Going to See Kim

[ever_noteful]

She takes the time to change back into her own clothes before she goes upstairs. Fairy tale dresses, she has decided, are very lovely in book illustrations, but rather less than practical for everyday wear

Comments

[bannion_sight]

It doesn't take long.

There's the sound of footsteps moving swiftly, then that of a lock clicking back, and Kim pulls the door open.

"Meg. Hi."

Gray eyes search her sister's face.

"Is it over? Whatever it was?"

[ever_noteful]

Meg doesn't make any move to go into the room.

She just nods.

"Yes. I'm back. And I'm fine. And it's over."

[bannion_sight]

A subtle tension slips from the set of her shoulders. Kim nods back, and lets her breath sigh out.

"Okay."

After a second's awkward pause, she appears to realize something, and moves to one side of the door.

"Want to come in?"

[ever_noteful]

Meg shrugs.

"I guess," she says.

She kind of just wants to go home, honestly.

But she comes into the room, a little ways.

[bannion_sight]

There's not much to the room, honestly told; it's much like a standard hotel room in Toronto, for all that it's at the end of the universe. Kim steps back and sort of waves toward the three nondescript armchairs that stand over in the space across from the bed.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

[ever_noteful]

Meg glances over at the chairs, then crosses her arms across her chest and leans her head and shoulders against the wall.

Not an I'm-settling-in pose, but not an I'm-leaving-any-second-now pose, either.

(But a fairly guarded and defensive pose, it must be admitted.)

"I don't know."

[bannion_sight]

"Okay."

Kim eschews the chairs as well in favor of perching on something that's probably either a tall side table or a low desk. With both hands set flat against the wood for balance and one foot swinging idly back and forth, she looks about six years younger, and even fairly comfortable.

"You weren't alone, were you? I mean, you mentioned a friend in your note..."

[ever_noteful]

"There were five of us," Meg says. "Who went when I did.

"Parker was already there."

[bannion_sight]

There had been five of them when they'd left for Fionavar, too -- herself and Jen and Kevin and Paul and Dave.

For all that the situation's not the same, she can't help but note the ironic whim of coincidence.

Kim doesn't say anything about it, though; she just nods.

[ever_noteful]

"I hope you weren't too worried," Meg says, after a silence that's a little too long.

She's even reasonably certain she means that.

[bannion_sight]

"I'm glad you left a note," Kim tells her.

There are so many other things she could say, but... no.

"I was going to try to find someone who'd heard of the place in a day or so, if you -- if there wasn't any news."

[ever_noteful]

"Well, someone needed to know. In case."

[bannion_sight]

"In case," she repeats -- but not without a hint of something that might be understanding.

"Right."

Kim's remembering Sol Laine, who'd lost a son.

Oh, Kevin.

[ever_noteful]

Meg waits for a moment to see if Kim is going to say anything else.

And then she nods, and takes a step away from the wall.

"Anyway, I'm back. And I'm fine."

[bannion_sight]

"I'm glad," Kim says, softly.

"Of both."

[ever_noteful]

Another moment, and then Meg nods once and starts to leave.

What else is there to say?