the one that never forgot.

[orlandoxhughes]

meet ORLANDO HUGHES ;

THE DETAILS

BIRTHDAY: aoril 28, 1967 LOCATION: kismet harbor, oregon in cresthill meadows LOCAL STATUS: born & raised OCCUPATION: fishing charter captain at kismet harbor marina VEHICLE: oxford white, 2019 ford f-150 xlt supercrew 4x4 EDUCATION: kismet harbor high school (1985).

FAMILY & RELATIONS

PARTNER / SPOUSE: divorced from claudia hughes (2013) CHILDREN: declan hughes (october 9, 1989), lily hughes (august 17, 1991), mabel hughes (january 1, 1994) NOTABLE RELATIONS: none

PETS

none

HOW THEY MOVE THROUGH KISMET HARBOR

INTERESTS: fishing, playing piano, beekeeping, gardening COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES: tbd REGULAR SPOTS: kismet harbor marina, his charter boat, driftwood diner, the farmers' market, kismet harbor beach, kismet harbor library, handyman's helper

REPUTATION VS REALITY

FIRST IMPRESSION: steady, weathered & quietly dependable. the kind of man who makes hard work look easy and strangers feel like old friends. VIBE CHECK: patient. grounded. deeply loyal. quietly protective. endlessly giving. carries grief with grace. believes there's almost always a way through. LIKES, HABITS, TINY TELLS: instinctively reaches out to steady someone before they stumble. absentmindedly checks knots, dock lines or loose screws wherever he goes. always brews too much coffee because someone might stop by. keeps his hands busy when conversations turn difficult. smiles with his eyes before his mouth. calls nearly everyone "bud," "kid," or "hon" without thinking. pockets bits of sea glass during beach walks and forgets they're there until laundry day. RUMORS & CONTRADICTIONS: "people say captain orlando could dock a boat blindfolded, but he'd rather spend an afternoon teaching a kid how to bait a hook." // "everyone thinks nothing rattles him. they don't see the nights he still checks for updates on missing persons databases." // "he'll fix your engine, your fence, or your broken porch without hesitation—but ask him how he's doing and he'll tell you he's just fine." // "they say if captain orlando promises he'll be there, you don't need to ask twice." // "he has the hands of a fisherman and the heart of someone who never stopped believing his family would find its way home."

FULL BIOGRAPHY AND OTHER INFORMATION

[ellamaycampbell]

She gave him a look, one that was amused, and a bright smile tugged at her lips. "Of course you did. One day I'll beat you here again and get to order yours." With the camp going, she was always running a little late, but she knew that Orlando didn't mind. They got to do these breakfasts and that's what mattered most. Settling in a chair, Ella May looked over at him and leaned a little on the table. "So, how are you? How's Mabel doing?" She asked, wanting to check in on both him and his daughter. @orlandoxhughes

[orlandoxhughes]

Orlando's lips parted in a huff of soft laughter with Ella May's words. "I know that you will and I will humbly accept my fate of being late." He had never minded when she was running behind, because she still always showed. That's just what the two of them had been doing: showing up. "She's adjusting," Orlando started, "having her home has been amazing but I'm still trying to keep my own life, not wantin' to crowd her and all that." He chuckled quietly, "As much as I'd like to never let her out of my sight again, I know that's just not the kind of thing she needs right now." Orlando's gaze rested on Ella May, "How're your kids doing?" @ellamaycampbell

[jeremyxliebermanpatel]

Jeremy was late. He hated being late when meeting up with Orlando, but he was. If it was his own father, he wouldn't have cared. Mabel's father, however, had always been different. He was the one that Jeremy never wanted to disappoint. He was who he turned to for almost everything. Outside of his aunt, of course. So being late today was driving him crazy and he rushed over to Mad Monk as fast as possible. "Hey. Thanks." He said and sat down at the table. "Sorry I'm late. I was doing some research." He was trying hard to find his daughter. The woman he loved was home now, but he needed to still find his daughter and he'd stop at nothing to do it. "How's Mabel today?" He would stop by later to see her, but wanted to hear it from Orlando. @orlandoxhughes

[orlandoxhughes]

"You don't have to apologize to me." Orlando was quick to say, not because he was being dismissive of Jeremy but because he meant it. The two had known each other long enough, going through the same torturous days without any answers. "She's alright," Orlando answered as honestly as he could. He was grateful that Mabel was home but he was still finding challenge in navigating this new life, not wanting to be overbearing but not wanting to give her so much space that she felt neglected. "Anything come up on your research?" Orlando asked, some hope inflicted in his tone. @jeremyxliebermanpatel

