Outside the Condo {OPEN}

[grantmiddleton]

Grant glanced up from his phone when he felt a shadow hang over him and found a giant, behemoth of a man who didn't speak much but grunted a lot at the other two movers. "Hmm? Oh, just put everything in the living room. I'll take care of it all later. Thanks."

He went back to his phone, typing rapidly as he replied to text after text from his mom. He grinned to himself. She was a worrier, always had been, always will be. And this was the first time her only child lived further than an hour away from her. So he was distracted when he heard a crash and looked up to see a hundred year old dresser on the ground.

"Hey! Careful! That dresser is worth ten times your pay today!" The movers all grunted, which Grant assumed was an apology. He swore under his breath, immediately tattling on the movers to his mom who was, unsurprisingly, pissed at the thought of any Middleton furniture being treated so carelessly. He shook his head. It was a shitty old dresser that belonged to his uncle and really not worth getting angry over. He hated the thing anyway -  it was fifty shades of ugly. He hated most of the things coming out of the truck. But appearances are key, and if any of his family happened to come for a visit, they'd expect to see certain key pieces on proud display in his home. Even if the crap clashed horribly with his home.

He sighed and asked how much longer the move would take. When he got a "One more hour" out of the movers, he groaned. Moving sucked. Moving really sucked when you were slightly hung over and wanted a nap.

Comments

[grantmiddleton]

Grant fussed a bit more at the movers, swearing under his breath. What's the point in paying good money for professional movers if they weren't professional in the least?

He huffed and turned away from them, glancing around the area and looking annoyed. That's when he saw someone he thought was familiar. But not Siren Cove familiar,

"Well. Look what the cat drug in."

[bachjones]

He looked behind him, but Cinderella was busy sniffing at the door post of the fancy house.

Oh. Not literal. Bach met the man's eyes and waited for the penny to drop.

"Cinderella's strong, but not strong en- aren't you a Middleton?" The Middletons paid well. He liked this turn of events.

[grantmiddleton]

Grant smiled. That was a face he never expected to see in Siren Cove.

"The youngest, actually. Grant. You used to play for my family a lot."

[bachjones]

"Your grandmother used to be my favorite tipper. You grew a couple of sizes."

He nodded. "Do your parents still organize parties? Are they moving here?"

[grantmiddleton]

"That I did. Sadly, my grandmother passed away a few years ago."

"Please. That's a weekly thing with them. No, they're not moving out here, just me. Gotta say, you're the last person I expected to see in this place."

[bachjones]

"Oh. Oh." He searched his mind for a fitting comment. "I'm sorry for that. She was ..she had other qualities as well, of course. Besides being .. a good tipper."

Bach took a deep breath. "Family, sort of. And somehow you get stuck in a rut of daily life and before you know it life just goes on, don't you think?"

[grantmiddleton]

He shrugged. "A good tipper is about as good a compliment as you could give her, really."

"I guess. I take it you've been here awhile?" He grimaced as the movers dropped a box of valuables. "At least I bought the insurance."

[bachjones]

"Five years. There are some nice things about being able to put some roots down somewhere, I guess. But you know Siren Cove? Like ..you're returning for a proper reason?"

[grantmiddleton]

"Wow. You've been here awhile then. So you meet any interesting characters here?" He was really curious about how much the newcomers to Siren Cove knew.

"I was born and raised here. Moved away with my family a long time ago. I got a job offer so now I've returned."

[bachjones]

Bach focused on Cinderella. "Besides my cat, you mean? There's this nice gi-" He didn't feel like sharing Riley with mister Everything right here.

Instead he gave him a fat wink. "Well, you're here now. Besides that it's dubious blondes with cats and business cards and a grumpy cop with a homophobic streak. As long as they listen, I'm fine."

[grantmiddleton]

He grinned then looked down at the cat. "Of course. She's probably more interesting than a lot of people I know."

Grant laughed at 'grumpy cop'. "James? Or is there another grumpy cop on the force I don't know about?" He sighed and scratched his chin. "I got a lot of catching up around here."

[bachjones]

"You're on a first name basis with him? Handsome guy, in a standoffish way. I don't think he likes me."

Cinderella came closer, looking up at Grant like judgment was still out. "Why? Nothing ever changes here."

[grantmiddleton]

"We were close growing up. He's always been a bit on the grumpy side. Don't take it too personally, he doesn't like a lot of people."

He gave the cat what he hoped would be an accepting smile to her. She looked like she could tear his face off if she wanted. "Lot of newcomers. I already met two today." He grumbled. "One's nice, one not so much. Mean little Korean girl."

[bachjones]

Mean little Korean girl ..maybe family of Riley? Was she little?

"I didn't take it personal." Bach shrugged. "I usually don't. It was probably an embarrassing situation. For him. I'm not embarrassed easily. But hey, having roots doesn't make you less new, man. The town might have evolved drastically, you know?"

[grantmiddleton]

"I'll slip something good into his coffee tomorrow. Guy needs to loosen up sometimes."

Grant laughed. "I already feel like a fish out of water. Same buildings, few different shop names, different owners. The mentality seems about the same, but it's definitely...changed around here."

[bachjones]

"Somehow I get the feeling that he's immune to alcohol." He beckoned Cinderella to come closer. "Don't stare at him like that, everyone here already knows he's pretty."

She meowed at him with the sound of an eye-roll and sat down at his feet. "Was it more ..coherent when you were younger? It feels like some parts just don't fit together so well .."

[grantmiddleton]

"Is that a good stare or a 'I'm about to bite him' stare? I can never tell with cats."

He nodded, looking around at the neighborhood. "Coherent...not really. My family stirred up their share of drama. There's always been a distinct division in Siren Cove. I don't think that's changed at all."

[bachjones]

Bach looked at his cat. "She's still deciding. It can last for a couple of days if it's a tough decision. You'll get a reply next time we see you."

"A division.. that's probably an insider thing. Dramatic enough to become lethal? Because I don't want this town to be the place I die."

[grantmiddleton]

Grant nodded, looking dramatically solemn. "I can respect that."

He laughed a little. "Lethal, yes, but that was over a hundred or so years ago. I think you'll be safe, buddy. Unless you piss off the wrong person."

[bachjones]

"That's a good starting point." He scratched his head. "Does Lara Quinn star on that list? I feel like she could be lethal."

[grantmiddleton]

"Lara?" Grant smiled, of course she was still around. "If looks could kill, I'd be dead a hundred times over. I'm not aware of any victims, but I agree. She could be lethal if she wanted."

[bachjones]

Bach exhaled. "I expected something like that. She spun me a story about being special and sounded like a cult mistress. Should I worry about meeting her in small, dark spaces?"

[grantmiddleton]

He nodded, making a slight face. "She has an ear for talent. Which you definitely have, from what I'd heard." Grant was suspicious of the interest Lara took in the man, but kept his exterior positive. He smiled charmingly. "Just keep a witness."

[bachjones]

"You heard about me?" Bach made a face. "People talk about me? Okay, that's not something I'm not used to but it's been five years .. Anyway, she didn't lie. I have a talent. And she invited me to an open mic night. Think I'll be safe?"

[grantmiddleton]

"Can't say I've ever been inside Watersong." He shrugged, trying not to sound too biased. "So I don't really know. Might want to rethink it? I don't know about now, but that used to be a bad place in high school."