2020-07-28 - So, about that night?

It has been about a week since Kailey had given birth to little Morganna in what is likely one of the strangest nights of her life, and having been in Gray Harbor for some time now, that is indeed saying a lot. Normally she would be spending the night handing out flyers in the hopes that someone might tell her something she didn't know about Rachel but... well Kailey and Everett both seemed to know a lot more about what was going on in this town than she ever did, so perhaps she would have some answers? It was Maya's hope at the very least. A pair of shorts and a tank top pulled over her slim frame, tattered from the use of the years and perhaps the many owners that had it before her. Money was tight and so she found herself shopping for clothes at thrift stores more often than she liked. A light fog was beginning to form, so she picked up the pace, walking the distance. Luckily it was not terribly far from where she worked, and the time allowed her to clear her head from the fatigue of evening rush before she finally made it to the house. The very colorful van parked outside, one she was sure she had seen before but now could never forget.

Could these people have the answers she needed? These were the first people in Gray Harbor she'd encountered since she lost Rachel that really made her feel a sense of home... She walks over to that front door, steels herself and knocks.

It's a moment, a short moment before the door is opened. On the other side of the door pauses the longhaired mobile brick wall that is Everett. Dispassionately he stares down, and then down a little more to the figure that knocked on the door, exposing both the sounds of the television playing baseball in the background, and a small bundle, wrapped in a pink blanket, in the crook of his left arm. The door opening also reveals stains on his army green t-shirt that he so often wears to be form fitting and showing well-defined pecs.

A long glance is given through beady, unfocused eyes, while his torso inflates and he turns his head towards his left shoulder. "KEE-KEE!", he bellows with his deep voice, causing the bundle in his arms to not stir, but jump with a startle, a little baby flail, and proceed to add her own baby-high wailing to the call as she starts to get red-faced. "Duh-door," the giant adds, this time lower while turning his gaze back down to the screaming girl. As Everett turns his back to the front do, there's a passing grimace to the visitor, which mellows when he brings his gaze to Moranna along with the crook of his right hand, starting to sooth, and bounce the baby in his arm. His feet falls take him back towards the living room and sits down on the sofa to pick up the baby bottle next to the bottle of beer that he's never mixed up while being unfocused or tired, and plugs the infant's cry-hole with the fake nipple. As the roaring muffles and the baby realizes she's got a source of food in her mouth and starts to suckle, Everett leans back into the sofa, and turns his attention back to the baseball game. Holding his daughter with one hand and the bottle with the other, softly bouncing them both without paying much attention accept during the boring bits like when the cameras show the ball soaring; then he looks down to watch the baby.

Kailey was taking the chance to shower. And had forgotten in the foggy tiredness that came with a newborn that Maya was coming over. There is a pause before the bellow is answered with, "Showering! What?!?" From upstairs. "Everything okay or can I rinse the soap off?" New mom panic laces her voice.

There's a surprised blink as Everett opens the door, but she looks up at him with a bit of a shy smile. "Everett," Maya says with a smile. "I was meeting..." And he calls for Kailey for her. The commotion that follows throws Maya off balance and she blinks repeatedly before she lets her eyes fall on the baby, looking a bit apologetic for the commotion that ensued following her arrival. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt. I trust you're doing okay? Er... let me know if there's anything I can do to help, I bet you're all exhausted," Says the college student paying her own rent by working at a diner.

Hearing Kailey's voice from the shower she decides to close some of that distance by making her way closer to the bathroom door before answering in her own way. "It's me! Er... Maya. Everything is okay I'll just... watch baseball while you finish up," she says, deciding to not shout beside the newborn. But she doesn't linger either, leaving Kailey to finish her business, and she imagines shower time is one of those very few times she gets to be alone. Instead she settles onto the couch with Everett and Morgana, smiling over at the baby, paying no mind to the game really.

If it were women's softball on the other hand, maybe...

With the shouted reply, Everett looks up at the ceiling. Active interest illuminates his face, brightening his otherwise tired demeanor. Showering? Perk! Then a glance is give to the beautiful package bundled in pink in his left arm. His enthusiasm cools to a simmer, his rocking changes tempo, renewing.

A glance is given towards the television first before Maya, a smile forced to his lips from repeated two hour naps before Morganna tests her lungs. For food. For changing. For the sake of bellowing her baby burdens. "Eh, don't worry about it," Everett replies, softer. "I'm doing great; existing on beer, cocaine and a color of mushy poop I didn't know was real." There's a soft pause as the brute tests his sense of humor. "Be careful with offers like that. I might take you up on it and take Kailey and leave you with the baby," he adds.

