Mary nodded at Stephanie's shopping bag. Stephanie laughed, blushing.

Stephanie: "Just a couple egg rolls from First Wok. My husband thinks I'm mad, but they really are my favorite thing, especially this time of year. I don't like to go out much until it starts to warm up. This is actually my first egg roll of the season, and I'd be delighted to share if you're hungry."
Mary: "No, thank you. We just ate. But they smell very good."
Stephanie: "And you? What are you doing here?"

Mary: "Just trying to meet up with a friend."
Stephanie: "You didn't find her?"
Mary: "No."
Stephanie: "Did you have plans?"

Mary: "Not exactly. Tristan and I aren't really from around here. She kind of wasn't expecting us."
Stephanie: "Oh. Maybe I can help you, I know a lot of the locals here."
Tristan: "She only just arrived here herself, I doubt you'd know her."

Stephanie: "I see. I take it you don't have an address for her yet?"
Mary: "No, but I have an idea as to where she is."
Stephanie: "Really? Then why don't I have my driver take you there?"

Mary exchanged a glance with Tristan.

Mary: "They wouldn't exactly let us in without a ticket."

Stephanie nodded as though it was a common occurrence not to be able to gain access to your best friend because you didn't have a ticket.

Stephanie: "Maybe you should just go home? Wait until she invites you to visit?"
Mary: "Well, sure, that would probably be the appropriate thing to do. But the thing is, she's not supposed to be here. She was taken here--sent here. Against her will. Sort of. Anyway, we're here to take her home."

Tristan pinched Mary's side. Mary ignored him, not breaking her gaze with Stephanie.

Stephanie: "Yeah? I understand that. Sometimes people make really bad choices."

Mary scooted closer to Stephanie, feeling as though she were onto something. This woman was different from the others she'd come in contact with down here. She seemed powerful. In control.

Stephanie: "I wasn't supposed to be here, either. I was just flirting with this guy, right? I was a teenager. What did I know? It was love at first sight, and a fair amount of rebellion I'm sure. The next thing I knew I was on the back of his motorcycle, and here we were. We got married. It was a small ceremony, and it was total bliss. For a few months, anyway. But he was older, and I started to miss my friends. Even my family. My mother, at least. Which is funny, since I did whatever I could to get away from the woman!"

Mary smiled and nodded.

Stephanie: "My friends told my mom I'd been kidnapped, can you imagine?! I think they were just worried they'd get into trouble themselves. My mom never stopped looking for me, and eventually she found me. It was weird at first, and she was seriously pissed about the lies my friends had told. But I was married, what could she do? Eventually we worked things out, more or less, and I spent time with her periodically. Don't get me wrong, I love my life, and I love my Husband. But I understand what you're going through; what your friend is going through."

Stephanie: "So if your friend came here against her will, who brought her?"
Mary: "Her boyfriend."

Tristan cringed at the word.

Stephanie: "And he's here as well?"
Mary: "No! He just... sent her here. He doesn't really love her. So he sent her away."
Stephanie: "That's cold. Was she pregnant or something?"

Mary stopped breathing.

Mary: "What?"
Stephanie: "Sorry, I've just seen that happen a lot. Boyfriends sending their girlfriends away because they don't want to deal with the responsibility."

Mary felt sick and leaned back in her seat.

Tristan: "No, that's not what happened. Right, Mary?"
Mary: "Definitely not. Jesus. He was just... an asshole."
Stephanie: "I see. In either case, I may know of someone that could help you."
Tristan: "Who?"
Stephanie: "They live just outside the city. I can drop you there if you want. We're nearly there as it is."

Mary looked to Tristan for an answer, suddenly feeling out of her element again.

Tristan: "Sure. Thanks."

Stephanie leaned forward and knocked on the partition that separated them from the driver. It opened slowly.

Stephanie: "Driver, take us to the Fiseurs' home please."