(Untitled)

[sai_delgado]

She's cold, even in the green sweater with its pattern of roses. And so she deliberates for a bit, then retrieves a coverlet from her and Cuthbert's room

Comments

[watching_you]

It's not too long before she's approached by Veronica, covered tight in a a sweater and jacket and scarf. Winter comes late to California, and soft, but she's not used to to chill.

"Hey, Susan." She flops down on a couch nearby, cheery enough, and draws her feet up, off the floor.

[sai_delgado]

"Wei, Veronica-- long days and pleasant nights," she adds, smiling a little at Lilly's friend.

"How do'ee fare?"

[watching_you]

"Thanks," she says, returning the smile. This is perhaps one of those things she hasn't learned yet. "You too."

She begins unwinding the scarf from her neck. "Not too badly. Cold, though. Yourself?"

[sai_delgado]

"Cold, aye," she murmurs, pulling the quilt a little closer around her. "Mayhap to be expected, with-- with winter coming on."

A pause, then, as she looks carefully at Veronica.

"Are ye-- are ye settling in here, mayhap?"

[watching_you]

"It was a hot summer. I guess we'll see if that balances out into a cold winter."

She folds the scarf, running her fingers along its striped woolly pattern of red-green-red-green-red. "I'm getting used to it. I've spent a couple nights here, in Lilly's old room, but it's still nice to go home. Too many people I'd miss if I didn't go back."

[sai_delgado]

"I kennit."

Very softly. Susan bites her lip, looking at the other girl.

"Mayhap ye-- ye could stay a little longer? A-- a few days?" A hesitation, then, "Lilly'd be glad to have ye here when-- when we go, I wot."

[watching_you]

Veronica frowns a little.

"Who? Where are you going?"

[sai_delgado]

"Me, and 'Bert, and Sheemie-- and Alain," Susan finishes quietly, holding Veronica's gaze.

"We-- we're moving on--"

(rest peace home)

"--to the clearing."

[watching_you]

Her voice is as calm as she can make it, but there's no ignoring the fact that this is clearly something big.

"I don't understand. What's the clearing?"

[sai_delgado]

"Sai Aziraphael calls it heaven," Susan tells her. "It's -- it's what lies beyond for us, at the end of the path."

"Here--"

(this is hell)

"--it were only a waystation, for-- for a while."

Not long enough, mayhap.

[watching_you]

Veronica's eyes widen.

"You're - moving on?"

Trite phrase.

She doesn't know what else to call it.

"And - Alain, too?"

[sai_delgado]

Susan nods, silently.

Fog-gray eyes are troubled, as she watches Veronica.

[watching_you]

Veronica takes a deep breath.

"Does Lilly know?"

[sai_delgado]

"She does, aye." Susan can't quite meet Veronica's eyes, now.

"She thought-- she'd hoped-- we'd all hoped it'd be longer."

[watching_you]

"She never told me," Veronica says softly. "No one told me."

She shakes her head, looks away.

Maybe she does see it, a glimpse, she and Susan mirroring each other - the hair, the eyes, the way they've both aligned to get the greatest warmth from the fire - and maybe for a moment she sees the great dance that is fate. One comes, one goes. One lives, one dies. A beginning and an end.

And maybe she doesn't have the words for it, like Susan might, but Veronica sees it nonetheless.

"I'll look after her."

[sai_delgado]

And more besides, things that Veronica will never know, mayhap.

(same club)

A history with fire, a way of tossing their hair and laughing in bright challenge, teasing and playfulness and loyalty to friends-- and more.

But there's little time left for them to come to know each other, these friends of Lilly's, and somewhere within Susan mourns it greatly.

Endings are heartless, oh aye.

"I'm glad she has thee."