Page 75 of Legion
As a kid, watching her mother work, Naomi had admired how well Tia could read people.Even as an adult, she still found it impressive.Tia took in every micro-expression; noticed anything about a person’s voice or body language that gave away details.But it had been somewhat annoying for Naomi when she was a teenager who wanted to sneak off and do unadvisable things, because it was hard to get a lie past Tia.
Naomi pushed open the shop door, causing the chimes there to jingle.The smells of herbs, scented candles, and incense tickled her nose.
The color scheme was all blues, purples, and pinks.Framed ethereal pictures hung on the walls.Soft mystical music played low in the background.A seating area was set directly across from the cluttered cashier’s desk.The lighting was gentle—a combination of flickering candles and old lamps that featured purple shades.
Various merchandise was scattered around—some in glass cases, some on shelves, some near or on the cashier’s desk.There were also candles, crystals, angel statues, books, herb packets, pendulums, charm bracelets, essential oils—on and on it went.
Naomi blinked in surprise at the sight of Tobe leaning over the desk, smiling at the blonde imp behind it, who wore a gypsy-style dress.“I thought we were meeting up at the jewelry store,” she said to her anchor.
He gave a dry look.“Oh hi, Nome.Yes, Iamfine, thanks.”
Naomi rolled her eyes.“I know you’re fine.I spoke to you, like, two hours ago when we agreed to meet up.”
“Yeah, and I knew you’d be late—which you are, in case you haven’t noticed—so I figured I’d wait for you here.It gives me an excuse to chat up Yuliya.”
The receptionist grinned at him.“You never need an excuse to do that, honey.”She looked at Naomi.“Don’t let him give you crap for being late.He walked in here no more than thirty seconds before you.”
He gaped at her.“I can’t believe you threw me under the bus like that.”
The blonde gave an unapologetic shrug.“Sisters before misters.”
A snort popped out of Naomi.“Is my mom around?”
“She’s in the back room getting ready to close up,” replied Yuliya.She switched off the music.“You can go in there if you want; her last client of the day just left.”
“Great.”
“I’ll wait here,” said Tobe, his eyes fixed on Yuliya like she’d disappear if he looked away.
Smiling to herself, Naomi made a beeline for the back room.Pushing aside the privacy curtain, she slipped inside.Dressed in her usual bohemian getup, her mother was in the process of blowing out the candles that were set around the room.“Are you ready, Madam Tia?”
Her mother cast her a smile.“Almost.Thanks for picking me up, sweetheart.”
“Not a problem.You wiped my ass for, what, two whole years?The least I can do is give you a ride home when you need it.”
Tia chuckled.“Well, when you put it like that ...”She crossed to the circular cloth-covered table that had center-stage.“I haven’t spoken to you much this week, so I didn’t get a chance to ask ...How are things going with you and Luka?”
Naomi gave a blasé shrug.“Fine.”
“Just fine?”Tia prodded as she began pushing the chairs closer to the table.
“Just fine.”
“Huh.Must be something else that has you looking so content.The resting bitch face has gone.You’re a woman who is quite clearly satisfied with her life—I can tell.That man is doingsomethingright.Maybe you should let this one stick around.”
Naomi felt her brows slide together.“What do you mean ‘let’?”
“I mean that you have a habit of cutting men loose as soon as things get serious.”Tia reached across the table to snatch up the pile of angel cards sitting near the crystal ball.“You avoid emotional intimacy.Yes, you have secrets to guard.But that isn’t the only reason you do it.”
Feeling a little defensive, Naomi folded her arms.“Oh, it’s not?”she asked, snippy.
“No.Throughout your life, no matter your age, you’ve been bombarded with male attention.All sirens have that problem.There are enough sickos in this world that grown men are attracted to us when we’rechildren.We have to deal with them trying to stroke our hair, lure us closer, or watch us play in the park.It makes our skin crawl.Makes us feel preyed on.Makes us feel dirty and objectified.”
Naomi ground her teeth, recalling those occasions.Recalling the greedy gleam in the eyes of those men.“It must have been harder for you.You must have picked up some of what they were thinking, even seen flashes of what they were imagining.”
Tia swallowed, slipping the angel cards into a velvet pouch.“I did, but it doesn’t make my experiences worse than yours.Things get no better for sirens as we grow.It affects all our interpersonal relationships.Your friends distanced themselves from you when you were teenagers.One did it because it creeped her out that her dad would stare at you.Another did it because her boyfriend was so affected by your song.A third did it to please the jealous little bitches who bullied you simply because they didn’t like that you took away the male attention they sought.”
Naomi shoved back the memories that tried surfacing.Memories of how her friends had turned on or away from her.Memories of those previous friends laughing at what the bullies said or did.
