Participants:
| Scene Title | The Christian Thing |
|---|---|
| Synopsis | Abby settles Joy Odessa into her own room above Old Lucy's and introduces her to Alexander. |
| Date | March 2, 2010 |
Old Lucy's - Upstairs
Though one might remember when a certain fiery woman lived here… Now the living area above Old Lucy's has changed hands. The open living room and kitchen are homey, a commingling of two people's tastes. The leather couch sits kitty corner to a one of red suede and a bit smaller. A large bird cage for it's budgie inhabitant takes up it's own corner beside dark paneled walls. Bookshelves with literary pieces of a variety both academic and not take up another small section.
The kitchen is large, with a rolling wood and black marble island to give more counter space to work on. Pots and pans hang from the roof and track lighting keeps it not gloomy. A proper oak dining table has been set up with matching chairs instead of the 70's castoff that the residents have been known to own and a bowl of fresh fruit sits in the center.
Down a hall lays multiple doors. A master bedroom occupied by the oldest resident and occasionally have a pervading smell of whiskey and smoke coming from it when the door is open. A second door with a cross above it, a third with no marking that is occupied by the third resident of the premises. Two other doors lead to a linen closet and bathroom - Decorated in a very strong pirate theme - respectively. A black cat with a red velvet collar and a little Swarovski charm dangling from it can be found meandering at will.
Abigail doesn't have long for lunch and really, Peter's out in the bar, Brenda chatting him up and getting the guy some food since Abby insisted on stopping by, she had some things to do. Some Hiro specific things, but she didn't mention that to Peter. It didn't so much confuse her as to why, and though everything in her screamed to not do it, she had trust in the time manipulator. Things happen for a reason and like she'd told peter, sometimes… no matter how much you try for a normal life, it comes at you from the left hand side.
Brenda had let Joy know that the boss lady was coming, to make sure to be in the back and when the paramedic dressed woman came in, she didn't speak a word. Just crooked a finger and nodded her head towards the security door that lead to the upstairs. "23, 89, 16, 78. Don't forget it, I can write it down for you. That will turn off the upstairs system, and if you don't have the key you'll have to ask Brenda to let you up because not many people have the key. Brenda's here most of the time. It has biometrics as well, whatever that is really, Teo uses it, I think Brenda uses it, and I just… I don't. Technology scares me sometimes" She offers to the blonde. "Come on up. Welcome to your new temporary home"
Joy watches and listens to Abby as she explains the security required to gain access to the upstairs portion of Old Lucy's. She surveys her surroundings once they reach the top of the stairs.
"What prompted this?" A hand is rubbed under Joy's nose, staving off a sniffle. She hasn't yet decided if this is simply one of the symptoms of her withdrawal, or a side effect of whatever Hiro instructed her to inject herself with yet.
"Because.. Because someone once told me that it's about doing what is right. Not always what is fair, what's easiest and simple. But doing what's right. It's not fair of me to make you sleep downstairs in the bar" Abigail lets her into the apartment proper, the living room, kitchen cordoned off, the bird cage, cat by the window staring forlornly outside. She'd have to turn the heat up a bit up here. "What if you need to sleep early? It's just.. it's not right" Abigail slides a key off her chain, gotten it cut in between runs and passes it over to the doctor. "This is yours. When you don't need it anymore, you pass this back. Now, Teodoro lives up here, there's a guy named Alexander as well, and Francois. I'm staying elsewhere right now, but…" She moves towards the hall, boots from her uniform thumping on the floor as she heads for the door with the cross above it.
Inside is simple, white walls, purple quilted bedding with white sheets. A singed King James bible by the bed, alarm clock, phone. Couch, television on top of a low dresser. Rug to protect feet from cold floor and a closet with clothes in it. A statue of Jesus healing a blind man takes up one space on a shelf. It's obviously her room and the bed big enough for two. "You'll stay in here, or if you don't want to, there's a blow up bed in the closet. Fresh linens and towels in the closet. The others know you're staying here now"
Joy nods slowly as she looks around the room, brushing fingers over the quilt on the bed, pressing down experimentally to see how soft the mattress is. "Thank you," she murmurs, turning back to smile faintly at Abby. The black cat catches the woman's attention and she looks sheepish for a moment. "I have a kitten, too… I miss her. Would I be able to bring her here?" She doesn't really explain where she's been keeping the animal, but it must be safe enough if she hasn't asked before.
