2020 04 08 Take on Me - L and Owen

2020 04 08 Take on Me – L and Owen

L just sent off her email shay and bites her lips.

"Just do this " she say trying to working up herself to just send out this email..

She pulls her knees up to her chest and looks at her phone nor know how to start this

After what seem like hours of trying to figure out what to say she types

HELLO

I've returned to Alexandra . Hoping you're well and happy. I hope you have found you way even after our parting.

I hope you're safe in whatever you're doing now.

I completely understand if I don't get a response from you but I just wanted to tell you I

was back

Regards

L

L shakes her head as the note seemed so cold and formal as she didn't know what to say to him.

She coughs into her mask and shakes her head.

Owen is just about to clock into work for a delivery shift. No apron today, just a Thrifty's baseball cap on his head and Staff button he's attaching to his hoodie. He takes the keys to the delivery van off the hook and decides to move his phone from his back pocket before driving so he's not sitting on it. As he pulls it out he sees 2 notifications. One is a the text from Shay, which he reads and then and then inhales sharply. Then he noticed the gmail notification from L and exhales slowly. He stares at his phone intensely and then taps away back to Shay.

Later when he's packed up the delivery van and ready to go he takes a moment and opens the email from L. After texting with Shay he knew more than L offered here although some of Shay's wording was cryptic. He caught the gist that L had had a baby and the baby had died. He read L's words three more times and then crafted a reply. All his words felt inadequate and superficial.

"Hey L,

Thanks for reaching out and welcome back. I'm OK in the madness. I hope you're OK too. You're not going to believe this, but I work for Thrifty's Foods and you're first on my route. We just drop at the door, as I'm sure you read on the website, but just so you know it's me. Take care of yourself."

He looks back up at L's close "Regards" Hmm. He always struggled with these at the best of times. "Love"? Nope. Inappropro. "Yours truly" Oh fuck off Owen. Get you head on straight. "Sincerely" Was he applying for a job? OK L, let's follow your lead...

"Regards,

Owen"

Fuck that was lame. He had to start his rounds before all the frozen product melted so it would have to do. He started the van, shifted into gear and pulled out of the loading zone. Owen clicked on the radio. It was The Walrus and the Carpenter bantering about Covid 19 and Justin Trudeau. He let them drone on as background to his racing thoughts...

"Was she speaking moistly?"

"Oh I don't know Wally, she was wearing a mask..."

Owen snorted and rolled his eyes and changed stations. It was the 80s station he liked playing Take on Me by A-Ha.

Owen sang along. "Oh, things that you say. Yeah.

Is it life or just to play my worries away?

You're all the things I've got to remember

You're shying away

I'll be coming for you anyway

Take on me ...take on me

Take me on ...take on me

I'll be gone...."

And there it was. Her house. Owen parked and cut the engine and then he adjusted his baseball cap and smoothed out his ponytail in the back of it self consciously. With a resolute sigh he stepped out and went around, sliding the side door of the van open and grabbing the box that was L and Hikari's o

Elena had gone to sleep in her and the notification noise on her phone woke her. Rather then check on it. her mind went to her father.. she may have been born his niece but to her he was her father.

She rushes to his side putting her hand on his forehead . It was cooler ans his breathing had eased. She takes his temp. Its going down to a mild grade fever ans she exhales. She takes her own and her fever has spiked she was on the incline of this virus where her father was almost through battling this.

She goes to the bathroom and to the kitchen to get something to drink for herself and her father. She sets down his water on his bedside table and goes back to her couch feeling exhausted just from that short walk. She pull out her phone just remembering the notification.

Elena answers Sabine message with the no news about Jacques and asks how his fiancee Sarah was. Sabine states she is well physically but beside herself. which was to be expected.

Elena was glad Jacque had found his love and Sarah was a sweet lady that they had met at a steampunk tea..

Elena sighed . They were lucky to fjnd each other with similar issues. Jacque was sweet bur she wasn't never in love with him.. just the idea of love and after putting him through hell of mistrust and an no love relationship he deserved his happy ending . She crosses herself and looks to the heaven praying that he get well so he and Sarah could wed.

She then offers her prayer for all those affected by the virus. Those that were ill like her father Shay, Fiona and Vincent ans many others around the world,Those that were on the front lines keeping this planet running and those that had lost family.

After her prayer she opens the email and smiles a bit but then immediately looks a bit worried then glad she had said that prayer for the essential workers as now Owen was one.

She crosses herself in relief then goes to respond

Happy Greetings to you

And thanks for keeping this world going around. I pray stay you safe and protect you and yours. I know you're a clever fellow so I know that not an issue.

I'm well though being tested with this virus as is my father but he seem to be almost over it ans mine is just getting to the nasty bit.. but i have my father here to return the care I've given him. Our window faces the forest though it gives my uncle a nice view its not accessible as any path to it is guarded by tree house and fence off to keep people out of the residential building. They had sterilized the school so that it will be ready when we are on the other end of the pandemic.

