Right Behind You

Chapter Forty-Six: Hot Tub Dream Machine

"Ayy, I need a hot tub time machine

Then I can go back and fix everything
Same old you, but a different me (Yeah)
Maybe we can be human beings
Still struggling with a whole lot of things
I'm still down here spiraling
'Cause I don't wanna (How?)
I don't wanna function without you (I don't know how)
Especially if I don't have to (I don't know how)
But you know there's something about you (I don't know how)
That makes me happy, but makes me so sad too (I don't wanna)
I don't wanna function without you (I don't know how)
Especially if I don't have to (I don't know how)
But you know there's something about you (I don't know how)
That makes me happy, but makes me so sad too

Makes me so damn sad." 

-Tobi Lou (hot tub DREAM Machine)

Kae: 

-Flashback-

"Riny." Mr. Tavana looked at me intently as if he were watching a film, hanging onto every single last word before the ending credits. My body tensed under his touch, mostly because I was in uniform, therefore in "Odyssey" mode; he was supposed to be my superior, but here I was searching for my paternity to him. My eyes never left his, the longer I looked into his eyes, the more of a reflection of myself I saw in him. I looked at myself in the mirror countless times...too many times as a kid wondering where they had come from. I made up theories that someone in my family from generations ago had these eyes and that they were a recessive trait passed down to me, just like my biology books.

But the biology was right in front of me, calling me by my name.

"How do you know my name?" As far as I was concerned, Odyssey member's real names were classified, even the bankroller of the organization fathom needed to know the true identity of a member. Our codenames essentially became our names, no longer a need for the old one.

Like a rebirth.

Mr. Tavana's smile grew wide with amusement, "Because I named you." He stated simply.

My eyes widened in shock. He named me?

I had always thought my mother had one of her drug episodes and pulled that out of thin air knowing how she used to behave when she was on the drugs, I thought nothing of it...maybe even feeling ashamed of the name, I allowed people to call me by my middle name.

I cleared my throat breaking my gaze away from him and gestured to Sabien sitting watching this entire scene unfold before her. "That's Sabien," I said in an attempt to take the attention off of me, this was a lot to take in. Mr. Tavana removed his hands from me, sparring me one look before walking over to Sabien who got up the moment she noticed he was approaching her.

"This is her?" He asked me in Farsi and I nodded.

He took a long look at her, observing her features before putting her face in between his hands.

"You carry a closer resemblance to your brother... I never quite got to see how you grew up to look like." He said to her. Sabien looked at him confusingly as she attempted to decipher what she said.

"She only speaks English," I informed him.

Mr. Tavana nodded and switched to the language. "Hello, Sabien." He greeted her.

Sabien's confused look switched into one of glee. "Nice to finally meet you, dad." She said.

Mr. Tavana smiled, letting go of her face. "My daughters, this is no place for a conversation like this. Please follow me to my private office." He stepped back from Sabien and escorted us out of the living space into another area. Sabien and I walked behind him as we surveyed the house we currently were in. To say it was gorgeous was an understatement, it was literally like a kingdom. Kind of like the Palace of Versailles. The ceilings were extremely high and hanging with crystal chandeliers everywhere I looked; there were even priceless art adorning the walls, as well as angelic statues in the center of certain foyer areas. The windows were beautifully shaped and let in tons of light into the house giving it a bright and airy appearance.