21

[prayingone]

[Voice]

For those who aren't aware, Stella -- [There's a soft sigh as Shirley turns away from the view of the journal.] Stella Coolidge was sent home in the chaos last week. Fenimore, Walter, and I will be taking care of Sophie now

Comments

[Action, because Luceti needs lesbian action]

[xelhes]

[Fenimore was rather overjoyed by the return of the grocery food, which is evidenced by how weighed down she is by bags from her visit there. Still, as much as she's starting to get tired of carrying the heavy bags, she can't just walk by this scene without stopping to listen and watch.

When there's a sufficient pause after a round of the song, she speaks.] Where did you learn that song? I haven't heard you sing it before.

[Action, because it's a good thing we're here to provide]

[prayingone]

[Fenimore's return sparks a faint smile from Shirley.]

From Grune... she likes to sing it when she plants seedlings.

[Action]

[xelhes]

[She returns the smile and crouches on the other side of the garden, setting down the bags on either side of her.]

From Grune? I didn't know she sang. Or that you could sing so well, either.

[Action]

[prayingone]

She's full of surprises, isn't she? [Her cheeks pink at the compliment.] You think so?

[Action]

[xelhes]

The biggest surprise is that she can have such a bad memory at her age. [Even though she knows that Shirley is hiding sadness, she can't help her smile widening at Shirley's reaction. Shirley could be so cute.] Of course I do. You have a beautiful voice. Sophie's lucky to have an aunt who sings to her so well, aren't you, Sophie? [As she says the last part, she looks down at Sophie.]

[Action]

[prayingone]

[Really, the most surprising thing about Grune is her secret capacity for :| ... ... but that is a complicated subject that Shirley just doesn't want to explain.

Sophie smiles and nods, humming a simpler portion of the melody.] It looks like I'm outnumbered...

[Action]

[xelhes]

[That's probably for the best.] It is the truth, after all. I'm sure that you could ask anyone and they'd say the same. [Though it's possible that Fenimore might be just the tiniest bit biased.]

[Action]

[prayingone]

Hmm. Maybe... [Shirley begins wiping the dirt off of her hands; Sophie, being two, imitates her gesture, with limited success.] Would you like some help getting those groceries inside, Fenimore?

[Action]

[xelhes]

Oh, you don't have to. I can carry them. But, if you want to help put them away... [She lifts one very full bag.] Well, there are an awful lot.

[Action]

[prayingone]

We were running pretty low... it's not surprising you had to pick up a lot. [Shirley stands up, brushing the dirt from her knees. She offers a hand to Sophie.] Come on, Sophie. Let's go inside and have a snack, okay?

[This is the point in time where Sophie tells Shirley and Fenimore with a very familiar stubborn look on her face: No.]

[Action]

[xelhes]

[Fenimore nods and stands up at the same time with the bags, staggering just a little bit as she readjusts to the weight.] Well, after last week, we--

[And then Fenimore registers the no and looks down at Sophie. She's got the sneaking suspicion that she has a pretty good idea what this is about after what Sophie's been dealing with, but she's going to ask anyway.] What's wrong?

[Action]

[prayingone]

[Sophie insists, quite firmly, that she wants to "play ou'side." Shirley looks troubled and hesitates.]

Really? You're sure? [Sophie doesn't say anything in response to that: she just looks down to her game of patting the earth down, frowning down at the ground. While it's certainly in the realm of possibility to get her to come inside, it's probably not going to happen without a tantrum.]

[Action] 1/2

[xelhes]

[Fenimore's not entirely able to suppress a sigh. It's been much harder to spend time alone with Shirley with Sophie taking up so much attention. But there was no way that Fenimore can complain about it, even out of Sophie's earshot. Sophie's been through a lot in losing both parents and she needed the attention. And, of the two of them, the one who needed the break was Shirley, not Fenimore. Complaining about it would be much too selfish; feeling that way was bad enough. She just hoped that being busy with Sophie would help Shirley in dealing with Stella's leaving, even if Fenimore would rather do the comforting herself.]

[Action]

[xelhes]

[But, right after the sigh, she offers up a smile.] Then I'll come back out after I put the groceries away. Okay? [She was guessing that Shirley would rather stay outside with Sophie than engage in a mindless chore that would allow for time to dwell, but she'd switch if she were wrong about it.]

[Action]

[prayingone]

[Shirley bites her lip and hesitates before answering. Even if it would be just a mindless chore, she always feel happier around Fenimore. But, at the same time, she would really rather not settle into a duel with Sophie's temper.]

You won't need any help?...

[Action]

[xelhes]

[That hesitation makes it even harder to leave, even if it would only be for a matter of minutes. She considers trying, likely in vain, to coerce Sophie in. She even briefly wonders if it would really be so bad to leave Sophie outside for the time it would take to put away the groceries, but that's quickly discarded. And she's not sure where Walter is right now, or else she'd ask him to watch Sophie.]

..I would like the help. Especially yours. But.... [She glances down at Sophie and then back to Shirley.] It's okay. I can do it.