I'm happy that its you bringing our food because i know you're smart. Thanks for the delivery in advance

I also glad you've moved on . You were a sweet boyfriend and I'm glad you have found some happiness. I apologize I left you in misery while I sorted myself but these 3 years had taught me to let go of my mistrust for life is too short to wallow in the misery of yesterday. I'm sure one day I'll get my happy ending just like your sister and your almost new brother in law.

That made me overjoyed to know there is some light in this darkness.

I found a bit of happiness with this steampunk band. The Chronos Tin Pirates. The whole band are Whovians.. hence the named chronos.. I'll send you some videos you should see the nods to the show.. I'm captain merryweather.. got a stage name and everything!+

Anyway be well and stay safe

And I'll close this how we close our show to our friends/fam/fans

Many returns time bandits

Captain merryweather aka Elena

Owen didn't check for a reply before carting their order to the steps. He bumped the door with his shoulder and winced, not meaning to create alarm. He still had the Ah ha song in his head and was casually singing the next verse "“Oh, things that you say. Yeah.

Is it life or just to play my worries away?

You're all the things I've got to remember"

He stepped back with a thoughtful expression. It had all been so simple and sweet with L once upon a time. He started walking back to the van as he sang out

"You're shying away

I'll be coming for you anyway Take on meeee………”

And the sliding door latch caught and then he walked around and the driver's door opened and closed with two thunks. The engine roared as it started and then the van's wheels peeled away.

At the end of his route he read L's reply, hunching towards the steering wheel and looking hollow. L played in a band. What about the baby that died? Why did Shay get that info and not him? L was happy for him, that he'd moved on. Moved on? Owen scoffed. What the hell had Shay said? Owen had moved on to rebounds and trauma and his recent adventures of the heart were romantically akin to the gore of a zombie apocalypse. But he wasn't going to put that on L. L's pain was too awful to add to with his own shit.

Instead he sends L a funny little video of a Dalek patrolling a London street telling people to "Isolate! Isolate!"

Elena wakes up after passing out. She checks her phone and awaits a response then shakes her head.

She was better then this was she waiting for him as a friend eagerly for communication or was she down deep. Wanting more,

She shakes her head. "You have a bit of pride..cling to it and don't start up this relationship like a lovesick child" she says to herself

She finally moments later sees the video of the dalek and gets taken aback and emotional and types out a message for some reason she is singing Take on Me.. as she does

Lol.. Angelique would have loved that.. she had dalek remote toy that was her favourite..we would call her Missy I think she like daleks better then she did the doctor. She had a dalek plush she wouldn't sleep without it...

Angelique was my baby.. too bad she did have two hearts.. she didn't barely have one..the heavens needed her more..

A baby.. can you imagine me a mother...I barely wrapped my head around it..

I raised her right though.. enclosed is a picture of her in at Disneyland Paris in a Leia costume..

You send me something to make me smile.. ill return the favour

Your fellow space cadet

Elena

She cursed herself after she sent it.. was it the delirium or was it something she need to do?

She accepted the later as she lays down.

Owen parked the van at the loading dock, sanitized his hands and his phone and saw a notification from L. He knew he shouldn't be reading this on work time but his curiosity and emotions got the better of him and he opened it and read. He read L's words and they blurred as he teared up reading about Angelique. He looked at the picture of this sweet child in a Leia costume and choked on a sob, unaware that his boss was approaching the vehicle and watching him.

Paul McLeod looked awkward and tapped lightly on the glass.

Owen jumped, completely startled "Shit!" He pocketed his phone and straightened up, wiping at his face.

Paul stepped back so Owen could get out at a safe social distance saying loud enough to hear "Owen it's OK..."

Owen opened the door and shook his head "I'm sorry Paul...lemme wipe it down for you." He sniffed and yanked a Lysol wipe from the door cup holder and did the steering wheel, gear shift, seat belt, seat and door handles inside and out. As he walked to so the sliding door Paul walked around with him, maintaining distance.

"Owen you're not in trouble. Lydia was worried about you earlier. Is everything OK? Is your family OK?"

Owen laughs "Yeah...we're OK. Um...just an old...frie..." He decided to be honest with Paul "My ex. Just a bunch of shit. Covid included. Ironically one of my deliveries today"

"Ah man...I'm sorry." Paul scrutinized Owen with arms folded now. He was a slight build and a little shorter than Owen with grey brown thinning hair and intense grey eyes. "You didn't have contact with her?"

Owen ignored the assumption and didn't get into the bi gender explanation "No, just emailing. I won't reply on work time."

Paul shrugged "We all do it. Especially right now. Our whole lives on our phones....it's cold." He grits his teeth and then says ruefully "I'm going to miss my daughter's birthday coming up."

Owen is pulled from his own emotional reckoning and looks sympathetic "Oh I'm sorry. Which one?"

Paul softens and smiles "Daphne. She's going to have a a Zoom party" He laughs "God I fuckin miss them...."

Owen sighs heavily "I know you do. It's not forever if we all work on this." He walked to the trash can and tossed the wipes and then pulled the side door closed. "I'm gonna clock out. Go call them, your kids. Face time. whatever it takes. I'm sure they miss you too."

Paul nodded and then rolled his head from side to side. Owen knew the stress his boss was carrying and it made him sad to watch. They parted silently, going separate ways, carrying their own sorrows with them.