Post by Aster Blau on Oct 10, 2021 22:22:39 GMT -8
September 2019
The detour was not planned.
Aster hadn’t intended to stop in Truckee at all on the trip, instead intent on going all the way to Reno before stopping for the day. However, her car had other ideas, encountering numerous problems on the highway that forced her hand. So she limped her clunker into town, got it into a shop, and settled in for the reality that her stay was going to last a few days while the parts ordered were shipped in.
The Truckee Hotel proved a good enough place to hold up. Continental breakfast every morning and the bistro downstairs meant there was no reason to leave if she didn’t want to. That was for the best, really.
No one recognized her from her brief foray here a few years ago either, but then who would have? Aster was a far cry away from the feral, dirty woman that had been camping on the town’s outskirts back then and her time there was brief, measuring only some days before she was ousted and bussed to Chico. Still, it was best not to chance things.
Eventually, she got a call from the shop, saying the car would be ready by the following morning. Thus, Aster spoke with the front desk and made the arrangements to check out the next day.
This left her with a conundrum, however. The truck would not be ready until noon and her checkout was an hour earlier. With little else to do, Aster found herself on the streets of the town, eventually finding her way to the Wagon Train Cafe and seating herself for a quick lunch and coffee.
“What’ll it be, hun?” the middle-aged server asked, her stance and tone speaking of her experience in the industry alongside her broad, friendly smile.
It almost made Aster smile in turn. Almost.
“Half order of biscuits and gravy, please,” she responded.
“Anything to drink?”
“A chai latte.”
“Sounds good, I’ll get that in for ya.”
“Thanks.”
Most of the meal went by without incident, that is until Aster felt her. The feeling of eyes on her was palpable, but the serpent didn’t need to look to know who it was.
Meredith was older now, Aster just making out the wrinkles around her lips in her peripheral vision and the beginnings of graying hair near her temples. She even looked to Aster through glasses that the serpent did not recall her using in her younger years. Eventually, the stare went away, Meredith presuming the resemblance was coincidence. Her daughter had been lost well over a decade ago, after all. If she was still alive, she would have been found by now.
The check came, Aster left enough bills on the table to cover the bill alongside a generous tip, and then she rose to leave, looking down at her phone to scroll through texts to confirm the truck was ready. A few moments later, a call came through - Luisa.
“Hello?” she answered, settling to speak in Spanish, as was their habit.
“Hey, yourself,” Luisa responded, “Felipe rang me up and said you’re finally leaving Truckee. When are you going to be in town?”
“About a week, I’m heading to Reno first,” she said, “Gonna take some time off for a bit and give myself a chance to find new digs. And trade in my car.”
“About time! I'm surprised that piece of shit pulled through... and nothing wrong with time off, you’ve earned it, I think,” Luisa offered, “Why didn’t you just call me? About finding a place, I mean.”
“Not your problem.”
“Yeah, okay…” Luisa said with a chuckle, “I’m making it my problem, idiot. Just call me when you get in. Where are you staying in Reno?”
“The Motel 6 on Stardust.”
“No you aren’t,” Luisa retorted with a laugh, “Especially not if you’re getting a new car. Call ‘em and cancel. I’ll call around and get you a place on The Row.”
“Luisa-”
“Shush, if you’re going to be there for a week you’re not staying at a Motel 6,” she said, “I’ll text you the room once I get it settled.”
There wasn’t a point in arguing.
“Alright, if you’re sure…”
“I am. Drive safe and enjoy Reno,” Luisa said, “We love you and we'll see you in a week.”
“Love you all too,” Aster responded, a slight smile on her lips.
The pair said their goodbyes and hung up.
Once Aster was back on the road about half an hour later, her phone pinged with a message.
A quick ‘thank you’ was sent afterwards as Truckee disappeared in the rear-view mirror. It seemed symbolic, in a way, of a life lost, stolen as soon as Aster had been taken from Tahoe all those years ago. At least a family had been gained in the years following. Aster doubted it was the same feeling as the one she had Before, but how could she know? She was taken as a kid. In any case, Luisa cared... and Aster knew her children would be happy to see their 'tía'.
For that Aster was thankful.
Arcadia had taken everything from her, but at least in Sin City she wouldn’t have to weather that reality alone.
