#baronyofthesilverwolf

Tibs money has been quite useful.. for example, art supplies delivered to Mrs Chesterton with a note that she had won a prize from an art store give away, perhaps someone entered her, perhaps it was random. As it is 'free' it should be okay. Pencils, chalks, paints, few few brushes and , some surfaces to doodle on

Gwen of course , will act as if she knnows nothing

Before heading out on his journey, he had paid her in advance for... well, it was a tidy sum! "It's worth it." He insisted. "If folk start noticing my house falling into disrepair, they'll poke noses in and think I flew the coop and let the city seize the house. You're doing ME the favor here. And I trust you to do it without me lookin' over your shoulder. You just keep Chuck Jr. in line."

A blush at that "yes sir"

And she does a good job of keeping it in order. Dusting, sweeping, and making sure utlitiies are shut off before she goes home. She even waters plants. Sometimes it's like a haven .So many interesting things here she could take out and explore. However, in true troll fashion, she does the boring thing and leaves the man's personal items alone.

It's tough, when so many things are so tempting! It's obvious that they have stories behind them... the lacquered turkish teapot - at least Tibbs had told her that story on her first visit! The feathered spear, the smoothly polished mask, the figurines that look like they may be made out of ivory, except they are either too heavy or too light... photography equipment tucked into this corner - it looks like old-school FILM stuff, not even digital! Knick-nacks, keepsakes, and mementos.

Chuck looks up from where he was carefully wiping the dust from a bookend shaped like a dog...lion... dragon? "I think that's about it for today."

"Sounds good, thanks, Chuck. You didn't have to do this" She says feeling a BIT guilty "But I'm glad for the company"

"I don't mind, honest. Mr. Hornsby has cool stuff. Dang, he's lucky though. A tropical vacation for physical therapy, AND Medicare is paying for it? I mean, not jealous, he deserves it, but it sounds a heck of a lot nicer than the spring mud and rain here."

She laughs at that, "I don't know, if you've got the right gear mud might be tolerable, but yeah, tropical sounds really nice."

"I can't really complain about being here right now, though. I've got good company." A smile over at Gwen.

A blush hits her cheeks "Nice you think so I ..sometimes I worry I'm a bit boring"

"Boring? Nah. You have a fresh perspective. And you listen to me talk about boring stuff all the time, so even if you were, it would even out. But you're not. Boring, that is." He finishes the piece, putting it back to carefully hold up the books, then shakes the dust cloth out the window - he remembers, after Gwen helped him get over a bit of privileged male ignorance on how to properly clean and tidy - before putting it away.

Gwen smiles at both the praise, annd the notion that without Marigold she wouldn't know these 'ancient female secrets of clean' either. Heck, she's tried 'cleaning' her room by chucking everything in the closet and making sure it's latched tight. Not that always gets a by.

At least her closet is less likely to have a hidden carcass in it. "How's your aunt doing? She feeling better after her fall?"

"Oh she's stubborn" A huff "She needs a hip replacemeent but she's being such a boomer about this. 'They won't get their knives into me' and 'it just needs a rest'"

"Maybe you should see if she qualifies for a tropical physical therapy get away." He jokes, but sympathetically. "That would convince ME."

She chuckles "Maybe, but somehow I doubt it would work on her. She doesn't like doing nothing as a rule"

"Did you want to hang out after this, or do you have to get back to help her out?"

"Actually I can hang out a bit" A smile . She has her duties, but she tries to do the hold work before coming here. That's yielded some advantages

"Did you have an idea of what to do with our time?"

He looks over at her and blushes red, then quickly looks away, not voicing what had first come to mind. "Uh, um." Straightening a book that was already straight on the shelf.

well, now SHe's blushingg. Damn she's glad she's a native American, that means it doesn't show right?

"Ahem.. we could go uhm.." She ponders trying to recall. "There's some zoo but I think it's mostly for younger kids?"

"You mean the discovery zoo?" He answers, happy to change the subject from awkward to anything else! "It's not too far away, but we'd probably want to drive there. I can borrow mom's car if you'd like to check it out? I don't think she needs to run any errands today. She's been mostly staying in and redecorating. Spring Cleaning, I guess. It's driving Dad batty though." Glad that he got his license in the fall.

"Yeah? So.. I know someone with a car" pleased "Who is willinng too take me places ? Well welll well.. a girl could get spoiled" A grin "If you're sure it's okay with your mom?"

"We can go ask, if you don't mind a pit stop. I'd need to stop in to get the keys anyways."

"Fine by me" She smiles and makes surre all lights are out and things are locked up as they go

He holds the door for her at the entrance, if she doesn't object.

She doesn't "Most kind"

As she goes through

He double-checks the lock and they head out, walking the couple of blocks over to the Chesterton home. The windows are open, letting the sunlight stream in, and with the weather in the low 60's, it's practically balmy. Through the window, voices can be heard as they approach.

