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| Scene Title | Chocolate and Sarcasm |
|---|---|
| Synopsis | A few people on Ferry Isle get a treat, sort of, and one of them delivers witty responses. |
| Date | December 4, 2010 |
It's not really late, not for most people, but this time of year it gets dark early, and so even around seven pm, most consider it late enough. But this suits Shannon's purposes perfectly. Though she hasn't gotten along with most of the adults on the island, she seems to have a major soft spot for kids, and has been trying to make their stay on the island as comfortable as possible. Today this means that she's gathered as many kids as she could (and any adults who insisted on coming with) in the kitchen. Except…it doesn't look like the kitchen. Or smell like the kitchen.
Shannon's sitting on the floor, on what looks like a rug, with some of the island kids around her, and one even settled in her lap. She's smiling, looking happy, and almost everyone has a mug of something steaming that smells exactly like hot chocolate. Good hot chocolate. The godiva of hot chocolate. And some have gingerbread men, though, unsurprisingly, most of the boys have bitten off the heads of their edible little people. So violent!
Though there's a definite chill outside, the kitchen tonight is warm and cozy. No drafts, plenty of rugs, though who knows where those came from, and it smells just like grandma's kitchen.
"We'll get you a little —" Stepping into the kitchen, Kaylee stops dead in her tracks and looking a touch confused. "What —?" she trails off, brows lifting a little at the gathering of kids. As one of the island's cooks it surprises her to see it so occupied. She stands there her body tilted a little to one side at the hip to accommodate the weight of white haired toddler on her hip.
Both blondes are bundled up against the chill of the evening, the littlest blonde is cuter about it with a pair of bright blue shoes on her feet. Kaylee's hair, pulled up in a bun, with a few strands loose.
"Hi," the telepath offers, finally stepping further into the kitchen, looking a touch uncertain. "I was getting Emily here a bit of milk." She explains to the other there, moving to edge around the group. "Didn't mean to interrupt," is offered pleasantly. Emily herself stares at the group, head tucked where if anyone looks at her, she can bury her face shyly.
Strolling her way in shortly after Kaylee, Monica is popping candies into her mouth from a handful but she stops short at the doorway. Cocoa? Her eyebrows lift a bit and she steps in with a smile. "Hey, what's all this? It looks like the holidays are breezing in." She's dressed in a pair of jeans and a nice, warm coat wrapped around her. Warm! But more oddly, it's not all black!
Murmuring numbers under her breath, Nora comes along the hallway a few moments later, fingers trailing along a wall, and a look of concentration on her face, or what's visible of it — the brows above the dark glasses she wears are furrowed anyway.
Somehow she manages to stop just short of Monica, however, as if she sensed the woman in front of her. Her head tilts and she reaches out with the hand not on the wall, reaching until she taps Monica from behind.
"Oh, sorry!" Nora says immediately, cheeks flushing as she pokes Monica's head from behind, but her face blooms with a wide grin of delight at something.
It's the first truly sincere smile most will have seen on the blind teenager's face since she's been here.
Emily does get looked at, before Kaylee does even, and Shannon offers the girl a warm smile. "Would you like some hot chocolate instead of milk, honey?" She gives Kaylee a reassuring look. Who knows what it's meant to convey specifically, but it's reassuring! The smile turns to Monica, the kids seeming to improve her mood. "Some of the kids were kinda bummed, so I figured hot chocolate and gingerbread cookies were just the thing to cheer them up." Though where she got the stuff to make all of those is a mystery. Myyyyyystery.
When nora enters there's a glance that way, then between the faces of the three adults. "You guys are welcome to join us if you want. The more the merrier." But the grin has her head tilting. "And what're you so happy about…Nora, wasn't it?" she asks curiously.
The question gets Emily's attention, head coming away from the telepath's neck to stare at Shannon for a long moment. Almost like she isn't sure she heard that right. Then she looks at Kaylee, who returns the look. Brows on the older woman lift a bit and then she looks a bit uncertain. "I don't know. It's awfully late."
