2022-03-08 - Peach Pie Latte Tea Is Not Coffee, Damnit

Monday morning, and who doesn't need coffee on a Monday morning?! No wonder Espresso Yourself is doing a roaring trade, with a queue for coffee and most of the tables in at least partial use.

Una has beaten the rush and found herself a good-sized table not too close to the door (all the better to avoid the cold air), with black coffee and a book set out in front of her. She's drinking the former with the idle attention of one much more interested in her book; indeed, she keeps leaning closer and closer to the page as if she half wishes to fall into it entirely and maybe never come out again.

Merrick comes into the coffee house looking exahusted his face is back to normal. He is moves into the line now, moving in that zombie shuffle of the non-caffineted. His hand is holding his phone, as he reads through the get it done list, with each tap a checkmark, with each checkmark a ding of experience. He is using an rpg program to help keep him focused, his little dude on the screen rouge with a wicked looking dagger fighting a blob. As he walks forward now moving with the line, as he slides the phone inside of his jacket, those leather gloves are polished today the silver studs sparkling in the artifical lighting,

The hum of a vintage engine outside announces the imminent arrival of the arch-nemesis of Espresso Yourself's day manager, Della. This arch-nemesis is a tall copper blond in black jeans, turtleneck and leather jacket with a patched sleeve, walking in and looking around in order to raise a gloved hand in a lazy wave to Una before braving the task of trying to order coffee.

It's not such a big deal. Or is it? Apparently, if you're Ravn Abildgaard it is. He orders a cup of black coffee, no milk, no sugar. What he gets is a Peach Pie Tea Latte. Served with a bright smile and a napkin.

Strangely, he seems to accept this weird idea of customer service at face value. He picks up the abomination and drifts towards Una's table. "I hate my life."

Someone forgot to brush their hair this morning. To be fair Opal was distracted with other things and wasn't able to remind Gabby before she ended up racing out the door. There's only so far away from the house Opal can wander, so Gabby is on her own. Somehow the disheveled redhead has made it to the coffee shop without causing too much of a fuss. She's currently standing at the back of the line muttering.

To those who are capable of seeing ghosts, there's a man standing next to her in a three piece suit, rolling his eyes as he listens to her muttering on about flavors of coffee. There's also a smaller female ghost to the side, amused at the irritation of the male. Gabby's head keeps moving between the two of them in rapid succession. "I don't have enough for three, so we're going to have to get two, and you guys are going to have to share one." The man rolls his eyes. "We don't drink. It's fine." She only scoffs. "It's rude to turn down a drink offer."

The mundanes in the room stare at her, some watching in concern as she has a full on conversation with the air. Multiple pieces of air.

Zane enters the coffee shop and orders a glass of skim milk, a fru-fru small decaf, and buys some mixed fruit. Once he has his order, he moves to sit somewhere near an outlet. From a backpack with visible skeins of yarn within, the man pulls out a no-frills business laptop and unlocks it with a fingerprint, a smart card, and a password that takes ten seconds to type out.

Una is so wrapped up in her book-- rude! so rude!-- that she completely fails to register Ravn's wave on his way through, and even starts-- "Guh!"-- at the sound of his voice nearby. Pink cheeked, she glances up, dark eyes tracking from the Dane to his drink, then back up again. "Coconut marshmallow cream frappuccinno?" she says, hazarding a random guess. Now that her attention has been drawn, it skitters idly about the room in some surprise: so many people! When did that happen?

It doesn't entirely skitter past Gabby's spectral companions, but nor does it linger.

Merrick orders his coffee black simple as he sips it slowly with a shake of his head."Almost good." His voice is rumbles out with displeasure as he steps away from the counter, his eyes scanning over Ravn with a nod of his head, his next nod is to Una and than he is looking at Zane. The last stop of the moment is Gabby, those sunglass staring for a moment, to the side as he walks forward now heading right for Una's table as he floops down with the grace of a dancer on crack while wearing rollerskates. So not at all, as the chair makes a loud banging sound."Hey Hey. Whats shaken bacon?"

"I mean, I almost wish." Ravn looks dejectedly at the orange-ish concoction in front of him. "As far as I can tell, this does not even contain coffee. Even coconut coffee would be better."

He raises a hand in greeting to Merrick as well. "Hell, bacon run through a blender would be better too."

Then he leans back on his chair and glances about, almost as if he's looking for something. After a moment he leans in and murmurs, "Crazy question. Yes, I realise how silly this is going to sound but -- how many people do you two see in here? I'm pretty sure the bloke with the laptop is real but I can't make out whether the others are."

