(Untitled)

[realmrsreynolds]

[OOM: Sallie Abigail Reynolds.Sallie enters Milliways with a plain satchel over one shoulder and a freshly-made pie in her opposite hand. The pie needs to get dropped off first, so Sallie climbs a barstool, dropping the satchel to the floor and letting Bar whisk the pie off to the ether where everything stays when she has to hold something, and

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[makesmeatease]

Inara is there in almost inhuman speed, crossing from the other side of the bar. She is never comfortable when her mother-in-law shows her exhaustion, or any sign of weakness...Sallie Reynolds is one of the strongest women she knows.

But she's there, regardless of how it makes her worry. Bracelets on her arm jingle as she reaches out to touch Sallie's arm. "Are you okay?"

[realmrsreynolds]

There is a rumble and an unceremonious grunt.

(It's too soon to be seeing her daughter!)

The grunt sounds something like 'Long night'.

[makesmeatease]

Inara's fingers touch Sallie's hair, carefully. "Let me get you some tea."

[realmrsreynolds]

"'Nara," Sallie sits up, picking up a Shadowite twang when she does so, "It ain't necessar--"

[makesmeatease]

She pushes the cup of tea that materializes in front of them, to her. Her eyebrows raise and she gives a minute shake of the head. "Sallie. It's not an inconvenience."

[realmrsreynolds]

"But now you're going to want me to 'talk' and everythin'."

She sounds far younger and far more petulant than usual.

[makesmeatease]

"Only if you want to, Sallie." Inara smiles. "I'm not going to force it out of you. As much as I'd like to."

[realmrsreynolds]

"At least you're not going to lie to me and say that you don't want to. I hate that."

[makesmeatease]

"I like honesty." Inara reaches over and pats Sallie's hand. "But I'm here if you do want to talk."

[realmrsreynolds]

"We're going to have to, eventually."

Cryptic.

"Bar?"

The counter helpfully provides the sugar.

[makesmeatease]

"Okay, you're going to need to spill sooner rather than later." Inara murmurs as she sits on a barstool across from her mother. Because Sallie is like her mother -- at least better than her mother ever dreamed of being and Inara's pretty sure her mom never dreamed about anything.

"What happened?"

[realmrsreynolds]

"Beauregard showed up at my house. Wanting to talk to Malcolm."

[makesmeatease]

Inara looks dumbfounded for a very long moment.

"...what?"

[realmrsreynolds]

Sallie looks a little green.

"Are you really going to make me say it again?"

[makesmeatease]

"No. No, I just..." Inara rubs her forehead. "Why? What did he want?"

[realmrsreynolds]

"To hire Malcolm for a job, so his letter says."