Participants:
| Scene Title | Jersey and Jinger |
|---|---|
| Synopsis | Abby and Dee discuss some things while readying the nursery; among them, lost children, and those about to come. |
| Date | November 1, 2010 |
The Octagon: Else and Delilah's Apartment
The apartments of the Octagon are among some of the most prime pieces of rental real-estate in New York City. Bright, open, and clean, these apartments are all painted an eggshell white and feature floor-to-ceiling windows that offer a sweeping, unobstructed view of the East River and Manhattan skyline. Hardwood floors spread from wall to wall and through the spacious bedrooms and private laundry rooms complete with washer/dryer utilities.
The open-concept kitchen in the apartment features stainless steel appliances, polished granite countertops, cherry finished cabinets and ceramic floor tile with all the convenience of a modern kitchen. The bathrooms are finished with classic subway wall tile and porcelain floor tile in bathrooms with elegantly designed corner-set curved showers wproviding more spacious shower area along with porcelain pedestal sinks.
Each apartment comes in two or three bedroom designs, each with spacious walk-in closets with individually controlled heating and cooling. The apartment is also set up with free Cable TV and Internet hook-ups in multiple locations.
It's not that Delilah hasn't made time to set up the third, extra room in the apartment. No, not that at all. It just seems like all she has done was paint it pastel yellow(that was a mess, Else had it in her hair for days) and cram it full of baby supplies. It is now, the weeklong countdown, where she is finally telling herself to stop working and going around so much, and just stay at home, and get things ready. Preparations for the fourth resident of the apartment that is due next week. Abby has come over, blessedly, to help her, and most of the afternoon so far has consisted of them rearranging wheeled furniture and getting the room ready to bring everything else in out of the closet that it's been inside of. At least they seem to be able to start with a clean room.
The crib, a dresser and changing table, a plush rocking chair- the usual things, really. The two have just begun to put things away, the closet door propped open and various stacks of clothes, diapers, and boxes of gifts from the shower sitting ready to be filed into place. Those include the things like a car seat, a stroller, stuffed animals, other fundamental purchases. Though somewhere, still propped, mostly hidden in the back of the closet- in a partial resting place- is the tall, boxed gift from Samson Gray that still makes Delilah shiver. She could have thrown it out, pawned it- but she didn't. And perhaps that bothers her the most. The other Samson- the furry one- is currently overseeing the set up of the baby's room, lying along the wall like an awkwardly canid Sphinx, paws deliberately placed somewhere that isn't in the way of anyone walking.
"Isn't this cute? Eileen gave it to me." Delilah seems to have to tell the story of everything she is going through today. Right now it is a little brown fisherman's sweater, with a couple of big brown buttons and enough space for Walter to both wear it and grow into it a bit. "Her being so practical, of course it was a sweater. She got him a little stuffed fox, too, it's around somewhere…"
"Delilah, practical gifts are great gifts when you're done having a baby real soon, popped out supposedly into my lap and the Dah's not really in the picture." Abigail points out. "Besides, babies grow out of clothing so fast too, it'll be two weeks after he's born and you'll be putting him in bigger clothes" Abby's gift had been even more practical than Eileens and was bathing essentials, wash cloths, burp cloths and everything else that her own Momma had said that Delilah would need plenty of and that others would be unlikely to give her.
Packages of newborn diapers are pulled out of the closet and put to the side so that one can be opened and stacked on the changing table drawers and the others put back later when the closet is ready to be organized and not full of stuff. "Not that this baby is gonna lack for what it needs or wants what with all it's honorary aunts and uncles and the like. But it's a beautiful sweater. Did she make it herself or did she find it someplace?" Abby'd place bets on the avian telepath having made it herself, if not, she sure as hell spent precious money on it which would make it all the more special.
"I know, Abby. You don't need to be reminding me of things. Even if I do seem to forget." She doesn't. Delilah tucks the sweater under a forearm and begins to sort out similar clothing to put away in the dresser. "I really have no idea. I wish I did." The redhead laughs, mostly at the fact that even Abby realizes all these Aunts and Uncles will come in handy. "I can't wait to meet him, to have everyone else meet him." She will be the mom showing off her baby all the time.
"I'm pretty sure it means everyone is going to learn diaper skills if they haven't already." Just sayin'. You know you are picturing Raith or Sable changing a diaper all of a sudden.
Abby prefers to imagine raith staying far away from the baby. Chat in Estonia or not. "Sorry, sorry, I'll stop it, I promise. Just make sure that you have lots of hand sanitizer, because lord people are germy and babies just are a hub of activity for people. Abby brings out more stuff, making piles in the room. The dessert bar was fine without her, she had more to unpack at home still with regards to her own place, but with the impending arrival, she was as paranoid as Delilah was about making sure all was ready for Walter and sticking close to the other woman.
Babies love Raith. Raith loves helicopters. Helicopters may or may not love babies. The equation here is mostly sound.