Of course, that little girl knows how to work the guilty trip, soul pale eyes blinking at Kaylee and crumbling her resolve. The two year old knows it too.
Finally, there is a soft sigh from Kaylee. "Alright. Maybe cut it with enough milk to make it fairly cool since she's pretty young still." The bland tones saying just how bad an idea the older blonde thinks it is, but how do you say no?
Monica turns at that tap, but she doesn't seem bothered by the poking and such. Not that Nora can see that. "Oh, no, it's alright," she says as she steps to the side. "Blockin' the doorway and everything like a dolt."
The kitchen is a mystery, but you know what? Monica is not questioning just now, as she moves in to find a rug to drop herself down on. "Nice of you," she says to Shannon as she curls her knees up to her chest and wraps her arms around her legs.
The smile gets bit back, teeth raking lower lip as Nora holds onto the wall and can feel eyes on her even if she can't see them. "Um. Nothing. Just the smell, it reminded me of home," she says, but the smile fades, as if that isn't as sweet of a memory as it should be.
She seems hesitant to enter, though she moves forward, moving toward where she knows a table and chairs should be, hand reaching out until it lands on one of the latter, wood scraping floor as she pulls it out to sit on. "It's warm in here," Nora murmurs, a moment later, realizing she's not cold for the first time in weeks.
"Trust me, it's not too late," Shannon assures Kaylee with a shake of her head, though she doesn't explain why not. It'd spoil things if she explained where the kids could hear that it's not really hot chocolate. And it's a moment. They have so few these days.
The kid in her lap is murmured to and given a little tickling along her side before she's set on the rug and the brunette gets up. A cup is poured before she glances to Monica. "You want?" she asks, even as she's moving to offer the cup to Emily. "Or you, Nora?" Then she's looking to Kaylee. "Don't think I've met you before."
"Or me you… normally I'm here at the crack of dawn starting the days bread." Kaylee explains with a bit of a smirk, helping the two year old with the cup so it doesn't get spilled down the front of them. After Emily gets a sip the silent child, smiles a bit, glancing shyly at Shannon. "Might just be a case of just missing each other."
While her eyes are on making sure the little girl doesn't spill her drink, the telepath offers, "My name is Kaylee. Kaylee Thatcher."
"Yeah, I'd love some," Monica says to Shannon with a broader smile. But something seems to hit her in the exchange between the two cooks and she winces a bit. It's just short of a facepalm at herself. There isn't a glance in Kaylee's direction, but… she tests the mental waters a bit, as it were.
Kaylee?
It's like a knock on the door… when one isn't exactly such how knocking works. But outwardly, she rights her expression and looks up to catch Nora's features fall. "Why don't you sit down and have a cup. Enjoy the rare warmth."
"Sure. I haven't had chocolate in forever, even before the 8th…" Nora says tentatively, settling herself at the table, pulling the blanket off her shoulders. Her hands tuck into her too-long sleeves, fingers curling to worry at the frayed cuffs of the gray sweater she wears, before one rises to rub at the bridge of her nose wearily. The bandages are gone from her eyes beneath the glasses, a little bit of dirty adhesive still sullying the top of one cheekbone.
"Really? Surprised we haven't run into each other then. I'm in here fixing every meal," Shannon says, brows lifting. "But I'm Shannon." She pours another two cups, carrying one to Monica, then to Nora, being more careful with the latter and not just thrusting it forward and expecting it to be taken. She waits until it is before returning to her rug and sitting down on it. Nora gets a curious look. "What happened to your eyes, anyway? Didn't you have them bandaged last time?" Monica's words just make her smile.
Kaylee starts to say something, but something stops her, brows furrowing. There is a moment more before she glances at Monica curiously. Was that mental inquiry meant or not, the telepath doesn't know, but rather then risk scaring the woman out of her wits she turns her attention back to Shannon.
If Monica wanted confirmation, at least she knows she was heard.
