Exploring an Unfamiliar Home (Maxi)

[MAUREEN ABERDEEN]

The hotel Maureen was staying in led right out to a beautiful pier. The woman didn't necessarily like the ocean, but the ocean had been the reason she was who she was. It had taken her from her family, whoever they were, and landed her with a new one. She had no idea if it had been a blessing or a curse, since she couldn't remember anything about her family. There was a strange comfort in hearing the waves crashing, though. Maureen had a mild fear of the water, but she was also very drawn to it. That was probably because she had grown up on an island where the ocean was a huge part of her life. She lived so close to the beach that she could hear the waves crashing from her open bedroom window, which was probably why she felt so comfortable there at the Remington.

The weather was icy that night. It wasn't even really night yet, but rather early evening. The sky would be purple and pink back home right now, but there in Scriptor Bay it was pitch black. The girl wore jeans and an over sized sweatshirt that had once belonged to her ex boyfriend, Simon. Maureen wondered what he was doing now and where he was. He had recently moved again but she couldn't recall a location. The pier lights did little to really light the world up, but it cast enough light onto the ocean for her to see the waves crashing on top of one another.

She had been there for only two nights so far and she still hadn't learned much about this legend. There had been some information about it at the library, but what she really needed was to talk to a local about it. Even then she wasn't sure they would have the information she needed. How do you ask someone if the Guardians were real? If they could turn invisible? She'd sound insane if she asked something like that. The girl had considered asking someone at the front desk but when she had gone down to the front lobby she'd lost her nerve. They probably got asked stupid questions about the legend all the time from tourists.

Despite the chilly weather, there were a decent amount of people walking the pier. They were all bundled up; couples, families, people with dogs.. It was nice. It would be nice to live in a city like this, she decided. Even still, she loved Friday Harbor and could think of no place she would rather be, especially now as the chill bit at her nose. She would like very much to be sitting on her parents back porch, sipping Arnold Palmer's and talking about this or that. They were getting older and she wondered how long she had with them. She knew TJ worried, too but TJ was too busy with the store and his family to occupy his mind with their aging. It was up to Maureen to worry about that sort of thing.

As if by some strange coincidence, Maureen's phone rang. She smiled as she saw the name light up on the screen, pressing the green button flashing on the screen before pushing it to her ear. "Hi, daddy." she cooed almost childishly into the mouthpiece. "Yes, I'm fine. How are you? And mom? Good. No, it's beautiful. Dark, but beautiful. And so cold!" She laughed, cradling the phone lovingly. "On the pier. It's just outside the hotel. Yes. No, it's really very beautiful. Not like home, though. No. No, not yet.. I'm not sure, but.. I know.." She smiled and sighed. "I know, daddy. I promise I'm being careful. I will. Yes, I promise. I love you too. Give mom a kiss for me. I will. G'night." She hung up and looked a the phone for a minute and sighed before sliding it into her pants pocket, heading back towards the front end of the pier where there were a few tables with vendors lined up. She hadn't really stopped to look at their goods earlier, but she decided to kill time and do it now.

Everything on the table she looked at was clearly hand made, but very unique and very beautiful. There was a ring with a small bird resting on twigs. She picked it up and admired it. "How much?" She asked, not noticing the girl also looking at the rings. "$8." The woman said and Maureen's eyes brightened. "I think I'll get it." She squeaked excitedly, fishing out her wallet.

[MAXINE MCMANUS]

August had to go to work and Maxi decided she needed to get out of the apartment for a little while. Most of her time was with August or Gertie these days preparing for the rebellion. Not to mention school was going to start soon! She was busy prepping for that too, so she hadn’t had much time at all to herself. In her spare time, she decided to go for a walk to the pier. It was getting to be that time of year again…this was around the time her parents and sister went missing. She had a tradition to go down to the pier and pay her respects. September 1…that’s the day they vanished permanently from her life. As she drove to the pier, she thought about this, singing sad songs softly on the way. She didn’t go to the beach as often as she used to because she didn’t like the water. The water stole her life from her; it didn’t deserve her love. But how could she stay away now? She had to admit she was drawn to the water this time of year, as if she hoped she would see her father boat just sailing back into the harbor as if the past 25 years had never happened.

Wandering down the pier in her jeans and wool pea coat, a gray, floppy knit baret on her head, she surveyed the various stalls she passed and their wares. That was one thing she did love about the pier: the local business owners selling their wares. She loved looking at the adorable bags and art some locals made, even the home décor. There were knit pillows with scenes from the city depicted on them and she loved to adore these things. Her eyes were down as she wandered to a jeweler, her cute accessories brightly put on display. There were so many cute and unique items available! Maxi silently fawned over necklaces and earrings that looked like they were meant to be sold in a brand name store. A woman nearby was on the phone, talking to her father Maxi assumed, and she smiled at the owner of the booth. “These pieces are lovely!” she marveled and the woman thanked her kindly. She couldn’t place why, but the younger woman and fellow shopper’s voice sounded so familiar. Where had she heard that voice before? Her eyes glanced up, but the woman was turned away from her and she didn’t want to look creepy just staring at her, so Maxi went back to inspecting earrings. She should really get a pair.

The other woman hung up her phone and Maxi didn’t bother to look up at her again for further inspection. She was busy admiring an adorable pair of triskele inspired earrings[/b][/url]. They were totally calling out to her and she was ready to put down the money to buy them. Buying something would definitely cheer her up. The other woman was asking about something she had spotted as Maxi was looking for the price tag on the earrings. The woman answered and she heard the other lady squeal, “I think I’ll get it.” Maxi looked up with a smile when she heard how excited the woman was and did a double take. She turned white as a sheet, gazing at the woman across from her. No…there was no way…She blinked several times but the image wasn’t going away.

“M…Maureen?” she choked so softly she almost couldn’t be heard. But the deep blue eyes shifted to her and Maxi felt like she was looking in a mirror…or at a ghost. Immediately her eyes began to fill with tears, dropping the earrings she had in her hand as her hands came to her mouth. She stepped toward the apparition, barely making it around the display table as she edged closer. It was her sister…her 25 years dead sister. Her hands came away from her face as she reached out to touch the ghost’s shoulders. It had to be a ghost. But if she was a ghost…why was she so solid? “Maureen…is it really you?” A tear slipped onto her cheek, quickly followed by another. How was this possible?

[MAUREEN ABERDEEN]

The girl pulled her wallet out and fished through it, tugging a five and a few singles out laying it on the table. "Thank you." She said gently sliding the ring onto her finger and admiring it. Maureen loved birds and everything with birds on it. They plastered her tiny bungalow back in Friday Harbor. She'd always felt drawn to them for some reason. Maybe it had something to do with her prior life? Maybe she just liked them because they were cute. She didn't think much on it.

“M…Maureen?”

Maureen looked up at the sound of her name being spoken. Who would know her all the way down here? She looked curiously at the other woman, but after examining her she got a strange, twisting feeling in her gut and her face paled. Maureen had no idea who the girl was, but she looked like her. A lot like her, only her hair was redder.

