Room 507, Thursday afternoon
Nadia had managed to do a pretty good job so far of not thinking too much about where Walter was or what he was doing, today. The many conversations she'd had in the second floor common room had certainly helped with that.
Unfortunately, she still hadn't been able to get much sleep. So in the afternoon, she headed upstairs to take a nap.
Her phone had other ideas.
"Hello?"
"//Nadia! It's so good to hear your voice again.//"
"//Sophia? It's . . . good to hear from you, too. Is anything wrong?//"
"//No, no, child, of course not. I simply wanted to call and see how you were doing. We all miss you very much, here.//"
Nadia settled back against the wall, pulling her slightly battered teddy bear into her lap. "//I'm doing fine. The first session of summer workshops pretty much over, but I'm looking forward to the next ones.//"
"//So you're enjoying yourself, then? Met any gallant young men?//"
Nadia smiled a bit sadly. "//Yes, Sophia. There are a lot of those, here.//" She could hear her old guardian tsk in concern and hurried on. "//They make wonderful friends.//"
"//I'm very glad to hear that. But there's no . . . particular young man?//"
"//I didn't say that. I am seeing someone. But we're being safe, I promise.//"
"//Wonderful. Tell me about him. Is he tall, dark, and handsome?//"
Nadia grinned. "//Well, I'm certain he will be tall.//"
Sophia chuckled. "//What's his name?//"
"//Walter. Walter Dornez. He's British.//"
"//I hope to meet him, some day. It is not every boy who manages to steal a heart such as yours.//"
Nadia frowned. "//I never said he stole my heart,//"
"//I can hear it in your voice, child. You care a great deal for him, don't you.//"
"//Yes, Sophia. I do.//"
"//You sound sad, child. What's the matter?//"
Nadia sighed, wondering how to explain things Sophia without sounding like she'd lost her mind. "//He's . . . gone, right now. He had to go home to take care of some things, and I'm worried about him.//"
"//He sounds like he is very responsible, then. I'll admit, child, I wish that you would come home, as well.//"
Nadia sighed. "//Sophia, we've discussed this. I know you don't approve of me coming here, but it was my choice. I like it here.//"
"//Be that as it may, Nadia. You have a responsibility, too. You are a very special girl, you know. I have spoken with that man, Roberto Fox. He is still interested in recruiting you.//"
"//And maybe when I'm done here, I'll go--//"
"//He has a new session of his training program starting soon.//" There was a pause as Nadia tried to think of what to say, then Sophia continued on. "//It is your choice, of course, Nadia. But I think you should consider it. You have a great gift. Think of how much you could help your country.//"
"//I . . . I will, Sophia. But I'm helping people here, too.//"
"//That's all I wanted to hear, child. I'm glad you're doing so well, and that you are happy.//" There was a noise at the other end of the line, and Nadia could make out Sophia's muffled voice saying something about an glitch in some equipment. It sounded like the orphanage was having money troubles, again.
Something else Nadia might be able to help with, some day.
"//I'm sorry about that, Nadia, but I must go. Tell me, do you still have the medallion?//"
"//Yes, Sophia. I still have it.//" She wasn't about to say that she'd given it to Walter, for the time being.
"//I'm glad. It does this old woman well, to know that you are being watched over.//"
"//I know, Sophia.//"
There was another rattle, and more muffled speech that Nadia couldn't understand. For a moment it sounded like Sophia was saying she wasn't pushing something.
Definitely some issues at the orphanage. Perhaps the plumbing broke down again.
"//I must go now, Nadia. Call me when you make a decision, please. Or for any other reason. It's so good to hear your voice.//"
"//Yours, too, Sophia. I will. Goodbye,//"
"//Goodbye, my sweet Nadia. I'll hear from you again, soon.//"
Nadia hung up the phone and stared at it for a long moment.
That wasn't fair, Sophia calling out of the blue like that, telling her to come home. She cared for the old woman, and she did want to learn from that Mr. Fox, but she didn't want to leave Fandom. She set the phone aside and curled up on her bed, her teddy bear in her arms, her mind whirling.
There went that nap idea.
