so you tie up your hair and you 𝒔𝒎𝒊𝒍𝒆 like it's no big deal . . .
Don't wanna be here? Send us removal request.
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huxner › huxner.
open to : everyone ! location : the curb of an empty street circa 4am , probably
why just two out of three ? all disappearances happened at different times , but hux could only guess that this must have been some kind of message being sent. WAS TATUM ALIVE ? eyes narrowed in deep self - thought , discomfort riddling an already sunken man in the form of a hunched back and fingers that held a cigarette a little more carefully than they’d ever held anything else. he kept thinking about the sheriff , could feel the anger of the town and the grief that hit likes waves – how could this happen ?
“ it doesn’t make any sense. ” hux’s words fell audibly in somewhat of a whisper. WATCH OUT ! that crazy doctor was talking to himself again , wasn’t he ? if it weren’t for his ability to weave a good rapport for himself before all the disappearances happened , maybe he’d be in cuffs within a cell. perhaps … that’s where he belonged anyway. arms lifted to hang over his knees , cigarette still barely lit and followed by a thin line of smoke. untouched for several moments , wasn’t it ? hux was too lost in his own head to notice.
heather double checks the locks of the bar door to make sure that they’re locked and secure before she turns to head home. another very long night at work, and since her co - worker decided to call out sick last minute: heather had to stay and close by herself. not that it was extremely busy or anything, but the brunette was exhausted. the news of faye and sybil has only worsened her insomnia, and now she’s struggling to even get a few hours of sleep. this, in turn, has made her a little less enthusiastic in her actions. she’s been moving slow, and it’s affected how she’s worked this week. regardless, rent is going to be due and so are all the utilities. she needed to suck it up and move on. she gets about halfway down the block when she notices a figure and immediately she’s on edge. it was the middle of the night . . . on an empty street . . . if anything was going to happen: it’d happen now. to her surprise, she realizes that said figure is only doctor huxner so she breathes a gentle sigh of relief. still weary, heather approaches him carefully. “ that you’re sitting out here. alone. in the middle of the night? yeah, i think that doesn’t make any sense either. ”
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maiatsai › maia.
maia was disappointed to hear that heather wasn’t writing anymore, and took no pains to hide that disappointment. “i understand, i understand,” she assured her former student. “but you really should try. even if it’s not your job, even if you spend most of your energy here,” she gestured to their environs. “even if you never show it to anyone. though, if you did want to show it to someone, i’m always here,” she added. “even if it’s just a journal, just a way to explore and express your emotions. i am sure it would be helpful, in times like these…” she allowed herself to trail off. it’s not like she needed to name the tragedy, heather knew. everyone did.
living in her head too much has blinded heather from seeing how great of a support system she has around her. it seems as if the people she surrounds herself with want her to do good and succeed except for her. what good does it do to be fully supported but have zero confidence in yourself? absolutely none. maia is speaking from a genuine place in her heart, and heather really does appreciate it. “ if i ever decide to pick it back up, you’ll be the first person i call. don’t get your hopes up, though. i think i might have forgotten how to hold a pen. ” light teasing to uplift the conversation, but it doesn’t last very long as the professor trails off. heather can’t even fathom how should would begin to describe how she feels about it all. “ it’s like we’re in a fucking movie. ”
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maribyrne › marianne.
It had been so easy to just slip into a regular routine of avoiding the source of discomfort with Heather. They had picked up ten steps back from where they’d left off when Mari had departed for college, and there they had stagnated ever since.
Mari had been wanting to check in for months - both to really get a feel for how Heather was doing and to apologize for her actions in the past. But in the end her stubbornness and fear of consequences for her actions had won out. Now, they were stuck at a superficial level of conversation.
But that didn’t mean she couldn’t make some sort of effort. She just had to strike a delicate balance.
“I wouldn’t trust someone who didn’t love extra cherries, honestly. The best part of any Shirley Temple or ice cream sundae is the cherry on top,” Mari pointed out, taking a sip of the drink before offering a smile.