This was a moment that Maureen had dreamt about for two and a half decades. Running into a stranger who looked like her, who knew her from a time that Maureen couldn't recall. She had dreamed what it would be like how it would feel. How liberated she would feel to be recognized! But liberated certainly wasn't the word she would use now that her dream had become reality. She was shocked, terrified and wanted to bolt but she was frozen in place, staring at the other girl a horrified look on her face. Who was she? Who was the other woman who so obviously knew her?

The redhead looked as though she'd seen a ghost, tears filling her eyes. She wished she knew why, wished she knew who she was. The other girl moved closer and Maureen took a skeptical step back, but the girl reached out, sliding her hand on her shoulder. Her stomach dropped again and she thought she might be ill.

“Maureen…is it really you?” She had no idea what to say or do. She was Maureen, but how could she tell this woman she didn't know who she was? Words failed her as she stood there shell-shocked. This was not how she expected a reunion to go. And then she remembered a dream she'd had. A dream where she was playing hide and seek with a red haired girl, turning completely invisible. She wished she could do that now, but she knew better. Plus, she hadn't been able to do it since coming into the city, which was more than a little bazaar.

Slowly Maureen shook her head. "I'm sorry, I... I..." She bit her lips seeing the hope in the other girls eyes. "My name's Maureen, I just... I..." She had no idea what she was trying to even say to her. This was it. This was the moment she had been waiting so long for! She was still shaking her head, wanting to run away more than anything else. "I don't know you." She all but whispered, her voice hoarse and scared, her eyes wider than normal. "I mean... I don't remember, I..." It was her turn to cover her mouth, her head still shaking. She willed her mind to work but it wouldn't. "I don't remember.." She said again sounding more like a child than the thirty seven year old woman she claimed to be.

[MAXINE MCMANUS]

It was Maureen! Maxi wasn’t dreaming this time! More tears fell down her cheeks as she stared at a face she had long since believed disappeared from this world. Maureen was standing in front of her as alive and beautiful as the day she left the harbor, leaving a sniffling Maxi waving as she departed. But her matching blue eyes looked more frightened than anything. She was shaking her head and Maxi felt her stomach sinking. “I’m sorry, I…I…” Maxi was holding on to every word Maureen spoke. “My name’s Maureen, I just…I…” She knew her name was Maureen. All those years of crazy stupid hope that her sister or her mother or her father was actually alive and well, but couldn’t remember who they were…all of those years were flashing before her deep blue eyes and she felt vindicated. She knew one of them had survived! She knew it! And it was Maureen; her big sister was alive and here in front of her. But what was she trying to say? She was shaking her head still looking terrified and Maxi’s stomach sank further. “I don’t know you.” The world was shaking beneath Maxi’s feet. Her sister was alive, but she didn’t know who she was. She’d always imagined Maureen would remember her if they ever met again, but she didn’t. She didn’t know her little sister. Tears were flowing freely down Maxi’s face and her hand fell away from her shoulder.

“I mean…I don’t remember, I…” Maureen covered her mouth, shaking her head and Maxi felt weak. “I don’t remember…” Maxi’s hands came to her face, shielding it as her pain and happiness washed over her. She was sobbing now, her hands soaked with her tears, and when she looked up the image was still there. The other woman didn’t look like she knew what to do. Maxi wiped her face and rubbed her hands on her coat, forcing a smile. “It’s okay, it’s just…you’re my sister. You’re my big sister.” She couldn’t stop more tears from falling onto her cheeks. “You went out to sea with Mom and Dad and there was a terrible storm. When they found the boat, it was empty. They said you’d likely drowned with…with our parents…” She was sobbing again and practically inconsolable. “It was twenty-five years ago on September 1 that you were reported missing. It was September 15 when you were pronounced dead.” Maxi couldn’t stop crying, but she looked into her sister’s eyes. It was blank. Maureen didn’t know Maxi at all. It crushed her, but there was still hope. Another tearful smile came to her face as she tried to stop her sobs. “I’m just happy you’re alive.”

Her legs were starting to give out. She was wobbling even though she wasn’t moving, and she put a hand to her forehead. “I’m sorry, I’m just…I’m really dizzy.” Maxi’s eyes searched around frantically for a place to sit and she saw a bench nearby. She made her way to it, feeling like she would faint, and fell onto it, looking at Maureen once again. Wiping her face, she waved the ghost over with a weak smile. “Please…I’m sorry if I’m scaring you. I just…I never thought I’d see you again.” She couldn’t stop looking at her. It was Maureen. She was so beautiful, more beautiful than she could have imagined she would be after all these years. Hell, she looked younger than Maxi! But losing your family in one fell swoop when you’re just eighteen has a way of aging a person. Maureen was well taken care of and it relieved Maxi. “My name is Maxi. Maxine McManus. Please call me Maxi.” She wanted to hear her sister say her name again. It would sound like music.

[MAUREEN ABERDEEN]

“It’s okay, it’s just…you’re my sister. You’re my big sister.” Sister? This woman was her little sister? She had a sister? No.. She would remember that, but didn't she? The girl in the dream. The little red haired girl in the dream. Maureen continued to offer the same scared look, her lips slightly parted, her eyes wide and childlike.. “You went out to sea with Mom and Dad and there was a terrible storm. When they found the boat, it was empty. They said you’d likely drowned with…with our parents…” Her parents.. Maureen had been found on a raft. It all made sense and she felt the tears welling in her eyes. She wanted her father. Not the dead one the woman spoke of, but the one who'd been raising her for the past twenty five years. “It was twenty-five years ago on September 1 that you were reported missing. It was September 15 when you were pronounced dead.” Maureen thought her legs might give out from under her. She was looking for answers, but this had exceeded all expectations.

She stared at the girl and willed herself again to remember her more, but there was nothing. There had always been nothing. That part of her memory was just gone, lost at sea with her parents as it seemed. How could she deny she was who this girl claimed she was? The resemblance was uncanny, and the story matched piece by piece. Even down to the amount of time she'd been "missing" and the birthday she had adopted. The Aberdeen's didn't have a birthday for her so they chose the day they'd found her; September 12.

“I’m just happy you’re alive.” Of course she was alive.. Very much so. Overwhelmed wasn't even the word she could use. It didn't seem strong enough to explain how she felt in this moment as she stared at the sobbing woman. She was beautiful.. There was something almost familiar about her, but that was probably because she looked so very much like her. “I’m sorry, I’m just…I’m really dizzy.” The woman said as she placed a hand to her forehead and Maureen looked around to try and find a place to sit, but the girl was already moving. She watched her go, willing her legs to move after her. She'd found her sister! She had a sister!

“Please…I’m sorry if I’m scaring you. I just…I never thought I’d see you again.” Maureen slowly sat down beside the girl, still watching her in terrified fascination. She felt like she was in an episode of the Twilight Zone. She had to know this would happen though! Maureen knew one day she would probably meet someone who had known her, but this.. Goodness.

“My name is Maxi. Maxine McManus. Please call me Maxi.” She licked her dry lips and gulped. "Maxi." She said and the name, though unfamiliar, seemed comfortable to say. There was something warm about it, something almost reassuring about it. She was quiet for another moment, a silent tear trickling down her cheek as she just watched the other girl fall to pieces. She wished she could remember her, wished she knew the pain and excitement she was feeling, but Maureen couldn't. She had wanted answers but it seemed this girl had been orphaned in a way that Maureen had not. She felt for her more than anything else.