"You have to take the drink. I'll feel bad." Gabby says. "She'll feel bad," the smaller woman echoes. The amusement on her petite face only grows as the man's face twists with deeper frustration. "We literally... what is wrong with you, woman?!"

"Don't you yell at her!" Gabby proclaims loudly, getting more than a few stares from the staff who look a little worried at the frazzle haired redhead. "Ma'am, you're next in line, can I help you with something?" she's asked. A finger points towards the man before Gabby hurries to the counter. "Yes, can we please get a black coffee, and one of the frozen banana-strawberry-smoothies please. Thanks." The barista looks towards Della and mouths 'We?' before taking the money with a weirded out smile. Not the worst she's seen after all.

Zane tries not to call attention to those with mental problems, but does look a little uncomfortable that the staff seem to be treating her like she's crazy, just because of her pronoun choice. Still, new town, it's best not to get involved in that kind of a fight without context. Muscular arms shift slightly as the black man leans forward, quickly typing out a response to an email or whatever he's doing.

"Gross," is Una's assessment, sympathetic but not particularly helpful.

She might say more, of course, but there's Merrick, and something shifts in her expression. Maybe it's because she's a plump girl with a natural pinkness. Maybe it's something else altogether. Either way: she looks at Merrick, for a second or two too long, and then glances away.

"I'm not sure about the man in the suit," she says, answering Ravn's question instead. "I think the redhead is-- no she definitely us, but maybe not the people with her. Laptop?" Another sweep of the room, this time identifying Zane, her gaze lingering long enough that it may even catch his attention. "I think you're right there, too."

Merrick nods slowly as he pinches himself."Owie, I'm here." His voice is teasing as he sips his coffee as he nods towards the redhead, and than the suit, and than the other girl. Than at the laptop dude."I see besides us at the table, one, two, three, four ya know." His voice is quiet, as he nods towards the others at the table."Never boring in this burg, and it's why I refuse to move."

"Ain't that the truth," Ravn murmurs back to Merrick.

He waits a moment to see if the man with the laptop happens to look up, and then offers a good natured nod in that direction; an unfamiliar face is a potential new person in need of the infamous Hotel California speech, after all. Say something, break the ice? He probably should. Social anxieties are a bitch.

Instead, he glances back towards the counter. Those people are similarly unfamiliar -- and if Merrick's count is right, then at least he's not the only seeing more than one person up there. The barista's face, though -- so he offers a friendly nod that way too, because as far as he is concerned, there is no way in hell he can tell which one is the one possessed of a pulse.

And that is the Ravn Abildgaard way: A lot of overthinking for what's essentially a nod in two directions.

As Ravn nods in that direction, the small female catches is eye and finger wiggles back to him flirtatiously. There's yet another eye roll from the tall man. "Do you ever stop?" he inquires with a grunt of annoyance. "He wasn't even looking at you, he was looking at-" He pauses, eyes narrowing. There's a moment of calculation going on where it's clear he's figuring out angles. "He's looking at us. I'll be damned."

"You already were, love," the small female sing songs, already on her way towards the table. "I'll be over here, Gabby. Bring the drinks!"

"Okay! They're almost ready!" the redhead calls over her shoulder before giving a wide eye look up towards the man. "Don't give me that look. She's your wife." He scoffs. "It was supposed to be until death do us part. It was a lie, Red. It's all a lie." Gabby just giggles, reaching for the drinks from the still worried barista. "You love her and you know it."

Zane pulls himself away from the computer screen and slowly closes it as he notices eyes on himself. Once it's closed, he pulls the card out of the side and tries a smile at the people around him. "Hey," he says in a slight British accent. "Faux pas?" he asks, not sure what he did to garner so much attention in the first place.

"I'm pretty sure the redhead is the one Della and co are reacting to," is Una's contribution; she's tracking that interaction pretty closely. She might say more, but then there's Zane, and he draws her gaze back again. "Oh! Hello." Her smile is, at least, brightly friendly. "No, we just identified you as a new face. Hello. Welcome to Gray Harbor?"

It would be rude to start with 'do you see ghosts?'.

Merrick moves his head towards Zane as he speaks nodding it slowly."Merrick. Welcome to town if ya new." His voice is friendly, his sunglasses covered eyes moving around scanning the cafe. His right hand is brings that coffee to his lips, as he grins slowly."Now than, how's the Harbor of weird treating ya so far new dude." His eyes studying the three figures, as he debates what is real.

"Probably the redhead," Ravn murmurs as if this really doesn't help a whole lot. It does help -- but not enough. He shakes his head and focuses on the man who obviously is real, or at least talking like he is. "Sorry, didn't mean to stare. New face -- small town, everyone seems to know everyone. And well, it's the only coffee shop in town, too, so everyone really does tend to know everybody."

