#rivervale_lodge

Colton was wonderful company, but he can't stay. And they part on the front porch of Rivervale

"I'm glad you could be here. It really helped, especially...well...you know."

"I should have been here when you got the news. I'm sorry. It's just..well, sometimes my liege closes herself off and.ait's complicated. Anyway...back to home for me. I'm glad I helped a little then"

A soft kiss of farewell

She returns the kiss. "Be safe. And tell Lady Sparrow I say hi. And text me."

"I will" He promises. and off he goes

When she enters, she sees her father...cleaning an axe, but rather htan making comments about her boy friend, she thinks he's just..cleanining it. But he does say "Hey, have a seat"

"Um...okay?" She does, and waits.

He puts his weapon away, then looks at her and says "How are you holding up?"

She looks away and shrugs a bit. "I don't know. Okay, I guess? Which...maybe I shouldn't be. But at least I'm not...." she pauses. "I'm not going overboard or anything." Then she frowns. "I'm kind of mad that the DeBukes are still doing Carnivale after...."

"Before, they're doing the carnival before. And no they won't be in the mood. her body is preserved..." he corrects "Don't be too hard on them. Every body has their own ways of dealing with it."

"Some of us turn to dark humor, others grief hard and fast, others take a long slow road...trying to make sense. And all things in between"

"I mean, after she died, Dad. Carnivale was...Kelby had the best time at Carnivale. We were figuring out what to be this year, and....and I wish everybody would just call it off."

"Because it seems disrespectful, or is it because it will remind you of her? or is it because you don't feel like you have the right to have fun when she's no longer with us?"

Her brow scrunches up, and it's a moment before she says, "Can I say all of the above?"

"Sure. But answer me this... do you think she'd want folks to miss out on Carnivale just because she couldn't go?"

Sylvi sighs heavily and props her chin on her hands. "I hate that. I know you're right, but I hate it. I...I don't think she'd want to feel forgotten, though."

"She won't be, trust me. Look, your father has never been what you call an optimist... but if you can visualize it, don't think of her belng left out. Think of her being somewhere cheering you on? Is it true? I don't know...maybe it is, and for us Maybe is enough" Olgar says "Rather than not thinking on her, or thinking on how sad you are she isn't, maybe think of her as if you were sharing something with her while she was sick in bed, or watching you and you had a great story. It's called the 'Win one for the Gipper' thing..and b rated actors aside, it has merit"

A dubious look. "Maybe. I guess. Like...she can't go, but I want to be able to tell her about it later?"

"Yup. Who knows, maybe some future lives you two will hit the dreaming and catch up and exchange notes. That I HAVE seen happen. old friendships reunited..odds are slim, but not impossible. Sides, this is a lot more in depth than what I WAS going to say to you "

"What were you going to say? And what's a Gipper?"

"Guy who couldn't make it to the big game. " He says "And what I was going to tell you? " A sigh then...

"Bad shit happens to good people."

Six words? THAT was supposed to explain everything to... okay arguably it's.. true. and.. stuff.

She gives a little eye roll. "That's annoying." But then she adds, "Way better than everything-happens-for-a-reason, though."

"Ah ,someone try that one on you?"

"No, thank goodness. I think I'd have trouble keeping my temper if they did."

"Good. for a moment I thought your mom tried that one on you and that was why you brought up. Wow, what a misread on her part that would have been."

"Mom wouldn't." She shakes her head. "But yeah...bad things happen to everybody. And it sucks. And...and I wish I'd been there, helping her, Dad."

"You mad at me? I am the one who wanted you here" he says