"I'm going to have a bottle on me all the time, yeah. I usually get it for winter anyway, I'll have to start buying extra all the time, I think." Delilah knows all about germs from last winter, even if not former seasons. "I'm still not sure if I should be checking myself in somewhere the day beforehand, or if I should just …be ready to go. The hospital here on Roosevelt was the same one I was in while I was sick, I'd at least know somebody there. But there's no telling how rowdy things might get the day before, now. Or how they'll be that day." Worse, or better? Nobody can really say. Unless they also know the future, of course.
'Well we know a hospital in queens is out of the question. If it was me, Del, I wouldn't even step foot in a New York City hospital. Not one step. I'd go to New Jersey and have the baby there. We know nothing happens in New jersey" She points out. "Because this might turn ugly regardless of Richards attempts to keep it from such" All the clothing is out, she's sorting newborn form 0-3 and 4-6 letting Delilah do the folding. We can head on out there the day before or in the morning, looked to be the afternoon or such from where I was. That way we avoid the whole broken neck, ambulance, riot thing"
"Two of three Js…" Delilah muses to herself, folding clothes up to put them away. She gets lost in this repetition while Abby finishes, nodding along. "We could, yeah. I just hope people aren't trying to spend this whole week getting out. Or we might be stuck around here anyway. But if we can, that does sound like a good idea. I have just been nervous about making too many plans for this, even during the summer- Because of the visions, this next week is going to be hard on everyone." Nobody knew how it will be affected until the day comes.
"I'd at least like to avoid most of what we saw." Delilah laughs, albeit nervously.
"Then we don't go anywhere near an ambulance, and Trevor, well Trevor, I checked, is out of town. He took my advice the lovely Vegan. He's supposedly out on some spa retreat getting his hatha yoga on or something like that." This goes to that pile, that goes to the other pile. "Whatever Delilah, is more comfortable for you. you're the one that's actually gonna pop out a little wee baby when all is said and done, and if you'd feel better me not being there, on account of what we saw and all, then I can countenance that and can respect that."
"To be honest, I think I'd be comfortable if you were there with me. If you can't be, I'm sure I can manage, but- I know that you know what you'd be doing." Delilah peers over at the blonde, chuckling. "If I had to have someone, I'd rather it be you than a stranger, if I can't make it somewhere." It's a little bit overwhelming, knowing you may not be able to get to a hospital. But, women have done it for millennia without needing hospitals- Dee surely won't be the only one on the eighth, either.
"If things get messy the closer it gets to next week, we can plan something better, but for now I think you taking me out to Jersey would be best."
"Walter shall be born a geedo" Wait, she said that wrong, Abby pauses in her dropping of a onsie. 'Geedo? Guido?" Something of the sort. "So, to jersey, that's the plan, i'll make sure that I have my bag with me at least packed in the car and we'll call ahead and make sure that they're ready for you, and you'll get your file from your doctor this week so we have it with us and we'll be ready. Walter will come into the world safe as can possibly be. I mean, if we want to get really safe and cautious, I can call up Elias, he can get us down to my Momma's and you can have him in Louisiana where my momma can done fuss all over you and then we can teleport back when you're feeling up to it"
Delilah laughs again, but this time it is actually somewhat horrified, and forced. "I'd like to… well… keep him out from being involved directly with abilities… as long as possible." Her hands seem quite hurried now. She can't remember if she told Abby- about what Samson Gray said, about what she thinks is going to happen when they call her to get Walter tested.
"Nothing personal with Elias, just- I'd like to have this be as cut and dry as possible, even though your mom seems like a sweetheart."
Abby hasn't been told anything about Samson Gray, she's oblivious to the status of old man Gray's visitation to her employee. "Ahh well, that was plan B if all went to pot. Call elias and ask to travel ramsgate airlines to a hospital" Water off a ducks back it seems, she's not offended. "So new jersey, watch Teo get him some hairgel as a welcome to the world present" Another new jersey joke. Brenda's been enlightening abby to things Jersey Shore. "So, what all are you missing for Walter, that I can get you? And no offense, but if you ever nee me to babysitt, give me as much notice as possible. I'm still on the fence whether RObert like babies or not"
"We could always test it." Delilah welcomes the change of topic, even if Abby may not realize it right away. "Get him alone with me after he's here, see what happens." The redhead smiles broadly. "Holidays are going to come up too, if the city doesn't burn down." She'd ask if Abby hopes he likes kids, but she knows that the matter has got to be a sore spot with her ability. Dee also knows how that can be too.
"I don't think I'm missing anything of note. I'm sure once things start rolling I will know what I need more, but right now it seems like all I can do is wait around for this to happen."
