Chapter 253 Los Angeles
Thursday, January 26th, Morning
Sitting at her desk, she looked at the screen and shook her head. The image of one of her little sisters holding up clothes started to wear on her. Candi wasn't much for fashion, usually nowadays wearing hospital scrubs or sportswear, but Ellie insisted she consults Candi on this matter.
"Remind me again why I'm being consulted," Candi said, a bit annoyed.
"You're the only person I know that went Goth," Ellie said.
"That was sixteen odd years ago; I wouldn't know the first thing about the scene now," Candi said.
"So, what do you think so far?" Ellie asked.
"You've been watching too many vampire movies," Candi said.
"What else do I have for reference?" Ellie asked.
Candi shrugged, "I don't know, as I said before, I've not been in the scene since high school," she said.
"Well, I wonder if I still have enough time to dye my hair," Ellie said.
"You don't have to," Candi said.
"What?" Ellie asked, "I thought all Goths went for black hair."
"There's a thing called Pastel Goths which your hair could go with," Candi said.
"You remember that?" Ellie asked.
"Someone in my circle when I was a Goth was a pastel," Candi said.
"What about you?" Ellie asked.
"I dyed my hair dark, and cut it short, remember?" Candi asked.
"Yeah, I do," Ellie said.
"So, yup, I wasn't a Pastel Goth," Candi said.
"So, anyway, what do you think of what I picked out?" Ellie asked.
Candi shrugged and sighed, "It seems to work, from what I remember, but things might have changed Els," she said.
"You've been very helpful; you don't know how much, Candi," Ellie said.
"Glad I could help, as little as I could," Candi said.
"Don't say that Candi, you've been most helpful," Ellie said.
"What's this all about anyway?" Candi asked.
"I'm going to a club called Absolution," Ellie said.
"Why am I not surprised there's a club involved?" Candi asked.
"It's not like that; it's for an investigation piece I'm doing," Ellie said.
"Right, just be safe," Candi said.
"I always am, Candi," Ellie said.
"I taught you well," Candi said.
"Yes, you did," Ellie said, "Candi, why did you go Goth?"
"You're asking all these years later?" Candi asked.
"I was distracted back then, and well, I figured it was a phase, but knowing you, it wasn't a phase," Ellie said.
"It was because the only people that accepted me at first were the Goths," Candi said.
"It didn't last long; why?" Ellie asked.
Candi shrugged, "I'm not exactly sure why, but I remember it wasn't for me, and the basketball team started accepting me, not much I remember," she said.
Ellie nodded, "So, when are you coming in?" she asked.
"Why are you so sure I'm coming?" Candi asked.
"Aunt Brooke already said she set aside rooms for you and your friends. Also, I know you, sis," Ellie said.
Candi laughed, "Yeah, well, I'll be there Saturday," she said.
"I can't wait to see you, but the weather sucks here, so no boats," Ellie said.
"Okay," Candi said and shook her head.
"Okay, well, I got to get ready," Ellie said.
"Enjoy yourself," Candi said, and the call disconnected.
Candi shrugged, stood up, and walked over to the bookcase. Scanning the shelves, she found a scrapbook Brooke and Peyton made her after her sophomore year at Duke. Flipping through the pages, she came to the high school years.
Before her eyes, Candi saw a picture of her dressed for Halloween with Kay and Ellie by her side. Candi smiled and rubbed the image with the tip of her figure.
Candi looked at the next picture, which showed Candi holding her first nephew, Adam, with his parents nearby, Keith and Izzy. Keith looked distant, and Izzy scared. Things changed soon after this picture.
Candi looked at the next picture was of Candi and two other girls. The caption said, good friends. One girl is an Asian Girl, dressed in Goth Style. The other girl was white, with white-blonde hair, and she also was dressed in Goth Style. Candi was at least a head taller than both; her hair was in a bob cut, and a bit darker than her current hair color is now; she also wore a similar style.
Closing the book, she laid it down on her desk. Candi turned to her bed, looking at her the nearly finished packed bags. Shaking her head, she dropped back down into the desk chair.
After a minute, there was a knock on her bedroom door. Candi looked up to see Doctor Fawn Cabot standing in the doorway.
"Yes, Fawn?" Candi asked.
"Have you seen my phone charger?" Fawn asked.
Candi shook her head, "No, I haven't," she said.
"Thanks," Fawn said and looked over Candi, "What's wrong?"
"Just got off Skype with Ellie," Candi said.
"What did little sister do?" Fawn asked.
"She asked my opinion on the Goth Style," Candi said.
"Why would she ask you that?" Fawn asked.
"I went Goth for a while in high school," Candi said.
Fawn chuckled, "Now that's something I'd like to see," she said.
"The scrapbook's on the desk," Candi said.
Fawn entered Candi's room and found the scrapbook. Fawn looked through the book until she found what she was looking for.
"You weren't that Goth," Fawn said.
"Yeah, well, I did what I did back then," Candi said.
"So, who are those two girls in this picture with you?" Fawn asked.
"Two friends I had in high school," Candi said.
"Will you be visiting them when we're there?" Fawn asked.
"Chances are no," Candi said.
"I take it's a long story," Fawn said.
"Yes, it is," Candi said.
"Well, I got to finished packing," Fawn said.
Candi nodded and watched Fawn leave. Candi stood up and picked up the scrapbook, took one last look at the picture. After a moment, she closed the book and put it back on the shelf.
