2022-04-21 - Just The Lawnmower, No Cult Stuff

(TXT to Ava) Myles : Appreciate the offer. Can I compensate you in any way?

(TXT to Myles) Ava : You're freeing up space in my garage. That's compensation enough.

(TXT to Myles) Ava : I'm at 1 Oak Avenue. Trust me, you can't miss it.

(TXT to ) Myles : I'm Myles.

(TXT to Myles) Ava : I'm Ava.

(TXT to ) Myles : Nice to meet you Ava. I've been trying to fix mine all day. Maybe I'm not as inclined towards lawnmower mechanics as I thought

(TXT to Myles) Ava : I know a couple of mechanics who are great with that sort of thing. However, that would mean I would still have a lawnmower taking up space. The mechanics are good for more than just lawnmowers though. So the numbers are still good to have handy.

(TXT to ) Myles : Yeah well. I told my business partner I'd fix it today so between you and me if you don't mind me borrowing yours and calling them later. Would spare me some shit.

(TXT to Myles) Ava : Not a problem at all. Come on over.

(TXT to ) Myles : Now is fine?

(TXT to Myles) Ava : Yeah! Pop on over.

You can't miss it. That's what the text said. Ava wasn't kidding. Immediately upon arrival on Oak street there are three houses that stand out. 1, 3, and 5 Oak Avenue. While it's Spring on the rest of the street, it's Summer on full display for those three. Their yards are like something out of a Disney Movie. Flowers in full bloom, sculpted gardens and delightful hedges. There's even white picket fencing with ferns and perfectly bloomed roses throughout the lattice. Deer, bunnies? It's easy to spot them in the back yards, though they scurry away as people get close. It's... odd, to say the least.

The garage door at 1 Oak Avenue is fully open open and there's rattling coming from inside of it. That must be Ava getting the lawnmower ready.

When someone responds to a stranger on the internet they probably don't expect for someone like Myles to show up on their doorstep. Especially not in a town like this. A very large, very tall man. Built like a heavyweight boxer, the broad man has a gray hoodie on, hands currently shoved into the pockets. He's on the street looking down at the yard. The flowers. The fences. It has the man looking around with a bit of a cocked brow before he makes his swaggering way towards the garage.

Hood pulled up, Myles reaches up to remove it, as well as his sunglasses. "Hey. Ava?" Comes the deep voice from well beyond the entrance of the garage. "It's Myles. Here for the lawnmower."

"Hi Myles! It's right here, give me one sec." There's a little more shuffling in the garage from where Ava is deeper in. Some muttering under her breath as she tries to dislodge the wheels from where they're trapped under a box. Tug tug CRASH. "Oop!" There's a wince but it's not a wince of pain. "Well, that's gonna suck to clean up later." There's wheels finally moving towards the yard. "That's future me's problem." The voice is closer now as Ava finally appears with a grin. Eyes go wide for a second as her eyes drift up. "Wow, you're tall."

A hand covers her mouth. "God. I'm sorry. That was rude. Hi. I'm Ava, local Coroner, Doctor, and shoe eater." Her hand extends out towards him, her smile sheepish.

Myles has his hands in his hoodie pockets, looking around. He hears the voice. Winces at the crashes. Winces more at the problems created for future me. Then she's coming out. Her eyes go wide, and so does his. His eyes drifting down-- then quickly back up. She says that then covers her mouth and he lets out a bark of a laugh. He brings his hand up waving dismissively, "Nah--It's fine. I was---" He laughs again. "I think I was expecting a little old lady. I was surprised too." He reaches out to take her hand, giving a little shake and squeeze. "Myles Webber." He purses his lips. Doctor. Coroner. "Maybe you knew my father, Leonard Webber? Safe Harbor Bail Bonds?"

He waves his hand dismissively. "Nice to meet you Doctor Shoe Eater."

Ava shakes the hand, laughing. "Excuse me, sir?! Are you saying that my texting voice sounds like a little old lady? That can't be good for me." A hand presses to her chest with a small laugh. "Well it's nice to meet you, sonny," she offers in an older lady voice and sweeps a hand over a fairly new lawnmower. In fact, it looks like it hasn't been used even once. Which might be surprising considering the perfect state of the yard. Certainly this yard requires a LOT of upkeep?

