Transitions (CA - Uno, Mark, & the Shepherds)
Quote from Adriana on May 15, 2023, 8:21 pmThe next morning, 8am.
There was coffee brewing, waffles being made, and eggs in a skillet. Eleanor got in around two that morning, so Bob worked quietly.
The next morning, 8am.
There was coffee brewing, waffles being made, and eggs in a skillet. Eleanor got in around two that morning, so Bob worked quietly.
Quote from Kaqurei on May 15, 2023, 11:20 pmPatients grieving lost loved ones had often told Mark that nights were the hardest. For some reason, mornings were worse for him. He dreaded the moment his eyes opened and saw sunshine. Dreaded the battle to get out of bed.
A memory surfaced... When Kimberly was 9, he'd taken her to see The Never Ending Story at the theatre. Maybe Bianca had been there. He didn't remember. He did remember someone crying when the horse, Artax, succumbed to the Swamps of Sadness. He remembered thinking that the scene could draw a poignant parallel to helping the family of one of his patients understand her depression. "You have to try. You have to care. Please, for me," they would plead, as Atreyu had begged his horse in the movie. But it wasn't Artax's fault. It wasn't that he didn't care. Something was broken inside him. Something that needed to heal.
Now Mark himself was the "stupid horse". Stuck in the mud. Sinking of his own accord. Appearing unwilling, though perhaps instead, he was unable, to move.
Still lying in bed, he glanced at the clock again. 8:02. He'd been awake for three hours. And still hadn't moved. The first time he'd awakened had been at 2 am, when Mrs. Chapman got home. He'd been able to fall back to sleep then. But when he awoke at 5, sleep didn't return.
And now it was 8:03.
Stupid horse.
Though he felt buried up to the neck in thick, thick mud, he managed to roll over, and drag himself out of bed. Found his glasses. His watch.
He smelled breakfast. Wondered if he should take a shower.
And then it was 8:15, somehow.
He was still wearing his clothes from yesterday. Probably shouldn't look like he was falling apart when he went downstairs. So he gathered some things and went to go wash up.
And wash up he did. When he came downstairs at about 8:36, his hair was combed, his clothes were new, and nobody would be the wiser that there was a horse sinking in the Swamps of Sadness in his soul.
"Good morning, Bob."
Patients grieving lost loved ones had often told Mark that nights were the hardest. For some reason, mornings were worse for him. He dreaded the moment his eyes opened and saw sunshine. Dreaded the battle to get out of bed.
A memory surfaced... When Kimberly was 9, he'd taken her to see The Never Ending Story at the theatre. Maybe Bianca had been there. He didn't remember. He did remember someone crying when the horse, Artax, succumbed to the Swamps of Sadness. He remembered thinking that the scene could draw a poignant parallel to helping the family of one of his patients understand her depression. "You have to try. You have to care. Please, for me," they would plead, as Atreyu had begged his horse in the movie. But it wasn't Artax's fault. It wasn't that he didn't care. Something was broken inside him. Something that needed to heal.
Now Mark himself was the "stupid horse". Stuck in the mud. Sinking of his own accord. Appearing unwilling, though perhaps instead, he was unable, to move.
Still lying in bed, he glanced at the clock again. 8:02. He'd been awake for three hours. And still hadn't moved. The first time he'd awakened had been at 2 am, when Mrs. Chapman got home. He'd been able to fall back to sleep then. But when he awoke at 5, sleep didn't return.
And now it was 8:03.
Stupid horse.
Though he felt buried up to the neck in thick, thick mud, he managed to roll over, and drag himself out of bed. Found his glasses. His watch.
He smelled breakfast. Wondered if he should take a shower.
And then it was 8:15, somehow.
He was still wearing his clothes from yesterday. Probably shouldn't look like he was falling apart when he went downstairs. So he gathered some things and went to go wash up.
And wash up he did. When he came downstairs at about 8:36, his hair was combed, his clothes were new, and nobody would be the wiser that there was a horse sinking in the Swamps of Sadness in his soul.
"Good morning, Bob."
Quote from Adriana on May 15, 2023, 11:54 pm“Good morning, Mark. I made you a plate, eggs over easy alright with you?” Bob was already microwaving a mug of coffee that had gone cold. He brought the plate and coffee to the table and took a long look at Mark.
“How’d you sleep?”
