#and like yeah liz voted for him i get that

[vonlipvig]

finally watching survivor and man, y'know i've always said that the person who wins the reward can pick whoever they want to share it with, and if it's a decision to better their own game then that's it and you gotta suck it up.

but MAN that was cold as hell. strategy or not, i don't think i could have not picked liz. oof.

[becausegoodheroesdeservekidneys]

From the news I'm getting here across the Pond, it seems like Liz Truss has perhaps achieved a marvel in that she's turning out to be more incompetent than Boris "Big Dog" Johnson. What are the chances the U.K. will have a new Prime Minister by the end of the year?

Yeah, she's exactly as competent really but, and this cannot be overstated, the person whose mess she's inherited IS Boris Johnson. But she compounds this with a Chancellor who is much, much worse.

Uh, this answer got long, sorry about that, but lol what can you do? Exercise restraint? Pfft.

By the end of the year... probably slim, as hilarious as the letters of no confidence are; the party can't survive another new leader that quickly. Johnson's greatest legacy - his greatest gift to the left - is the one he was always going to leave: he rose to power on a platform of 'feelings not facts', a method that is highly effective in the short term but horrendously unsustainable in the long run, once the shine of the bombast wears off and people realise that the bins aren't going out anymore. You cannot bluster and jazz hands your way through running a country indefinitely. You have to be competent at the daily grind.

Big Dog was not.

But during his tenure, everyone either threw all their weight behind him to suck his Union Jack-coloured cock and get a cushy ride themselves, or they were openly fired for disloyalty. He single-handedly created a Tory party that was defined by patriotism-flavoured incompetence. And then the bubble burst, and his old nemesis Mr Consequences came calling, and the situation was, very suddenly, that he was hot garbage - just absolute weapons-grade 'this is not a place of honour' levels of toxic - to have in charge of the party, but most importantly, crucially, none of them could get rid of him without also incriminating themselves.

That's why it took so long before the wave of resignations finally kicked things into happening. That's why it had to be a wave of resignations. None of the limping high school debating champions that were left in government could survive without him; even though he was actively poisoning them, they would die immediately with him gone. The tipping point came when finally that particular cost-benefit analysis see-sawed the other way.

And what's left? What was always going to be left: a hardcore radical group of 'feelings not facts' fascists, and an insipid hodgepodge of self-deluded clowns with the life skills of a particularly underwhelming five-year-old, all of whom are embroiled in bitter internal bitching wars and cliques and spend their days writing each other's names in a Burn Book rather than doing their jobs.

Everyone is blaming each other. No one is taking responsibility. The party can no longer agree on anything, except perhaps "Woe is us."

This latest leadership contest was actually a vicious thing that added to the damage and made the in-fighting worse. If we now add ANOTHER to the pile... well. I think we would see, at minimum, mass defections to UKIP. Very possibly some new political parties, like what Labour did when Jeremy Corbyn was too left-wing for them so Angela Smith and Chuka Umunna founded Change UK and claimed it was because Corbyn was racist and then Angela described people of colour as "black or a funny tinge... you know, a different... from the BAME community" and then Change UK was quietly dissolved after 10 months and no one remembers them anymore. It would be a disaster, is what I'm saying.

A new Chancellor, though... that's more likely, I think. Kwasi Kwarteng was rumoured to have had an affair with Liz Truss and honestly I strongly suspect that's why he got the job - he wrote a stupid book about economics that no one liked, on the night of the Brexit vote was overheard by a journalist saying “Who cares if sterling crashes? It will come back up again", and then became Chancellor, and then released a mini-budget last week that has tanked the pound to the lowest performance against the dollar since records began and immediately embroiled his PM into a financial crisis so bad she literally went into hiding for a day and a half. The UK is... actually completely fucked, as of this week. I cannot overstate what a fucking unmitigated disaster that budget is, or the damage it's causing. We were already doing very badly. This is catastrophic. This is like having an infected foot and everyone being concerned because it's turning gangrenous, and then Kwasi turns up and chops off both your legs and your dominant hand and then also the legs and dominant hands of everyone else present as well, except for himself and his rich mates. We are a long, long way beyond "First, do no harm."

But Kwarteng is also very replaceable.

However:

Liz Truss is extraordinarily stupid. I honestly don't know if it will occur to her to sacrifice him. If she's sensible she will; but 'sensible' is not a word I associate with Liz Truss.

The other option, of course, is an early general election being called, for the seven-hundred-and-fifteenth time in the last decade I stg. However, Tories only call for those if they stand a chance of winning.

One poll yesterday put Labour thirty-three points ahead of the Tories.

To put that into perspective, if that were to translate into a GE performance, the outcome of the vote would leave the Tories with...

THREE SEATS.

But! Of course! It's not so simple anyway:

That was an opinion poll, and those are always more extreme than an actual vote because people use them to express dissatisfaction. A vote would not be that extreme.

That was one of several polls yesterday. If we take an average, the actual figures are:

Labour are nineteen points ahead of the Tories.

Would you like some context?

In 1999 when Tony Blair won his landslide Labour victory - the greatest Labour lead in recent history - do you know what his polling lead was?

Twelve points.

Lol

So it is vanishingly unlikely the Tories will call a GE themselves. Their only hope now is that they can somehow do a good enough job to fix their party and win public confidence back before the next GE, which will be no later than January 2025.

In ENTIRELY UNRELATED NEWS I'm sure, Labour have just declared that they are backing a change to a proportional representation voting system in place of the UK's archaic first past the post system. Funny that.

[ambrossart]

That was so cool ! I love skelly. Can we get some fun facts about Christie Gibson or Jake Newham? I think we don't much about him . Thank you 🩶

Since somebody else requested Christie as well, we’ll just focus on Jake for this one.

— Jake Newham, the Senior Class President

Jake Newham comes from a very ambitious and academically focused family. His parents, who divorced when he was nine, are both Harvard grads who now work in politics. Jake’s father is a highly sought-after political consultant, and his mother is the Director of Communications for Senator Ryan Bradley (D-ME) as well as a published author. Due to his parents’ demanding careers, Jake currently lives with his grandparents in their West Broadway Victorian home. He also has an older sister, Amy, who recently obtained her master’s degree in international relations.

Although his parents have tried their hardest to avoid this, Jake does put a lot of pressure on himself to not only succeed, but to excel in everything he does. He worries that all of his accomplishments will ultimately amount to nothing and he won’t ever reach the same amount of success as the rest of his family. Due to this, Jake really struggles with self-confidence, and he often gets steamrolled by stronger personalties like his vice president, Jackie O’Connell. When Jake won the student council vote, Jackie told him that he only won because he’s a man. Deep down, Jake wonders if that’s true.

While the greater student body considers Jake a major dork, he’s actually fairly well-liked among the seniors. Unfortunately, Jake is so focused on his future that he seldom makes time for friends. As soon as he entered high school, Jake started preparing for college. He joined clubs that he knew would look good on an application. He took the most difficult classes he could in order to get an edge over the other applicants. Now that Jake’s about to graduate, he feels a little regretful over some of those decisions, but he stands by them nevertheless.

— Fun Facts

Jake lives on the same block as Liz Mueller. The two of them were very close growing up and could even be considered childhood sweethearts. They went their separate ways in high school: Liz became popular and Jake turned his focus to school. They’re still friends, but they don’t hang out much anymore.

He started taking trumpet lessons when he was ten. He also plays the piano.

He’s captain of the varsity soccer team. He’s a center-midfielder.

He has terrible eyesight and wears contacts even though he hates the way they feel against his eyes. He always keeps a pair of glasses in his backpack just in case.

Yes, he does wear a retainer at night.

And yes, he does often approach Richie at school to ask about his sister. Richie used to find this really annoying, but now he thinks it’s funny as hell and loves messing with him.

He first met Evelyn at the school’s annual student council retreat, a three-day camping trip where newly elected members do team-building exercises and develop their leadership skills. Evelyn stood out because she was so outspoken and enthusiastic.

Similar to how Paul and Lenny tease Evelyn about Jake, Jake’s friends and teammates frequently tease him about Evelyn.

Despite his instant attraction to her, Jake has always been hesitant to pursue a romantic relationship with Evelyn. This is partly due to Jake’s academic ambitions but also due to Evelyn’s ambivalence toward him. He could never quite tell if she liked him or not.

Eventually, Jake began to suspect that she may like someone else, but Henry Bowers was the very last person on his list. Yeah, that was a major shocker.

Honestly, Jake’s not too upset over Evelyn’s rejection. He’s a little wounded, of course, but ultimately he thinks it’s for the best. He’s gonna be graduating soon anyway.

[spaghettificationandpretzels]

A Voice Through the Nothingness Part 5

Series Masterlist

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4

Contains: Angst, fluff.

4.4 K words

Comment if you want to be tagged or follow #a voice through the nothingness.

"I'm not an early bird or a night owl, I'm a permanently exhausted pigeon." - Unknown

Rehab day one

Lizabeth rolled Billy down the hall and into the elevator, her foot tapping all the way down. Apparently, the first day was a big thing and Billy didn't know if he was excited about it or scared to death.

The doors dinged and Billy finally understood the hype around the room, which was more like an entire floor. It was amazing, the first thing that caught his eye was the fish tank along one wall, it looked like it had been pulled right out of a river. The walls were a light green, the colour of new growth. The floor was darker, like olive leaves and pine. There were plants dotted around the room and hanging from the ceiling and the back wall was all windows, framed with silver. The machines fit perfectly, a mix of light and dark wood with grey mats and beds, it stood up to the hype.

"Wow, this place is fancy." Another thing he noticed was the smell, or lack thereof and under the voices of the people around him, all he could hear was the fish tank bubbling.

"Yeah, don't ask us how much it cost us. There's one more just like this at the other end that's almost the same, a smaller one in the general section that sky themed and a smaller one that's desert themed. Each takes care of different levels of need but they all have the same, doctors, nurses, mental health professionals, families and patients all work with our rebab staff for a US leading rehab process." Billy didn't need the hard sell but he appreciated it.

"Are we going to get into it or are we just going to talk about it." Billy was ready to get better and get out of there, the rest of the group that had come on the elevator had already made their way into the room.

"Alright then, your session starts in ten minutes. Hazel will be here soon with her group, you better be ready because I'm winning and I'm want to keep my streak going."

Billy blinked, "winning what?"

Lizzy smirked, "oh, you're going to find out soon enough."

The wait was enough to set his teeth on edge, ten minutes felt like ten hours. Nevertheless, the doors opened and Hazel and her patients stepped out, she was wearing parrot scrubs today and her perfect hair was twisted into a bun with a few curls framing her face.

She waved at him as he waved back as he looked over her group, she had six kids with her of various ages. One of the older girls was pushing a little boy in a wheelchair and if Billy was to guess, he was her young brother. The kid that really struck out to him was to child Hazel was pushing, a teenage boy with burn scars covering half of his face.

"You ready to start?" Hazel had a tone to her voice that Billy loved.

"Hell yeah, I think we better let Billy in on our game." Liz and Hazel shared a look as Liz spoke and Billy was on the edge of his chair.

"Well as you know, your group's win is my group's win but Lizzy and I like a bit of friendly competition so at the end of every session, everyone votes on which nurse did the best and at the end of the week, the winner gets an extra doughnut." Billy liked that, it's something he and Frank would do.

"Oh yeah, we all get doughnuts at the end of every week, it's our shout." Billy was very fond of Lizabeth, underneath her tired of everything attitude, she was very sweet.

"I like the sound of that, when do we start?" Billy noticed that the rehab staff were coming closer.

"Now." In a flash, he was being wheeled to one of the machines and one of Hazel's patients and Alex, one of the rehab staff, followed.

"So you get Alex today and Lilly here is your buddy, depending you get a new one every day but it's not unusual for buddies to become friends and then you can pair with them every day. Hazel and I will be around and once you have your routine down, we'll leave you alone a bit more. Good luck, Lilly here is a hard one." He looked over the girl, she was about ten and looked like she had been tossed in a washing machine.

"Thank Liz." Lizabeth gave a smile and walked off, leaving him with Alex and Lilly.

"You need any help Pirate?" Billy blinked, he wasn't expecting that.

Lilly shook her head, "nah, help the newbie." The smile she gave him was almost sadistic, "you're in for dude."

****

"So what happened it you?" Billy wanted to cry and Lilly looked like she had just taken a walk in the park.

"I got blown up, what happened to you?" Something had happened, she still had pins on her arms.

"Car wreck, mum, dad and little sis are fine but I got crushed by a power pole." She sounded like one of the guys at the VA, just the right mix of bitter and determined.

"That sucks, why did Alex call you Pirate?" She gave him a bitter smile, kicked off her shoes and stuck out her foot.

"I lost half my foot, they thought I was going to lose the whole leg so I'm happy with this. Sadly I'll never be a ballerina." Her tone didn't portray any sadness

"Did you want to be?" He knew the answer was no.

"Fuck no, why would I want to do that. I'm going to become a dog trainer, they don't care if I've got no toes." Billy smiled, if this was what the next few months were going to be like, he would be ok.

One week later

Up and down, up and down, up and down, up and down, up and down, up and down.

Billy loved and hated the repetitive nature of getting strong enough to stand up. He loved it because it was another step closer to getting back to the way he was before but it caused him so much pain. 

"Mr Russo, go slow." His buddy today was Fred, a six year old who got hit by a motorcycle. 

"Hey I wanna win for Lizzy, she loves doughnuts." The little boy wasn't buying it. 

"You don't win if you hurt yourself, I'll get Sara over here, she'll be mad at you." Sara was another one of the rehab staff, he didn't need her yelling at him. 

"Ok Freddie, I'll go slow." 

****

"Who gets the extra doughnut this week?" Billy still didn't understand how any of this worked but he liked it. Hazel and Lizzy were looking at the group expectantly for their answer and Billy smiled as Lilly whispered in his ear. 

"I think your lady friend won this week." Lilly was a marine in the body of a ten year old girl but she was right, the hands going up were for Hazel. 

"My lady friend? Say what you want to say, little girl." Billy had to admit there was an honesty to his peds companions that he appreciated 

"I think you've got a bit of crush, just a little one." She sounded like she was holding back laughter. 

