Sincerely, Meg

book bonding | dolores & meg

haveyoumet-dolores

"Anything really. We let members choose. Sometimes we do books in other languages if we can find enough translated copies and someone who natively speaks it." It was her favourite thing learning phrases that held so much more importance than what she would have thought on her own.

"Dolores. Nice to meet you. I'm not too sure what you mean by reconnecting?"

@sincerely-meg

#ch: dolores madrigal #th: book bonding

Oh. Yea, that made sense. Meg said that weird. "Oh, good to meet you, Dolores. Um--" Meg starts, trying to not seem too out-of-place, with her mostly Northern Ohio Accent and everything. "I was born here, and moved away when I was a kid? I moved back a few years ago but I'm still trying to get re-acquainted, you know? Like moving back to your hometown... before your hometown."

Then, because she didn't want to focus too much on herself... "What... what are you reading this time? Or, when do you pick your next book?"

@haveyoumet-dolores

Please Mr. Postman || Wild Piper

Nick settled in to enjoy the way conversation flowed back and forth between the two of them, hearing the long history there as well as the exasperation he often felt between adult children and their parents.

It had been longer than he cared to admit since he'd plucked at a story this way. Might as well enjoy it while he could - he knew his own mother would enjoy the story.

"Tea is great, thank you, you are far too kind to someone who has already interrupted your day." He took the tea from the tray as he followed her further into the house, already being ushered into a seat so he could make himself comfortable.

"Luckily for me, I don't have any allergies and no strong food aversions which means I get to try a lot of different foods. I'm happy to taste test something for you."

@sincerely-meg

#ch: nick wilde #th: please mr. postman

"It's not really an interruption," Meg explains patiently. And it's true. To Meg and Meg's mother, neighbors were family too. They weren't people who floated in and out of the periphery of their lives, they were a community. Meg missed it, actually, moving out of her parents' home and going at it in New York City.

That was one of the nice things about smaller towns, like Swynlake and NTO. You see the same faces, even if you were too afraid to say hello sometimes.

"My family's always been like this. Very welcoming, very kind. It might be naive, but I think... it has to do with how they were raised."

At Nick's declaration that he, in fact, had no food limits... May shuffled off and left Meg and Nick to the sitting room.

"So, what have we abducted you from? I have to admit, I don't spend as much time in Swynlake as I think I should, so it's nice to meet people who I'm sure to -- hoping to -- run into again."

@wilde-fun

lostinthewoods-kristoff

Lost in the corn || Megstoff || Swyntask

lostinthewoods-kristoff

SWYNTASK: Autumn paired thread @sincerely-meg

Kristoff had originally told the guys at work that he wouldn't be going with them to the carnival (he was already going twice with Vixey, so he figured he was allowed to bow out), but it turned out he had no choice in the matter. Chief Denim had decided that assigning them teams and sending them off into the corn maze would be an excellent team bonding exercise, and so she had given them their assignments, and sent them off just as soon as they were off shift.

And it had been a pretty good way to work on their teamwork skills, up until the point where they'd all had a difference of opinion and gone their separate ways. Kristoff hadn't been trying to argue, but when the others in his group had stormed off north, south, east and west at a particularly complex fork in the road, he'd decided just to keep going forwards.

But, now he was lost. He sighed, turning another corner, and then almost jumped out of his skin when he saw a woman standing there.

"Jesus, Chr-- sorry. This place has got me on edge. Didn't mean to nearly bump into you."

#th: lost in the corn #ch: kristoff bjorgman

Meg didn't scream. Who said she screamed? No one. That's who. But maybe she jumped. And she looks wide-eyed at the man, having maybe expected someone else? Who else woul Meg expect, she was here alone.

Okay, maybe she did shriek a little.

"Ah, no, you're good. Me, too! I am officially, truly lost," Meg says. "Been so for about 20 minutes, but that's a corn maze for you." She looks around. "Um, hi. I'm Meg and I'm lost and also probably late getting home."

She smiles.

"Do you want to, maybe, buddy-system out of here?"

@lostinthewoods-kristoff

Splish Splash * [Mevy]

Evangeline jumped as the buzzer went off.

"What?! How--" she yelped gleefully as Meg's water gun went off.

But then, she refocused on her own. The stream of water hit the target, but she was already far behind. Her pole rose steadily but when she glanced over at Meg's her own gun moved and she had to recenter it again.

Another loud bell went off and one of the people down the row from them's pole started flashing bright coloured lights.

Evangeline laughed. "Wow! That was fun! Sorry if I distracted you from winning."

@sincerely-meg

#/ sorry no gif at work #ch: evangeline davies #th: splish splash #/ ugh evy is cute

Meg was laughing all the while, just happy to play. Neither her or Evangeline won, but -- hey -- that was fine.