It was difficult to engage in casual conversation with someone when they were working, given that they were sort of obligated to participate. But given the lack of time they spent together otherwise, Mari knew that the countdown timer was already ticking by on her opportunity to speak up.
It was a bar in a small town full of heavy drinkers. It would only be a matter of time before they were interrupted.
“So,” she began. “How are you? I know things are a little… well, things in town could be better.”
there was only so much conversation that could be held between the two. eventually it would get awkward, and the silence would only be like putting salt on a wound. at least they’ve been putting in the effort, or whatever this was, at attempting to rekindle the flame of their old friendship. heather would like to think that they could go back to how they were in high school but due to . . . personal factors and the fact that a lot of time has passed: she is convinced that’s next to impossible.
but damn, is she going to try to at least get an honest and direct conversation. discuss why things went to shit and why neither of them just talked about it. maybe not now and maybe not later: but eventually. heather can’t just go pushing mari’s boundaries to get answers. that would be selfish, and heather is the exact opposite of that.
after all she’s gone through, the woman can’t help but selfless. even if she doesn’t have to be it all the time.
“ coping and keeping it together. or at least trying. you know how it is around here. ” small yet reassuring smile is given, and there’s a brief pause before they’re inevitably interrupted by another customer. “ what about you? how’s the family? ” heather asks, still working on orders for other people but listening for mari’s reply.
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sclvi › talia.
SMILE TUGS , THOUGH IT DOESN’T QUITE REACH EYES . a woman like her , bright eyed and endearing , didn’t deserve to be smothered into bosom of the bureau . yielding the shield in the name of justice did 𝚗𝚘𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚘 𝚕𝚎𝚜𝚜𝚎𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚑𝚘𝚛𝚛𝚘𝚛𝚜 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚗𝚎𝚜𝚜𝚎𝚍 , talia didn’t wish that for anyone . the woman across from her ACTED AS A REMINDER of what could’ve been , 𝗊𝗎𝗂𝖾𝗍 𝗅𝗂𝖿𝖾 , a spark flickering in retinas . everything talia was without . head shakes , laughter tumbles into air . “ none taken . ” drink is tossed back now , 𝐚 𝐛𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟 𝐦𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 . glass is pushed toward kind company , a half assed gesture for another . brow lifts at the mention of boss , head turning in an attempt to catch sight of the aforementioned . “ you tell that boss of yours i have a empty seat next to me if he feels like talking . ” smirk dances at the notion , anything for a filled glass .
“ only if you want that ex wife and three kids of his to come after you. ” heather continues their banter, playing with the glass cup in hand before she pushes herself off the counter and goes for her refill. her movement around the bar comes to her like a second nature. heather swears she can make the perfect cocktail all with a blindfold over her eyes. she knows this place like the back of her hand. a few more people funnel in and heather excuses herself from the agent briefly to fulfill their orders. “ so, how has crescent shore been treating you? such a downsize from city living i’m assuming. now . . . that is either a really good thing or bad thing. depending on the person. ” she begins the small talk, trying to get to know the other better. why? well, heather needed to talk to someone who wasn’t completely brainwashed by small town living. “ so what is it for you: good or bad? ”
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auspicioused › bradford.
@heatherfoster / blue heaven bar
everyone had their suspicions as to what happened to the missing girls . that was still different than actually having the confirmations . holding onto hope was hard when it was being ripped away . his dreams have been filled with sybil , he’s still competing with her when he closes his eyes . that’s why bradford continues to push himself . he can’t bring himself to focus on making more syrup right now , but he does bring a book on how to care for different plants . brad enters the bar as quietly as he can and then slides the book over the counter . “ this is the book i told you about the other day . ” he smiles softly at heather . “ i was also curious about something . ” bradford doesn’t know how to ask her , so he takes a deep breath . “ do you think they were being watched ? “
it’s been difficult for heather to ignore the tragedy that unfolds around her. with sybil and faye’s deaths being the topic of conversation just about everywhere she goes. she can’t believe it really went this far. they were supposed to be found and returned safely back to their homes, not dead in some shed in the middle of the woods. it all seems like a work of fiction, and sometimes she pinches herself to see if she’ll wake up from this nightmare. she can’t think about it too much without inducing an anxiety attack, however, so heather instead focuses on the book that’s slid in front of her. “ would you look at that. man of your word. thanks bradford. ” though his next statement completely throws her off. so much that she can’t help but chuckle. “ what do you mean? ”
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Her eyes said more than words can say.
