RP: Jake's Cookout

[jake_abernathy]

Date: September 3, 2011
Characters: Jake Abernathy, Star Abernathy (NPC), Drew Cooper, Neve Standheim and her girls, Mona Abernathy, Dess Lytton, Nereida Santiago, Maureen and Layla Gibbons, many more....
Location: Jake’s place
Status: Quasi-Private?
Summary: Jake has a cookout to introduce Drew to everyone. (Please tag yourselves in)
Completion:

Comments

[miranda_jackson]

Miranda fought down an uncharacteristic wave of nervousness as she stepped out of her car and reached in to the passenger seat for her purse. It was just a cookout, after all. A cookout thrown by her ex brother-in-law, sure, but she liked Jake, had appreciated the invite and couldn’t pass up an opportunity to see Star. She would just need to get over the fact that it was a cookout that would have her sister in attendance also, at least according to her Mama.

She took a deep breath before making her way up the walk to the front door. At least she knew that if she didn’t feel one hundred percent comfortable she could fake it until she did. Rapping her knuckles gently against the door, she brushed her hair over her shoulder absently. Thinking idly that maybe there would be enough people that she wouldn’t even have to worry about speaking to Mona at all.

[jake_abernathy]

Star had designated herself as the door opener, even though Layla was there already. She flitted back and forth, enjoying the air conditioning for the moment. She grinned broadly when she saw her Aunt Miranda, and she gave her a big hug when she came in. "Hi, Aunt Miranda!" she said brightly. "I'm glad you came." Her aunt hadn't been around much lately, and even though her dad said she was just busy at work, Star still missed her. "Come on in, Dad and Mister Drew are already starting on the meat."

[miranda_jackson]

Miranda returned the hug, pressing a kiss into Star’s hair. “Hi, sweetie.” She replied, “I was glad to have gotten an invite.” She admitted to her niece with a small smile; she wouldn’t have blamed Jake if he hadn’t made the effort to give her a call.

Miranda followed her niece through the house, leaving her purse in the front hall, not wanting to carry it around with her. “Mister Drew?” She asked, quirking an eyebrow inquisitively. Miranda couldn’t recall if she knew any of Jake’s friends named Drew, not that she really knew any of Jake’s friends at all, but she knew some of their names.

[jake_abernathy]

"Yeah, Mister Drew. Um, Cooper, that's it. He's one of Dad's old Army buddies who just moved here and Dad wants to introduce him to people so he can get to know people besides us," she chattered, mostly repeating what she'd heard her dad and grandparents say the last week or so.

"He's the muscly guy next to Dad," Star pointed him out through the back window. "He's pretty cool I think. He's gonna stay with us for a couple of weeks til he finds a nice place I think."

[miranda_jackson]

Miranda smiled at the way Star explained Jake’s friend, it was apparent that she was parroting things she had heard being said, “That’s very considerate.” She replied, and such a Jake thing to do.

Her gaze followed where Star pointed, managing not to laugh outright at her nieces description of Jake’s friend.
“Is he wearing that apron voluntarily?” Miranda asked, managing to keep her voice even and facial expression neutral, though she really wanted to laugh.

[jake_abernathy]

Star's smile was perhaps a smidge wicked. "Wellll, Dad sorta got him to wear it," she said gleefully. "Dunno how quite, but it's really funny." The apron had been a gag gift several years ago, but one she thought her dad rather liked since he actually did wear the apron during cookouts or such sometimes. She giggled, unable to help herself.

[miranda_jackson]

Miranda laughed at Star’s response, “Somehow, that doesn’t surprise me.” She said in response, some of Star’s bright attitude rubbing off on her and canceling out her nerves. “It is funny. However, I’m a bit hesitant to introduce myself if a kiss is really required.” She admitted with a small smile, “Suppose I should go say hello to your dad though and thank him for the invite, it’s only polite.”

[jake_abernathy]

"'s not required," Star said after a moment of thought. "But it sure would be funny if you did." She grinned brightly at her aunt, who she thought was rather pretty. Not quite like Nereida's prettiness, or Sam with her vivid hair, but pretty. Star wanted to be pretty like the people she admired, but she still had an awkward bit to get through, she was aware. "C'mon and meet him, he's cool. Mister Drew!" She called, stepping through the door and purposefully using the Mister once again. "Come meet my Aunt Miranda."

[drewcooper]

Since he was heading towards the house, he heard Star's call to him, rather than being engrossed in conversation with someone. "But of course, Miss Star," he replied with a grin before turning to the new woman. "Hi," he said, "Drew Cooper, new to the area and today's comic relief." He gestured to the apron.

