|
Post by skybright on Mar 3, 2007 23:55:44 GMT -5
Doris nodded slightly. "Goodbye, Jerod."
She turned to Roger and Daws. "It's too late to go back to Webster tonight. Is there a hotel somewhere around here?"
|
|
|
Post by Jordanna on Mar 4, 2007 0:05:54 GMT -5
"We've got that arranged for you already," Roger replied. "And in the morning I'll take you back home to get things squared away there."
He glanced at Daws, giving her a slightly significant look. "You wanna stay here while I take--er, Miss Smith to the hotel?"
|
|
|
Post by skybright on Mar 4, 2007 0:13:06 GMT -5
Daws nodded, glancing briefly at Vance. "Yeah, I think I will. I can find my own way home from here, too -- thanks, Roger."
She turned her gaze to Doris, bit back on a whole string of unpleasantries, and finally shrugged. "We'll be seeing each other again -- some friends of mine will be helping you with papers and so on." She frowned. "You may not believe it, lady -- but you're lucky."
Doris nodded and reached for her coat. "Good evening, Miss Dawson. Mister Casselton."
|
|
|
Post by Jordanna on Mar 4, 2007 22:48:18 GMT -5
Vance remained standing rigidly upright until the door had closed behind Doris. Then he sagged slightly, betraying his lingering physical weakness, and perhaps a bit more.
"I'm glad that's over," he said somberly.
|
|
|
Post by skybright on Mar 4, 2007 23:15:17 GMT -5
"You and me both." Daws sighed. She put one hand hesitantly on his shoulder.
"I'm . . . sorry." The words didn't seem like enough -- but they were all she could think of to say.
|
|
|
Post by Jordanna on Mar 4, 2007 23:32:06 GMT -5
Vance shrugged slightly. "I told you that was all over with, even before the bombing. So she blames me for that too?" He shook his head. "I can't say I'm surprised. It was okay with us a long time ago... but we were both different people then."
He placed his hand over Daws' and smiled very faintly. "If I've got any right to think about myself, it'll be to look forward--not back."
|
|
|
Post by skybright on Mar 4, 2007 23:39:22 GMT -5
"Yeah." Daws gave a faint, lopsided smile. "This way I don't have to worry about her tryin' to win you back. Not that I'd let her."
She squeezed his shoulder gently. "You're a good guy, Jerod."
|
|
|
Post by Jordanna on Mar 5, 2007 23:16:56 GMT -5
Vance grinned affectionately at her. "And you're kinda deluded... but that's okay, I like you that way."
He straightened up slightly. "Doc Van Linden said something about not wanting to intrude on family matters--though I guess really she wasn't too eager to see us exiling somebody like you did with her parents. She's been in the kitchen, fixing dinner. You want to stay and have a bite?"
|
|
|
Post by skybright on Mar 6, 2007 0:52:16 GMT -5
Daws nodded. "Yeah, I would. Stopping for dinner didn't strike me and Roger as a good idea -- and the atmosphere wasn't precisely the sort to have a friendly meal in, anyway."
|
|
|
Post by Jordanna on Mar 6, 2007 23:50:32 GMT -5
"No. I guess it wasn't." Vance put his arm around Daws' shoulders--not entirely for the purpose of using her as a crutch--and they went into the dining room, with Henry following.
Miriam was sitting at the table, reading a newspaper, and smiled up at them. "Hello, Daws. Looks like you've got an armload."
|
|
|
Post by skybright on Mar 7, 2007 0:00:02 GMT -5
Daws grinned. "Yeah, but I don't mind it."
She squeezed Vance's ribs gently and waited until he'd taken a seat, then glanced at Miriam. "You need a hand with anything?"
|
|
|
Post by Jordanna on Mar 7, 2007 0:07:58 GMT -5
Miriam shook her head. "No, thanks," she replied, and went to dish out two plates of chicken and vegetables from a crock pot.
"I can't cook like Alex yet, but he's working on me." She smiled. "Henry and I ate earlier--so we'll just leave you two alone for a while. Come, Henry..." Taking the undertaker's arm, she steered him out of the room before anyone could protest.
Vance gave Daws a grin as he picked up his fork. "Sounds like a conspiracy."
|
|
|
Post by skybright on Mar 7, 2007 0:13:42 GMT -5
Daws laughed. "Yeah. I can tell when I'm being plotted against, all right."
She grinned teasingly and reached for her own fork. "At least you got your own silverware this time around."
|
|
|
Post by Jordanna on Mar 7, 2007 0:19:06 GMT -5
Vance chuckled slightly, digging into his meal. His expression became thoughtful as he chewed.
"I think it's about time to send the Doc back to Sid's place," he said after a moment. "I'm doing okay, and she oughta be with the songbird."
|
|
|
Post by skybright on Mar 7, 2007 0:24:43 GMT -5
Daws nodded. "If she's okay with going, then I don't see why not. I'm sure Alex has been chasing his tail without her around."
She smiled ruefully. "Though Henry'll be sorry to see her go."
|
|
|
Post by Jordanna on Mar 7, 2007 0:41:51 GMT -5
"Yeah. Can't help that, though. Henry needs to find himself a girl."
Vance gazed into his glass of water. "With Handy and Rog running things so well, I've had a lot of time just sitting around here to think. And I've been thinking about weddings again..." His lips twitched at Daws' expression. "For the Doc and Foxy, I mean. Well, I guess I've taken a soft spot for Miriam. She's the sort of woman I'd like my daughter to have grown up to be--without the self-damaging mutant power and the murder frameup, of course. She's taken good care of me here, and I want to do right by her."
He smiled crookedly. "And Foxy too, of course. He's a spazz, but he's a right guy."
|
|
|
Post by skybright on Mar 7, 2007 0:48:08 GMT -5
"He is that." Daws nodded in agreement and reached for her water glass.
"Okay, then, master strategist -- you come up with anything in the way of brilliant plans for how we're gonna sucker those two into tying the knot?"
|
|
|
Post by Jordanna on Mar 7, 2007 0:55:31 GMT -5
Vance shook his head. "Not yet. Gimme a few more days of lying around here, and I'm sure I'll come up with something genius." He grinned. "After all, they're not the only thing I've had to think about."
|
|
|
Post by skybright on Mar 7, 2007 1:02:18 GMT -5
Daws wrinkled her nose at him. "Fair enough. I'll put my mind to it too, but don't expect too much. Like I told Alex once, I'm strictly film-noir. Planning a romantic comedy isn't exactly in my job description."
|
|
|
Post by Jordanna on Mar 7, 2007 1:09:31 GMT -5
The Major gave a small, throaty laugh. "Do I look like Cupid? Oh no, don't answer that," he said quickly, noticing Daws' wicked look. He chuckled and shook his head. "I guess what almost happened has made me feel like catching up a little on what I've missed outta life. Not that I haven't had plenty of close scrapes before... but this was the closest."
|
|