There's another glance at the television, and then back, Everett nods his head towards the stairs to the second floor, "Sounds like she's in the shower," making the invitation clear in case Maya wants to move on and leave him to his Sports.
Yay.
Sports.

Go Team.

But he's not alone for long and when Maya returns, Everett looks up, questioningly, his thick arms haven't moved, one because it's being used as a bed and cuddle for the little girl and would make her cry if he shifted and made her uncomfortable. And the other because she's busy sucking down from the plastic bottle, right until her little stomach says she's full and she spits out the fake nipple. Her eyes open, not focusing on anything as she starts to squirm in the blanket. Turning his gaze back to the television, Everett lifts the girl over his shoulder, bouncing her gently in his grasp while the bottle is put down. With empty mitt, Everett stokes the tiny baby's back and pats before another stain is then added to his shirt.

"That's my girl," he says, ironically, dryly without taking his green eyes from the TV.

"Shit! I forgot. I'll be down soon," Comes Kailey's reply. And as the two settle onto the couch, three technically though Morganna has little too add, the sound of water shuts off after another two minutes. Soft sounds of feet from upstairs as the new mom dries off. She does take some time, coming down soon after the newest stain is added. "Hey," She says with a forced smile and definitely looking tired. "You want something to drink? I got a ton of tea and smoothies," She heads into the kitchen, keeping the door open through dining room and into the living.

"Oh. And guiness!" There has been milk issues and the midwife recommended a beer a day. And wouldn't you know it has worked. When the woman returns with drinks in hand, to sit beside Ev on the couch, it is obvious how much. Did her boobs grow three cup sizes? There's discomfort in her face as she settles down with an awkward grunt. "You still hungry, Mew?" She asks the infant, reaching out to let her wrap a tiny hand around a finger. Smiling fondly, tiredly, at her. But the baby just kind of lays there staring and drooling.

"Maya, sorry, but I am going to pump or I'm going to start leaking," Too late. She pulls out a shawl that she drapes around her shoulders before grabbing what looks like a black backpack from under the coffee table. Bottles and plastic flanges are pulled out and attached to a device in the pumps bottom. There's some slight modesty as she slips the bottles under her shirt and then starts the motor. There's a soft sound that starts, ~Saswish sa swish~ And she leans back with a huge sigh. "Oh my stars I didn't know that such pressure could exist in BOOBS!" She complains lightly.

Maya's eyes swivel over to Kailey as she comes down the stairs, Maya gives a tired smile of her own. "Oh yes, tea would be perfect," she says, her gaze shifting to the new mother back to her child, and a bit of a wince at that new stain on Ev's shirt offered. "You know... I mean if you promise to not abandon us, I wouldn't mind giving you a little break now and again," she says. "Besides, you don't want me to raise her alone, I can barely take care of myself, let alone another mini human," Maya grins, waiting for Kailey's return with the drinks.

If Maya takes note of the growing curves of Kailey's figure... she does try her best to hide it but wandering eyes can't seem to help appreciating her figure before she takes note of the discomfort and gives a sympathetic nod to Kailey once more. "Oh yeah, of course. After what I saw the last time, it would take a bit more than a breast pump to put me off," Maya laughs slightly, she takes a sip of the tea and lets out a soft sigh. "I wish I could say I understood," Maya says. "Maybe someday but... not while I have so much else going on. I still have another year of university, and... well I'm going to need to find Rachel eventually," she pauses a bit before she sighs. "If she's even still out there to find. I don't know, but I'm not going to give up on her until I know the truth."

There's a bit of a pause as she hesitates to continue, she distracts herself with another sip of the tea. If she's drinking she's not asking the harder questions! "So... do you know what that was all about? Did you do that... thing with your keys? And then the hospital... Rachel? What happened? What was all that?"

Glancing up at the offered 'Hey,' Everett smirks softly at Kailey before he adds, "... and there's my other girl." Morganna's back is given a wide sweep over the bundled blanket before Dad lowers her back into the crook of his big left arm, and begins to idly sway the arm while his attention returns to the television, if only for a moment, while comforting the baby. And while mollifying the tiny human, Everett offers a her a soft smile while replying to something Maya said, "We might take you up on that. Neither of us have family, so there's no break, but this itty-bitty girl is tiring, but just perfect." He throws a look at Kailey, questioning, before his attention drifts to Maya, "Maybe when we're not exhausted; next date night."

