Peyton is being pulled between worlds. There's the real world, and the one of her dreams. Except, this 'dream' world seems unsettlingly real and tangible, and that little red-head boy doesn't feel like something her brain would create. Despite growi...
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Peyton pushed her shopping cart down the grocery store aisles as she tried to decide what to make for dinner. She could have the chef take care of everything, but she didn't feel settled with that idea. It was a family dinner, not a function, and it went against her memories to make such a gathering so sterile.
She put a couple bundles of asparagus in her cart, as well as a few add-ins for a salad. They still had the fresh produce from the Kent farm, so she didn't need to buy any. When she wandered over to the butcher she had to remind herself that prices didn't really matter to her and settled on steaks. It still struck her as jarring sometimes.
She was rich.
She'd always been rich, but she hadn't.
Peyton rubbed between her eyes; sometimes the clashes in what she knew hit her more obviously than others. It was always so unsettling because both truths felt so distinctly embedded in her. Inherent. Sometimes, more often now, it felt like she'd lived both.
Peyton noticed another cart heading down the aisle toward her and moved to scoot her own out of the way.
"Oh, Peyton, hello!"
She actually looked at the person pushing the cart and the man made eye contact, she instantly recognized him.
"Gabe, hi, how are you doing?"
She hadn't seen Gabe Sullivan since the incident at the plant, but Lex had only said positive things about him, if he mentioned Gabe at all.
"Great, thank you. Chloe and I are just doing our weekly shopping. She insists on coming so I don't buy anything 'unhealthy'."
He used air quotes and rolled his eyes in jest and Peyton laughed. Blonde spiky hair appeared around the aisle and Chloe crossed her arms as she gave her father an admonishing look.
"That's because if I didn't interfere we'd only have a loaf of Wonder Bread and some frozen dinners in the freezer."
Gabe huffed in petulance but Peyton grinned.
"She has a point," Peyton said. "I'm sure Chloe would prefer to have you around for a long time."
"See. Everyone else gets it."
"I'm the father," Gabe argued, "and I can get myself a box of Pop-Tarts if I want to."
"That's just sugar, dad."
"And devoid of natural ingredients," agreed Peyton.
"And now I'm really getting some. If you're so against it, I trust I won't have any issues with you stealing from my delicious blueberry stash. If you'll excuse me, Peyton."
He pushed his cart away with his back straight, chin high, and elbows locked. It was clearly a bit they'd played through before because Chloe watched his display with an unsurprised roll of her eyes.
