#bergen_county

Anger, perhaps, hiding his own shame at being a guilty party to that himself.

Dirk seems stunned that the sluagh 'yelled' at him, and for a moment his eyes narrow as he prepares to establish a hierarchy in a primal style, then... they grow less hard, because god forbid they 'soften' "Yeah... she.. she does that too much. Seelie are stupid."

He nods to that. "Hey, do you think making you could check with the Hearth about whether she might be able to help? She... uh. I don't think she likes me. They don't trust me there, like they trust you."

"Phff" he snorts

"I'll go, sure, but your'e so stupid, they trust you a lot more than me. I'm always getting told stuff not because they like me... but because they worry I'll piss all over their code of Doodoo or whatever it is. 'Don't eat the wingeed wolf cubs, Dirk' 'Don't pick fights with prissy elf bloods, dirk' 'dirk, we don't stick sharp objects into the eyes of obnoxious people who give you crap' blah blah. "

"They trust you to be peacekeeper - that's an actual role at the lodge. And when you're around town, people KNOW you're working for them. That's respect - they're willing to let you enforce their rules, which means you're acting with RV authority. They trust you not to fuck that up. Me? They tolerate me, but I still feel them watching me, wondering if... when.. I might turn on them, betray the hold, or just trick their precious kids into running off on dangerous missions to get them killed."

"Sooner or later they gotta realize that the girls are wilders and strong enough and smart enough to make their own decisions, and nothing I say is pushing them either way. They're not DUMB or little kids."

Apparently a sore spot that Symon has been festering on inwardly.

"Fear respect... same thing really if you're a cap. " A shrug "And yeah, trolls is terribad parents, always looking after their kids, worrying about them, loving them...and being theree at events. I mean ,what kind of warped shit is that?"

"And you've got the chief wrong... I know you're smart and all.. but she... she trusts you more than you think" Dirk says with a shrug

“I didn’t say they were Bad parents. Just... it’s that protective thing. They don’t seem to know when to step back and let them protect themselves.” He shrugs at what Dirk says about the chief, but looks thoughtful.

"Yeah well.. " A shrug "I don't think they got the choice anymore" Dirk says "Not outside the lodge."

"And I think they're seeing it"

He peeks through the door to check on Ann Marie before responding. "Well, I think she'll be okay. Dad will know if she needs, I don't know, antibiotics or anything, but maybe it's just time? "

The coughing is less but still persistent

"Yeah. The Doc will know what to do" Dirk says Then "You were good to catch this. Not useless at all"

"You still want me to go get the hearth?" he says "or just text her or?'"

He looks thoughtful. "I can give her a call. I'll wait a bit to see if Ann Marie wakes up first. Oh, I'd better call her office too. And you should keep an eye out, Dad gave me the OK to skip, but he'd be pissed if you did too, just because you didn't ask first." And he steps aside to call the office and tell them in a no-nonsense matter that Ann Marie is very ill and will be out for the remainder of the week. And if they have any cases that need handling, one of the others whose work she has been picking up on can take up the slack. Politely, of course.

"Crap" A scowl "I didn't think about that" Dirk doesn't think about a lot

"If you head in now, maybe you can convince them you were in the back. If not, if they say that you were out... I'll tell Dad I asked you to go to the store for more medicine or something."

"This sucks" He snorts but complies "I'll get taht there's a flu stuff"

"There's a..." Recognition. "Yeah, Theraflu. And I'll ask the Hearth if a cantrip can work on this. It'd better, the way that she practically keeps this barony running."

"Theraflu" A grunt, and Dirk rises and heads out.

It may occur to the sluagh that he has no idea how much money Dirk has with him. It may occur to him that Dirk will get the meds- one way or another. With or without cash.

He thinks about this, but... if he gave Dirk cash for the medicine, he'd probably pocket it anyways just as a matter of principal. Settling back, he waits for Dad to show up, tapping idly at his phone, trying to decide whether to contact the Hearth. Peeking in at Ann Marie to check how she's doing from time to time.

She sweating.,.. feverish... but sleeping, even if she tosses in it

He dampens a cool cloth for her forehead, and settles in to wait.

His father comes in earlier than he said. "Symon? " A voice at the front door

He slips out of the room, carrying the empty tea cup and cloths, and closes the door. "Appa - she's sleeping okay. I texted Dirk - he said he'd get some Theraflu over lunch if we need it."

"Mmm good boys" A nod "I will take over from here, Symon. You have been washing your hands? Covering your mouth with a cloth perhaps?" He brought masks

"Yeah- Yes sir. With the antibacterial soap. And I thought, I'll check in with her friend, Mrs. Davidson? She's on the PTA with Ann Marie, and maybe she can help cover for anything important she has coming up."

"Her daughter Sylvi is in my calc study group."

"mmm yes, odd folk your friends but they give to the community, and Kerri was kind enough to teach her that recipe for those little cakes and is a good friend to your mother. A good idea, adeul"

He ducks his head a bit under the rare praise. "I'll get in touch. Is there anything else I can do here, or should I head to class? I can still get to chemistry and english if I leave now."

"Go to class, Symon. Your mother will fuss about it if you don't...I will take it from here."

He pauses a moment, but doesn't correct his dad when he called Ann Marie his mother - perhaps just not wanting to have that same argument again when the poor woman is sick in the next room over. Yeah, that's probably it. And, heads out to make it to school in time for Chemistry.

Indeed, his father is a rock, as stable as ever, but that slip shows..well, even mountains can shift.

And when Symon leaves, Doctor Lee moves to his wife.

She coughs again....

and the best surgeon in Bergen County, perhaps in New Jersey, attends to the most important task possible. He begins to make her a bowl of soup.

(end Scene)

The Butterfly is beautiful, chimerical, with wings like cloudy mirrors catching the light. It hovers near the edge of Piper's vision. She is here, in Bergen, but the butterfly stays with her.

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*bzzt* Sam?

bzzt Sup?

*bzzt* You busy tonight?

bzzt DOn't think so

*bzzt* Want to catch that movie?

bzzt Sure!

("Dad! I'm going to a movie with Adam!")