"Oh! Mr. Webber. Yes. I'm so sorry for your loss."

It's his turn to give a sheepish smile. "I didn't mean that-- Exactly." Before he just laughs. He called her an old lady and there's no way to get around that. So maybe if he just gives his most charming smile he can salvage this. A little. He tries. Smiles bright. Then gives another little laugh at her old lady voice. He moves towards the lawnmower. "Damn." He murmurs. "Looks good." Like he knows anything about lawnmowers. He glances out to the yard, back to her. He waves his hand dismissively to her condolences. "You the one that had to deal with him after?" He gives a shake of his head. "I'm sorrier for you." It's a bit morbid for a joke which is maybe why he quickly shifts to,

"Hate to push my luck here. But-- You wouldn't happen to have a weed whacker too, would you? Leonard could've taken some lessons from you." He points out, looking over her yard.

"Yessss you did. But that's alright. It's forgiven as long as you forgive my tall comment." Fair, right? Ava's grin is bright in response. "I haven't used it yet," is offered honestly. "I never need to." She leans on the lawnmower and glances around the yard before looking at him again and studying his shine. "I cheated, originally, with the yard. Scultped it how I wanted it." Her fingers wiggle. "But the upkeep is done by, mmm, them." She gestures to the backyard of next door and a slightly glowing circle. Would he recognize a faerie circle?

"I did take care of him afterwards, yes. But that's my job. I promise it was done with the utmost care." She pushes her hands into the back pocket of her shorts and looks at the mower. "No weed whacker. But if you're really hard pressed, I can do you one better and come cheat a little?"

Haven't used it. Never need to. These seem to be hints. They have Myles looking at her sidelong but offering up a polite smile anyway. Looking back down at the lawnmower. She cheated. Sculpted--

And that's when Myles is looking up to her fully. Looking her up and down. Glowing circle in the backyard. Eyes flick back to her. Obviously the hot nice lady who invited him into her garage is going to be insane and into weird cult shit. He smiles broadly. And laughs. "Oh. Right." He laughs with a motion of his chin to the circle having absolutely no idea what it is but having the desire to be polite he just acts like it's a totally normal thing to say.

Talking about his fathers death is actually a little easier. "Nah. He was an asshole. Didn't deserve your utmost but-- thanks anyway." He shrugs. And then offers to come cheat, he smiles broadly. Politely. "Oh. No. That's okay, I'll get it. I'll have this back real quick, alright?" His hand is going to the handlebars of the lawnmower and he's shifting to stand behind it if she allows him.

His expression is watched carefully, and Ava can catch the complete lack of recognition in his eyes. Interesting. There's a full on laugh from her, head thrown back. "You should see your face," is teased a moment later. "Of course I have a weed whacker, too." Yes, yes of course she was just teasing. Razzing the guy who just got back to town. That must be it.

There's all sorts of unused lawn maintenance supplies in there, because you never know when you aren't able to rely on your powers. Ava vanishes for a moment and comes back out with that as well. Same condition at the lawnmower. Looks pretty new. "So, are you and your partner taking over your dad's old business now? Or just sprucing it up to sell the place and then heading back out? I've got to warn you, once you're here for a while, it's kind of tough to leave. This place has a way of just drawing you in."

It sounds sweet. But at the same time, there may be a warning in that, as well.

He lets out a laugh. A much louder laugh. The kind of laugh you let out when you realize you're no longer in danger. Ha-HAH. "Oh. Ha- You had me. You really had me." He lets out in a more jubilant tone, bringing his hand up to his chest. She returns with the weed whacker and he takes it graciously. "Thank you. Very much." He eyes her for a moment at the question. "We're gonna run the business. She's a talented skip tracer. And I'm a li--" He's looking at her again. Squinting. Maybe just really checking her out now.

"Wait a---" He frowns, peering at her.

"What did you say your last name was?"