"You're seeing things." Billy wasn't going to admit that she might be right. 

"I lost my toes not my eyes. Who knows, she might share her doughnut with you, then you can buy her flowers and tell her you think she's real pretty." Billy couldn't stop himself from chuckling. 

"Like I said, you're seeing things." Billy wasn't going to admit that she was right.

Two weeks later

There was a charge in the air as Billy approached the bars, he had been building up to this since the day he was wheeled onto the floor and he was ready. Frank and Curt were standing at each side while Lizzy stood behind him with her hands on the handles on his chair. Hazel was a few steps away with a smile on her face and her hands outstretched, "you ready?"

Billy nodded and pushed himself up, locking his hands onto the bar as he took his first step forward. His foot planted on the ground, all be it shakily and he readily himself to take another step, "what do I get if I make it to you?"

Hazel was only five steps away but it felt like a mile, any incentive would help, "what do you want?"

"You and Liz to go to Sunday Dinner at the Lieberman's." Hazel looked him over, her eyes pausing on his shaking claves then took a few steps back.

"We will, if you can make it all the way to the end." It wasn't that far away, four feet at most but he didn't know if he could do it, "hey, there's always next week."

Billy exhaled and rolled his head, "don't let me fall on me face."

Hazel smiled, "never." She stepped closer, extending her hands until they almost touched him and smiled, "I'm right here." With each step he took, Hazel took one backwards, staying close to him as Lizzy kept the chair right behind him.

Halfway there, he felt a burn in his legs and paused for a moment, standing might have been hard but standing was better than sitting. He gathered himself then took more steps, the smile on Hazel's face spurring him on. Just as it got unbearably, his hand slid hit dead space, he had reached the end. Hazel grabbed his upper arms and helped him down and the room erupted into claps.

"Good work Bill." Hazel looked so proud of him and he felt his chest swell.

"I guess we'll see you both on Sunday?" Frank's face was split into a grin.

"Of course, we're women of our word." Billy's happiness outweighed his pain.

"You want us to bring anything?" Lizzy was smiling too, her hand rubbing the cramp from Billy's shoulder.

"Bring whatever you want, I'll text Sarah." Curt was looking at Billy funny, like he was trying to decipher something.

"Thanks Curt, we'll talk about it more tomorrow." Curt was looking at Hazel funny too, Billy didn't want to think about it too much, he knew his friend wouldn't wait before bringing it up anyway.

****

"You sure work is ok with this?"

Hazel nodded, "of course Sarah, we cleared it with our bosses. Despite what the ethics board might think, this happens all the time."

"Yeah, we have a form, we fill it out and then no one cares." Lizzy's reassurances helped.

"So just like the military?" Frank's voice was a mix of humour and bitterness.

"From what Billy has told me? Yes, bureaucracy is bureaucracy no matter where you go." It was Hazel's turn to sound bitter.

"Well thank you for bringing the pie and the cake. We can always use more food." David sounded ravenous.

"Mum, can we eat now?" Leo was looking at the beef and onion pie on the table like she hadn't eaten in years.

Sarah smiled and ruffled her hair, "of course. Thank you ladies for coming and everything you've done for Bill, we're all very happy he fell into your laps."

Frank and Curt exchanged a look, "I'm sure Bill is too."

Curt kicked Frank under the table and Frank glared at him, "what Frank is trying to say is that he's sure Billy is happy he's getting the best of care."

It was Lizzy and Hazel's turn to exchange looks, something was going on and Hazel had a feeling she knew what, she just didn't want to think about it.

Karen took a bite of the chocolate cake and turned to Hazel, "so, are you ladies single?"

Hazel huffed, "you think I got time for someone with my job. I'm quite single and right now I'm happy about it."

"Me too. I don't have time for another person's." Liz glanced at the kids, "another person's mess."

"Really, you're both very pretty, there's no one waiting in the wings?" Frank raised his eyebrows at Karen but she didn't back down.

"Nope just me and my fish." It was awkward but Karen was clearly fishing for something.

"I heard from Billy that Zack got full marks on his biology test, good for you dude." Hazel was grateful Liz changed the subject.

"Yeah, it's wasn't hard so it doesn't really count." Zack beaming nonetheless.

"What about you Leo, didn't you have that robotics project, Billy told me you did it on plant energy?" Billy spoke about the Lieberman's often so it was easy to continue with the subject change.

"I did, I got the top price." She turned to her mother, "Can I go get it?"

David smiled, "of course, I'm sure the ladies would love to hear about it."

Hazel nodded, "hell yeah we would."

The night went fast, by the time everyone was saying goodbye, Billy's family were well and truly fond of the two women.

Curt pulled Hazel aside just as they got to the cab, "sorry about Karen, she never turns off the journalist."

Hazel waved her hand, "don't worry about it, it wasn't the first time I've been asked about my dating life and it won't be the last. I'll see you tomorrow?"

Curt smiled, "of course, wouldn't miss it for the world."

One week later

"I heard you're leaving this Friday?" Billy was over the moon for Lilly.

"Fuck yeah I am, I can't wait." Her mum tutted at her language, "what mum, it's not like you and dad don't swear."

Her mother turned to Billy, "We couldn't be more thankful that you set her up with that prosthetic artist, she was wonderful."

Billy smiled, "it's the least I can do, everyone here has been so nice."

Lilly's mother rubbed her shoulder, "well sweetie, I'll leave to you it, don't give Billy a hard time."

Lilly chuckled, "of course, mother."

Billy settled into his routine, it had gotten easier as time went on even if he was doing more, "Hey Dr C."

Billy followed Lilly's voice, Dr Charles flashed her a smile and a wave and walked over to Hazel who was struggling with the teenagers with the burns, before walking over to them, "Hello Lilly, I was wondering if you could swap with Thomas today?"

Lilly shrugged, "no skin off my toes, you know, because they're plastic."

Dr Charles shook his head and waved Hazel and the boy over, "thank you Lilly."

Billy would see the tiredness is Hazel's face as Dr Charles made introductions, "Billy this is Thomas, Thomas, this is Billy. I don't believe you two have met yet?"

The boy didn't say anything but from what Billy had seen, all he had done for the last three weeks was sulk, "no we haven't. Hey Thomas, I guess we were going to end up buddies eventually."

Thomas snarled, "I'm not your fucking buddy."

Hazel blinked and went to speak but Dr Charles stopped her, "well, he is now. I'll be just over there if anyone needs anything."

He walked away and Hazel took a deep breath, "do you remember what you need to do?"

Thomas glared at her, "of course I do, can't you go over there and help someone else?"

She shook her head, "no, if you want to get this next surgery, you need to hit this milestone. Please just try." She sounded so worn out.

"Listen lady, I don't.."

Billy cut him off, "don't talk to her like that. All she's done for the last three weeks is try with you and all you've done is sit in that chair and whine. You think I want to be here? I don't rehab fucking sucks but I'm here and I'm doing it and I'm not being mean to the people who want to help me. Grow up."

Hazel's eyes went wide but before she could tell Billy off, Thomas spoke up, "what the fuck do you know about what I'm going through? You're fine."

Hazel shot Dr Charles a look but he was already watching a gave her a soft shake of his head, "I know that I only started showering alone two days ago. You gotta cut this shit out or you'll be stuck in that chair for the rest of your life having someone else wipe your ass."

Thomas blinked and turned to Hazel, "are you going to help me or just stand there."

Hazel sighed, "of course Thomas."

Billy raised his hand, "don't help him until he starts being nice to you. You don't deserve to be talked to like that." He turned back to Thomas, "dude, you're not going to get anywhere being mean to the nurses, you think they want to be bitched at? Say sorry."

Thomas swallowed, "I'm sorry." He turned to Billy, "are you happy?"

Billy huffed, "I will be when you put in some work."

"How about we try something small?" Hazel sounded hopeful

Thomas waved his hand at her, "fine."

Hazel walked him through the exercises the rehab staff had already given him then settled on a chair, "I'll be here when you're ready to do something different."

"Why don't you go help Dr C, Thomas and I can handle this, isn't that right Thomas?" Billy was speaking like a leader

Thomas grunted, "Yeah, we're good."

****

The end of the session was very different to how it started, by the time Hazel came to collect Thomas, he was covered in sweat and his chest was heaving, "it looks like you had a good day today?"

He went to respond with something nasty but Billy shot him a pointed look, "yeah, I did. I'm sorry I've been so shitty. I know you work hard."

Hazel smiled gently at him, "it's alright. These things are hard. All is forgiven. But I'm guessing Billy is going to be your buddy for a while after you did so well."

"Yeah, well, we can't get everything we want." He paused, "can you send that shrink to my room, I figure I better do what I'm told so you'll let me leave." There was resignation, not anger in his voice.

"Of course." Hazel turned to Billy, "good work today, we'll be back tomorrow."

Billy smiled, "looking forward to it."

One week later

"So what happened to you anyway, one of your girlfriends got pissed you slept with her friend?" Despite Thomas' complaining and the occasional nasty comment, he was finally doing his rehab. 

"I got blown up, you know, by a bomb. What happened to you?" Billy didn't regret the look of shame on the boy's face. 

"It's it obvious, I got burned to a crisp." There was more than anger in his voice. 

"Yeah, that's obvious. How did it happen?" Dr Charles had been stopping by but Thomas never said much to Billy about the fire, even with promoting. 

"And don't give me some shitty answer, you're only getting out of here if you deal with what happened to you." He was happy to admit that his session with Dr Charles was doing him wonders. 

The boy stopped and choked up and Billy dropped the weights he was lifted and sat by him, "my shit box of a house caught fire. Everyone got out in time but I'd been saving for months to help mum and dad buy a new place so I went back in to get the cash. Now we're even worse off because of me." 

Billy understood why Thomas was the was he was now, he didn't feel like he deserved to get better, "how were you making the money?" 

"Computer shit, graphic design and social media so local businesses could get kids my age in the doors." While he might have been trying to come off as uncaring, Billy could tell differently. 

"Shit, you got samples of your work?" Billy liked the kid, all he needed was some direction and Billy knew he would go far. 

"Some, why?" There was hope in his voice. 

"Because the people that hire me have adults children who never grew up, I could use the help someone who knows their way around the stuff young people are using. I'm guessing it was all cash under the table, if I like your stuff and your parents give you the go ahead, I can get you a real job, with real pay and real benefits."

Thomas blinked, "what's your angle?" 

Billy huffed, at least he had his head on his shoulders, "getting a job done by someone I know." 

"I'll talk to my parents but I'm way behind in school so I don't think they'll say yes." Bily wasn't shocked by that. 

"That's fine, I'm sure you can do both. If your parents say yes, you keep up with rehab and start school again the job is yours, if I like your work of course." Billy held back his smile as he saw the resolve come over Thomas's face. 

"Alright, but I want the going wage and good insurance, my parents need all the help they can get." Billy wasn't going to let Thomas get down on himself again.

"Fine with me, I look forward to seeing your work." 

****

Knock knock

"Mr Russo, your nurse said you were free to talk?" Billy looked at the people at his door, they must have been Thomas' parents, he had seen them stop by rehab but he had always waved them away.  

"Please come in, I hope I didn't step on any toes offering your son a job." Being able to do office work from his hospital room was saving his sanity but he never thought it would go this far. 

"No, no not at all. Thomas told us about the job and the conditions you gave him. We just wanted to meet you before we told him yes." Billy waved them in and they sat down at the table next to him. 

"I see no problems with that. Please, ask me any questions you have." They sounded desperate, he'd have to get to the bottom of that before giving Thomas the job. 

"Why are you doing this? You don't know us, you don't know him and if we're being honest he has been the best person to be around since the fire." Billy understood what the boy was going through, he was having his moments too. 

"I spent my whole day helping people who needed me, that was my job and now I can't. I can tell Thomas is talented and I like going into business with people I know and while I don't know your son well. We have been talking. I just want to give him a job where he'll be safe and he can keep getting the help he needs." 

His mother looked close to tears, "you have no idea how grateful we are that you're doing this and for all the time you spent with our son. He's gotten so much better since he was paired with you. We're happy for him to work with you, I'm sure it will help him get over how guilty he's been feeling about all this." 

"Mr and Mrs.." 

She waved her hand, "please, Patricia and James." 

Billy smiled softly, "Patricia and James, I can see a great deal of potential in your son and I don't let that go when I see it. Thomas can come and see me with his work and his laptop and we'll go over a few things, once I'm satisfied with that I'll have his contract sent to you. I'm more than happy to pay for the lawyer of your choice to look over it if you wish." 

James blinked, "you'd do that?" 

Billy nodded, "yes, it's in my best interest to make sure you don't sue me if you change your minds." 

"Great, we'll send him up after we talk to him." Billy could feel the relief coming off them. 

"Let's hope this is the beginning of Thomas' successful career." With a smile and another thank you, they left and Billy relaxed in his chair as a weight lifted off his shoulder, it felt good to be doing good.

Five days later

Hazel walked up to Billy and Thomas with a smile a mile wide and plopped down on a chair, "I bring good news. Your new insurance has paid your bill in full. Congratulations of your job Thomas, you should be proud of yourself." 

The boy smiled and bumped his fist will Billy's, "what did my parents say?" 

"They've gone out for a good meal. They love you very much, job or not you've made them very proud." Billy's chest filled with warmth, Hazel was amazing at her job. 

"Can I stop by the cafe and get something to celebrate? I'll be back in ten." Hazel stood up and waved her hand towards to door, "thank you." 

Thomas rushed away and Hazel looked into Billy's face like she was trying to read his mind, "we both know it wouldn't clear that fast and anyone would have the devil's own time getting them to pay back bills. You did a very decent thing William." 

William his name coming out of her mouth felt so different, "I have no idea what you're talking about." 

She smiled at him and placed her hand on his shoulder, "your secret is safe with me. Thank you, for being such a good person, the world needs more of that." 

"Nah, I'm just helping some good people out." He felt something nasty catch in his throat, if she only knew. 

"Whatever's monster's just popped into your head isn't worth listening to. You probably saved his life Billy and you gave his parents a reason to keep going. What's in the past is in the past and I'm sure whatever you did over there, you had to do it and nothing could convince me otherwise, no matter how bad it was." She was telling the truth, he could tell. 