(via difficult)
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asterlewis › aster.
‘𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒖𝒔𝒖𝒂𝒍’. when aster first arrived she would balk at the very insinuation. but she has come to learn that there was small town living and then there was one-bar in town living. while all one-bar towns were small, not all small towns only had one bar— at least not in her limited experience. and not everything could be kept to the chest, much to her dismay. small sacrifices had to be made if she planned to continue staying here for the foreseeable future. having her order of a pint of beer being known to heather was a small sacrifice she could make.
besides, that wasn’t even her favorite drink. her roommate, while absolutely terrible at anything related to education, was quite the wine connoisseur. it was one of many things aster picked up from her in their time together. but a beer seemed to fit the town better. it was also the best drink to nurse since outings to blue heaven weren’t about the alcohol but to garner information.
so, there she sat in the furthest corner of the bar, farthest from the door. the best spot to see but not be seen. “yeah, thanks.” she answered. her eyes scanned the room as she waited for heather. all of the usual crowd for this time seemed to be in attendance tonight. it was rather dead slow the past month. for good reason. “so, how’s your night going? the turnout seems to have improved.”
“ improved is a generous word. ” heather replies, professionally uncapping the bottle of beer and walking it over to her table. heather wipes her hands on the small half apron that hangs from her waist as she quickly looks around to the usuals who stood in their usual spots and drank their usual drinks. “ boss has been trying to get a more lively crowd in, but nothing has been effective. ” heather feels comfortable speaking on this subject since the woman has been in here enough for their small talk to not be awkward.
aster is someone that heather has a hard time figuring out. she’s been here for nearly a year and she has yet to know anything personal about her. all she knows is that the blonde likes beer and works at the community college. not that heather pries, she knows better than to overstep boundaries. the conversations they shared have always been neutral. the woman was cordial and easy to talk to.
“ we’re hoping for a better turnout over the weekend. he’s having some specials on the drinks. you should come. maybe try something other than beer. ” slight tease as she tests the waters of the conversation.
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maiatsai › maia.
wanting to sleep but being physically unable… maia’s had plenty of those nights. she gives heather a sympathetic look, and she’s reminded of why she liked the younger woman in the first place. she remembers having her in her class, one of the first she ever taught at crescent shore community college. she’d always thought heather had potential, had what it took to get out of a town like this. as nice as it was to be able to see one of the few people she actually liked in crescent shore on a semi-regular basis, it pained her to see someone like heather stuck bartending. even if she was very good at it. “you’re a woman of many talents,” she comments. “do you still write? you always had quite a knack for it.”
writing. heather hasn’t thought about that hobby in what feels like years. she just doesn’t have the energy to invest into writing again. between worrying about her sister and their financials to the existential criss over the recent disappearances, heather just doesn’t have it in her to dive back in to that. the imposter syndrome she has felt in the past half year has severely hindered her. now she realizes that maybe this forgotten hobby would be beneficial to helping her cope with these altering emotions she suppresses. could heather actually find a way to help mend herself? “ no. i don’t have the time. if i’m not here then i’m at home getting ready to come right back in. ” she answers, not exactly lying but also not being completely truthful. heather doesn’t need anyone to worry about her when they have other more important things to focus on.
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The Haunting relationships → Shirley and Theo Crain
It was a tough one today. This little girl. I couldn’t get anything from her. You always figure out how to help. You’re so good with them. Though this one, she’s tough. She’s like a brick wall. I know the type.
