Turning Leaves (Robin, Uno, Bob, & Lyra)
Quote from Indy on September 17, 2020, 11:43 pm"Oh," the woman's voice on the other end paused a moment. There was a shift as if she let out a breath.
"I'm just running late, maybe 30 minutes tops," she said quickly, "My shift is um... running long".
Another pause, before at last, "Hold on a second there".
The sound to the phone muffled, as though she'd placed her hand over the speaker. Yet to the perceptive of ear, her strained voice could still be heard, "Tyranny, drop it! I mean, leave it. ¡Basta! No... ug..."
The phone crackled and the woman's voice fed in crisp, albeit flustered, "Sorry, I just - anyways, if you catch him would you let him know? This is.. the only number he gave me, and I'd hate - anyways, shouldn't be too long, just on a special assignment, wrapping it up now..."
"Oh," the woman's voice on the other end paused a moment. There was a shift as if she let out a breath.
"I'm just running late, maybe 30 minutes tops," she said quickly, "My shift is um... running long".
Another pause, before at last, "Hold on a second there".
The sound to the phone muffled, as though she'd placed her hand over the speaker. Yet to the perceptive of ear, her strained voice could still be heard, "Tyranny, drop it! I mean, leave it. ¡Basta! No... ug..."
The phone crackled and the woman's voice fed in crisp, albeit flustered, "Sorry, I just - anyways, if you catch him would you let him know? This is.. the only number he gave me, and I'd hate - anyways, shouldn't be too long, just on a special assignment, wrapping it up now..."
Quote from Adriana on September 19, 2020, 3:08 pm“I’ll try to get him on car phone-try not to worry, and uh, good luck hun.”
I wondered if it was obvious I was referring to the dogs or to Val as I hung up the phone with what could be seen as a very cryptic message.
Then I began to dial the number to Val’s celluluar phone and waited for him to pick up.
“I’ll try to get him on car phone-try not to worry, and uh, good luck hun.”
I wondered if it was obvious I was referring to the dogs or to Val as I hung up the phone with what could be seen as a very cryptic message.
Then I began to dial the number to Val’s celluluar phone and waited for him to pick up.
Quote from Indy on September 20, 2020, 4:33 pmI was between a rock and a hard place. And by rock I meant 'hydrangeas' and by hard place I meant 'purple aster'. Finally I just let the woman wrap up both and be done with it - I couldn't think about this anymore. I tried to ignore her as she smirked at my own helplessness over the matter. She was almost as bad as the flowers.
"That'll be all?" she said, her face completely flat but I could see the light in her eyes.
"Yeah"
"Let me ring you up Mr...?"
"Val," I shrugged. Explaining 'Uno' was usually my way of a joke, and I felt like I'd done enough to be the centerpiece of a joke here.
The woman's eyes sparkled more, pointing to her own name tag on her vest.
Val.
Great. Val, meet Val. It was like seeing into my other life. The woman continued to smirk as she wrapped up the bouquet and led me over to the counter so I could pay. Around the time my cheeks were brushing with humiliation, I felt my phone buzz in my pocket.
"Sorry Val, gotta take this".
I flipped it open as I noted the caller ID, not sure if this would be better or worse than my current predicament.
I was between a rock and a hard place. And by rock I meant 'hydrangeas' and by hard place I meant 'purple aster'. Finally I just let the woman wrap up both and be done with it - I couldn't think about this anymore. I tried to ignore her as she smirked at my own helplessness over the matter. She was almost as bad as the flowers.
"That'll be all?" she said, her face completely flat but I could see the light in her eyes.
"Yeah"
"Let me ring you up Mr...?"
"Val," I shrugged. Explaining 'Uno' was usually my way of a joke, and I felt like I'd done enough to be the centerpiece of a joke here.
The woman's eyes sparkled more, pointing to her own name tag on her vest.
Val.
Great. Val, meet Val. It was like seeing into my other life. The woman continued to smirk as she wrapped up the bouquet and led me over to the counter so I could pay. Around the time my cheeks were brushing with humiliation, I felt my phone buzz in my pocket.
"Sorry Val, gotta take this".
I flipped it open as I noted the caller ID, not sure if this would be better or worse than my current predicament.
