#bergen_county

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After dinner, Piper gives Adam a call. Rrrrrrrrrring.......

Adam, perhaps startled by the actual Voice Call, answers it with a smile. "Hey sexy."

"Heeee-eeeeey. I'm SO sick of screens, y'know? Ugh. I swear I'm gonna wear out my fiddlin' fingers by typing." A fabric-flop sound as she flomfs down onto her bed, perching her elbows on a pillow. "What're you up to?"

"Nada." A bored sigh. "Tryin' to keep the 'rents from freakin' out on me. You heard about what happened?"

It should be noted his parents haven't bothered really getting onto him sense. In fact, they've been border line neglectful of him

"I didn't, what's up?"

Adam sighs and tells her the tequila story, including the parts he didn't tell his family.

".... so they were all 'Oh, you're not allowed back at the big scary apartment building.' and now they, like, don't even talk to me or anything. Suits me." Grumpy.

"Oh, damn. That's rought. I got busted earlier today over a little weed. Auntie M was surprisingly cool about it though." A sigh. "It helps that I can't really get any more for a while, I bet."

"UGH. Sorry. How'd she find it?"

"I gave it to a dreamer who was jonesing for a harder fix. Hoping to help wean him off..."

"Aw, that's really nice of you." Admiring.

"Someone at the Lodge helped us out, though. We crashed there and there were some water glasses out in the morning so I guess we drank water, which had to help."

"Yeah, if you're not a drinker, Tequila is a good way to start with regrets." She laughs, "I had a tequila adventure, and let me tell you, it was not pretty..."

"Yeah?" she can hear his bright, warm smile. "Tell me."

"Oh, you see, there was this party after a gig, and me and Rand... he was the leader of my trag', we were passing the bottle of tequila back and forth. And here I thought that we were passing off shots, but HE was just passing it back as I got more and more wasted... let me tell you, eight-ish shots and killin' the bottle is A LOT for a sixteen year old lightweight... I couldn't even stay in bed that night, see, Rand had a water bed, and it roooolled and roolllled.... ended up curling up under a desk until morning." She laughs as she relates the story.

Adam laughs too.

"Oh man... oh...." Laughing. "I woke up on the Lodge couch with Zane....."

"Oh, OH MY. Did he at least buy you breakfast?"

Adam laughs again.

"We woke up, the party was already going so....."

Adam sighs. "Hey, miss you. Think we could sneak a get-together?"

She giggles. "Sorry I missed that, I was caught up in playing games with the wee ones. Oh, yeah! That's why I called. I made some essential oils... now don't say anything, I'm not THAT much of a hippie... but they're scented for massage or bath oils. Do you want to come by and pick one out? And later I was hoping maybe you'd escort me to check up on my dreamer. He's kinda in a sketchy sitch, so Auntie M didn't want me to go alone..."

"Yeah!" Delighted. "Yeah, sounds great. Now?"

"Sure!"

"On the way!" Adam leaps up and grabs his stuff. "Should I invite Nab?"

"Um, she's welcome if you want, but this is more of a music visit, not sure if that's her jam? But you can assume she's always welcome, honestly."

"Ok, let me ask. Hang on. Nab?"

"Music? I like, but not my jam so much" Nab says "it's good."

"Ok." He kisses his fingertip, touches her cheek, and bounds out of the room and downstairs, and out the door.

Nab waves

Piper clips downstairs. "Auntie M? What should I take over to Hux? Adam is coming by. I'm not sure where to draw the line on helpful, vs. seeming patronizing..." Her brow crinkles a bit.

"Oh dear.... for you? Admit hyour concern. tell Huxley that you don't mean to be patronizing.. or ohope your aunt isn't being patronizing... whatever works . A touch of honesty with diplomacy?"

"And I made a bag of trail mix and a sandwich" She says "Throw in an apple?"

A smile. "Thanks! Adam is stopping by, and we'll head over together before it gets too dark."

"Sounds smart. You want some food for you and him too?"

"Sure. Being hungry is one thing, but having someone to eat with feeds the soul. "

Marsha isn't the greatest cook, but she's good, and she knows a few vegan dishes that work .and prepares one quickly

(Luckily, butter and cheese are on the OK list! She's not COMPLETELY a heathen.)

And shortly, Adam arrives and knocks.

"Let him in" She says

Piper's already at the door, admitting the kinain. "Hey!" A smooch.

"Hey......" A longer smooch.

A few more long moments spent letting the nice warm air out in the doorway.

"In or out, but close the door please" Her aunt sing songs

A giggle and she pulls Adam in, closing the door behind him. "Come on up to my room, quick." She races up, leaving him to follow.

He sprints after her!

Within, she proudly gestures at her desk! Atop it is... not homework, of course not. But, a number of small travel-size bottles, each filled with oil and labeled. Oh, the labels are peeling off. Turns out sticky paper and oil don't mix. "Son of a..." A small frown, but she waves it aside. "here, smell these and pick one you like!"

Something piney, juniper maybe? Vanilla, lavender, sage, almond, mint... oregano?! ... a lot of kitchen scents, working with what she had on hand.

He laughs. "This one smells like pizza....."