#rivervale_lodge

"Thank you." She follows the warning, and is, indeed, fine. "Your husband helped with that? I am surprised as well, but glad."

"Now," Mrs Anne-Marie Lee smiles and soon has coffee perking, "How goes things with Siv and the other girls?"

"Well, Siv is doing well with school, at least as far as she tells me. I got the impression from Jessica, when she and I first were getting to know each other, that she seldom confided in her birth mother about school events, so I suppose that is to be expected with Siv." A bit of a frown. "And she seems very interested in a young man who...well...his reputation is good, at least."

"Oh, it's not just birth mothers... Symon sometimes seems determined to have me as the wicked step mother. I'm working on my cackle dutifully." A nod "And yes, the standard response to 'how's school' is often 'fine' or a 'shrug'" She sits the coffee down

A bit of a wry grin. "It is not just me, then. Kerri confirms, she hears much the same from Sylvi. Thank you." She accepts the coffee and takes a sip. "Very good."

It is indeed in the style Brekke is accustomed to. "Oh certainly not." She mixes a bit of sugar and cream into her own

"Mm. And you are well-enough supplied, with both boys in the house? I know a redcap's appetite is a challenge to manage."

"It has been interesting to say the least, with Symon I have to make sure things are ..shall we say past their usual due date? thank goodness for Kimche. With Dirk, well, he eats anything I put in front of him but I have no idea if my cooking is any more pleasing than a spare tire to him. It's a bit of a kick in the old ego."

The boggan takes a sip

"Perhaps. But..." a pause, a sip "...I believe the fact that you provide him with real food, and not what his mother gave him, makes a real difference to him, whether he would admit it or not."

"Yes, in that, he and Symon are a bit alike. Dirk is a bully, but he's been trying to direct it. Whether that's enlightened self interest or true growth I don't know. He's more than hsi kith though. I see..well, he loves that cat for example"

Symon is in the bathroom. No, not that. He is carefully looking at the shampoo bottles, body wash, conditioner... and checking for any visible signs of tampering. With his OWN stuff as well... Symon doesn’t want a fashion repeat on himself, either...

His own stuff is safe, he's sure, but the shampoo dirk was given? someone went through a lot of trouble to slip the dye mix in. It's a good job. No finger prints (save Dirks) no stray hairs..

A slight grin at that. "Yes...I think he may have bonded with that cat the first night he spent at the Lodge. Possibly before, during a study session."

He makes a face and wanders down to the kitchen, reading the back of the bottle as he goes. “Ann Marie, you think this is toxic to dump out. Oh. Chieftain?” Suddenly a bit guarded.

"oh he calls the poor thing Scrot... Imade the mistake of asking why"

She looks at it, rising, then nods to Symon "No dear, go ahead."

Brekke shakes her head in amusement, then looks to Symon. "Hello. I was hoping you would be here, Symon."

He rinses the bottle carefully so that no dye stains the sink, and the bottle goes into recycling. “Well, I live here.” A sudden rethinking and he gives her a small bow. “I mean, well. How can I help you?”

His step mom raises a brow at him but says nothing

"Yes, but you are not tied here all the time. You recall the tree? I would like your help with that branch, if you have the time."

“Oh, that. Yeah, don’t want it to fall on someone’s head.” After all, Symon is someone, and he walks that path, too. “I was thinking about that, if it got a lot of ice or snow it might crack off.”

A glance to his stepmom. “Can I go to the lodge for a bit? I’ve already studied for the chemistry quiz.”

"I thought so, as well, but it has not. At least, it has not yet, so we must attend to it before it does."

"Of course, Symon, unless you two would like the room here? I can step out, feelings won't even be hurt"

"No, Anne Marie, but thank you. This is a task that needs to be attended to on site."

Brekke finishes her coffee and nods to Symon. "When you are ready."

A pause. “Is, uh.... ‘Tanya’ going to be there?”

The boggan sips

A blink. "I do not believe so."

"Perhaps at the Lodge after we manage the branch."

"You know that she is going by the name Nadeen among us now, yes?"

This last to both Symon and Anne Marie.

"I had heard that yes" The boggan smiles

He nods, and gathers up his jacket, scarf, hat, mittens... girding himself for the battle of making it past Ann Marie out the door on a cold day. “Good to know.” He responds. “She was getting a little bitc... cough bitter about being called other things.”

"Mufs!"

She grabs the fuzzy ear muffs

"Understandably so." She nods satisfaction at Symon's cold weather gear. "Anne Marie, thank you for your hospitality. Please let me know if you need anything." She rises, remembers to duck going out of the kitchen, and heads for the front door.

He winces, but takes them obediently and hurries after Brekke.

And brings them to her step son "I don't want you catching cold in your ears" Then a smile to the Chieftain "I'm fine, thank you, Chieftain. I may pester Hearth Kerri for more on that sundae surprise idea"

“Is that anything like caramel apple surprise?” He wonders to himself...

"I am sure she will appreciate that. Thank you again." Outside the door, she retrieves the saw she set aside and leads the way back to the woods.

(A New Agengard special!)

She remembers to keep her steps shorter to allow him to keep up.

((Ha!))

He follows along, and if somehow the earmuffs got misplaced along the way.... hopefully she doesn’t point that out. “Do many trees fall out this way?” He wonders aloud.

"It happens. And sometimes they cause damage coming down. I am glad you were able to point out the danger. I wish I had spotted it before putting the tree back together, but..." A shrug.

The tree isn't too far in, they're there soon enough, and she eyes the troublesome branch.

He leans back, peering up the tree to gauge how far away the branch is, and how best to reach it.

The tree, for something BIT by a redcap, is looking pretty good, save for that branch.