Are you almost here? I’m still waiting at the table,” said Chris Bennet, over the phone to his sister Grace.

“Yes, I’m almost there. I just pulled down Philadelphia Road.”

“Oh, great! Can’t wait to see you again sis,” he responded excitedly before hanging up.

“Don’t call me s- ugh.”

She changed her radio to 93.1, which was playing Knockin’ Boots, before getting back to the road. As she drove, she thought about what was inevitably going to be brought up with Chris.

“Damnit, what would I say?, she thought, “I mean, ‘So I went to this island but then Hurricane Matthew came and two of the other researchers I travelled with were made legally dead, so my life’s been just peachy,’ isn’t the best way to tell that story.

“Maybe I just tell him casually, I mean, it happened 2 years ago.”

As she stopped thinking for a moment, she quickly found the fact that she was almost to the Starbucks her brother asked to meet at, and that another Luke Brian song was playing.

Grace drove over and parked in a spot across the part of the building with the coffee shop. She got out, walking across the small lot to the sidewalk.

As she went inside, she noticed how unusually empty the Starbucks was, considering it’s popularity and it was still late morning. Almost immediately as she walked in, she saw her brother waving over to her.

Chris wasn’t really in shape, but he also wasn’t fat. He was wearing a black Jurassic Park t-shirt and jeans, coupled with a black Ocean City cap.

She walked over to his table and tried to sit down, but he got up and hugged her.

“It’s been too long, sis! We really need to do this more,” he said.

“Yeah, I guess, but can you stop constricting me?” she responded, not liking the attention of the other people inside.

“Oh, sorry.”

He lets her go and she sits down.

“So, what have you been up to for the last 2 years? The last time I saw you was-oh,” he suddenly stops and puts on a serious tone, “Wasn’t it before you went to-”

“Avetoro? Yes, it was,” she interrupts, “At least I don’t have to bring it up.”

“And before you ask, the trip just went great. I relaxed on the beach, studied birds, got evacuated because a bunch of people went missing, so just peachy.”

He looked at her for a second, “A normal person would act surprised and apologize for bringing it up, but let’s face it. You just wanted to have a comeback for me bringing it up. Right?”

“Pretty much. Let’s change the subject, why the hell did you wear a Jurassic Park shirt?”

“Oh, well today’s the anniversary of the movie’s release! And coincidentally it was also our meet-up. I wanted to just watch the movie tonight, but I’m heading out with a girl named Brooke tonight, so a shirt will do.”

“Good for you, and do you think wearing a Jurassic Park shirt will help her fall for you?”

“I’m going to change beforehand.”

“Good. I’m going to go get myself a frap, I’ll be right back.”

She gets up and walks to the counter, where a girl in her mid-twenties with a nose piercing was at the counter.

“Hi! What can I get you?” she asked.

“Just a vanilla bean frappuccino, grande,” Grace responded.

“Alright, what’s your name?”

“Grace, G-R-A-C-E.”

“Uh, alright, I’ll get on it.”

She started making the drink, while Grace walked back to her table.

“Did you really feel the need to spell out your name? That’s just an internet thing.”

“Yes, it’d probably come out as ‘Grase’ with an S if I didn’t spell it.”

Another silence, this time more awkward.

“So, you said you were going out with someone?”

“Yeah, someone I met in a bar. She looked pretty, and I asked her out. It’s been on and off for me. How about you, are you seeing anyone?”

“Eh, not really, I gue-”

“Grande Vanilla Bean Frappuccino!”

“Oh, one sec.”

Grace got up to get her drink, and picked it up from the barista.

“Thanks,” said Grace. The barista, however, was with someone else who entered the Starbucks.

“Alright, as I was saying, I guess I’m an acquired taste,” she said as she sat back down.

“Makes sense, not everyone would want to be with queen sarcas-ha!”

She raises an eyebrow to his sudden chuckle, “What?”

“Look at the name on your cup.”

She turns it, and sees that the barista wrote “Grayce” on it.

“Oh god damn it!”

“Looks like you were right about the stereotype after all!”

She discreetly drinks from the cup. As she does, Chris speaks up again.

“So, how is work? Do you have any research trips coming up or are you still just watching birds by your house?”

“No way I’m going on another research trip after that island, although Scranton is in Myanmar studying raptors.”

“Scranton? Is she at all familiar with the Dunder Mifflin Paper Company?”

“Hehe, nice one. I didn’t think of that when I met her, but I should’ve. No, Darla Scranton. She was the only other person in our bird lover quartet to leave that island other than me.”

“Ah, got it. But, it’s still a funny coincidence.”

“Agreed. Just wondering, what time is it?”

“Uh, 12:34.”

“We’ve been here for only 15 minutes?”

* * *

“Well, it’s been nice seeing you sis. I need to get home, I’ll be expecting Brooke at 5:30,” said Chris.

“I thought you said you were going out with her tonight?” questioned Grace.

“I am, but we’re going to do some things before we go. We’re heading to the boardwalk first. Plus, I’m going to need time to get back to my apartment.”

“That’s nice, I need to head out too. My dog’s probably bored waiting for me.”

“Ok, that’s understandable, see you soon.”

“You too.”

Chris attempted to hug Grace again, but she backed out right before he did. She walks back out to her Camry, starts it, and drives off.

“That went well,” she thought, “Man, I missed him, I don’t know why it took so long for us to meet up.”

As she went, she started thinking about what happened on Avetoro. It was July 21st, almost exactly two years since it had happened. It was almost hard to believe.

“Well, at least that shit’s behind me.”

After a while, she reached her house. It was a small house, one floor and an attic. As soon as she walked in, her great dane ran up to her, stood up on her, and licked her face constantly.

“Easy, Ginger, sit!” Grace told her dog, and she instantly sat down, though her tail was wagging fast enough to bruise you. Ginger was a harlequin and had heterochromia, so she was definitely special, in more ways than being the sweetest dog on the planet.

“Good girl,” she said, as she pet her and walked into her kitchen as Ginger followed lovingly.

Grace searched through her pantry for something to eat before taking out shrimp-flavored Top Ramen and Old Bay. While it cooked, she filled Ginger’s bowls before returning to the stove. After 10 minutes, she finished them before sitting in her living room to watch Big Brother.

* * *

“Saw that coming, there was no way he was using the Veto. Can’t wait to see that dumbass get evicted tomorrow,” she commented.

At this point, she had an empty bowl and an empty beer can on her coffee-table. She picked both, threw the can away, and put the bowl in the sink. She walks over to her bedroom. It’s very dull, though it is decorated nicely with pictures and fake plants. She looks over to Ginger laying in her bed, sleeping soundly. She climbs into her twin bed and closes her eyes, before she hears a sound ringing through her house.

Ding dong!

She looks over to her alarm clock, “Ugh, why is someone at the door at 8:32?”

Grace pulls herself out of bed, and notices that Ginger woke up as well. She was actively barking and running up to the door to probably jump and lick whoever’s at the door.

She walks over to the door and opens it, and she sees a man in formal attire waiting.

“Excuse me, are you Grace Bennet?” he asks. He had an English accent, and his tone was very knowing, almost as if he already knew who Grace was.

“Yeah, what’s it to you?” she responds, holding back Ginger, desperate to lick to the stranger.

“I’m Charles Furgen, recruiter of the Charlie Initiative.”

“U-huh. You, Charles Furten, are a part of the Charlie Initiative?”

“It's Furgen, not Furten. And it's just a coincidence, I guess. But, I’m here to get you in on it.”

“Oh yeah? What is it?”

“A search team traveling to Avetoro Island.”