"You mean that?" He saw a twitch in her fingers as if she wanted to reach out and touch him. 

"I do, with all my heart." 

Billy smiled, "you really know how to make someone feel better about themselves, don't you?" 

She let out an affectionate huff, "of course I do silly. I became a nurse for a reason." 

Billy let her words sink in, she didn't make people feel better because it was her job, she did her job because she enjoyed helping people. Something else struck Billy in that moment too, but maybe not, maybe it started the moment he laid eyes on her when he woke up. 

Oh fuck

Part 6

[thessalian]

Thess vs The Blessing/Suck Balance

The first thing I will say is that yes, I am well aware that I post a lot about American politics, even though I don't live there. I am going to continue doing so, for a lot of reasons. Like ... most of my nearest and dearest live there, and most of them are in really horrible positions if Trump gets back in. Like ... even if I didn't know anyone in the fucking country, I have this little thing called empathy, and I don't want anyone to suffer what Trump would be willing to do to the US. Like ... also the passingly curious fact that politics does not exist in a vacuum and Trump getting into the White House the first time was already seen as proof that some really horrific shit is not only acceptable but desirable, and this country is bad enough as it is without more of that populist bigoted bullshit. Seriously, having been through the whole "elect a populist leader" bullshit back in 2019 ... vote for Biden. Hell, if the Democrats have to scrap Biden and put a head of lettuce as the Democratic candidate, vote for the fucking lettuce. It would have done a better job than Liz Truss, and will certainly do a better job than Trump.

Anyway.

My migraine is still torturing me. This isn't helped by rising temperatures. It's supposed to get up to 32C tomorrow (nearly 90F, by the way), and ... yeah, a) I'm more sensitive to heat than I used to be because fibro, and b) the meds I'm on are apparently less effective in the heat. Because my life is just fun that way.

However, there was some good about today, and oddly enough, it came out of my stupid Zoom staff meeting. I mean, most of it wasn't great. The bad news was:

They hired New Girl as a permanent member of staff, same as Temp (who I will continue to call temp because that's how we know her now). So I guess that explains why she persistently takes only all the smaller, shorter bits of typing - why should she try harder when she was made permanent on minimal effort? Ugh.

The devs who gave us our frankly janky electronic records system are currently trying to code transcription software into said janky electronic records system. The jackasses do things according to what they find useful and user-friendly, and kind of ignore what functionality the rest of us need to consider it user-friendly, so I'm not looking forward to this. But it's IT, so it'll take half-past forever, so I won't worry about it yet.

They want to add more non-typing work to our collective plates. Scruffman was like, "Look, lemme show you how to do this thing but we won't be starting to ask you to do it, like, tomorrow or anything", as apparently it'll only come to us when we're understaffed and/or he's away. And seemed a little taken aback when I asked him to actually write down the procedure so that we could have it to refer to when we were asked to do the thing, because he won't be there to ask for guidance.

Scruffman does not have an inside voice and having him literally in my ear via earbuds was not a fun experience, given migraine.

However, all that badness aside, here's the good news:

The other issue I flagged up when we were asked to start helping with that particular non-typing work was how hard it was going to be on a small laptop screen. Also flagging up how I requested a proper monitor and a USB hub to plug it into back in fucking January and that apparently stalled right the hell out. So Scruffman's going to try to expedite that, at least. Also Goblin's a little happy with me because me bringing that up flagged up to her that she'd do better with a proper monitor too.

When we got to Any Other Business? I was migrainous and a little fed up in general, so I brought up a few of The Annoyances - specifically the two who refuse to actually dictate a block key and the one who doesn't pause recording while taking measurements and thus makes us listen to an awful lot of silence over the dictation. Apparently, those three had been driving Goblin up the wall too. Now, Scruffman seemed to want us to take that to the guy in charge of the dictating doctors ourselves, but I flagged up that it's actually way more professional to have it coming from the secretary's line manager, since just one of us flagging up the issue could be ignored as just one of us with a problem, and all of us flagging up the issue in separate emails would just be petty. So Scruffman accepted that and hopefully this will make a few of The Annoyances less annoying. (Though nothing will make one of those particular three Annoyances less annoying because ... well, accent. Word salad. It's a thing.)

So I'm trying to focus on the silver lining here. Shame it's kind of balanced by suck in terms of my professional life.

I don't want to cook dinner. I want a curry. Eh well.

[vanosslirious]

BBS Dialogue Prompts: #311

Vanoss Crew IRL Names & Alias' Prompts: [ 7 ]

SMII7Y

Let's get 'em, Fl0m.

I'm coming, Fl0m!

Bye, Fl0m you stupid bitch.

Fl0m, you have the ammo now.

This is why I said you're a terrible teammate, Tucker, right here.

Tucker flipped, Tucker flipped.

Fl0m, you want to race, me and you?

Pezzy, I'm gonna absolve you of your sins.

Play the zero, Nogla.

Pezzy, just drop it.

VANOSSGAMING

Hey, Brock's away for a couple of weeks, so we gotta let it out.

Hey, Marcel, speaking of elevators, did you know that one ding means up, and two dings means down, in an elevator? Well, now you know, bitch, tell people I told you.

I want that fact to be attached to my name. I want to release a book, Vanoss Elevator facts, one page long.

Brian, do you have any TNT?

What does that mean, Delirious, we vote for you?

I guess I'll vote for Delirious.

I voted for you, Nogla.

Nogla, just text me what happened.

Nogla tried to kill you?

Sit your ass down, Lanai.

TERRORISER

No, that's Brock's that's gonna get it.

Brock, down, this could be my moment.

Oh my God, if Brock wins this…

Teleport there, Vanoss, teleport.

Welcome home, Delirious.

Oh, Brock's going to be so happy seeing you running around his area.

Vanoss, run!

Marcel, can you see me?

No, it wasn't Delirious!

Brock, you coming?

NOGLA

With Brock gone, we can finally have fun.

Cause Marcel never tips.

He's going for Brian.

Oh, Marcel, you're right here.

Yeah, Brian, it's not like I said it ten fucking times.

Evan, come here, you gotta stick with me.

Brian, we're just trying to help you, man.

Evan, what's your role?

Well, it's not me, Scotty or Wildcat.

You know what to do, Evan, just listen to your heart.

BIGPUFFER

Matt, be careful, it's a trap.

Grizzy, we're out front...Grizzy, where are you?

Grizzy found one too.

No, SMii7y's alive, SMii7y you have twenty seconds.

SMii7y, get him.

Matt, be a crab with me.

Grizzy, how about you fucking shoot someone…

Grizzy's AFK.

Fuck you, Nogla!

Fucking shoot this guy, SMii7y.

H2ODELIRIOUS

Terroriser, Nogla blew up your area.

I'm voting Vanoss.

Vanoss, you're bitch, you're a bitch, Vanoss!

You weren't supposed to vote him, Vanoss.

Bryce, you have made it.

We gotta figure out what happened here, Bryce.

Bryce, we just started the game and you already broke it!

Bryce, I'm dead.

Bryce, come here, look…look over there.

Hang on, Bryce.

BRYCEGAMES

This is my first day on the job, Delirious, can you take my picture?

One below you, Delirious, right below you.

Really, on Liz's birthday too?

Delirious is actually being very polite.

Liz, what'd you got?

What'd you got Ria?

Delirious, do you wanna see something work?

Delirious, would you like to take a dip with me?

Delirious, you left me alone again!

Delirious, I'm stuck.

[nearmidnightannex]

Master of the House ... or, you know, NOT

Well ... he lasted longer than Liz Truss, the head of lettuce that outlasted Truss, and a number of Italian and a couple of recent Israeli prime ministers, he sacrificed his position to get one urgent bill passed, and that's about all that can be said for him.

McCarthy lost his House speaker job. How it happened, and what’s next. (washingtonpost.com) By Amber Phillips Updated October 3, 2023 at 7:25 p.m. EDT Published October 3, 2023 at 6:35 p.m. EDT

With the government running out of money again in a little over a month, the House has instead ousted the speaker for the first time in the chamber’s history — with no one to replace him.

Rep. Kevin McCarthy lost his job Tuesday as House speaker, throwing a key governing body into chaos, leaving it without a clear leader to pass legislation, and leaving the country without a designated second in line to the presidency. This also has the potential to be a seminal point in the chamber’s history and raise serious questions about whether the House — and the Republican Party — are governable.

Well, the bit about the designated second in line is debatable -- there is a designated line of succession that explicitly states that after the speaker comes the president pro tempore of the Senate, so as far as that goes, we're probably good. (It is likely that the Secret Speaker from McCarthy's Secret List would not be eligible for succession. Though, to be sure, that's never been explored, as it's never happened before. But I expect we'd probably just skip him and move on to the Senate.)

And I believe that the Republican Party has answered the question of whether or not it is governable quite emphatically, thanks.

McCarthy must be so thrilled at all the history he's made this year. First speaker to have to go to 15 ballots to get the job, first speaker to be ousted, technically the first speaker to be ousted by his own party. (The previous Republican speakers before him all stepped down for various reasons.) A speakership that only lasted nine months (not the shortest --that was Pomeroy's one day back in 1875 -- but apparently the second shortest), without death, disease, resigning or declining to run again, or appointment to some other position intervening. So much history from one man!

It's going to be fascinating -- and horrifying -- to see how the Repugnicans get themselves to the next speaker. McCarthy has already said he won't run again, which apparently shocked the more moderate members of that party. (Good lord, WHY? Who can be surprised that a person doesn't want to put themselves through the past year again? Add to that the fact that Gaetz has specifically said that he would keep bringing up the motion to defenestrate until McCarthy surrendered. What motivation would he have to try again?) Both Democrats and the majority of Repugnicans are united in despising Gaetz (whose Mann Act case may have roared back to life suddenly, and who apparently plans to run for Florida governor in any event). The far-right faction of Rethugnicans who defenestrated McCarthy won't vote for anyone who actually thinks that the job of the government is to, you know, govern. That leaves ... um ... well ... nobody. I mean, literally, nobody. The right-wingers who control the party won't vote for what passes for a moderate Rethugnican. The "moderates" won't vote for the right-wingers who just destroyed McCarthy's speakership if there's any way to humanly avoid it. (More destroyed than he did himself, that is.) The Democrats are the minority party, and the House is not set up to have a minority speaker. That leaves, again, nobody.

Chip Roy (R-TX) has said that the next speaker needs to be someone who can "provide unity" for the party.

Um ... yeah. Good luck with that!

Honestly, the only reason I would want any sort of speaker from that party is that they are the majority at the moment, and it may be quite likely that the Constitution may not allow the House to conduct ANY meaningful business in the absence of one.

[matan4il]

You had an anon mention slow burns and also Luke and Lorelie. Firstly I agree with the messiness of S5a and S6a. I wrote to you a few weeks ago its just messy timelines and I hope if they get S7 they stop this pacing. I don't know alot about the other ships but I believe in Luke and Lorelie supremacy. However..... no joke it was torture watching it real time pre-tumblr.

Listen, it took them 5 seasons to get together. Really only one season of drama free being together. They spent more time married to other people then spent together. We got the pay off in the last 5 minutes of the finale. We won, so yeah. But that shit was torture every week. Tumblr posts would have been a mess back then if it was the same now.

And I bring all this up to get to my point. I sustained it all because I was relatively certain that this straight couple would make it, I was supposed to root for them. They were at the basis each other's rocks. Buck and Eddie still are straight or the very least believe the other is. That's not just angst to get over, that's a sexual identity crisis to get over.

And hopefully like Gilmore Girls they will. One day I can rewatch the same way I do now. Spoiler alert, wanted to cry when she married Chris in Paris, now I can throw popcorn at it and laugh. Just kidding, I still FF that part.

But again, I'm like you I can't promise it will go Canon. If it doesn't its because they are cowards. However in alot of ways there is a stronger case for Buck and Eddie being soul mates rather then Luke and Lorelie. Again I love L&L but still they were messy and heartbreaking to watch.

Hi lovely Nonnie! Thank you so much for the ask. As well for keeping up with my blog and repeatedly writing to me. I appreciate the vote of confidence! ;)

As for Gilmore Girls, I have to confess that while I’ve seen an ep here or there (I never got to see them in sequence, as you’re meant to, so I never got into the swing of things. I’ve seen enough to know some basic stuff, but not much more than that). So I can’t comment on Luke and Lorelai’s love story beyond the fact that they were OBVIOUS. I could see them coming from the first sec I saw them in a scene together. They were ALWAYS going to happen. The show couldn’t have been clearer about it. And yeah, this is what a slow burn means, if we’re being honest. A lot of torture along the way, because it’s meant to make the pay off at the end that much sweeter. Does it actually manage to do it? The answer varies between ships, and probably between fans of the same ship, too. But that’s the principal, the road is usually bumpy, some parts of it are delicious angst and pining, and screaming about how these bozos still don’t get it, but yeah, some parts of it are not that fun to travel.

My deepest sympathies for going through all of that for Luke and Lorelai! I hear you, and I hope you still got to enjoy at least some of the pay off at the end of it all. I know how you feel. I went through 8 seasons for Keenler (BEWARE! SPOILERS for The Blacklist), and I can count the moments they were actually together on... let’s be generous and say two hands. But stupidly, it works. I treasure the moments that I did get all the more ‘coz I love how long and patiently and without demand Ressler waited for Liz. They had their messiness as well, but God, he loved her so profoundly. To see her realizing that and reciprocating his feelings was beautiful and worth it, even though I will forever wish they had more time together. But to tell you it was fun along the whole way? No. The parts of the story where Liz got back together with Tom were hell, seeing her re-committing herself to him was awful because HE was awful, in general and to Liz (so it wasn’t just as a Keenler shipper that I couldn’t stand that part of the show), and even when he was gone, there were almost two seasons where I survived on essentially one scene of comforting (but seemingly casual and platonic) touch. Slow burn is NOT for the faint of heart.

And you know what I love the most, Nonnie? Is that bit you threw in about Luke and Lorelai still having less in the way of ‘soulmate material’ than Buddie. Because I can actually make a LONG list of CANON couples that I absolutely ADORE that this is true for. And that’s exactly why we keep saying that if Buck or Eddie were a woman, they’d be inevitable, right?

