#rivervale_lodge

"This is happening?" SHe says dubiously "I will be driving?" Making sure "No more weird tests or whatever before I even get behind the wheel?"

Frank nods.

"Thank you" She hugs him relieved and then opens the door, "First we both get our seat belts on befoer I go anywhere."

Frank gets in (carefully) and buckles up.

Soon his daughter pulls out, and yes she checks her mirrors, but there are definite signs of lead footedness in her now and then

Frank says nothing, crammed into the small space. Just along for the ride.

But the rest, she does pretty well. His daughter has a good sense of spatial awarness, and quick hands. Years on a ship helped

"no texting while driving" She chimes 'Never drink and drive" She continues "Righto f way to first to arrive at a four way"

"I before E except after C...."

"WHat.. dad... " She frowns but keeps her eyes on the road "English lessons now?"

"Too advanced?"

"Not in English, no. I just don't see the point of the seeming non-sequitur"

"Well, if we're reciting rules.....:

A vaguely hurt look "I thought you wanted.. y know what, forget it"

And she drives in silence

If he was going for a dad joke, it appears to have fallen flat

"Siv?" Frowning, a glace at her. "What is it?"

"None of my other friends has to jump through all these hoops to drive. But fine. I wait till winter is over because god knows that season won't happen again. Spring arrives... can we go NOW? NOpppooee... got to have the skills of someone who works at QUicklube for a living. Fine. Do I get my keys yet? NOPE. I get yours and need to show you... okay. So I show...but apparently I'm not supposed to talk at the same time or something... even though I'm trying to demonstrate what I learned. So I'm very frustrated when this is supposed to be happy for me. I've seen you on the road with a rig, been with you. I know how dangerous it is. YHou think I and mom don't worry sometime about drunk drivers or bad conditions? BUt noooo... you're treating me like ..." A scowl "Nevermind I need to keep my focus so I don't break whatever super secret double probation is waiting in the shadows for me to screw up"

Frank blinks, clearly startled.

"-None- of your other friends?"

"Alright, if you must be a barrister about it, noen of my school acquaintances that are my age or older and able to drive... and I'm rolling with it, and then you have to mock me. If you don't htink I should talk while I drive, just say 'Shut up, siv'? it's just as insulting but it takes less time" bit dark eyed. Yup. She's miffed. And perhaps totally misunderstanding him

"I didn't mean to mock you." A quiet rumble. "I apologize."

"I just... dad, I know you want to protect me... but don't you see that's... it's one thing to prepare me, I get that, but you don't let go. You hold on and you smother sometimes and I try to remember it's love involved but... the only way you ever let go is when I finally explode and you're all surprised about it and... then it starts again, with some other part of my life. Boys. School. Quests. Travel." A sigh "And Cars." A sigh "I'm sorry dad. I just...you keep putting up barriers to what I want to see and do and sometimes its hard not to resent the hell out of it"

He clears his throat. "Pull over up there, please."

"Sure..." SHe pulls over, and stops the car, and turns it off to.. as she readies to hand over the keys.

"Thanks." He unbuckles and gets out. "See you at home." And he starts back up the road on foot.

"Dad?" She says leaning out "Da? What... "

He waves over his shoulder. "Have fun!"

"I..." A guilty look and she calls out "Thank you"

Another wave.

And Siv tries to process this. Do I go straight home? Did he mean 'have fun' like actually drive around? Ack. I don't know

Frank, his large frame disappearing around the corner, offers no additional guidance.

When in doubt, duty. She drives once more in a pattern, and then goes home. When what she wants to do more than anything is drive over to her boyfriend and tell him to get his tight elf butt in her car. A smile at that. Nope. Do it right.. if dad is trusting her, she'll play it safe like she thinks he would want her to. More fun can come later. But she does distress, and relax driving now.

She might even beat her father home, and if she does, she gives him a fierce hug when she sees him again.

Siv's given to understand he's gone on patrol with her mother, or maybe gone to join her mother on patrol.

A sheepish guilty look and she wonders if she owes her father an apology. Later... Bancroft will be startled to find he receives a text from her:

Txt Am I a bitch?

of such trials, heroes are forged.

(End Scene)

--------

A knock on the bedroom door of the Chief and mountain the next morning

It's probably still very early, as the knock wakes Brekke from sleep, but not long before she would have woken. She looks to see if Frank is awake.

He's not.

She quietly rises from the bed, puts on her robe, and goes to the door to open it quietly and look out. "Yes?"

It's their youngest daughter, Siv, with a tray of breakfast, the sort Frank likes.

*SNORK*

Scent of food drifitng "I.. I wanted to bring Dad and you ... uhm.. breakfast "

"Siv?" she says in a quiet rumble. "What...what brought this on? Is all well?"

"No, is... is dad awake?" A whisper, and Siv's stoic face slips a bit, and the guilt shows. "Don't wake him if he's not. "

Mumbles.