|
Post by Stage on Jun 4, 2019 1:40:03 GMT
Renee sighed and wiped the sweat from her brow. She had just finished nailing the last of her good bath towels over her broken window. She didn't have anything like a tarp to cover it and the weather was too unpredictable to go looking for one, so this would have to do for now. Paying for water damage on top of everything else was something she absolutely couldn't afford. She would have preferred to use the beach towels she and Gabie sometimes took to Lake Sullen, but the suggestion had put the most heart-breaking frown on her daughter's face. She could buy new bath towels. She couldn't replace their memories.
"Gabie?" she asked, " are you done yet?"
"Almost."
Gabie, armed with thick garden gloves and a broom entirely too tall for her, was switching between picking bits of glass off the ground and pushing rubble into a manageable pile.
"Then I'll get you some cold lemonade." Renee ruffled her hair. "For my hard little worker."
"Moooom," Gabie whined, though she could not help but smile.
Renee swept Gabie's hair to the side, earning a giggle, then began heading inside. "Keep an eye out for visitors. Baerbel promised to visit us, and that Kyra might come by too."
|
|
|
Post by KayKay on Jun 5, 2019 21:20:37 GMT
Renee's words were soon followed by the sound of wheels rolling down the sidewalk outside, and the sound of a metal cart shaking as it rolled over bits of debris. Two women appeared in the view of the open doorway, pushing a shopping cart full of non-perishable foods: canned meats and vegetables, soups, bags of rice, and bottles of water. One of the women was familiar to the Renee and Gabie: it was Kyra, her hair even messier than usual and shadows beneath her eyes. The other was new, a short, wide-eyed silver-haired woman who was observing the damage around her with concern.
"Hey," Kyra greeted them, parking their shopping cart of groceries next to the doorway. "We were out getting food for our group. Figured we'd stop by to check up on you. This is Vesyka."
The small woman smiled gently at Gabie. "Bonjour."
"Need any food?" Kyra asked them. "They're practically giving it away to aid in relief efforts. We have plenty to share."
|
|
|
Post by Stage on Jun 5, 2019 21:59:55 GMT
Gabie straightened up and held her broom erect in front of her, as if it would offer someplace for her to hide. She looked up at Kyra, and especially Vesyka, shyly. "H- Hi."
"Hello, Kyra," Renee greeted, exiting the salon with two glasses of ice cold lemonade. "Hello to you too, Vesyka. Your hair is absolutely gorgeous."
Carefully leaning the broom against the corner of the building- and then knocking it over in her rushed charge towards her mother- Gabie eagerly accepted the smaller glass of lemonade.
"Would you two like any?" Renee asked after taking a sip from her own glass. "And thank you, but we're fine. We have more than enough stored away. This one eats like a pig."
"I do not," Gabie mumbled.
The short-haired woman bit her lip. "I... don't suppose they have tarps, do they?"
|
|
|
Careberry
Jul 26, 2019 7:47:52 GMT
via mobile
Post by KayKay on Jul 26, 2019 7:47:52 GMT
"Plenty of tarps," Kyra nodded. "And there's some construction crews moving around the neighborhood for repairs too. Might be able to lend a hand here later."
She glanced around the room. "Any way we can help out in exchange for lemonade?"
|
|
|
Careberry
Jul 26, 2019 8:26:36 GMT
via mobile
Post by Stage on Jul 26, 2019 8:26:36 GMT
The beautician ran a slender hand through her feathery hair. “I... I hate to ask already, but would you mind looking after Gabie for a few minutes while I run to grab one?”
Gabie’s small head sprung up, her gray-blue eyes wide, as if her mother had just suggested leaving her forever. She glanced nervously at their visitors, but stopped after accidentally making eye contact with Vesyka.
|
|
|
Post by KayKay on Jul 26, 2019 20:51:31 GMT
Sensing Gabie's fear, Vesyka lowered her already small frame as she crouched down to her knees. "You do not have to worry, Gabie," she gently reassured, giving the girl a soft smile. "Your mother will be back very soon."
Kyra, smiling down at the pair, looked back up to Renee. "We'd be happy to."
|
|
|
Post by Stage on Jul 26, 2019 21:19:06 GMT
Though the girl did not, could not, return the smile, she looked up, meeting Vesyka's eyes. She seemed swallowed by them, fascinated by their silvery depths. She only broke eye contact when Renee strode over and crouched besides her, cupping her plump cheeks in her slender hands.
"Be good, my sweet girl," she cooed, before grinning and planting a huge, wet, theatrical kiss on Gabie's forehead, making the girl giggle.
"Okay, mommy," a small voice answered her.
Standing up and brushing off the knees of her slim jeans, the hair stylist turned her smile to Kyra. "Thank you. Don't worry if she's shy. She'll be asking where both of you are later on."
"I don't think anyone will be coming by for a cut today," Renee shouted over her shoulder as she began down the street. "But if they do, just let them know I'll be back soon! Baerbel will coming over, but I don't know when!"
|
|
|
Careberry
Jul 27, 2019 0:06:06 GMT
via mobile
Post by KayKay on Jul 27, 2019 0:06:06 GMT
"Got it! Thanks!" Kyra yelled back. She pushed the shopping cart against the wall, out of the way, and sent Gabriel a wink. "Got some games around here? Bet they have stuff in the waiting room, yeah?"
|
|
|
Post by Stage on Jul 27, 2019 1:37:52 GMT
Like a deer in the headlights, Gabie froze for a moment. After a glance at Vesyka however, she pranced back inside, bouncing on stiff legs like a springing antelope.
A minute or so later, she returned with a raised, slanted platform with a hole in it slung under her arm and a dozen brightly colored beanbags balanced in her hands.
