Participants:
| Scene Title | Was I Not Good Enough, Dad? |
|---|---|
| Synopsis | Keira and Ryans comes face to face and it doesn't go like the girl hopes. |
| Date | September 15, 2010 |
A person such as Keira doesn't exactly need persuasive abilities to get Amadeus to do anything. They only have to make him feel utterly guilty by using a certain L word that he refuses to say in return. So he returns to Gun Hill with Keira, but this time doesn't knock on Sable's door. Instead he stops at Delia's, the place he assumes Ryans also resides, then knocks hard five times. It's only the middle of the afternoon, and today he smells more like whiskey than pot, though there's usually some lingering mixture around him even though he does look sober… or at least as sober as he can.
He's not in the best of moods, Ryans hasn't been since he found a note tucked under his door. In it a list of people that turned on the Company. He read those names and he's not happy about it. There has been a scowl on his face for awhile now. He stands with hands pressed on the table, the list sitting in the middle of the table.
"Rene…" He says the name with pure disgust in his tone. "That answers a…" The knock on the door has him pausing, glancing over his shoulder. "I'm not expecting anyone." He saws softly, glancing at the two woman standing at the table with him. Blue eyes shift from Huruma and Lashirah, before he straightens and reaches behind him for the gun resting at his back. He gives a jerk of his head, stating he'll go check it out.
Keeping the door out of sight behind the door, Ryans moves to open the door. As it squeaks open, that intense gaze falls on the guy on the otherside of the door, it doesn't open more then allows the old man to see through it. "Amadeus…" There is a sigh, glancing back into the room. "It's just Deckard's kid." Then his attention if back on the punk kid. "Delia isn't here." His tone states clearly, 'Go away.'
In contrast, Keira is stone cold sober; the only thing she smells like is her peach perfume, and cigarettes. She decided to cover up a little bit for her first meeting with her father, for once wearing a full length black shirt with a large skull on it. Her hips still show over the low-cut blue jeans she wears, though, revealing that those tattoos that cover her body seem to be all over, and not just the sleeves over her arms.
Her arms are crossed and she has a scowl on her face as she watches Amadeus knock on the door, and in her hand is a photograph, worn and creased from being carried for years.
As the man in the picture opens the door, Keira's eyes widen, and she freezes for a long moment, staring up at the man with wide eyes, mouthing some curse. Then, she's suddenly shoving Amadeus to the side, pushing herself into Benjamin Ryans' view, holding the picture out toward him with a scowl. "I— You… " She stumbles over her words for a moment, before she resolves herself with a stomp of her foot.
Then, one heavily inked arm is thrust toward Ryans, holding the picture out to him. "You're my dad." How eloquently she puts it.
Lashirah looks up from the table at the exchange at the door, looking to Huruma a moment, as she folds up the list on the table and pockets it. No need for stray questions. For now she leans back and watches the bit of family drama.
Huruma, in dark denim pants and a white blouse, looks relatively normal, lingering at the corner of the table when the sounds of knocking break the somber quiet of the impromptu meeting. Whatever it was that she was going to say on the topic of Rene- The Haitian- is cut short when Ben slinks off, gun at the ready, only to answer the door. She tucks her fingers into her pockets, thumbs brushing at the brown of her leather belt. The presences outside are unfamiliar, the moods studied at idle length while she listens in.
Okay, maybe this is a bit much to listen in on. Huruma can feel the spark of shock from the female presence beyond the wall- identified as such only because of her voice. Arched eyebrows lift higher onto her dark forehead. Excuse me?
"I ain't here for Delia, I had enough heart stompin' for one lifetime." Amadeus is just as cool as a cucumber, hands still in his pockets as he regains his footing from getting shoved. "I'm just deliverin' your other daughter. I ain't taken responsibility for fuckin' that one, knew her before I knew you." he informs with a helpless shrug, then just hangs back and watches the reunion with mild interest.
Huruma will feel Ryans shock, but no one else will see it, only brows lower into a deep furrow as blue eyes fall to the picture. The old man is silent for a long time, looking at the old photo, of course, he looks the same age now as then… as if he hasn't aged a single day.
Finally, eyes flicker up to the tattooed girl and gives her a once over, a thoughtful look and then… "I only have the two daughters." He states firmly and with finality, and shuts the door.
Once it's shut, he glances at the other two, letting them see the confusing on his face. He really has no idea what happened there and it shows. Slowly he tucks the gun away at his back, brows furrowing in thought.
How the hell did that girl have a picture of him?