Nora gets a glance of her own, Kaylee studying the stranger for a moment. "Never know around here. I help with the bread, and some meals. Laundry is a big one and kids when I've got the time." An affectionate glance goes to Emily, who she helps with the cup again.
She doesn't sit on the rug, but rather moves to settle into a chair near Nora. "Hope it's okay if I sit here." Whether she says one way or the other, the blonde sits there. The little girl seems content to sit on Kaylee's lap, leaning back against the telepath and sipping at chocolate. "Careful." She chides the little girl gently, barely preventing the warm liquid from slopping out around the edges of the little girls mouth.
When Kaylee looks her way, there's a bit of mental laughter, echoed in a physical smile as Monica takes her cup. Hey, that actually worked! Right? I mean — I've seen weirder coincidences, but… There's a momentary pause before there's a quieter thought added. Talking to yourself's only crazy when you do it out loud, right? Right.
To Nora, there's a chuckle (out loud this time!), "Me neither. I didn't even splurge on my trip to the mainland. Well. Not much anyway. But after all this madness, a girl deserves a night of sugarshock."
Nora shakes her head at Kaylee's query, and she reaches for the mug carefully when Shannon sets it in front of her. The hand that pulls out of her sweater cuffs bears an angry red burn from earlier in the day, so her extreme caution in reaching for the mug can be forgiven.
At Shannon's question, she shrugs. "The bandages were mostly for aesthetic value, I think," she says sarcastically, free hand not wrapped around her mug touching the sunglasses. "Pretty as they were and all, I figured they weren't fixing anything, and probably were there more to keep anyone else from having to see my eyes. Sunglasses do the same and are less itchy."
As for what happened to them, she is quiet for a moment, and when she speaks, her voice is a touch thick and strained. "Happened on the 8th. There was an explosion." She shrugs. She doesn't know why she can't see, only that she can't.
Nora's sarcasm gets a bland stare from Shannon, who waits through it, and through the genuine answer before she speaks. "Was the sarcasm really necessary?" Pot, kettel, totally black. "Though I'll give you points for style." There's a brief pause, and she nods. "And a few for delivery. But explosion huh? Sucks."
She looks back to Kaylee then, nodding to Emily. "She yours, or you just taken a liking to her?"
Okay, now Kaylee is staring at Monica, or at least trying not to look that way. What? The telepath's tinny voice slips into the the other woman's mind before she can stop it really.
It's Shannon's inquiry that pulls Kaylee's attention. She blinks and glances down at the little girl. "No. Emily isn't mine. Her mom…" She gives Shannon a meaningful look without saying the word 'died'. "On the 8th." A hand brushes at the chocolate mustache on the girls upper lip. "She's unable to talk or vent her problems, but just — seems to be more at ease around me.
"She'll be staying with the Lighthouse kids, but can't deny her the company." Kaylee says with a smirk sent Shannon's way. "Since I worked with those kids before, I figure she'll enjoy other kids her age and I can still be around for her."
Monica looks between the others as they talk, Nora's answer making her chuckle a little. "The glasses make you look less like a blind shaman," she points out, apparently taking the sarcasm as carte blanche to comment, "So I think it works out."
But to Kaylee, as she sips at her hot cocoa, there's a sort of relieved sigh. In her mind. Which probably means she purposefully thought the sigh — mental abilities confuse her. Richard was wondering if you could make it back to the mainland. To Redbird. Sorry. Is this rude? Thinking at a person? Telepathic etiquette, she is not familiar.
"Actually, yeah, I think the sarcasm was absofuckinglutely necessary," Nora says coolly, pushing aside the unsipped cocoa. "Thanks for the style points. That and a dollar will get me nowhere."
Monica's words get a chuckle, though she's pushing up from the table — this time a little more gracefully than earlier in the afternoon. No chocolate gets sloshed anyway. "Do shamans wear eye bandages? I didn't know that."
That there are kids present dawns on the young teen a little late; already heading to the door, she tilts her head over her shoulder. "Sorry, Kaylee," she mutters, before she can get reprimanded for her language. "Not having a good day. I'm gonna go lie down."
