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Post by Lilith Stewart on Apr 22, 2009 2:44:07 GMT
It worries me sometimes how much Issy takes after the rest of the family.
Black sheep are funny like that. What's normal in one generation is abnormal the next, and vice versa, 'til maybe there actually isn't any sort of family normal.
Not that I care about conformity. I just don't like the thought of my beautiful little daughter growing up into a passive-aggressive, bile-filled, misanthropic cutter with indecision issues. What mother would?
But sometimes I fear I'm not helping very much. Micheal's so cheerful, so loud, so troublemaking... and so much like Leo and me... that it's hard not to pay him more attention. But I've seen the damage caused by neglect and playing favorites, and I won't let it happen to my little girl.
So today is just a mother-daughter day. No absentminded husband. No excessively hyper five-year-old son. Just me and little Isobel, heading out for ice cream and a book because that's what she whispered she wanted. Of course we have access to hundreds of books back home, including plenty for children, but I guess she wants a magical book. This is kind of black-sheepish of her too - other than Micheal's obsession with hags, we mostly live like muggles - but I can be supportive. I'm even resisting the urge to swing her arm and belt a song like I would with her brother, remembering that she's too shy.
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Post by Riley Pearson on Apr 22, 2009 3:37:11 GMT
This morning I was, slightly confused to say the least, to see an old and slightly ratty looking owl fly through an open window this morning in the kitchen this morning. The girls, Justin, and I were all eating breakfast when the bird swooped in and crash landed on the kitchen table, sucessfully dropping one letter into a bowl of cereal and another in some syrup. The small bit of confusion drifted away though when I saw the two thick envelopes lying the various food the owl dropped them in. Even though the confusion was gone, it was replaced with a nice small feeling of depression that I tried to squash out before it got to me too much.
I couldn't believe they were already this old... I couldn't believe how much supplies cost now either. I could swear that the price at least double, if not more.
Of course I was happy about them going there, I just wasn't ready for them to leave. But thinking about it only made me more upset, so the first thing I did when I saw the letters was suggest we go out and buy some supplies because of the nice day outside.
We were walking through Diagon Alley, me with a rather large list printed in front of me, both of the girls talking excitedly to eachother.
Seeing them happy made me smile and I tried taking my mind off the fact that they were going to have to leave. Of course the next first thing I think of is Arden and once I tried to get rid of that thought, I look up to see her sister.
I looked over to her, and I slightly wondered if she even saw me.. I just couldn't decide if that was a good or bad thing that she hadn't seen me just yet.
[[ blah, awful ]]
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Post by Lilith Stewart on Apr 22, 2009 3:48:23 GMT
"So... which do you want to do first?" I ask Issy cheerfully after a few moments of companionable silence. I wish she was still small enough to carry all the time... or perhaps big enough that I don't feel like a child dragging a doll along beside her. Thank god she does love to hold hands though, because it would be far worse otherwise.
She tips her head pensively, screwing up her face in thought before finally shrugging, and I remember that she doesn't like to talk loud, so I should have just made it yes or no.
"Well, ice cream first?" I ask instead, still smiling - but then have to look up before I see her answer, sensing we'll collide with someone if I don't. "Oh, hey... Charlotte-or-Ella, who probably hates being called that."
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Post by Riley Pearson on Apr 22, 2009 16:13:12 GMT
I looked away a moment later, unsure if I should say anything to her or not and looked back down at the list.
".. So where do you guys wanna stop first?" I asked them both as we walked. But before they could give me an answer, I heard Lillith quite close to us and I looked back up to her. I guess I hadn't realised how close we were to them..
Ella sighed slightly and shrugged, "It's okay." She said before giving a small smile. "I'm Ella, that's Charlotte." she explained, being fairly used to being confused.
"Hey Lillith." I said with a small smile over to her.
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Post by Lilith Stewart on Apr 22, 2009 16:53:13 GMT
"Hey, Riley!" I say, beaming at him. "And... it's good to meet you again, Ella. And Charlotte," I add more formally, inclining my head. "We haven't seen you in a while, have we, Issy?" I ask, looking down at my own daughter, who shakes her head solemnly.
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Post by Riley Pearson on Apr 22, 2009 20:13:26 GMT
I smiled a bit more to Lil as she beamed at me, it was hard not to when someone looked at you like that. She was awfully cheerful, so it was actually rubbing off a bit.
Both of the girls smiled. "Nice to meet you too." They both said at nearly the same time before laughing a bit more to themselves.
I kept the smile on my face, wondering for a moment if Lilith even knew anything about what had happened the past month.
"It has been a while." I commented after I saw Isy shake her head. "How've you been?" I asked, then remembering that you should never ask someone a question you don't want repeated to yourself.
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Post by Lilith Stewart on Apr 22, 2009 20:28:12 GMT
"I've been good! Issy and I are just going out for ice cream." I smile again, remembering in time not to invite them along without her permission. "How about you three? How have you been?"