"Shut up, Amadeus. Not another word." Keira scowls over at Amadeus, stomping her foot slightly to indicate that she means serious business. Normally, this comes with a slap or a punch, but not this time; she's trying to put on a good example for her dad, so Amadeus is safe from her abuse for the moment. Then, she turns back toward the door, raising her eyes back up toward the man who she believes to be her father.
As he closes the door in her face, she lets out a shout, and Huruma will feel anger raising up from the woman on the other side of the door, as well as the crushing feeling of disappointment and sadness. She raises her fists, pounding on the door with a shout.
"HEY! You bastard, open this damn door! You're my fuckin' dad, you left me alone with a crack whore my entire life! If you weren't my dad, why would I have this picture of you? And why th'fuck would my mom tell me that you're my dad!" Her voice is suddenly breaking with the sound of potential tears. "Open this door and face me, you bastard, I've been waiting twenty-seven years for this!"
Lashirah is very glad she left the coffee on the table instead of taking a sip of it. She instead looks at Ryans a moment, then to Huruma, then to Ryans again, before making the understatement of the millenium. "Family issues?"
Huruma is not able to do much more than stare, at this point, pale eyes flitting from Lashirah, to Ryans, to the door, back to Ryans- By then, her own brow has creased into a knot, and she looks as puzzled as he does. There is something about the emotions on the other side of the door, however, that gives her enough pause to speak, and her tenuous friendship with Benjamin causing her to be quite open about it.
"…She feels tha'she is correct." Not helping, Huruma. "She would no'feel like that, otherwise."
"You're real fuckin' loud." Amadeus says as he walks up to the door and reaches out to take her wrist. "Let me handle this shit, I can take 'im if I've gotta." He clears his throat, then calls out, "Yo, you gonna be a deadbeat dick like my dad, or you gonna own up?"
Turning slightly, he looks back at the door, still those brows are furrowed, he doesn't even know what to think. After a moment of consideration, he sets his shoulder to the door, hand on the knob, feeling it vibrate with each time the girl's fist connects with the door.
Twenty seven?
A chill runs through his body, that was before Mary and after Vietnam. Okay… maybe it is possible.
Huruma's confirmation only irritates the already pissed off man, it makes him realizes why is' so punchy. Amadeus had brought this girl to his front door. Eyes narrow dangerously at that, and the tall dark woman can feel the anger starting. "Amadeus… shut the fuck up." Yeah, Ryans is pissed.
"I'm talking to her and her only. What was your mother's name?" The rough tones of Ryans' voice snap out the question, through the door, meant for Keira. "And where were you born?"
Keira, now angry, turns and lashes out at Amadeus, slapping at his head with open hands. It's not intended to hurt him, just shut him up and drive him away from the door, and her. Now is not the time for fumbling attempts at chivalry. "Shut the fuck up, Amadeus, don't say a fuckin' word!" This is hissed through gritted teeth, and the little woman bangs on the door once more.
The banging stops as Ryans speaks through the door. Keira, still pressed up against the door as if she could will herself to walk through it. "Deirdra Fionn. I was born in Buffalo." Her cheeks puff up. "Please open th'door. I been waitin' all this time t'see you." Huruma can feel the almost overwhelming desire Keira has for the door to open, so she can see and speak to the man she believes to be her father.
Her questions start soon after her answers are given. "Why th'fuck did you leave me with that bitch?! My mom's a crazy-ass crack whore, she fuckin' beat me and told me how much she hated me all my life! Was I not good enough for you, th'daughter of a druggie?!"
Lashirah twitches very sightly, and politely folds her hands on her lap. She's trying not to show an emotional reaction. In fact, she's trying for 'no reaction at all'
Oh, there's the swearing. Huruma clamps her jaw closed, though her attention is undivided- seeing Benjamin in a state of shock like this, is actually very riveting. The story is, too. Though it does, admittedly, make less sense because she only knows the Benjamin that roamed the world after settling down, romantically. Hearing things about crack whores having his children is rather new. She cannot imagine him doing much with a woman of that nature, much less getting her knocked up. Perhaps she was one of those high-functioning addicts? Who knows.
Amadeus just leans against the wall opposite of Ryans' door, then reaches into his pocket and pulls out a small ball of multi-colored yarn, starting to toss it up and down as his head bobs just as quickly to follow it. This seems to sate him, and he doesn't speak anymore, for now.
A look goes to the two woman in the room with him, brows lifting a little, it's plain Ryans has no idea. However, he turns thoughtful, looking at the door as if pondering something. Then Huruma and Lee can see his face fall behind that mask, before he moves to open the door again. It still isn't opened very far, only enough where he can look at this supposed daughter and she see him.
