SOS

Sixteen

"Good morning, beautiful girl." Elodie smiles as she sees Rebecca standing at the counter, the griddle in front of her steaming with the smells of cinnamon pancakes.

"Hi." She offers softly, sliding onto a stool across from her, "You know you don't have to feed us fancy meals the entire time we are home."

"Yes I do. I only have you two home for a few days before you are off on your next adventure together." Rebecca swats at her with the spatula in her hand.

"At least we are going together." El shrugs, reaching for one of the finished pancakes and taking a bite, "I love your cooking."

"I do love that my babies are working together."

"You literally didn't meet me until I was fifteen." El laughs.

"Still my baby, always one of my babies." Rebecca shrugs. "Got any plans today?"

"Yes. One of my foster sisters got in contact with me on instagram about a month ago, and I asked her if she wanted to get together while I was home. We're going to lunch today."

"That's exciting! How did she find you though?"

"All the hullabaloo that bands fans made about me, apparently she saw a photo and realized who I was so she reached out, now that she's over eighteen and could."

"Is it Sadie?" Rebecca asks, turning the griddle off as she pulls the last of the pancakes off of it.

"Ya, I'm really excited actually." Elodie nods, "I don't miss what life was like before I found you and Peter, but I miss some of the people, and Sadie is one I miss more than the rest."

"Well then eat up, and go get ready. You have someone to see today!"

"Thanks, Rebecca." El chuckles, taking the plate she is offered and filling it with pancakes, adding toppings before digging into the delicious breakfast.

***

Elodie scrolls through her phone as she waits in the coffee shop, her eyes glancing up to the door each time she hears the small bell sound. Going through her photos from Europe she pauses as she sees the one she took of Luke in Milan, laying on the floor with his guitar. How was he doing after getting home a couple nights ago? He never texted her, so hopefully that is a good thing. Maybe Amy actually left the house so he could go home safely, although she doubts it, she's hoping that is what happened.

"This seat taken?" She looks up suddenly, her eyes meeting a pair of beautiful brown ones behind thin round gold glasses.

"Sadie." She stands quickly, pulling the younger girl into a tight hug.

"Hi, sis." Sadie's arms tighten around Elodie's middle, both girls holding tightly for a long minute.

"I've missed you so much." Elodie finally lets go, stepping back enough to meet Sadie's eyes again.

"You have no idea how much I have been dying to reconnect with you, El. I can't believe it's been seven years."

"But it never will be again." El grins, pulling Sadie with her to the line.

"Never. How are you, El?"

"I'm doing well. I ended up getting adopted by the mom who fostered me after we were split up, and she is amazing, as is her son."

"I'm so glad you got put in a good place."

"Where did you end up? You had a full six years left in the system when everything happened." El asks as they step to the front of the line, Elodie showing the barista her mobile order number as Sadie orders at the register.