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Post by Riley Pearson on Apr 22, 2009 20:31:32 GMT
I smiled a bit more and nodded. "That's good." I said back to her, putting my hands in my pockets as I stood there. Of course, she asked me the question back and I just shrugged a little bit, "Um.. pretty good considering, I guess."
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Post by Lilith Stewart on Apr 22, 2009 20:37:23 GMT
I latch on to the 'considering' immediately, of course, but try not to jump on him for it. "Oh, well, that's good. Considering."
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Post by Riley Pearson on Apr 22, 2009 20:45:01 GMT
I nodded a little bit, now pretty positive she didn't know what happened, so now I was trying to think of how much I should tell her.. especially with the kids here. "Yeah.." I paused for a second. "Arden never told you what happened?" I asked a moment later, with some curiosity.
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Post by Lilith Stewart on Apr 22, 2009 20:50:25 GMT
Oh, hell. No she didn't. Never tells me anything, that one.
"Sorry." I offer an apologetic smile and shrug. "No, she usually doesn't."
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Post by Riley Pearson on Apr 22, 2009 20:52:50 GMT
Even though it was pretty obvious before that she didn't know, I was still sort of surprised that Arden wouldn't tell her something like this.. then again, I'm sure that there was some kind of reason?
I nodded slightly. "Um.. no it's okay.. just thought she would've at least mentioned it." I said shaking my head faintly. "I was in the hospital.. for a while."
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Post by Lilith Stewart on Apr 22, 2009 20:56:45 GMT
"We... don't really talk much, actually," I admit with a sheepish sort of shrug. "But that's too bad. What for? Are you all right?"
I really hope Isobel doesn't feel abandoned, but when I glance at her she seems to be interested in our conversation anyway.
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Post by Riley Pearson on Apr 22, 2009 21:00:53 GMT
I nodded a little bit, that made sense then I guess. "I'm okay for the most part now." I started off with with a faint shrug. "I sort of got hit by a car." I said eventually.
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Post by Lilith Stewart on Apr 22, 2009 21:06:22 GMT
"... Oh. That's exciting," I settle on eventually, glancing at the twins.
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Post by Riley Pearson on Apr 22, 2009 21:18:10 GMT
"I... guess you could call it that." I said, seeing her glance to the twins a moment later. They both were just standing there, quietly as we talked. They did seem to get a bit more quiet at the mention of being hit though.
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Post by Lilith Stewart on Apr 22, 2009 21:19:33 GMT
"Yeah... or awful. Traumatic. But at least you're all right now." I smile again.
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Post by Riley Pearson on Apr 22, 2009 21:32:58 GMT
"Right, both of those actually." I said nodding a little bit. "And yeah." I smiled a bit more. "I'm a lucky guy." Though I think when I said that I felt a bit more bitter than I should right now. But really, I was quite lucky, so I should be happy.
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Post by Lilith Stewart on Apr 22, 2009 21:39:21 GMT
"You are," I agree, nodding, though I am still curious why I'm getting the vibe that he doesn't think so.
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Post by Riley Pearson on Apr 22, 2009 22:58:38 GMT
I nodded slightly back to her, biting my lip for a short moment afterwards. I think this was when the girls started to get impatient though and I could feel Charlotte's... or maybe Ella's, for that matter, eyes staring up at me.
I glanced over to them for a short second. "So um.." I looked back up to Lilith, "We're not keeping you from anything, right?"
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Post by Lilith Stewart on Apr 23, 2009 2:15:02 GMT
"Eh... well, honestly, yeah. We're having a little mother-daughter day," I say, gesturing from me to Issy. "But I'm probably keeping you, too, so... you know, you and I should talk. Just, maybe not right now."
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Post by Riley Pearson on Apr 23, 2009 2:19:22 GMT
I smiled slightly with a faint nod. "That sounds nice." I said looking over to Issy for a moment. "Oh, we're just shopping for school supplies." I shrugged a little bit. "But yeah, we should get to talking sometime." I smiled.
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Post by Lilith Stewart on Apr 23, 2009 2:22:40 GMT
"I'll stop by then," I nod. "Unless of course, you do first. But you all have fun. School is the best. You'll love it."
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Post by Riley Pearson on Apr 23, 2009 2:26:36 GMT
I nodded slighty, "Yeah, sounds good." I said with a faint smile.
Both of the girls smiled and laughed a little bit. "We're looking forward to it." They nodded, as they grinned.
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Post by Lilith Stewart on Apr 24, 2009 2:05:14 GMT
((... Yes, that's good, smiles and cheeriness and goodbye.... Sorry, I'm being lazy.  So should I show up at your place or vice versa?)) |
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Post by Riley Pearson on Apr 24, 2009 2:07:50 GMT
[[ hahaha, that's okay, this way we can just get on with it, lol ...  ... and yeah, showing up at his place might be better.. I dunno ]] |
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So should I show up at your place or vice versa?))
... and yeah, showing up at his place might be better.. I dunno ]]