Back to counting steps to the wall, and then to the door.
Kaylee is chatty, Monica's amused, Nora's moody, and Shannon…Well, she's just vindictive. While for everyone in the room it remains warm and cozy, it's suddenly very, very cold around Nora. "I asked a simple question and you got an attitude. So no, it wasn't necessary." And just because Nora can't see doesn't mean that Shannon can't torment the teen. And the look on her face says that she just might try. But not right now. Right now she lets Nora freeze, while she turns back to the others and smiles brightly. "So, any suggestions on the food, guys? I know it's a little repetitive, but…"
Not rude no. Kaylee offers as reassurance, to Monica. Just loud like yelling. A touch of amusement says it's not the first time. But then, it's the best way, since I don't make a habit of listening on peoples thoughts. Which is probably a change from the other telepath, Monica deals with.
But… Redbird? Brows furrow a little, it's familiar but a vague memory of the place. Where is it? It's… been for me five years. It's hard to explain. But I will be going to the mainland Monday. I can make a side trip while in the city.
Nora's sudden move to depart, pulls Kaylee out of mental thoughts into the real world. "It's alright, Nora. Pretty sure it can get overlooked. Go get some rest. It's good for healing the body." Despite the moodiness, Kaylee's voice is reassuring and understanding.
Then Kaylee glances at Monica again. But yeah. I can go talk to Richard. It's been like… forever. The mental conversation distracts her from the question posed by Shannon.
You got caught up in the time traveling, too, huh? Small timeline. Monica is starting to look distracted, too, as she tries to think quieter, but she's clearly not used to purposefully chatting at a telepath this way. It's in Battery Park City. I don't know if you'll catch Rich there… but Liz or Peyton are usually around. But he asked me to get you over there, some help of the mental variety's needed.
There's a notable delay before Monica looks up at Nora, "Hey, see you around, Nora. Stay cool." If he's there, though, might be wise to grab him before he slips off again, she says with some wry amusement. Indulgent, even. Someone is a fan of Endgame's leader. Just a little.
The sudden chill is attributed to the fact she's close to the door, leaving as she is. Nora hesitates, beginning to shiver a little near the door as the cold settles around her. "You asked me a question about something that's obviously a touchy subject," she points out, arms wrapping around herself as she belatedly realizes she left her blanket on the chair. She's not about to turn and get it.
"I gave you an answer. Let's not get picky about how I answered, all right? I'm doing the best I fu— the best I can." Her voice cracks a little on the last word.
"Night." she adds quickly, and Nora begins to move again — fingers trailing along the wall but her footfalls falling much faster than she normally moves — numbers softly counted under her breath as she moves away from the kitchen.
Nora's reply is heard, but Shannon neither responds nor looks back to the teen, ignoring her now. It seems she's not much for forgiveness. What a bitch. Her head tilts as the others don't do much actual talking, at least not of the verbal sort, then she shrugs and looks back to the girl who was in her lap when they arrived, reaching out to tickle her and make her giggle.
A smirk of amusement is covered by a press of Kaylee's face against light blonde curls. He sounds like how I was and yes… I got lost for awhile. Though Nora's leaving draws a brief concerned look.
Her view is suddenly blocked by the cup as Emily holds it up in front of her face. "Oh.. done?" Kaylee asks with a bit of a chuckle. "Okay." The cup is taken and set aside. "I think it's time for Emily and I to retire. I want to try and get her to sleep, then to find the pastor, finally."
Shifting Emily to rest her on a hip, Kaylee rises to her feet. "I appreciate the hot chocolate." This directed to Shannon with a smile. "And I imagine tomorrow we'll see each other at breakfast." Monica get a nod and a mental, Thank you, before she starts to cart the toddler out of the kitchen.
Well… I'm glad you made it back… Monica's parting words to Kaylee, with a smile for the mental thanks. But when it looks like the others are leaving, she looks back to the kids gathered there and her smile widens. "Who wants to sing some Christmas carols?" It's only the fourth, sure, but blame it on the good cheer.