(Untitled)

[niceofyoutoask]

"Here, Papa,"  Lydia said politely, leaning over the little three-year-old-sized wooden table he'd made her, blonde hair swinging over her shoulder.  He accepted his seashell with a smile and a nod, dutifully resting the make-shift teacup on his knee, and felt the glow of pride at her form of address.  She was starting to use 'Papa' and 'Carwood'

Comments

[bennet_beauty]

Jane had meant to return to them faster than she had, but she had been waylaid by simply watching them. She carried with her a plate of scones in hand and let her hair (long now, to her mid-back) fall loosely over her shoulder as she arrived to their sides. Perhaps it was merely that she was married once more, but she felt less compulsion to be strict in her sense of dress.

She leaned forward to press a soft kiss to Carwood's cheek and presented the scones. "I hope that I have not missed too much!"

[niceofyoutoask]

He never failed to be amazed by how gorgeous she was. His hand brushed her arm as she leaned in, and moved to rest comfortably on the back of her chair when she sat down. "Not at all. Miss Redman had just poured the tea and was inquiring after her guests." He said completely seriously, a hint of an indulgent smile playing at the corner of his lips and in his eyes.

[bennet_beauty]

Jane could not help how her emotions played more easily upon her face when she was at ease and content. Here, with her daughter and Carwood, it was much easier to smile and be pleased and show it. "And are we all present?" she asked quite politely, hands in her lap.

[niceofyoutoask]

Lipton appropriately deferred to the hostess. Lydia nodded, mirroring her mother's smile. "Now we are!" She carefully pushed a seashell teacup across the table towards Jane, as if careful not to spill its contents. "For you, Mama. Careful, it's hot."

[patriotqueen]

It was afternoon, it was Thursday and it was the 11th of November. Separately these were moderately good reasons to have a drink. Put the three together and getting smashed was a simple must.

This was the reason why Guy was searching for Harry. The man was always in for an afternoon of little activity and heavy drinking. Cheerful at the prospect, he had gone in search for the man in all the usual places.

Rather less cheerful as his search progressed with little result, he went over to Jane and Carwood. “Hello, my darlings,” he said. “Where’s Harry?” Straight to the point. There was an appointment to be held.

[niceofyoutoask]

Lipton gave Guy a friendly nod as he approached, but at his question he couldn't help but answer solemnly. "Gone back to Austria." Lipton said, straightforward as ever. "And eventually Wilkes-Barre and his Kitty." Lipton glanced over to where Lydia was looking at Guy expectantly, a seashell teacup in hand. "Would you like some tea?" She asked politely and hopefully.

[patriotqueen]

Guy did not like that answer at all. He liked Harry and - joking aside - considered him a very good friend. When good friends left he didn't care about what wonderful life they were going back to. They were bastards for leaving. "What? Oh, for fuck's sake!" But recalling his promise to mind his language in front of Lydia, he apologised. "Sorry."

He tried a smile. "People shouldn't leave just like that, don't you think?" He asked the small girl. "I'd love a cup of tea."

[niceofyoutoask]

He understood, and was an easy-going guy when it came to other peoples' language, but Lipton fixed Guy with a stern look in reproach for his language. He was protective by nature, and fiercely so when he came to his new daughter. He gave a curt nod to the apology, and a glance over to Lydia showed she hadn't batted an eye, but was primly tilting the one seashell designated as the teapot over another. She shook her head to his question, the motion jarring the shell in such a way that had it contained anything but air it would likely have spilled, and stood from her little chair to properly hand it to him. "Careful Mister Guy, it's very hot." She warned brightly.

Lipton, mollified that no lasting damage or awkward questions seemed to have come to pass, gestured for Guy to take a seat in the free chair. Jane was on her way, but would likely still be awhile and wouldn't mind waiting for Lipton to fetch her an extra chair when she did arrive. "As irritating as they are, I think abrupt leavings are kind of easier than long ones."

[lt_blade]

Sonya hadn't seen Harry during ITF training, and while she knew he had his fair share of gripes about the harshness of it-he'd never been one to just play hooky. It could really only mean one thing...

A walk over to the Officer's Club confirmed that he'd gone back home, and frankly, Sonya was feeling a bit numb about it. On the one hand, she felt relieved that he could finally see Kitty again after all these years, but what he'd told her before was true-it was one less of her friends on the island.

She needed to take a walk to clear her head, when she came across Lipton..at what looked like a makeshift tea party.

Maybe there was the smallest trace of a smile.

[niceofyoutoask]

"Hey," Lipton said with a amiable half-smile, seashell teacup on his knee. He'd grown up four years older than Nancy, and six years older than his youngest sister Mary - this wasn't his first tea party, all things told. Although he was thankful he wasn't talked into wearing his mother's purple hat in this incarnation.

Lydia looked up from her conversation with her doll and gave Sonya a bright three-year-old smile. "Would you like some tea?"

[lt_blade]

Sonya wasn't about to say 'why the hell not' infront of a three year old, but-she didn't have anything else more pressing to be, and she suddenly felt the need to talk to Lipton anyway.

She took a quick look around to see if Hanzo or anyone else she knew was around-if they found her sitting at a three-year old's tea party, she'd never hear the end of it.

"Sure, why not." She carefully took a seat at the table.

[niceofyoutoask]

Lipton chuckled softly at Sonya's surreptitious glance around. "Don't worry," He said, as Liddy 'poured' the tea and pushed the empty seashell carefully in front Sonya. "I won't tell a soul. Besides, you're lucky. My sisters were fond of hats."

[spirited_hero]

[niceofyoutoask]

Lipton turned and gave Zell a wave, far too indulgent and experienced with little girls' tea parties - he'd had two younger sisters, afte all - to give more than a chagrined half-smile at the state of things and gesture to the free chair. He was about to answer, but Lydia beat him to it.

"We're having a tea party!" She said pleasantly, a new seashell teacup already in hand. "Would you like to come to my tea party?"

[spirited_hero]

[niceofyoutoask]

As Liddy focused on properly pouring the imaginary tea into the seashell, Lipton turned to Zell and lowered his voice slightly. "Have you heard about Harry?"