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 Posted: Sun Sep 20, 2009 12:35 am
As she pulled him out the door, Lee looked back for a moment. "You still want me to paint you something? Now that you saw that I'm not very good..." She sulked as she walked, very much ashamed of her painting. Of all her paintings. And of all the people to stumble upon one, it was Rory.
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Posted: Sun Sep 20, 2009 12:38 am
"Yeah, I do. You're a wonderful artist," Rory said, hugging her to his side as they walked along. He looked about. "Okay, where are w' now? This place be a maze, Lee."
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Posted: Sun Sep 20, 2009 12:53 am
That was the first and probably last time she'd ever hear those words, but she'd never felt her heart jump like that before. Even if Rory was the only one who thought so, Lee had been considered a "wonderful artist"... Her self esteem was through the roof at the moment. Giggling, she didn't have time to answer before they arrived at the staircase, leading the boy down to the entrance.
Turning to face him before taking him to the dining room, she pulled at his jacket a bit to straighten it -- less because it looked messy and more because she liked doing it. "Okay, there are gonna be a lot of different forks and stuff, but dun worry about it and just follow my lead, alright? And don't bother getting up to wash your own dishes, either. Someone does that for you." She tried to think of any more advice to give before heading in, but decided he knew enough about table manners that she didn't need to mention anything else. Stepping toward the dining room and finding the doors open, she noticed her mother and father were already inside, standing and talking with... someone else. Cocking an eyebrow, she stepping in the doorway, wondering who he was and why he was joining them for dinner.
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Posted: Sun Sep 20, 2009 12:57 am
"Differ'nt forks and nae washing dishes, alreet," Rory said. Why would anyone need more than one fork? Rich folk, la. He walked in behind Lee, taking her hand in his casually, and noticed there was another dinner guest. "Lee, d'you hae a brother?"
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Posted: Sun Sep 20, 2009 1:16 am
"Uh-uh..." She shook her head, eying the boy, and finding he looked somewhat familiar.
Mrs. Katan had her first smile on since they'd arrived, turning to her daughter and nodding toward the stranger. "Oh! Lee, this is an old classmate of yours, Jeremy. He stopped by to see you." She looked at her daughter expectantly, as if silently telling her to come greet him.
Mr. Katan had lost his smile, his expression matching his daughter's. He was being a kind host, though, and wasn't about to turn the boy away. Still, he had an idea of why he was here, but didn't mention it to anyone, especially not Lee or Rory.
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Posted: Sun Sep 20, 2009 1:19 am
"It's good to see you again, Lee," Jeremy said, giving a small bow. "We've missed you at school. Who's your friend?"
Rory just glared at the boy. Oh, he didn't need to be told at all what the boy was doing there. He had a pretty good idea of it. His hand tightened possessively around Lee's.
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Posted: Sun Sep 20, 2009 1:25 am
"H-hey, Jeremy... I'm sorry, what class were we in together?" He looked familiar, but she couldn't remember a thing about him. Had he ever even spoken to her before today? Blinking, she smiled a bit, not noticing Rory's glare, but mistaking the tightening hand as just nervousness. "This is my boyfriend, Rory." Hm, that was fun to say... Her boyfriend, Rory. She unintentionally giggled at the sound of it.
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Posted: Sun Sep 20, 2009 1:29 am
"Boyfriend?" Jeremy looked at Mrs. Katan in confusion. She hadn't told him about a boyfriend.
"Aye, lad," Rory answered, releasing Lee's hand to put his arm around her shoulders. "So, what are w' haen fae dinner?"
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Posted: Sun Sep 20, 2009 1:47 am
"Don't worry about that, it's nothing serious..." Mrs. Katan waved a hand flippantly, nodding at Rory's words. "Let's focus on dinner, shall we? I hope you don't mind, but we're keeping it simple tonight. Do seared scallops sound alright?" She smiled, taking her seat at the end of the table, her husband following her lead and sitting at the other end, a rather uncharacteristic frown on his face.
Lee blinked, unsure why that mattered. Deciding to forget it for now, she pulled Rory along with her to sit opposite Jeremy, holding his hand even after sitting.