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auspicioused › bradford.
he likes to think that it’s businesses supporting businesses. heather’s presence is something to look forward to at clover’s den and bradford seems to make his way to the bar at least three nights a week. he grins happily when she smells the syrup, feeling like he’s done another good job. “ i was happy to do it! sometimes drinks can use a little kick and what better than a plant? it’s also an aphrodisiac, so i can make you a smaller bottle to take home. ” the last sentence is delivered with a wink. “ thank you! ” brad takes a small swig of the cosmo before setting it back down on his napkin. “ i can’t complain. business is good and the flowers keep me company during the lull. how’s this place? no one’s giving you a hard time, right? ” the reason why business is going good leaves a sour taste in bradford’s mouth, but he tries to push it out of his mind for now.
though the regulars who drink here aren’t really the lavender drinking type. heather knows this’ll be used when someone like maia or even bradford came in. still, the brunette appreciates the gesture. “ that sounds like a plan. i swear you make me feel all fancy when you talk botany. ” she tells him, half joking. the bar was . . . just that. the bar. nothing really happens here, it’s pretty routine. “ oh god no, these people know better than to mess with me. aside from the occasional drunk brawls; it’s the same old, same old. can’t complain though, it pays the bills. ” heather adds with a shrug. the television in the corner above the bar catches her attention as she hears more news coverage of the disappearances. “ i swear that’s all that’s played twenty-four seven. it’s a really sad and tormenting reminder of what’s going on. ” she motions to the screen, leaning against the counter.
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auspicioused › bradford.
after the police decided to speak to him, bradford’s mind has been in a constant haze. especially since cassandra decided to completely throw him under the bus and offend him in his own shop. still, he’s been trying to look pass that. clover’s den has been closed for a couple of hours by the time he makes it to the bar. he’s also carrying a large glass bottle with him when he sits down. “ yeah, a cosmopolitan please! ” he grins at heather while he makes himself comfortable on the stool. everything in him is working over time to push pass the tragedies that have struck the town recently. he’s trying to focus on the present, live in the now. “ i actually brought you something too. ” bradford places the bottle on the counter and slides it over to her side. the liquid has a purple tint to it and it’s only a little thick in consistency. “ lavender syrup for some of your drinks. some of my lavender was drying up so i figured i’d put it to good use. ”
heather can’t say that she’s all that surprised by his kindness. she’s witnessed it multiple times as she’s been a frequent shopper at clover’s den. heather is still trying to get the hang of her nonexistent green thumb and that’s lead to many trips down to his shop followed up by some questions on how to keep plants alive. “ awe, bradford. you shouldn’t have. ” taking the large glass from him, she uncaps and brings it up to her nose, smelling it. “ i love the smell of lavender. you’re an angel for this. ” she sets it down on the counter next to all of her other mixers. getting the cosmopolitan ready, she slides it over to him. “ how are things down at the shop? i’m sure being surrounded by beautiful flowers all day isn’t that bad. ”
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sclvi › talia.
LIPS PURSE , BROW RAISES . “ careful . memory like that and the bureau will sniff you out for enrollment . ” talia toys with a amused expression , lord knows they could use more female agents . brunette was well aware of how her presence was being embraced , growing up she’d witnessed the disdain for newcomers , being with a government agency ? the 𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚢 𝚖𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚏𝚋𝚒 𝚑𝚊𝚍 𝚖𝚘𝚜𝚝 𝚝𝚞𝚛𝚗𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚞𝚙 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚒𝚛 𝚗𝚘𝚜𝚎𝚜 , but considering the circumstances she’d been met with barely any protest . well , nothing vocal , they sure as hell had their JUDGING LOOKS down pat . fingers clasp around glass , bringing it to lips she takes a sip . “ is that so ? no discount for returning residents ? ”
it feels refreshing talking to someone who’s not from here. it only reminds heather of how big and different the world around her is and that makes her feel miniscule. would it really be all that bad if she just left? to explore and become a completely different person like she’s wanted to her entire life? she couldn’t, not when her sister was here and susceptible to going down the same road their mother did. heather has too much responsibility carrying this older sister title. “ who knows, maybe i’ll like it there. i can be pretty nosey. ” lies, heather hated to impose on others. “ no offense. ” she says to her last comment. a different patron walks up to the bar to ask for a drink and heather excuses herself to fix it, quickly following the routine she’s so used to. “ i’ll see if i can swing a deal. the boss does think you’re gorgeous so i don’t think it’ll be hard to convince him. ” heather tells her, remembering the brief conversation she had with the older man a few days ago. he was constantly asking who the new faces were, and since heather was here all the time–– she would match those faces to names.
