#elsewhere

"Was anyone hurt?" August asks with genuine concern.

"Oh, I hope not," Chloe adds.

"Looking pretty toned, Chloe girl. All that horse riding huh?"

A blink. "Chelsea...was somebody hurt in the yacht accident?" More serious.

August sits back and takes a drink from his glass.

"Yeah... mom annd dad had to pay for the hospital bills for some islander guy fishinng... but he's getting great care"

She stares for a moment. "How long has he been in the hospital?"

"I really do't remember" She shrugs

Therre's no willful cruelty, just a dismissivenness

He takes a snack and samples it.

Chloe looks at August a moment, noting his careful neutrality, then back to Chelsea. "You know, Chelsea, I think that's a pretty crappy attitude. I mean, I get wanting to party. I've crashed a thing or two when things got wild. And...maybe once I would have just shrugged off the people I hurt. But not anymore. It's not a good look on you," she finishes.

With his free hand he gently puts fingertips on the back of Chloe's hand, just for contact.

"Look, i apologized to mom and dad"

"And to the fisherman?" quietly, gently.

She inhales slightly as August touches her, and listens.

"Oh the lawyer wrote up the legal apology, that's what they're paid for right? Keep you out of trouble when you have ann oopsie?"

Chloe frowns, and she just looks at Chelsea for a long moment.

"Not entirely." softly.

"Hey, I'm gonnna find that pool. You two want to join me?"

"No, Chelsea..." Chloe begins slowly. "I'm going to have to change my mind. You can't stay."

August looks at Chloe with a faint frown.

Chloe fields the look. "She can't, August. We've got a baby in the house."

"And she is family, also." he points out.

"EXCUSE me?" Chelsea gasps

"She's family who won't care if she hurts somebody."

She looks back to Chelsea. "I can't risk you being stupid and reckless around the baby, because you just don't care."

"I'll make sure you get a nice, long weekend at the Plaza," naming a luxury hotel nearby.

"After that, it's up to my parents...and the baby an her family will have gone home."

"Isn't that your mama friend's problem? She's he one who didn't use proection"

August sighs.

At that Chloe is on her feet. "Out. Now."

And he slowly stands as well.

She points toward the front door.

"I am glad we met, Chelsea."

If looks could kill is absolutely apropos here.

"FINE FINE.. I'll take the hotel Geez"

"Just.. pay for the plaza for me and I'm gonne, but you knnonw Chloe, you're a bit high handed for a girl who wen through two horses"

"Fine." Chloe goes inside to inform the staff of the change and ask them to set things up with the Plaza.

Or at least, she's about to when that comment stops her in her tracks. "Two?"

"Yeah... I mean, it was a while ago, but that white mare?"

She stares for a moment. Then she turns on her heel and goes inside to talk to the staff, leaving August with Chelsea.

.... who is just steadily watching Chelsea with those grey eyes.

"Uhm... " She calls out after "For the room, could you get it near their pool?!?"

"If it comes to a point where you would like a volunteer position to build your resume, please be in touch." he says entirely without judgement "I'd be happy to recommend some places."

If Chloe heard that, she doesn't indicate.

Chelsea blinnnks at August like he was speaking Swhali

But she does say to the staff that she finds, "Get her a nice room, but not Presidential-suite nice."

The staff moves to it

Then she grabs a knife from the kitchen. A big one.

And marches out the front door.