"I was found on a raft twenty five years ago on September twelfth in the middle of the ocean." She explained softly, her voice quivering. "I was dehydrated and had a concussion.." Her hand slipped to the scar on her forehead though her eyes were wide on Maxi still. "A man and his son saved me.. and they raised me.. but I.." Her voice hitched with a sob and she was shaking her head once more. "I don't remember anything from before that. Nothing, but.." The emotions began to pour forward and she bowed her head sniffling. "I'm sorry, I didn't know. I don't know you.. I mean, you... look at you!" Her red eyes were on her once more. "You look just like me and.. I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry.." She covered her mouth again unsure what she was apologizing for. She didn't know this girl but Maxi surely knew her. There was no doubt in her mind she was the Maureen that was missing, but it was still so very odd. "I didn't know I had a sister! If I knew.. If I'd known, I.." Would she have come back? Of course she would! The Aberdeen's would have taken Maxi in a heart beat. Her face was pained as she reached out, pulling Maxi's hat off her head. She studied her but she was just another stranger. Why couldn't she remember? What was she supposed to do now? "McManus.." She said softly, testing it out and running a hand through her head. "I can't believe this is actually happening. I can't believe you exist.."

[MAXINE MCMANUS]

“Maxi.” The tearful smile that broke out on Maxi’s face was wide as for the first time in 25 years, she heard her sister’s voice say her name. Maureen couldn’t possibly know how much that simple word affected her. She sobbed into her hands again, realizing that she wasn’t alone. In the truest sense, she had never been alone—she’d always had friends to care for her and comfort her, but with the death of her grandparents, she had lost her family. She had been an orphan, alone with no one nearby who knew her as family knows each other. When she’d found August, as they had built their relationship, she had been so happy to possibly have that connection again, a chance at a family. Now that she had August and Maureen…it was more than she ever could have dreamed for. How could she keep herself together when she was so happy? It wasn’t just happiness making her cry though…it was pain too. All of these years Maureen had been alive, and she didn’t know. That was 25 years stolen from them, 25 years that Maxi could never get back. She wished August were here to put his arms around her and hide her until the tears stopped.

“I found on a raft twenty-five years ago on September twelfth in the middle of the ocean.” Maxi’s eyes came to Maureen once again, seeing that now she was crying too and her voice was quivering. “I was dehydrated and had a concussion…” Her sister lifted her fingers to her forehead where a scar had formed. “A man and his son saved me…and they raised me…but I…” She sobbed and Maxi’s eyes filled with fresh tears. “I don’t remember anything from before that…Nothing, but…” Maureen leaned forward and Maxi wanted to hug her, comfort her even though she was the one who needed comforting. “I’m sorry, I didn’t know. I don’t know you…I mean, you…look at you! You look just like me and…I’m sorry. I’m so, so sorry…” Those words affected Maxi deeply and she was sobbing again. Maureen was sorry? She’d just come back from the dead! What could she be sorry for? All Maxi could think of was for the death of their parents, and that was what made her sob. It wasn’t Maureen’s fault… “I didn’t know I had a sister! If I knew…If I’d known, I…” Her sobbing was uncontrollable as Maureen continued. She pitied her for being so alone and it only served to remind Maxi how alone she had been. It reminded her of all the times she wished she had her sister back to share things with, have someone else to rely on and appreciate what she appreciated. They had practically been twins born three years apart and Maxi had felt like a large part of her died that day with Maureen. The pain of reviving it was almost unbearable…yet it made Maxi so happy too. She wiped her face, willing herself to calm down as she looked back at Maureen. Her sister pulled her hat off her head, studying her, and tears leaked from Maxi’s big eyes. That hand ran through her hair and she basked in the warmth of it, never having expected to feel that again.

“McManus…” Maxi’s smile returned, lighting up her face a little. “I can’t believe this is actually happening. I can’t believe you exist…” She gave a little laugh, the breath she took in sounding more like a sob. “I can’t believe you exist. You don’t know how many times I dreamed of this happening…and here you are!” Her hands gestured to her sister, her tears seemingly unending. Looking at her sister’s face, she had the overwhelming urge to hug her. She lifted her arms up to indicate what she wanted, asking, “May I?” Finally she brought her arms around her sister’s shoulders and it solidified everything for her. Maureen wasn’t a ghost; this wasn’t a dream; her sister was warm and alive. She held tight, resting her head on Maureen’s shoulder like she had wanted to so many times, and she sniffed, more tears falling on the girl’s sweatshirt as she shook with emotion. But in the other woman’s arms she could feel herself calming, and soon her tears went from a steady flow to a soft trickle. She pulled away and with a small laugh, she wiped her flushed face one more time before she dug into her purse for tissues which she shared with her sister. “So where have you been?!” she exclaimed excitedly with a laugh, embracing her joy more than her sorrow now. “Have you been in Scriptor Bay all this time?” That would crush Maxi—if she had been in Scriptor Bay without her knowing, so close all this time, it would devastate her; she would have been right under her nose the whole time! Maureen confirmed that she hadn’t been, though, and it made Maxi sigh in relief. So she hadn’t been blind all these years. “What have you been up to? Why did you come back?” There were a million questions she wanted to ask and not enough hours in the day to answer them all.

[MAUREEN ABERDEEN]

“I can’t believe you exist. You don’t know how many times I dreamed of this happening…and here you are!” It was surreal, like something out of a movie. She couldn't believe this was actually happening and she wondered if it was a dream. Or was it that lord finally answered her prayers? She bit her lip as her sister opened her arms, asking permission to hug her. Maureen felt uneasy about it but nodded, letting Maxi wrap her arms around her shoulders and hold her near.

The hug was comforting and she had needed it more than she had thought. Maureen felt so bad for Maxi, and wished she could share the same feelings, but she didn't. She had wondered about her past but she hadn't spent the last decade and a half missing someone. Her life had not been ruined by the tragic incident that had swept her away from her sister and killed her parents. She had no recollection of those parents, and though it was devastating she led a happy, fulfilling life with a family who loved her unconditionally. Still, she had missed out on so much of what she had been meant for and she held Maxi close, comforting her more than herself. "It's okay." She told her sister softly, unsure of what else she could. Her hand fell into the mess of red locks and she was shocked at how familiar this all felt somehow. Like her muscles remembered the memory even if her mind did not.

Maxi pulled away and looked back at Maureen who didn't share her joy in the same manner. It was still so overwhelming and though she was happy and excited, she was terrified as well. This meant she would finally learn all the little secrets of her life before this. There were people she would meet that knew her, but she didn't know in return. Memories that would be shared that were supposed to be her own but simply weren't anymore. Maxi would have expectations of her, expect her to be someone she might not be. Tears were still welling in her eyes and she took the offered tissue, dabbing at them and sniffling. She simply wasn't sure how to feel!