"No, no, you're fine! You're perfect. I just like playing carnival games. I used to go to the County Fair back near my hometown," she says, not sure if she wanted to really explain driving an hour and a half south of Cleveland, OH for a tiny fair in the scare Ohio hills. "This all just... brings back a lot of fond memories. Are you -- uh -- looking to play anything else?"

@evangelinee

Splish Splash * [Mevy]

"That's okay! I've never done it before!" Evangeline giggled as she grabbed the woman's hand and pulled her over so she could sit on the stool next to Evy's.

"My name is Evangeline! They said something about having to aim at that little hole but I keep pressing the button and nothing happens!"

@sincerely-meg

#ch: evangeline davies #th: splish splash

Meg goes to sit with Evangeline and does as Evy does. Presses the button. No water. "Huh," Meg says, "Maybe it's jamme--" But that thought it cut off as the fair-bell rings and suddenly water shoots from the end of the water gun. Meg laughs as there's a bit of kick back and aims for the target. Though, admittedly her aim is not so good.

@evangelinee

book bonding | dolores & meg

haveyoumet-dolores

Dolores was happy to focus on book club again, everything else going on in her life could be put on hold if she found the time to read away from everyone.

Dolores was picking up her copy from Chapter Three today, and then she would hang out with Jun later but she had a good couple hours that she planned on jumping right into the book.

"Oh we have a book club here. We just choose the next one so I'm guessing everyone is picking up today honestly."

@sincerely-meg

#ch: dolores madrigal #th: book bonding

A Book Club? Meg's interest is immediately piqued. "Oh, really? What kind of book club?" She smiles broadly. "I mean -- is it fiction? Non-fiction? Romance? Oh, or it could be a variety, couldn't it?"

This would be the perfect was to both read new books and socialize more! And even better for her mother, she would leave the house more for non-'workaholic' reasons.

Meg knew her parents meant well by it, but it always felt like so much of an event when she left. Why did it have to be?"

"Oh, sorry. I'm Meg. Just started, uh, reconnecting with Swynlake, if you can call it that."

@haveyoumet-dolores

Please Mr. Postman || Wild Piper

A beautiful woman opened the door, and he only vaguely recognized her. Working with SSHIIT the way he did meant that he knew most people in the Southern Isles, but it depended on who was home when he decided to knock and chat with people.

Plus he did a lot less on his own street anyway. The point of working with Annie was so she'd leave them all alone. Why would he bother the people he was protecting?

But the beautiful woman opened the door, followed shortly by someone he could clearly see was her mother.

He loved charming strangers who insisted on inviting him inside. They were often chatty and would give him so much information without him needing to do any work at all.

"It's a pleasure to meet you Meg, and I'm delighted to be invited in. If I'd known this was all it took, I would have stopped by sooner."

@sincerely-meg

#ch: nick wilde #th: please mr. postman

"You should have," Meg says, pleasantly, going to close the door behind him. The front door spills into the front hall, which in turn spills into both the kitchen and family rooms off that. "Make yourself at home. I hope your day has been relatively uneventful, aside from this. Well, unless you like a bit of activity," Meg says. "Also, Tea or water?"

Because those were the two options in this household.

"Sorry to kidnap you," Meg says, just as her mother pops in, with both options on a tray.

"It's not kidnapping," Her mother insists, kindly. "So, Nick, what can we do for you?"

"Mum, it's just a package," Meg says. "They received a package of ours. They were just returning it?"

Well, that was settled, good chat, Nick escape you you can!

Rarely was anyone so lucky, however, as May Chiang-Piper is quick to say, "What would you like?"

Pardon, mum. He doesn't know what you mean.

"To eat, I expect. I hope you haven't eaten, Nick. My mother likely intends to cook something for you."

@wilde-fun

Splish Splash * [Mevy]

@sincerely-meg

"Hey! Hi!" Evangeline said, waving down a nice looking woman. (She was pretty, but she also looked friendly! Which was important when flagging down random strangers, Evangeline had learned.)

"Hi, that man says we need another person before we can play." She pointed ot the booth with stools that she'd just hopped off of. It was the game where you shoot the water at the hole and the little pole raises, I'm too lazy to look up what it is called.

"Do you think you could do it? I have extra tickets!"

[outfit, w/o the beanie i don't like it]

#ch: evangeline davies #th: splish splash

Going to the carnival was meant to be a great social opportunity, Meg had hoped. Only, it seemed a lot of people already had 'their people.' That was fine, Meg was okay with that. Meg could still enjoy carnival games, though! She had played a few darts, some ring toss, and might have called it quits except a woman -- a really beautiful one, too -- had called her over to play a game.

Great! Meg nodded enthusiastically, "Yea, yes. Of course, I'd love to, yes," Meg says. "Hi, I'm Meg," she says. "I'm not terribly good, is that okay?"