[ooc: phone call to set up approaching plot, and is broadcastable. The room is also open, should anyone want to invade.]
Unfortunately, she still hadn't been able to get much sleep. So in the afternoon, she headed upstairs to take a nap.
Her phone had other ideas.
"Hello?"
"//Nadia! It's so good to hear your voice again.//"
"//Sophia? It's . . . good to hear from you, too. Is anything wrong?//"
"//No, no, child, of course not. I simply wanted to call and see how you were doing. We all miss you very much, here.//"
Nadia settled back against the wall, pulling her slightly battered teddy bear into her lap. "//I'm doing fine. The first session of summer workshops pretty much over, but I'm looking forward to the next ones.//"
"//So you're enjoying yourself, then? Met any gallant young men?//"
Nadia smiled a bit sadly. "//Yes, Sophia. There are a lot of those, here.//" She could hear her old guardian tsk in concern and hurried on. "//They make wonderful friends.//"
"//I'm very glad to hear that. But there's no . . . particular young man?//"
"//I didn't say that. I am seeing someone. But we're being safe, I promise.//"
"//Wonderful. Tell me about him. Is he tall, dark, and handsome?//"
Nadia grinned. "//Well, I'm certain he will be tall.//"
Sophia chuckled. "//What's his name?//"
"//Walter. Walter Dornez. He's British.//"
"//I hope to meet him, some day. It is not every boy who manages to steal a heart such as yours.//"
Nadia frowned. "//I never said he stole my heart,//"
"//I can hear it in your voice, child. You care a great deal for him, don't you.//"
"//Yes, Sophia. I do.//"
"//You sound sad, child. What's the matter?//"
Nadia sighed, wondering how to explain things Sophia without sounding like she'd lost her mind. "//He's . . . gone, right now. He had to go home to take care of some things, and I'm worried about him.//"
"//He sounds like he is very responsible, then. I'll admit, child, I wish that you would come home, as well.//"
Nadia sighed. "//Sophia, we've discussed this. I know you don't approve of me coming here, but it was my choice. I like it here.//"
"//Be that as it may, Nadia. You have a responsibility, too. You are a very special girl, you know. I have spoken with that man, Roberto Fox. He is still interested in recruiting you.//"
"//And maybe when I'm done here, I'll go--//"
"//He has a new session of his training program starting soon.//" There was a pause as Nadia tried to think of what to say, then Sophia continued on. "//It is your choice, of course, Nadia. But I think you should consider it. You have a great gift. Think of how much you could help your country.//"
"//I . . . I will, Sophia. But I'm helping people here, too.//"
"//That's all I wanted to hear, child. I'm glad you're doing so well, and that you are happy.//" There was a noise at the other end of the line, and Nadia could make out Sophia's muffled voice saying something about an glitch in some equipment. It sounded like the orphanage was having money troubles, again.
Something else Nadia might be able to help with, some day.
"//I'm sorry about that, Nadia, but I must go. Tell me, do you still have the medallion?//"
"//Yes, Sophia. I still have it.//" She wasn't about to say that she'd given it to Walter, for the time being.
"//I'm glad. It does this old woman well, to know that you are being watched over.//"
"//I know, Sophia.//"
There was another rattle, and more muffled speech that Nadia couldn't understand. For a moment it sounded like Sophia was saying she wasn't pushing something.
Definitely some issues at the orphanage. Perhaps the plumbing broke down again.
"//I must go now, Nadia. Call me when you make a decision, please. Or for any other reason. It's so good to hear your voice.//"
"//Yours, too, Sophia. I will. Goodbye,//"
"//Goodbye, my sweet Nadia. I'll hear from you again, soon.//"
Nadia hung up the phone and stared at it for a long moment.
That wasn't fair, Sophia calling out of the blue like that, telling her to come home. She cared for the old woman, and she did want to learn from that Mr. Fox, but she didn't want to leave Fandom. She set the phone aside and curled up on her bed, her teddy bear in her arms, her mind whirling.
There went that nap idea.
[ooc: phone call to set up approaching plot, and is broadcastable. The room is also open, should anyone want to invade.]