[open] one day i slowly floated away

[daredtobelieve]

It's almost as if Helen never left, or at least it feels that way to her. In fact, in all the time that Helen was gone, she only experienced a single day, from her perspective. And that day had been spent in a mirror version of this Chicago, where no one knew she existed

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[thesoundofblood]

Rufus never forgets a face. Especially if they've been to one of his parties. Speaking of parties, he's a little hung over right now. Which is why he's in this cafe. Having just purchased a large and extremely sugary coffee, he heads out with his sunglasses still on.

And he spies her waiting in line and raises his eyebrows. He remembers speaking to Helen at the Midsummer Night's Dream shindig he hosted.

"Helen, m'dear," he says, stopping, a bright grin on his face, "Long time no see,"

[daredtobelieve]

Helen turns her head just slightly, relieved to hear someone speaking her name, since yesterday she felt like she was introducing herself all over again roughly a hundred times. Rufus, unfortunately, had been someone that she had bumped into, and thus Helen's expression is a mix of confusion and annoyance.

"Oh, quite. A whole ten or so hours, by my count. Seems as though your memory has returned, or do you simply recall our encounter from yesterday evening?"

Still in line, Helen places her hands on her hips and arches an eyebrow, shifting slightly as the line progresses.

[thesoundofblood]

Rufus frowns for a moment, his jaw slackened at the expression he's given. Huh? He pauses for a moment, actually wondering what on earth's going on. No... more time has passed. He's not been that drunk.

He talks a long sip from his coffee and shakes his head.

"... I think you might be a little confused, hun," he says, tilting his head to the side, still frowning, "I ain't seen you in some months now,"

[daredtobelieve]

"That's very funny. Hilarious, even. Between the amnesia act yesterday and now this? I'd say you should take this show on the road." By now, she's come to her turn in line. She orders and steps aside.

"I'd suggest laying off the drink, but it wasn't just you. The whole bloody city up and forgot about me yesterday. Is the Rift known for that? Singling a person out like that with no warning?"

[arrowinmyheel]

Sonny does not usually leave his bar except in certain circumstances or when the narration forces him. He was actually supposed to meet someone at the cafe. Business related as usual. Stupid fucking place for a meeting in his opinion. However, the guy never showed up, and he sighs before getting to his feet, tossing one finished coffee into the trashcan, and stepping into the line again.

It takes him a second, but he realizes he recognizes the woman in front of him.

"Helen? Fuck--" Some woman on the side with her children gives him a sideways look. He rolls his eyes. This is why he doesn't leave his bar.

Really? So you can cuss in peace, Sonny?

"I thought you were..." He shakes his head, trying to search for the right word. "I thought you were gone."

[daredtobelieve]

Eyebrow arched and all disgruntled form her previous experience with the citizens of Chicago, Helen faces Sonny with her arms crossed over her chest.

"Gone? No, but I might as well have been for how you acted yesterday. I know I don't stop by your bar all that often, but really... I assumed you'd do well to at least remember my name. But at least you seem to have recovered your memory after my re-introduction. Still..." She stops her irritated rambling and realizes that his reaction isn't exactly normal. "...Why do you look so surprised?"

[arrowinmyheel]

Sonny is wondering what he did to bring out the crossed arms and disgruntled expression this early in to a conversation. He didn't think he had a bad rep with her.

"...uh. You weren't in my bar yesterday, Helen. If you were, I would've remembered and said the same fffff-- thing to you yesterday," he says to her. It is not so easy for him to forget, which makes him wonder if she'd even seen him yesterday or something else completely. "Because I thought you were gone or... dead, and you're not. You're here. I haven't seen you in months."

[daredtobelieve]

"Months? But that's impossible. I haven't been anywhere but here in a very long time." Her confusion causes her brows to furrow. His surprise seems genuine, but more than that, she's baffled as to what he means about her being gone for months.

Unfortunately, the line is not too terribly long, and before she knows it, Helen is next in line. She orders her tea and pays for her paper before stepping to the side to wait for her drink.

"Sonny... when's the last that you remember seeing me?"

[lil_nellie]

Nellie doesn't know Helen, they never had the pleasure of meeting before, but she happens to be standing in line already at the cafe. She isn't too sure what to do with her day, but taking it easy is favorable.

She's pulling a few bills out of her pocket for the smoothie she wants to buy, and she accidentally drops one without even realizing it.

[daredtobelieve]

Helen doesn't mind waiting in line for her morning tea, but is still a bit off-put by the events from the prior day. Still, she's simply standing in line, like everyone else.

But it seems that everyone else isn't quite as much of a good Samaritan as Helen. She bends down and picks up the loose bill, tapping the young blonde woman in front of her on the shoulder.

"Miss? I believe you dropped this."

[lil_nellie]

Nellie spins around at the tap on her shoulder, and her eyes widen a bit. "Oh, wow, thank you." She knows most people probably wouldn't do this, return her money, and she's a bit surprised this woman has.

"That's...really nice of you," she says as she takes the bill and wraps it in her hand. "Most people would just pocket it."

[daredtobelieve]

Helen just smiles and shakes her head. "Think nothing of it. Really. I'm sure anyone else in this line would have done the same." But most of those people aren't making much eye contact. Helen notices and her brown furrows slightly.

"Or perhaps not..." She muses before shaking her head. "In either case, you may want to be more careful with your money, my dear. "