Trigger

Trigger - 6

Julia had tried to enter Mabel's house as silently as she could, but she was already awake, so it didn't work out as well as planned. "Well well well, look who decided to finally show up."

"I'm so sorry Mabel, we were just out late, and I thought it'd be best if I didn't wake you up at night."

"That is very considerate of you, thank you. Although next time, let me know." She said while handing Julia a new phone. "It's nothing special, but you'll get by. My number is already in there. It's the first one."

"I can't accept this."

"You better accept that, I spent good money just to communicate with you! I like having you here." Julia gave her a big hug and thanked her for the gift. "Okay now, you're going to break my hip if you hug me any longer."

"I'm sorry."

"It's alright. Just go get ready, we are going somewhere in a little bit." Julia went to go ready for her and Mabel's adventure of the day.

They had taken a cab to get the ferry that took them to the Statue of Liberty. The statue was so close, and it left Julia in awe. She was so astounded and couldn't wait to go inside.

They had reached the stairs and Julia was confused at this point. "Is there an elevator?"

"Pshh I can handle the stairs. I may be old but I'm still kicking." Mabel laughed and nudged her. Julia just went with it, but the entire time up she walked behind Mabel hoping that everything would go together smoothly.

When they got to the top, Julia rushed straight to the window and was even more amused with the view from up there than just seeing everything from down below. "It's pretty cool isn't it?"

"It really is Mabel, thank you so much for taking me here!"

"Of course. Hey, you remember that phone I gave you this morning?"

"Yes?"

"Now would be the perfect opportunity to take a picture."

She took a picture of the view, but she didn't stop there. "Mabel, could I take a picture with you?" Mabel accepted and walked towards where Julia was standing as Julia asked a stranger to take their picture for her. After the picture was taken, she went back to the stranger grab her phone back and to look at the picture with Mabel.

"Caden?" A voice called out in the background. It happened again and this time hit Julia's ears which caused her to look in that direction. When she looked up, she had another flashback of a variety of people calling her Caden. When she snapped back into reality, the person calling her name was now in front of her. He was very tall and blonde, and on the boney side. "Caden it is you!" He said. She just looked blankly at him because she couldn't recall how she was supposed to know him. "It's me, Thomas. Thomas Merritt."

"Ohhh Thomas! I can't believe I didn't recognize you!" She played along, because she still had no clue who he was, but she was just going with it. "How have you been?"

"I'm pretty great! Say, when did you leave Albany? Did you move to this area or are you just visiting?"

"I live over here now."

"Small world. I do too! We'll have to catch up some time, it's been awhile."

"Sure thing!"

"You're like a stranger these days. You just like fell off the grid."

"You have no idea."

"Ha! Well you should put your new number into my phone. I'm assuming it's new, you never responded to any of my calls or texts." He handed her his phone.

"Yeah it's new." She said waving her phone in the air. Then she realized she didn't know her own number yet. "You know what, Thomas, why don't you put your number in here and I'll call you right away to make up for it." She handed him her phone and he typed it in, and the Julia called it right in front of him to make him happy.

"See you tonight, at dinner?" He asked.

"Sure, I'll text you for more details." She said and then he walked back to where he came from.

"Who was that?" Mabel asked?

"No clue, but I can tell you that my name is Caden. I know that now."

"Interesting."

When Julia and Mabel got back to her house, she had started to get ready immediately. She wasn't at all attracted to this Thomas character, but she thought that maybe he could help her realize things about herself because he is clearly from her past. She didn't need Billy after all to help her figure herself out.