just a question or two

 Megan needed to keep her head above water. No way could she drown in her sorrow. She didn't want to make herself sick. Besides, there were other things to worry about than Garth and the Vespa. After all, Thanksgiving was coming. Even if it felt like yesterday she'd confided in Cori, the days went by and they both sufficed.

What would Caitlin think if Tori showed up with Dylan on feast day? Maybe it was a week ago, Megan ran into Dylan at the coffee shop when she was making one of her little runs to Dollar Tree for a craft thing with the children's class she was teaching online. 

And he'd remembered her... he was also worried about Caitlin. So..so they'd exchanged numbers (as if to keep dibs on her). Dylan was really into texting, evidently. He texted Megan like she was his new best friend. And then he'd met Tori and evidently hit it off.

He told her all about Tori's voice problems. How she needed surgery to get her opera voice back. She'd won quite a few competitions. Even during the holidays last year she'd made so many appearances with the local orchestra she was an honorary member. Tori sounded amazing, even on video. But she couldn't belt out the high notes nor even low notes now and was afraid she might lose her voice altogether if she did the surgery. 

Even Megan felt bad for Tori, but she was making it so impossible to know her, yet Dylan knew the lowdown when it came to Tori.

Megan showed Cori the text and the video after they got dressed and drank more coffee and thought about what to make for dinner among other things Megan was certain Caitlin would find trite, but tried and true for Megan and Cori. This was their everyday life. Ever so ordinary yet sweet.

"You still think she's your imaginary girlfriend?" Megan said aloud although, she didn't know what else to call Tori.

"Hard to say," he shrugged, but she knew he sensed it even in his voice.

She knew there was no easy answer. Perhaps the illusion of Tess would fade over time, but Megan was certain this issue of his must stem from somewhere. Was it just elementary bullying? Or could it be how he grew up?

"I think we should ask Tori," Megan said as they were at the dining table sorting through coupons and sketching meal plans. After all, Thanksgiving was coming.

"Ask me what?" Tori appeared a lot like Tess... suddenly. Neither, really expected her response.

"Oh, you know, do you think you'll be here for Thanksgiving?" Cori made an effort to speak to her.

"Maybe," she swelled a frown.

"Then..I'm sure Dylan would come if..if you asked," Megan gritted a grin as if they were all friends here. Especially for Thanksgiving.

She nodded as if she needed to go do something, unconcerned of what the real question was.

"There..there is something..that's bothering the both of us," Megan then sighed.

"Like what?" Tori looked at both of them as if she had all the qualifications of being professionally something yet not.

"Does Cori look familiar to you?" Megan asked. Tori looked at him blankly. He then asked if she'd gone to the same elementary school he'd attended, here in the metro.

"Um, I don't know, vaguely..perhaps..." She stumbled for words.

"Have you always gone by the name Tori?" Cori asked.

Tori winced as if she didn't know how to complete that sentence.