#rivervale_lodge

"Okra. " she says "It's a main ingredient"

Poke. Poke. pokepokepokepokepoke.

"Taste it, rather than poke it"

"What's an okra?"

Poke.

"Sometimes known as ladies fingers" She says "Edible greens. Do you not like it without even trying it?"

"They look weird."

"Well I can't help too much how they look"

"Hmph."

"Don't look at them while you eat them? there are young ones starving in THyle, you know?"

"I don't..." She hesitates and shoots a look at Jaymes.

"you don't have to eat them if you're afraid they'll be too spicy for you" Tove says reasonably and puts out her own bowl

"They're weird. And, like... they look like math with seeds..."

"Okay." SHe says simply

A frown - nervous about something, though she's trying to hide it - and she ladles some soup into Tove's bowl.

Tove tilts her head and looks at Dagmar "Okay. Talk to me a little. I'm not trying to make this uncomfortable, and I don't want you returning all tense. So..what's wrong ? And let me follow up that i won't laugh at you whatever it is"

She shakes her head. "Nothing."

"Well, it's something then. Let's make a bowl for you, and we'll take the okra out of it and put that in mine. THIS time. Later you can try it maybe, but it doesn't have to be today. Alright? That okay? Okra free gumbo for today?"

"...Am I in trouble?"

"No. That's why I'm confused on why you seem stressed. Do I want you to try new things before you turn your nose up? Surely. But trouble? Not a bit. You're not anyone's clone, you're Dagmar, and you're allowed to have opinions all your own. I just think it's best we have our opinions fully informed. IF that makes sense, and I surely wouldn't deny you a meal just because you're not feeling very bold when it comes to food. Kay?"

"One time, I didn't try the beets and when I wouldn't eat them I had to stay at the table and when I didn't...." She starts, then stops, and frowns.

"Because kids were starving.... and I was wasting food..."

"Oh. Mmm" She frowns "Well, maybe that was MY behaving badly. You did not need a guilt trip. I apologize. " She is preparing an Okra free gumbo bowl for Dagmar "And I didn't know about the beets. Should I not bother getting those for the house?"

"They're gross. And make your hands turn colors."

"And your throw-up."

"No beets." She makes a mental note. "Here, it's still hot, spicy the way you like it, and now... okra free"

She bites on her lower lip and nods.

"Everything okay?" Jaymes calls out from the dining area

"It's fine, Jaymes. Dagmar is helping me with the menu." A nod to Dagmar, not mockery

"We're coming!" She gets Jaymes his non-spicy bowl.

"Mine's not too spicy is it?" He asks

"IT's very boring," Tove assures, "You big weenie"

A slight smile on his face as his 'mild' bowl is handed to him "Thanks"

Dagmar settles down between the two, by her de-okraed bowl.

"Well?" Tove says to Jaymes

"It's good" He assures.

"Not that, your side of the story? Or is your daughter the only I can learn from how things went?" Tove says

Jaymes munches "Few rough patches. Ugly Devil. Dealt with. Found the Grasp. The Summer Crowd handled him fine. Rescued the hostage. Roll credits."

Tove gives him a look like she could bean him with his own bowl.

Dagmar tries the gumbo out one ingredient at a time.

But... well, it seems to pass muster, and she eats with more gusto.

Little bits of chicken too along with the shrimp. Lovecraft might approve

Tove pokes and wheedles. But Jaymes does eventually say more. Dagmar might catch on that he rather enjoys lightly teasing her by being super stoic now and then, but Tove adores him anyway

She takes more rice to absorb the broth... and one or two pieces of okra that had been missed are quietly snuck to TwoBit.

"Tove says the cold might be Kyros or WInter, like Vali."

"Looked like it" He said "A shock of cold"

"isn't that something?" Proud Tove.

"Yes, it was," He agrees, just as proud

"So maybe I'll get other magic soon?"

Snarf , gulp, waggle