The offer of liquids makes the big man wince, proving both that he suddenly realizes how bad a host he's been, and that he's paying attention to the conversation going on around him, even while starting at the boob-tube. The offer of one of Kailey's beer earns her a look over his shoulder; a sarcastic smirk. Her beer. Because he wouldn't be caught dead with that stuff, if she remembers the conversation. Not American, and, oh yeah, too many carbs. With the tic-tac sounds of nails on hardwood, Cinderella clumsily runs down the stairs, tail high and wagging while she makes a subtle throaty sound, looking for where the pack she can't hear is, Everett's head whirs towards Maya, his hair dangling dangerously close to Morgana's face while the man waits to see what Maya's answer may be.

When Kailey comes to the sofa to join him, Everett turns his head straight, following out the corner of his eye at the passing silhouette with a casual gaze that turns leering just as she sits. Or maybe because of it. His eyes don't meet Kailey's. Maybe Maya's being subtle -- Everett's anything but; two and a half. Two and a half cup sizes and eight pounds, his appraising brain estimates. So engrossed in his gawking, a throaty sound of admiration, that he almost misses Kailey reaching for Morganna's little hand, which is grabbed with a baby vise tight grip while the baby looks up at faces that are still blurry and strange, and concentrates. Which probably means she's pooping.

When Everett finally notices Kailey's hand on the baby, HIS baby, he pulls Morganna closer to his chest and turns his torso away from the new mother. Mine, says his body language, while Everett smiles, this time up to Kailey's face. The pull away pushing the baby more towards Maya, but also Cinder who makes her way to the living room to start sniffing ankles and looking up to pair smells with faces.
While Kailey then gets her privacy together to commence pumping again, Everett returns his arms to a more natural position, eyeing the movements occurring under the shawl. The first sound is a low, throaty rumble, followed by him murmuring under his breath, deeply, "I'll show you pressure," while he continues to side-eye the woman beside him.
The vagueness of Maya's question causes his focus to drift, to slowly rip from Kailey and onto the other woman, with his dark brows uplifted with curiosity. "Keys? Like dangle them in front of her? Maybe whe she's a little older; right now it's just sleeping, eating, sleeping and pooping." Somehow everything; well, just about everything, is about his newborn.

Kailey smirks and chuckles softly at Everett's possessiveness. Finding it endearing and earning the big man a kiss on the cheek. As she settles in and he makes his comment about pressure she shoots him a look. Then there's the sound of suctiong being popped and...well...Kailey is currently a squirt gun. And Everett is her victim. It's brief and maybe more amusing to the new mom than anyone else, before she's slipping boob back into pump. And giggling.

Maya's questions and comments bring a bit of seriousness. Long nights and lack of sleep bring out the goofy in people. "Sorry...yeah, you probably have questions. As for Rebecca..." She looks at Everett and there is concern there. "I...honestly don't know if she could still be alive on the other side or not..."

There's something to be said for watching a woman using her own breasts as a squirt gun, and among the first things that popped into Maya's head was probably something along the lines of "They can do that?!". She doesn't comment aloud, but her expression of stunned silence speaks volumes. She stammers a few moments before she seems to find her voice. "No no," she says first to Everett. "When I was helping her into the van, she made the keys fly into the ignition and turn the van on," she explains. "It was... well I've never seen anything like that before. The rest of the night as it all happened... Well I'm not sure anything can surprise me anymore," she says. Though there's a pointed glance at Kailey as if to say Well, except that.

"Well, you can't say for sure what happened to Rachel," Maya admits. "But... well there must be something to it. They wore her face... taunted me with it. And some things you said after have made me think that it was possible she might have been taken there somewhere... I know it's been a long time and it's a long shot but I owe it to her. If it's possible? Well it explains everything right? Especially all the weird stuff that I've felt around here... some of the weird things I can do. What... was is it that you did? Where was that place?"

With a quick look to Kailey when the kiss is given to his cheek, his attention falls back down to the baby in his arm, and then back up to the flat screen on the wall. Blissfully unaware of the incoming target practice, he's shot on the cheek and startled, gyrating in his seat with milky white beads dropping off his cheek while others bead. His reaction is simple; the momentary surprise is replaced with a cool annoyance while he closes his eyes slowly as the Shooter next to him giggles.

And the giggling turns a little infectious. His lips tug, a losing battle to keep from smiling. His eyes open, narrow slits that peer in Kailey's direction and down briefly, perhaps to make sure the weapon is being holstered again, before glancing back up. "You are fuc--," he starts to say with an amused, but threatening tone, his head shaking slightly from side to side, as though he can't believe what just happened.