To the Ghost sensitive, the small female is the first to arrive to the table, inviting herself over thanks to Ravn's nod. A hand is propped on her hip, and she has a large smile on her face. "Well aren't you guy a motley bunch. We just came in for drinks, and we may just leave with new friends. Howdy." Her eyes scan, friendly enough. But really, she's trying to tell whose eyes actually turn towards her voice and appearance. Who here can actually see her?

Gabby and the man appear behind her a moment later. "Sorry about her, she's a little over friendly. We won't bother you guys, there's plenty of free tables. Tru, come on. You're incorrigible." Gabby offers an apologetic look to everyone. The tall man just sort of keeps on with his narrow eyed staring.

Zane glances around at all the attention and offers a smile to his greeters. "Hey, yeah, thanks," he says, potentially to the whole group of them. "It's a lovely area. I'm glad to be here." He doesn't look uncomfortable with the attention, though it's equally clear he's not sure how to approach such a multi-pronged conversation with total strangers.

"We don't bite," puts in Una, with a grin aimed in Zane's direction. "But small towns... we tend to be friendlier, in my experience. You definitely don't get to remain a stranger for long. I'm Una-- Una Irving. I've only been in town a few months, so I'm still very much a newcomer myself."

Most of her attention may be upon him, but there's a flick of a glance towards the other newcomers, too, and there's no question that she can see them: one, two, three. "I like meeting new people. Hello."

Merrick nods towards the air where the ghost is as he speaks slowly."Merrick Randolph. Fixer of stuff. If stuff is broken and like techie stuff. I'll fix it if it's handy man wellI got a dude for that too. He does good work." His hand is resting on his coffee mug as he grips it tightly, as his eyes move to the tall ghost now as he nods towards it."Nah come join us, everyone let's chat it up or something. More, you talk I listen and my story is done. I'm simple I fix stuff, theend."

"Ravn Abildgaard. Obviously not a local for more than a year and a half." The man's accent is close to British -- but does not quite make the cut; it's certainly not American. "I used to think I was accustomed to small town life back home but then I ended up here where everyone literally does seem to know everyone. It's not as terrible as it sounds."

He glances at the Peach Pie Latte Tea in front of him. "Well, most of it isn't so terrible. This is pretty terrible."

"I'm not sure there's room for all of us, but I'm sure we can sit around the edge a bit! Tru, Zeke, just take those chairs right there. Here's your drink." That black coffee is sat down right on the empty table space right where Zeke settles near, right next to Ravn. Poor Ravn. Gabby pulls up her own chair and scoots in. "I'm Gabby by the way. That's Tru, that's Zeke. They're having a spat. Or, he is and she's ignoring it. So I needed something nice to deal with the headache." She lifts her drink and shakes it a little.

The muscular gentleman shifts and says, "Zane. Zane Nkosi. Any of you guys know Thadie Baxter?" he asks, looking around at the definitely-not-ghosts whom he can actually see.

Una drops her gaze towards Ravn's drink and makes a face. "Utterly undrinkable, most likely."

"Nice to meet you, everyone." Is there something cautious in the way Una approaches the greeting? Yes there is. Being too specific-- could be a problem, particularly when at least one member of the group (hi, Zane) lacks that tell-tale sparkle.

"Baxter's a big name around here, even I know that. I don't think I've met Thadie, though."

Merrick sips his coffee as he shakes his head at Zane."Nope. But I'm anti social lots I don't know." His eyes now moving from person to person as he reaches up to remove his sunglasses to revel his pale blue eyes, as he sets the glass down on the table.

Ravn leans back on his chair a little and steeples his gloved fingers as he glances at Zane. "I can't say I know a Thadie -- but yes. Baxter is a big name in Gray Harbor -- it's the name of the original founding family. Or one of them, they're still kind of arguing about which of the Baxters and the Addingtons are the official first. Perspective, I suppose. If you're related to the Baxters, you're going to meet a lot of distant cousins around town -- a lot of people are."

"Thadie. It sounds like Ladie. Heh." Gabby's head tilts as she considers it. "No. I don't. I know a Demetrius Baxter! Does that help?" She pauses for a moment as her whole face wrinkles up. "No, wait, it probably doesn't. He died over one hundred years ago. I don't think he could lead you to your friend. Unless your friend is over one hundred years old, too?" Gabby beams up towards Zane. "Is he?" The question makes sense to her, of course. But then she's looking at him, noticing the lack of Glimmer. "Mmm, probably not, huh?"