"Corn toss," she said breathlessly before beginning to set up the platform, and forming three piles of same-color beanbags.
|
|
|
Post by KayKay on Jul 27, 2019 2:46:11 GMT
"I do not think I have heard of this game," Vesyka said as she climbed to her feet. "How do you play?"
|
|
|
Post by Stage on Jul 27, 2019 2:53:24 GMT
Instead of giving a verbal answer, Gabie dashed away from the platform, her chosen color of beanbag- baby blue- in arm, stopping on a chalk marking on the cobblestone. It seemed this was a regular occurrence.
Tongue sticking out, the seven-year-old reeled her arm back and flung a beanbag underhand. It struck the bottom, less elevated part of the board and slid up, but missed the hole and fell to the ground.
"It's suppose to go in," she stated, turning to look at Kyra and Vesyka, hand folded shyly behind her back.
|
|
|
Post by KayKay on Jul 27, 2019 3:33:12 GMT
"Oh, I see!" Vesyka said.
She felt Kyra's hand tap her upper back. "You go first," the taller woman told her with a grin.
"Oh, o-okay."
Vesyka picked up a green bean bag and walked behind the chalk line. She gave a light underhand toss, but overestimated herself as the bean bag sailed well behind the board and hit the brick wall behind it. "Oops," she said, her cheeks flushing pink, while Kyra giggled.
|
|
|
Post by Stage on Jul 27, 2019 3:36:27 GMT
Although she was quick to cover her mouth, Gabie could not hide that she too was giggling. One again, her eyes darted at Vesyka, though this time she seemed to seek attention.
|
|
|
Post by KayKay on Jul 27, 2019 3:57:32 GMT
As she stepped to the side to make room for Kyra, who had selected an orange bean bag, Vesyka met eyes with Gabie, and a small, equally shy smile spread across her pink cheeks.
Kyra closed her eyes before she tossed the bean bag – an effort to keep the game fair. She was surprised then, when she opened them to see the bag land neatly into the hole.
"Wait, WHAT?" she half asked, half laughed. "Talk about blind luck."
|
|
|
Careberry
Jul 27, 2019 4:32:18 GMT
via mobile
Post by Stage on Jul 27, 2019 4:32:18 GMT
“Kyra gets a point,” Gabie said, somewhat grudgingly. Her hands fell, and her mouth pulled out of her smile and into a slight pout. It seemed she had wanted to score first.
As the pig-tailed child, now more determined than ever, scampered into line with the chalk and prepared her next shot, heavy footsteps thudded behind Kyra. A tall shadow with high, pointed ears engulfed her.
“Hey, Gab,” a loud, hoarse, feminine voice asked.
The figure behind Kyra had golden-brown fur instead of near black, and she wore nothing rather than a chain shirt and leather vest, but it was still a form Kyra recognized immediately.
“Where’s your mom?” the varul, a giant at least a head taller than the last she had met, asked, giant canines glinting in the morning sun as she spoke and small, hazel eyes thin in the low glare.
|
|
|
Post by KayKay on Jul 27, 2019 5:22:37 GMT
Upon sighting the varul, Vesyka had instinctively placed her small body between the newcomer and Gabie.
Kyra, who had tensed up upon first glancing the massive figure, allowed her shoulders to relax when she found no sign of danger in the tone of the varul's voice. "She's grabbing a tarp for the windows," she answered the wolf-like being. "She asked us to watch Gabie while she was away. She said she'd be back soon."
She stepped backwards, out of the varul's shadow, so that the giant remained in the corner of her vision when she looked towards Gabie. "Family friend?"
|
|
|
Post by Stage on Jul 27, 2019 15:29:11 GMT
The golden tak ignored Kyra, looking over her and at Vesyka. Her thin, black lips parted. "What, never seen a varul before?"
There was a scoff in her raggedy voice, but she seemed more annoyed than offended. This was likely a common occurrence around her.
"Marglod!"
Gabie ducked around Vesyka and sprung towards the giant, arms raised. In response, the varul caught her hands and hoisted her nearly ten feet in the air. The seven-year-old giggled the whole way up.
"Hey, shrimp."
"You're okay," came the quiet response.
The varul hacked out a chuckle. "Sure I am, shrimp. And so are all the other street folk thanks to me! S'why I'm here. I got money! And it's too hot for all this fur. I'm asking your mom for a trim when she gets back. Then going to eat 'til I'm full!"
|
|
|
Post by KayKay on Jul 28, 2019 6:13:52 GMT
Watching the giant varul playing with the child killed any hesitation left in Kyra's body. She grinned broadly at the sight. "Want to join our game while we wait for mom, Marglod?"
Vesyka,her hands held behind her back sheepishly, stepped closer to the varul. "Street folk? You are not without a home?"
|
|
|
Post by Stage on Jul 28, 2019 6:49:20 GMT
"Well, I had a home back north," Marglod grumbled, lifting Gabie up and onto her shoulders.
Tiny hands reached down and rubbed the scruffy sides of the varul's face. Gabie's petite chin rested atop Marglod's head. "Bad people wanted her fur."
"Yeah," the giant laughed, switching moods in a second. She reached up and stroked the child's head in return. The paw covered her head entirely. "I got tired of sending 'em back without their backsides! So I moved came here. Not a lot of work fer' me though. I scare folks."
Hazel eyes found Vesyka, though they squinted in good humor. "Right?"
|
|
|
Post by KayKay on Jul 28, 2019 6:54:01 GMT
"We are still very anxious after last night," Vesyka apologized quietly. "I am sorry."
Kyra bounced next to Marglod, stretching up onto her tip toes to give a blue bean bag to Gabie. "Think you can get it from way up there?" she grinned up at the girl.
|
|