Vignette: Dinner for the Family
Who: Dharia, Dylan, Jaivery, Palia, P'draig, Jekzith
When: Evening, day 16, month 1, turn 22 of the 10th interval
Where: The Beach House, Ista Weyr
What: Paddy spot-oils Jekzith and makes dinner for his family after his conversation with Nenita.
Nenita had been right to accuse him of running out, teasing as the remark had been. Jekzith's sudden itchy feeling, fully shared and crawling across his skin had been a convenient excuse to head out before he lost the ability to keep up a jovial appearance, keep things light and funny.
Kicking himself mentally for the way it had suddenly gotten hard to breathe, he made his way out of the cool dimness of Ista's internal corridors out into the brightness of the afternoon sun. Out in the bowl, Jekzith was waiting, fidgeting through the effort not to turn his head and worry at the itchy spot just behind his shoulder, while also eyeballing his rider keenly. The brown dropped his head to curl his neck around P'draig as the rider neared and Paddy turned his cheek into the warmth of hide with it's slightly spicy scent and the funny blend of colors that was pretty unique to Jekzith.
Apologetically almost, Jekzith said mournfully: << I really, really itch. >>
"It's all the salt water swimming you've been doing lately," P'draig said with fond reproof in his voice, stepped over to flip open the carrying sack clipped to the brown's straps and pulled out the emergency pot of oil to start working on the patch of hide that was bothering Jekzith. I'll give you a full going over after dinner tonight, okay? Up at the weyr. In the meantime, don't go swimming in the ocean. If you want a dip, go to the pool or one of the inland lakes. Oil gleamed with a soft sheen on fingers and hide as P'draig worked the stuff into Jekzith's side, letting the comforting routine of it soothe the flustered feelings he was doing his best to tamp down on. Jekzith nudged his muzzle into Paddy's cheek, flooded his rider's head with warm rose and gold: unconditional love.
P'draig smiled and shifted his hand to Jekzith's cheek, smeared oil up along the loamy mask of the dragon's face then capped up the oil again, put it back in the bag and went to work on freeing the brown from straps. I'm going to go get the kids, make dinner. I'll let you know when they're asleep. Jekzith let out a quiet croon of agreement and waited with barely contained energy until he was free of straps before launching himself into the air to do loop-de-loops over the Bowl, then hared off over the island, just for the fun of it.
It didn't take too long to duck into the kids' caverns, collect his brood and walk down the stairs and across the beach to the finished Beach House. It still smelled faintly of new wood, varnish, paint and fresh cane, though it was starting to hold onto the scents of herbs, spices and other things Paddy had been cooking as he got ready to open up the restaurant. Jekzith's gear was dumped into the wooden chest near the front door for safe-keeping as the older kids went thundering across the room and out to the back porch where they promptly tumbled into a hammock. Dharia, still a little unsteady on her feet though she'd started walking two weeks before her first birthday toddled most of the way after then went down with a little thump onto her behind and let out a howl of frustration.
Paddy went over to scoop her up into his arms, grinning and tossed her up over his head, which turned howls into shrieks of laughter. He left the other kids to play seacrafters-in-a-storm in the hammock and went into the kitchen, with Dharia perched on one hip. Paddy set his youngest daughter up with a set of pots and lids to bang around with, while he went through the cupboards, pulling out more and more ingredients, ideas clustering in his head in a rapid flood. What followed was feverish and intense as he threw himself into cooking one heck of a spread for his hungry kids. He was so absorbed that he didn't notice Palia leaning in the doorway watching him with big, solemn gray eyes. He'd just pulled the risotto off the stove, with a quick glance towards Dharia to make sure she was still sporting a pot for a hat and banging two lids together contentedly when his eldest daughter spoke.