[outfit.]

@evangelinee

Just Mundus Things || Ozzy & Meg

oswaldxmarks

What a sweet, pretty thing she was. So friendly, so willing to share information.

"Oh, well I'll definitely have to try it out at some point," Oz chuckles. "Sounds like a good place to find some comfort food."

He nods. It sounds like that's the place to hang out and potentially find more people. he should check it out, and he will. All in due time.

"Ah, yeah that can be tricky," Oz nods. "Though, it sounds like you maybe feel that way because you're not coming home. You're returning to your family's home, but you don't have those same attachments they did. Which, I know brings its own challenges. You feel like you're expected to fit in because your family did, and if you don't, well, you must be doing something wrong." Or perhaps that was just his experience with a somewhat similar life event. Not that taking over his father's failing business was much the same as returning back to your family's hometown, but he has to feel like there are some similarities. At least as far as feeling like a stranger in a familiar place.

"I'm sure you'll settle back in in no time, though," Oz says, taking a sip of his coffee. "So, if you didn't grow up here, where did you grow up? If you don't mind me asking."

@sincerely-meg

#ch: oswald marks #th: just mundus things

Meg figures she's more American than English. She knows that her parents have talked all her life about Meg losing her accent. Her grandmother had been surprised when Meg asked for a 'wadter.' Meg had laughed, but she had also been reminded -- again -- that she was a stranger here. She could have grown up with some of the people she met. Or were they new in town and she simply hadn't gotten the chance to meet them yet.

"Well, that's true," Meg says, feeling a bit relieved someone else saw something she'd been thinking. Validating it. "Thanks for saying so. I guess I didn't want to say it aloud because it sounded like an outsider thing to say, but I also guess I am an outsider. Sort of. At least for now."

For now. Because Meg could reaffirm her life here. New York didn't work out, and neither did Cleveland. In a way, Meg felt like if she couldn't succeed across the ocean, what was the point?

"Oh, uh-- Northern Ohio?" Meg answered. Which felt a little silly because why couldn't she have grown up somewhere that sounded cooler. Her NTO friends would say Ohio with a little bit of mockery, without realizing Meg was from there. Sort of. "What about you?"

@oswaldxmarks

Just Mundus Things || Ozzy & Meg

oswaldxmarks

Ozzy graciously takes the seat, giving her a smile. "Oh, I feel that," he chuckles, taking a sip of his coffee. "I definitely have a million things I should be doing rather than sitting down for a coffee, and yet..." He crosses one leg up to rest across his knee, sitting so casually in his chair. Like they're old friends and not strangers. He's open, he's calm and casual. Not matching her cheerfulness, but keeping a most positive demeanor. Like, again, they were friends feeding off each other's energy. God I wish.

"Ozzy," he introduces himself, matching her smile. Or doing his best to, hers is definitely a little more genuine. Like she's got a smile set deep in her bones. Oswald clearly didn't used to be much of a smiler--he was clearly much more stoic before Ozzy showed up. But he's more fun now. As fun on the outside as he is on the inside. "Nice to meet you, Meg. So, where're you meeting someone? Not, like, to be weird or anything--I'm just pretty new in town and I'm trying to figure out some good places to check out," he chuckles.

@sincerely-meg

#ch: oswald marks #th : just mundus things

Meg figures, okay, he's casual. He's friendly. See, mama. I can make friends. "It's nice to meet you too, Ozzy," Meg says, settling with her coffee again. She feels silly for being overeager for a friend. It was sort of laughable. But! She would make the best of this.

"Oh, it's this place a bit by lakeside called Tiana's Place. You can imagine who runs it," Meg says. "It's been doing really well since last year, so a friend (one of her only ones in town that she met sort of through work) suggested we meet. I think it's American, southern food?"

Meg hadn't been yet, despite living in town all the while. Sitting alone at a coffee shop was fine. Sitting alone there just felt, maybe, sad.

"Even though I've lived here for a bit, I tend to spend a lot of time in NTO. I don't really 'hang out' around here, though I should. I guess it's the fact I'm coming home. You know? I didn't really grow up here but my family is from here."

@oswaldxmarks

Please Mr. Postman || Wild Piper

Isaac and Avery were still out at the lake, wringing out the last few drops of summer, when Nick got home from his shift at Al's. Things there were getting more chaotic now that Al's wedding planning was kicking into high gear, but the summer tourist season was beginning to slow.

When he arrived, he saw a package on his front doorstep which was a little curious. He didn't think they'd ordered anything recently, and he tried to be aware. Unless of course....

Oh. It was meant to go to their neighbors across the street. Nothing to be paranoid over. (Probably.)