“So where have you been?!” Maxi asked excitedly with a laugh. “Have you been in Scriptor Bay all this time?” She shook her head, her fingers twisting anxiously around each other in her lap as she kept her body turned towards this near mirror reflection of herself. The resemblance was still so stroking to Maureen! "No, I grew up way north of here in Friday Harbor. It's on an island between Washington and British Columbia." She explained, not wanting to tell her all about her picture perfect life after Maxi. “What have you been up to? Why did you come back?” Already she felt overwhelmed, and though Maxi's probing questions were meant to learn about Maureen, she couldn't help but feel like maybe Maxi didn't understand why she hadn't come back home. Maureen didn't know where home had been.

"Goodness, I've been.. well, living, I guess." She answered with a nervous laugh. "I finished school and college and have a job.. I work in a children's hospital as a teacher." She explained and then licked her lips looking down at her lap for the second question. "I had heard about the strange weather on the news. They talked about Guardians and a legend and... I had this dream.. I think you were in it." She peaked up anxiously. "I was young and playing hide and seek and... well, something strange happened. The way I played...we played.. wasn't like other children did and.. I don't know. I thought maybe there might be answers here. It was a crazy, weird long shot but I came down. I only just arrived yesterday and.. God answered my prayers. He led me to you and you.. I guess you have all the answers I could ever need." She shivered slightly and she was unsure if it was due to the chill or the emotions she felt, her eyes welling with tears once more. She dabbed at them with the tissue. "I don't even know if that was a memory or just some crazy dream.." Maureen knew it must be a memory though. It's what taught her that she was different. "Did.. did we do that? Did we play hide and seek?" She asked, her tone skeptical now afraid of the answer. Could Maxi do it, too? Could Maxi become invisible?

[MAXINE MCMANUS]

“Goodness, I’ve been…well, living I guess.” Maxi gave her own small, nervous laugh, listening intently to Maureen’s answer. “I finished school and college and have a job…I work in a children’s hospital as a teacher.” The younger woman’s eyes widened slightly and she couldn’t help but give a small laugh. She was a teacher too! What a coincidence that they would both be teachers! “I had heard about the strange weather on the news. They talked about Guardians and a legend and…I had this dream…I think you were in it.” Maxi’s brow knitted slightly. She was in her sister’s dream? Even though she didn’t remember her, there was a part of her that did. Hope wasn’t lost then! Maureen could possibly remember her with time. What could Maxi do to help her remember? “I was young and playing hide and seek and…well, something strange happened. The way I played…we played…wasn’t like other children did and…I don’t know. I thought maybe there might be answers here. It was a crazy, weird long shot but I came down. I only just arrived yesterday and…God answered my prayers. He led me to you and you…I guess you have all the answers I could ever need.” Maxi was slightly surprised by the statement; Maureen had found God again wherever she had been. They had been raised Catholic, but Maxi had stopped going to church a long time ago. It wasn’t that she’d lost her faith, she just fell out of practice.

Seeing the tears welling in Maureen’s eyes again made Maxi’s own tears start welling once more. “I don’t even know if that was a memory or just some crazy dream…Did…did we do that? Did we play hide and seek?” Maxi’s smile was quivering as she nodded, dabbing at her own eyes with her tissue. “Yes…it was our favorite game to play. We would…we would become invisible and try to find each other.” Her voice was soft as she replied, not wanting others to hear what she was saying. Maxi wiped her nose as she began sniffling, smiling more. “You were better at it than I was. You always gave me a hug when I got tired of losing and you’d start giving me clues about where you were.” Maxi gave a little laugh at the memory, shaking her head a little. She could remember pouting when she got tired of losing, a pout that apparently had a similar effect on her sister as it did on her love—they both found it endearing and gave in to her easily. That thought made another tear well in her eye. She wanted to tell August right away that her sister was alive and here in Scriptor Bay, but she also wanted to focus all of her attention on Maureen. Later she could tell August about what had happened; she would tell him once he woke her when he came home from work. It was a habit of his now and it would be the earliest she could tell him tonight. Right now, she wanted to answer all of Maureen’s questions and ask her all of her own.

“Maureen…we’re what’s called Blurrs. The story of the Guardians that you heard…well, we’re a kind of Guardian. We have the power to become invisible. Our parents were the same way. There are other kinds of Guardians too. The Gargoyles who turn into stone during the day and come alive at night are really strong and fast. Then there are the Avisailles who have wings on their backs and can fly. All of us age slowly, Gargoyles the slowest and Blurrs the closest to human life spans. Then there’s Therianthropes or Therians and they shift into animals whenever they want, but without choice on the full moon. And then there’re witches and there are two kinds of those: Geomancers and Elementalists. Geomancers use plants for their magic while Elementalists use chants. Right now, though…this darkness has taken away our powers. The Gargoyles aren’t turning to stone, the Blurrs can’t turn invisible, the Avisailles’ wings are getting weak, the Therians are shifting every night, and the witches’ powers aren’t working properly. And now the humans have put the Therians and the Avisailles in something like a concentration camp on the outskirts of town. The Guardians that are free are working to try and get them out but…well you picked an interesting time to come home.” Maxi gave a weak smile, finding she calmed the more she explained the living legend of Scriptor Bay. “This darkness came from the Tree of Enlightenment in the middle of the city. We don’t know when it will end…we just know that until it does, we don’t have any powers.”

Her smile was a little warmer as she looked at the other woman. “Our family was always very close to the Blurr Leader’s family, the Periwinkles.” She laughed a little, smiling more. “I know, their last name is kind of funny. Gertie, the Blurr Leader, he kind of became a surrogate dad when you and Mom and Dad disappeared. He was so sad when he thought you were dead…the whole family was.” Her tears were welling again as her smile grew. “And here you are! They’ll be so happy you’re alive.” Seeing the apprehension on her sister’s face, she shook her head and reached a hand out to touch hers. “Don’t worry. We don’t have to see them until you’re ready. I just know they’ll be ecstatic.” Her tears dripped onto her cheeks and she dabbed at them with her tissue, pulling her hand back. “I work for him too. Gertie, I mean. I’m his secretary as of a couple months ago. Full-time, though, I’m a teacher too. I teach English over at the high school.” She still couldn’t believe the coincidence that her sister was a teacher too. All these years apart and they had ended up on the same career path. What were the odds? It would be even stranger if she was an English teacher too.

[MAUREEN ABERDEEN]

“Yes…it was our favorite game to play. We would…we would become invisible and try to find each other.” Maureen had tried to be subtle in asking Maxi the question, never having mentioned the invisible part because frankly it sounded completely insane, but she knew that if she had the ability to do it after her accident then she must have before. The fact Maxi could as well was almost comforting and her chest heaved with emotions. Maxi was like her. Maxi understood! She wasn't a freak and she wasn't alone!

At first Maureen was touched as Maxi recalled the memory of them playing as a child. Even if she didn't remember it, it sounded like a sweet, happy time. She liked seeing Maxi reminisce like that, as she would anyone, pretending she was talking about someone else, another sister. In a sense Maxi was talking about another sister. Maureen wasn't that girl anymore and she didn't remember ever being that girl. Then Maxi continued, and the fleeting happiness she felt slid away.

