Marissa Fitzroy-Young had mastered the art of the interview years ago. When one changed their identity so often, she had to. She knew how to react, how to act, what to say. She was portraying a character. Nothing more. One large performance. She’d tell the life story of her current identity and share every detail as if they were her reality. 234 years made for one fantastic liar.
But then things got complicated. She knew at some point she’d need to explain to her wife why she never aged. Why she had a random skill such as speaking Old French, or why she may speak of a historic event like she was there. She slowly started letting this woman in, and suddenly this talent she had for her performances dwindled. Bao He knew about how she was adopted and lost her family at the age of 15. However, then she started revealing details to those she didn’t truely know.
The worst example was in her latest interview. One moment she was speaking about her new brand and fashion shows, and then the secrets started spilling. Details like how her first line, Heraclea, was named after herself- the name she was born with. When asked where she gains such inspirations, spilling details like how she was able to do a lot of world travel in her life. How she had been an exotic dancer for some time at the Moulin Rouge (when she realized what she said, laughing it off and making a comment about the price of art school). For supposedly being 23 she had gained a lot of life experiences. Her skill for lying had seemed to disappear, all because she was letting one woman in on her life.
Now she was getting contacted by someone she didn’t expect. It started with an email. A woman was claiming to be Marissa’s birth mother. She didn’t know if she wanted to meet her. She didn’t tell Bao He she was going anywhere important. Just the Café Esmeralda, a small coffee shop not too far from Notre Dame. Best make a meeting like this in a public place incase anything happened. How would she even handle such a discussion though. 234 years of neglect, not trying even a little to reach out to her. Leaving her with a family who didn’t understand her talents? This was going to be one interesting meeting.
Taking her seat at a table outside she made her order, and attempted to relax into her spot. Fidgeting with her box of cigarettes and staring intently at it. It was just like any other meeting right? Right? Just because this woman possibly birthed her didn’t mean she had to treat this too much differently from other situations.