Welcome to Hemlock Cove, North Vancouver, Canada. Located in Queen Charlotte Strait, on the Central Coast of British Columbia, Hemlock Cove has a population of 4875 people and it prides itself on being a close-knit community, with large pedestrian-friendly spaces, large places of gathering and a variety of things to do.
Hemlock Cove is not your ordinary small town.
There are five-star restaurants, there are hiking tours and amazing small shops, there are great places to spend times, big festivities that bring the community closer. Summers are slow, lazy, hazy and full of night-time swimming parties, autumns come creeping in with long, soft get-togethers and bake sales, apple picking and strolling in the red hues of Cove parks. Winter turns it into a wonderland, smelling of cinnamon, cloves, mulled wine and decadent chocolate cakes which make everyone huddle around fireplaces and hold on tightly to the ones closest to them while enjoying first snows and warm cocoa, visit neighbours during holidays and sneak a kiss under the mistletoe. Hemlock Cove then awakens with springtime, people showing off their gorgeous gardens full of colourful flowers in many garden parties, indulging in Pavlovas with wild strawberries and soft served icecreams, basking in the sun during the day and wrapping in their soft cardigans and jeans jackets when the sun hides.
Rains come easy, the sun comes easy too and living in Hemlock Cove might as well be heaven we all wish for ourselves.
Firstly, let me start by welcoming you to Chapter IV & V - wrap-up & epilogue rounds.
READ THIS FIRST, please
Basic rules apply here.
The contest is one round long, lasting for 12 hours.
This contest will continue with a series of one or two round contests whenever there's a timeslot available until the storyline is wrapped.
You can use edited/non-edited images, but you can also choose to show your outfit through sth like URSTYLE, or skip it entirely.
The Prodigal Son: Chapter IV
Takes place from March 11th until April 1st (your story might end sooner, or later, depending on your personal plot)
For this round, please include the following:
Name
Interests, but this time in order of preference for romantic choices, please.
Outfit (optional)
Story (focus on your own personal plots)
There are no big events coming this season, giving you a chance to focus on individual stories.
Chapter IV closes on Friday, May 28th, evening.
xxx
SNIPPETS
The Fitzgerald brothers
It must have been one hell of an article, Renon thinks to himself as he entered the Fitzgerald family library, sitting into the huge leather armchair, the nearest one to the exit, force of habit. He took his phone out, googling Noah's name and finding the original article within moments. The beginning looked okay enough, but by the time he went to the chapter about the Institute, things turned to hell, his brows went up and Ben showed up in the room.
"I thought this was a family meeting," he looked at Renon, but Pete came in at the right time, patting his brother's shoulder shortly.
"Renon should be here, then."
Ben sat in the chair opposite the place where their father used to sit, and Pete made his way behind the desk, looking out the window. Noah, still distraught from the whole thing entered the room last, settling down on a sofa opposite Renon.
"Thank you all for finding the time to do this," Pete said, sitting down finally, looking at all three, the nervousness taking over and he could almost feel his heart in his ears. -"Given these recent events, I feel it's time we all sat down and had an honest conversation about..." he paused, unsure of what to say there. Family? Secrets? Lies? -"Well, everything."
The diplomatic answer, he congratulated himself, watching the trio stare at him silently. It felt like one of his kindergarten groups: confused children sneaking to play in the mud before someone found them in their mess.
"So, I'll start first," he said, shortly, seeing no one was willing to talk. -"But first, let's agree to keep this conversation within the family, and family only."
"How about Charlotte, then?" Renon asked, encountering a soft, knowing smile on Pete's end. He shook his head firmly, keeping that small smile on his lips and Renon knew at that moment he was caught. He swallowed hard, leaning back in the chair, eyes jumping to the door shortly.
"Okay," Pete continued, unsure of how to even start this next part: how do you say you knew about your illegitimate brother for a couple of years now? Or how do you begin explaining why you know his supposed sister is not who she says she is, despite that very, very good cover? -"DNA test is irrelevant, Renon is our real brother," he jumps into the fire without thinking twice. -"Years before they died, I heard our parents arguing over your mother getting pregnant when she did," he turned to Renon instead of facing both his brothers - well, other brothers now. He mustered the courage to look at Ben, partly shocked, partly confused, part hurt which bothered Pete the most.
"What are you saying?"