"Uhh." Ooh, tricky thing with the cat. "I don't.. think that'd be safe for Pila. Scarlett's been trained since Teo picked her up for me, to not try and eat the bird. If you think Pila will be safe with your cat, then yes, but if you're not sure" Abby's hand descends on the quilt too, present from her mother not long ago. "And you're welcome. I'm sorry for making you sleep down in the back room, it wasn't very Christian of me. How are you enjoying working? Is everyone being good to you? If they're not I can swing by and…"
"I'm sure she'll be no trouble," Joy says quickly. "If she is, I'll make other arrangements again." She sits down on the edge of the bed and smiles thinly. "I'm not sure I know what sort of act constitutes a Christian sort of thing." She shakes off the thought quickly. "Don't worry. I was comfortable enough downstairs. I've certainly slept in worse places."
The smile Abby receives is a little stronger this time. "I'm enjoying everything so far. The people here are really nice." The way Joy says it, it's as though she's unused to people who are nice. She probably is. "Brenda's been especially good to me." But something darkens her expression. "I think Lucille's… unwell, though."
"Lucille?" Takes Abigail a moment to remember who Lucille is. new girl. Thalia's last hire before she took off. "She sick? Anything she might pass onto the customers?" The quickness with which Abigail's firing up that question and the pulling down of her brows into the frown, shows she's worried. "I can stop by here later and see how she is, if you think it's bad enough. Maybe get peter to take a look at her"
"I think she might be going through withdrawal," Joy admits. She feels a little bad selling out a fellow addict, but maybe Lucille will be more apt to accept help than she was. Is. More important things have just sprung to mind, however. "Does… Peter know I'm here?"
"Does Peter know you? I haven't said your name to him, I just said I needed to go in the back and deal with a renter" She points out. "If you don't want him to know you're here, that's fine" One of her 'tenders might be using. There's a mental memo to sniff around, have Brenda keep an eye on Lucille. "I'll deal with Lucille" Try not to fire her if she is in withdrawal. Withdrawal means she's trying to get her life in order and firing her would make it worse. "Uhh, so. it goes without saying, keep the system active much as possible. Swat will have a hard time coming in here, it's pretty well done. I haven't had a break in again. Uhh careful of the alley, and don't be bringing up anyone that Teo or Aexander will have a big issue with. Uhh, I'll leave my numbers on the fridge, if you need to, you can call the ambulance company and they'll patch you through to my rig. Unit 59. If there's anything wrong at all Joy, please, call."
"I…" Joy is admittedly a bit dumbfounded at Abby's extended generosity. It was like pulling teeth to get a room in the first place, and now she's all but rolling out the red carpet. Part of her wants to be distrustful, and another part wants to simply be grateful. "I'll do that. Thank you."
Joy looks down at her shoes, hot pink stilettos. "Maybe tell Peter that…" Blue eyes close and her teeth worry at her lip. "Tell him… Tell him Odessa's here." Her gaze comes up to meet Abby's, watching her expression for any sign of recogntion. That's not the name she gave the younger woman, and there was plenty of reason for that.
"Odessa. That your real name or is Joy your real name?" Maybe her rolling out the red carpet isn't all that uncommon. Alexander could attest to that. How many times had he come home and found random person in their home, sitting at the table and enjoying a meal with Abby and end up on the couch for the night?
Course she doesn't know it's because of Hiro that she's doing this. "I don't have much time, I still have to eat lunch cause let me tell you, it's go go go, then stop, then go go go on the rigs. It's crazy, I never really thought it'd be like this. IS there anything you need up here? If there's a specific food that you like or want, just put it on the fridge and when we do groceries, I'll make sure it's added. Just make sure to put your name on it if you really don't want anyone eating it"
There's the clatter of feet on the stairs from below - Alex always sounds as if he's coming to serve a warrant, he really does. The outer door opens itself gently, as he comes in with paper bags of groceries in each arm. There's the jingle of the cat's bell, as she decides to make a break for it, and Al stops her by the expedient of just lifting her enough to make sure her paws don't actually touch the ground. It leaves the kitty frantically pedalling in midair.