"What happened, Papa?" she asked him in a clear, calm voice and Paddy almost dropped the pan, startled. "Shells, Pali-girl," he exclaimed as he recovered, set the pan down on the counter alongside the other things that were ready to go out to the table. "Almost dropped this," he pointed out and reached over to tousle her curls gently. "You know better than to surprise a cook who's cooking," he reminded her with a little look. Palia just gazed back at him steadily, lifted one shoulder diffidently. "I knew you wouldn't drop it," she said with conviction then pushed away from the door to come slide her arm around his waist and lean her head into his chest. She was getting so tall. Not quite eight yet and the top of her head came up to just above his mid-section. She took a breath and went on. "Something happened, Papa. I know it. Why won't you tell me?" Palia looked up at him, chin digging into his ribs a little, eyes big round and pleading. She'd perfected that look turns ago.
Paddy felt that funny breathlessness threatening to climb back up his throat again after he'd successfully pushed it out of the way by throwing himself into making food. His hand wandered gently through his daughter's tangly mane of hair again and he smiled at her. "Nothing you need to worry about, sweetheart. Just something that surprised me earlier that will take a little getting used to. It'll be okay. I promise." Palia continued to look up at him unwaveringly, a slight frown denting the spot between her brows, but she only huffed out a breath, nodded and squeezed her arms around him as tightly as she could. "I'll set the table," she offered and pushed away to pick up the salad bowl and dug into a drawer for forks and knives.
Paddy busied himself with the remaining few things to put together for the meal, while Palia went back and forth putting out cutlery, plates, glasses, a pitcher of water, the rest of the cooler dishes. He brought the hot things to the table and pushed Dharia's high chair up to the edge. Palia came back with her sister on her hip, a little awkward now given how big Dharia was getting too. "Dylan! Jaivery! Supper!" Paddy called out and asked Jekzith to nudge Aath and ask after Mic. With Dharia tucked into her chair and busy sucking on a slice of cucumber, Paddy fussed a little with the coverings on dishes, while waiting for the boys to come tumbling back into the room, barefoot and giggling. He felt Palia's hand on his and looked up again, blue-gray gaze meeting gray so like his mother's. "I love you, Papa," she whispered softly and he smiled down at her. "Me too, pumpkin. Me too."
When: Evening, day 16, month 1, turn 22 of the 10th interval
Where: The Beach House, Ista Weyr
What: Paddy spot-oils Jekzith and makes dinner for his family after his conversation with Nenita.
Nenita had been right to accuse him of running out, teasing as the remark had been. Jekzith's sudden itchy feeling, fully shared and crawling across his skin had been a convenient excuse to head out before he lost the ability to keep up a jovial appearance, keep things light and funny.
Kicking himself mentally for the way it had suddenly gotten hard to breathe, he made his way out of the cool dimness of Ista's internal corridors out into the brightness of the afternoon sun. Out in the bowl, Jekzith was waiting, fidgeting through the effort not to turn his head and worry at the itchy spot just behind his shoulder, while also eyeballing his rider keenly. The brown dropped his head to curl his neck around P'draig as the rider neared and Paddy turned his cheek into the warmth of hide with it's slightly spicy scent and the funny blend of colors that was pretty unique to Jekzith.
Apologetically almost, Jekzith said mournfully: << I really, really itch. >>
"It's all the salt water swimming you've been doing lately," P'draig said with fond reproof in his voice, stepped over to flip open the carrying sack clipped to the brown's straps and pulled out the emergency pot of oil to start working on the patch of hide that was bothering Jekzith. I'll give you a full going over after dinner tonight, okay? Up at the weyr. In the meantime, don't go swimming in the ocean. If you want a dip, go to the pool or one of the inland lakes. Oil gleamed with a soft sheen on fingers and hide as P'draig worked the stuff into Jekzith's side, letting the comforting routine of it soothe the flustered feelings he was doing his best to tamp down on. Jekzith nudged his muzzle into Paddy's cheek, flooded his rider's head with warm rose and gold: unconditional love.
