#fenixtj

***************

An hour or so later, somebody informs Jessica that Hearth Kerri is on the phone, returning her call.

Phobos yells "HEARTH KERRI ON THE PHONE!!!"

"Jeeze, Phobos...." Jess comes quickly to answer it.

He hands it over "De Nada" And walks off

And Kerri can probably hear the hand off

Nevertheless, she waits for Jessica to speak first.

"Hello? Kerri? Is everything ok?"

A slight pause before she responds. "Rivervale's fine, Jessica. And I want to apologize -- I shouldn't have barged in down there before. It was impulsive."

"It's ok, Kerri, promise. What's wrong?"

An almost audible blink. "Jessica...maybe I should come back down so we can talk. Is now a good time?"

"Of course."

"Be right there." She hangs up.

There's a pause of about 15 minutes -- presumably Kerri is getting things organized with SallyMae and Brogan -- but then Kerri's arrival via door is announced (likely by Phobos again).

"OKAY, NOW SHE"S HERE IN PERSON AGAIN!"

Jess is standing RIGHT THERE. And winces. "Thanks, Phobos."

"Thank you, Phobos," Kerri says. Then a nod, "Jessica."

Phobos nods "No problem" He says "I'll tell someone to bring you two coffee and stuff" And off he goes

And a moment later, drinks are put before them with some snacks to boot

"Thank you." Jess says to the server.

The server, a quiet polite boggan who is SO meek, he doesn't even get a name, blushes bows, and withdraws

Kerri nods a thank you to the server.

and the nameless quiet fellow is gone

"What's going on, Kerri?"

That almost-audible blink is now quite visible. "Jessica, you can't be serious. I'm here to ask you that."

Now she blinks too. "Um. I don't understand."

"I mean, -you- came -here-. And it sounded like you were upset? How come?"

A deep breath that she lets out slowly. "Jessica. Your parents came down here, presumably to stay for a week or more. Within little more than an hour, you sent them away. Sent my chieftain away. So as you say: What's going on?"

"Oh." Jess looks sad, and sits back.

She is turning the event over in her mind.

"It happened just a few hours ago, so I'm hoping you remember." She leans back, folding her arms.

She tells Kerri what happened, matter of factly.

((Shady, I'm gonna need to hear it as Jessica tells it.))

((I mean, I need to hear what Jessica's words are when retelling.))

OOC Ok.

"They got here, we got the bags settled and were having coffee and talking about the situation with Squire Lyandra (sp?). If she was working alone, if there was a wider conspiracy. Should she be told that this Rereadus lives. Dad didn't want to see her but mom did. So she and I went to the cells and spoke with her. Mom as -angry-. Lyandra (sp?) was baiting her, trying to invoke her House's rage. Mom didn't take the bait. Which is good, because if Mom couldn't have gotten through the bars to the Squire, she might have gone for me. Lyandra (sp?) didn't look like she was going to stop trying though, so I told Mom to step away. She didn't want to, but she did. But she kept responding to Lyandra, teasing her with suggestions of information about Rereadus. It wasn't like her. Not at all like Mom. So I asked her to go home. Get some space, cool down. I'm not unaware of the season, it might be affecting her, I don't know."

Kerri listens, and considers it quietly.

A slow exhale. "If you want, I'll share my opinion. Otherwise, I'll head back."

"Sure, you always have great advice and insight."

"Well, I thank you for that." A pause. "I agree with getting her out of there. I don't agree with sending her home. And...I don't agree that she wasn't behaving like herself."

"I think maybe she wasn't behaving the way you wanted her to behave."

"But..." A shrug, and she leans back, "...I wasn't here to see."

Jess thinks about that. "I've... never seen her that angry, that I remember. Or that... cruel. Verdictive."

"No. You haven't. You've mostly known her since her trueheart was returned to her."

Jess nods. "True. Was she angry and cruel before that?"

No judgement, just wanting to understand.

A moment. "She was in pain. And...sometimes reckless."

"Perhaps if you hadn't banished her, you could have asked her yourself."

A sigh. "I didn't -banish- her. I asked her to go. I said please. I agreed we'll talk it out."

A brow. "You sent her home. Or did I misunderstand, and you told her she could go somewhere else in the County?"