"My name is Odessa," Joy murmurs. "You can call me that, or you can call me Joy. A name doesn't really change who I am." There's a great deal of truth in that statement, intended or no. She has to admit, it feels right to reclaim her own name, even if its roots are rather sketchy. When she hears the door open, she straightens up, made nervous by the sounds of heavy footfalls.
The continued jingling, the little crystal collar with it's bell and unhappy mewls of the cat, means that Abby knows who it is - the footsteps not withstanding - and she sighs. "It's AL, keeping the cat from making a break for it. Telekinetic, so don't freak out" Out of her bedroom she comes, paramedic garb and stethoscope hanging around her neck so she can stare at her cat. 'It's no wonder she sometimes just stares at you Al, she gets so pissed. Hey, change in plans. Joy's gonna stay up here now, so… She's gonna take my room while I go stay with my parents for a few more days. Oh hey, did you get the uhhh peaches?" She'd been craving them lately.
"Georgia's finest, darlin'," he says, as the bags drift away to set themselves on the kitchen counter. Scarlett has begun to yowl her displeasure - he puts her down as the door closes gently, and nods to Abby. If he's pleased or displeased, it doesn't show. "You go careful, doll," he adds, wandering over to kiss her on the cheek. They're so married. Except for like….the sex.
Joy - Odessa, rises from her seat on the bed and peeks out from the bedroom door to regard her new floormate. He may remember her, but not the other way around. There's a certain degree of wariness in her expression as she watches him interact with the boss lady. One hand comes up in a silent greeting.
"I'll be careful. It won't be like at Eileen's. He hasn't reared his head again. But that doesn't mean he's not watching," Abby points out after giving him a quick peck back in a most platonic nature. "I'm going to steal some for the rig. I swear, I'm going to need to bring a cooler. Been a long time since I did twelve hour shifts but hey, at least we have quiet moments. Just, be nice to everyone okay and uhmm, call me if anything goes down? At all? They're after Liz next, or so Cat thinks. My Dah's only willing to stay cooped up for a few more days then I gotta turn em loose and port em back home." Which has her worried and heading away to let the two get acquainted, while she acquaints herself with the peaches in the kitchen.
"This is the one time I've been glad I don't have any biological family left," Al notes. His tone is wondering, and devoid of self-pity. He inclines his head to Odessa. There's nothing to indicate previous acquaintance in his manners.
Shyly, Odessa offers a smile. "I'm… Odessa. You're Al?" She ventures further into the hallway, glancing over her shoulder once, possibly out of habit.
"I am," he says, advancing to offer her his hand, even as Scarlett, released, goes bolting for the shelter of Abby's bed. Men!
Odessa dodges out of the way of the scurrying cat before taking Alexander's hand to shake. "It's nice to meet you. I, ah… You're a friend of Teo and Francois' as well?"
"I'm a friend of Teo's. I'd not say that I know Francois well enough to claim the title of friend," Al says, easily, giving the offered hand a firm shake, and offering her one of those fox's smile. It's meant kindly, at least.
Odessa nods her head once, understanding what he means. She's the type of person most don't know well enough to claim as a friend. "It's nice to meet you, Al. If I do anything to bug you while I'm here, just let me know and I'll try to fix it." At least she promises she'll never be intentionally bothersome.
He takes a step back, and says, gently, "I'm sure we'll get along fine. You need anything, you let me know. Abby's houseproud, but we try and accommodate guests," he says, teasingly.
"Thank you." Odessa smiles graciously. "I think I'm going to go take a walk. I'll leave my number on the fridge. You can call me if you think of anything I could pick up for you while I'm out." Because that's what housemates do for each other, right? "I'll see you later."