“Maureen…we’re what’s called Blurrs. The story of the Guardians that you heard…well, we’re a kind of Guardian. We have the power to become invisible. Our parents were the same way. There are other kinds of Guardians too. The Gargoyles..." Blurr? She was a Guardian? There were more people who could become invisible? It was a huge mind fuck and she had a hard enough time wrapping her mind around that bit of information, but Maxi didn't stop there. There were others, and they all had weird characteristics about themselves that only freaked Maureen out. It was like this girl was speaking another language, talking about a science fiction novel and for a moment she wondered if Maxi wasn't quite right in the head. She was going on and on about nonsense, but Maureen could turn invisible and despite being nearly forty she looked like she was in her late twenties. It made sense, but the other things made her feel dizzy. It was too much too fast. An hour ago she didn't know she had a sister and now she was being bombarded with more information that she could have ever thought to have acquired about things that made no sense to her at all.

"...The Guardians that are free are working to try and get them out but…well you picked an interesting time to come home.” Home? As if the crazy stories weren't enough Maxi was calling this place her home. As far as Maureen knew she had never been there in her life, and this was far from home. Home was back in Friday Harbor with her mom and dad and her brother, working in the hospital and occasionally at Aberdeen's. Home was drinking lemonade on the back porch and watching her niece and nephew play. Home was not this insane dark city with the girl who looked like her and spouted stories of supernatural beings, insisting she was one. But even though the woman denied it in her heart of hearts she knew it was probably true. She had no reason not to believe it other than it sounded mind boggling crazy, but wasn't being able to turn yourself invisible a bit on the crazy side? She hadn't told Maxi she could do it, Maxi was the one to say it, so everything had to be true.

Maureen was in shock, but Maxi didn't seem to notice, continuing on now about the family who cared for her, a family who knew Maureen very well. It was what she'd been afraid of; all these people knowing her, recognizing her, and having no idea who any of them were. “And here you are! They’ll be so happy you’re alive.” Maxi must have finally seen how completely uncomfortable she had become, because she reached a hand out and placed it on hers. She wanted to turn back and go home and forget this happened. She didn't want all of this now. She had been silly to come, but she knew how incredibly selfish that was. This girl had found her only living relative and she was it. How could she not want to be a part of her life? She knew she was just scared and overwhelmed which was why she wanted to flee, but the feeling was just so strong.

“Don’t worry. We don’t have to see them until you’re ready. I just know they’ll be ecstatic. I work for him too. Gertie, I mean. I’m his secretary as of a couple months ago. Full-time, though, I’m a teacher too. I teach English over at the high school.” Finally, Maxi was talking about something that she could wrap her mind around! "That's what I teach!" She gushed suddenly, smiling weakly. Did she have love for literature before the accident? Had her father only nourished it more as she crew? She clammed up again afterwards, blushing and looking down at her lap. "This is just all so bewildering." She said softly, looking away from Maxi and into her lap where her fingers were still wrestling with one another. "You know an hour ago I didn't have a history and now.. It's just a lot to take in. I'm not exactly ready to let your world.. our world know I'm back. I didn't expect this, I mean.. some answers maybe but not.." She looked up nervously, not wanting to hurt Maxi. Poor Maxi had obviously been hurt enough. "I just really need you to slow down. You're sort of freaking me out. A lot.. like.. a lot, a lot.." She licked her lips and shivered a little. "How old am I?" She asked looking up at the hotel and then back at Maxi. "Do you maybe want to come up to my room for a little bit? I'm not used to the chill yet."

[MAXINE MCMANUS]

“That’s what I teach!” Maxi’s eyes widened and she even smiled wider as Maureen said she taught English too. How crazy was that?! Apparently she’d never forgotten her love of literature even if she’d forgotten everything else. But as suddenly as her smile had appeared, it was gone and Maureen was blushing down at her lap, making Maxi’s face fall too. “This is just all so bewildering.” Maxi’s eyes followed her sister’s gaze to the fingers nervously wringing in her lap. It actually made Maxi smile as more tears gathered in her eyes. That had always been Maureen’s nervous habit…It really was her. She was going to tell her, but Maureen kept talking. “You know, an hour ago I didn’t have a history and now…It’s just a lot to take in. I’m not exactly ready to let your world…our world know I’m back. I didn’t expect this, I mean…some answers maybe but not…” Maxi felt her stomach sinking again, feeling like she had done something wrong in talking about the people who knew Maureen. Their eyes held each other’s as Maureen continued slowly. “I just really need you to slow down. You’re sort of freaking me out. A lot…like…a lot, a lot…” Maxi nodded, trying to remember that Maureen was like a normal person now, someone who didn’t know all this stuff. It made her chest ache, but she knew she had to take it slower or she was going to lose this second chance.

“How old am I?” Maxi’s eyes widened, surprised by the sudden question. She wouldn’t know, would she? “Do you maybe want to come up to my room for a little bit? I’m not used to the chill yet.” Just like that, Maxi noticed that it was cold, particularly for a late summer night. She shook her head a little as if snapping out of a daze. “Uh, yeah, sure! Sorry I completely stopped noticing how chilly it is.” She got to her feet, waiting for her sister to do so as well and noting that they were the same height. People could easily mistake them for twins. With a smile she walked down the pier with Maureen, making her way back to the hotel with her sister. “You’re forty-six.” The answer sort of came out of the blue, and she looked at Maureen’s face for a reaction. She was obviously stunned. “Like I said, we age differently than humans. We’ve estimated that Blurrs will appear about twenty years younger than their actual age in human years. I’m forty-three, but I look a lot younger. Perhaps not as young as twenty-three, but around there.” She smiled more, trying to explain this gently to Maureen. Her eyes fell to her sister’s hands again and she smiled wider. “You always did that, you know. Wrung your hands when you were nervous. When we were little and Mom or Dad would get mad at you, you would hang your head and do that.” A small nervous laugh came from her, trying to give this woman a clue to whom and what she was. Maureen made her realize it was better to start with the little things, like her nervous habits.

The one thing Maureen had gotten excited about was when Maxi mentioned she was an English teacher. She could calm her talking about that! They wouldn’t be best friends again just like that; they needed a foundation to build on. Literature was as good a foundation as any. “You always liked books too! We used to read to each other all the time. I remember the first time I figured out the word island by myself, you congratulated me and pat me on the back. I was sooo proud of myself.” Maxi giggled a little, the mood lightening. Her eyes looked back to Maureen’s. “What kind of literature do you like now? I find I’m drawn to English literature, especially Renaissance era and nineteenth century lit. And what made you decide to become a teacher?” Those were easy questions for any English teacher and she smiled as she waited for her sister’s answer. It was a good start to getting reacquainted.

[MAUREEN ABERDEEN]

She was glad Maxi was okay with moving in as the bitter wind blew off the sea and nipped at her nose. It had been warm up north. Granted, it never got very hot there in Friday Harbor. Being an island up that north, the summers were still a little brisk, but nothing like this. “You’re forty-six.” She thought maybe Maxi had maybe made a mistake and the look in her eyes explained it, but then again she thought she was thirty seven and clearly looked much younger than that. She looked forward but downward, chewing on her bottom lip as they walked and Maxine explained about them aging and how it worked. She wasn't even human! But it made sense in a way. She had always felt far older than the other kids in her class. Their petty issues just seemed too petty even for Maureen. This explained exactly why; she had been much, much older than the thirteen year olds in school.