"Thadie's my sister," Zane says. "Baxter by marriage. Her husband passed recently. If any of you have kids in third grade, maybe you know my niece," he continues, casually enough, but obviously with the care needed to not name drop a child among potentially dangerous strangers. "I'm staying in their flat for now," he concludes. "Don't know for how long," he starts, "but at least the sofa's comfortable."

Poor Zane.

Una shoots a wary, warning glance towards Gabby, though at least-- so far-- the other newcomer doesn't seem to have picked up on too much.

"Sorry to hear about your brother-in-law," she says, turning her attention back to Zane, smile placidly friendly. When in doubt, ignore the weird. "No children here, I'm-- well, no. Not sorry to say. But, you know what I mean?"

Merrick watches the others now as he nods towards Zane."Sorry to hear, that and stuff." His eyes watching the man, as he looks over at the table. He is quiet, as he sips the last of his awful coffee making a yucky face."I wish we had a coffee that was well made, it's always so damn bad."

Ravn shakes his head. "Not a parent either, no. Unless you count my cat. Who wishes to be counted whenever there is tuna or salmon involved but generally not otherwise."

The look he gives Gabby is a little speculative. A lot of people around this town see things other people don't. Most people don't have literal dead friends, though. And that prompts a thought about Cynthia the girl who haunts Gray Pond, and the dapper Roaring Twenties gentleman at the cemetery that tends to get referred to as Mr Grayscale and -- and maybe the redhead and her ghostly entourage are no weirder than himself and a number of other people. Gray Harbor, you do you.

And then, with a side glance to Merrick, "Don't let the baristas hear you say that, man. You may end up only getting served sugary desserts. Like me."

"A living sister is far different than a dead one hundred year old. So I can't really help." Gabby catches Una's look and looks very confused for a second. She genuinely doesn't seem to understand it. A second later, Zeke is leaning in to whisper something to her. Gabby blinks. "Oh? Okay. Well, you're already not drinking your coffee I bought you, so fine. Spoil sport." The disheveled red head starts to get up almost as soon as she sat down.

"I didn't really get a chance to meet you guys, but we have to go. Already. Sorry. Next time I promise we'll talk more. Totally. Zeke won't come. He's a wet blanket! Don't give me that face, you are!" She cheerfully waves at everyone as she starts to make her way out of the coffee shop, bickering with the tall man. Tru trail along behind, laughing as they go.

Zane smiles and thanks those who offer condolences to him. He then looks up at Gabby and smiles politely, stoically allowing her to talk to people he can't see. He doesn't wave at her as she leaves, but his smile falters slightly once she's gone. "Should I be concerned about her?" he asks. "Is she--" He hesitates and continues quietly. "--dangerous?"

Una's comment echoes Ravn's, her attention sliding temporarily towards Merrick: "I was going to say: have you done something to piss them off too? Coffee's usually great, here." If you're lucky enough to get exactly what you ordered, and not some kind of monstrosity. Her tone's a little cool, still; maybe she's still taking the 'bacon' reference the wrong way.

Zane's question draws her attention back rather firmly. "Oh no," she says. "I think she's just fucking with you, probably. Lots of people in town like to do that. I think it's because there's not that much else to do? You get used to it, though, I promise."

Merrick looks at Una."Nah, I just order black coffee. They get bored and try to make it better than better." His voice is teasing, as he sips it slowly."Also, I'm a grumpy man, if I don't got stuff to be mad about and grumpy I get sad." His eyes moving to Zane."Nope, it's a joke. It's a game we play to see who can be the oddest in a day. Lots of play it, so keep your eyes watching, it is a fun one. I mean, small time town, big town games ya know."

Ravn chuckles and shakes his head. "I can't say I know her," he admits of Gabby. "But she seemed pretty harmless. I suppose I'm a bit inundated in that regard -- I volunteer at the Community Centre, and heaven knows this place attracts a lot of strange people, particularly during the tourist season. Protip: If you run into an older guy named Denny who will yell at you for thirty minutes about how the bay is full of flesh eating mermaids, don't get mad. He is just trying to save your life."

Zane doesn't seem to know what to make of this game, as evidenced on his somewhat vacant expression. He puts his smile back on and says, "Okay, okay, I get it," he says. There's a layer of subtext that seems to wonder what he's gotten himself into. "I guess it's a soul of the artist kind of situation," he speculates to himself aloud. "I hope you lot won't be offended if I don't participate right away."

"Take some time to get to know town," agrees Una. "Before jumping in to anything. It's definitely a different kind of place."