"Close the damn windows! You think I should pay to heat the whole damn neighborhood?" An irate sounding male voice, but it is responded to calmly. "In fact, the heat is turned off. It's still warm in here without the radiators on, and the breeze is nice. A little fresh air won't hurt you." He grumbles, but falls quiet.


Chuck had paused coming up the walk and is now a bit pink in the cheeks. "You can wait out here if you want, I just need to run in... unless you wanted to come in?" Evidently a bit reluctant.

"I'll come in with you. You might need back up" She says

He hesitates, but he DID offer, so he opens the door and calls in as he walks through first. "Mom, Dad? I'm home!"

Angela is the one who comes to greet them at the door. From the living room, the sound from the TV - sounds like football - increases volume a touch. "Hello - and HELLO there. Why, if you haven't brought home a little friend?"

"Mo-om..." Chuck groans.

"No no, it's quite alright. It was... Jean, was it? We met before. No, Gwen." Angela smiles up at her. She looks brighter than the first time they met, a spring in her step - and a bit of paint smudged on her cheek. "Are you hungry? I just finished touching up some paint in the kitchen, but you're welcome for a snack if you promise not to touch the walls."

"Yes, Gwen, thank you for the offer but I'm not hungry. I hope you're all doing well"

"You know my mom?" Chuck looks a bit baffled at this, but then shrugs. "Small town, right? Mom, can I borrow your car? We wanted to go over to the discovery zoo for a bit."

Angela's eyes sparkle. "Yes, Gwen and I had a lovely chat a few weeks ago. Now. have you finished your homework?" "Yess......" Chuck replies. "AND your chores?" He shrugs a bit and offers, "...mostly?" His mother makes a bit of a show of considering. "I'll finish the yard when I get back, promise." She smiles. "Not too late, mind you. And go out the back, your father is watching the game." She hands his the keys and slips a bill into his hand as well. He just grins and pockets the twenty. "Thanks Ma." A kiss on her cheek, and he gestures for Gwen to follow him through the kitchen.

"thank you" Gwen says and she follows

As they move through (not touching the walls!) the reason for the open windows comes clear - the smell of fresh paint, and the cause obvious. The walls have been recently touched up in a brilliant blue hue, and painted - prettily colorful, if inexpertly done - with an abstract plant design.

Angela calls after them, "What do you think? I figured it couldn't hurt to play around, I mean, you can always cover up paint, right?"

"I love it!" She says and means it actually

"It's real pretty, Mom." Chuck adds. Angela gives a bright smile to both of them, before ushering them out the back door. "Now go, enjoy this weather."

There are two cars in the driveway... a sensible SUV in classic silver-grey, and... a bright red muscle car, the name on the back proclaiming it as a 'Dodge Hellcat'. Chuck hovers near that one for a moment, enviously... before unlocking the sedan. "THAT one is Dad's car. And no... he doesn't let me drive it." A sigh.

"Wow. okay your dad has good taste in cars... but that's okay.. the SUV has head and leg room right?" She is a tall girl.

He chuckles a bit. "I think it's his midlife crisis-mobile... but that doesn't make the car any less cool. I just think I'd look better driving it." One last envious glance at the Hellcat, and he scoots the passenger seat back, it IS comfortably roomy.

"Let me save you the trouble, Chuck, you would. You totally would" A smile "But your'e also smart enough not to risk it" She pats his shoulder, then they get in "Okay this IS nice" At the SUV and she looks around "Thanks for this by the way. I've been wanting to visit this place" sheepish "I like animals"

"We used to go when I was a kid, and a couple years ago in school. I remember petting the goats and thinking that the emus were REALLY cool. Like, Jurassic park birds. Never saw the wolves, though. They say that there's a pair there, but they have a big enclosure and never came around when I was looking. They have some otters too, lots of small animals." He tells Gwen as they drive onto the highway towards the zoo, situated somewhere partway between Carthage and Rome.

"Did you know Emus won against the Australian army?" She grins

Chuck gives her a sidelong glance before looking back at the road. "Is that a joke?" He grins.

"Nope.. but I'm ovesimplyfying it" she says "I don't remember the exact dates.. but see emus were getting into the farms" And she relates the story of how many bullets were wasted, how the Emus often outran the vehicles and more

He laughs. "I'll have to remember that the next time they tell us to write a history paper." He pulls onto the drive leading up to the zoo, and slows as he reads a sign. "Oh, that's good. I was worried they would be closed... but it looks like they have limited capacity right now. I'm glad, I didn't want to waste your time driving out here for nothing..." As he parks.

"I have my mask " She pulls it out of her pocket and tries not to blsuh. She should have worn it with him but well

"Right!" He pulls his out as well. "I keep forgetting. The news dad watches says not to bother, but some of the other stuff I'm reading.. well, no one agrees. Can I buy your ticket? Mom gave me some spending cash."

"Okay but I pay five bucks for the gas it took to get here. Deal?"