"I'm saying Renon is not trying to trick us into thinking he is who he is," Pete replied. -"He is who he says he is, our father was very much aware of his existence since day one."
There's a silence, the kind you could feel, and Noah is the first one to talk.
"Mother knew?"
Pete nodded.
"How long did you know?" Ben asked, brows furrowed.
"For a while," Pete replied, feeling like a heavy burden was just lifted from his chest. -"A few years, actually."
The look on Ben's face was nothing but betrayal, and his eyes finally locked with Renon, in some defeated kind of way.
"Since you seem to know everything happening here, I'm curious to hear your thoughts about the new-found sister of the family is threatening me," Ben turns to Pete, trying to keep his anger at bay, but slowly coming to terms with the fact he won't be able to. -"Perhaps she's the one source cited in the article that just came out, no?"
Pete looks at Renon.
"Should I tell them, or will you?"
Renon feels like he's about to have a heart attack, jaw clenched and his body completely tense. He shakes his head, surprised by his own lack of ability to follow up on his intentions.
"Very well," Pete sounded like he understood, taking a deep breath before uttering the following. -"Charlotte is not Renon's sister, although she might as well be given their connection. Biologically, however, she is not. Whatever she has on you..."
"I did not approve of it," Renon mussed. -"I knew about that, but I didn't want her to say a thing," he says, shortly. Noah, confused a little bit, looked at all three, knitting his brows as he leaned in.
"What is he talking about? Alma?" Noah asked.
Ben quickly turned to his brother, surprised a little bit.
"Alma?"
"I'm guessing you're talking about what company she kept, in the past," Renon spoke of this so easily, but in reality, it felt bad saying it - perhaps she found what she wanted here and god knows he was longing to leave the past behind too. He could relate, in every meaning of the word. -"But, n—" he stopped.
Ben kept silent - there was, ages ago, a moment when Noah told him something that had to do with Alma, but his understanding of the situation was similar to what he felt now: whatever she wanted to leave behind probably pained her more than it could have bothered him.
"I think you know what I mean," Renon replied, shortly, while Ben only nodded, keeping the other two quite confused. Renon looks down, avoiding Noah and Pete.
"What is he talking about?" Nate asked, reminding Ben of the events that took place.
"I doubt this is something anyone would find out," Renon jumps in, surprising everyone. -"Charlotte, well, she has her ways."
Ben looked at Renon for a short second, dancing the thin line between being furious and grateful, yet he says nothing. Noah is still burning a hole in his head by simply staring at him, while Pete spoke nothing and stared at some imaginary spot in front of everyone.
"So?"
"I'm not going to spill out my guts—"
"The person you're worried most about knowing knows," Renon sighs. -"If there's something I've learnt here is that Fitzgeralds either don't care, or already know and accept," he mussed. Noah looked at Renon, but the younger man did not bother to look back.
"Ben." Noah sounds like their father, the tone is quite clear.
"The day Daniel died," Ben starts, thinking of his late boss and former friend, the man he spent so much time around and who has died in a car crash a while back. -"He sat into the car in that weather because he came home early."
"Ben," Pete sounded like he was piecing things together: Ben's actions past his death, Melody's behaviour with them. -"You didn't."
"The first time it happened we were just fucked up with guilt," he remembers it quite clearly: Melody, coming to the office once more, looking for her husband and finding nothing there. -"The last time was the day his breaks didn't work."
It felt like he had just lifted a heavy burden from his chest and simultaneously gotten himself into a helpless situation.
It was silent for a moment, before Noah sighed, shortly.
"Be happy it never got out," he spat out, knowing well enough things still can. The software was missing, but he couldn't disclose that easily. Suddenly, he rose up and was on his way out.
"What about the teenager you got pregnant?" Ben asked, stopping him. Noah turned towards his brother. -"If we're bringing everything to the light, we should address it too, don't you think?"
"Believe me, this was not my fault to begin with," Noah says, turning shortly towards Renon, who leans back in his chair.
"Come on, I have some information on you, I haven't used one bit," he says, annoyed. If he didn't betray them so far, why would he do it now? -"Fuck, do you think I did this?"
Noah said nothing, and the further reaction was prevented by Pete.
"No."
"Noah seems to think so," Renon did not budge, staring at the eldest brother. -"Noah?"