P'draig smiled and shifted his hand to Jekzith's cheek, smeared oil up along the loamy mask of the dragon's face then capped up the oil again, put it back in the bag and went to work on freeing the brown from straps. I'm going to go get the kids, make dinner. I'll let you know when they're asleep. Jekzith let out a quiet croon of agreement and waited with barely contained energy until he was free of straps before launching himself into the air to do loop-de-loops over the Bowl, then hared off over the island, just for the fun of it.
It didn't take too long to duck into the kids' caverns, collect his brood and walk down the stairs and across the beach to the finished Beach House. It still smelled faintly of new wood, varnish, paint and fresh cane, though it was starting to hold onto the scents of herbs, spices and other things Paddy had been cooking as he got ready to open up the restaurant. Jekzith's gear was dumped into the wooden chest near the front door for safe-keeping as the older kids went thundering across the room and out to the back porch where they promptly tumbled into a hammock. Dharia, still a little unsteady on her feet though she'd started walking two weeks before her first birthday toddled most of the way after then went down with a little thump onto her behind and let out a howl of frustration.
Paddy went over to scoop her up into his arms, grinning and tossed her up over his head, which turned howls into shrieks of laughter. He left the other kids to play seacrafters-in-a-storm in the hammock and went into the kitchen, with Dharia perched on one hip. Paddy set his youngest daughter up with a set of pots and lids to bang around with, while he went through the cupboards, pulling out more and more ingredients, ideas clustering in his head in a rapid flood. What followed was feverish and intense as he threw himself into cooking one heck of a spread for his hungry kids. He was so absorbed that he didn't notice Palia leaning in the doorway watching him with big, solemn gray eyes. He'd just pulled the risotto off the stove, with a quick glance towards Dharia to make sure she was still sporting a pot for a hat and banging two lids together contentedly when his eldest daughter spoke.
"What happened, Papa?" she asked him in a clear, calm voice and Paddy almost dropped the pan, startled. "Shells, Pali-girl," he exclaimed as he recovered, set the pan down on the counter alongside the other things that were ready to go out to the table. "Almost dropped this," he pointed out and reached over to tousle her curls gently. "You know better than to surprise a cook who's cooking," he reminded her with a little look. Palia just gazed back at him steadily, lifted one shoulder diffidently. "I knew you wouldn't drop it," she said with conviction then pushed away from the door to come slide her arm around his waist and lean her head into his chest. She was getting so tall. Not quite eight yet and the top of her head came up to just above his mid-section. She took a breath and went on. "Something happened, Papa. I know it. Why won't you tell me?" Palia looked up at him, chin digging into his ribs a little, eyes big round and pleading. She'd perfected that look turns ago.
Paddy felt that funny breathlessness threatening to climb back up his throat again after he'd successfully pushed it out of the way by throwing himself into making food. His hand wandered gently through his daughter's tangly mane of hair again and he smiled at her. "Nothing you need to worry about, sweetheart. Just something that surprised me earlier that will take a little getting used to. It'll be okay. I promise." Palia continued to look up at him unwaveringly, a slight frown denting the spot between her brows, but she only huffed out a breath, nodded and squeezed her arms around him as tightly as she could. "I'll set the table," she offered and pushed away to pick up the salad bowl and dug into a drawer for forks and knives.
Paddy busied himself with the remaining few things to put together for the meal, while Palia went back and forth putting out cutlery, plates, glasses, a pitcher of water, the rest of the cooler dishes. He brought the hot things to the table and pushed Dharia's high chair up to the edge. Palia came back with her sister on her hip, a little awkward now given how big Dharia was getting too. "Dylan! Jaivery! Supper!" Paddy called out and asked Jekzith to nudge Aath and ask after Mic. With Dharia tucked into her chair and busy sucking on a slice of cucumber, Paddy fussed a little with the coverings on dishes, while waiting for the boys to come tumbling back into the room, barefoot and giggling. He felt Palia's hand on his and looked up again, blue-gray gaze meeting gray so like his mother's. "I love you, Papa," she whispered softly and he smiled down at her. "Me too, pumpkin. Me too."