Picking it up, he walked over to smile charmingly as he knocked at the door. When it was opened, he held it up. "I think this is meant to come to all of you? I'm Nick, from 97."

[shirt with jeans]

@sincerely-meg

#th: please mr. postman #ch: nick wilde

Meg's reading in the kitchen. And as such, closest to the door. She didn't think her mother was expecting anyone, her grandmother either for that matter. Sometimes a doctor came around for her grandmother's heart health, but other than that, they didn't get many visitors.

When Meg does open the door, she's a bit surprised. Though, she does smile. "Oh, yes, thanks," she says, checking the name. It looked like a standard mail package, and when she rattled it, it sounded like either medication or... something for her mother to craft? (Her mother loved beading and embroidery.)

Meg wasn't sure which, but it had her mom's name on it anyways.

"Meg, who is it?" A voice calls from the hall.

To which Meg replies, "ah, a neighbor from across the street. Nick?"

Meg smiles apologetically, knowing exactly what was going to happen.

Her mother, her head poking out from the entryway to the family room. "Ah, Nick. Nick! Good to meet you! Come in, come in," she says, like a beckoning call. Because May Chiang-Piper had to invite anyone and everyone in. Even in America, she offered the postman water every day that she was home. And if she wasn't, she left one out near the mailbox.

"Might as well," Meg says, with a smile. "My mama will just bring you food tonight if you don't come in now. I'm Meg, by the way. Good to meet you, Nick."

@wilde-fun

musing 001: surnames

Meg's parents, Daniel Piper and May Chiang, both go by Chiang-Piper.

When May (birthname: 张美莲, chiang měi lián) expressed hesitance in changing her surname, Daniel had no qualms. Eventually, Daniel suggested they both go by a hyphenated surname.

Hence, Meg's last name being Chiang-Piper.

#musings.#save

book bonding | dolores & meg

#ch: dolores madrigal #th: book bonding

Okay, that was the third copy of that book Meg had seen someone have this day... she looks for some sort of sign that there's a sale or some such but doesn't find one. Is there an author's event?

This is what Meg gets for always checking other bookstores when she's in NTO. She doesn't really keep track of what's happening in her own town.

And then there's another person with that book and Meg couldn't help but sate her curiosity.

"Hey, hi. Excuse me. Um, that book," Meg says, pointing, "I've seen a few people with it. Sorry to ask, but is there an event or something coming up?"

@haveyoumet-dolores

book bonding | dolores & meg

Just Mundus Things || Ozzy & Meg

oswaldxmarks

When a good consistent source of sin is hard to find, caffeine works pretty damn well to get him through the day. It's all a process, that's what they keep telling themself. Oswald was already established in town before they moved. Ozzy just made him better. Helped his business thrive, helped him become a better version of himself. He truly had it all there, and now he's back at the bottom. Clawing my way up once again. At least it's not to clamber out of hell this time. No, but with this headache, it wasn't much different.

Oz takes his drink outside, just walking through the little patio when a woman knocks into him with her chair. He does his best to keep his coffee from spilling, and he reaches out with his other hand to steady hers, his arm going around her slightly as she tries to move out of the way.

And there's something about her that's almost odd. Just... so normal. Not even a huge burst of shame or guilt as she nearly knocked into him. And looking her over, sitting outside of this cafe all alone... well, he's not going to pass up an opportunity to get to know someone new. Not when she seems so... sweet.

So, he puts on a grin, "oh, I'm sorry, no, I should've been more careful! Are you alright? Here..." he moves to let go of her drink and not be positioned around her so awkwardly. "I was just looking for a seat out here, really. It's so nice out today, it'd be a shame to waste the day inside, right?"

You're sickening sometimes, you know that?

"Are you waiting for someone, or may I?" he asks, motioning to the empty seat at her table.

@sincerely-meg

#ch: oswald marks #th: just mundus things

Perfect! Someone who was a friend, maybe? Friend to be. Meg really was glad someone had taken the initiative because Meg wasn't the best at it. At work, she had a fair amount of confidence, but socially, she did sometimes struggle. And here was this nice guy who was asking to sit with her.

"Oh, yea, I'm-- yea, please," Meg says, offering the opposing seat. "I'm actually waiting to meet someone somewhere else, so. I'm mostly just killing time for a bit.

She's cheerful. Nice. Normal. This was nice and normal. Meg's mother was always telling Meg to go out and make friends, and Meg had friends. But she went to NTO to meet her friends. Local friends... well... that was a bit lacking. Her NTO friends wouldn't come here. Swynlake was quaint, and had old movies and not a lot of 'exciting' shops.

Why visit?

She stops that line of thought and smiles her most winning smile back to her new tablemate.

"Oh, and - uh - I'm Meg. What's your name?"

@oswaldxmarks

Just Mundus Things || Ozzy & Meg