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maiatsai › maia.
📚
she sips her drink as she listens to heather’s response. sleepless nights are a familar concept to her, with a mind that never stops racing. maia gives her a sympathetic nod. “i know how you feel,” she responds. “no summer courses for me this year. last semester was…challenging, to say the least, and i needed a break.” teaching the introductory english course was a surefire way to have a good number of classes on her schedule, but some of the student body that had to come through that course was difficult to deal with. “not to mention the havoc it wreaked on my sleep last summer, too. those summer intensives really require a lot. so, no, i saved my money strategically and am choosing rest. when i can get it. just because my schedule’s better doesn’t mean my body will listen”. she took another small sip of the drink, and pointed to it. “this is perfect, by the way. just delicious.” it’s high praise from maia, who’s more likely to spit negativity than stay quiet.
heather remembers being in miss tsai’s class and how proud she was from not only graduating high school, but for moving out of her toxic household and getting into college. with the lack of support around her, it would have been easy for her to not give a fuck abut her future but that’s not what heather wanted for herself. she wanted to get out of crescent shore. to become somebody: but sometimes dreams are just that. dreams. shortly after graduating from crescent shore community college she became hazel’s main caretaker. heather’s wish to make something of herself was given to her younger sister instead. hazel seems to be taking it for granted. “ it’s always good to remind yourself that you’re only human. you deserve the break. ” she says, “ and trust me i know what it’s like wanting to sleep but physically being unable to. it’s the worst thing ever. ” hearing that she fulfilled her bartender duty, heather can’t help but laugh softly. “ practice makes perfect, and i’ve had years worth of practice to perfect my craft. ”
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thelstsoul › william.
( closed @heatherfoster ) crescent shore graveyard
it had only been a couple of weeks since william set foot on crescent shore again. surprisingly, he founded it easy to adjust, it was has if he had never left. but of course, that wasn’t true. william march had left and during all those years he spend away from home he had change time and time again. he had made himself big, and small, then big again, then small again — yet through all those changes the core of who he remained the same. perhaps that was why he found it all so easy now that he was back. crescent shore didn’t just feel like coming home, it felt like coming back to himself.
out of all the places he had visited since his return, there was one that still remained unexplored. it held too many memories, memories that warmed his chest and kept him company late at night when it was just him and the consuming darkness. memories that held him, but made him feel nostalgic for what once was.
he could recognize any of the gravestones by their location alone, after all he had spend countless days at the graveyard. he had memorized most of the quotes and names carved onto the stone of the gravestones. he knew them by heart, but he didn’t know them as well as he knew the woman standing near them. he was almost frozen in place when he laid eyes on her, a moment when by where he refused to speak ( or more accurate, he couldn’t ) quietly he stepped closer as to not make a sound and avoid scaring her. however, he left a descent distance between the two.
