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"My mother's from Georgia," Mercy offered. "We occasionally go to visit her Sister and their family, and I thought my father was crazy with having three kids... I have like... eight cousins."

As to the question though...

"Citrus," Mercy started, ticking things off her on fingers. "Light floral notes - nothing too heavy, I'm actually partial to cinnamon, but only in black teas. I do enjoy a nice bergamot now then then with Earl and Lady Greys when I am feeling like curling up with a good book... I do not like whatever is in Russian Caravan tea that stuff is way too earthy and bitter."

She made a face. "I've slowly been working my way around the world with tea on my review streams, I think India is my next stop."

"Oof, twins," Mercy let out a low whistle of sympathy. "Can't say those run in our family, but, there's always a first time for everything," Not that either of her Aunt or Uncle had made any noises about kids - or settling down - or anything like that. But they were still "young."

Which weirded some people out - but like she liked to explain - her grandparents had been... unique individuals.

"I mean it helps that my reactions garner either laughter or sympathy from chat," Mercy added. "And I have a tea donation drive, so people can throw in money and suggest or even buy me tea outright to try, so I technically don't spend MY money on anything horrible."

Then there was the merch - like her mugs and tea-unicorns...

Hey you had to multi-facet okay!

"I'm hoping, so far it's been a lot of chai and a hell of a lot of cinnamon I've been smelling."

"You know, I could go for a decaf right about now," Mercy nodded. While she was partial to tea - and honestly there was a tea out there that would do just about anything coffee could - sometimes you needed a flavor change. She'd be keeping the coffee cafes near the community college campus in business once classes started up again in earnest.

She enjoyed the scent of the tin though, giving her a few careful inhales before closing the tin and sliding it slightly to the side. She'd have to find out where to get that mix later too.

"I mean, help or no help, still a fun story," She offered with a grin. "I'm waiting for my brother to finally settle and see what I might end up with as far as nieces and nephews."

"If he gets drafted he'll definitely sign," Mercy offered recalling her brother's talk about his future plans not that long ago at the last "family" dinner they'd all had. It was a semi-weekly get together to keep tabs on how things were going and also to keep the children now out of the house abreast of any potential changes. Mercy had hosted it at her apartment that time. "But, if he doesn't get picked up he's working on his Stats Major, shooting to be an data analyst, he's ben applying for internships to a several different firms and he's only heard back from a few."

Most of them had wanted him to already have experience but he was hopeful.

"But his girlfriend and him are pretty serious already," She offered resting her head on her hand, elbow propped on the table. "I've only met her a few times and I can't tell if he's just lovesick or delusional or if she's only around for the ride... Which is petty of me I know - but I have a feeling if he doesn't go pro she's... going to poof into the night."

"I'm pretty sure the last time I saw him he was up to mainlining Redbull but you know, after the third can it stops having any flavor," She offered with a half joking shrug. Was Johnathan burning himself into the ground? Probably. Was that any of her business? Debatable.

As to the opinion of her parents...

"My father thinks she's... sweet but not really the type of woman you'd settle down with," Mercy offered. "To quote my mother - "Bless her heart, but she's as dumb as a box of rocks, at least she's pretty.""

The quote was delivered in a nearly flawless deep south Atlantean accent, you could almost taste the mint julep and sweet tea.

"Personally, I think she's only going to stick around in the mines until the money dries up," She huffed. "Not that she needs it with her Onlyfans money..."

No, she hadn't gone stalking at all.

"Just foam, too late for sugar if it's decaf," Mercy offered. "I'd just ramp and crash and that's no good."

The question obviously had the young woman thinking - quite hard - and finally she let out a huff of air.

"Against my better judgement, can I get a rain check?" She asked softly. "It would literally kill him - gut him - if he found out. Right now he can't afford that kind of... upset."

Was it stupid? Yes. But she was going to protect her brother even if she knew his girlfriend was bad news.

"Now, if she suddenly ends up pregnant or something, then we'll talk, because he's going to want a paternity test."

"Anyway," She huffed out a breath. "Sorry, I didn't mean to draw you into Haynes family drama."

"You'd make a killing as a therapist," Mercy chuckled softly taking the cup and taking a brief sip. "Mmmm... Add in the coffee as a perk of - like a barista bar or something and you'd have a waiting list a mile long."

Baristas, bartenders, and therapists - all the people who knew the worst side of you and your life story because two of them you would probably never see again and the third you paid to pick your brain for you.

Sometimes.

Still, the woman had a point and Mercy knew it would have to be sooner, rather than later that she called in on this favor... She'd wait until after midterms.

Though who knew, maybe he grades would go up without the girlfriend.

"You know what - on second thought," She huffed. "I'll send you the link later, do with it what you will."

"Okay, that's fair," Mercy agreed with a small shrug. To what particular part of the two statements she was reacting to was up for debate, but as her host settled into cleaning, Mercy took the time to really sort of soak in the kitchen and the apartment/condo as a whole.

You could tell Delilah was from money - the apartment's location, furnishings and rent told you that along with the way she held herself and what she wore. But that wasn't Delilah. At least, not the Delilah Mercy saw cleaning her kitchen because she wasn't going to have a dirty kitchen.

Delilah could have afforded a maid service - or any number of other things. The apartment was big enough to house a live-in servant if you really wanted one. But no, she lived alone - sans a... particularly familiar cat - but that wasn't important.

Independence was an important trait in the wealthy but this wasn't it. This was someone used to being alone and Mercy knew that had she not been the reason Delilah had left the party early the other woman likely would have found an excuse to scoot and come home and work. The hosting skills weren't those of a wealthy host, but one that actually cared about her guests needs and wellbeing. It was like a nice warm nest of safety and Mercy really, really needed that right now.

"Out of curiosity," Mercy offered, ghoulish curiosity coming to the fore as she did the math of Delilah's age range. "You didn't happen to read the Runaway Princess books did you?"