Rather than completing the sentence, he opens his mouth to draw a deep lungful of air, then releases it with a long suffering sigh. Then he leans sideways, towards the pumper and shares. Stroking her with his cheek; an affectionate gesture albeit stronger then loving as he wipes his cheek off on hers. All whilst trying not to disturb the feeding baby in his arms. One, two and then another stroke. Just to make sure he's wiped it all off, his hands full after all.

When he straightens up again, his attention turns Maya-ward to catch some of what she's saying. A large shoulder lifts, "I can't say if Rachel is alive or not over there. I've never been there for a long time. I don't know how eating works or drinking or anything like that. I suspect it's all the same. And I suspect if they took her face while we were over there," because he didn't see it, "then it was because they wanted to tick you off. They're good at that, because they need that." He opens his mouth to say something else, pauses and then says it anyways, "So, I wouldn't give up hope. Just because you haven't found her doesn't mean she's not available to be found. What's that saying?" he asks, and looks over to Kailey for a second before turning back. "Absence of proof is not proof of absence? Something like that anyways."

As for her last questions, Everett smiles knowingly, and takes the bottle from the baby before gently slinging her over his shoulder to start stroking and lightly patting her back once he's put the bottle down. "I didn't do anything; I just asked them to let me in and they did. Probably so they could torment me too. I'm not like you or," he jerks his head towards Kailey, "Jedi-mind trick over here especially with the key floating. But I have seen some pretty crazy sh -- stuff. You will too if you haven't already." There's a pause, his tone dropping to dead-pan, "I mean, other then old Dead-eye McGee over here with the tit-shots."

Kailey grins bright and big at Everett when he sighs. And then she is stuck receiving his return love and squeeling as she leans to the side of the couch, trying to get away. "No! Nono! NOooooo! AH! EV!" She is laughing as she says it, pushing at him with one hand. He manages to rub on her shoulder and into her hair more than her cheek, but he is wiped off at least. As the giggles die and things return to a normal conversation she turns to Maya with a more serious expression. "I think that's how it goes..." She agrees with Everett, bobbing her head after a moment. But when she turns to Maya he expression is more stark and somber. Everett get's a side-eye at the McGee comment though. And a smirk. Right, they'll settle this later alone.

"Don't let this ape fool you, he has his own little bit of shine. Even if he can't do super Jedi tricks like me," Kailey says with a shrug of her shoulders. "This place is a thin spot in what most people who shine call The Veil. Here it is easy to tear through or slip through. Those of us who do shine are drawn to places like these. There's a spot in Oregon, Montana...they're all over. I don't know why they form. I don't know if anyone does," She glances at Everett as if he might and then back. "The thing is that normal people can also slip over. Be taken or what not. Recently there was a rash of people who were taken and held in an asylum. I...I don't remember who all it was. But I bet August does and could be more help. He's kind of like the local guru on all this stuff, even though he doesn't even know the half of it." There is a pause. "So yes, she could be alive and over there...but likely she is something's...pet. Toy. Plaything. Whatever. When we go over there it isn't fun...well...usually. There are one or two kind things over there. But it is a place where you have to be mean and fight nasty to survive. -They- make sure of that." That 'they' has emphasis beyond the normal. As if it were a name rather than a statement.

She watches the couple for a few more moments, fidgeting in her seat as she manages to crack a bit of a bashful smile at the antics in display. "I mean... I'm nothing special," Maya protests lightly. "I can make people feel things a bit... it might help me make more tips when I'm short on the rent. I didn't understand it... didn't even realize there were others like me. I mean I guess I felt it from others but... well it's complicated, I don't really know how to explain it." Maya pauses and nods as Kailey continues the explanation. "The Veil? Okay... so a thin spot. Is that why I liked coming here so much before? Rachel and I always wanted to come here, felt like it was where we belonged. I mean, it's a small town that's... way beyond its prime but we wanted to stay here, make a life together." A pause and she fidgets again. "You know, roommates..." she mumbles. "But you're telling me there's other places like this?" she sounds intrigued but the conversation moves forward and her eyes widen. She swallows as her throat burns dry, her breath coming in short rapid bursts, hand gripping tight to her own lap, nails digging into her thigh. "She could just be some... pet? Plaything? I haven't found her in all this time and she's just... trapped? Like some kind of slave? Or.. or or..." Maya blinks away tears and takes a deep breath, holding it for several long moments, finally she releases her breath.

"So... They see to it? It has been a year... does this August know anything that could help me find her?" Maya wonders. "God... She probably thinks I've forgotten all about her... I wish I could comfort her... let her know I'm not giving up."

