#bergen_county

"Yeah."

"So who is the Cory guy?"

"Oh talk about BALLER... okay, you know about the Salem Wich trials... well, imagine that if you say you're not guilty you lose, and if you say you are guilty, you lose.. his land was to be seized so... he refused to plead either way ..drove em nuts... and their 'test' was laying stones on you..." She relates the tale, and the defiance, and the cry of 'MORE WEIGHT' by the end of it. SHe didn't know of him herself until recently, but it is clear it's caught her imagination

"That is kind of badass."

"I know, " She says "It's like spit in their eye and go down so there's no doubt at the end they were murderous jerks"

"Anyway, Tove carved him up nicely"

"I bet she did."

"I know you've got mixed feelings about being a big sister but .. if you don't mind me asking, however you feel about that, do you hope it's a boy or a girl? I ask because your dad doeesn't seem to know how it works"

"'I've decided on a boy' brow knit grunt"

"I dunno. Really."

"What's having a sister like?"

"Well, I'm the younger sister... and I didn't see her for most of my life. Of course, she didn't know I existed for awhile so...ours isn't typical? But for me, it's like having this really cool awesome lady who unfortunately seems to think she can tell me what to do, except when I WANT advice, then she gets all put upon" a smile "It's a mess, but I love her, you know? I...wish I were more like her sometimes. But I know she's got my back if I need it, and I've got hers. It's...like trees, we're both competing for some of the same light, but if someone came at the other with an axe, we'd drop a limb down on em for trying to hurt her"

"Does that make any sense?"

"..Sort of?"

"Of course, we also have distance, which I thought she was glad of, but she's invited me to visit some more so I guess i'm not a complete pain in the ass." She looks Dagmar over, "I think you could be really cool older sister. And honestly, I do pity anyone who tries to hurt that little boy or girl and you see it. You've got a lot of love in you, and I suspect you'd be fierce because of that."

"Hmph. Ask Gerd about that one."

"Gerd came on too strong. This is going to be a baby, helpless and innocent and you'll know him or her better than he or she knows you. That child will grow on you..." A smile "Like Kudzu"

"Well, I ain't gonna hurt no baby." Defensive.

"Of course not, that's not what I'm talking about. I'm talking about how you wouldn't LET That baby be hurt either. Even as they grow and annoy you a bit, you're also going to realize you want her or him to have a much happier childhood than you did. You heard of mama bears and papa wolves? Well, you're gonna be a sister badger"

Grin. (Badger.)

Grin back. She might actually get it

"I mean, maybe a girl would be cool."

"Sadly, your dad has said it will be a he" A tsik "And you know, that's him putting his foot down"

"Hmph."

"if that was stoic for 'oh sure, because he says so' then I might be learning to translate" a smile

"Mm." A nod of approval.

"Well, great, by the time I'm a grump I might not be illiterate" sad chuckle

She laughs. "C'mon, let's get to the Lodge."

And off they go

A chimerical stork waits, vulture like. It is not time. Not. yet.

(End scene)