Natalie watched the events unfold in front of her and felt kind of isolated. She didn't belong in that conversation but here she was. But to her chagrin Witt was correct about Renee's situation of not really telling him much at all.
Nat just shook her head at all the stress exuding out the front seat. She then messaged her papa asking for him to prep some of her clothes and her Nessie onesie. As well as her some of electrical gear so she could help Witt while she was there with his project. Knowing that Elliott's mechanism to burn off stress is to work constantly.
"Oh no he must be really stressed he is white knuckling the wheel.", Nat thought to herself as saw Eli's knuckle skin tone shift from his normally bronze skin to pasty white.
The group were now outside the Witt household where Eli pulled up and parked behind Elon's truck. Witt then shifted the rear-view mirror so he could see Nat's and Renee's eyes. "Hey Ren, Nat will be staying over the night in our room and she will take my bed.", Witt told the emo whose eyes pop up a bug and was about to say something before Witt ran inside the house quick.
Before the girls had gotten inside Eli saw his ma in the kitchen and asked her to discuss something in her room privately.
Ren was a second too late because Witt was gone, and she was alone with Nat, so she decided to just take the electrical engineer to her room.
*Meanwhile with inch worm and mama Witt*
"So, ma Nat is going to stay the night in my bed… something is up with Ren.", Elliott told her as he was grabbing a water out of her mini fridge.
"Is it that 'thing'?", His mom asked and seeing how her son didn't react she knew she hit it right on the money.
"Yeah, apparently she was from Typhon… she was one of those kids ma.", Elliott explained with a look of disgust on his face.
"Oh no… your father may have known her then. Being on that science team.", Evelyn suggested making Elliott snap his head back to his mom.
"I hope not…that bastard couldn't care for his own kids I wonder how it went for those who weren't his offspring.", Elliott commented as he was walking towards the door to go back outside.
"Hey Eli, I will wash your sheets for her and I will pull out the air mattress for you in the loft. And please drive safe I know how she stressed you out.", Evelyn requested with a smile.
"I will and thank you. And can you try to talk to her as well? She isn't really responsive to me for whatever reason.", Elliott asked as he is opening the door.
"Sure, thing love.", Evelyn responded with a thumbs up and her child on his way.
As Evelyn watched the young man leave the house, she made her way over to his room with a hamper ready to collect his sheets.
She knocked on the door to see Natalie greeting her with a smile and saw Renee inspecting the door waiting for someone taller and younger to enter with her too.
"Renee dear Elliott went over to Natalie's house to get her belongings.", Evelyn informed Renee who just made an "oh" shape on her lips.
"Ok thank you Evelyn. And we already stripped Elliott's bed.", Renee mentioned as she grabbed his bedding placed it into the hamper.
Evelyn thanked the young woman and looked into her eyes. What was once dull and somewhat lifeless were filled with dread. And her usual tense expression is more laxed. Before the mother left, she asked, "Hey Renee are you alright? If you got anything to talk about just spit. I won't tell anyone… mother's law."
Renee looked at Evelyn for a moment and held a hesitant stare. While she wanted to talk about her issues, she didn't want to discuss it with Evelyn. Especially since she reminds her so much of her father. Evelyn however picked up on the fact she wasn't wanted and just simply walked out the door.
Nat was just watching in silence as the elder woman left and began to have a "staring" contest with Renee who herself didn't know what to say.
Natalie who wanted to break this newfound silence asked, "Do you have any homework you need assistance with mon amie?"
Renee willing to do literally anything else but discuss about what happened at the mall just went with it. She then pulled out her physics homework.
"I was going to ask Eli… to help me but I appreciate it.", Renee commented as he pulled up a secondary chair to her desk. Well it's her desk but most of the space is covered by Elliott's old drafts cluttered the table.
As Nat was taking her seat, she saw Renee have a more quizzical look as she starred at a Physics question that was simple to her but not Renee. She was surprised that she saw some AP physics stuff on there as well.
"You know funnily enough the problems you are struggling with are from my AP class.", Natalie told her as she began to write out an example of how to do some of the other problems.
"Oh, so that's how you do it? Weird how it is AP though…", Renee realized as she was working on it.
While Renee kept working on her homework she glanced at Nat and pondered. How is she so content even after losing her mother,
You should ask her about it…
"No why would I? I wouldn't expect how she would react to it.", Renee chirped back mentally and scribbled harder.
Ohhhhhhh… so you are scared to confront yourself and her?
"Weren't you guys the ones who told me not to talk about it?", Renee questioned her conscious.
Well, all of that changed after you blew up in the mall… plus it's healthy to talk about your problems. Remember as you told Witt its not a weakness to expose your weakness to those you trust.
"But… how? I don't want them to know about typhon.", Renee continued to fight back as she took a stop in her writing. Natalie took a notice to this and started to walk over to Renee.
"Are you done?", Natalie asked but when she looked at Renee's work, she noticed how she wasn't even close to being done with her work at all. But instead, her arm that held her pencil was shaking.
"Mon amie? Are you ok?", Nat asked putting a hand on her shoulder.
Now she is staring… just ask her.
Renee looked at Nat and took a deep breath to compose herself and asked, "What was it like when your mother died?"
Nat taken a back by this sudden question, but she was kind of glad she asked. Renee was finally starting to open.
"When my ma left this world, I was still a lil' kid and I was confused. But to be honest with you I was angry.", Nat started off and got a more concentrated look from Renee. Who had a ghost of a smile showing. She started to imagine an angry Natalie. That would be a sight to behold but she immediately shoved that curiosity down her gut and went back to her more stoic demeanor she was akin to.