With being called an ape, Everett casts his cast down while still burping his only child, and rolls them upwards to Kailey. Bemusement conceals the threatening side-ways leer that he gives her out of the corner of his green eyes. It's a moment, a long moment that the new father holds his gaze, whilst gears turn, while she speaks. She finds him looking at her with that expression when Kailey looks back. Like he's been caught red-handed, Everett's swift to turn his eyes to Maya and neutral his expression on the long journey.

Of his own talents, he has little to nothing to add. "I think it was Kailey that mentioned other places around that also had," he pauses. Not for effect, for a search for words, "thin points through the shroud through which certain gifted, if you can call them that," his head nods towards Kailey without looking in her direction, "can influence. I remember hearing of a few others. But they were always close to Gray Harbor. And I think maybe one other, but I couldn't be certain about that."

When Kailey continues about normal people being able to slip through, Everett takes a deep breath after a visible stiffen. After mention of a gewgaw and Maya's reaction, he can't stay seated anymore and throws himself into a standing position, holding infant to his chest. A delicate balance while he snakes his way from the living room snorting a sharp exhale from flared nostrils.
But he doesn't get far. Remembering something importantly left behind, Everett turns around. Long strides brings him quickly back to the sofa and while he stretches over its back for the baby bottle Morganna had been nursing from, Everett glares down at Kailey. For as long as it takes a full grown man to snatch a comically small baby bottle in his large paw in time for him to turn around once more to make a second attempt for the kitchen trailed by the words, "Ordinary people forget. Except me."

"I don't know. The people at the asylum were patients. Other events I've run into...well, there was the Candyland race track. That wasn't so bad. But the veil...it is filled with all the nightmares -AND- dreams that exist. At least...that's what I've come to understand and believe," Kailey says as gently as she can. "It is possible she is stuck in a strange but not very harmful place..." She pauses and reaches for her drink, taking a long gulp. "And making a life together here..." She turns and smile warmly at Everett, reaching over to squeeze his leg with obvious love in her gaze. "A partner is very important." Kailey isn't duped by the 'roomate' thing.

Kailey is surprised when Everett stands. Her own gaze perplexed as he moves around. Worry hangs there for a moment as she tries to gauge what is going on in his brain. Trying to figure out what has him upset. But she leaves it for now. Instead turning her serious gaze back on Maya. "But... yeah...there are places all over the world. I only know the ones in America though. My mom was running from Them with me since I could remember. I've always known and had abilities. I just think of them as my Jedi powers, because that's what they are like." One bottle fills and she turns off the pump to switch it out.

"Some places that are for real haunted are actually just strong Veil manifestations in this world. Powerful Veil creatures can cross over here, just like we do to there. Well...some of us can. I'm trying to learn so I can get in -and- out...it takes a lot of work to learn and grow your abilities. And it has dangers...THEY watch and can sense the use of them. It draws them. They...feed on us and our torment." More information is unloaded on poor Maya as they sit. Good thing she has a beer. They probably have something stronger if she needed it. "We...could try looking for her. But it's dangerous to cross over. But first we definitely should talk to August." And Kailey promptly pulls out her phone. "I'll try and arrange for us to meet up. He has a plant shop in town too. I'm texting you the address if you want to check it out on your own..."

Kailey turns to shoot Everett a look as he busies himself in the kitchen. Lowering her voice she turns back to Maya and says, "He thinks he is normal. But he shines too. Just a small amount, like you, but he does. Can you see it?" She pauses and turns to look back at him. "I see it as an aura if I unfocus my eyes on someone. Different colors of different intensity depending on what they can do. August is a very bright gold. So is Itzhal."

"Well," she eyes Everett. "If she has the Jedi powers, I think she's right about you being more than just normal... I think I'm still trying to get used to the idea that I might not be normal," she takes a breath and she looks to Kailey and back again. She senses that little bit of tension and she just tries to take a deep breath. "You've both been so... welcoming to me when nobody else has been. You didn't know me and you already offered me so much." she adds with a small smile to them both, nervous but warm. "Sorry... if that makes you uncomfortable... God I have wanted to talk to somebody about what was happening to me for so long... it's just... well it's nice."