"This is not personal," Noah replies. -"This is about business, and you're just causalities. And so is this girl, but I am doing everything in my power to keep her out of the news."
"So, there was a baby?" Pete seems shocked.
"There was a baby," Noah replies. -"Not mine. I just helped her, because it was a family matter and someone had to take responsibility." He glanced at Ben, before letting out an exhausted sigh. -"I'm sorry," he says. -"It's been a long day and the end of it doesn't seem to be close, so I'll have to leave you."
He made a few steps when Ben came after him.
"Noah!"
"No, Ben," he says, softly. -"She didn't want to tell you anything back then, so please don't try to do anything now, okay?"
Ben looked at him, confused, hurt. He nods, in the end, and Noah puts his hand on his jaw, managing a soft, weak smile.
"You've done nothing wrong, brother," his voice seems softer again. -"Sometimes everyone can do everything in good intention and things can still end up one terrible mess."
Seb
At 3.57 he walks out of the shower and congratulates himself on the fact he did not rush, overthink nor thought about all the liabilities while in there. Radio was still on, a bit louder than usual and he actually focused on the food alone while preparing it.
Perhaps he would go visit Alma tonight, make her some food.
Or, maybe, in some crazy coincidence, Zora will be there once he enters the Eatery and they can make some spontaneous plan to hang out.
Perhaps, he will not check the time way too many times, or try to figure as many details while sitting in the Eatery.
His phone rings loudly, snapping him from his thoughts easily.
"DCC," his voice is sombre. -"Something happened?"
"I'm calling unofficially, Sebastian," the voice on the other side seems to be in a good mood. -"Everything is well, don't worry."
"Oh, sorry," Seb replied, turning down the burner, bringing the water to simmer. -"How is the trial going?"
"All according to plan," he said. -"The evidence is overwhelming as is, I doubt we'll need another round of your testimony."
"Good. Good," he exhaled.
"How is your sister?" the voice at the other end asks, trying to stir the topic from what went on in Seb's mind right now. -"Did you have a chance to talk to her yet?"
"No, not yet."
"Sebastian," the tone is that of a father scolding a child gently on not finishing their meal, the worried voice and the good intention bleeding through the phone. -"If you intend on staying in Hemlock Cove, you should have a word with her first."
"Yeah," Seb replied. It was true: his intention was to stay away from going deep undercover for a while, if not permanently, but in order to stay here and actually work in Hemlock Cove Police Department, he'd have to own up to Alma he is not actually a music teacher.
"CPD is willing to have you in her team,"
"Sura Lee, right?" Sebastian asked, recalling some information he had on the woman.
"Yes. She is on the lookout for some new detectives, so you could return to doing something less..."
"Deadly," Seb jokes. -"Give me a bit more time," he says.
"Consider everything, Sebastian. Take your time and take it under serious consideration."
"I will," he promised, although he did not sound convincing. Once you've spent years playing a character, you start losing a sense of what was there before this other person became your reality.
"Sebastian?"
"Yeah?"
"It's never too late to change things around, to chose something else. Keep that in mind."
Alejandro & Shapur
He stares out of the rented apartment in the city, looking outside the window - pouring rain seems like an appropriate time because if he was going to make a run for it, it was the best of times.
Yet, he starts put there, assuming there would be even more reporters around him had he found himself at another location during this mess. Hemlock Cove had nothing to throw at him, so he stays put, heading to the kitchen - another cup of coffee, another bundle of emails to go through. He calls the assistant in the legal office, saying some vague things about the contracts and wonders if there's something he could have done to avoid this.
Be more open with Fitzgerald, for starters - neither had this in mind while negotiating their contract.
Or not go to proverbial bed with Shapur, that seems like a wiser call he failed to make too.
And not to make plans while things are still not in motion properly.
Still, he stands there, wondering if he should just drop out now and let Noah handle the mess happening, or wait it out a bit and see what happens after this pressure is there for a bit more. Maybe someone will snap, maybe he'll give the fraction of the money he wanted to give for a product he really wanted to have.
The light knocking on the door snaps him out of his thoughts.
Shapur stands on the door, entering without waiting for Alejandro to say a word.
"Shitty surprise,"
"You're really easily surprised," Shapur replied.
"What do you want?" Alejandro asked, even though half of him already knew the reply.
