Shattered Legacies: Book 1, Holo Change

💠Chapter 23: Counters💠

Combing through the isles that morning Ms O'Kelly couldn't help feeling a crushing weight within her stomach. One left there by the message she'd seen when she'd woken up from Anastasia reminding her of her agreement to help. Which obviously, being not only pacifist but having a family, she didn't want to do. She didn't like the royals either, some of them were downright awful people, but she didn't think action needed to be taken this hard. Of course, if she tried to get out of it by lying or just saying she wasn't comfortable...well, let's just say Anastasia wasn't the most understanding person despite her being a genius. Put that next to the reason she was here at all, and that was a swirling cauldron of negativity that not even the cheerful radio mix of the store's speakers could shoo away.

Quite frankly she felt like she was going to be sick. She really didn't want to be here right now, but even if she decided to get groceries another time, she still had to look for one thing. Selamidrin. The medicine she'd promised to pick up for her son to help his arm pain, but hadn't gotten a chance to yet. It wasn't a cure all, it wouldn't take it away completely, but it would certainly help. And that was her first stop. Rolling the cart into the drug isle, scanning both sides as she looked for the name. Finding the medicine at the very end, behind a glass case with exactly three shelves. It wasn't much, but Weavers weren't all that common so it made some amount of sense. Most stores didn't even carry it.

"Alright. Let's see." With a quiet breath to herself Serena bent down to look through the case. Peering through the selection of black labeled white bottles, wagering which would be best and what size. There were injections, which required you to use a needle on the part that was hurting. Yes, even the face. Obviously not a popular option she'd hope. A lotion which was used like every other lotion in existence. However that wouldn't quite work since Alex didn't care for lotions. He refused to even use spreadable sunblock because he said it felt weird and gross. So it would have to be pills. And she was going to go with the swallowing ones over the chewables, quick and easy. After shaking the bottle to estimate how much was inside, she grabbed two bottles for good measure and put them in the cart. Making the decision to at least pick up food for lunch today, and just make tomorrow a family outing to the store for full on groceries.

That idea put her mind slightly at ease. Enough to try talking herself through her anxiety. Today was a Wednesday. Meaning that Anastasia would be at the lab with her team concocting some sort of test for a theory or preparing for a presentation. And even if not, she'd surely be at home with her family. It was important to be together after a tragedy, something like this would take a long time to heal from. It wasn't like she'd track her down for not answering immediately, they both had lives. And if she asked she could say that she had to get groceries and take care of some stuff for the hotel, which wasn't a lie completely. It was going to be ok.

That was until she heard arguing, and before she could fully register the voices found herself turning around the corner of the isle. Coming face to face with the most anxiety inducing sight at the moment, jumping her heart into the sky and dropping her stomach to the Netherworld. Anastasia Constantine-Katsuki, with her back semi turned and an air of frizzled black barely bottled up negative emotions, dressed properly as if she'd just come from her lab, next to her husband. Who it seemed like she was... arguing with. A shorter but in shape man of Asian descent with balding hair, a stubled beard and dark brown eyes. Dressed in a pair of blacksmith's khaki overalls with the straps, dirty scuffed brown boots and black shirt. His own air was stuffy, harder to read from just a glance, but it was definitely tense.

Immediately after glimpsing them she moved back to where they couldn't see her. Thankful that they were too preoccupied with their own disagreement to care about their surroundings, clearly. As their voices strongly opposed each other, and weren't pretending to polite for public. "All I'm asking is that you think about this. Listen to yourself." He tried to edge her, at first perhaps trying to hide the subject. "And all I'm asking you to do is be a father." She shot back, "It wouldn't kill you to help OUR daughter." clearly spiteful and honestly probably looking to hurt him. "Instead of sitting on your ass all day in that shed you call a workshop." Insulting his livelyhood and hobby, right in front of his face. And whats more, this fight was already in progress. He'd been trying to reason with her for the past hour.