Kailey's understanding isn't lost on her and a bit of a blush rushes to her cheeks. "Yes, as you say. A partner is very important. She has always been my partner, as long as I can remember. I'm not about to forget her in this place. If she's gone... I want to know it. I can't leave until I know for sure and... I just have a feeling she's still there. I can't... well you understand." Maya shakes her head, she takes another deep breath and nods along to what Kailey says. "So ghosts and stuff like that are all real? After what I saw in the Asylum, I wouldn't be surprised if you told me Count Dracula was actually a real person. I don't know what I saw there... who was wearing her face? One of those Veil Creatures? I thought I had killed her I was... What kind of cruel games do they play with your heart there?" she asks rhetorically. She drinks the beer deeply and seems grateful for it in that moment.

"So..." she seems grateful for the change of conversation. "What color am I?" she wonders. "I shine a little bit but..." she seems a little uncertain but she decides to focus a bit on Everett, following that advice from Kailey, trying her best to just see what aura he gives off.

His movements in the kitchen aren't hidden and are nothing but mundane if working with one hand. Transferring the week old baby to the crook of his left arm where he had her when he'd answered the door after she adds to the spots on his shirt, the baby's bottle is placed on the kitchen counter none-to-gently. A paper towel is clumsily pulled from the paper towel dispenser in lieu of a cloth made more hyper allergenic. New Parent mistakes. Eventually he'll learn to carry a towel over his shoulder for just these little throw-ups and to clean Morganna's little mouth.

Until then, he looks down at her with open affection, dabbing gingerly at the corners of her mouth for the remainder she didn't spill over his shoulder, or the little bit in his hair. Always the hair. A deep draw of breath. Followed by a hard fretting release. A baby's mouth clean, he tugs the blanket tighter around the little pink football shape in his arm while casting a look over his broad shoulder at the two still at the couch. And frowns when he sees he's being looked at. There's hardly a pause, a second before it's obvious what he thinks is going on.

His look is extended, but directed down, as he starts to turn around. Lowly, then speeding up for a half-a-turn while he tries, like a puppy trying to chase its own tail, to look at what he must have stuck to his back that was being looked at. And seeing nothing, he settles on looking behind where he was standing. Maybe they weren't looking at him, but behind him.
Then he pauses as his spine stiffens. His head tilts up, reflexively sniffing the air.
And his gaze falls back down on Kailey. Eyes open, wide. Nostrils flare, jaws squared, teeth clenched. Mad. Rather than speaking, he mouths words to the mother of his child. 'Stop it.' And, 'Get the FUNK out of my HEAD'. He flickers his gaze to their guest for a second before he turns his attention back.

The color of red Kailey suddenly flushes is a tell-tale sign of her guilt. She ducks her head and looks away from Everett and over to Maya. There is a few second pause as she looks down at what she was doing, and begins to finish it up. Shutting down the pump and extracting herself from the device piece by piece. Recovering quickly, it seems, she shoots Maya an only slightly strained smile. Her eyes unfocus for a moment she then snap back. "You...actually glow a lot more than when we first met. Maybe because you're looking..." She pauses to take a sip of her drink.

"You have the same kind of glimmers as me. Strong purple, but only hints of red and gold. Purple can sense emotions, minds and living things, and feel the memories in a place or object. It is what I am strongest at and most often use out of reflex," Kailey might be speaking a little louder now for Everett's sake. She continues to put away the pumping supplies. Transferring the milk from bottle to special plastic bag meant for the freezer. "When I was in foster care I was always aware of those around me...there were very few homes that I didn't feel the anger and violence and despair lurking. Some were really bad and I had to work hard to keep myself from being noticed. It didn't always work, but I wasn't as strong then as I am now."

With clothing all back in its proper place she stands and beckons for Maya to follow her to the kitchen. When she passes Everett her expression is guilty and apologetic, mouthing the word, 'Sorry,' as she goes to the freezer in the laundry room. Storing things away before coming to clean parts in the sink. "Hauntings are mostly just the Veil breaking through. At least as far as I know. And...well...I wouldn't be surprised if Dracula existed over there. I wouldn't want to meet him though!" And she shudders a little. While she is washing the pump parts she cast surreptitious glances at the giant of a man. There is worry or maybe a ghost of fear there. "I'll do what I can to help you. I was surprised when I came here and saw so many shinnies. But I was welcomed and it's...nice to stop running. Despite the threats. At least I've got a big wall of muscle to protect us?" She shoots Everett a hopeful little smile.

"I don't think I always felt it," Maya admits with a bit of a glance around at the room, towards Everett. "I've noticed it more since Rachel left. That's when it started happening. I thought I had gone crazy for a bit but... it helped. It really worked. It's real... I practice some? It just makes me worry that I'm doing something wrong... but then rent is due again and I get hungry." Maya admits, before she looks back down at herself a little bit, considering and smiling towards Kailey. "Purple is a good color. So we have this in common? I wonder what else," Maya wonders aloud, rising to follow Kailey as beckoned forward into the kitchen.