The detour was not planned.
Aster hadn’t intended to stop in Truckee at all on the trip, instead intent on going all the way to Reno before stopping for the day. However, her car had other ideas, encountering numerous problems on the highway that forced her hand. So she limped her clunker into town, got it into a shop, and settled in for the reality that her stay was going to last a few days while the parts ordered were shipped in.
The Truckee Hotel proved a good enough place to hold up. Continental breakfast every morning and the bistro downstairs meant there was no reason to leave if she didn’t want to. That was for the best, really.
No one recognized her from her brief foray here a few years ago either, but then who would have? Aster was a far cry away from the feral, dirty woman that had been camping on the town’s outskirts back then and her time there was brief, measuring only some days before she was ousted and bussed to Chico. Still, it was best not to chance things.
Eventually, she got a call from the shop, saying the car would be ready by the following morning. Thus, Aster spoke with the front desk and made the arrangements to check out the next day.
This left her with a conundrum, however. The truck would not be ready until noon and her checkout was an hour earlier. With little else to do, Aster found herself on the streets of the town, eventually finding her way to the Wagon Train Cafe and seating herself for a quick lunch and coffee.
“What’ll it be, hun?” the middle-aged server asked, her stance and tone speaking of her experience in the industry alongside her broad, friendly smile.
It almost made Aster smile in turn. Almost.
“Half order of biscuits and gravy, please,” she responded.
“Anything to drink?”
“A chai latte.”
“Sounds good, I’ll get that in for ya.”
“Thanks.”
Most of the meal went by without incident, that is until Aster felt her. The feeling of eyes on her was palpable, but the serpent didn’t need to look to know who it was.
Meredith was older now, Aster just making out the wrinkles around her lips in her peripheral vision and the beginnings of graying hair near her temples. She even looked to Aster through glasses that the serpent did not recall her using in her younger years. Eventually, the stare went away, Meredith presuming the resemblance was coincidence. Her daughter had been lost well over a decade ago, after all. If she was still alive, she would have been found by now.
The check came, Aster left enough bills on the table to cover the bill alongside a generous tip, and then she rose to leave, looking down at her phone to scroll through texts to confirm the truck was ready. A few moments later, a call came through - Luisa.
“Hello?” she answered, settling to speak in Spanish, as was their habit.
“Hey, yourself,” Luisa responded, “Felipe rang me up and said you’re finally leaving Truckee. When are you going to be in town?”
“About a week, I’m heading to Reno first,” she said, “Gonna take some time off for a bit and give myself a chance to find new digs. And trade in my car.”
“About time! I'm surprised that piece of shit pulled through... and nothing wrong with time off, you’ve earned it, I think,” Luisa offered, “Why didn’t you just call me? About finding a place, I mean.”
“Not your problem.”
“Yeah, okay…” Luisa said with a chuckle, “I’m making it my problem, idiot. Just call me when you get in. Where are you staying in Reno?”
“The Motel 6 on Stardust.”
“No you aren’t,” Luisa retorted with a laugh, “Especially not if you’re getting a new car. Call ‘em and cancel. I’ll call around and get you a place on The Row.”
“Luisa-”
“Shush, if you’re going to be there for a week you’re not staying at a Motel 6,” she said, “I’ll text you the room once I get it settled.”
There wasn’t a point in arguing.
“Alright, if you’re sure…”
“I am. Drive safe and enjoy Reno,” Luisa said, “We love you and we'll see you in a week.”
“Love you all too,” Aster responded, a slight smile on her lips.
The pair said their goodbyes and hung up.
Once Aster was back on the road about half an hour later, her phone pinged with a message.
Virginia 21 @ El Dorado, check-in 3PM 
A quick ‘thank you’ was sent afterwards as Truckee disappeared in the rear-view mirror. It seemed symbolic, in a way, of a life lost, stolen as soon as Aster had been taken from Tahoe all those years ago. At least a family had been gained in the years following. Aster doubted it was the same feeling as the one she had Before, but how could she know? She was taken as a kid. In any case, Luisa cared... and Aster knew her children would be happy to see their 'tía'.
For that Aster was thankful.
Arcadia had taken everything from her, but at least in Sin City she wouldn’t have to weather that reality alone.