Making Magic

[maid_of_kandar]

The (sole, Sheila thinks) positive thing about being unemployed is that it gives you lots of free time. As she enters the Fin on Christmas eve, she carries a paper sack loaded down with goodies for her fellow captives citizens.

She begins with Madeline and MichaelMaddy is somewhat easy to please, she thinks; in a small box wrapped with paper

Comments

[maddyhbic]

Maddy has pretty much mastered catching people who don't want to get caught. With raising two sons like Michael and Nate and Michael sneaking around his own childhood home back in Miami, catching people in the middle of doing something was nothing new to her.

Still, she is a bit surprised when she sees Sheila putting something outside of Michael's door as she's getting ready to go out. "Sheila! How are you?"

[maid_of_kandar]

Sheila isn't quite trying to sneak. Not really. The sound of Maddy's voice does surprise her, however and she lets out an 'eep and spins around.

"Madeline!" she smiles. "I am well." She points down. "How doth thee? Oh, thy gift sits before thee. Happy yule." She's all glowy and pretty obviously happy her mun swears it's not all the sex.

[maddyhbic]

"I'm good, thanks," she says, smiling at Sheila. "I was about to out for a walk. Maybe stop and get some coffee. Not really sure yet."

She looks down at the ground, her face lighting up at the gift as she bends down to pick it up. "Oh! Sheila, you shouldn't have."

[maid_of_kandar]

Sheila smiles. "T'wasn't a trouble," she's rather modest about it at the moment. "Oh, I do hope ye have a pleasant trip - I would request to accompany thee but I am preparing a...surprise for Ashley." She smiles. "Shall ye be spending the holidays with Michael?"

[maddyhbic]

Maddy knows what that means, Sheila. Don't try to fool her. "Uh huh."

She hold the gift in her hands, unsure to open it just yet. "I'm going to try, but getting Michael to actively participate in holidays is a bit...tricky."

[maid_of_kandar]

See Sheila blush? Blush Sheila, blush. "He hath been working hard the day long," Sheila explains. "Tis our first Yule together. Ye and Michael hath strained relations? I did not notice." Sheila thinks to her own relationship with her father and sighs.

[maddyhbic]

"Look Sheila, you don't have to tell me, but you don't have to lie to me about it either."

She sighs. "You're probably the only person who hasn't noticed, to be honest."

[maid_of_kandar]

Sheila's beet red at this point. "I am giving him a sweater." she brushes back a handful of her hair. "And my love."

Love is used expansively here.

"I try not to notice the tension betwixt thee. Ye both make effort, and I prefer to pay attention to this."

[maddyhbic]

Maddy doesn't mean to embarrass her. Really. "Well, as long as you're happy with him, I think that's all that matters."

"That might be for the best," Maddy says, fiddling with the ribbon a bit. "Michael and I have a lot of issues that can't be fixed in one afternoon. I think we've gotten a bit better over time though."

[maid_of_kandar]

"We art rather delerious at the moment," Sheila smiles. "I hath not been in love before." The implied is that he has. "Tis all rather new and sweet to me."

"Lie thy pain that deep?" Sheila's expression takes on a look of concern. "What has come between a mother and his child that could so rankle thy souls?"

[maddyhbic]

"Good. Hold onto that," she says with a smile. "Love is something a lot of people take for granted."

"It's just a lot of stuff from his childhood and the fact he was gone from home so long," she admits.

[maid_of_kandar]

Sheila's smile widens. "Ashley and I do not have the opportunity to take this for granted. Tis a day-to-day breathing we do. I did tell thee of our first meeting?" She doesn't mind telling it; there's plenty of time until Ash is scheduled to arrive home.

"When one gives all for one's ideal, it often takes them from the hearth." She shakes her head. Oh, she knows too well. She doesn't know about the ugliness in Michael's childhood and frowns.

[maddyhbic]

"I don't think you have," she said, leaning against the door frame. "I just knew that you guys had known each other for sometime..."

She nods slowly. "Ain't that the truth."

[maid_of_kandar]

Sheila leans against the opposite side of the frame. "Well...tis a bit of a strange and winding tale, but..." Sheila gives Maddy a version of their story, only sparing a little bit in the detail department. She's just a tad bit flushed by the end.

"My brothers warred with the Scots. I well know the pain of stuggling 'neath the weight of missplaced faith." She once thought her faith in Ash similarly misplaced, to be fair.

[maddyhbic]

Maddy is a bit wide eyed by the time Sheila finishes her tale. She seems a bit speechless about the whole thing, but she doesn't doubt Sheila. "Well, I have to wonder why the hell he left you the first time, but I'm glad you found each other again. Even if it is in a place like this."

"I think it's still a bit misplaced sometimes, but I can't change that part of Michael..."

[maid_of_kandar]

Being shot through time and space herself probably adds to Sheila's credibility, doesn't it? "Tis a question I have asked him. He has explained that it 'twas a bit much at once, to rediscover love when it hath just been forced from his arms. We did attempt friendship but - more simply lies betwixt us."

"He feels much responsibility to the world, Fi...I mean, thy Michael." He's still Fiona's Michael to her.