|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Thu Feb 03, 2022 5:51 am
Menelie So, while no one had said anything directly to Alborada about Menahem's...condition, she had heard whisperings. Her parents flat out refused to say anything, which definitely meant something was up. And if Menahem was into trouble, there was a 300% chance her brother wasn't far behind. It was time to pay him a visit.
After work, Alba made her way to Rho's alcove with a tin of tea. "Good for getting all the details," Almajara had said. She'd see about that. She knocked softly on his door, praying that Tirzah wasn't also around. Daisicle Rho had just come out of the shower and was busy toweling his hair following another day's work in the fields when he heard a knock on the door. Strange... The only two who visited him were his two cuties, and they didn't really knock anymore. Maybe they were feeling shy and cute now that they were expecting? Maybe trying to get into character for motherhood? Heh... Acting all demure would be hella adorable... Man, he wanted to see it~
"Yo babe, you know you can just come in whe--" he was speaking as he opened up only for it to be neither babe on the other side, but rather his sister. Kinda weird.... but he wasn't gonna say anything about that yet. He raised a hand to wave. "Oh, it's just you Alba. What's up?" Menelie "Don't look so disappointed, " said Alba, entering past him. "Can your favorite sister not visit you for a cup of tea?" She put the tin on the table. "Where d'you keep your kettle?" She asked as she poked around his kitchenette. Daisicle "Favorite? You're my only sister as things stand, and I can't see mom and dad having any more." He moved out of the way to let her in as he quipped back. "Should be on the counter?" He could only assume given that Mena used his kitchen area more than he did these days.
A little sus that his sister was visiting so soon after getting back - he could only presume what she was here for. Menelie "Exactly why I'm your favorite," said Alba, finding the kettle and filling it with water. She hung it in the fireplace. "I just wanted to come visit, you were gone so long I wanted to ask about your trip." She could have said she missed him but that would definitely have been overselling it. Daisicle Rho narrowed his eyes slightly at that as he closed the door - Alba never did something without some reason, and 'asking about the trip' was def to straightforward for her. "Yeah, it ended up being hella long - it's good to be back. How're things while I was gone." He settled in at the table, but then stood up. "Oh yeah, we got you a souvenir. One sec..." It was a bit longer than one sec, but he rummaged through some bags that had been left in a corner and pulled out a cute glass bottle that seemed to hold a pastel pink liquid inside, which he then offered to her. "Apparently perfumes are hella cool right now?"
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Feb 03, 2022 5:53 am
Menelie "All the same," she answered absently. She got down two mugs and put the tea leaves in them, then got the kettle off the fire with a hook and poured the hot water in the mugs. "Hm" she asked as Rho handed her a bottle. "Oh, Rho you shouldn't have! This is just lovely, thank you so much!" She looked genuinely delighted with the little bottle. "I'll have to save it for a special occasion," she said, holding the bottle to her nose. The fragrance was delicate and feminine. She loved it. "This is just lovely," she repeated. Daisicle Rho made a mental note that he'd have to tell Tirzah her choice was spot-on next time he saw her. Nice job. "Glad you like it - it's supposed to be... idfk rose blossom... whatever that is?" Didn't matter what it was called if she enjoyed it. "Almost went with some fancy soaps, but Tirzah insisted this would be better." He sat back down. Menelie Alba also sat down and pulled the tea strainers ((that I definitely mentioned earlier)) out of their mugs. She slid his toward him. "So, how was Tirzah's family?" She inquired pleasantly. "Sven seems to be a little..." she made a little side-to-side motion with her hand, "...little 'meh' about his family so I actually haven't really met them. I'm curious how it went for you." She was easing into the conversation she came here to have, but she did also want to just visit. If there was trouble she wanted him to know she'd be supportive. Daisicle Rho thanked her for the tea as he took it, and nodded emphatically about Sven's family. He often worked with his mother in the fields, and she was... a character. And Sven's father and brother... yeah... they were also characters known well-enough in the tree. He could empathize that he also wouldn't be eager to show off a family like that.