Thank you again, have a great day! As always, here’s my ask tag. xoxox

[irvinenewshq]

SNL takes on the January 6 Committee and Trump

New York CNN Enterprise  —  “Saturday Night time Stay” opened this week’s episode taking up one of the crucial notable moments in information as of late: the Home Choose Committee investigating the January 6, 2021, rebel. Kenan Thompson, who performed Rep. Bennie Thompson, opened the NBC selection present by introducing the group to the committee’s ninth and ultimate listening to. “January 6 was one of the crucial dramatic and consequential moments in our nation’s historical past, so to battle again we assembled a group of monotone nerds to do a PowerPoint,” Thompson’s Bennie Thompson stated. He then went on to say the committee has been trying into the assault for greater than a yr however this session can be a “little totally different.” “We’re going to summarize our findings, maintain a history-making vote after which and solely then all of us get to have slightly deal with,” Thompson’s Bennie Thompson stated bringing out pastries. After this introduction, Rep, Liz Cheney, performed by Heidi Gardner, took the ground. “Over the previous few months, this bipartisan committee has introduced our case to all Individuals,” she stated. “Whether or not you’re a Republican who’s not watching or a Democrat who’s nodding so laborious your head is falling off, one particular person is accountable for this rebel: Donald Trump. And one particular person will endure the results: Me.” Gardner’s Cheney stated audiences could also be questioning what makes her so powerful, and she or he stated that she would ask the viewers, “Who’s your dad? Is it Dick Cheney?” “So yeah, I assume you possibly can say I’ve large Dick Cheney vitality,” she stated. The committee then went over a few of its proof together with a video of Home Speaker Nancy Pelosi, performed by Chloe Fineman, and Senate Majority Chief Chuck Schumer, performed by Sarah Sherman, in a bunker. “Good day, DoorDash? It’s Chuck Schumer,” Sherman’s Schumer stated on a cellphone from the bunker. “Sure, we nonetheless haven’t obtained our lunch order. And I did change our drop off location resulting from some unlucky treason, nevertheless it ought to have arrived by now.” The committee then went to proof of then-President Donald Trump asking a bunch of individuals if he misplaced the election together with a White Home janitor who stated that he did, the truth is, lose the election. Trump even requested a canine who “shook his lifeless aspect to aspect.” “Donald was determined to hold on to energy,” Rep. Adam Kinzinger, performed by Andrew Dismukes, stated. “Whereas actual heroes like Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer have been those truly operating this nation. Then it instantly reduce to Sherman’s Schumer and Fineman’s Pelosi speaking to then-Vice President Mike Pence. “Let me inform you, if Trump comes right here proper now I’m going to punch him proper within the face,” Fineman’s Pelosi stated. “I’ll go to jail, however I’ll be completely happy.” Thompson’s Bennie Thompson then requested Gardner’s Cheney for any ultimate ideas. “The actual fact is that Trump deliberate to declare victory regardless of the outcomes,” she stated. “Have a look at this video of the President a day earlier than the election.” The video proven was of James Austin Johnson as Trump on the cellphone saying the “votes don’t matter.” “What even is a vote?” he stated. The committee then took a vote to subpoena Trump. All of them voted sure and thought he would truly present up. “Alright, I can already see that this can be a full zero,” Thompson’s Bennie Thompson stated. “I need to thank my colleagues for throwing their summers and in some circumstances their careers to serve on this committee.” He then added it was “a enjoyable nation whereas it lasted.” After that, it led to the present’s signature phrase, “Stay… from New York! It’s Saturday night time!” Originally published at Irvine News HQ

[young-prince-firefly]

Among us with the spirits

Liz: I just saw purple vent!

Jeremy A: Dad, you're giving yourself away!

Will: It wasn't me! If I were actually the imposter I would've killed Henry first.

Henry: It's true, and I'm still alive.

Cassidy: Well whoever killed Gabriel is about to be stabbed.

Jeremy V: Why can I hear Fritz cackling?

Gabriel: Being dead sucks.

Fritz: You aren't supposed to talk.

Gabriel: I'm not giving away who killed me.

Jesse: No, but, he is.

Garlic: I honestly don't care who the imposter is, I just want to be red.

Susie: Can I get dog ears when this round is over?

Liz: Yeah, sure.

Jeremy A: I'm calling a meeting.

Teddy: Evidence?

Jeremy A: You didn't ask for who I thought the imposter was?

Teddy: Oh, we aren't at that point?

Liz: Not yet.

Cassidy: I still think we should vote off William.

Will: I think the imposter should kill me so I can prove my innocence.

Liz: They won't.

Jeremy V: I'm pretty sure it's Fritz. I heard him laughing when William was accused and I think he said "get in the damn vent already" earlier.

Liz: Pretty solid evidence.

Fritz: I didn't kill anyone, in the game anyway.

Tatiana: That means we're voting him out?

Liz: Yeah.

Flamin hot Fox was an imposter

2 imposters remain

Liz: Well who does that leave?

Gabriel: Fritz didn't kill me.

Jeremy A: No hints! We'll figure this out ourselves.

Henry: I think you guys are overlooking the obvious.

Jeremy V: Charlie has been awful quiet.

Cassidy: She's helping me. I keep getting lost.

Liz: Maybe we should have done the old map.

Michael: Hey, Cassie? How does an imposter vent? Do they just stand there and fall in or is it like a button you have to press?

Cassidy: You have to stand on the vent and click the pop-up. It says vent on it. I can't show you it right now, but when I get imposter I'll show you.

Liz: Well it's not me, Cassidy, or Michael. Teddy keeps getting confused and I can see his task list, so he's clear.

Teddy: Did we figure out the next imposter?

Jeremy A: No. Although I think voting out dad sounds appealing.

Will: Where is everyone right now? Specifically the greens.

Jeremy V: I'm in the snow.

Liz: I'm with Teddy in the spot where we found Gabriel's corpse.

Cassidy: I'm yellow in the flowers area? I have to water the plants or something?

Michael: I'm on the long bridge thing?

Henry: I'm in the engine.

Charlie: Cafeteria??

Tatiana: I'm with Charlie.

Jesse: With William and I think whichever of you is lime.

Liz: But I'm not there?

Teddy: Lizzy is with me.

Jeremy A: I'm next to a snowman.

Jeremy V: I don't see you?

Jeremy A: I don't see you either.

Will: How do I get rid of it?

Jesse: The disguise wears off eventually.

Liz: Who just completed a task? The bar went up.

Henry: I did trash.

Michael: Oof, I'm dead.

Cassidy: Who was it?

Will: Someone find the damn body or call a meeting.

Tatiana: Oh spirit, where lay your body?

Michael: On a bridge.

Liz: Found him!

Teddy: So who are we thinking?

Liz: I'm thinking Jeremy.

Jeremy V: What!

Liz: Not you.

Cassidy: What?

Jeremy A: Why me??

Liz: You sounded like you were lying earlier about being in the snow. And you've been pretty insistent on having dad voted out.

Jeremy A: So has Cassidy!

Liz: If she were the imposter, she'd kill him first.

Jesse: Also we know you're still bitter about Gabriel beating you at golf.

Jeremy A: That's not true!

Charlie: I'm the third imposter.

Liz: Uh Charlie. The goal of the game is to hide that.

Charlie: I'm tired and I want the game to be over.

Tatiana: Then leave the game?

Charlie: Just wanted to let you know.

Poppin Puppet has left the game

Will: I guess that means we're voting my son out.

Jeremy A: I admit it! I killed both of them! I was sure Michael has seen me kill Gabriel so I had to get rid of him!

Cassidy: Drama queen.

Liz: We're a family of thespians.

Tatiana: What's a thespian?

Susie: It's a dramatic person, I think.

Michael: Someone who indulges in theatrics.

Liz: Basically.

Spoopy tears was an imposter

0 imposters remain

Will: Another round, maybe i'll be the imposter this time.

Fritz: Yes!

Gabriel: Fine.

Liz: Choose your colors, hats, and glasses. We'll be starting after a minute.

[keltonwrites]

Where no one knows your name

How many times is a person meant to make new friends? When I moved into an apartment in DC with an absolutely iconic girl from Craigslist, I wrote in my journal, “you never know when you’ll meet your next bridesmaid.” Charmingly juvenile, as I was 24 years old. Ironic, as I never had any bridesmaids. And embarrassing, knowing I wrote something that’s surely been embroidered on a bachelorette party t-shirt by now. My point was: you can meet people you fall in love with anywhere, anytime, assuming your heart (and calendar) are open. Now my heart and calendar are open and I am one of Elizabeth Bennet’s sad sisters, cloying and desperate for attention while everyone at the ball ignores me. Meeting people here is unnerving and hapless and eye-clawingly vulnerable. My first new friend told me she was moving away in a few months. Do you invest deeply in hopes of another faraway friendship? Do you just go back to waving as you pass on the street? I like this girl! What an embarrassing thing to have to say to someone! Do you just invite people to every and anything like a lunatic? I can’t even remember to call the people I am forever-and-ever in cahoots with. I’m also deeply bound by what I’ll call the Movie Trap: say it’s 3pm during not-a-pandemic, and you get the urge to see a movie. You look at the showings, and there’s one you really want to see at 7:15. You think to yourself, “I should make an effort,” and you text a friend. “Hey, you wanna go see This Cool Movie at 7:15 tonight?” No one ever says yes. Don’t give me an example of when someone has, because it’s always one of these answers:

“Oooh, I’m actually seeing it with Kate tomorrow - wanna come?”

“Can we go to the 9pm showing? Stuck at work.”

“Yeah but let’s see Movie You’ll Fucking Hate instead.”

Now maybe I’m just lighting flares guiding you to the worst parts of my personality, but this drives me nuts. No, Liz, I don’t want to go tomorrow. I want to go tonight. At 7:15. So I can be in bed by 10. And you’d have to drag my dead body and prop open my eyes to get me to see something like Marriage Story in theaters. The Movie Trap is a big reason I usually hang out by myself, or I make plans weeks in advance. (Don't I sound like a blast.) Just the idea of being like, “I like you! Wanna hang out in October?” makes me want to collapse into a puddle of sad adulthood. Which is why on Friday at 4:30pm, when a girl I’d met a week prior asked if I wanted to grab a drink, I just said yes. I put on a pretty dress, did my makeup, put stuff in a purse, and drove the 25 minutes to town. It was really fun! And how novel to have new contacts in my phone like “Maggie blue house” and “Jess concert friend” — a throwback to the days of “Greg guy on L train” and “Devon ad party.” The very concept of not knowing someone’s last name or even needing it, and a year from now updating their contact info and smiling at your origin story. But for the most part, no one is in our phones. In terms of phone numbers collected, here is the list:

Two friends we knew prior who thank god you guys exist.

New friend who is moving away.

New friend who is game to drink tequila and ride mountain bikes.

Neighbor-not-yet-friend who I really fucking like and am not sure how to cross hang-out threshold with.

​Not to say there aren’t any other prospects or people I’m platonically gaga over, but I don’t have their phone numbers. There are honestly a lot of people like this because when you live in a small town (and you’re from the Midwest) you say “oop, sorry” to every person/object you bump into, and you say “hi :)” to every person you see. These are the rules. If I drive by you and don’t wave, it’s because I was so deep in a daydream I probably shouldn’t have been driving in the first place. This isn’t acceptable, because in our urgency to tattoo our vaccination status on our foreheads so we can make friends, it turns out just driving by someone can be a viable strategy. A few days ago, a man was driving by our kitchen window and then our driveway, and then he reversed back up to the kitchen window and started waving. Ben went outside — it was that kind of wave. The man had seen from his car a smokejumper emblem on the back of a truck in our driveway. “Hey, are you a smokejumper?” We aren’t. But my dad was, and he was in town visiting, accompanied by the emblem on the back of his truck. The guy said we should drink sometime. Numbers were not exchanged. We’ll call that a node, because it’s not quite a connection. And it’s mainly nodes, waiting to be connected, to have relevance. But first, no matter who you’re trying to befriend, you have to answer everyone else’s Do I Care Quiz. The quiz is employed by 93% of locals to determine how they feel about you existing within their personal 50-mile radius. The first question is non negotiable:

1) Are you visiting?

Variations on this question include “how long are you in town?” or “what brings y’all to town?” or my least favorite and most insulting, “did you just finish Jeeping?” I know I have blonde hair and say y’all, but how dare you. (Also, to be clear, you can own a Jeep, customize your Jeep, mod out your Jeep, and love your Jeep, but you’re not Jeeping until you drive too fast through a tiny town so you can hurl your Jeep over a mountain pass without ever getting out of it.) So the answer to “are you visiting” is “no, I live here.” Which brings us to the next question, my favorite for how loaded the gun, kneeling in the grass, scope on, target locked it is.

2) Are you part-time or full-time?

The first time I answered this question, I didn’t realize it was essentially like asking how someone voted in the 2020 election. The judgment was cocked and ready and the palpable relief/joy/or at the very least, tolerance, exuded by answering “full-time” was like when the sun comes out from behind the clouds on a 40 degree day. I was fine, but wow that does feel better. The third question though does not have a standard hoped-for answer. This is where nodes turn to connections turn to phone numbers.

3) What brings you here?

