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 Posted: Wed Oct 14, 2009 12:04 am
Jaw clenched and brow furrowed, Brendan stood straight, his hand slowly drifting away from the running water to rest on the edges of the sink. He couldn't look at Rory, his eyes fixed on the fruit in his hands, but not really seeing them. After a long moment, he uttered, "Lydia wouldn't do something like that." It was hard to deny Rory's words when even she hadn't wanted to tell him earlier. "She doesn't... My sister isn't one to sleep around." He closed his eyes, cursing under his breath, not knowing what else to do. She was his sister, he couldn't just let the boy take away everything she had -- her job, her home, her life. Then again, he had to acknowledge that she'd made a mistake... a big mistake, it seemed.
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Posted: Wed Oct 14, 2009 12:07 am
"She did do it, though," Rory said quietly. His heart went out to the man. He knew if anyone ever accused one of his sisters of what he was telling Brendan Lydia had done, he'd probably beat the accuser senseless. "I donnae think she sleeps around. She didnae seem th' type. All th' same, I donnae know her, lad, an' it ain't me health I'm worried on. I got test t' know tha' Lee would be safe."
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Posted: Wed Oct 14, 2009 12:20 am
He shook his head softly, opening his mouth to speak a few times but finding nothing to say. Lydia, what did you do? "She's a good girl." He nodded at his own words, half convincing himself, too. "I might... know why... she would do something like that, though..." He wasn't sure, because he would never have imagined she'd be so... stupid. He honestly couldn't say what was going through her mind, but he had some ideas.
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Posted: Wed Oct 14, 2009 12:24 am
"Really?" Rory looked at the man, an almost puppy look on his face. "Could you clue me in then, eh? Th' doc said it might help put me at ease t' know why she did it."
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Posted: Wed Oct 14, 2009 12:45 am
Turning the water off and setting the strawberries down, Brendan rubbed his forehead, half hiding his guilty expression. "Since she and I came here... she's never liked Miss Lee..." Resting his hands down on the counter, he finished his thought with, "Because of me." Not once did he look at Rory, nor did he plan to this entire time. He wouldn't look at the boy ever again if he could help it. "That's not -- I'm not saying that she... that she would do something like that entirely to hurt her. She wouldn't use you for something like that -- she liked you. I'm sure she did." Every servant girl in the house was talking about the boy. "Even then, I don't think a little lust and a grudge against someone would be enough to make her..." He didn't want to say it, didn't want to admit it to himself. "I don't think she thought it was rape. I think she thought you were cheating on Miss Lee."
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Posted: Wed Oct 14, 2009 12:51 am
Rory nodded, even if Brendan couldn't see it. "She had t' know somethin' wis odd, though, about it all. I'm sorry, Brendan, really. I know how you feel about Lee, so I cannae imagine how any o' this is fae you. I know if I it wis one o' me sisters, I donnae think I'd be as calm. You're a good man, Brendan. I hope Lydia gets things sorted out."
He looked down at the salad. "You donnae hae t' help wi' dinner if you donnae want t'. I'll understand."
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Posted: Wed Oct 14, 2009 1:16 am
Brendan wasn't a man with a lot of fight in him -- it was painfully clear in the way he approached -- rather, didn't approach, the girl he was sure he loved. Picking up a knife, he started to slowly cut the strawberries as he said, "I can still do my job." Just as Rory found what he did for a living calming, so did Brendan. That didn't mean he was done talking, however. "I don't know where she'll live now. We don't have family outside of those who work here, and she doesn't have friends to stay with. Dammit, Lydia, what did you do?" He muttered mostly to himself, not knowing what to do on his sister's behalf. She was basically the only one he had.
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Posted: Wed Oct 14, 2009 1:24 am
Rory looked down, finishing the salad and setting it aside to peel and slice the small oranges he'd gotten to go in it with the strawberries. He wasn't sure what else to say to the man. "She's a good worker. Maybe I can ask th' Katans t' gi' her a good referral somewhere."
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Posted: Wed Oct 14, 2009 1:32 am
For once, Brendan actually looked back at Rory, shaking his head lightly. "No, I couldn't ask you to do that. I might help her with that myself." He didn't want Rory helping her, didn't want him feeling at all responsible for Lydia. She was his little sister, and he'd look after her. A thought struck him. A rather unfortunate thought. "Oh, damn. Oh, god... You... you said you got tested, yes? That means..." No protection?
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Posted: Wed Oct 14, 2009 1:36 am
Rory nodded. "I donnae know her like you do. I didnae know if she'd been wi' others. I donnae remember her usin' protection wi' me. I ain't sure she did." He looked up from the oranges. "If she's pregnant wi' me child, she'll knows fae sure it's mine at th' birthin'. Tell her I donnae want t' know if she is. Tell her not t' come t' Farstep."
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Posted: Wed Oct 14, 2009 1:48 am
Initially, Brendan shot Rory a glare, furious that the boy didn't intend to be there for his child. That was, until he remembered that it had been forced up on, and his expression softened. "You wouldn't want to meet your own child?" He couldn't imagine knowing his offspring was out there somewhere and he didn't know what they grew up to act like, look like, think like. Either way, he was still angry, more at the situation than either Lydia or Rory. His little sister might be pregnant. And homeless. And without a job.
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Posted: Wed Oct 14, 2009 1:51 am
"O' course I'd wanna meet th' kid," Rory said. "Didikai are very family-oriented. It's just, w' also hae a strong sense o' justice, too. If she brought a child there an' it's mine, Brendan, she wouldnae be leavin' Farstep. I'll forgo meetin' any child I might've been forced t' gi' her if it means you donnae lose your sister any more than you already hae."
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Posted: Wed Oct 14, 2009 1:59 am
Brendan found his legs were getting weak, his face dropping at Rory's words. He didn't have it in him to work any longer, and instead managed over to the small table on the other side of the kitchen, resting his face in his palms as he sat. Cursing was followed by more cursing, and then a short silence. "And if she doesn't want the baby? What should she do with it?"
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Posted: Wed Oct 14, 2009 2:04 am
"Gi' it t' me. Th' thing is, if she brings it there wi' th' intent t' seperate me an' Lee, it'll come t' a bad end. If she just wants t' gi' it t' me, fine. I'll take care o' it. If she donnae want t' birth it, then I'd rather not know about tha' or tha' there were e'er a child," Rory said, moving to get the strawberries. "I donnae want anythin' t' do wi' her, Brendan, but if she has a child an' decides t' keep it, I donnae want t' know. If she donnae want it, she can either birth it an' gi' it t' me an' ne'er see it or me again, or she can be rid o' it an' I donnae want t' know. She an' me will not be a family, e'en fae th' sake o' a wee bairn tha' may or may not be in th' works."
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Posted: Wed Oct 14, 2009 2:21 am
"Lydia wouldn't rid herself of the child in that way, no." At least he didn't think she would. Honestly, he didn't know what to think of his closest relative at this point. "But she can't raise a child, even if she'd want to. Even if I manage to find her another job, she can't raise a child while working for one of these families. She could, if she had a husband, but she doesn't, and won't." It would be his family, too, and even if he never met the kid, he'd want it to grow up happy and healthy and well taken care of. "Would... Miss Lee allow you to take another woman's child in?"
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