"I don't remember any woman by that name." His eyes look down for the photo, before Benjamin adds, "And I know I would not have dated a woman like that." He can only think of one he did, but… that didn't last long and she was far from an addict. "I have no idea how you got that photo, but… I assure you…" His eyes meet her's unflinching. "I'm not your father."
Keira plants a hand firmly on the door once it's open, as if to keep him from closing it again. When he opens the door again, Keira is in tears, her free hand clenched into a fist at her side with white knuckles. She shakes her head. "She wasn't like that 'til after I was born. She only did drugs in private 'til then." She shoves the photograph toward him again.
"She told me that you're my dad. I showed her this picture and she said that you're my dad!" She's outright crying now, holding the picture up for him. "Why th'hell would she fuckin' tell me that you're my dad if you're not?! Why would she have this picture of you if you're not my dad?! Tell me that, huh, why would I be here if you weren't my fuckin' dad?!"
She pulls the photograph back to wipe at her eyes with the back of her arm. "Why would I be makin' a fool out of m'self an' cryin' if you're not my dad?" She certainly believes what she says.
Amadeus tosses the ball up and down, until it misses his hand and he only grabs a piece of string. Then the ball's rolling along down the hall, leaving a long string behind. "Ah, fuck." He starts running along after it, trying to roll up the string while chasing the ball so he can try to stop it. "Wait!"
Invited over or not, Huruma is hovering suddenly at the side of the door on the inside, careful not to actually be spotted by the girl or the young man,and at the same time giving Ryans a reproachful glance. Aw, look, you made her cry. It is then followed up with a jerk of her head, motioning to the hall. She obviously wants him to keep asking questions. Maybe the girl out there is right. How awful would he be if he slammed the door again? Come, now.
"I don't know why." There is still a lack of emotions on Ryans face, jaw clenching, what Huruma feels is a jumble of emotions, but mainly that confusion continues to laces though them all. "You would think I'd remember her name." He wasn't the type to just… have the flings…. that he can think of.
Brows furrow again, hand pressing against the door as if to shut it again, but he doesn't exert pressure just yet. The movement at the corner of his eye, has him looking at Huruma. The look he gives her is a dangerous one. He's not a happy camper, cornered as he is. "What…" There is a heavy sigh as he looks at her. "What did she tell you about me?" It's asked curiously. "Do you even have a photo of her?" Maybe the face would jog his memory.
The little tattooed woman keeps her own hand against the door, exerting her own pressure to keep him from closing it, though she's certainly not as strong as Ryans. Blue, tear-stained eyes peer up at the man sadly, the girl wiping at her eyes still. "She never told me nothin'. I was lucky that she told me you're my dad." She frowns up at him sadly, Amadeus's cat-like antics ignored.
"I don't have a picture of that bitch, fuck her. Last time I saw her she was laying in a puddle of her own fuckin' piss and starin' at the ceiling and shouting at me that I had ruined everythin', and that was right before I joined up with my homies and they took me in. I had to turn to a fuckin' street gang to survive. Was it too much trouble t'fuckin' shove me off on a relative or somethin'?!" She's got an angry look on her face, even as the tears further strip her makeup away from her face.
Amadeus, by the time he returns to watch Keira and Ryans, has completely torn the ball apart, and instead moved to the process of trying to stuff it all back into his pocket. "Instead of all this pissin' around, why don't you just get a fuckin' DNA test? I didn't even give my deadbeat dad a chance to deny it."
Sighing softly, Lashirah finally speaks up in a soft, calm voice. "Might as well let her in. A scene like this is bound to attract attention none of us want."
Huruma only looks from Ben to Lashirah, in silent agreement, and however reluctant any of them may be- she is right.
"No." Ryans says firmly to Lashirah, he doesn't feel that this girl is his. "She shouldn't have even been brought here." He hisses to the former, forensics tech. That statement reminds him of Amadeus, his predatory gaze falling on the younger man. Huruma can see him tensing up, like a giant cat getting ready to attack.
He's a threat in the old man's mind, especially by bringing people into the sanctuary of the Ferry safe house. There is a twitch of his shoulder, but the attack doesn't come instead, something he says makes Ryans think.
"I want your cellphone number." Ryans finally demands of the heavily tattooed girl. "Then you will leave here." Last thing he needs is him and his own tossed out for something like this. "And you will wait for me to call you, then we'll figure out this business." His tone clearly states he doesn't believe it.
