Original post: OMAP Party: Evelyn’s Brewing House Grand Opening - Aedan and Jessica https://www.star-fleet.com/core/stf3/outpost42/notes/4966/

Continuation post OMAP Party: Evelyn’s Brewing House Grand Opening - Aedan and Evie https://www.star-fleet.com/core/stf3/outpost42/notes/5398/

SNIP

Aedan stood as he paced the room, he doubted she was done with her pow wow but felt little obligation to stay and continue. “Do you have anything else you want to bring up? Or are we quite finished here?”

~Aedan Teller

“Yes, I do. If you could indulge me for just one more minute. I promise no more nosy questions,” Evie said hoping she had not pushed Aedan so into the defensive zone he was done listening to her.

Aedan took a deep breath, she was insistent wasn’t she. “You are a persistent old bitty aren’t you? Fine, ask away.” he said as he smiled slightly. He had to admire her tenacity. She was certainly someone who didn’t stop for any reason.

While she did not know Aedan well, she did know and respect his desire for directness. “I had an Aunt. Great Aunt really on my father’s side. I think she might have even just been his cousin or one of those family friends you just all call Aunt. Her relationship isn’t as important as her name. Alice Cox. Does that ring a bell to you?”

Evie McGarrett

Aedan paused, he eyed her carefully as she said that name, “Yes… how… what game is this?” he said, clearly feeling defensive again as he looked at her closely.

~Aedan Teller

Evie studied Aedan hard before moving the desk and picking up the framed image lying on it. His admission that he recognized the name did not fit with the way he was acting or did it. Maybe that was why she was given the money. Maybe that was the reason Aedan panicked when Jessica hung the picture of the old farmhouse. “That picture Jessica hung on the wall of the old farmhouse. That was her house but you knew that didn’t you. That’s why you made her take it down. I know the house,” Evie picked up the image on her desk, “because my parents sent me and my sister there as kids for a couple of weeks each summer.” Looking at the picture she then asked Aedan again. “So how did you know Aunt Alice?”

Evie McGarrett

” I only know the name cause I own the deed.” Aedan admitted, he bought the house a long time ago but the why wasn’t something he ever admitted.

“You own this house,” Evie held up the picture. Her voice had a hint of frustration and anger to it. “You bought this house and you let it go to seed. Why?” Evie looked at Aedan with a penetrating stare. So much of her childhood was caught up in that house. Finding years ago that it was not only sold but then discarded like it meant nothing to the new owner had been a source of ire within the family. Numerous times they had tried to find the buyer but it was always a dead end. Now Aedan was telling her that he was the one who bought the home.

“You haven’t been there in a very long time have you? I had that place complexly restored like five to six years ago. Though I do recall rumblings the first few years I had before I had it completely restored. That was you causing my lawyers headaches? I just assumed you were some stupid landmark society trying to get the house protected.” Aedan admitted, he even purposely slowed down it’s restoration to just spite them. Aedan would never let the house rot, sentiment wasn’t something he had in spades but this was quite literally the very last part of his parents.

He knew his mom visited the location, it was honestly the only place he knew had any connection to his mom period. “My mom… she had this picture on her. It one of the few things I ever had over her. I wanted to own the only piece of her past I knew existed so I bought out them home.” Aedan admitted, feeling uneasy as he spoke. What was Evie getting at? He didn’t know where this was headed but felt like it was getting to close to his past.

~Aedan Teller

“Your mother,” she said slowly as if the words Aedan spoke were devastating news. Adjusting on the couch Evie felt as if the room was spinning. Her face grew a bit paler and she moved slowly to the edge of the couch as if she were about to get up. “Your mother visited here,” Evie said almost in an accusatory tone spinning the picture around so that Aedan could look at it. “When? When did she take you here?”

Evie McGarrett

“I don’t know, maybe three. That was when I went to the orphanage, so it had to have been shortly before then. Did you know my mom?” Aedan said as he looked with a sense of confusion almost. If her aunt owned this her mom could have been someone they knew. He knew little of who Alice Cox was, he didn’t even know his mom’s maiden name. When she married his father everything seemed to have gotten lost and buried. Aedan’s past was quite honestly an enigma to even him at times. How could his mother have known Evie’s Aunt? It didn’t make any sense to him.

Evie took a steadying breath. This moment was critical for so many reasons. One day she would tell Aedan how her heart raced to hear his story. She would share with him how she wanted to blurt out everything but knew if the facts were wrong the consequences would be severe. She had to be sure not only for Aedan’s sake but for her own. Part of Evie wanted to end the conversation now and pretend this didn’t happen. If what she believed was true then her family would never forgive themselves. She had never thought to ask Aedan about his family. She didn’t even know his mother’s name. She had to find out more before she mentioned her suspicions. “I am not sure. What do you know about your mother,” she asked him gently.

“All I know about my mother, Elizabeth Teller, and my father, Alan Teller… is behind mystery and history. She visited that little village and home a few times, it was important I knew and I am told they loved each other… and me… very much. I wouldn’t know, they were murdered when I was three and I was left in an ally drenched in their blood crying.”

~Aedan Teller

Evie sunk back on the couch staring at Aedan as if he were a ghost. Why did she not see it? The way his mouth curled up into a half grin when he smiled. Not the public toothy grin but the off-guard smirk he shared at times with Jessica and at times her. That was Elizabeth’s. The shape of his nose matched that of the McGarrett’s but there was only so many shapes of noses. There would be more parts of her in him the closer Evie looked. Still, she needed to be absolutely sure before they told anyone. Clearing her throat, Evie took a deep breath and let it out slowly. She had no idea how Aedan would react. Evie tried to wipe all expectations from her mind as she said simply, “I had a sister named Elizabeth.” Evie let the words hang long enough to catch a breath before starting again. “She and I spent summers at Alice Cox’s place. Many summers until she ran away with a man named Alan.” Evie did not say anymore but walked to her desk. Pulling out an image she had in a drawer she handed it to Aedan. It was the same farmhouse but when it was someone’s home: Alice’s home. It was the same angle as the one Aedan owned except there were two girls in it. One was of Evie about fifteen. The other a girl clearly related to her but several years younger. She needed to gauge Aedan’s reaction before she continued and spoke about the next steps that needed to be done.

Evie McGarrett.