|
Post by skybright on Mar 1, 2007 23:01:05 GMT -5
Doris was silent for a long moment. Then she nodded once, curtly, and stood up. "I'll get my coat."
|
|
|
Post by Jordanna on Mar 1, 2007 23:07:52 GMT -5
"Now you're acting sensible," Roger remarked after her.
When Doris had left the room, he turned to Daws and shook his head. "Rough," he said. It was a single eloquent word to sum up his opinion, the prospects for what was next, and everything else having to do with Doris Smith.
|
|
|
Post by skybright on Mar 1, 2007 23:14:23 GMT -5
Daws nodded. "You said it, Rog."
After a moment Doris came back into the room, buttoning her coat with a determined -- if not particularly pleased -- look on her face.
"Well," she said, "It's a long drive to New York. Let's get this over with, please."
|
|
|
Post by Jordanna on Mar 1, 2007 23:23:53 GMT -5
It seemed highly advisable not to even begin to tell Doris about permanent relocation at that point. Roger shrugged fatalistically and led the way out to the car.
The drive back to New York City was long and awkward. At last they reached Henry Casselton's house, and the undertaker met them at the door, looking solemn.
"Good evening, Daws. Mister Latimore." His gaze shifted to Doris as the group entered his living room. "Mrs. Vance, I presume?"
|
|
|
Post by skybright on Mar 1, 2007 23:28:55 GMT -5
"Ms. Smith, if you please." Doris replied, in the calm, frigid tone which she seemed to have decided was her best way of responding to the situation.
|
|
|
Post by Jordanna on Mar 1, 2007 23:50:31 GMT -5
Henry shot an uncertain glance at the two mutants, and got a beleaguered shrug from Roger in return.
"Ah... very well, Miss Smith." Henry gestured her to the sofa. "Will you sit down? As I'm sure you've been told, Major Vance has been convalescing here since he was injured a few days ago. I'll fetch him."
The undertaker retreated from the room. Roger leaned one shoulder against the wall, looking down at Doris grimly.
"Let's have one thing clear, ma'am," he murmured. "You might have your own personal reasons to be upset with the Major--but he's doing an important job, and he's been through the wringer for it lately. So if you give him too much hassle..." He shook his head slightly. "You'll havta answer to me, at the very least."
|
|
|
Post by skybright on Mar 1, 2007 23:54:45 GMT -5
"And to me as well," Daws growled, pushing her fedora back and crossing her arms.
Doris glanced at the two of them, and made a noncommittal noise. "I'll certainly keep that in mind."
|
|
|
Post by Jordanna on Mar 2, 2007 0:05:59 GMT -5
"Do that," Roger grumbled.
A moment later, Major Vance made his appearance, with Henry following him closely and concernedly. The major was still visibly cut and bruised and moved slowly, but he had managed to dress himself in something more than a bathrobe for the first time since he was injured.
He stopped in the middle of the room, regarded his ex-wife, and a thin smile crossed his lips.
"Hello, Doris."
|
|
|
Post by skybright on Mar 2, 2007 0:10:34 GMT -5
A flash of shock and recognition passed briefly over the blonde woman's face, before her calm mask once again took over. She stood up.
"Hello, Jerod."
|
|
|
Post by Jordanna on Mar 2, 2007 23:44:31 GMT -5
Vance's lips quirked in a crooked, humorless smile. "You haven't changed a bit. Glad to see you've been doing alright... But unfortunately, I'm afraid we've gotta throw sort of a monkey wrench into the works, for your own good."
|
|
|
Post by skybright on Mar 3, 2007 17:28:47 GMT -5
"My own good." Doris made a faint scoffing noise. "Since when have you . . ."
Daws interrupted her by pointedly clearing her throat, and Doris glanced at the other woman before turning back to Vance. "Are we really going to do this in front of an audience, Jerod?"
|
|
|
Post by Jordanna on Mar 3, 2007 21:38:31 GMT -5
"Far as I'm concerned, we're not doing 'this' at all," Vance replied, bluntly and even a little callously. "I'm not interested in hashing over the past with you, or trying to explain why things happened the way they did. That's between me and my own conscience now. All I'm interested in is making sure you don't end up buried beside Deanna anytime in the near future."
|
|
|
Post by skybright on Mar 3, 2007 22:33:16 GMT -5
"Fine." Doris folded her arms and regarded him coolly. "And how are you planning on doing that?"
|
|
|
Post by Jordanna on Mar 3, 2007 22:48:25 GMT -5
Vance seated himself in an armchair, doing his best to disguise the fact that he was beginning to feel unsteady.
"The man who killed Deanna is the same one who gave me all these pretty bruises," he said gruffly. "He thought I was dead, but now that he knows I'm alive, he'll be looking for me--and sooner or later, he'll probably get the bright idea of hurting you to flush me out of hiding."
He folded his arms. "What we can do is take you out of range of his radar. Send you to England--or anyplace else you'd like to go, I guess--with a new identity. But it means leaving behind the life you've got now."
|
|
|
Post by skybright on Mar 3, 2007 23:00:12 GMT -5
Doris frowned slightly. "And if I say no?"
"Don't be dumb about this, lady." Daws broke in. "It doesn't matter to our enemy if you love Vance or hate 'im -- when he kills you, it'll be just as slow and ugly either way. This is your life we're talking about, plain and simple."
|
|
|
Post by Jordanna on Mar 3, 2007 23:07:26 GMT -5
"I'm not going to force you," Vance said quietly, looking suddenly tired. "We've told you the stakes. I don't want to see you hurt--but it's your choice to let us help you."
He gazed down at the carpet with a small shrug. "Anyway, you'd have a few days to close up your affairs. And if there's--anyone who'd want to go into it with you..."
|
|
|
Post by skybright on Mar 3, 2007 23:16:52 GMT -5
Doris said nothing for a long moment -- but her icy expression seemed to have softened a bit. "What about Nathan? When he comes home . . ."
|
|
|
Post by Jordanna on Mar 3, 2007 23:24:04 GMT -5
"I've got a few favors I can pull in with old Army friends," Vance replied quietly. "It'll be a surprise to them too that I'm alive, but I can trust them. They'll make sure Nathan gets a new identity too. And you'll be able to write to him, to let him know about yourself."
Vance paused somberly. "And Doris... if you don't want Nate to ever know I'm still alive..." He swallowed hard and looked away. "I'll respect that."
|
|
|
Post by skybright on Mar 3, 2007 23:35:35 GMT -5
Doris shook her head slightly and sighed. "All right -- I'll accept your offer. It won't take me very long to get ready, and . . . well, there's nobody else.
"And after that . . . " She frowned. "Nathan's an adult, Jerod. I can't tell you how to deal with him -- he can make that choice for himself. But as far as things between us go . . . I think . . . "
She looked away from Vance. "I think it would be better if you stayed dead this time."
|
|
|
Post by Jordanna on Mar 3, 2007 23:46:18 GMT -5
Vance was still for a moment. Then he nodded impassively.
"Think of me as a ghost who came back for just a little while to try to make one thing right. Anyway, that's all there is to it... Rog and Miss Dawson can handle the details from here."
He stood up slowly and with a little difficulty, waving away Henry's movement to help him. Once upright, he gave Doris a very slight bow.
"So long, Doris. Good luck."
|
|