Regarding Tirzah's, now that he wasn't trying to make a point he could be a bit more candid about their opinions... if he had any intention of telling Alba the details. But he didn't. "They're nice as always - seemed really excited to see us again. Also seemed a bit worried about Tirzah now that she's off on her own, but I think we got through to them." Menelie Alba smiled and nodded along. She sipped her tea--delicious as always--and fidgeted with the perfume bottle as she listened. "It's good you made the trip, then. They must be reassured, seeing you two so happy together." She leaned back in her chair and held her mug with both hands, crossing one leg over the other. "Did you get to do any sightseeing or anything?" she asked. Daisicle Rho nodded - they were happy with the pair of them, that wasn't a lie. He blew on the tea to try and cool it down. "Didn't really have much time for that with how far away it was. Basically just there and back, y'know? We were pretty busy."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Feb 03, 2022 5:54 am
Menelie "Mhm, mhm," said Alba, nodding. "Sounds like a long journey, from what you've said of where her folks live." She sipped her tea. Something wasn't adding up. She tipped her head to one side, with a dawning realization. It was all she could do to keep a smug smile from creeping onto her face. Busted. She picked up the bottle of perfume from the table and smelled it again. "Thanks again for this. Where'd you say you got it, again?" Daisicle Rho sipped on his tea as he tried to maintain the best sort of calm facade he could as she needled at this weak point. "Well, y'know, just a village we happened to pass through on our way back - not like it's just road everywhere." He had a feeling that wouldn't be enough. Menelie "Must've been a pretty fancy village," Alba giggled. He'd paused just enough before answering that she suspected she'd caught him. In what, she had no idea. But he definitely wasn't telling the whole story. She set the perfume bottle down again. "So...where'd you really go?" she asked plainly. "Because you can only get glass like this a couple places on this island and I don't think you really needed to pack Menahem with you to visit your girlfriend's parents. This whole story is way too boring for you. So out with it." She made a little x over her heart with her thumb. "Promise I won't tell anyone, if that's what you're worried about." Daisicle "You could say that." Rho let himself think he might have successfully diverted when she dug in. Still, he tried with a shrug. "I told you, we saw her parents and passed through a couple villages and came back. Mena wanted to come with - no biggie. He'd met them before. Always good to have an extra set of eyes on the road."
"Not like everything I do gotta be something intense y'know?" He took a sip of his tea at that, wishing she'd stop pushing. Menelie Alba made a doubtful face. "See, you say that, but I still can't help but feel like you're leaving something out." She shook her head. "You know I'm not a gossip," Alright, that was a lie, "Usually. But when I hear people talking about my family..." She made a small shrug and an apologetic gesture. "I just thought I'd come hear the true story from you rather than believe whatever twisted nonsense the garment ladies are talking." She folded her arms over her chest, resting her mug on her elbow. Daisicle Rho raised a brow as Alba began, knowing full and well that she was most certainly fibbing about the gossiping bit. There was no way she wasn't one. "Let paeple talk - doesn't really change anything 'bout anything, and they're gonna do it anyways. You don't have to believe everything you hear." He wasn't sure what that would be, but he wasn't going to shoot in the dark to find out.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Feb 03, 2022 5:56 am
Menelie Alba sipped her tea. "That's true, I don't," she responded softly. Why was he being so cagey? She was beginning to think the truth was much worse than whatever nonsense the garment ladies were talking, and she was beginning to feel wounded that he wouldn't tell her. "But, um, Sven saw Mena at work yesterday and said some highly unusual things about his condition. Or, is it her condition?" Daisicle Rho raised a brow at her phrasing. "You make it sound like some sort of disease. He'll be back to normal soon enough, don't worry." He paused and added on for clarity. "If it's Sven telling you, then whatever he said should be true." He just didn't know what was said. Menelie Alba nodded slowly. "So...your best bro went on this trip with you, just 'another set of eyes for the road', and he comes back a girl, and also pregnant. Now how'd that happen?" Daisicle Rho nodded. "Yeup." Then raised a brow. "Don't you know how that happens? You get this fancy-a** wine and drink it and BAM. Baby a bit later. I mean, you gotta 'do the do' y'know, but it's actually pretty straightforward when you think about it." Menelie Alba made a mental note to ask Rho--much later--where you got said fancy-a** wine from, for reasons. She wrinkled her nose at his phrasing. "Spare me," she said dryly. "But typically you need two Faun for that particular 'do'. What'd he do, fall in love with a village rando on the way back?" She sipped her tea and shook her head. "Doesn't seem like his style. You know him better than me, though." Daisicle "I mean, you don't need both to be faun," he felt obligated to throw that out there on behalf of Tirzah's grandfather. "But, mmm... Not quite. They're mine." He finished his tea and set it down. "Tirzah's expecting too by the way, it's just less obvious since she's actually a female. You got any more of this left? I'm more of a coffee faun myself, but this was actually hella good."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Feb 03, 2022 5:58 am
Menelie Alba blinked a few times, as if stunned. "Hang on," she said, leaning forward and setting her mug on the table. She stood and collected his mug and tea strainer from the table, then cleaned out the tea strainer and put more tea in, popped it in the mug and poured more water in. "So you....both Tirzah and Mena....are pregnant...with your children...." she spoke slowly as she made the tea, as if trying to piece it together. She set his mug back on the table. "Wait a couple minutes on that," she murmured as an aside. Then she plopped back in her seat herself, still a bit stunned. A little sound like an alarm started going off in the back of her mind, slowly getting louder. "You mean you're going to have babies??" she asked, her voice going up an octave or so by the end of the phrase. Her eyes were shining and she reached out to touch his hand. Daisicle It seemed taking the straightforward approach had worked out just like Tirzah had said it would - nice job. He nodded again as he accepted the tea. "That pretty much sums it up. Yeup." There was a different sort of tension than he'd experienced with his parents - perhaps the different between 'sibling' and 'parent' dynamics? - but it still left him sitting there somewhat awkwardly as he waited for her reaction.
