Sallie, back in the bar.

[realmrsreynolds]

Sallie is stuck.

Rutting stuck in a gorram arm cast for four to six gorram weeksAnd she has to go back to Milliways. Home was easy enough, though the gentler way her employees treated her pissed her off to no end. Skouris' expression her first day home never changed, and when Sallie thanks him for it she calls him Peter

Comments

[keptherwaiting]

Someone is making Jasper grumpy. The homework before him gets shoved aside with distaste and he looks around with a contemptuous glance for the perpetrator when his gaze lands on Sallie.

He clears his throat.

"Ma'am."

[realmrsreynolds]

"Jasper."

Sallie harrumphs at the glasses that she can't wash; the waitrat next to her tries to be helpful and is met with a scowl.

She squints her eyes shut hard, forcing herself to exhale to try and relax.

[keptherwaiting]

Jasper, being brave in the face of grumpy (and most certainly braver than the waitrat) with his own mood having taken a dip, finds his way around the bar and snatches up the glass for washing before any protests can be uttered.

"What happened?"

He obviously means the cast.

[realmrsreynolds]

"Surgery. Wrist replacement, which if you weren't already out of that particular equation I'd tell you to avoid it at all costs."

She continues making faces for a couple seconds at Jasper but moves on rather quickly. "Was I botherin' you?"

[keptherwaiting]

"No, ma'am."

Because, even if he may be grumpier than he was a good few minutes ago, he's not so rude as to accuse her of it. (And, to be honest, he wasn't in that great of a mood to begin with.)

"Why the replacement?"

[realmrsreynolds]

"Rheumatoid arthritis. Couldn't rotate it anymore without it hurtin'."

[keptherwaiting]

"Isn't it good that you got the surgery for it then?"

[realmrsreynolds]

"I ain't ever said that it wasn't what was necessary," Sallie snaps wearily. "'s just...it's a lot."

[keptherwaiting]

"Not used to sitting back and having to let someone else handle things?" he asks softly, knowing he's on the verge of prying.

And the last thing he wants it to get a pan to the head. The head-dented pan would just have to be replaced and that would be a shame.

[realmrsreynolds]

"Somethin' along those lines."

The last time Sallie did that, she ended up a single mother and a business owner in her early twenties.

While it ended up well, it was not the easiest situation to be in.

[keptherwaiting]

"I won't ask," Jasper assures her. In case she has been thinking he might pry.

[realmrsreynolds]

"Not exciting to share, anyway. I'd rather deflect and tell jokes. I'm good at those."

[keptherwaiting]

"That right? Well, I'm all for hearing some jokes..."

[realmrsreynolds]

Sallie manages a couple about two goats and a bull.

It's farm humor. The narration apologizes in lieu of actually providing the bad puns.

[keptherwaiting]

Jasper's mouth twists into a slight smile. "Funny."

[realmrsreynolds]

"So I'm told. Here -- "

Sallie hands Jasper a dishrag.

"Thanks."