It seems like the best possible answer would be saying you work in town, and you’re going to begin construction on displaced-worker housing to ensure the people who run this town can actually live in it. We’d have everyone’s phone number. Saying you’re a writer who works remotely and bought a house from a legendary and beloved local who could no longer afford it is really something you keep to yourself. But in the interest of making friends, I just word vomit my entire history. We might as well find out at the onset if I make your eyes roll back into your skull. Not at all threatening that all it takes is a single social signal misinterpreted to be the absolute death knell of my ability to make friends in a town of some 1400 adults. In fact, I’ll share one such interaction. I was hiking with Cooper, about 5 miles by foot away from my house. I was on a trail, crossing a sloped meadow, and a group was traversing up the hillside to the trail. I said hi, where y’all coming from. One girl answered and we talked about the trail. She eyed me up and down. “Did you just move here?” “I did!” “I served your family last week,” she said. “Oh,” that phrasing. “Must have been my in-laws.” “Heard you bought Jack’s house. Such a bummer when locals like that are forced out.” “We didn’t even know about his house,” I said. “We were looking at another house and he asked his realtor if he could get us to come see his house. We just loved it, and him!” She had no emotional reaction to this. “You moved from California?” she asked. (Dangerous question.) “Yeah, got these sea level lungs, haha,” attempting to disarm with humor was a failure, “but couldn’t be happier to be out of California.” “It’s not like this all year. Winter’s really hard here, you’re in for a rude awakening.” “Well California’s the last place I lived, but I’m not from there. I’ve lived in brutal winters. At least Colorado gets sun!” I laugh with cloaked loathing. “It’s different when you live at altitude,” she said, like no human aside from her had ever been literally anywhere. “Are you trying to go around?” She indicated the path behind her. “No, y’all go ahead, just gonna wait to give you your space. I’m sure you’re faster than me.” “K, good luck making it to the lake." Maybe she was thirsty. Maybe she was hungover. Maybe she just has vicious delivery, but it felt like every blade of grass was leaning against the wind to listen. She was with four other people and not one of them said a word. I left that interaction not wanting to see another human ever again. But that interaction, and her intimate knowledge of exactly which house I lived in, made me want to decorate like we lived in a gingerbread house, all candy canes and plum drops, screaming to any passerby that we’re friendly. One of the mayor’s first questions to me was “what are you going to do to the house?” There are rules here about what your house can look like, and I kept emphasizing we bought the house because we loved it, not because we wanted to change everything about it. And now, instead of wanting to decorate the interior, I want to put up shades so we don’t contribute to light pollution, I want to hang a sign by the water spigot saying “grab some if you need” for hikers and mountain bikers, I want to paint a sign for the wild mint by our door that says, “I mint to tell you to take some,” because our neighbors were openly panicked they wouldn’t be able to just grab mint from the cabin’s garden anymore. Without question, COVID makes things harder. Dinner parties feel like dares. Dropping cookies off at someone’s house feels invasive. Grabbing a drink feels like the ultimate sign of trust. But at least we have nodes who can connect who can think to invite us and who can see that despite having lived in California, we’re not all that bad. In the meantime, I’ll be painting signs about water and mint, hoping to garner the benefit of the doubt from the so beautifully, earnestly, and waiting-to-see-if-you’re-worth-it doubtful.

Subscribe to the newsletter at tinyletter.com/keltonwrites — high altitude relocation and renovation in a tiny mountain town.

[palukoo]

ooh amy and toby because i would die for them

okay i know you sent others before this one but i really wanna answer this one! i meant to just... write about basically what i've said before with their unique combinations of idealism and cynicism but also with the vast difference in loyalty and also their similar political positions, but then i spent all afternoon uh. writing this.

amy and toby meet on some doomed campaign that he's running, and she's fundraising for, and they both know it's doomed but that doesn't stop them from trying. she tells him it is, at some point, and he knows she's right but won't say it, because it's different. amy's consulting for a dozen campaigns this election cycle, and toby's got one, and he likes amy, but she doesn't get to say that about his one.

they bring amy in for debate prep, at the candidate's request, and toby sits back and smiles a little at the hopefully-but-doubfully future senator's comprehensive answer until amy starts eviscerating the woman's answers. she does it with an awkward, regretful smile, and the candidate adjusts, and toby asks amy to step out into the hall, asks if she has a problem with their policies. amy says no, she loves their policies and that's why she's doing what she can to give them a shot. toby laughs bitterly.

"you said yourself that we don't have a shot! we're trying to talk about issues and you're taking the only place we can do that and have people listen and turning it into pithy soundbites like every other guy!"

"the pithy soundbites might stick," she says, mostly unfazed. "let me try to give you a shot. she thinks she has a shot."

he sighs. "yeah."

the candidate loses, 41-57. before amy had started working with them more, polls were at 30-62.

*

they run into each other, after that, both of them with tendencies towards certain candidates. amy's associated with more winning campaigns than toby is by a long shot, but she's never run one, winning or otherwise.

amy's talking to a candidate she's excited about for maryland's fifth district, who's leading against the old, far too moderate and out of touch incumbent in her primaries. andy wyatt. and then toby's beside her.

"oh, hey, amy, this is toby, he's my--"

"you're working with her?" amy asks teasingly before andy can finish. "but she might actually win."

toby laughs. "yeah, no, don't worry, i haven't lost my touch yet. i'm her fiancé, not her campaign manager."

amy tries to keep the surprise from her face. "you two know each other?" andy asks.

"we've worked together before. congratulations, by the way," amy says. toby smiles awkwardly. "don't let him anywhere near your campaign," she teases.

"don't let her anywhere near your speeches," he quips back. amy laughs.

*

it's catching up and some unofficial consulting in the primaries that amy would really rather stay mostly out of even though she has a clear favorite. she meets abbey and liz at a starbucks that was a little diner the last time she was in town, and they bring her back to "campaign headquarters" after bribing her with coffee and using their trademarked bartlet charm. which is really what will help him more than anything, at this point.

she laughs when she gets to the office and sees him bouncing a ball against the wall. "toby ziegler. i should've guessed that you'd be on this campaign."

he doesn't question her presence, just sighs. "because it's doomed?"

she beams at him, shaking her head. "because it's good."

his lips twitch into something resembling a smile, and she turns around to abbey and liz.

"with him and governor bartlet--"

"you can call him jed, y'know," abbey says. amy can't, actually.

"well, with the two of them, you're gonna need to find someone less... long winded."

he sighs and glares, and then his brow furrows. "why the hell are you drinking an iced coffee?"

*

she runs into them right after they've won the primary, which means everyone's uncharacteristically excited, meaning josh unthinkingly drags her along to their party, and jed kisses her cheek, and toby, by some miracle, hugs her and cj laughs and hugs her, too.

"you and toby get along?" she asks, surprised. amy shrugs and turns to toby, who also looks deeply noncommittal. cj laughs again.

the giddiness of the room gets to her. "i admire his integrity and his politics," she says, and there it is again, that vague, almost smile, brighter with the new victory.

"when he recruited me for this campaign, he called emily's list 'that women's group with the dumb name'," cj says to her, and amy turns back to him, suddenly far less admiring.

"dumb name. not dumb... mission, dumb name," he defends. she stands down, a little. "so, what have you been up to lately?”

"i'm political director for emily's list," she says, and he opens his mouth and closes it, and cj laughs again.

*

when the general election rolls around in november, amy collects bets from coworkers and friends and really whoever. she can't help but admire that toby only bets on losing candidates, but she also knows it doesn't matter to him. he won the thing that mattered.

*

"did you know?" he asks, tense.

"what?"

"that-- you've known the bartlet's forever. you... did you know?"

amy shakes her head, and forces her face into a neutral expression. "no, i didn't."

"are you--"

"i didn't run his campaign, toby. i voted for him, and i would've done it either way. and i'm not sure i'm in the majority there, and i'm glad he's there, so... i'm not mad."

he laughs bitterly. "you admire my integrity?"

"didn't say i shared it," she says plainly.

"you're not mad none of them told you?" he asks after a moment.

she takes in a breath and nods slightly. "well," she says like a concession. "mostly i'm worried," she admits, and toby nods, too.

"about him or the election?"

amy doesn't answer. she doesn't need to. he knows as well as she does that it's both.

*

"hey, amy, that speech you gave last week," he says when she runs into him in the hall. "did you write it yourself?"

"yeah."

"i could tell," he says, condescending and teasing at once. she rolls her eyes.

"nice job with the president's remarks yesterday," she says back.

"that was sam."

"yeah, i know. i could tell."

*

"i don't want to have this conversation with you," he says, and her eyes narrow.

"okay."

"not 'cause it's you, 'cause you're actually... i just don't want to have this conversation."

"toby, did something happen?"

he shakes his head and looks at the floor. "josh really cares about you."

she scoffs, disbelieving in a couple ways. "got it."

"amy--"

"as much as i agree that josh really can't take care of himself, he really doesn't need your protection from me, if that's what this is."

toby nods, and amy hopes they'll never talk about that again.

*

working with stackhouse reminds her of the old campaigns she's run into toby on, and it almost makes her nostalgic, except for the part where she's still mad at him, because he knew as well as josh did that the marriage incentives were shit. he knew as well as josh did that they could've made a play other than the one that forced her to resign.

still. she knows that if there's anyone as proud of the president's answer on needle exchange as she is, it's toby.

*

sam's campaign really feels like the old days once they’re in it, mishap after mishap, impossible odds, her trying to get funding while toby coaches him on remarks. she feels bad, having talked him into this, knowing he wouldn't win.

toby's used to the loss, she knows, but he's not used to this one. she buys them both drinks and gets on a plane to start her new job.

*

her first day, after the ceremony, after every exhausting, impossible thing, she still finds herself going back to her office. there's an unpleasant banging sound coming from inside when she gets there, and she'd be more concerned were it not for the secret service and her exhaustion.

she steps inside, ready for whatever new prank josh has set up, but instead it's just cj and toby putting her diplomas back up on her wall.

*

it's a week or so before she catches up and remembers to congratulate toby and andy, but neither of them hold it against her.

it's another few weeks before she leaves, and for that, she's sure he does.

*

"rafferty's speech was really good," she says casually. he nods vaguely in agreement. "toby," she says.

"what?"

"i could tell," she says pointedly, and he sighs. "you should've... i like getting women elected, you know."

"i don't need your help," he says confidently. she rolls her eyes.

"your track record--"

"she's not trying to win, amy," he says insistently, and she shrugs.

"neither was the president at first."

he exhales. "the debates have been better than i expected. santos did well."

she shrugs, and he rolls his eyes.

"i could tell, too."

*

she knows it's stupid, but here she is, so. she hits the buzzer.

"hello?" he asks.

"it's amy."

"wh-- why the hell are you here?"

"i'm not associated directly with the white house or the campaign, toby, just let me up."

there's a long pause where he doesn't say anything, but then the door clicks open. he opens his door when she knocks, and she hands him an iced coffee with a grin. "you didn't answer my question," he says.

"i'm... not mad at you," she says. he squints.

"okay."

"i get why everyone else is," she adds.

"okay. you're still not answering."

she sighs. "i thought you'd want to know that."

"i don't care if you're mad at me," he says gruffly, a bit rude.

"okay," she says, unaffected. "i also... don't want to have this conversation with you."

"what?"

"josh really cares about you," she echoes. he laughs humorlessly.

"i think josh wants to kill me right now."

she smiles. "that's another thing we often have in common," she teases.

"what's the first thing?"

she rolls her eyes and doesn't answer.

*

"should you really be calling me?" he asks.

"i know for a fact that both josh and donna call you. plus, congratulations, you're free."

"and you aren't anymore. didn't think you'd take it."

"i didn't, either," she admits.

"what are you calling about?"

"sam said you knew congressman johnson pretty well. i want him to swing with us for a vote."

*

"how are the kids?" she asks, and he smiles, which makes her smile, too.

"good. they're good."

"good. how's andy? do you... are you and cj talking again?"

he nods. "yeah, they're both... you talk to both of them more than you talk to me."

"and when i do, i ask about you," she counters.

"they're good. how're things there? josh, sam, donna?"

she laughs. "you talk to all of them more than you talk to me." she waits for his eyeroll. "they're all good. things are... you know how things are."

"not as much as you do."

"you can guess."

"yeah."

*

"how's teaching?"

he huffs. "college kids can't write."

"you don't think anyone can write."

"i think sam can write. i think will can write, on a rare good day. whoever you guys have is... fine."

"a glowing recommendation. i'll be sure to pass it along," she teases. otto probably would be flattered, really. "what's up?"

"how are your internals looking?"

she laughs. "did josh cut you off?"

he sighs. "maybe."

*

"i have some notes," he says.

"on... what?"

"the book," he says, like it's obvious.

"well, considering that it's been, a, published, and b, selling quite well, i think it's a little late," she says, arrogant and exasperated.

"i agree. you should've sent me the draft first."

she laughs. "content or style?"

"the content's great. you make good points, and it's compelling, and... it's very..." he trails off and sighs, and she takes the compliment. "it's too pithy."

she rolls her eyes. "how's yours coming along? how many pages so far?"

he pauses. "touché."

*

she's just finished a guest lecture when she gets the call, and she's surprised, a little, by the name on caller id. it's been a while. they'd had less to talk about, other than comments on each other's books, since she'd left the white house and started going back to lobbying and fundraising and debate prep between campaigns for old friends. though, when she thinks about it, it could be that last one.

"hey, toby," she answers.

"hey. so, rafferty's running again," he says.

she smiles. she's always liked rafferty. "okay." she thinks about it. "you... want help fundraising?"

he laughs. "amy. she wants to win this time." he pauses. "you should come up to new hampshire with us."

she gets a plane ticket.

