, resting a hand gently on his brother's shoulder. "Tiffa's plan is the best we have. We have very little to go on, otherwise." 

Ashleigh lets out an exasperated sigh as his eyes drop away. He looks to Tiffa with a nod, "Thank you."

I sputter. Did he actually just thank someone?  

When I glance at Sionainn, he is smiling warmly at me. "Lead the way, and we shall follow."

Tiffa and I exchange a look, she gives me a thumbs up. "See ya at home roomie. You all too." She winks at the brothers before heading out, practically skipping.

"Is it possible she's just attempting to lure us to her lair?" Cian's voice catches me off guard. When I look to him, his eyes are locked on her as she leaves. He looks entranced. 

I can't help but laugh. "That's always a possibility with Tiffa." 

Cian's cheeks turn the darkest crimson I've ever seen, and it just makes me laugh even harder as we leave.