1.07.2 – Out and outed
2.0 - Edited by: Rellawing, AlliterativeArts, Raleon, Trismegistus Shandy - 8/22/2020
A little over a year later the siblings sat together in their favorite booth, the same one they took when they first beheld Goonie’s cafe. They were able to watch everyone who came and went. To people-watch had become Leo’s favorite game; pointing out the more mysterious looking customers, particularly the types that seemed like they truly lead double lives as villains or heroes.
As two cold green tea lattes were plopped down onto their table, they grinned broadly up at the woman they’d come to know well. Natalie beamed back at the two and reached to tousle Leo’s unruly thick mass of hair which had grown longer over the last year. “You two up to that rude staring-at-the-patrons game?” She put a hand on her hip and waggled a finger.
Quinn grinned even more. “Heck yes! There was this extra creepy-looking guy with a huge beard and sunken eyes! I think he was a rocker!”
“No! He’s gotta be a supervillain! I think he was like a Necromancer or something!” Leo’s rebuttal was loud and eager.
“Oh crap, he’s looking this way!” Quinn yelped. “Hide, hide, hide!” she whispered.
Natalie rolled her eyes and suppressed a giggle as Leo ducked quickly under the table. Quinn hummed in satisfaction. “Yet another crisis averted… he’s gone now.”
Leo poked his nose out from under the table and looked into Quinn’s sparkling eyes. “Really?”
“Oh! It was someone else! He’s…” Leo squeaked and ducked under the table.
Quinn covered her mouth while Natalie covered her mouth and spoke, “You know, if they can hear you, this…” she started to say.
Leo leapt out from under the table with fork and knife in hand, ready for battle. Everyone in the restaurant started as Leo blushed when he realized there was no supervillain coming for them. He pouted and glared over his shoulder at Quinn while she laughed softly. “I’m sorry, little goody two-shoes. I didn’t expect you to do that.” She tilted her head. “Are you that desperate to find some kind of villain to battle? That’d be pretty scary.”
Leo set the knife and fork back down on the table while everyone laughed and went about their usual business in Au Naturale. It wasn’t uncommon to see Ol’ Goonie’s scampers playing around. For them, it was sometimes the highlight of their day, just as long as they didn’t start screaming, which they hadn’t done for at least half a year.
“Sit your butt down here and have some of your latte.” Quinn scooched over and patted the sofa-like seat. Leo flashed her a sunny grin and sat to eagerly sip his.
Natalie moved over to another table while Quinn said, more seriously, “So, sis… I guess this means you’re finally…”
“MINT!” Leo exclaimed happily. There was a splash of added minty flavor in the latte that made this one a little different from the usual. He, no, she glowed.
“Sit still a second, you hyper little monster!” Quinn laughed. “So this…” She fixed her little sister with her eyes to make sure her attention was on her. “This means that you’re finally coming to my school…. ack!” Leo snuggled against Quinn, interrupting her questioning, “You’re such a fuzzy creature!” She laughed, changing the subject. “Why did you want to go to my school?”
Leo grinned and flushed, fidgeting at being mildly criticized and answered after swishing the sweet latte in her mouth. She finally responded, “Um… it’s more fun with you! I always have the most fun when I’m hanging with you, Sis!”
Quinn blinked, pursing her lips as she eyed Leo, conspiratorial. “Leo, are you sure you wanna… really be my little sister?”
Leo nodded affirmatively without hesitation. Quinn nodded and grinned as she whispered, “I shouldn’t tell you this, but Mama’s arranged a special appointment for you. I didn’t know much about it but as a responsible older sister, I looked it up online.”
Leo nodded wryly, his eyes sparkling. “I know. Goonie talked with me about it and told me everything.”
“Did she really? Everything? She pretended it was a big secret.” Quinn pouted and huffed as she sipped her latte.
“Yeah… I know all about what it means. I can be a real girl! ...Kind of. All I have to do is have some needles sometimes, and swallow pills. It’s probably icky but I really want it, even if it hurts!” Leo said with an ultra serious expression. Leo was being so earnest and yet cute that Quinn nearly fell over.
“It’s destiny, really. You always were a cute tyke… I mean really… I couldn’t imagine you being more girly than you are… more than me. Not that I care.” Quinn laughed.
Leo beamed at the compliment and shrugged as she sipped, tilting her head. “You really don’t care at all?”
“No!” Quinn rolled her eyes and changed the subject, “Tell me, did you think about what name you’d like to change it to? If you’re gonna be a girl you probably shouldn’t be Leo anymore. Well anyways, I was thinking when I said it was destiny that Destiny would be really awesome… how about it?”
Leo tilted her head and chewed her lip. “That’s kind of… I don’t know… preppy… conceited?”
“That’s a HUGE word for you!” Goonie chimed in as she came over to check on her children. “I see you decided to spoil the big ‘surprise’” She grinned at Quinn whose smile failed as it became a pout and she glared at her mama. “Sorry to steal your thunder, I guess.”
“You really did! I wanted to be the one to tell her! Awwwwww…” Quinn complained.
“I already decided,” Leo spoke up to break up the mock animosity between the two.
Quinn looked up from her drink as she smiled. “So, what brilliant idea did you have? Mistral?”
Leo faltered and her eyes widened. That was a possibility. It was a very very good possibility… Mistral… She could… She finally shook her head in the negative. “No… it can’t be that… mama… my real mama… she named me after someone special… someone I never knew. My great grandpa. Yours too, sis… It’s gotta be Leo, but like… it’s too… boyish… so we talked about it and…”
“Leona!” Goonie announced loudly.
Leo froze mid-syllable and fell over.
“You suck mama! First, you stole my thunder and now poor Leo’s too. “ She tilted her head and reached to hug Leo. “Are you okay? Is that the name you chose? Was it another joke?” She didn’t really think so.
Leo shook her head and sighed and then smiled. “You can’t complain too long. It’s a great name and Goonie helped me with it! And… isn’t it nice? I can love my real mom and keep my name at the same time… but just… I can… I can be Leona!!!” Leona announced as though nothing had happened at all. Maybe she forgot already, but it was a happy moment.
Quinn laughed and hugged her. Goonie reached down and petted the two of them. “And the appointment is tomorrow. The needles might be a little scary, but you’re going to be happy. My lawyer handled it and name change papers have already been prepared. By the time you go to school, you’ll be my little Leona!’
“My little sis.” Quinn smiled warmly. Leona sighed and sank into the wonderful family embrace they shared, which was her favorite thing to do now. Sometimes she thought about the inside of that musty old chest her dad had stuffed her into, but these arms around her didn’t make her feel trapped. She felt free; as free as the wind.
Poofy clouds blew through a calm blue sky high above.
While an old and dirty city, San Isidro still had a raw sense of elegance and wonder to it. With its tall Gothic and Victorian structures rising in vain to touch the heavens. Across the bay, however, showed a glistening city of glass and steel skyscrapers. The well-to-do tended to keep to that shining city, but there were still some things you could only find in San Isidro. And at that time, unfortunately, one such thing was a cloud of darkness streaking across the pristine skyline...