[ambrossart]

It feels wrong to say “the girl who SA’d Henry” is my favorite character as if I’m like “yeah it rocks that she did that” but I just find her to be one of the most compelling characters in the story so far in the same way that people tend to find Henry sympathetic and compelling despite him doing literal hate crimes. Especially when her classmates were badmouthing her and even Evelyn couldn’t help gawking at her body, you get the idea that she is really messed up but the way she’s treated by others doesn’t help. The scene where you really humanized her and has her humming that melancholic song and being very compassionate toward Evelyn, sandwiched in between the rest of the story driving home that she’s just a lying creep and a loser and a predator, hit me in the gut. She reads as being so lost and in over her head. I do think there’s a trauma to being seen as a sex symbol as a minor (and this being the 80s I realistically can imagine how resentful other girls are to her) and I’m always filling in my own headcanons about how warped her relationship to sexuality is, and the long distance college boyfriend (who she probably had to grow up quick for) probably doesn’t help. I think the story of a girl trying to fill a role that’s expected of her and then regretting it when she’s shamed for it immediately after is so real. You don’t excuse her making false reports but you can understand why she thinks that’s the only way to salvage herself after she’s shamed for giving into the pressure people put on her to do it. Feels sad that she’s so desperate for anyone to sympathize with her or see her as a person with feelings that she’ll lie about it, and even then she’s just further hated for lying. I don’t know. I’m always so fascinated by more problematic characters, especially when it’s a female one. (I’m one of the assholes who voted Steph in the last poll so I guess I have a type! (Also to the other person who voted Steph: YOU’RE A REAL ONE)). Anyway! I love that you don’t write all characters as two-dimensional mustache twirling villains or Mary Poppins clones with the kind of boring character flaws that you say on a job interview. At first I was worried that Evelyn’s only faults were being TOO CARING or TOO PERFECTIONISTIC, but I think the tiny glimpses of selfishness she’s showing and the big reveal that she’s physically forced herself on Henry before have me more on board with this story than ever. 👀 I love watching the perfect “mommy gf” type character get deconstructed. I think everyone is in this fandom because we like how dark and inexcusable but still sympathetic the male bullies are in IT, but I think seeing female antagonists (or better: female protagonists doing meaningfully problematic things and having to atone for it) feels even more unique and interesting. Ok thank you, happy writing, queen, I am so excited for the next chapter 🙏

Don't worry, you're not gonna get any judgment from me for voting for her. Voting for her doesn't mean you condone her actions. Besides, Paper Men is a story full of problematic characters, so it would be hypocritical for anyone to judge you when they're probably thirsting for Patrick Hockstetter, the most problematic character of all. 😂

Your headcanon is honestly pretty similar to the official backstory I have for her. Unlike Evelyn, Manda Bosch blossomed at a very young age and has been sexualized her entire life. She lost her virginity in middle school. A lot of her early relationships were with older men. Her current boyfriend, Matt, is not significantly older than her, but he is older than her, and I wouldn't be surprised if he's only with her for the sex, and he probably cheats on her while he's away at college. Despite what Liz says, Manda is not a "dumb, drunk slut" who's out to steal everyone's boyfriends. That's just Liz being a mean girl. I think Manda's true self is actually very kind, flawed but kind. She offered Hannah-Beth some gum in class. She was very sweet to Evelyn when she had no real reason to be. These are sophomores and Manda is a senior. She should be ignoring them like everyone else.

But sometimes Manda gets lonely (especially with her boyfriend away), and she relates to men the only way she knows how: through sex. She knows that's what men want from her because that's what they've always wanted from her. Then you add way too much alcohol to the mix and it's just a recipe for disaster. She does falsely cry rape occasionally (out of shame), but I guarantee not all of those accusations are false. Manda has definitely been assaulted more than once, probably by men like Martin.

I think the situation with Henry was a very unfortunate mistake. Manda was at the party with her boyfriend. He drank too much and passed out. Manda, drunk herself, wanted to be close to somebody—anybody—and she chose Henry because she assumed he would want it like all men want it. Henry, it should also be said, does project a lot of false bravado. Although he's not flirty like Patrick, he tends to make some pretty inappropriate and sexually aggressive comments to women. He did this with Evelyn when she was asking for the shirts back. He did this with Beverly in the movie. So Manda had every reason to assume that Henry would be fully on board. To be clear, I'm in NO WAY blaming Henry for this situation. It doesn't matter how he acts at school. Obviously, he wasn't comfortable and Manda should have respected that and backed off immediately... but she didn't. Then Henry got triggered and he got violent and things got way out of hand.

Fast forward to school on Monday, now all the senior girls are shaming her for sleeping with a SOPHOMORE, and not just any sophomore—HENRY BOWERS, who is not popular at all. If it were Patrick, the girls would slap her on the back and congratulate her, but Henry? Nobody wants anything to do with Henry. He's not the fun kinda dangerous. He's just plain dangerous. He's radioactive. Everybody knows to steer clear of him (everyone except Evelyn, apparently). And I think Manda felt embarrassed and ashamed and panicked. Plus I also think she doesn't remember a lot of what happened that night apart from him suddenly freaking out on her. If she did, she would feel extremely guilty and horrible for putting someone in that position because that's not who she is. She's not Martin. She's just someone who made a mistake... a very big mistake.

Lastly, to speak on Evelyn's situation with Henry a little bit: I wouldn't say she "forced" herself onto him. I do think she made a huge mistake in her timing. Henry was in a very fragile state that day. He was upset and in a lot of pain. That was NOT the time for her to put the moves on him. She was being very selfish and got caught up in her own feelings and that was wrong of her, but she didn't force him to do anything. He was a fully willing participant... until he wasn't. Henry withdrew consent and left because of his own issues. It had nothing to do with what Evelyn did. Her timing was awful, but she didn't sexually assault him or anything.

I know the details surrounding that situation are still a little fuzzy. They will be explained clearly because she and Henry will discuss it at some point. Until then, we'll leave it as it is.

Oh my god, I wrote way too much. I'm so sorry 😂

[mantra4ia]

I vote to petition for Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life Part 2 so that we can get a full circle companion piece to the Jam Hands / mom's group at the diner episodes where we can see Luke with Rory's baby or toddler purposefully spoiling the kid with treats — making sure their hands are sticky— and then handing them to people like Taylor Dosey without warning.

...

Jam Hands

[Next door at the soda shoppe: Dosey hands the kid back to Luke with a wholesome smile trying to hide how irked he is that there's a new abstract chocolate gelato masterpiece on his freshly washed windows. He'll have a field day in about 30 minutes when he realizes that the back of his white sweater was also the paint palette]

Luke: "I'll admit when I'm wrong, jam hands are immensely satisfying."

Lorelai: "I could have sworn you were going to say jam hands are handy."

Luke: "Give me some credit for creativity."

[They enter Luke's diner and have a seat at the counter as Luke bounces the tot on his knee and Lorelai takes and upon herself to serve them rather than interrupt play and gloat time.]

Lorelai: "Says the man who owns and regularly adorns standard issue flannel shirts older than my daughter."

Luke: "I guess I could retire one or two if, as you say, they're practically historic."

Lorelai: "Don't tease me if you don't mean it."

Luke: "I think they should stay in the family though."

Lorelai: "Especially since you haven't had them appraised yet. Mrs. Kim might offer you a pretty penny for vintage diner attire..."

Luke: "Hardly, that woman drives a mean bargain."

Lorelai: "Ha! It gives new meaning to the phrase 'she'll take the clothes right off your back.'"

Luke: "Maybe I'll send a few to Liz, she can make them into some patchwork kids blankets. Not that Rory hasn't already taken care of all that, but what's a few extra for the car or laundry day when every last blanket is in the hamper covered in spit and cereal..."

Lorelai: "Oh, Luke. That's so sweet. Rory will love it."

Luke: "You think so?"

Lorelai: "Absolutely. I take it back, the Danes family are the great creative masters of our time..."

Luke: "Stop it..."

Lorelai: "The modern Mozarts of munchkins. The Beethoven of blankets..."

Luke: "Hey, will you go to the back and tell Cesar to send me out a plate of applesauce?"

Lorelai: "Feeling peckish?"

Luke: "No, I'm going to teach Amelia the time- honored Danes tradition of finger painting with food, and then I'm siccing her on Kirk. He's been hogging that table for an hour and he's still nursing the same donut. Applesauce please?"

Lorelai: "Only if we can swing by the inn later. I get dibs on Michel next."

Luke: "Wow, that counter offer was too easy. You're no Mrs. Kim."

Lorelai: "To be fair, the woman has an unparalleled reputation which she will uphold until long after we're both senile in a nice home or having Rory and Jess keep us out of trouble."

Luke: "Deal. To Michel, not the old folks home. Although, the alternative of Jess keeping an eye on us in my golden curmudgeon years is equally horrifying."

Lorelai: "I like this for us."

Luke: "Then I'll let you break it to Rory that she may not see Amelia again until she graduates college."

Lorelai: "Well then mister, you better be willing to put some tuition where your mouth is!" She says in dramatic jest.

Luke: "It's taken care of," he says matter-of-factly like a stone cold sniper or a mafia don, in comical contrast to the funny faces he's pulling as Amelia tries flailingly to reach for his baseball cap.

[Lorelei stops mid stride with a plate of applesauce in one hand and a bib in the other, mouth agape]

Lorelai: "Luke, you didn't..."

Luke: "You should think about closing that tunnel before someone, I'm not saying who but someone, gets the bright idea to stick a vegetable in there, you petrify on that spot, and Taylor opens up a new Stars Hollow tourist attraction of the crazy caffeine lady with a severe allergy to chlorophyll."

Lorelai: "Lucas..."

Luke: "Lorelai, I opened up a savings fund the same day that Rory told me she was having a baby. You remember? The day I came home and switched all the coffee in your house to decaf, and you begrudgingly went along with it to show support even though you made 'Winter is Here' jokes for a whole month. It's settled."

[Lorelai sets the plate down wordlessly and Luke begins to hand-over-hand finger paint with Amelia]

Luke: "No snappy rebuttal?"

Lorelai: "You know I had a dream once, not in the great Martin Luther King way, a literal dream that you were a coffee thief in my kitchen, only Rory was me, or rather I was in Rory's shoes, and there was not one kid but rather a matching set, a two for one diner special, Sid and Nancy..."

Luke: "Is this a stream of consciousness or should what you're talking about make profound sense to me?"

Lorelai: "Not a clue." She wipes the shmear of applesauce from Luke's cheek, then thinks fast, presses it to his lip, and kisses him fiercely by surprise, watching his face turn cherry.

Luke: [at a momentary loss for words] "Well then. Maybe ask Rory if there's a Sid somewhere in her future."

Lorelai: "I'll have my lawyers at the Gilmore Group draw up the paperwork for co-custody."

Luke: "I thought the Gilmore Group handled insurance projections."

Lorelai: "It helps that I know a guy, who knows a gal, who knows the CEO. It'll probably be the most amicable custody case they've ever handled."

Luke: "Or the only one..."

Lorelai: "Kirk," Lorelai hoists a primed, jam hands Amelia off Luke's lap and marches across the diner with a sing-song voice, "I have an aspiring indi film fan in the making who is just insistent on your autograph. Practically in a fuss. I don't seem to have a pen, but I do have fruit sauce."

Luke: [watches her swagger from behind and considers offering her a pen as he has following a dozen diner jokes before, except he wouldn't miss Kirk squirm for all the world. ] "Yeah, I like this for us."

-End scene-

[idk-maybe-i-did-it]

Scars: Year five, Chapter two

Remus Lupin x Reader

Warnings: Cursing, implied nudity, bruising, implied self harm,

James no longer cared about the surrounding boys in that moment, all his focus was one the female in his arms.

The boy was sobbing into her hair and constantly pulling her body closer to him and he leant back on his foot.

He didn't care.

James didn't care that Sirius had placed his hand on James's shoulder. He didn't care that the door to the dorm was open and a small second year boy had been staring at him, James simply didn't care about anything other than the female in his arms.

Everything else was nonexistent and all he could feel, see and hear was his sister.

He, He didn't care that there was still far too much to fix in their relationship before he would be aloud to call her his family again because all he cared about was the fact that he could hold his baby sister in his arms again.

He had her back.

And James wouldn't let anything take her away from him after that. __________ Y/n L/n ended up sleeping in bed with James Potter that night and when she awoke he still wouldn't let her go ___

When she did awake though, the boys were still wary of her.

" Y/n we're not going to pry but why were you such a jackass before?"

The girl's face paled and she diverted her eyes from their faces, instead choosing to look out to window.

" Family stuff."

James looked back over to her as Sirius walked to where she had been standing, engulfing her in a hug that hurt her already bruised hips and waist. Remus, who had already been used to noticing her small unnoticeable action's noticed her wince as Sirius placed pressure on her hips/waist during the hug. He saw how she plastered on a smile through the pain and how she flinched even more when Sirius hoisted her up to get a better height advantage.

" Welcome back sis..."

____________________________

" You're going to the game with us later right Y/n?"

The girl nodded discreetly, not taking her eyes off the goblet of gillywater before her. James reached over and lightly fisted at her long-sleeved shirt. " Why don't you put on something different, it'll be hot outside N/n."

There it was again.

His use of the nickname. His concern that she would overheat.

And there she was again.

Remus Lupin wasn't the type to not notice things. So when Y/n said she had simply been cold, he knew something was up. Y/n was normally rather warm and even when she were cold she never wore long sleeves, only a cloak, a black cloak and her shirt. But never long sleeves.

He knew something was up.

And Remus Lupin would get to the bottom of it. ____________________________

After James and Sirius had broken off from the group to get in uniform Remus noticed Y/n's breathing shorten multiple beats.

And how she tried to hide it.

Later on in the game Remus noticed her rather subtle flinches when noise increased and how the grip on her left arm increased. Eventually Remus had leant over and lightly grasped her arm, taking it off of the other, and whispered in her ear, " Remember to breath love." ____________________________

" Hi Liz, I don't think my friends still want to meet you..."

She sunk down and placed the flowers into the vase beside her gravestone, sitting next it.

" I miss you, I know the truth too now... I still wish you were here."

The girl moved over and lightly leaned against the stone.

" I'm sorry about what happened too. You didn't deserve to die... you and mum should be here sitting next to me."

The girl let out a shaky sigh, not even attempting to stop the silent tears.

" Today was horrible... he threatened me again, said if I went back to the boys he would force me to do stuff again. I'm scared Liz... I'm so scared."

Y/n let out a quiet sob and pulled her knees up next to her on the ground and continued to sob onto the grave-stone as a group of four boys watched her from the woods edge with guilt.

The four of them had pushed her away earlier that week because Remus told them he'd watched Y/n leave the common room at midnight every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday before returning near three a.m. with hickeys and bruises covering her arms and neck. Now standing there, watching her spill her heart out to her sister's grave-stone, they all felt like piles of shite, especially the tallest of them all.

" I miss the boys Liz... I miss them so much and they won't even believe me."

Sirius, James, Peter and Remus slowly came out and started to walk over towards the sobbing, unassuming girl.

She reached out and wiped her face, forcing tears back, before reaching out into her pocket and pulling out a pocket watch. " Sorry, I'm crying too much and I'm supposed to be happy for you. It's your birthday after all, I remember you always wanted a pocket watch."

Her voice cracked and went up an octave before she broke out into sobs again.

