k_a_webb | AU Thear: Brooke: First Day on Thear (part 2) (Reply)

Contains minor spoilers for the Thear storyline.

Even thinking about it made Brooke shudder, although she tried to hide it. She couldn’t let them see anything more than the mask she had created. Whatever happened she was going to stay strong and deal with it, because she had no other options. Breathing deeply she tried to stop herself from staring at the mirror, but she wanted to know who was behind it, who was watching them, and that made it almost impossible to drag her eyes away. They would probably be staring straight back, trying to decide if she was the one she wanted. Just as she found herself beginning to contemplate the idea of smashing the mirror the door without a handle opened.

The man who walked into the room was bipedal, which was good, but he was also green. Brooke looked at him and then looked away again, shaking her head. Of all the things she’d been thinking might walk through the door green men, even if they were taller than her, had never crossed her mind. She didn’t think it really was possible.

“Good morning,” he greeted, sounding cheerful. “Today is the beginning of the rest of your life.” He smiled at them. “I’ll call your names out one by one and when I do I’d like you to come to the door to meet the family you’ll be staying with.”

Brooke looked one last time at the mirror. Whoever was behind there had made their choices and she couldn’t decide if she was glad the waiting was over or not. If she’d had to stand there much longer she probably would have tried to smash the mirror, so she guessed it was a good thing, because she didn’t know how that would have affected her new life. The new life she never wanted, never would have asked for, and had been given no choice about, as she was one of the lucky ones.

It only took three names before she was called. For a moment she stood still, attempting to calm herself and failing, before making her way over to where the green man stood. “It’s very nice to meet you, Brooke,” he said, still smiling.

A number of answers swept through her mind, none of them kind, before she forced herself to smile back. “It’s nice to meet you too,” she replied, lying as sweetly as she could.

“You’ll be moving in with Sophia and her family.”

Two people made their way towards the door. Brooke looked first at the female, Sophia, who was blue skinned, and then at the male next to her, who was purple. “Sophia is blind,” the green man explained. “The man with her is Cassian, her second son. You’ll also be living with Sophia’s husband, Trey, and her other two sons, Tobias and Marc.”

Nodding, Brooke looked at Sophia more closely. If no one had said anything Brooke would never have guessed that Sophia was blind, at least until they came into earshot and it was possible to hear Cassian describe her. When their eyes met Cassian shrugged, knowing that Brooke could hear him.

“I’m sorry if Cassian made you feel uncomfortable, Brooke,” Sophia said.

“It’s fine,” Brooke replied, truthfully, understanding exactly why Cassian had described her to his mother.

Mirrored from K. A. Jones Writing.