Things Reborn, Sunday

[iguessiamaclone]

Having listened to radio last night, Ben was prepared with an Unexpected Child Invasion Protocol. He had worked out this plan after the last time people turned into children. Breakable things were moved off of lower shelves, a layer of long-lasting webbing was used like a layer of glue to adhere all of the displays to the ground so nothing could

Comments

Shop With Ben

[iguessiamaclone]

Possibly a glorified playground supervisor.

Re: Shop With Ben

[momismyaunt]

Talia had meant to find her mother the day before, but she'd gotten distracted by the freedom -- it wasn't often that her fathers let her run around, between David's neurotic nature and Keith's work-related paranoia.

And then there was the tiny detail that she didn't know exactly where Aunt Claire would be. But she did, at least, remember the name of the shop where her mother used to work, and look! Here she was.

"Scuse me," she asked, politely. "Is Claire Fisher at work here today?"

Re: Shop With Ben

[iguessiamaclone]

"I'm sorry, but no, she's not," Ben said. "She's usually in on Tuesdays. Is there something I can help you with?"

Re: Shop With Ben

[momismyaunt]

"Do you know her phone number?" Talia asked. "My dads said I could stay with her this weekend and I can't find her." She didn't seem worried, though; if anything, she was spectacularly poised for a seven-year-old.

Re: Shop With Ben

[iguessiamaclone]

"Of course," Ben said, picking up the store phone. "Do you want to talk to her or would you like me to just tell her to come pick you up?"

This was officially going to be the weirdest call he had ever made to an employee.

Re: Shop With Ben

[momismyaunt]

"Just tell her to come get me," Talia said. "She likes surprises."

No. No she didn't.

Re: Shop With Ben

[iguessiamaclone]

Ben made the phone call and turned back to the kid when he was done. "I left a message for her, so she should be here anytime. I'm Ben, by the way."

Re: Shop With Ben

[momismyaunt]

Talia looked a little worried. "Sometimes she forgets to check her messages." Or ignored them when she didn't feel like dealing.

"But I'm sure she'll be right here. And I'm Natalia, except people just call me Talia. Nice to meet you, Ben."

She went over to a large dollhouse on one of the shelves of toys. "Wow, you sell stuff like this?"

Re: Shop With Ben

[iguessiamaclone]

"With how often kids seem to come around here, I'd be crazy not to," Ben said.

Re: Shop With Ben

[momismyaunt]

"I saw lots and lots of kids yesterday," Talia agreed. She started carefully playing with the dollhouse, looking to Ben to make sure it was okay. "Do you have kids, Ben?"

Re: Shop With Ben

[iguessiamaclone]

"No, I don't. Not even this weekend," Ben said. "I do have a niece back in New York, though." As far as he knew, at least.

Re: Shop With Ben

[swipedthatfoot]

"I'm named after my Uncle Nate," Talia informed him, and she would have said more if her mother hadn't, miraculously, picked up the message quickly and come into the store right then. She left Paul behind with his father for the trip to town.

Claire made a beeline to the counter, looking past the girl. "What's up, Ben?"

Re: Shop With Ben

[momismyaunt]

Talia rose from the floor and went to hug her mother. "Aunt Claire! Hiiiiiiiii. Ben has a really cool dollhouse, did you know that?"

"I- " Claire mostly just looked confused.

Re: Shop With Ben

[iguessiamaclone]

"Congratulations, Claire, you have a tiny person to take care of," Ben said.

Re: Shop With Ben

[swipedthatfoot]

Claire hugged the girl back by reflex, looking entirely shocked. "I thought I got that yesterday," she said, almost under her breath, before turning her attention to the girl. "I'm sorry. I'm sort of" -- completely lost -- "confused. You're -- Keith's kid?"

The skin color and the "Aunt Claire" thing at least gave her a few hints.

Re: Shop With Ben

[momismyaunt]

"Keith's my dad," Talia said, with the air of one who had explained this many, many times but was willing to go over it yet again.

"He and my papa wanted a baby, but they couldn't make one 'cause they're both guys, and you're Papa's sister so you helped." She squinted. "You know that, Aunt Claire."