The boys finally walked up next her and squatted down. Remus pulled her into his shoulder and wrapped his arms securely around her as James and Sirius placed their hands on her shoulder and Peter placed a few flowers with Y/n's.

" We're sorry we never believed you earlier love. We were just wary..."

James spoke up next, " You never denied us that he had been controlling you because you already knew... and you had been trying to point it out to us..." ____________________________

Later that day Y/n had been sitting with James on his bed doing a bit of last-minute homework. The girl knew that homework was supposed to be her biggest problem at the moment yet she just couldn't get what James had said off her mind.

Did we not care enough or did you decide that a bloody prick from Hufflepuff made you feel more at home than we did?!

Did James really think she felt more at home with someone who'd kept her under blackmail than with people who she loved?

Did Mr. Charlie Chadington Williams remind you of poor mummy and dad or did we just stop being your family?

Did he really think she had been attracted to toxic people?

Did James really think her cruel?

Does he really hate me?

Did they really regret befriending me?

Why was I such a horrible person?

I didn't want to be, he said if I didn't he'd-

" You okay love? James sent me to talk to you because you wouldn't respond when he talked."

Y/n's back straightened and her head snapped up to see Remus had been squatting on the floor before her. She didn't notice there were tears dripping down her face until Remus reached up and cupped it, wiping them away.

The girl dropped her head again, letting it plop onto his shoulder with a light thump.

When Remus had looked into her eyes only seconds ago he saw every insecurity peaking through Y/n's now thick wall of brick hiding her from the world and he just came to realize that while the girl had been an ass, she had emotions hidden behind a wall of anger. The boys had blamed her for all the pain and anger that she'd put them through.

In the small moment where he saw through her walls and watched as her insecurities came out Remus finally realized that Y/n wasn't the person they needed to blame for her faults.

They should've blamed whoever made her that way.

" Does James really think I'm attracted to toxic people? Do you really think I wanted to be such a jackass?"

She lifted her head up again and turned to look out of the window, keeping her gaze away from Remus's eyes.

" Was I really such an ass that you guys started to regret knowing me? I mean, if- If you did start to, I wouldn't blame you. I was a bloody cunt... but you guy's have to realize I didn't want to be one."

Her voice broke slightly near the end and Remus suddenly figured out why she had been quieter recently.

He immediately came forward and moved next to the girl on James' bed, gently grasping her chin and forcing her to look him in the eye. " No- No love, no. We- James doesn't think you're attracted to toxic people he was just upset that you'd stopped hanging out with us. No, We- we didn't know why you were acting like an arse but we also never thought you wanted to be like that either."

Her head shook and a few tears fell out of the windows to her soul again.

" We never regretted knowing you either Y/n. If we all had a choice we would never go back and change knowing you. Y/n darling you've helped all of us in so many ways you'll never understand, trust me, we would never regret knowing you."

Remus leaned forward and wrapped her in a one armed hug, lightly threading at her hair, and tenderly pressed a kiss to her forehead.

" He says I deserve what mum does because I didn't listen to him when he told me to stop hanging around you guys... I think I deserve what they do because I listened to him and ignored you guys."

Remus was pissed that someone could make Y/n think things as such.

He buried his head into her hair and squeezed the girl tightly before pulling his head up and resting it atop her's, biting his lip to keep the slur of curses coming through.

" I don't give a damn about what you've done to us Y/n, you don't deserve that shit."

" And tell me what kind've blackmail Chad has on you before you show me your arms, hips and waist to make sure I have the right guy." ________________________________

" Y/n, wanna go down to Honeydukes with me?"

" Yeah but you can't get the whole stock of biscuits this time Peter."

∑(ﾟДﾟ)

" We can also stop by your sisters grave and give her more flowers."

" Sounds like a plan Peter." ________________________

" Re-Remus..." Her voice wavered and the boy saw her tear filled eyes start to water. He pulled off the cloak he’d been wearing and wrapped it around her nearly naked body.

" I'm here love, don't worry, I'm here now..."

_____________________________ Drop a vote, drink some water, eat some food and remember You Are Loved ^ - ^

[blissfulalchemist]

“I made your favorite.” For CatRaf? 😘😘😘

Thank you for sending this in Jo! Please enjoy this little slice of life piece that I had so much fun writing!

“What day does dad come back again?” Liz asked as she hung upside down on the couch, The Old Man and the Sea in her hands as her long hair pooled to the floor beneath her, “I need to know when to get his present ready.”

Cat looked up from the stove to Liz, “You’re not going to try and deface property again are you?”

“I was joking,” she gave Liz a sideways glance, Liz changing her tune, “Well the shop owner gave me permission, not my fault it was the wrong one we needed.” Cat shook her head, turning the stove down, “Danny is the one that drew it,” Liz grumbled.

“But you let yourself take the fall for it,” she pointed out, her daughter letting out a huff, “You want to take a break from your homework for a little bit?”

Her brown eyes looked over to Catlina, narrowing slightly, “Depends,” Liz let her legs fall forward cartwheeling off the sofa, “What are you making?”

“The recipe your grandmother left for me to start,” Cat looked down re-reading the instructions making sure she understood what was written, “I feel like this doesn’t need that much paprika.”

Liz put her chin on her mom’s head, “Careful mom, you know how they can be about following the recipes. Dad had to get it from someone.”

“Hush you,” Cat said, laughing as she waved Liz off of her, “Will you start peeling the potatoes for me, please?”

Liz smiled, getting the peeler out, “You didn’t answer my question though.”

Cat hummed, “He flies in the twenty-ninth.”

“What are we going to be doing when he comes in? Are we celebrating his birthday first or Christmas? Cause I vote we get the capitalistic holiday out of the way first.”

Cat looked up to her daughter, eyes tired, “You love Christmas so don’t try to put your social justice airs on for me.” Liz scoffed mumbling to herself, “I think it’s going to be Christmas first. I don’t know what we can do for his birthday.”

Liz gave a solemn nod, “You left it to the last minute didn’t you?”

“I did not, now peel those potatoes,” Cat tied her hair up letting out a breath, “I just feel like we’ve done everything at some point for him. There’s nothing left to do that just feels special enough for him.”

Liz stopped peeling looking up, “I’ve never seen you make him any food for his birthday.” Her brow knitted together frowning, “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you two make anything for each other for events that special. What’s up with that? You two cook so often you think you would have at some point in my life.”

“That….,” Cat stopped thinking it over, “No we can’t. It became a rule and after all these years of peace, we don’t need World War Three happening.”

“There was already a threat of that mom,” Liz pointed out, “And I’m sure yours and dad’s isn’t going to live up to that one.”

“Watch yourself,” Cat warned, “Just trust me, it’s better for everyone if we don’t touch that flame.”

“Mom, it's not that difficult, all you have to do is make his favorite food and be done with it.” Liz put a hand on her hip, “Besides what can be more special than doing something he would never expect from you? You say it yourself all the time, you making food is a labor of love. Why is making something for dad on his birthday any different.” She stood straighter, “In fact I find that that qualifies as more reason for you to show him that you love him.”

Cat crossed her arms, Liz was right and she hated to admit it, “There’s also one hiccup in your plan honey,” Cat turned back to the stove, “I could never make the dish to his liking. He’s so particular about it. I’ve tried and just can never seem to get it right. Even he doesn’t like it when he makes it.” She gave a heavy sigh, “No one else can make it like his mom.”

Liz rolled her eyes, “Oh so tragic that she isn’t currently staying with her for a while.” Liz held a potato up after seeing the narrowed eyes her mom gave her, “I know, I know. Watch the sarcasm. But mom seriously just ask her to teach you. Grandma isn’t going to be offended, bet she wants to teach you.”

“I want to teach your mom what?” Raf’s mom asked as she walked in setting bags on the counter, Liz rushing to help her put the groceries away.

“How to make dad’s favorite dish,” Liz said giving her mom a smile, “She wants to do something special for his birthday.”

“Oh,” the older woman said looking at Cat, “is that all?” Cat nodded, glancing between the stove and her mother in law, her grey hair falling into her eyes as she pointed to some places in the kitchen, directing Liz where to put items. “Where’s your younger brother?”

“Sketching upstairs,” Liz saw the package of sweet rolls, longing to have one, “You got him his favorites didn’t you?”

“Of course I got them for my little Cielito,” she said sweetly, handing the bag over to Liz, “Here put these in the bread box with his name on it, Loquita.” Liz muttered under her breath as she put them away, going back to peeling the potatoes. She gave a clap of her hands turning to Cat, “Now what’s this I hear about you wanting to learn how to make my most secret recipe?”

“You don’t have to. I can always come up with something else to make or do. Liz just thought it would be nice because it’s something we never really do.”

“You never cooked for my boy?” She asked a serious note in her tone.

Cat’s eyes went wide, “Oh no. That’s-that’s not what I meant at all,” she stammered, “I cook, we cook, for each other all the time we just agreed to not on special occasions. It’s just you know- it makes life easier so we aren’t trying to pass the other one up.”

“You and that damn competition of yours,” she waved off, “You know there’s no beating him. But here,” she placed her hands on Cat’s shoulders, looking her in the eye, “I will teach you.”

Cat blinked a few times, “You will?”

“Of course. I can’t have that recipe lost just because I didn’t have a daughter of my own,” Cat and Liz opened their mouths to speak, “I only taught Raf the basics. He doesn’t have the permission to learn the secret ingredient. It’s why he can’t make it properly. Gotta keep the boy humble.”

Cat and Liz looked at each other shrugging, “Can’t blame you.”

“Exactly,” she gave a single clap before pointing to Liz, “Now you. Out of the kitchen. Go and find your brother.” She turned her eyes on Cat, who shifted under the woman’s gaze, “You finish that recipe so I can see just how much my son has taught you.”

“I-. Well we don’t have to start right now,” Cat watched as Liz made her way upstairs laughing to herself.

“I have to know where to begin with you,” she pointed a finger to the skillet on the stove, “because I already know you didn’t measure out the paprika.” She turned Cat to face the stove before taking a seat at the breakfast bar, “Now show me what you got.” Cat stared at the stove trying to remember where her place was. She turned ready to ask a question, “No you can’t have any help.”

Liz came back down the stairs, Danny following behind her, “Is this a test to see how good of a teacher dad is?”

“Grandma’s actually teaching mom how to cook?” Danny asked as he made his way into his grandmother’s outstretched arms, “This oughta be fun to watch.”

“Mom,” Liz said noticing how still Catlina had become, “You were on the sixth step.”

“I said no helping,” her grandma warned, looking down to the sketch book Danny had brought with him, “What are we working on today my Cielito?” 

She took it from him, as he sat down next to her, “Something for dad since our last attempt didn’t work out.”

“Awww,” she pinched his cheek, “Your sister should have done more research, so that your art could grace this county.”

Liz got a glass of water taking a sip, “And we wonder how dad could have ever gotten his ego,” she mumbled under her breath. Cat smiled holding back her laughter.

“I heard that Liz,” she said, not looking away from her grandson.

“Grandma, if not for Liz I’d have been arrested,” Danny reminded her.

She gasped pulling him close to her, “Oh, you’re right. Your face could not survive such horrors.” She gave a smile to her granddaughter, “Thank you Liz.”

“Wessy would have gotten him out before the paperwork was even finished,” Liz joked, rolling her eyes as she sat on the other side of Danny.

“How is Wes and his wife doing lately?” She asked watching as Cat made her way through the recipe picking up a serrated knife, “You need the chef’s knife, my Lina.” Cat nodded grabbing the one from the wooden block.

“They’re doing well, mom,” Cat said chopping up some of the potatoes, “Wes got a promotion and Wren has been doing a lot of great work with the kids and starting plans for connecting music therapy to the schools. They also really enjoyed the cookies you sent over to them for Christmas.”

“Of course they did. Are their kids still doing well in school?”

“Willow always does. Same with Wyatt when Liz doesn’t rope him in to something potentially stupid,” Danny teased.

“At least I’m not taking after my namesake and pining,” Liz gave him exaggerated puppy dog eyes.

“Danny is this true,” Raf’s mom asked.

Cat looked up to Danny seeing the blush creeping up his neck, “Yeah. I didn’t know you had a crush on someone at school.”

“It’s not a crush. We’re just friends,” he argued.

“And so were your father and Wes,” grandma stated, “Now I just want to know who so I can start listing off reasons why they aren’t good enough for you.”

Liz subtly flipped the sketch book a few pages to a sketch of the girl, “He draws pictures of her.”

Danny snatched up the book holding it close to his chest, “Liz,” she stuck her tongue out at him, “that’s not funny. She’s just my friend and these are from a school project that she helped me with.” His cheeks burned as Cat held her hand out for the sketch book.

“Give it here, it’s causing too many problems now,” Danny handed it over, his mom putting it on the counter, Raf’s mom looking at it over her glasses.

“Her hair is too curly,” the three of them gave a side glance to the old woman, “We’d lose the Estrada curl that’s too perfect.”

“Mom,” Cat said laughing.

“What? We just got lucky your dad’s hair had a curl that was close enough to ours,” she said ruffling Danny’s hair, “Now it’s even more perfect.”

Cat rolled her eyes, “Grandma how come you never ask Liz,” Danny looked his sister in the eyes as she took another sip of water, “if she ever has any crushes at school?”

“Liz do you have anybody that you like at school?” Liz stayed silent shaking her head, “See there we go.”

“That’s not fair,” he pouted, Cat shaking her head as she grabbed the small measuring spoons.

“Pobrecito Cielito, Liz doesn’t need the protection that you do,” she wrapped him in her arms, stroking his hair, “You’re soft and sweet just like your mother. You need someone perfect.”

Liz looked over curious, “So then what do I need?”

She didn’t look up to Liz, “You need a Wesley.”

Cat snorted, holding back her laughter as Liz’s mouth fell open, “What’s that supposed to mean, Grandma?”

She pulled away from Danny with a sigh, “It just means that while Danny here,” she cupped his face, “is soft and precious just like your mother,” she gave a smile to Cat before turning to Liz, “While you my dear are like your father.” 

Danny laughed pointing at his sister, “You’re bossy Liz!” Liz glared, lightly punching his arm. 