“Good morning, Mark. I made you a plate, eggs over easy alright with you?” Bob was already microwaving a mug of coffee that had gone cold. He brought the plate and coffee to the table and took a long look at Mark.
“How’d you sleep?”
Quote from Kaqurei on May 16, 2023, 12:05 am"Over easy's fine, thanks," Mark said with a smile.
He took a seat at the table while Bob warmed the coffee, and accepted the food gratefully. "Like a baby," he said. "Sorry I'm a bit late for breakfast. How about you? Sleep well?"
He seemed well at ease and comfortable, the sort that would make others comfortable to be around him.
"Over easy's fine, thanks," Mark said with a smile.
He took a seat at the table while Bob warmed the coffee, and accepted the food gratefully. "Like a baby," he said. "Sorry I'm a bit late for breakfast. How about you? Sleep well?"
He seemed well at ease and comfortable, the sort that would make others comfortable to be around him.
Quote from Adriana on May 16, 2023, 9:45 pm"Ah. So you woke up every hour to eat and cried uncontrollably and often." Bob chuckled. "At least, that's how I remember it went with my kids. That's a stupid saying." he passed the warmed coffee to Mark and took a seat, scooting it in before resting his elbows on the table and clasping his hands together.
"Doc's got me on this new heart medication. I take that, fall asleep and wake up exactly ten hours later, no sooner and no later. Not sure I'm real keen on it, I used to sleep pretty light." he rubbed his face with his hands and looked on at Mark again.
"Did you get a chance to talk to Val, or did he dodge out as soon as I went to bed? He's not always the most sociable..."
"Ah. So you woke up every hour to eat and cried uncontrollably and often." Bob chuckled. "At least, that's how I remember it went with my kids. That's a stupid saying." he passed the warmed coffee to Mark and took a seat, scooting it in before resting his elbows on the table and clasping his hands together.
"Doc's got me on this new heart medication. I take that, fall asleep and wake up exactly ten hours later, no sooner and no later. Not sure I'm real keen on it, I used to sleep pretty light." he rubbed his face with his hands and looked on at Mark again.
"Did you get a chance to talk to Val, or did he dodge out as soon as I went to bed? He's not always the most sociable..."
Quote from Kaqurei on May 16, 2023, 10:13 pm"Not a terribly inaccurate interpretation," Mark said with a chuckle about the sleeping like a baby comment.
He cleared his throat and sat up a little straighter. "Uh, no, yeah, we talked. Seems like a really good guy. He took my card, and gave me his number. And, well, I'm not going to beat around the bush. He had some... interesting things to say... about that camp? Where Bianca's staying? I happened to mention it..."
He interlaced his fingers in his lap. "Bob, is Bianca okay?"
"Not a terribly inaccurate interpretation," Mark said with a chuckle about the sleeping like a baby comment.
He cleared his throat and sat up a little straighter. "Uh, no, yeah, we talked. Seems like a really good guy. He took my card, and gave me his number. And, well, I'm not going to beat around the bush. He had some... interesting things to say... about that camp? Where Bianca's staying? I happened to mention it..."
He interlaced his fingers in his lap. "Bob, is Bianca okay?"
Quote from Adriana on May 16, 2023, 10:33 pmWas that some surprise in Bob's face? Nothing ever seemed to catch him off guard. He recovered quickly, but there was a subtle solemnity in his expression that hadn't been there before. Those gray eyes were set on Mark, as if digging for answers - what did he tell you? - they seemed to ask. After a while he nodded.
"Bianca is safe. She's a Chapman, stubborn and capable. But you know she's been through a lot. First her dad and sisters moving states, then Becca, and now her closest friend. She's eighteen, Mark. That's a lot for a kid. It's a lot for me, but you know.. my generation, we didn't believe in this stuff." he gestured broadly at Mark, "Uh, I mean, people, yes-shrink stuff, not so much. Pull yourself up by the bootstraps, rub some dirt on it, I'll give you a reason to cry.. you know how it was. Is. In some cases. Anyway. She deserves a better start than that. I think a familiar face would help her, and in turn, the others. Nobody up there really got off to a good start, they're just doing the best with what they have, as far as I can tell. Bianca can come home any time.. but I think that'll just make it worse."
Was that some surprise in Bob's face? Nothing ever seemed to catch him off guard. He recovered quickly, but there was a subtle solemnity in his expression that hadn't been there before. Those gray eyes were set on Mark, as if digging for answers - what did he tell you? - they seemed to ask. After a while he nodded.