"For you to get out of this place," Shapur nodded, sitting into the sofa. -"Noah is no longer looking for an investment," he continues. -"At least not from you."
Alejandro sat down, brows furrowed, staring at him. He nodded.
"I have someone who could be a good front to get him to sign," he said, leaning back, watching the tense gestures Shapur tried to hide. He smirks - the idea of tormenting him, even a little, gave him a great deal of pleasure: one thing he could not stand is people backing down at the finish line.
"I'm afraid I've had enough," Shapur means it this time - the fact Alejandro had another plan seemed like a logical turn of events, but he had no desire whatsoever to partake at it this time around. -"Whatever you decide to do, from this point on, you are on your own, Agos."
Alejandro nodded, shortly, giving Shapur a little shrug.
"Noted," he nods his head at the man. Shapur remained there, shortly looking at the man, but there's nothing readable written on his face.
"One more bit of friendly advice before I go?" Shapur tries, reaching the door. Alejandro chuckled, shaking his head.
"I don't think we've ever been friends."
Nick & Max
Nick's pace usually kills him, but today Max is actually managing to keep track as he makes his way up the trail.
Normally, he would have enjoyed working a Sunday morning, but his mind is all over the place lately and focusing on survival seemed like a better idea. Yet, he finds himself in a very weird position because he is not about to drop dead.
So, apparently, his mind has been in this state a lot more often than he imagined - what else could explain this good shape he is in?
He makes it to the top, resting hands on his knees, catching breath and looking at Nick: very little effort seems to be visible on him, but there's something else happening behind his eyes - and Max is very much aware of it.
"What's going on?"
"Huh?" Nick sounds confused, but knits his brows shortly, shaking his head. -"Nothing," he lied.
"Bullshit,"
"Leave it be," he replies shortly. He considers and reconsiders the entire situation he is in right now, considering if he made a rushed choice or he is overthinking right now. Might be both, might be neither, but it's not of any real help thinking about it. -"I'm hooking up with Alma," he says shortly, making Max's brows dart up.
"What else is new?"
"What do you mean? That is new,"
"That was a matter of when, not if," Max shrugged. -"What's the issue?"
"I'm not sure if I should," he replies.
"Again," Max exhaled - he might have just caught his breath properly. Nick shrugged. -"You don't like it, or—?"
"No," Nick replied. -"I like her,"
"Fuck me, but I am honestly not seeing the issue here," he replies.
"Do you think there's still something going on with her and Ben?" Nick comes to the point, trying to rationalize this question. Did he think so? Maybe. Did it bother him? Yes - he believed they were starting something, but apparently, he rushed into things.
"Are you jealous?" Max is confused.
"Of course not," Nick replied honestly. -"Confused, I'd say."
"Yeah," Max shrugged - apparently this entire town is full of people with hidden feelings, relationships that are waiting to be claimed and people who fail at asking the right questions - and apparently, he's one of them. -"You're not the only one."
Mateo
"Sorry?"
He snaps out of his cloudy mind, looking like a dear caught in the headlight - surprised, confused, utterly lost.
"Sorry," he smiles, making the woman at the other side of the counter blush a little bit. -"My mind is elsewhere,"
"Oh, no worries," she tugs the hair behind her ear. -"I'm looking for Behrendt and Tuccillo—"
"He's just not that into you?"
"Yes," her cheeks go flushed again, nodding. Mateo is considering where the book is at, trying to figure out if he even has a copy, but by the time he is in the back, he realizes he could have easily checked this digitally, yet he is in the back.
He comes back with a softcover copy, setting it down.
"If you have to wonder about it," he said with a playful smirk on his lips, -"the answer is probably not the one you'd like to hear."
The woman looked at him, shortly, nodding, leaving the bookstore immediately after the cash hit the counter. He exhaled, wondering if this was a shitty thing to do. He hasn't seen her before, he assumes she attends the Grace College up in the mountains or something like that.
The chime on the door makes him look up again and the woman is back.
"I figured I'd be a bit bolder doing this," she smirked flirtatiously, crossing her hands around the book. -"But, do you want to get a coffee maybe, sometime? I only teach two subjects and most of my week is very much boring."
Mateo is surprised, but gathers his thoughts again and smiles.
"I'm sure I can help with that."
Last edited by Zaralee (22/05/2021 at 19:40)
