Participants:
| Scene Title | I still love you dearly. |
|---|---|
| Synopsis | Rami cautions Nalani about her evolved ability, bringing the elephant to light and does what a big brother does. |
| Date | January 26, 2009 |
Nalani's Apartment
Dinners, boring dinners. Lots of them. Tonights supposed to be some formal affair, for a designer that Nalani knows. As such she's not near the door when it's opened, nor hears the housekeeper before call out that her brothers there. Just in the dressing room, getting on some powder blue embroidered and designer affair, one of her earrngs on and hair already done as she exits into the sitting room. But she's not surprised to see him. Happy is more like it. Estatic.
«Now where is my lovely sister?» says Rami in fluent, perfectly accented Arabic as he enters, pauses by the door to dust snow off his shoulders and then peers around her lavish apartment. "Oh my dear. Did I catch you on your way out the door?"
«I have time still Akhy. The car is still not here and won't be and I haven't decided if I'm going to wear this or something else. This is a surprise. Our dinner is not until next week» Nalani sweeps across the room, still barefoot, planting a kiss on Rami's cheek, knowing the perfect art of not getting lipstick on it.
"Sorry. You know how I hate to drop by uninvited. Never know if you're entertaining some dreadful designers or ass kissers." Rami's back to English, because it's so much better to say 'dreadful' and 'ass' with a British accent. "Nalani. May I…speak to for a moment? Can we sit down?"
The whole of it brings pause, lowering the hand that was trying to put the earring into it's resting spot on her ear. "Has something happened Rami? Mother or father?" Worry springs to the woman's mind as she gestures to the couch and taking a seat herself. "Are you alright Rami?"
"I am fine, dear. And you know if anything happened to mum and dad, you'd know about it before me." Rami sets a hand on her shoulder. He turns her gently so they can look each other in the eye. "Nalani." A beat, "…I know." The tone says it all.
He knows. It takes a moment for her mind to skip over the very many things he didn't know that he could possibly know now. It's a short list but it's the last thing in her mind that brings it to a screeching halt. It's seen in her brown eyes, the look from confusion to surprise, shock, and then worry. "You know" Finality in it all.
"And if I know, dear, I am likely not the only one." Rami squeezes her shoulder gently. "Now. You know I would do anything to protect you. But you must be more careful." The warning is firm, but not unkind. His own misty green eyes meet hers. "You are my precious sister. But if too many people learn of what you can do, then I may not be able to keep you safe."
It's a hard swallow he can hear, the pulse at her throat picked up and hammerings away. «I'm sorry Akhy. I never knew. I never knew and by then… It was too late» Nalani doesn't move away from him, but neither does she move to him. The earring is held tightly in her hand, which is in her lap.
Rami reaches up to touch her chin, to encourage her to look at him. "I still love you dearly. This does not tarnish you in my eyes. I understand why you didn't tell me. And I won't ask you to register. But you do need to learn how to control it."
Her own brown eyes flicker up to glance at him. "How? And know Akhy, I have never used it on you. I swear it. From the moment I learned that I could do, what I do… I tried to never use it on you. I promise." The earring abandoned to her lap and her hand settles on his on her shoulder to squeeze it.
"I know." Rami touches her head with his free hand and gently pulls his fingers through, as he did when they were both children. The other hand returns the squeeze. "Try not to project your will on others. Make your every order a suggestion, at least in your mind. That may stop you from using it when you do not intend to. Because if you continue as you have, people will start to realize what it is you are doing."
Into the touch she leans her head, regardless of it being pinned up and likely to be disturbed. Mascara's about to be smeared as her eyelash's brim with tears. He knows. "How did you find out Akhy? I try so hard to not be found. I'm sorry. I know, I know that I should register, I should be an example in that, as I am in everything else but I cannot Akhy. The Magazine… You've seen what's happened to others who have .. exposed themselves. What with the contracts and deals I've made, Akhy the lawsuits"
"Shhh, shh…Ahkti…" Rami drops to squat in front of her. «I understand why you don't register. I know what it would cost you. But understand that if you do not, and people find out that you knew about your ability and did not, there are consequences to that as well. I can't tell you how I know, but I can tell you that it was not because I saw it with my own eyes. That is why you are in danger if you continue on this way.»