“So I just need someone to boss around?” She leaned back in the chair crossing her arms in a huff, “Well that’s not happening. Never going to find someone here like that.”

“No you won’t, because,” their grandma said pointing to Liz, “you need someone that will keep you grounded but appreciate your flying. If it was just a matter of who’s the boss and who’s not then your mother and father would have never worked out.”

“I feel that is our dynamic mom,” Cat said, putting the finishing touches on the meal, “He leads I follow.”

“Wrong.” Her finger moved from point at Liz to Cat, “You remind him how to lead. Don’t think I forgot the first Thanksfighting, you held your own against him. He did relent eventually,” Cat grabbed some plates from the cupboard brow knitting together, “He did. It’s harder to see but I know it when I see it.”

Cat shook her head making plates for them all, “Well no need to question something if it’s not broken. Danny, make your grandma some coffee, there’s hot water on the stove already.” He nodded making quick work of what his mom asked of him. “Shall we eat at the breakfast bar or the table?”

“This is fine,” Raf’s mom told Catlina, taking the mug from Danny, “Thank you. We might get to cooking lessons right away.” The four of them grew silent as they ate for a few minutes, Cat’s eyes not leaving her mother in law, waiting for her reaction. She gave a small shrug with a small frown, “It’s not bad, Lina,” Cat took a breath waiting for the rest, “but could use a little work.” She turned to Danny, “Danny! Get my chef’s coat!”

“Ohhh,” Liz started smiling, her laughter intermixing with her voice, “Mom’s in for a crash course in cooking.” 

“I love how you think you’re exempt from this Loquita,” her grandma laughed, “Come. If I’m gonna teach your mom, I’m going to save time and teach you too. Two generations taken care of.” 

Liz whined looking to Catlina for help, giving her daughter a shrug, “Estrada’s are nothing short of efficient.”

“I thought that was the Rojas’,” Liz argued.

Cat rolled her eyes, “It's from both sides. Besides this was your idea and I’m sure it’ll be fun.”

The week that followed stopped being fun pretty quickly as the three generations tried to work together in the kitchen. There was no formal recipe, so both had to pay close attention without getting in the other’s way, all the while Danny got to watch eating the sweet rolls and sketching the scenes from time to time. Raf’s mom made sure there was nothing but perfection from Liz and Cat, their days getting longer as the pieces came together, their bonding feeling more like a bootcamp. Finally, two days before Rafael’s expected return Danny was finally kicked out of the kitchen and sent to his room, the time finally coming for them to learn the secret step that was tradition for only the women to know. One that wasn’t mastered until twenty four hours before Raf’s return.

That night, Cat and Liz were tasked with making a portion each to make sure it was the perfection grandma expected. The two tired as they placed their plates in front of their judges, leaning against the counters. “I’m never listening to your ideas again mom,” Liz whispered.

“I don’t know what planet you just came from,” Cat narrowed her eyes at Liz, “but this was your idea.”

“And you should know better than to listen to me,” Cat rolled her eyes at the comment watching her mother in law. Cat’s hands starting to shake as her heart thundered in her chest, Is this what it feels like to be on the TV competitions?

Raf’s mom looked to Danny, the two giving curt nods, the older woman stepping down from the chair, arms outstretched. “Mijas,” she embraced them both, “It is perfect! I am so proud of you both.” When she pulled back her eyes looked at Liz first, “Yours can use a little work but you’re still young,” she gave a pinch on Liz’s cheek. 

Cat had started to laugh as the two discussed what needed to be fixed when her phone rang. Cat ran to it, her smile spreading seeing Raf’s picture on the screen, “Raf, please tell me they gave you an earlier flight. The kids and I miss you so much. We can’t wait for you to get home!”

He was silent a moment before letting out a sigh, “I know you do Conejito, but,” Cat’s face started to fall at his hesitancy, “there’s been some delays here because of the weather.”

“Oh,” Cat said crossing her arm across her chest, “You’re just gonna be a bit later than expected which is okay. We can all wait up for you.”

He gave a small laugh, “I’d love for nothing more than to see all your faces as soon as I walk through that door, but it’s expected to be an extra day, maybe a few more depending on how this storm goes.”

“I-I see,” she turned away from everyone else hiding her disappointment, “What does it mean if it’s longer than a day? Will you be able to extend your leave?”

“I can’t this time, mi amor. Worst case is that I would only get a few hours with you all,” she could hear the pain in his voice, “Which is fine, so long as I get to see you all, but we won’t be able to do much more than have lunch.” Cat stole a glance behind her to their kids, their faces growing sadder as they put two and two together. “Look, we just have to hope for the best okay. We do that and it’s going to all work out.”

Cat nodded, “You’re right. That’s all we have to do. In the end we get to see you still and that’s what matters.”

“Exactly, and don’t worry I’ll keep you updated,” she heard him swallow hard, “Are the kids there? I want to say hi to them.” 

“Yeah, your mom is here too still,” Cat handed the phone off to them making her way up the stairs to the master bedroom, wiping the tears from her face. It just didn’t seem fair that while he was away he only got so much time to fly overseas to see them, only for a storm to hit where he was making it harder for them to see each other. She gave a sigh making sure she looked presentable before making her way back downstairs. 

The next twelve hours were slow and filled with dread as they all waited for updates on what was happening with Raf. It was Liz that spoke up first during the family’s transition to another movie, “I can’t stand to mope about any more today! I’m calling Tia Wren to come and get us.”

“And do what,” Danny asked looking up from where he laid against Cat.

Liz stood putting her hands on her hips, “Anything but what we’ve been doing. Time will move faster if we go out and do something.” She held her hand out to her younger brother, “What do you say?”

Danny looked up to Cat, giving him a nod, “Alright let’s go call them.” He jumped up following Liz to the other room.

Raf’s mom moved to sit next to Cat, putting an arm around her, “I’ll drive them there. You stay here just in case he never got a chance to update us on his arrival.” She kissed the top of Cat’s head, “You look like you could use the rest anyway.” 

“Mom,” Danny called out, “Aunt Wren and Wes want to know if it’s okay for us to stay the night there. They have something planned for dad and want us to help out.”

“Are they planning a party?” Grandma asked, “Cause if they are I will stay with you all.”

Danny nodded going back to the room, “You don’t have to do that mom. They’ll be fine with them.”

She waved off Cat’s comment, “I like planning parties and I can give them a little break too. Take the kids out to a movie or something.” Cat’s phone chimed with a text from Raf. It was a selfie of him with a sad face next to a screen with the estimated arrival date of his flight. From what Cat could gather from the picture he at least wasn’t where he was stationed at. She gave a sad laugh showing the screen to his mom. “He’s not coming in until tomorrow it looks like,” she gave a sigh, hugging Cat, “You still get a few days with him, mija.”

Liz and Danny rushed back into the room, “They said you can stay if you want grandma,” Danny said as Liz made her way up the stairs. He took in their faces, “Any word on dad?”

“Tomorrow afternoon,” Cat told him, “Sorry buddy.”

He gave a shrug, “He’s still going to be on time for the party and then we have him all to ourselves for a few days after that.” He gave Cat a hug, “It’s all going to work out mom, just you wait and see,” she gave him a kiss on the cheek before letting him rush up the stairs to pack an overnight bag.

Cat looked to Raf’s mom, “Do you know how to get there?”

She nodded, “A little and if anything I’m sure those two know how to get there.” She gave a pat on Cat’s knee as she stood to collect her things. The three of them were saying their goodbyes to Cat in the span of ten minutes reminding her to keep the party a secret as they drove away. Cat laid herself down on the couch putting another movie on to keep the silence of the house at bay finding herself falling asleep for the duration of it. She woke to an update from Raf, this time showing himself at an airport that looked more clearly to be one in the states, his face looking bored as he stared off into space, the caption reading “Why must airplane food taste worse than MREs?”. The second picture he sent was one of a golden retriever that had rolled onto their back looking up to Raf, it’s tongue hanging out “Since when does Wren let Wes out without a leash.”. 

Cat couldn’t help but laugh at the pictures, sending a selfie of her own worried face, “Well that’s a problem considering I just sent the kids to stay with him for the night.”. Raf’s response was quick as he sent his own worried face. She laughed a moment before her heart felt like it was pulling towards him, “I miss you, my love.”. His response took a little longer, the little dots staying up as he must have been deciding what to write before settling on, “I miss you too.”. 

Cat looked up to the ceiling debating what to do with the time she had. She didn’t feel like watching another movie yet and the time showed that it was too early to start getting ready for bed or even dinner. Her eyes looked to the kitchen, it wasn’t too early to start making a meal though. Cat got up making her way to the kitchen, making the dish she had perfected, readying it to be stored in the fridge, just under cooked enough for it to taste it’s best when she heated it up. 

Time was still stretching as she just decided to make her way upstairs to take a bath and relax. Another update from Raf, this time a picture of the inside of a plane, “One more layover!....I don’t know how long it will be.” a sad face emoji with a tear became its own text. She smiled settling in, asking him to hurry back to her along with a picture of her in the bath as extra incentive. She found herself getting ready for bed once the water became cold, her routine taking longer than normal making herself perfect for Raf’s return. 

By the end of it she still found herself wandering around the house settling back down on the couch getting her favorite show ready to watch, one more text from Raf coming in. This time it was a professional photo of a blue horse statue with red eyes, followed by the familiar terminal behind Raf’s smiling face, “Praise Blucifer! I am within driving distance if I have to be.” Cat laughed simply sending a kissing face emoji to him. Her mind no longer able to focus on the show as she laid there her heart racing, knowing he was just so close to her. Her eyes started to close as a slow song played during an episode, her mind already playing a scene of her and Raf together again.

The moving headlights hurt her eyes as she sat up in the now quiet house, catching the time on her dying phone, six in the morning. She yawned, stretching out her arms, hearing the faint sounds of a car door slamming shut. Cat walked to the front door of the house, smoothing out her hair, watching as a familiar silhouette passed the windows, heart racing as she wanted nothing more than to run to him. The door opened slowly, his smile meeting her first as he stepped through, Cat running into his arms as the door closed behind him. 

He lifted her easily as she buried her face into his neck, wrapping her arms and legs around him, “I missed you so much,” she said between her tears falling, kissing his cheek.

“I can’t even begin to tell you how much I missed you,” he pulled away far enough to take in her face, kissing her deeply, his arm tightening around her. “Is everyone asleep upstairs?”

Cat shook her head, “They’re all at your brother’s place,” she put her hands around his face kissing him again, “You said tomorrow afternoon, so they stayed the night.”

Raf moved them further into the house setting her on the back of the sofa, “It was going to be,” he kissed down her neck, his hands running along her legs, “I guess I must have looked so sad seeing that picture of you,” Cat started to unbutton the jacket he wore, “because someone gave up their seat to get me home faster.” 

“Well I am thankful for them,” she pulled on the lapel of his jacket bringing his lips down to hers. His hands moving under the silky pjs she wore, trails of fire forming with each touch of his fingers against her skin, as his lips moved down her neck. Cat gave a small moan parting her lips, before she started to hear Raf’s stomach start to growl. She laughed pulling away from him, “When was the last time you ate?”

“It doesn’t matter,” he tilted her chin to look her in the eye, “I can wait.”

She shook her head, “No, mi amor,” she pushed him away gently, “You need to eat or else you’ll have no energy.” She got down from the sofa making her way to the kitchen, “Besides I made your favorite,” Cat stopped at the fridge holding on to the door turning to him, “and I promise you that it’s going to be worth the interruption.”

He leaned against the counter, arms crossed, cocking an eyebrow, “Oh will it now? Cause you’ve tried in the past to make it.”

“Well I didn’t spend a week learning exactly how to make it from your mom,” she teased as she bent down grabbing the food, feeling Raf grab her hips.

“She actually taught you how to make it?”

Cat nodded, setting the food on the counter, “Liz too. Even had to make a blood oath to never tell the secret step to you or anyone else. Only our granddaughters.”

He laughed, pinning her against the counter, giving her a kiss. When she didn’t start laughing with him, he stopped, “Oh you’re serious. Even the blood oath?”

“Well Liz and I both cut ourselves at least once during the week and your mom said it counted,” she explained holding up her hand with the mostly healed cut between her thumb and forefinger. He smiled, bringing her hand to his lips.

“Well at least you and Liz survived.”

His hands started to run up her body, bringing their hips together, “I’m still going to make sure you eat dinner first,” she whispered in his ear.

He kissed up her jaw before whispering, “And what if I just want to skip straight to dessert,” he lightly bit her ear lobe while his left hand found its way into the waistband of her shorts. “There’s only so much time we truly have alone,” he said lowly, his fingers running over her lace underwear, sending small waves of pleasure through Cat. “We should take advantage of it, mi amante,” his hand left her shorts lifting her by her thighs, Cat’s legs wrapping around him on instinct. She smiled kissing down his neck, reveling in the moans he gave her as he walked them up the stairs. 

Once at the top he set her down letting her pull his jacket and shirt off before Raf had her against a wall his kisses feverish and hands rough, Cat’s trying to keep up as she fumbled with trying to loosen his pants and feeling his toned body. She wanted every part of him, making it known as she made a space big enough to rub his already hard length, his hands starting to push her towards their bedroom. The two didn’t even bother closing the door as Raf threw Cat on the bed, letting her watch as he quickly removed his pants, pulling her legs to the edge to remove her clothing. 

He brought himself onto the bed using his hips to part her legs for him as he kneeled above her taking in her body. His hands ran down her body lightly, as her breathing became heavy as his touch traced every part of her. Cat moved her hips up trying to get some kind of friction, Raf pushing them back down against the bed. She let out a small whine growing tired of him, in her mind, teasing her, pulling on the dog tags that still hung around his neck. She kissed him roughly taking advantage of the small surprise on his end to force him on his back, straddling him as she moved her lips down his neck and across his collarbone. Her hands played with the waistband of his boxers, sliding in after he gave a few breathy moans from her kissing alone, running her fingers up and down his shaft. He let out a groan, his head falling back, muttering to himself as she kissed down his torso, stopping just above hips. She gave a smirk biting her lower lip, meeting his eyes as she said, “Welcome home, my love,” she pulled his underwear down letting her tongue run along his length, “and happy late birthday.”