"Bianca is safe. She's a Chapman, stubborn and capable. But you know she's been through a lot. First her dad and sisters moving states, then Becca, and now her closest friend. She's eighteen, Mark. That's a lot for a kid. It's a lot for me, but you know.. my generation, we didn't believe in this stuff." he gestured broadly at Mark, "Uh, I mean, people, yes-shrink stuff, not so much. Pull yourself up by the bootstraps, rub some dirt on it, I'll give you a reason to cry.. you know how it was. Is. In some cases. Anyway. She deserves a better start than that. I think a familiar face would help her, and in turn, the others. Nobody up there really got off to a good start, they're just doing the best with what they have, as far as I can tell. Bianca can come home any time.. but I think that'll just make it worse."
Quote from Kaqurei on May 16, 2023, 10:46 pm"Yeah, Natalie and I grew up with a lot of that. My dad still thinks I practice voodoo, and it's been what, fifteen years? Still wants me to find 'a real job'," Mark said, with a shrug. "No, yeah, I think it'd do Bianca a lot of good. Would do us both a lot of good, to be honest."
He remembered breakfast, and took a polite sip of the coffee Chapman warmed up for him. Though his stomach felt suddenly rather tight, and eating was the last thing on his mind.
"Can you, uh, tell me a little more about the camp, and her friends? I'd like to have a bit of a feel for what to expect. I know you said it wasn't a done deal, but, well, you know me. I like to think ahead."
"Yeah, Natalie and I grew up with a lot of that. My dad still thinks I practice voodoo, and it's been what, fifteen years? Still wants me to find 'a real job'," Mark said, with a shrug. "No, yeah, I think it'd do Bianca a lot of good. Would do us both a lot of good, to be honest."
He remembered breakfast, and took a polite sip of the coffee Chapman warmed up for him. Though his stomach felt suddenly rather tight, and eating was the last thing on his mind.
"Can you, uh, tell me a little more about the camp, and her friends? I'd like to have a bit of a feel for what to expect. I know you said it wasn't a done deal, but, well, you know me. I like to think ahead."
Quote from Adriana on May 16, 2023, 11:10 pmBob hummed and sipped his coffee.
"I'll be honest, I've only been up there twice. Bianca's mentioned a couple of them by name but I couldn't tell you their whole story. I've gathered there's some that came from troubled homes, absent homes. I still have to make a trip up that way to talk to the head of the whole thing, I can get more information then."
He finished his coffee and stood up, rinsing the mug and putting it on a rack to dry. Then he turned back to Mark, leaning on the counter. "You looked tired, Mark."
Bob hummed and sipped his coffee.
"I'll be honest, I've only been up there twice. Bianca's mentioned a couple of them by name but I couldn't tell you their whole story. I've gathered there's some that came from troubled homes, absent homes. I still have to make a trip up that way to talk to the head of the whole thing, I can get more information then."
He finished his coffee and stood up, rinsing the mug and putting it on a rack to dry. Then he turned back to Mark, leaning on the counter. "You looked tired, Mark."
Quote from Kaqurei on May 16, 2023, 11:27 pmBob was still, for lack of a better term, bobbing and weaving around the truth. Still vague with the details. Besides Bianca, no names given. Besides the idea of a summer camp, no place. Again, he painted the picture of a retreat for troubled teens. Which didn't explain Val's reaction at all. Or why Bob didn't just come out and say all those things. Even the expression 'the head of the whole thing' was terribly vague. The head? Had this person a name? Or even a title? Why not 'camp director', or 'rancher', as he'd mentioned before the place might have been set up at or near a ranch?
But he offered a cordial smile. "That's what the coffee is for, right?" he asked, and had another swallow.
Bob was still, for lack of a better term, bobbing and weaving around the truth. Still vague with the details. Besides Bianca, no names given. Besides the idea of a summer camp, no place. Again, he painted the picture of a retreat for troubled teens. Which didn't explain Val's reaction at all. Or why Bob didn't just come out and say all those things. Even the expression 'the head of the whole thing' was terribly vague. The head? Had this person a name? Or even a title? Why not 'camp director', or 'rancher', as he'd mentioned before the place might have been set up at or near a ranch?
But he offered a cordial smile. "That's what the coffee is for, right?" he asked, and had another swallow.