Only to be taken slightly aback as her voice raised. "Uh, well, I mean I'm not, but they are." He wasn't used to seeing his sister so, well... openly enthusiastic (?) about something, especially something that didn't directly effect her. Menelie There was a small part of her that was deeply curious how that whole situation was working, but the two of them had an unspoken agreement to discuss their "private lives" as little as possible with each other, so she was purposefully ignoring the logistics here in favor of focusing on babies. Babies! "Oh Rho I'm so happy for you!" she exclaimed. She leaned back in her chair and shook her head with a bit of a laugh. "Always thought I'd beat you to it though," she joked. "Didn't expect you to like, settle down sooner than me." She put her hand on her cheek. "Can't believe you're going to be a father. Oh spirits, have you told mom and dad?" she asked, leaning forward again suddenly. Daisicle He let out a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding as she backed off slightly, and he reached up to scratch his cheek. "Thanks. Honestly, I thought so too. But then Tirzah was really, really insistent about wanting kids, so that lead to some things and now... Here we are."
"Yeah, we told them the day we got back. They... uh... They had some thoughts, but we brought them around." That was one way to put it. Menelie Alba giggled and shook her head. "Somehow that doesn't surprise me. Tirzah seems like the kind of girl you don't say no to." Then she made a dismissive "pfft" laugh. "Sure, they can have their thoughts. Soon as you put a grandbaby in their arms they'll forget about it." She started to fix herself another cup of tea with the remaining leaves. "So have Tirzah and Mena been to the midwife yet?" she asked. Daisicle Rho laughed lightly as he took out the strainer. "I hope so - felt like we were in trouble for a bit there." He wasn't going to go into the details of why with his sister cause that'd be TMI. He tilted his head at her question as he sipped on the tea, indicating that he didnt really understand it
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Feb 03, 2022 6:00 am
Menelie Alba paused and leaned forward slightly. "The midwife. She's like a healer for pregnant ladies. They should go to her every so often to make sure everything's like, going the way it's supposed to. And then when it's time for the babies to come you'll call her to come help." She tapped her chin. "Ach, I can't remember her name. It'll come to me, I'm sure." Daisicle Rho looked genuinely confused. "There's a healer for that? I was under the assumption you just waited and... BAM. At some point they were here and everything was good. Haven't heard of anything ever going wrong with a pregnancy here." Menelie "Hm, me neither," mused Alba. "But it might be a good idea to pay her a visit especially since they've never had babies before. Maybe she can help them make sure they're eating the right things and getting enough sleep and stuff. And from what Sven said it sounds like Mena's got some pretty rough nausea, the midwife might be able to help with that." She swirled the tea strainer around in her mug. She'd definitely be knitting some baby blankets in the coming months. Daisicle "Mmm..." Rho took a sip of his tea to mull it over for a moment. "I'll bring it up to them. You're right about Mena - it's been pretty rough on him. Tirzah seems fine for now... maybe just a bit... emotional? I might just be overthinking it though." It was still early. Menelie Alba nodded and took the tea strainer out of her mug, then had a sip. She bounced her hooves on the floor a little. "I'm so excited for you, Rho," she said with a warm smile. It seemed that talk of babies brought out a whole different side to her. "If you, any of you, need anything you let me know, OK?" She nodded emphatically. "I know we haven't been like, super close since we moved out on our own, but I want to be involved." Daisicle Rho nodded and kept sipping on the cup as he attempted to air out the awkwardness he was feeling by this newfound energy from his sister. He appreciated, but it was just so... unexpected. He wasn't quite sure how to react. So he left it at, "Thanks."
Before he realized it, he'd finished his tea, and he set the empty cup on the table. Menelie Alba nodded again and continued sipping at her tea. She was sort of waiting for him to continue the conversation, but when it became clear that it wasn't happening, she sort of looked up with a start. "Oh, I've kept you long enough," she said, standing and collecting the now-empty tin of tea. She'd return it to Almajara tomorrow. "I'd better get going." She made her way toward the door. Daisicle "Nah, no worries." Rho stood up to get the door for her. "I'll let them both know what you said. It's probably gonna be a bit crazy around here soon, so help is gonna be really appreciated."
"See ya around."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