"I won't ask you to risk yourself to help me," Maya says. "But if you can teach me what you can, help prepare me... I'll walk into hell itself if that's what it takes to save Rachel. I won't ask anybody else to take that burden but," Maya gives a tight smile. "That it's dangerous isn't going to scare me. We'll talk to... August was it? See what we can learn" Maya wrings her hands as Kailey washes the pump before looking for a washcloth to help with the drying, as something to do at least. "If I had an Everett with me everywhere I don't think I'd ever be half as scared as I am most of the time. You have a beautiful family here, in spite of everything."

While he holds a stern, bordering on menacing gaze on Kailey for a few seconds, he watches her guilt for a moment. When she begins the aberrant task of removing herself from the suckle machine, Everett finds words for Maya even though he keeps looking at Kailey, disappointedly.
"She's been wrong about a few things; so just because she thinks I glow or sparkle or whatever. ... doesn't mean I do." Then, perhaps realizing how venomous those words might sound, the giant clears his throat and looks down at the fed bundle in his arm, staring up at him with her new eyes. "I can't imagine why people haven't been nice to you. You're nice enough people. You were there for Mew," he shrugs his left shoulder when he lifts his gaze, indicating the baby. In case we forgot her nickname. And clearing his throat, he smirks a little. With a nod, he adds, "You mean Drac? Nice guy," Everett points east, "he lives three houses down Oak," and that little smirk grows into a smile.

"I don't think it's so much a who, was wearing her face. More like what is wearing her face. I think it's no more real than a drawing. Just over there, drawings can move, hold knives, sound like your lover. They, the Them. They feed off your sorrow, your depression. And just like that you're cheerfulness is repulsive. Use your gifts frivolously, you'll call their attention. Use them healing or helping people, they won't like what they see. They might do something about that. Use your powers to harm, to hurt, that emotion feeds them. And once they're full, they move on. Hopefully. They're kinda hard to figure out."
"There was this group that met up about once a month. Its were I learned most of this. It's all gone now."

Purple can sense emotions.
"...can also meddle in... ... ...", Everett mutters under his breath, for Kailey's sake, his lips moving at the last of his sentence with his attention turning back around to the kitchen. Picking up Morganna's bottle and holding it up before giving it a little shake to see how much is in there still. The remains are returned to the fridge, where he spends sometime looking into. Stocked full, but he can't decide what he wants. It's where he's found when Kailey apologies and, like the softie he is, the nudge has his attention, initially mad. The apology though, melts the sour expression into a smirk and a roll of his green eyes. He leans back, brushing his elbow holding their baby. His reply is two-fold, a nod of his head with a mouthed 'Ok,' and then he leans down to kiss Kailey's temple.

When he turns his head to look in Maya's direction, there's a double-take, and an expression of confused bewilderment. "Are you trying to picture me without clothes on, or something? You ok?" There's a short shake of his head, then Everett adds, "Ghosts, that's something else. Prolly just them playing on emotions. But I've been in a crowd of people where they had ghosts of loved ones come and dance with them on Cino de Mayo," yes, he pronounces it like that. "It was a thing to see. That everybody saw." Being called the wall of muscle, the stroke to his ego, Everett replies with a simple gesture: sticking his tongue out at Kailey before closing the fridge door.

Kailey smiles gratefully at Maya as she helps to dry things. "I mean, everyone has a slightly different hue." Trust the artist to notice that bit. "Yours is a little more pinky purple," She reaches up to tug a stray strange of her own colorful hair. It is multihued from pink to purple and she finds a spot that is still purple, but starting to get pink. "Right about here," And she flashes a grin, dropping the lock of hair. "Grab me a beer-" She starts to say to Everett as he closes the fridge door. "Please?"

Turning back to Maya she leans against the kitchen island and says, "We'll try and find her. Or...what happened to her. It's good you have a sense she is still out there. That helps. Means she is more likely to be alive still. But yeah. Next step is talking to August. And getting something for dinner. You staying?" She flashes her a smile. "And by the way...I've used it to get more tips too. But yeah...you can use it to manipulate emotions. I try not to do -that- unless I or someone is in danger. But you can also make illusions. Your glow seems strong enough for it." She glances at Everett before back at Maya. Where there wasn't before the house suddenly smells like baking brownies and pot. Smoke hangs in the air as if someone had just exhaled from a hookah. Which is sitting on the dining room table where there wasn't before. << You can also speak to people in their minds. >> Kailey's mind voice has a musical echo and leaves the impression of cinnamon and wood smoke.