"I thought she had abandoned me and papa. But I didn't understand at the time… that she just passed. I used to destroy things we made together. Me and Papa used to always argue over her. I would be mad and blame her for leaving us. And papa he would just sit there and take it… not sure how to handle it.", Natalie continued with a look of embarrassment.
"But after a couple of years and counseling I was able to calm down. My papa though was more affected than I was. He used to say it was hard to look at me since I look just like her. And honestly, he still hasn't gotten over her but… I don't blame my papa for that. However, I would like to add it did become easier when Tae introduced me to this group a few years ago. It helped fill the whole that was created. The bottom of the line is that this trauma you experienced will never truly disappear but you can learn how to accept and not clammer down on one incident for the rest of your life.", Natalie finished her rant and pulled a chair up to Renee.
Renee was quiet for a moment mulling over what Natalie had said. Her mother's passing and the feeling she got from it were completely different than hers.
"You don't have to talk about its mon amie. We all have our own ways with dealing with stress and sadness. For example, Elliott tells jokes to cover for his insecurities and generally down plays his situation. Which it with in it's self is a complete and utter down play. If you will not talk to me Renee, please tell Elliott.", Natalie pleaded and got a look of understanding.
Renee took a deep breath and gained some composure. She then grabbed Nat's hands and stared right into her eyes.
"Nat Imma tell you all of this once so listen up.", Renee told Nat who just nodded silently.
"When I was about ten my mother and father headed one of the most controversial experiments done by the IMC. It was called operation void walker. They would test adult IMC soldiers with drugs and some portal technology the old simulacrum pilots used to use. But nothing really worked… so the government decided to do something different and used the orphans of Typhon as experiments. Since they were easily manipulated and who would go looking for an orphan. My ma and dad were very much against this. Which just meant they were a roadblock for the IMC to drive over. And drive over them they did. As I said earlier the IMC pulled us out of our home and shot me like a dog. But what I didn't say is that my dad was stuffed into an APC and was never seen again. Me though I tried to run away as fast as I could and was caught not too long after that. I was detained and tossed into a van which had several kids in it. That's when I realized my life was over… I was soon to be an experiment, I couldn't mourn the loss of my mother, and my dad's faith was a mystery.", Renee explained with a huff as she felt a burning feeling behind her pupils. But she refused to relieve that burning sensation. Not in front of Nat. However, she can't lie it did feel good to get some of that off her chest.
"Oh my god Renee how long were you holding that in for. That's terrible. Who would do something like that to just a child.", Natalie exclaimed at pure insanity of how cruel people are especially the IMC. She then hugged Renee.
"Do they know where you are? How did you escape? Are you hu-", Natale started to rapidly question the young woman. But was interrupted with a finger to the mouth.
"Shhhhhh… I am ok and safe. Quite frankly they probably think I am dead and burned alive. But that's a story for another day it was already painful enough to be dragged back into those memories.", Renee reassured with a genuine smile which Nat had accepted.
*Meanwhile with the bamboozling dipshit himself*
Elliot had finally arrived at the Piquette household and gave a knock on the door.
"Hello who is it? Oh it you Witt what brings you to my place at this hour son?", the kind professor asked as he greeted his student.
"Oh s-s-sorry I am here for Natalie's bags and stuff. She spending the night at me and Renee's.", Elliott replied sheepishly looking at the dark sky and the full moon.
"Ah she did say something like that… I will be back soon just wait here.", the professor instructed the young man who just stared at the stars.
He knows most if not most of the stars thanks to his dad. The one good memory he had was learning about all of the stars and how he planning to gain the power of one. He was an student in astronomy at the time with big dreams but no room for dream from his family. God if only his dad were here and was an actual ok father. He needs some advice for his emo problem. How to fix it? Then it hit him. If he can't ask his own dad he's got to go with next best thing…. (Bing for sure) he would ask Natalie's father.
As that thought cycle ended out came the professor with a Nessie bag, Nessie sleeping bag, and a tool box labeled the electricians metronome.
"Here you go son.", the professor handed Nat's things to Witt.
As the professor was turning around Witt perked up and asked a question, "Hey sir I wanted to ask a personal question for advice if you don't mind."
The professor turned back around and knew where this was going and nodded.
"When Natalie lost her mother what did you do? Because, Renee is having problems with loss and I am completely lost on what to do. Like I tell her everything. Especially my insecurities but she has herself locked up. I just don't what to do she is like walking through a mind field when it come's to talking about her." , Elliott ranted as he paced around the front door.
The professor gave him an understanding smile, "When Nat lost her mother I just was there and listened. And took the abuse she would fling at her mother's name and just reassure her she cared. But the problem your facing is different. Nat was a child and Renee is a woman. And all of my years on this earth and decades in science leads me to believe there isn't really a right way to approach women about their feelings. Just wait it out and show that you care. Ok?"
"Ughhh. Ok, have a goodnight, sir.", Elliott muttered as he walk to his car.
"Please call me Jean. By the way can you ask your mother if she is still good with dinner for tomorrow?", Jean requested giving Witt a bewildered look.
"IF SHE IS OK WITH WHATTTTTTTTT?!", Elliott shouted a lil too loud.
(Ayo there will be one more chapter about the Renee saga. Also, Imma make mama Witt les lonely by making her date Nat's dad. Thoughts? Also, would y'all like to see a chainsaw man fanfic?)