#bergen_county

"I bet she was upset, your mom," Sylvi nods.

"Something has happened, and it might even be a good thing except, it's foundation is a lie and I can't see how that will build anything good in the long run" A frown "Or maybe I'm just a willful daughter looking for a way to jinx things subconciously"

"And yeah, mom was worse than upset.. she was hurt. They talked after..which is good, but .." A sigh

"But it sucks."

"I think...maybe...is this about...y'know, Adam?" Sylvi says hesitantly.

Huff.

"I don't think it is... Zane as much confessed to having it out with dad" Siv says 'THough dad did say it wasn't just anyone thing... but .. I.. damn saying too much"

"Zane? Well, Zane's doing magic stuff now..."

Sylvi sighs. "Zane also pops off too quick sometimes...but then again, satyr. No offense to Piper, Siv."

"Part of me is saying, we should talk to the Mountain about this...but Uncle Frank can be stubborn when he gets an idea in his head."

"Yeah, well, I've already said too much "Siv says again "And Piper's steadier than some but yes she has her moments"

"I refuse to believe dad would be upset with Symon if Symon didn't tell him everything. Symon's a sluagh, he doesn't even tell Dagmar everything and he trusts her more than anyone else"

"Well, Symon has to have secrets. But he wouldn't keep a bad secret."

"Depends on how you define bad secret," Sylvi points out. "Look...can you tell us if this is about your dad as Mountain or about your dad as, y'know, Uncle Frank?"

"He asked me not to...he 'prefer this conversation and my reasons remain between the four of us'"

"You, your dad, the Chieftain, and...?"

"Oh, Jessica. I was so upset I wasn't even really into the hug good bye."

Sylvi blinks. "Huh."

"Did she just happen to be there?"

"Mom, Dad, Sis and I were the four.. no we got called in as kind of announcement... a pre announcement. Only mom didn't know the details when she thought she did and it turned what she thought was supposed to be a happy situation into a cluster fuck of apologizing for not telling everything.. .and then not telling everything.. AGAIN"

Her eyes darken "I love my dad, but god I wanted to bounce a rock off his head for a moment there" True

"Yeesh. Yeahhh...I think that's how my dad feels, sometimes," she admits.

Brow furrow.

"Well..." A deep breath. "Okay...whether it's about Uncle Frank or the Mountain, we know that he gets stubborn about stuff, and it sounds like he's getting stubborn about not telling everything about whatever this is. So...trying to force him to tell stuff is just going to be more frustrating for everybody involved, probably."

"Well I know the truth now... dad is...constructing a case against himself under faulty assumptions" A frown

"He'll he's passed sentence" She adds "No big. Life goes on"

"Well, what I mean is, I don't think I've ever really seen him change his mind just because somebody tells him he's wrong or mistaken. Like..." she pauses "...like, when Jessica left? I wasn't supposed to hear, but I was a little kid, so of course I snuck around and eavesdropped. He blamed himself for it, bad. And your mom would tell him it wasn't entirely his doing, but he wouldn't agree."

"Takes responsibility for everything."

"So, like, he's been doing that for a LONG time. Maybe...maybe that's just how he is, Siv?"

"Oh my god... So help me if part this whole stupid 'ive failed wilders' bulltshit is based on sis and I ...... I may challenge him to a duel for his own honor"

"My mistakes are MINE, I'm very possessive of them, and he has no right to diminish me just because he has a marytr complex"

"No, don't do that...I mean...maybe it's just something that you've got to let him do? Like, you know he's got it wrong, but it makes him feel...better?...to claim the responsibility?"

She sighs. "I don't know. I say it, and it doesn't really make sense."

"You're both right. He takes responslibty for everything... so maybe it's good soon he won't be able to"

Siv is clearly not happy about this admission

Frown.

Sylvi blinks and looks at Dagmar.

"Is... is he quitting?"

"He's not sick, right? Or...fading?"

"He's not sick, or fading" Siv assures them.

And that's..true

but it doesn't take a genius to realize she didn't answer DAGMAR's question

"But he's... it..." Frown.

Sylvi catches that, yes. She's quiet, thinking as she looks out over the water.

"He's still going to be at Rivervale, cept when he goes on trips for his job or visits Jessica etc." Siv continues, still not answering Dagmar's question..directly, "Heck, Gerd is going on road trip with him. And that's good" True

"And the Chieftain's mad at him?"

Dagmar is now chewing on her cuticles.

"But we need a Mountain. And Chief relies on him."

"My mother loves him greatly, she is upset she did not get the whole of story, but now she has it. She will forgive him, if she hasn't already, because as much as she might be angry, the love is stronger, and more than that, he is hurting, even if he wouldn't call it such, and even if it is hurt caused by lies he accepts as truth. It will be okay" She puts a hand on Dagmar's wrist "It'll have some troubles but it'll be well"

Trying to be supportive cousin. Siv can tell this is distressing Dags