Keira frowns at the voice behind the door, tilting her head to try and get a glimpse inside. Then, she's scowling up at the man, through her tears. "What?! No, I wanna talk about this shit and figure this shit out now! Why would I fuckin' lie about somethin' like this?! It ain't like I haven't seen that thing in the news about my fuckin' sister gettin' arrested for tryin' to avoid the fuckin' Registration, sayin' that you're fuckin' wanted. I know who you are, why th'fuck would I want to pretend to be your daughter?!" She's getting loud, and the tears are flowing more.
Regardless, she snarls out her phone number, wiping at her eyes as despair sets in. "I just wanna know you. You love your other daughters, don't you?! Why can't you at least let me have a fuckin' chance? I just want to know my fuckin' dad."
"You ain't gonna get anywhere just yellin' at the guy, give 'im your number and then we can sort this shit out later." Amadeus reaches over after the yarn is back into his pocket, trying to carefully take her wrist again. "Come on, I'll fuckin'… cook for you or some shit."
Lashirah shakes her head. "… Ryans, if she was with them, we'd already have a suit of armor appearing on our heads…" She notes this with an utter, devistating calm.
He'll feel Huruma's hand hovering near his elbow when he tenses up, and she finally has to move into view of the crack in the door. Her eyes, largely trained on him for the initial seconds, flicker out to study the young woman.
"If you'ave waited twenty-seven years, msichana, you can afford t'wait a few more days. If he does no'want t'field this right now, let it be, get on, go home…" Before someone might make her, is so very implied. The tall, dark woman speaks level in her smooth voice, out of the space of the doorway, her white irises shadowed by eyelids.
"We'll talk when I know more." It's cold, but the old man doesn't want to keep her hopes up. "Til then it's too dangerous to be here or around me." See… he at least is showing some concern for her well-being. He also wants to get her out of the Safe House, since technically, she shouldn't be there. Another glare is angled towards Amadeus.
"I believe that you think I am your father, but the fact you said your mother was a drug addict means her word is suspect as it is." A finger points at the photo. "She could have found that anywhere." It's the truth, she could have. "And fed you a line."
Ryans studies the woman thoughtfully, "We will talk again." He promises. He goes to shut the door and stops, giving Keira his full attention again, "And this is me giving you a chance." And finally he moves to shut the door.
Only then does he look at Lashirah, dropping his voice to something soft that won't carry through the door. "And you'd rather I just take her word for it? Without proof? Then when it does come out she gets her hopes dashed?" Pushing away from the door, Ryans shakes his head. "This isn't about the Institute anyhow, but it's better she's away from here and disappointed. Then hurt in anyway later."
Keira doesn't pull away this time as Amadeus takes her wrist, staring up at Ryans with teary eyes. "Even if you're not my dad, you must have answers. Please, don't just say that you're jus' gonna fuckin' call. I need this." Her eyes turn up toward Huruma, even as she wipes at the tears. Then, she looks back to Ryans, nodding slowly.
"…I'll talk to you soon." It's her way of insisting that he doesn't stand her up. She's apparently unsure if he'll even speak to her after she leaves. Sniffing, she takes a step back from the door as Ryans closes it, though her hand remains on it.
Then, she's turning, yanking her hand away from Amadeus as she makes her way back down the hall, toward the exit, completely silent save for her heavy footfalls on the ground. As she nears the exit, she promptly reaches for Amadeus' hand. "I want some salmon."
"And if you fuckin' hand 'er up, I'll be comin' back and havin' words." he warns before they start walking away, and she speaks up about what she wants. "Fuck yeah, fish!" Amadeus completely forgets the drama, if he were paying much attention to it to begin with. There are more important things at hand now. Fish!
Lashirah stays very quiet. For once, it seems to be her best option as she has no further opinion at the moment.
Huruma listens to the end of the conversation in the hall, her shoulder leaning up against the wall and gaze following Ben. She waits dutifully until the two presences are moved off and away, before moving over towards him and giving him one raised eyebrow. It's a clear question of 'what was that?', she is just not totally sure how to verbalize it at first.
"Are you going t'talk t'her? It may no'be what you want t'hear from me, especially, but she did believe wha'she was saying. There must be a reason."
Turning on Huruma, Ryans glares at her, the mask he normally wears is gone. "She wants answers… I have none." He snarls are the tall dark woman, taking a step towards her. "What am I going to tell her? Huh? I don't remember any woman by that name." Fingers rub roughly at his forehead and he sighs heavily. "I need to figure out how to get a DNA test… A little tough in our current situation."
Turning towards the kitchen, the old man murmurs, "I need a drink." Of course, on the tail of that spoken thought, he wonders how Deckard was fairing.