“You always did that, you know. Wrung your hands when you were nervous." Maureen hadn't noticed she was doing it at all and looked down at her hands, biting her lip again. "When we were little and Mom or Dad would get mad at you, you would hang your head and do that.” It was weird being told things about herself that she couldn't recall. She had done this as long as she could remember. It was a nervous habit of hers and it just felt odd that Maxi would recognize it, but in a good way. She didn't know how to respond to that, but her sapphire eyes met her sister's and a nervous sort of smile slid over her face. It was all just so bazaar.

“You always liked books too! We used to read to each other all the time. I remember the first time I figured out the word island by myself, you congratulated me and pat me on the back. I was sooo proud of myself.” She smiled, wishing she could recall that memory, too. It wasn't fair that Maxi got them all, but it was at a price. Maureen had been able to stay blissfully ignorant to her own tragedy it seemed while Maxi had to live with it every day of her life. She wasn't sure which she would prefer. "I can't believe you remember something like that." She said softly, a soft almost laugh escaping her. It seemed so trivial but to a child she supposed it made sense. She wondered if she'd doted on Maxi as a girl, if she'd been a good sister. She had always been a good sister to TJ. Maxi had obviously looked up to her, though. To be so pleased with herself over something that menial, it must have been a big deal.

“What kind of literature do you like now? I find I’m drawn to English literature, especially Renaissance era and nineteenth century lit. And what made you decide to become a teacher?” A huge smile creased her lips. "Me too." She said almost bashfully walking up the wooden pier steps towards the hotel. "Of everything you mentioned, plus poetry. I could read poetry for days, which is why I use it a lot in my lesson plans when I have to write them. Mostly I have to go by other teachers coursework but I have one student who I'm his main tutor. My favorite is Charles Dickens, though. My dad.." She stopped suddenly, blushing and looking to Maxine worriedly for a moment before looking away again. "The man who found me, had read to me a lot, especially in those first few weeks while I was recovering and becoming acclimated. He read Great Expectations and I fell in love. In fact to this day he calls me Pip. Everyone in my family..my adopted family does." It was the only family she truly knew.

Maureen opened the door for Maxine and followed her, grateful for the gust of heat that greeted them. She moved through the lobby towards the elevator. "They were also very active in the church. We went every single Sunday. I still go ever Sunday, really. I became very active in the Sunday School program and began helping out a lot with the younger years. I just seemed to have a natural knack for it and it had turned into a passion, teaching them and watching the kids grow spiritually under my guidance. I knew it was my calling, what the lord wanted me to do." She stopped at the elevator and pressed the button. The door opened immediately and the girl stepped inside, pressing the six button. "What did our mother do? What.. what are their names? Are there more of us? Was it just the two of us?" She asked, the questions suddenly bubbling in her mind now that she was growing comfortable with Maxi a little. "Why didn't you come on that boat? What happened to you after?" She was suddenly frowning, watching the other woman sadly. She had missed out on so, so much.. The elevator halted and the doors slid open. Maureen hesitated for a moment, almost as if she hadn't noticed but as the doors began to shut she reached an arm out, stopping them and getting out on their floor, moving slowly with Maxi towards her room.

[MAXINE MCMANUS]

“Me too.” Both of the girls were smiling wide now, gazing at each other with matching eyes. “Of everything you mentioned, plus poetry. I could read poetry for days, which is why I use it a lot in my lesson plans when I have to write them. Mostly I have to go by other teachers’ coursework but I have one student who I’m his main tutor. My favorite is Charles Dickens, though. My dad…” Her sister’s eyes grew wide, giving Maxi a worried look, and she realized Maureen wasn’t talking about their father. Somehow it made Maxi feel almost affronted. Sean McManus was their father, no one else. “The man who found me, had read to me a lot, especially in those first few weeks while I was recovering and becoming acclimated. He read Great Expectations and I fell in love. In fact to this day he calls me Pip. Everyone in my family…my adopted family does.” Maxi felt a mix of emotions at that statement. Again, she was affronted at the thought that Maureen considered these other people her family, jealous that she found a loving home where they affectionately called her “Pip” and she could pretend she’d never lost her parents and her sister, but more than anything she felt a sad sense of happiness. Maureen had found good people in a good place to take care of her for all of these years. The hurt and the jealousy melted away with that emotion and she felt grateful that these people had loved her as she deserved to be loved; that was the most important thing.

They walked into the hotel, Maureen holding the door for Maxi and the younger woman was grateful for the heat that came over her. “They were also very active in the church. We went every single Sunday. I still go every Sunday, really. I became very active in the Sunday School program and began helping out a lot with the younger years. I just seemed to have a natural knack for it and it had turned into a passion, teaching them and watching the kids grow spiritually under my guidance. I knew it was my calling, what the lord wanting me to do.” Wow, Maureen was really spiritual now. Maxi found herself drawn to it, remembering the faith she kept as a child, and she wondered if Maureen was still with the Catholic Church or if she had moved to another church…They both stepped into the elevator when it opened and Maureen pressed the button to her floor. “What did our mother do? What…what are their names? Are there more of us? Was it just the two of us?” Maxi smiled at all the questions, wondering which to answer first. “Why didn’t you come on that boat? What happened to you after?” Those two questions were a punch in the gut to Maxi and her frown was back, looking at Maureen with big eyes. What could she tell her? She didn’t even notice the elevator stop and ding as the doors opened. It wasn’t until Maureen’s arm came out to hold the door that she realized they were supposed to get off. She blinked a couple times and caught her breath, stepping off the elevator and following Maureen to her room.

“Our parents were Margot Elizabeth Fortescue McManus and Sean Connor McManus. They just had us, no other kids. Mom was a social worker and Dad was a government contractor. On the weekends we always did stuff outdoors, though; hiking, camping, fishing, sailing…that’s what the boating trip was for. Fishing. You guys were only supposed to be gone for a long weekend. I had pneumonia, so I had to stay with our grandparents—Dad’s parents—that weekend. Grandma was already sick, though, and when Dad didn’t come back, she just got worse. She died a year later. Grandpa lived three more years, long enough for me to go to college, but he was never the same after Grandma died.” They came to Maureen’s door and she sighed, remembering what it was like to be alone so suddenly. She wasn’t meaning for Maureen to feel bad for her, it was just the facts of what happened. “They left everything to me, and I got a lot when Mom and Dad died, so I used it to go to college and buy a house afterward. I went to college at Oregon State University about two hours away. Whenever I came back, I stayed with the Periwinkles. I came back as often as I could because there was a little girl who I became attached to. I found out about her five years after you went missing. She lost her family in a robbery gone wrong and she was all alone. I kind of adopted her as my little sister, knowing what it felt like to lose everything.” She gave a weak smile. “Her name is Becky. We’re still really close. I know I wouldn’t have coped with everything as well as I did without her and the Periwinkles to help me. Not to mention Drew. He used to tutor us when we were little and we were all being taught by Mrs. Periwinkle.” Her smile was more genuine as she looked at her sister, now sitting on a couch in the room. She wasn’t quite sure when that had happened, but it did. “Don’t worry, Maureen. I wasn’t completely alone. These days I think I’ve been the happiest I’ve been in twenty-five years, actually. I have a cute little house, a job I love, a boyfriend who I’m kind of living with and I love so much, not to mention all of the friends I have. But now that you’re here and alive…I’ve got to be the happiest person on the face of the planet.” She gave a little laugh and her smile crossed her whole face, her eyes tearing a little again. She eased again and leaned a little more towards her sister. “What about…what about your other family? Did they treat you well? What’s their name? Have you been happy?” That’s what she wanted to know most of all: she wanted to know her sister had been happy all these years. She wanted to know that her sister had been loved and cared for.