Quote from Adriana on September 20, 2020, 4:54 pm"Your date called," I said bluntly, making my way to the kitchen. I began to pull out the fixings for a ham on rye sandwich, with the phone wedged between my ear and shoulder.
"Are you still picking out flowers? She's running about thirty minutes late, I didn't want you to worry or think you'd been stood up. She sounded honest enough... is she foreign?" I felt blunt asking, but I remembered what she had said to what I hoped was a dog.
"Your date called," I said bluntly, making my way to the kitchen. I began to pull out the fixings for a ham on rye sandwich, with the phone wedged between my ear and shoulder.
"Are you still picking out flowers? She's running about thirty minutes late, I didn't want you to worry or think you'd been stood up. She sounded honest enough... is she foreign?" I felt blunt asking, but I remembered what she had said to what I hoped was a dog.
Quote from Indy on September 20, 2020, 5:05 pm"No," I said briskly. It technically wasn't a lie, but she didn't need to know anything about what my good buddy Val was wrapping up for me.
I blinked a few times to Robin's comment, considering. If you're in a ditch and it starts to rain, you may as well have some fun in the mud.
"Yeah. She's part of a traveling circus troupe from overseas, her parents do the whole trapeze act. And she... does some stuff with lions - stuck her whole head down one's mouth and came out with her hair still perfectly done".
Val raised an eyebrow as she finished wrapping it up, but kindly, my doppelganger kept her comments to herself.
"Ten ninety five," she replied. I smushed the phone against my shoulder as I fished out the change from my pocket.
"No," I said briskly. It technically wasn't a lie, but she didn't need to know anything about what my good buddy Val was wrapping up for me.
I blinked a few times to Robin's comment, considering. If you're in a ditch and it starts to rain, you may as well have some fun in the mud.
"Yeah. She's part of a traveling circus troupe from overseas, her parents do the whole trapeze act. And she... does some stuff with lions - stuck her whole head down one's mouth and came out with her hair still perfectly done".
Val raised an eyebrow as she finished wrapping it up, but kindly, my doppelganger kept her comments to herself.
"Ten ninety five," she replied. I smushed the phone against my shoulder as I fished out the change from my pocket.
Quote from Adriana on September 20, 2020, 5:32 pm"Mmmhmm.." I hummed, smearing spicy mustard on both sides of the bread, before putting down the swiss. "What language is basta? French, Spanish?.. Does she have dark hair and olive skin?" I laughed as I imagined Val beginning to turn red on the other end, slapping on salami and ham.
"Mmmhmm.." I hummed, smearing spicy mustard on both sides of the bread, before putting down the swiss. "What language is basta? French, Spanish?.. Does she have dark hair and olive skin?" I laughed as I imagined Val beginning to turn red on the other end, slapping on salami and ham.
Quote from Indy on September 20, 2020, 6:03 pmI passed over the currency. Val handed over the flowers and winked. I didn't like that wink -- too much suggestion in a wink, and it's gone in a flash. I muttered a thanks under my breath and hurried at the door, my composure and dignity slipping.
"Don't ask me - I never graduated high school," I clipped under my breath, securely holding the bouquet like a delicate child.
"Her last name is Torres," I managed weakly, finding my car among the sea and trying to decide if I could somehow hold a phone and flowers without dropping one of them when I tried to open it.
Instantly I regretted giving Robin that much. Knowing her, she'd have just what she needed to run some background checks.
"Need anything while I'm out, or did you just call for the entertainment?".
I passed over the currency. Val handed over the flowers and winked. I didn't like that wink -- too much suggestion in a wink, and it's gone in a flash. I muttered a thanks under my breath and hurried at the door, my composure and dignity slipping.
"Don't ask me - I never graduated high school," I clipped under my breath, securely holding the bouquet like a delicate child.
"Her last name is Torres," I managed weakly, finding my car among the sea and trying to decide if I could somehow hold a phone and flowers without dropping one of them when I tried to open it.
Instantly I regretted giving Robin that much. Knowing her, she'd have just what she needed to run some background checks.
"Need anything while I'm out, or did you just call for the entertainment?".
Quote from Adriana on September 20, 2020, 7:36 pm"So she's Spanish," I hummed to myself, "I didn't know you had a type." I laughed, slicing the sandwich in half and pouring some potato chips on the plate. I grabbed a Dr Pepper from the fridge and moved to the living room, taking a seat on the sofa.