«I have a lawyer already Akhy. He just calls me very Charismatic. He's.. He knows, and is prepared to defend me and my magazine, if .. if it comes out that I am evolved. But beyond that» But, so, it's someone he knows. Works with. « I can not do it Akhy. I can do that. I know how to do that. I worked at that. Was why I went through so many assistants. That girl, at the park with the photo shoot, doesn't work on her. The man in the coffee shop that I called you about» Nalani lists off the time's she's used it. Charities, photo shoots, it's obviously a very commonly used skill with her.
«So what you need to do is only use it when it is absolutely necessary. Because otherwise…what happens when someone discovers that you have used your ability on them? Even a good lawyer would have difficulty defending you.» Rami drops his hand. «You know I only want what's best for you.» And that's not being locked away on Level 5 of the Company.
«I know Akhy» Nalani replies. All thoughts of going to the dinner firmly squashed in her mind and she looks about for tissue to wipe at her eyes. «How much trouble have you gotten into? Over this»
Rami reaches into his jacket and pulls out a white cloth handkerchief that he hands to her. «I haven't dear. Don't you worry about me.» he smiles gently. "Now. You go to dinner. And you enjoy yourself, all right? Don't worry about this business tonight."
'Dinner now, is the furthest thing from my mind. I scarcely know how to run my business without… " Without it. The kerchief is taken, folded neatly and dabbed at her eyes, little marks of black mascara coming off on it. "I'm sorry Akhy. That I never told you. I should have. I'll do my best to not slip up" because that means disappointing him. "Does… Dr. Suresh know?"
"Oh, you give yourself too little credit, my dear. You are a commanding woman, even without your…ability." Rami's brows go up and he smiles gently. "You cannot force respect. And that is what you have from your staff. You may need to work harder in business deals, but I don't see how anything else will change."
The question of Mohinder makes his jaw set a little. "No." Not yet, but that's because he's kidnapped. But the file is there for him to see, eventually. "Mohinder has been…" ahem. "…very deep in a project. He sends his deepest regrets that he hasn't been able to see you lately."
«Such faith Akhy» Left with just damp eyes now, gathering herself up, resuming composure. "Is he worth.. waiting for Akhy? It's been nearly a month. I have never thought to give a chance to anyone who disappears for that long" The set of his jaw prompts her to even speak it. The hanky folded neatly in her hands, likely to be given to the housekeeper to be laundered and returned to Rami at the nearest convenient moment.
"It is not his choice, dear. He does what he is told to do, much like me." Rami's voice grows quiet at that. "He is a good man." And that's a high compliment coming from him. He stands slowly. "I'll leave you be, sister. Please don't spend your evening here. Why let this deprive your friends of your presence, mmm?" A big smile, one meant to reassure.
"I'll be late regardless, now I have to go do my makeup again" Nalani stands, catching the earring and handing it over to him, a quiet instruction to help her put it in. "You made me cry. What am I supposed to tell them? Sorry, my brother came, drove me to tears" She's playfully chiding him, trying to smooth over the awkwardness that was the last few minutes.
"Fashionably late, dearest," Rami takes the earring, tugs off the back and puts it in gently. "You need no excuse. You are Nalani Hollingwood. You are late, and they must accept that." The edge of his lips quirk.
'I am Nalani Hollingwood" His words seem to inspire her to square her shoulders and stand up straight. "And I'm not even fashionably late, I'm arriving right when I'm supposed to" The earring in, she turns, preening a bit for him. "Besides my mascara and my blush? Do I look presentable?" in her muddled accented English.
"You are never late. Everyone else is always early." Rami's brows arch. He looks fondly amused. "You are always a vision, dear."
"Then get out of here. I'll keep my promise to you. Charities are fair game though. It's for the greater good" An inward sigh and lift of chin. Regal. "Thank you Rami"
"Just…not at the expense of your own safety." Rami brings out the big brother on those words. "Be careful, Ahkti. And have a lovely evening." With that, he rocks back and heads for the door.
And Nalani goes towards her suite, dress trailing on the floor. The night is young and at her brothers insistence, she's going to carry on her evening regardless of whats just happened. Because he commands.
 January 26th: Hear You Soon] |
 January 26th: A Step |