Abruptly, she closes her book, still sitting open on the table (there is a bookmark already inside: no folding down pages for her, because that would be terrible book etiquette!), then slides it off onto her lap, and presumably into the bag she has clutched between her knees. It may indeed be an early indication that she's making ready to leave.

Merrick nods slowly at the others as he grins at Ravn, and looks at Zane."SO, yeah it's a odd place. Take your time getting to know it, before you throw into the deep end good thinking." His hand is taps that mug against the table, as he thinks for a moment."Also, I'm the local tech geek. Well, one of em if ya need help just gimmie a call." He takes out a card offering it towards zane, and then he thinks setting a whole bunch on the table.

"And if you ever need a history teacher I'm your man." Ravn laughs softly. His professional skills are -- not often in demand at random in coffee shops, admittedly. "Think you'll find this town is pretty friendly on the whole. And more than a bit weird, let's just be honest about it. Gray Harbor has a bit of weird to it on the whole. Must be the mists -- it's easy to imagine things in there, doing all kinds of bizarre things."

How do you tell someone that they've walked into a place where the things in the mists are definitely real? When they have no frame for comparison? You don't. Ravn makes a mental note to keep an eye out, because soon enough -- well, something always happens, and eventually, the penny drops.

"Yeah, well," Zane starts, "I've lived in New York much of my life," he admits, destroying the British accent's push that he's from London. "This is a whole new flavor of unusual to me." His brain switches gears however, for some reason around when history is mentioned. "Oh, hey, speaking of, is there a gym anywhere around? Somewhere I can lift? Cardio's easy, but I really want to keep my strength up."

"That-- is definitely me, out." Una stands up this time. "I know there's a gym around, but I'm not your girl in giving any details. Best of luck in settling in."

A beat, as she adjusts her bag over her shoulder. "Ravn. Merrick."

The latter name is said in a tone that's ever so slightly cooler than the former.

And then she's off!

Merrick stands up slowly heading for the counter now as he orders another coffee. As he walks over once more with filled with black coffee. Sipping it slowly, as he slides back down still quiet."Yeah, the fog is fun to explorer." His voice is filled with the sound of don't do it.

Ravn nods his agreement with Merrick; whether he agrees with it being fun to explore or don't explore, for heaven's sake, don't explore, is anyone's guess. "It's -- complicated. Gray Harbor is a bit of a mouthful when you come in from the outside. I did myself, about a year and a half ago. Suddenly you're in this small town in the middle of nowhere, where everyone seems to know everyone. Where Facebook and Twitter are works that no one seems to really recognise -- they know what they are, of course, but everyone uses the town's own Friendzone network instead. We get news from the outside world, but no one seems to care much about them. It's extremely insular."

"Yeah," Zane says with a nod. "My niece has already hit me with a few insider references I didn't know. I guess in a small enough community, it's like a family, and you all just...kind of develop your own games and quirks, and you look out for each other and such." Zane shrugs. "I'm just helping my sister take care of her niece, though. It's great you guys have been so welcoming, but I hope you don't mind if I keep acting like an outsider for a while. After all, I don't know how long I'll be here."

Merrick stands up slowly as he waves towards Zane and Ravn."Got to dash, the world of tech is calling." With that he is rushing for the door, as if he is after a bat outta hell, with no remorse.

"Repair all the things, Merrick." Ravn waves at the tech fixer as he gets up to depart. "I'll just sit here with my horrible peach drink and feel very sorry for myself. Because it is a horrible peach drink."

He throws another curious glance Zane's way. "Kind of you to turn up and help your sister out, though. It's a pretty big deal to uproot and move somewhere else like that, even for a shorter while. I've been in the States for almost two years now, and I'm still learning new things about what it means to be an American from the PNW every single day."

"Well, they're not all bad," Zane says. "Americans have a reputation for being loud and obnoxious, but when everyone's loud, it becomes a kind of...comforting background noise." He opens the laptop back up and slides the card back in. He takes another ten seconds to rapidly type in his absurdly long password.

Ravn chuckles and nods. "True, that. I don't know, you don't honestly seem all that different to me -- except for the fact that you cannot seem to make a proper hot dog. And the baristas here think that Americano coffee has to be brewed on espresso, which is clearly heresy."

He studies his Peach Pie Tea Latte. He's not going to drink it. Might as well not pretend. "I should let you get back to work, though. This place is good for a chat anytime. A lot of writers and others who work long distance tend to pop in. Don't be afraid to hit people up if you have questions about -- anything."

Same tone as when Merrick suggested not exploring the mists. The locals are clearly doom sayers, or all in on the same weird marketing ploy.

"Hey, nice to meet you," Zane says. He then goes back to checking his email or whatever he's doing.