"Stress?" asks the large man to Maya about the time she noticed her Glimmer beginning. "Though, it could have already been there the whole time, just working subtly in the background." In spite of everything, "Like mettlesome brain reading when you could leave a man his own brain," he mutters, albeit with a superior smirk and pointed look at Kailey. Just one last prod while he extracts two beers from the fridge. Baby-holding arm is used to teist caps off, one at a time, then caps are trashed.

To the kitchen island, he places the beers down on either side, presumably for Kailey and Maya. "Say goodnight to Mommy, babydoll," he directed to the pink bundle in his arm while dropping the paper towel he used to dap the baby's mouth into the trash. Then lifting the child up so she can get a kiss on her chubby cheek from the same parent. Fed, the wide-eyed baby looks around with new eyes not really seeing anything but blurry shapes.

He'll wait long enough for Morganna to get her love, with the addition of the smells and smoke his eyes narrow at their source. He clears his throat, once and noisily. It's a second before he adds, "You aren't a freak, but you're a very freaky girl," he voices. Neither pleased or otherwise at the display. And hopefully only the display given what transpired between them mere moments ago.

"I think they just think I'm crazy or something," Maya says with a shrug. "After the police stopped looking, I wasn't about to give up though..." Maya gives Everett a small smile. "Well I couldn't very well leave her, could I? Helping to deliver a baby was the last thing I expected to be doing with my evening... and once you take out the weirdness it was an amazing experience. And now I suppose I have a friend in town now... haven't had one of those in a while," Maya smiles bashfully, laughing a bit at the lighthearted jests. "Can't wait to meet him," she chuckles. As the conversation grows a bit more somber she nods along with him. "So that was like a manifestation of my own thoughts and fears?" Maya asks. "It wanted to feed me that despair... which I then think I gave to that other woman that had... nothing to do with any of it. I just wanted to lash out and make somebody hurt as much as I was."

"I guess that's what you mean by meddling," Maya adds. "I only try to get a little bit more to make ends meet... If I have to go back home to my parents I won't be able to look for Rachel anymore. Making one of the rich folks feel a bit of my desperation...? It serves me okay."

Though at that question that she's trying to picture him with no clothes, Maya balks and shakes her head frantically. "Oh God, no no no! Nothing like that!" she insists quickly. "I don't... Do that."

"A pinky purple, is it?" Maya considers, towel still in hand, helping the new mother a bit, looking with that bit of admiration at the colorful hair. "That's quite nice," she says. "I wish I could do that with my hair, but my boss would have my head," she laments, looking sidelong back to Kailey. "Oh! I'd uh... I'd love to stay for dinner. We can wait until tomorrow or... something to go see August." she says. "Illusions? Think you can show me how that works sometime?" And then the telepathy. "Aaah!" she screams in surprise before bursting out laughing. "Oh wait... I can do that too? Okay hold on... let me see..." It's something she'd never tried before but she focuses on Kailey, squinting for several long moments. <<Is it coming in? Your hair is amazing!>> The giddiness continues for several moments, she gives Everett a nod of thanks as she scoops up the beer.

And if the parents allow it, she will join in on giving some lovins to Morganna, giving her a light kiss with a delighted smile. "And I definitely can't wait to see more of you around," she coos.

Kailey smiles at Everett in a hopeful manner. Soothing the anger with a smile is her best bet. And maybe a kiss against that broad cheek before Morganna gets one. The sleepy baby just flutters almost closed eyes at her and then Maya. << You got it! I'll show you things. On the other side...you have to use your abilities more often than not to survive. Unless you're a beefcake, >> And her eyes dart to Everett meaningfully and back. << August said he was busy, but we can meet up later. So we'll do that. And I bet Ev wouldn't care if your colored your hair if you worked at Sweet Retreats..." She gives her partner a meaningful look. "Is it in your hiring that you couldn't dye your hair?" She picks up her phone and begins tapping into it. "I'm gonna order out for tonight. Chinese good for you?" Assuming it is, she puts the phone to her ear as it rings.

What follows is her ordering and then repeating certain things with the person on the other side. Her name apparently also giving them an issue as she repeats it three times before spelling it. But she just seems amused and used to it. "While we wait I can tell you what I know about the other side. My experiences and stuff. Ev too if he doesn't fall asleep with Mew," She shoots him an amused look. This has happened to both the new parents already a couple of times. "We'll find out what happened to her. Even if it takes awhile."