[MAUREEN ABERDEEN]

Maureen hung on every word Maxi spoke. Sean and Margot. Their mother sounded French, their father Irish. She wondered if that was what they were, what she was. French and Irish. She supposed it made sense, she could certainly be either, or both. She loved that her family had been very active, but it made it all the more tragic. How many trips had she missed out on because of the accident? How many trips could she not remember for the same reason? It all started to depress her once more, knowing this whole life was supposed to be hers, but wasn't. She wasn't supposed to know her mom or dad or TJ. She was never meant for them, but her Margot and Sean McManus and their daughter Maxine. She was theirs. She was a McManus, not an Aberdeen. It was such a strange feeling, like everything was all wrong, but at the same time it didn't really feel wrong entirely. She loved her family dearly. She wanted that life up in Friday Harbor. She adored her aging parents and the quiet evenings she would often spend with them, the sound of the ocean crashing nearby as her niece and nephew played together.

Maxi began telling her about her life after the tragedy, how she had gone to school and spent time with the Periwinkles and a girl named Becky. She suddenly felt a little jealous of Becky. She was the one who should have been there to comfort Maxi, not Becky. Not the Periwinkles. Not Drew who was like a brother to them both at one point, a boy she couldn't remember at all. It wasn't fair, but hadn't Maxi got the short end of the stick? She was able to remember everything, her real parents and grandparents.. She'd watched their friends and family grow while Maureen had been nestled in a tiny island only seven hours north of there.

“Don’t worry, Maureen. I wasn’t completely alone." It was as though Maxi had read her mind and she blinked back the tears, looking up into her sister's eyes. She could see her much more clearly now in the hotel room and the resemblance between them.. Maureen couldn't get over it. There was no way they weren't related. They could be almost twins! She pushed a small smile on her face as Maxi consoled her fears, telling her she was happy now. She had a house, career, boyfriend, friends and a beautiful life. It pleased her, but saddened her that she wasn't a part of all that. But she was, now.. "But now that you’re here and alive…I’ve got to be the happiest person on the face of the planet.” She gave a little laugh and Maureen got choked up again, her face scrunching as a wave of tears washed over her again. She sniffled and nodded, reaching up and wiping at her face, forcing a smile to come forward. She was glad Maxi was happy and suddenly glad she'd found her.

“What about…what about your other family? Did they treat you well? What’s their name? Have you been happy?” She felt strange talking about her family, especially since to Maxi they were her other family, when to her Maxi's family was her other family. She nodded. "Aberdeen." She said softly, clearing her throat and wiping at her eyes again as she tried to compose herself once more. "Thomas and Josephine Aberdeen. They had a son who.. I always thought TJ was older than me but I guess I'm a year older than he is." That was sort of a strange revelation, one she wasn't sure she would want to tell TJ. He might not believe her, especially since he had a hard enough time seeing her as thirty seven! "We're very close, and I'm very close to his wife Sara, too. They have two kids.. Madeline is fourteen and Jake is going to be twelve next month." She explained, her voice soft and her sapphire eyes averted. "They own a little store. It was dad's great grandfathers store and now TJ runs it. They're much older now and I look after them, my parents. They're still active, but they're in their seventies so they're slowing down a lot." She explained, the thought of them making her a little sad. She missed them already and wanted to tell them all about how she'd found her real sister!

"I'm single right now. It's hard for me to find someone, really. The boys who are my age are usually divorced and creepy because, well, I thought I was thirty seven. The boys who look my age aren't mature enough to handle the type of relationship I want and get freaked out when I tell them how old I am. I was with Simon for a long time but he's overseas working with children in third world countries. He's a doctor.. but I couldn't go with him so we had to end things. We still talk, though." She explained, her fingers twisting in her lap again. "I was happy, Maxi. I am happy.. I mean, I wondered about where I'd come from but... there were not clues to lead me back here, I just have a few vague memories that came from dreams like our dad calling my name, or I'm assuming our dad. And us playing hide and seek.. Sometimes I have dreams that feel like memories but when I wake up they drift away and I'm always feeling empty after. I just accepted that I was an Aberdeen now, that my family probably died in the ocean and though it was a sad thought I was always so content with the Aberdeen's that I didn't feel the need to try and search harder. I was afraid of what I'd find out, afraid of remembering.." She didn't admit it often, but it was the truth. The thought of remembering everything was a terrifying one, but now she didn't need to remember, because Maxi could do it for her.

"I never thought I would find you, a sibling.. someone who really remembered everything. It's just everything is gone. I had to relearn everything when dad found me. I don't even remember him finding me, my first memory was in a hospital with him reading to me and even that is very vague. I was almost dead when they pulled me out of that raft, burned from the sun.. I don't know. Now I wish I could remember more.."

[MAXINE MCMANUS]

“Aberdeen.” Maureen Aberdeen. It was cute and Maxi liked the sound of it, though it would take some getting used to. She always thought of her as Maureen McManus, but she could change. It was kind of like if her sister got married and changed her name for her husband. Seeing Maureen’s face scrunch up again with emotion, she wanted to reach out and wipe her tears away for her. She loved her sister and she didn’t want to see her cry. “Thomas and Josephine Aberdeen. They had a son who…I always thought TJ was older than me but I guess I’m a year older than he is. We’re very close, and I’m close to his wife Sara, too. They have two kids…Madeline is fourteen and Jake is going to be twelve next month.” Maureen went on to tell her that the family owned a store which TJ, her adopted brother, now ran. She called the man who adopted her “Dad,” which Maxi was still sensitive about, but she supposed she would have to get used to it. It would be selfish to ask Maureen to change her ways just because she was uncomfortable with them. It was something she would get used to with a little time. Until then she would hide the pangs that shot through her whenever her sister called a stranger Dad. Maxi’s father wouldn’t want her to be upset over something so little, and neither would her mother. They would be so happy their little girls were united again…

“I’m single right now. It’s hard for me to find someone, really. The boys who are my age are usually divorced and creepy because, well, I thought I was thirty-seven. The boys who look my age aren’t mature enough to handle the type of relationship I want and get freaked out when I tell them how old I am.” She was preaching to the choir. Maxi was forty-three and had just now found a good match for her romantically. Nobody else thought he was a good match, but she knew better; August was very different with her than he was with other people. “I was with Simon for a long time but he’s overseas working with children from third world countries. He’s a doctor…but I couldn’t go with him so we had to end things. We still talk, though.” Well, just when she thought she had found a good match, Maureen had to talk about the doctor who went overseas to help needy children and that’s why they broke up. How was she supposed to tell her sister about her sado-masochistic relationship with a Gargoyle who couldn’t even say the words, “I love you?” It showed the difference between her and Maureen, though. Maureen obviously hadn’t developed the bad boy complex she had.

