#elsewhere

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When Trina arrives in Watertown, Misty, Frankie's Fae Mountain D- Er, his beloved giant mutt puppy, woofs a welcome, though she's kept in the back yard. She can soon see why, when Frankie waves over the fence, sodden and dripping.

"Miss Flo got a little pool and put out the sprinkler TOO! Misty barely fits, but I can splash in it!" Yes, the dog is VERY wet. But both she and her Boy are very happy, having found a way to beat the heat.

Flo waves to them as well, she is watching her own toddler son, Rian, from the shaded patio. At three years old, the boy looks to be a heartbreaker when he grows up, with fine, delicate features and silky hair. ...If he wasn't smudged all over with red and blue popsicle dye it might have better effect.

The somber atmosphere of the hold hasn't reached this house - for now at least, it is a place of joy.

Thistle-Trina brightens a bit. "That's great, Frankie!"

"Thank you, Flo, for helping."

"Of course. Frankie, you must either be ready to change into real clothes if you want to go inside. Otherwise, dry off in the sun."

Flo came over and says in an apologetic tone, "I hope your neighbors aren't the judgey sort, and that it's okay that I brought the little pool, they're only a few dollars. I couldn't find his swim trunks, so I told him he could swim in his PJ boxers. They're practically the same... and once he saw the pool he got so excited I couldn't say no..."

Has Frankie ever gone swimming with them? Not that Trina can recall.

Either way, he's having a blast now.

"He's having fun, so we're good."

A truck pulls up into the drive way

"Okay. Don't worry, I made sure he had sunscreen." She turns to watch over Frankie once more, who is now chasing Misty with the hose. Until the dog grabs the hose, and starts chasing HIM... then the joyous shrieking starts once more.

Foosteps and "Hello?"

Flo waves to Gwen, but it looks like Trina may have disappeared inside already.

She sniffs, "Are those from Marigold? Bless you, Gwen!" In an undertone, "I think this boy has been run on processed cheese and sugar for a week straight. I don't know how Trina handled it!" Cheerful, though.

"Oh lord, " Gwen says bringing the stuff in "Sorry, Flo. Let's see if we can balance him out. This is the fancy stufff for Greg and Janice when they return"

"Wipe your feet, these folk have fancy carpets." She advises, her inner maid showing.

She wipes them, good idea. She's a hard working girl and the kennels aren't exactly squeaky clean then she comes in "Honestly Flo, they're going to wish they had you hard as you work"

Gertrude is parked and put away, and then a curse from the garage. "(&&^&(, I forgot the FOOD!"

A chuckle "Foolish Trina, my mother knows before we do" Whether thistle can hear her or not isn't the point.

"Annnd... that's Gwen's truck. And that's Gwen."

"Hi Gladiola."

A moof as Muppet jumps out of the back of the truck.

"And here" She gestures "is the food and..." A blink "A Muppet"

The Glennies don't often bark, but they can make themselves known.

He pads over to Trina and takes his rightful place by her feet.

Wag wag wag.

"Muppet!" Ear-rumple.

She clears her throat. Belatedly trying to look nonchalant.

"Darn fae hounds, too smart"

"Stubborn. Terriers are stubborn."

Tail wag. The house awaits.

"I'm supposed to chastise him for this sort of thing" A snort "Probably wouldn't help. Too much nocker in him now. Made him stubborn"

Muppet pauses to wipe his paws at the mat.

"Hmph."

The food smells good. Rich, comforting - and rather similar to Janice's kitchen. Definitely some of the same spices.

"Oh, that smells like Janice's stuff. (*&%^, Marigold is amazing..."

"Yes she is" A proud look

"Marigold food should help. I've been making sure Frankie is fed all week, sure, but..."

Inside, Gwen can vaguely remember the layout from an earlier visit. That door with the stickers is clearly Frankie's, down the hall is the master bedroom, there's Dad's office, and Janice's room - not really an office, after all, she doesn't have work to bring home like Dad does...

A surprise to Gwen might be that the door she thought was Trina's room now leads into a colorful wonderland of toadstools, rainbows, and more...

"Oh" Gwen gets it as she gets a peek in the room "that's..oh" A sad look

Thistle grimaces.

"Yeah, well, I had all this time to get it ready."

Citrine and a few other Nevers zip inside, bouncing from toadstool to toadstool in some kind of game.

"It's beautiful, and I hope she sees it soon"

"Probably better she doesn't see it." The nocker frowns and pulls the door shut. "She thinks the baby's dead."

A sigh, and she opens the door a crack so the Nevers can escape.

"Damn. Lavender said whoever did this was powerful"

"Chicanery, I guess? It's not an Art I know yet."

"Haven't seen it in action much, either. Listen, we don't have that much time. I want to look in Janice's office... see if there's any clues?"