#anywhere

It clicks, of course, "I knew her mind would be blown, but 'harm'?" He frowns, "Siv's a great kid. Don't tell me she was rude to her older sis?"

"Of course not."

"Well, Jessica is a level headed girl and a great role model. She rolls with more pooka than... I figured she'd be thrilled. What happened?"

Frank considers for a moment. "Well. She didn't have a father till she was six. She once described me as Santa Claus; presents arrived from me, but I was never there. Her mother was justifiably angry at me pretty much for all of Jessica's life; that came through, of course. Gina got remarried when Jess was six, and he's a decent guy, but both Gina and he are mortal. Jess and I got to know each other pretty well over the three years she lived here before she left to work with the Peace Corps. She knows I love her, and I know she loves me, and that's good."

"But she didn't grow up with a Fae mom and dad from the moment of birth, in the Dreaming. Brekke adopted her by Oath, and there's no question there... but it's not the same, is it?"

"I'm just saying, Vali, if I could have contacted her first... I would have done things differently."

"ah," he ponders "I think, it might have happened anyway, if I'm undertanding what your'e saying. Sometimes, even pleasant surprises go wrong, and sometimes, plotting everything out goes awry anyway. That said... i guess I was so giddy at being able to spring a little joy on her that perhaps I did jump the gun. I asked if she was ready to meet family, sent her a piture of her new sister. I didn't name that she was her sister, but I tried to give her clues so she could go 'oh, that's what he meant'" A frown, "Frank, I didn't mean to rob you or brekke of the joy of the introduction, and if I have taken from you or her, than I am sorry. I take it Jessica is feeling some envy? "

"Vali..." He pushes off the rail with a nod. "... if you want to know what Jessica's feeling, ask her. Apology accepted. As I said, I know you didn't mean anything malicious. If I thought that for an instant, we'd be inside the ring, not outside it."

"And that would be fair," he agrees, "Frank. Where is Jessica now? "

"In her room, last time I looked."

"Still here then? Good. Frank. Unless there's something else you want to say to me, I'd like to go talk to Jessica now. If she'll talk to me. "

Frank nods.

He nods and heads on up to knock on Jesssica's door

Frank heads back in to the Chatz....Lodge.

"Who is it?" from behind the closed bedroom door.

"Apparently the man with the bushy black oily mustache. Open up?"

"I'll be out in a bit, Vali."

"I wanted to talk to you, in private. please?"

A long pause. "In my -room-?"

"I'm a gentleman but if you prefer, you can meet me near the sparing ring like your dad did?"

Jessica opens the door. She wears her hair differently than she did at Rivervale; not a single braid echoing Brekke's, but a crown of braids around her head and down her back. She's dark blue/tan, and wearing something better suited to warmer climes when indoors. She also has a leather motorcycle jacket on. "He did what?"

"He explained to me his daughter was upset, and he wished he had time to let you know in his own way about Siv. See, I wanted it to be a surprise, but thought it would be a pleasant one. it apparently was not?'

She glances past him down to the main hall of the Lodge. "She... she seems like a great kid."

"And she thinks you're amazing. She heard from her folks, then from meabout you. What you've done.. And..yeah, jokes aside, it's pretty shiny," A breath, "Jessica, it's okay to wish you had the same opportunity she had. It's okay to wish a loved one was in your life more."

"It is? Ok. Thanks, Vali."

"Hold it," he says "Not done."

She waits.

A deep breath, How did that go? "Just because one had the pleasure of holding one diamond in their hands longer than one had the pleasure of holding the other diamond, doesn't make either diamond worth less nor worthless. A heart full of love is a greedy hoarder and will always have room for more daughters and sons"

She waits, stoic.

"Geez, you're so much like your mom when you have that face" he says "Okay, at the risk of explaining what you may already know... The Chieftain is your mother, and loves you just as much as she does Siv. And your dad? He's bonkers for you both. And they wish they had more time with you too."

"I know." Stonefaced.

"Ok. Is anything I'm saying helping at all? it should at least sound profound, I'm stealing from my grandpa right and left"

"You're doing him a disservice, then. I'd quit while I was behind."

He bumps his head against the wall lightly "Okay. ARE you in fact, envious of your sister?"

"None of your damn business." She rejoins calmly.

"Wrong." He says "You're my family too, Jessica, and if I've done something that has lead to harm to you, then yes, it is my business. If you're hurting. I get to but in. You can rebuff, yo ucan deny, but it is my business. Just like if I was harmed you would have a right to inquire too...and a right to set it right."

She frowns, with a head tilt. "You might be half-right, for old time's sake. But no one runs my life but me." There's steel in this woman now, as if the hot Mexican sun has tempered her.

"THAT is true. " He doesn't argue for a second, "And I never said I did. I'm not trying to run your life. I'm just trying to help. Inexpertly, foolishly perhaps, but that's all. 'For Old Time's sake'? Old time? this isn't a 20 year reunion at some high school. This is a family not of blood. And the Chieftain is worried she's blown it, your sister feels like shit, and your dad blames me. And maybe, maybe that last is right, maybe it's not, but I'd sure like a clue on whether YOU think I owe you an apology. Or where you are. You don't HAVE to do anything, but don't don't treat any of us like strangers."

"Great." She mutters. "Can't take 10 minutes to..." She breaks off. "No, Vali, no apology owed. Not you to me, anyway. Excuse me. I have to go apologize to the rest of my family." She steps out of the room and heads downstairs.

A sigh "Hey, Jessica, your call, yes but please, I'm asking you to stay the night. Get to know Siv. She's... freaking out a bit. Hiding it well. But...if you leave, no matter the apology, she may think it's her fault."

"And she could use a bigger sister"

If she hears Vali, she doesn't respond.

He sighs, then mutters "I also can't detect her with my sooth say or prophecy and she scares the hell out of me. a little" but that's a whisper only a slaugh could hear

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