"I was happy, Maxi. I am happy…I mean, I wondered about where I'd come from but... there were no clues to lead me back here, I just have a few vague memories that came from dreams like our dad calling my name, or I'm assuming our dad. And us playing hide and seek… Sometimes I have dreams that feel like memories but when I wake up they drift away and I'm always feeling empty after. I just accepted that I was an Aberdeen now, that my family probably died in the ocean and though it was a sad thought I was always so content with the Aberdeens that I didn't feel the need to try and search harder. I was afraid of what I'd find out, afraid of remembering..." She felt bad for Maureen and jealous of her at the same time. To forget she had a family and just be happy to move on and have a new one…she could just forget all of that pain and sorrow and find a whole new life, a happy one without grief. Yet it must have been so terribly hard not to remember anything of life before a certain point, to not know who you truly were…Maxi didn’t know which life she would rather have. If she could just forget everything…but then she wouldn’t have August, and that made her glad for everything. “I never thought I would find you, a sibling…someone who really remembered everything. It’s just everything is gone. I had to relearn everything when Dad found me.” Dad… “I don’t even remember him finding me, my first memory was in a hospital with him reading to me and even that is very vague. I was almost dead when they pulled me out of that raft, burned from the sun…I don’t know. Now I wish I could remember more…” Maxi decided it was definitely better to remember everything, even if a lot of it was pain. It made her who she was and at least she knew exactly who she was. Poor Maureen had to relearn who she was…she was still learning.

Maxi reached out and took her sister’s hand with a gentle, almost sad smile. “It’s okay, Maureen. Maybe you will remember someday. I have tons and tons of pictures and videos of us and our parents. And even if you don’t remember, at least you’ll know where you came from. Either way, we’ve got lots of years ahead of us to catch up. Twenty-five years is a long time to be apart; I don’t think we’ll ever stop finding something to talk about or learn about.” Her smile widened somewhat, facing her sister more on the couch they shared. “I don’t care if you never remember; I’m just glad you’re alive and well and happy. You know…for years I hoped you were alive somewhere. Even when I’d accepted that Mom and Daddy were gone, I still hoped that you were around. It was weird…like I knew that you had somehow made it…I bet Mom and Daddy put you in the raft knowing at least you could get away…” A tear slid down her cheek which she quickly brushed away. “That’s the way they were. They would have done anything for us.” She looked up at Maureen again, her eyes having fallen to their hands as she talked about their parents. Her smile was still there and warm. “I just know they’re so happy right now that we found each other again. I’ll show you pictures of them and movies. But only when you’re ready. And I want to see pictures of the Aberdeens too! I want to know everything. I don’t even know your favorite color anymore!” She gave a little laugh, leaning into her sister a little more and scooting further onto the couch, making herself comfortable. Maxi could spend the whole night just telling her everything and listening to everything in return.

[MAUREEN ABERDEEN]

Maureen was comforted by Maxi taking her hand, and she turned it so she could give it a gentle squeeze, sniffling again. “It’s okay, Maureen. Maybe you will remember someday." In twenty five years she hadn't remembered anything, and she didn't want to think she might start now. But Maxi was mentioning movies and pictures and she wondered if maybe those might somehow jog her memory. Would she remember if she saw them? If she saw herself with other people? Or would it be another strange case of severe deja vu. Every now and then Maureen felt the deja vu, that strong sense that it all happened before, that she'd done those things but she could never place anything. Maybe, though.. Maybe this time would be different.

"Either way, we’ve got lots of years ahead of us to catch up. Twenty-five years is a long time to be apart; I don’t think we’ll ever stop finding something to talk about or learn about.” She was grateful that Maxi wasn't getting her hopes up too much, and was just content with Maureen being Maureen if that happened to be the case. It seemed the other girl would accept her for who she was despite who she had become, and Maxi definitely seemed like the kind of person Maureen would associate herself with. She could see them becoming fast friends, and becoming like sisters. She reminded herself they were actually sisters, but they didn't share the bond that sister's did. Not yet, anyway. One day.. She knew one day Maxi would be the one she called when things got tough. When her parents passed and she needed a hand to hold. TJ had Sara, and Maureen could have Maxi.

"You know…for years I hoped you were alive somewhere. Even when I’d accepted that Mom and Daddy were gone, I still hoped that you were around. It was weird…like I knew that you had somehow made it…I bet Mom and Daddy put you in the raft knowing at least you could get away…” Maureen bit her lip, watching the tear slide down her sisters face and she squeezed her hand tighter. Had her real parents done that? It made sense for them to have, and she had never had the decency to find out more about them. She reminded herself she had never had clues to go off of, though and thinking of them was pointless. She had no memory of them at all or the accident. “That’s the way they were. They would have done anything for us.” She bowed her head wishing she could have known them, or rather remembered knowing them. They were the type of parents to put their child first, but then again so had the Aberdeen's. They would have done the same for her or TJ.

“I just know they’re so happy right now that we found each other again. I’ll show you pictures of them and movies. But only when you’re ready. And I want to see pictures of the Aberdeens too! I want to know everything. I don’t even know your favorite color anymore!” She gave a little laugh and Maureen grinned in return with a laugh of her own. "Purple." She answered softly, sniffling and wiping her face with the back of her free hand. She then fished her phone out, taking her hand from Maxi and unlocking it before opening the gallery. "These are my parents. My other ones." She corrected showing a picture of the elderly couple sitting on a porch swing, smiling brightly with a black and white border collie curled up near their feet fast asleep. "That's Jenson, their dog. He's a lazy old thing." She explained, wiping her face again as she looked at the picture. She scrolled through a handful of them until she got to one of TJ. "My brother. We threw him a surprised forty fifth birthday party, but Jake had accidentally ruined the surprise. He pretended to be surprised anyway." She spoke lovingly of the family, recalling her new memories. "That's Jake. He's on a traveling soccer team. They're hoping he sticks with it so he can get a scholarship. He loves it and he's awesome. And Maddy with her cat, Puff and her mom, Sara." She pushed through more of the pictures, showing Maxi pictures of the beach near her home and her little bungalow and her parents home and the family's store where she had practically grown up.

When she had showed Maxi all she could from her phone she put it down on the couch beside her and looked at Maxi, knowing it was probably weird for her to see this other world that Maureen, her sister, belonged to. She knew Maxi felt her place had been there in Scriptor Bay, but she couldn't help but feel like maybe it wasn't. The Aberdeen's needed her, more now than ever before. Maureen had taken over their finances for them and made sure they had all their medicines and groceries. They could do a lot of those things on their own, but sometimes they forgot about certain things and it was Maureen's job to make sure they didn't.

"I'd really, really like to see pictures. And videos." She said genuinely looking a little nervous at Maxi. "I want to remember them, Maxi. I want to remember you.. I love my family, but.. but I'm a McManus and I should know what that means. I already know what it means to be an Aberdeen, but I could be both. Could we look at them? Like.. soon? I don't know how long I'm going to stay, but I'd like to see them before I go back home." It sounded almost like it was a permanent thing. "But I'm going to visit, like, all the time when I do leave! We finally found each other and I want to be your sister again. I want us to be close.."