Ava brightens as he laughs and relaxes. That confirms her suspicion that he doesn't known anything yet. That's going to be a rough wake up call. "Not a problem at all. "You're welcome to keep both, honestly. I really don't need them. I have outside help with my lawn, so they really are just taking up space in the garage." She glances back to future her's problem. "And causing messes." There's another laugh. Glancing back towards him, both brows lift as she's squinted at. A hand lifts to brush at her face to make sure there's nothing on it.

"Brennon? Ava Brennon. Skip Tracer? Is that the person who tracks down bail jumpers? That makes her a great tracker, huh?"

"Ava Brennon." Myles repents. Peering still. "Like. rich girl Ava Brennon?" Not the most polite way to refer to her. But he's too distracted, his eyes going up to the house behind her. Back down to her. Rich girl Ava Brennon. He screws up his features before recognition dawns. "Fuck. Like. Ava from--" He raises his hand up to her. "We went to high school together." He points out in a slightly more enthusiastic voice. "You remember? You-- We hung out a little." She put her hands on his face and he felt sleepy and nice. That's what he remembers there. Sure we'll call that hanging out. "Myles. Myles Webber." As if that will help her remember, the name he already told her. "Ah-- I was dating Nicki? Nicki Aldrich?"

Ava balks for a moment as she's called rich girl Ava Brennon. "I guess there are worse nicknames?" The tone sounds uncertain as eyebrows drift together in concern. The house behind her is certainly a nice house. At the very least a three bedroom home. To be fair, the woman did say that she was also a doctor as well as a coroner. Even in a small town, that still means money. As Myles continues, her eyes squint, trying to picture him a little younger and a lot shorter.

There's a gasp as the recognition finally sets in. "Oh! Oh! Your dad was an asshole!" Probably not what she should have started with. "I remember. I'm sorry, it's been so long, but I should have recognized you earlier. You really grew up, huh?"

"Yeah." He agrees with her adamantly. He was an asshole. He doesn't seem to have a problem with it. He waves away her apology. "Nah. I forgot too. You told me your name and I thought you were an old lady. My bad." One hand comes up to hit that broad chest a couple times to indicate fault. "And yeah I guess I've grown a bit." A lot of bits. He was always a big boy, always tall. He was a linebacker. He was always muscular, even in high school but he's taken it to another level.

There's a moments pause as he lets out another laugh. "Shit. Girl. You had me all freaked out with the--" He laughs again, hand going to his chest. "Ay. It's good to see you, it's been a minute." When he finishes his spurt of laughter he raises those massive arms up in invitation to a hug.

"Oh, come on now! You know it's fun to freak people out with all the Gray Harbor folklore and ghost stories. How could I resist?" Yup, that's all that was, surely. That still doesn't explain that glowing circle in the backyard, but it's probably just a fancy decoration of the neighbors that Ava was using to freak him out, right? When the hug is offered, Ava steps in and gives him a squeeze as best her arms will fit. "It's great to see you again! How have you been? I'm glad you're back in town."

It's a brief hug before he's releasing her much smaller train. "Fuck. Doctor huh?" His shoulders slowly hike up. "Makes sense. You were smart as hell." The big man rumbles with a slow shake of his head. "Congratulations." He takes a step back, swallowing hard. "You uh-- I can't remember. Were you friends with Nic?" Beat. "Nicasia? Remember her? We ah-- That's my business partner. The skip tracer."

"Doctor and coroner. Double duty. Mainly coroner, but I have my own little office in the Bauer Building in town. I do house calls as well if it's ever needed. Small towns, it's easy enough to get everywhere in an emergency. I remember Nicasia. Always getting into trouble, but a very nice girl." Her cell phone starts to go off and she holds up a finger really quickly in order to pick it up. "Dr. Brennon." There's some brief chatter, then a sigh. "Another one? It literally only just recently thawed. They're already dumping bodies?" That doesn't sound great. "Okay. Okay, I'll meet you there."

The phone is hung up and she offers an apologetic look. "We'll have to catch up another time, they just fished out a body from the lake and I have to take a look at it at the scene because there's something fishy about it." She grins. Yes, that was a pun. Coroners. They're the worst. "You have my number now, though. So give me a call sometime, yeah? It was great seeing you again!" With that, she's moving to shut the garage door and hurrying inside to change and get ready to go to work.