#bergen_county

Txt: its an online version but I’d print it to do so

Texting, he answers Nab, "Well, I can make cash, good cash, driving the Heart of Knight gig, as well as dross. And it's time spent there I could do something else with. And, you know, the business isn't there right now.

Txt: I'm down!

Txt: brb, composing a new song. It’s called Fuck you Mr. Darcy and eff those girls too

Txt: omw

"She's fun" Nab says "I'll distract your parents so you can enjoy private time"

Txt: Bring jammies if you like.

"Don't feel like you -have- to leave if you don't want to." Nab gets his big green eyes.

Txt: sleepover!! 😮 what does Brenda think??

A smirk "Easy, Tiger"

Txt: She's not invited!

"I'm just saying, Nab, this is your room too and like you said, the dreams out there aren't good for you." Shrug.

Eventually there’s a knock on the front door. Piper has a school bag over her shoulder.

Adam's been waiting for it, and he thunders down to get it.

"It's okay.. I'm fighting the good fight" Nab says

Brenda is coming in the hallway when... her son charges ahead of her "Who's at the door?"

"Piper!" In answer as he flings the door open. "Hey!"

“Hey yourself!” She grins at Adam, and sees Brenda as well- “Mrs. Thomas, afternoon! I was getting the stir crazy something awful.”

"Piper? Oh, well, come in, I'll get your surgical mask"

Too late.... Adam sweeps the girl into a kiss.

A raised eyebrow, and glance to Adam to see if she’s being played... and she’s being kissed! “Mmmmrrrrph!” A sound? Not quite of disapproval

"Oh well, I tried to protect her. Now she's got son germs.." A shake of her head

“Oh no, surely I will perish.” A grin. “Worth it.”

"We're fine....."

"So worth it." Adam agrees.

She reshoulders her bag. “I brought my school shit but they haven’t actually given us any work worth doing yet.”

"Right? Come up, or you want to watch TV down here, or....?"

“Did you know there’s an APP for dissecting things?” Her nose wrinkles up. “I wonder if I can still claim moral exemption. I don’t want to slice up FAKE frogs or pigs either.” stepping inside.

“I hadn’t thought that far ahead.” She admits. “Just had to get away for a bit, Lydia was on the recorder and Zane pacing the halls, and yes it’s important to encourage the young, but....

"Come on, let me take your bag at least. We can stick it upstairs."

"That bad eh?" Brenda looks amused

“The recorder is a plague on humanity.” Then she turns pink and covers her mouth. “Shit. I mean, shoot. Can’t say that now.”

She lets Adam take her bag, and nods to Brenda. “You’re lucky your youngun doesn’t like noisy things.”

"I guess so" She says with some amusement

"Do you two want snacks and drinks?"

“I’d not say no to some juice.”

"Apple, Grape or orange?" She asks

“Apple is good!”

"Adam, your preference?" Brenda says "I s tocked up on lots of juice. others only went after toilet paper, the fools... the foolish fools"

“people are saying that Bidets are the way of the future, but they’re weeeiiiird to me.”

"Uh, yeah, thanks mom. Apple is good."

"Oh I love ours, but it's in the master bathroom" And sounds in the kitchen.

She is looking thoughtful. “Would you want to swing by the lodge? Tove’s place to be specific. Just had a thought. But I can shelve it for later.”

Adam nods. "If you want, sure."

“Or we can hang out here. It feels great just being out of the same walls for a bit...”

"No reason we can't hang out and then go over." reasonably.

“How’s the poetry going, Mrs. T?”

In the kitchen Brenda's stahdow stretches out while Piper asks, but only PIper sees it "Not bad. I mean, I'm not taking the world by storm, but I am getting published in smaller publshing houses and that's something. I was looking into teaching but right now, not quite open"

“Why’s that?”