[miranda_jackson]

Miranda pushed her hair over her shoulder, raising an eyebrow at her niece, “Well, I might consider it then.” She said, somewhat noncommittally. Though, in all honesty she was leaning towards joining in on the joke, but only because Star seemed to be so amused by it; and she liked to see Star happy. Miranda laughed soflty at Star’s enthusiasm, though she really would have been more than capable to walk across the yard for a proper introduction.

She returned his grin with a smile of her own, “Miranda Jackson.” Miranda replied, “Star’s aunt. She told me you just moved here, was it for work?” She continued, smiling a little wider at his last statement, “And comedy relief or not, somehow I suspect wearing that isn’t such a hardship.” Though adding layers in the Texas heat wasn’t comfortable.

[drewcooper]

Drew gave a small frown of recognition at the name. "You're Mona's sister, right?" he asked. "Nice to meet you," he said. "Yeah, I moved here from head office in Pittsburgh to take over as technical director at one of our offices. I'm still settling in, finding a place to live, that kind of stuff." He chuckled. "I should have expected something like this from Jake, but its been a while since I've been around him a lot, so I've forgotten about that. Its not much of a hardship, but its getting to the point where I want to remove a few layers. For me this is boiling hot." The blazing sun was indeed getting a bit too much.

"I'm making a drinks run, can I get you anything?" he asked.

[jake_abernathy]

"He's a geek," Star said, her eyes bright and teasing as she regarded the man who was staying in their guest room. Drew looked the furthest from a geek she would have thought, but he did computers and stuff, and she wondered if she could get him to convince Dad to let them get a new computer. Or maybe let her get her own computer. He had his for school and he let her use it a lot, but it wasn't hers.

"Aww, take it off then, Mister Drew," she said, sympathetic. She knew better than to push things in the heat, she'd lived here for too long to not know even at her age. Plus she'd read a lot of her dad's books, especially this year when they didn't go out hardly at all.

[miranda_jackson]

“I am.” Miranda confirmed, trying her best not to let her smile falter. The way he’d frowned when he recognized her name at least gave her an indication that he probably knew at least some of the family history. "And since you're offering, a glass of sweet tea or a water would be nice. Whichever is available" She wasn't picky; anything cool would be good enough for her.

She slid her gaze to her niece at Star’s declaration, taking stock of Drew again. She wouldn’t have been able to guess that by his appearance. “Is that so?” She tilted her head, “You don’t look pasty enough to be a geek.” She teased gently, certainly didn’t look like any of the tech support guys she worked with, at least.

Miranda nodded in agreement with Star’s statement, “She’s right, this heat isn’t anything to play with, especially if you aren’t used to it.” And Pittsburgh definitely did not have the same summer heat that Texas had. “I’m sure Jake wouldn’t want you passing out over a joke.”

[drewcooper]

Drew noticed the slight falter in her smile and made his a little friendlier. "Well, its nice to finally meet you," he said warmly. "Sweet tea or water, got it." He added her order to the growing list of drinks.

He snorted at Star's description of him. "Oh, I left my pasty outfit in my other pants," he joked. "I've found that not living up to people's expectations of what a techie should look like usually works to my advantage. Its becoming more accepted to be a non-pasty geek, though I am vain enough to not wear glasses."

He sighed in relief and untied the strings and took the apron off. "Oh, thank all that is holy," he said and fanned himself with the thing. "I'll keep the shirt for now," he grinned. "Though a dip through a pool will be nice round about now."

[jake_abernathy]

"Here, Mister Drew, I'll take that inside and put it up," Star offered, holding out a hand for the apron. She had other things she could putter with and a door to keep an eye on, at least until more of her friends showed up.

[miranda_jackson]

Miranda laughed softly at his last admission about the glasses, though it wasn’t unexpected. He was clearly a man who took care in looking good, though she had never seen a pair of frames as something that would detract from a handsome face. “Well then, apologies for expecting a stereotype.” She replied good naturedly, understanding the importance of not being what was expected; she had yet to figure out how to do that herself though.

“Mmmm, a swim would be refreshing.” Miranda agreed, pushing her hair over her shoulder again; wishing she had remembered a hair tie. Seemed she hadn’t been out in Texas weather enough lately to remember how uncomfortable having her hair down was. “Headed back to the door, sweetie?” Miranda asked her niece, though she wasn’t surprised; Star had better manners than most kids.