[mabelxhughes]

Her father's nickname instantly conjured a smile to her lips. She'd missed this kind of normalcy, even if things were nowhere near normal. She'd lost out on so many core memories all because of her mother. Would never be able to see how her brother's children looked like, would never be able to remember how it looked like to have her father hold his first grandchild. At this point, she could only pray for her daughter's return, something she thought about constantly. "Morning daddy." She told him, her hand searching for the chair and once found, carefully sat down. "That depends. Do we still have that mint patch ? I Because then I would like some mint tea with some of your honey. You do collect the honey for use, right?" @orlandoxhughes

[orlandoxhughes]

He watched as his daughter sat down, fighting off the urge to help her. Orlando had always assisted in making sure she was still as independent as she could be, but that was well before she had gone missing. Now that she was home, Orlando struggled with finding the balancing in protecting his daughter the way he should have all those years ago and still letting her have the freedom so she desperately deserved. "I do have some fresh mint." He told her, "And of course. I bring it to the farmer's market sometimes. I don't get a lot with my small hive," he told her as he got up from the table to begin making her tea, "but it has caught the attention of enough people that I never bring any back home." @mabelxhughes

[ellamaycampbell]

closed starter for @orlandoxhughes

Per every Tuesday morning, Ella May walked into the Cobblestone Cafe and found exactly the man she wanted to see. Since arriving in town, Orlando Hughes had become a good friend and someone she looked forward to see during their coffee meet ups on Tuesdays. "Hiya, stranger." She said with a warm smile as she approached him and sat down across from him. "You order already?"

[orlandoxhughes]

A Tuesday morning routine was something that Orlando had picked up a few years ago after meeting Ella May Campbell. He hadn't thought much of it, not unless one got skipped and it made him realize just how grounded the whole thing made him feel. Orlando's smile instantly arrived, the corners of his lips turning upward as he saw Ella May sit down across from him. "Hey yourself," he greeted her in return before answering her question with a shake of his head. "I just put in our orders right before you walked in." They'd been doing this long enough, knowing her order was practically second nature to him. @ellamaycampbell

[orlandoxhughes]

starter for @natalie-makan

location: cobblestone cafe

Orlando stepped into the familiar cafe where he spent quite a bit of time catching up with friends. Natalie had been in town for quite a few years now and the two had met through the local library where Orlando also had spent quite a bit of time. Orlando spotted the familiar face already sitting at their usual table, at least the one they tried to snag if it were available. He'd grown to think of Natalie like family in the few short years that he had known her. "Hey, Nat," he greeted her with a broadened smile. "It's been a while since our schedules have aligned like this."

[orlandoxhughes]

starter for @enid-marr

location: kismet harbor community garden

While he often preferred to work in his own garden, he often stopped by the local community garden to help out when he could as well. He was knelt beside one of the raised beds and the well worn gloves he used were stuck in the back pocket of his jeans rather than on his hands. Beside him, a bucket was filling with weeds as he worked his way through the garden bed. "How are you doing over there?" Orlando spoke up, leaning back onto his heels as he wiped the sweat at his hairline with his forearm. "Does it look like we are making any progress, yet?"

[orlandoxhughes]

starter for @jeremyxliebermanpatel

location: mad monk brewing

Orlando had always thought of Jeremy like family. The two had stuck together during Mabel's loss, leaning on one another as the years went on. Since Mabel's return, life had felt like a constant whirlwind. It had been so unexpected that he wasn't sure that he had fully processed that his daughter was home. Not sure that he'd ever feel like he could do enough to protect her. And there was someone that understood that: Jeremy. Meeting up with him at Mad Monk Brewing, he ordered their usuals, finding a quieter table near the back until he saw the other approaching. "Hey, I got your usual." He offered a smile to him.

[orlandoxhughes]

starter for @mabelxhughes

location: the hughes home in cresthill meadows

Orlando had been up for some time, tending to the bees in the backyard before making his way into the home once more. He had set up his coffee pot and grabbed a cup, not adding anything to it but a splash of milk before sitting down at the table. Orlando took out his phone, pulling up the New York Times crossword puzzle on his phone. He had gone through a few boxes, filling them in as the answer came to him when he heard footsteps approaching. "Morning, Mabey," he smiled as the familiar nickname fell from his lips like it used to before everything. "Do you want some coffee?"