"He's been around Kasha, he seems to be okay with her. He had a son, long ago. But he died, in a car accident and he wasn't home. He was in another country." She's settling into folding now. "We haven't talked about kids, I don't think it's likely to come up regardless." But there is something. "Dee, how would I go about finding someone, without Robert knowing." The little arms of the onesie fold in, then the whoel thing is folded in half and laid down gently to start a pile. "Roberts former wife, they divorced after their son died. She had a second son. It's really quite possible that he is Robert's son, apparently, she wouldn't tell him when she asked and took off. How, or more importantly, where do I start, to try and find him"
Delilah looks a little uneasy about the question and how it ends, but she listens to all of it anyway. She swallows a little before looking askance to answer it. "I think the thing you need to figure out first- is if you should find him." Some things are best left alone, after all. "But if you really wanted, maybe a private investigator? Or a lawyer, I guess- I could ask my aunt if there's anything in family law like that, but I don't know."
"But an investigator could, if the records of his first wife aren't, well, classified or something."
"Just the way he talked about it. I thought maybe, even if I find the boy, if I can somehow find out if they're father and son, I can just… let him know, and then let Robert decide." Arms in, fold in half, arms in, fold in half. Once abby gets into the swing of things, she's quite effecient. "Something to think about I guess. I'm already working on the one room in the new place. They've almost got the supports in place and the special fridge ordered. They'll put the slats in and then I'll just have to go pick wine to put in the place and hope that he likes my wedding present to him" Floor to ceiling room with just wine bottles. Port. You name it. "Not a very big room but then, it's the thought that counts. If I find the man, and he's not Roberts son then…Then i'll drop it" What this means though is that potentially, Abby is a step mother. But to how old a kid is the question.
"If he's an adult by now-" Dee has no idea how old Robert is, which is another story- "You might be able to just… find him. If you know his wife's maiden name, there's always Facebook. I've found people I used to know back in Manchester on there, before. I had a girl friend there, got in touch with her last summer. Nothing big, but I can at least vouch for finding people that way."
"From the sound of it, the room should turn out brilliant. You've put a lot into doing it for him, too, I'm sure he'll love it. He's a classy sort of guy, like that."
Back in Manchester. Abigail straightens, looking over at Delilah. "Oh lord, what if…" There's another added complication. "What if this all was back in england Dee?"
"What?" Delilah squints at Abby a moment, glancing around as if that might have some context. "What was all back in England? His wife? Eh?"
"He's from there" This might be harder than she thought. Much harder. She frowns at the burp cloths she's now folding then washes that away with a wash of her hand. "I'll have to figure it out. Would have to find her maiden name first. Whenever I get this thing off my ankle, I can go over there and look."
Abby offers a smile to delilah, and a glance down to the rotundness that was her middle. "Yup, you're looking like yer gonna pop soon dee"
"Oh. I see. Well, I can't really help with that, other than you just looking here first. If you can't find her, at least, then she may be over there. With him, or her, or whoever." Delilah pats herself on the stomach, peering down and then tilting her head. "I'm looking forward to seeing my feet again, honestly. Though I hope I don't accidentally pop all over someone, somewhere. Things have already changed, I'm kind of shocked this didn't too. Maybe he is destined for …an unfortunate birthday."
"I am so putting towels on the front seat when we drive to jersey" Abby's joking, she's teasing, that's easily known between the two of them. "So the day of his birth may be on an unfortunate day, doesn't mean that the rest of his life will be Dee"
If Delilah said she wasn't nervous about being a mom, that would be a lie. Not to mention that stormcloud that is prophecy hanging over her shoulders. It shows, a bit of phantom weight when Abby speaks again. "Right. It will just be… really, really complex." Hopefully she'll learn navigation early.
"Could be worse" Could it? "He could have a Christmas birthday" The blonde points out again, getting up so she can gather some of the piles of clothing, ready to start putting them where Delilah instructs her to. Delilah's down, she's not getting up without help and that leaves Abby to play move, move again, move another inch etc etc.
"My dad was a Christmas baby." Tidbit of the day. "I think it was on purpose though, my grandfather liked to compartmentalize…" Delilah rubs a hand on her face, laughing. "Put them in the middle one there, there's a stack of cloth diapers too, I think, in the box near the closet? Can you get those in with the others?"
"At least Christmas birthdays have something nice to fall on."
"WEll, Delilah, his birthday will fall on a nice day. The day of his birth" Stooping to put the bundle of fabric just so before diverting to the closet to grab the cloth diapers. Brave woman, that was for sure. THe little folded pieces of flannel and cotten fingered, she smiles at them before tucking them in beside the stack of clothes that she had just put. "Come on preggo. I want something hot to drink, think you can waddle to my car and we'll go find us some hot chocolate or coffee out in the wilds of New York?"
"If I can't waddle, you can roll me out." Delilah pauses a moment before hoisting herself from the chair. It takes a moment for her to get her bearings, but soon she is waddling- as expertly as she can- across the nursery. On the way, she does stop to niggle Abby with her. Come on! As bold as always. "I need some fresh air today, darlin'."