Chapter 1.6: Mags

     The house looked too subdued to be the home of her friend.  Every picture Mags had shared with her over the years was alive and popping with colors.  Not pastel colors, but the pure hues of undiluted paint.

     Rachael stopped on the sidewalk looking up at the house unsure of whether to approach or not.  Shrugging she made her way up to the door, if it wasn't the right house the owners would only tell her to go away.

     After knocking she stepped back and looked around the neighborhood again.  The house blended in with it's neighbors in this desert town.

     "Ray? OMG, Ray it's you."

     Rachael laughed as Mags hugged her.  Hugging back Rachael said, "I hope it's me or this could be really weird."

     "Right, my brothers want to meet you too." Mags said turning back to the house.

     Rachael laughed as she followed her inside.  "This is more like it."

     "What," Mags asks looking at her questioningly.

     "This," Rachael made a sweeping gesture to encompass the room, "this is you.  I was worried when the outside didn't meet my expectations of a place you would live."

     "The boring stucco?" Mags asked. "Yeah stupid neighborhood association limits exterior colors to three shades of brown.

     "Fortunately," she said continuing, "the inside is out of their control. What do you think?"

     "I think I might go blind," Rachael joked.  The floor and walls were white but every piece of furniture was a bright purple, blue or green.  The rug under the dining table a bright medley of color.

     "Really," Mags asked looking worried, "I guess it might be a bit much. Our house was like this growing up so we're used to it but for someone wh..."

     "Stop, stop.  Joking. I was joking.  It's perfect for you.  Just as I imagined your place would look."

     "Thanks.  We think it's pretty perfect too."

     "Cerulean Palette," he said holding out a hand for Rachael to shake.

     "Rachael O'Malley, nice to meet you."

     "Lean is one of my brothers.  Him, Viridian, and Lean's son moved with me."

     "Dinner will be ready in a thirty minutes.  Will you be staying Rachael?" Cerulean asked.

     "If it's no trouble," Rachael began.

     "Yes, Rachael will be staying so make extra salad for her," Mags said at the same time.  Turning to Rachael she added, "it's not gourmet by any stretch of the word, but it's pretty good, so stay for dinner.  Okay?"

     Rachael was doubled over laughing.  Mags was exactly as she seemed from her emails.  Bubbly and outgoing.  She allowed Mags to pull her over to the couch where they sat together.

     "So tell me, true.  How have you been Ray?"

     "Good.  Mostly good, I guess.  Busy with work and keeping the house running."

     "Dang, I don't envy you that."

     "You're Head too right?  How do you handle it?"

     "Honestly, I couldn't.  Viridian has taken over the money management aspect and I just sign off on what he wants to do.  It works for us."

     "Lucky brat, wish I'd had an older brother to take over for me."

     "Do you really Ray, because I've read your emails.  It's tough but you're thriving as your family's Head."

     Rachael laughed and dropped her head on the back of the sofa.  "Yeah, I guess you're right.  If I can't bring mom back there's really nothing I would change over the years."

     "Nothing?  Not even Carl?"

     "Shhh," Rachael hissed, sitting up fast and looking over her shoulder at Cerulean in the kitchen.

     Mags looked over at him too, "don't worry.  I don't think he can hear us all the way over there if we whisper."

     "Then keep your voice down. Please," she hissed.  "Okay, so maybe Carl is the one mistake I would like to change.  Emphasis on mistake and not one I want to talk about."

     Rachael knew she made an error when Mags eyes narrowed on her.  "I've been very patient and haven't pushed but you gotta tell me more.  What happened between you and the love of your seventeen year old life?"

     "Yeah, well seventeen year olds are idiots," she said dropping her head to her hands.  "I really don't want to get into it Mags.  Not now, not ever."

     "Fine.  I'll drop it, again, but I'm worried about you.  You haven't mentioned him once since your mother's wake.  Not in email, not on the phone.  Nothing."

     "I thought you were going to drop it," Rachael pleaded.

     "Done.  It's dropped," Mags said getting up.  "Hey Lean, need any help?" she asked walking over to the kitchen area.  Their voices dropped to a background murmur as they worked together to complete the salad.

     Rachael sat on the couch for a moment before standing up.  "Mags, where is the bathroom?" she asked.  

     "The green doorway across the room," she said pointing towards the front door.

     "Thanks," Rachael said, heading in that direction.

     Rachael locked the door before turning on the taps and leaning over the sink.  She stood like that for a time before splashing water on her face.  Turning off the faucets she looked up at the mirror over the sink.

     For a brief moment it wasn't her reflection looking back at her she saw but her seventeen year old self.

                                                                                                                                        

Random Ramblings

   So I have a story worked out and now I'm just trying to put it all together for the blog now.  But even I'm sorta surprised by what is and is not making it into the story when I write.  So I have a whole back stories for my characters that are going to come into play.  Some in surprising ways, or at least I hope they will be.