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Posted: Sun Sep 20, 2009 1:50 am
"What's a scallop?" Rory whispered to Lee. He had a feeling dinner was going to be one giant embarrassment for him and even more so for Lee. Looking down at the different silverware, he was starting to wish he hadn't come along after all.
Jeremy smiled as Lee sat across from him. "Are you home now from traveling abroad? Where did you go?"
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Posted: Sun Sep 20, 2009 2:08 am
"They're sorta like lobster, if you've had it, 'cept softer..." she whispered back, though sensing his discomfort. Frowning, her attention was caught by Jeremy's question, and she sunk in her seat. Great. Either expose her parents as liars right in front of them, or lie herself and go back on her word to Rory from the day they'd went shopping. "I... Uh, I actually never--"
Interrupting Lee as quickly as she could, Mrs. Katan's speech was rushed as she covered for her daughter, "She never wanted to come home, she loved it there, didn't you, Lee? She's just home for a bit and she'll be off again. Lee's been seeing all the big cities, not really staying in one place for too long, isn't that right, Lee?"
Lee just blinked, along with her father, and looked to Rory, not sure if she should say anything.
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Posted: Sun Sep 20, 2009 2:13 am
"I'm not sure I know what a lobster is," Rory chuckled softly to Lee before looking at Jeremy. Time to knock all this nonsense off. "She ne'er wis on a trip. She wis at Farstep. She's joined th' clan. Only big city she's been seein' is this'un when we ain't holed up in her vardo or mine." He grinned at Mrs. Katan. Take that, you heartless b***h.
"Farstep? That pikey carnival? Why would you go there, Lee?" Jeremy asked, blinking a little.
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Posted: Sun Sep 20, 2009 2:31 am
A round of servants came by, placing bowls of salad in front of every person, wine being poured for everyone over 18 and water for everyone else.
Lee couldn't noticed her food had arrived, too busy choking on Rory's words. Had he really just implied what she thought he implied? Hiding her face in the palm of her hands, she couldn't get herself to look at either of her parents.
If she had looked, however, she would have seen her father's face of sorrow -- more little Rory's running around a pregnant Lee in his head -- and her mother's jaw dropped, giving Rory a harsh glare. "P-perhaps... we should... change the subject, yes?" Coughing, Mr. Katan still looked like a kicked puppy, but tried his best to bring peace to the table once more. "I hear you have a job now, Lee. What do you do?"
"Ticket booth." Was all she could say, still not looking him in the eye.
"What about you, Rory? What do you do?" He couldn't get himself to smile at the boy, the man's shoulders drooping at the sight of him. He and his little girl... they... in his vardo... He began to eat, hoping those around him would do the same, but couldn't enjoy it in the least.
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Posted: Sun Sep 20, 2009 2:40 am
"I work in th' stables trainin' horses fae th' shows," Rory said. "Sometimes I break them, too, if'n there's one bein' particularly difficult." He took a small bite of salad.
Jeremy frowned a bit. "What does that mean to break horses?"
"Means I make them get used t' bein' ridden so they donnae throw people off. I wis actually thinkin' on gettin' Lee a horse if she wanted so we could gae ridin' together," Rory said, ignoring the looks Lee's parents were giving him. "Reet now we been doublin' up on Kettle an' he's a strong horse, but she'd do better learnin' t' ride on her own." He gave her an encouraging smile.
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Posted: Sun Sep 20, 2009 2:53 am
Mr. Katan raised his eyebrows with surprise to hear what Rory did for a living. That was a lot more respectable than he imagined. Sure, Rory was no banker or lawyer, but at least he wasn't selling popcorn or dancing on stage. "Lee, you had a horse once, remember? I guess you wouldn't, you were only two. I suppose you'd appreciate one more now, hm?" He tried to sound friendly, even managing a smile for his daughter.
Lee looked to her father for once, then back to Rory. "You were... gonna get me a horse?" She smiled up at the boy, forgetting for the moment the humiliation from before, her eyes showing nothing but adoration.
Mrs. Katan had finished her salad quickly, and had already downed a glass of wine, asking a servant for another. A few more would likely be needed by the end of this dinner...
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