MM: get what you see

[isaysimplewords]

Today, Cal is vomit-free.

He has a small scarlet feather in his hair, though. He hasn't noticed it yet.

He's at a table with a cup of coffee, half-watching the crowd.

Comments

[prima_sequentem]

When James catches sight of him, she starts to smile.

Starts to wave, to relax a little, to look like someone who's seen a familiar face.

And then she stops.

[isaysimplewords]

"Yeah, I'm not him." He sounds like this happens a lot.

(It kind of does, but not nearly as often as it seems like to him.)

"Sorry."

He speaks with a smile to soften it. Double-induced awkwardness can be embarrassing.

[prima_sequentem]

"You have a feather in your hair," she observes, coming closer.

[isaysimplewords]

"Do I?" Cal runs his hand through his hair and finds the feather.

"Oh. Yeah, I work at an animal shelter. We have a bird in this week."

Which is weird, because Elaine doesn't usually allow more exotic pets unless it's an emergency, and even then she gets them out to shelters better set up for them within a day.

- Cal is pretty sure that's the only reason why it's weird.

[prima_sequentem]

James leans both hands on the back of the chair across from him and studies his face as though it's the most profound mystery she's ever seen.

(Her eyes flick briefly to his left hand.)

Then she pulls the chair out and sits.

"Cal Chandler." It's not a question.

[isaysimplewords]

. . . that's the second time in a week he's been mistaken for - well. Himself.

That's not usually how it works.

He nods slowly, looking at her with more interest.

"I'm sorry, I don't recognize you."

[prima_sequentem]

Her lips quirk. She absolutely can't help it.

"I know they like to joke about you, Cal, but you're usually quicker on the draw than this."

[isaysimplewords]

"This is Milliways," Cal points out. "You could be anyone."

And after the encounter with Sherlock, he really means anyone.

[prima_sequentem]

"I'm just teasing," she admits, leaning back in her seat and brushing a strand of hair out of her face with her left hand.

Two mildly interesting things become apparent: a very expensive men's watch, and a wedding ring.

[isaysimplewords]

The watch is the more interesting item - Cal recognizes the way she's dressed from the social circles he was in once upon a time, and he can't recall any women who would have openly worn an obviously masculine accessory like that.

(Anyone can be married.)

"Then who are you?" he asks. It's a little blunt, but her remark put him on his guard.

[prima_sequentem]

"Your wife."

[isaysimplewords]

Cal's eyebrows arch.

"You don't look like Deborah."

She's not even blonde.

[prima_sequentem]

"I'm not Deborah," she says dryly.

"I'm James."

[isaysimplewords]

She's not blonde and she has a man's name. (Which does match the watch.)

Not a chance. Mother and Grahame would never have gone for it.

. . . on the other hand, not all the parallel worlds are necessarily the same. Cal doesn't actually have a lot of experience with his own doubles, or people who know them.

(Why can't he ever meet anyone from home?)

"Good to meet you, James," he says, on sheer social reflex.

[prima_sequentem]

"I dyed my hair and went by Elizabeth," she explains, because it's excruciatingly obvious. "But your family's approval doesn't matter so much these days, so I'm back to brunette."

[isaysimplewords]

Now that has Cal's interest.

"Really," he says.