"Just wanted some entertainment. Get to it, Casanova, your bonita awaits."
I clicked the phone off and began to devour my sandwich with all the vigor of a college student at two in the morning.
"So she's Spanish," I hummed to myself, "I didn't know you had a type." I laughed, slicing the sandwich in half and pouring some potato chips on the plate. I grabbed a Dr Pepper from the fridge and moved to the living room, taking a seat on the sofa.
"Just wanted some entertainment. Get to it, Casanova, your bonita awaits."
I clicked the phone off and began to devour my sandwich with all the vigor of a college student at two in the morning.
Quote from Indy on September 20, 2020, 8:50 pmRobin was having such a good time with it, I almost hated to spoil it. But I guess I'd had enough fun playing in the mud at this point, and wanted to roll my way into a well-deserved shower.
"Robin, it's really not like th--"
Click.
I sighed, hearing the void of the dial tone. Well, if she insisted on this evening's entertainment, far be it from me to stop her. If I could survive the encounter without being tracked, bagged, and tagged anyways.
I had thirty minutes to kill, so I took the sleepy way to the meeting spot. I guess it cost me a bit extra in gas for the scenic view, but every now and again when life gives you the chance to take a look around -- take her up on it. The sweet Madam doesn't ever offer twice. The road dipped up a bit towards the mountains, never quite escaping the foothills, but giving me a magnificent vista of the forest from high-up in a thick, rolling carpet. I could have driven it for hours - but I had places to be, and besides, I was smart enough not to encroach on another pack's territory.
The car hummed pleasantly as I turned around in a turn-spot and eased into the lower gears for the decline. Then it stopped humming pleasantly, instead making a sound not unlike an old man's wheeze before spluttering out together. I chewed back a curse - all that had kept the old Honda going thus far had been willpower and duct tape, and now it seemed even that was insufficient. I let the car coast down the slope, mindful not to chew too much at each curve - and praying all the same I didn't go steering off into the green yonder. When the vehicle finally ran out of speed, I was still pretty generously removed from civilization.
Grumbling darkly, I redialed Robin's number and mentally braced myself.
Robin was having such a good time with it, I almost hated to spoil it. But I guess I'd had enough fun playing in the mud at this point, and wanted to roll my way into a well-deserved shower.
"Robin, it's really not like th--"
Click.
I sighed, hearing the void of the dial tone. Well, if she insisted on this evening's entertainment, far be it from me to stop her. If I could survive the encounter without being tracked, bagged, and tagged anyways.
I had thirty minutes to kill, so I took the sleepy way to the meeting spot. I guess it cost me a bit extra in gas for the scenic view, but every now and again when life gives you the chance to take a look around -- take her up on it. The sweet Madam doesn't ever offer twice. The road dipped up a bit towards the mountains, never quite escaping the foothills, but giving me a magnificent vista of the forest from high-up in a thick, rolling carpet. I could have driven it for hours - but I had places to be, and besides, I was smart enough not to encroach on another pack's territory.
The car hummed pleasantly as I turned around in a turn-spot and eased into the lower gears for the decline. Then it stopped humming pleasantly, instead making a sound not unlike an old man's wheeze before spluttering out together. I chewed back a curse - all that had kept the old Honda going thus far had been willpower and duct tape, and now it seemed even that was insufficient. I let the car coast down the slope, mindful not to chew too much at each curve - and praying all the same I didn't go steering off into the green yonder. When the vehicle finally ran out of speed, I was still pretty generously removed from civilization.
Grumbling darkly, I redialed Robin's number and mentally braced myself.
Quote from Adriana on September 20, 2020, 9:30 pmWhen my phone rang, the sandwhich was already gone, the plate rinsed and put away, and I was preparing to nap on the couch.
I looked at the number and wondered if Val was still stuck deciding between orange or red roses.
“That was a fast date.” I commented on picking up.
When my phone rang, the sandwhich was already gone, the plate rinsed and put away, and I was preparing to nap on the couch.
I looked at the number and wondered if Val was still stuck deciding between orange or red roses.
“That was a fast date.” I commented on picking up.
