(Untitled)

[dust_to_order]

Sometime much later, after Will's party, Sooraya and co. are squashed into a booth. She still is edgy, and if she tries to sleep now, either here or at home, it's not going to work.

So. Hot tea, and a journal and pen, to give her something else to think about.
Botherable, however.

Comments

[iamhismummy]

...there is a puppy.

Nancy, responsible and sensible as she is, is still only barely out of her teens. And puppy.

She is absolutely not making squeaking noises. She's just looking.

[dust_to_order]

The puppy is Najla, and she's only about six weeks old. She gets very excited about meeting new people.
So when she notices someone looking, it results in a scramble, and
happy puppy noises while she's trying to get out of the booth.

[iamhismummy]

...oh, she's adorable, and Nancy's mothering streak tends to stretch to all baby things.

She approaches, smiling tentatively at Sooraya. "Hello."

[dust_to_order]

"Hello," Sooraya replies warmly. She puts down her pen. "I'm Sooraya Qadir, this is Najla. Who doesn't bite. She just likes making friends."

[iamhismummy]

"I'm Nancy. Good to meet you both - I didn't think she'd bite." She's already reaching out towards the little creature.

[dust_to_order]

"Pleased to meet you too, Nancy."

Najla scoots forward on the table to meet Nancy halfway, stubby tail wagging.

[iamhismummy]

"Where are you from?" Nancy asks, petting Najla quite willingly.

[dust_to_order]

Najla yips happily, licking at Nancy's fingers. She loves attention.

"New York," Sooraya answers. "Our year's late 2006. And you?"

[iamhismummy]

She'll get all the attention she wants from this girl.

"London", she says. "1941."

The last is deliberately light. People keep knowing about the war.

[dust_to_order]

Sooraya knows, but she won't bring it up. Her own world's got its fair share of hellish conditions and then some; she comes to Milliways to find somewhere more peaceful. She tends to think other people may want to "check their baggage" at the Door, too.

"More Londoners, or from England," and she smiles, the expression reaching her eyes. "Have you by any chance met the Wells, yet?"

[iamhismummy]

"Hm." She thinks. "Don't think so. I met Will Scarlet the other day."

[dust_to_order]

"Annie Wells and her husband, Harry, but everyone here usually calls him Sarge. They're wonderful people," Sooraya says simply.

"Will, too, of course. He'd probably blush if he heard me say that, though. How are you finding Milliways, so far?" Remembering her manners, she indicates the other chair if Nancy wants to sit down.

[iamhismummy]

She's only too happy to sit, enjoying the conversation.

"It's a godsend. Means there's always food to be had."

[dust_to_order]

She nods, understanding. "I found the place a few months ago. Before that, I'd been living in New York--the state, not the city--for about a year and a half. Ever been overseas?"

Najla takes advantage of the sitting down to climb/step down into
Nancy's lap for a minute.

[iamhismummy]

Nancy isn't complaining. She smiles down at the puppy, shaking her head.

"Only really rich people did that. And if they go now, they don't come back."

[dust_to_order]

"I'm only rich when it comes to friends...another thing this place is good for. D'you want something to drink, or eat, Nancy?"