“esto perpetua.” he broke the silence. it was the engraved message on the gravestone. it was in latin, it translated to ‘let it be perpetual.’ them standing right there, like they did all those years ago, the message on the gravestone. there was a joke in there somewhere, a twisted one. “edmund harris.” the name of the man who laid underneath them. again, he knew the graveyard by heart. silence took over again, the last time they had seen each other things were different between them. now, william didn’t know where they stand.
it’s odd that heather finds herself coming back to this specific location after all this time. there have been many changes in her life this past year, and she had promised herself to swear off this graveyard in hopes to keep the memories it held away. at one point, this place was the only place that brought the girl comfort. it feels like lifetimes ago since she’s felt that way, especially since the person she shared those memories with was no longer someone she associated herself with.
tonight is one of those nights where she tosses and turns until the frustration of being unable to fall sleep kicks in. usually a midnight drive does the trick and she’s able to get a few hours of rest before she’s up and ready for the day. it doesn’t seem like it’ll be that easy for her tonight. so when she finds herself on the familiar path to the graveyard on the outskirts of town: she just lets it happen.
it’s not like she’d be accompanied by anyone since the only people who are ever there are groundskeepers. and that was rarely. it seems as if those who were buried in the quaint graveyard had no family left to visit them. gravestones were unkept and many dated decades before heather was even born. she supposes that’s what part of the charm of this place was and why she and . . . him always found themselves sneaking off here.
once she arrives, heather begins to stroll the grounds, fingers sporting a freshly lit cigarette to keep some of the anxious thoughts at bay. she stops at one of the many gravestones, reading the engraved words and trying to imagine what kind of person he was before his death. that’s when she feels the presence of another and she knows that tonight was going to be a long night. “ perfect choice of words to encapsulate death. ” heather replies after a beat of silence.
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huxner › huxner.
a glance was tossed over his shoulder , eyes scanning the small handful of people that were scattered across the bar. he knew a lot of them , had actually worked on a majority of them , but it still felt like everybody in the town had become strangers again after the disappearances of the faye , sybil , and tatum. a nod followed to show he was still listening , brows pulling together as hux’s attention returned to the conversation at hand. “ yeah , long day. ” they all felt long since the sheriff had put an end to their friendship until tatum’s return , an unspoken severance of the tether that held hux to the rogers family that made his heart sink. taking a sip from the glass in front of him , hux braved the burn in the back of his throat with a wince. “ not busy or anything , just dragged. i’m sure it feels like that here sometimes , too. ”
everyone in crescent shore was living a different version of the same life. stuck in the cycle of mundane iterations. this becomes very apparent to heather the more she engages in conversations with bar patrons. long days and even longer nights, it seems everyone has some heavy burden on their shoulders. it also doesn’t help that crescent shore has been under a figurative microscope lately. their every move being watched by the local sheriff’s department and the federal agents that were brought in to help. this wasn’t the crescent shore it used to be. not that it ever was great. “ tell me about it. it seems like time goes by so much slower in here sometimes. ”
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twistedfm › callan.
he’d been spending more time here than in his own house , and that was probably something he should unpack . if he were to be honest with himself , it was because he hated going home to an empty house . and sure , he had bullet his dog was as faithful a companion as the darkness of his thoughts . but the company of a dog couldn’t exactly compare to that of a human ; especially one that understood and accepted him . not that he really had anyone like that in his life , but everyone had to have a pipe dream . he shrugged . ‘ yeah , might as well . ’ he could certainly afford it , after all . ‘ i’m sure to be here a while . ’ taking a long and grateful drink of the lager , he did his best to shake off the stress of the day . ‘ so uhhh …. you enjoy working here ? ’ he inquired , really just for the opportunity to listen to something other than his own thoughts .
heather silently starts the tab, knowing that he would in fact be here for the rest of the night. she’s seen him more than enough times to know his bar routine, especially with the disappearances. word on the street was that sheriff rogers had hired him on to help with the cases. to heather, it showed how unequipped the town’s sheriff’s department was to handle all of this. but things like this don’t usually happen in towns like crescent shore. it was definitely weird times that they were living in. “ well, it pays the bills and is a fairly simple routine. ” heather answers truthfully, using this downtime to get to know him. “ i’m assuming things haven’t been easy on your end. any new leads? ” she asks slowly, not wanting to intrude but also curious to know if there was any progress being made.
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