#rivervale_lodge

"You really have to visit Jess first." He reminds.

"Well da made it sound like .. well... pop in say hi and out? But maybe I didnot ken him right" And a nod "And I want to. Need to fill her in on family matters, brag about you and mom since you don't doit proper for yourselves. Let her know about changes like Bix being an apprentice"

"Mmph."

"Hmm. Then let me suggest...that you visit Jessica over the Memorial Day holiday from school at the end of May...just over a month from now. Or would that not be long enough?"

"Oh I think if it's too long would be up to Jessica. I know she's.. well, she's very busy and important"

"And shy, Siv."

"Is it shyness ? Sometimes I thought it might be.. welll, sometimes I fear I am like a kitten approaching a cat. The kitten makes a great show, but the cat just rolls her eyes"

Brekke thinks. "Shy might not be the right word. But she is...unwilling to be seen as making an error. Cautious about doing her duty correctly. She puts a great deal of pressure upon herself, and is concerned that despite that, she might be doing her duty wrong." A shrug. "That is how it seems to me, at any rate. So if she keeps you at a distance...it may be because she wants to impress and is not sure how to do so."

Frank sighs.

"Wait, Jessica's insecure?" As if someone told her Thor preferred tea to ale, "That's crazy! She's smart, intelligent, brave, beautiful.. a good ruler and a heroine. She's got naught to be insecure about"

"Long story, Siv. But yes. She second-guesses herself."

"And yet."

Then she nods at Frank's comment.

"Siv...the stories are not all there is to us."

"I guess. sometimes I forget that." thoughtful "Sorry. I don't mean to add to the weight of expecations"

"She may well be all those things, Siv...but she has very little experience at being an older sister."

"Oh well.. like I know all there is to being al ittle sister. Would it help if I stole more of her clothes?"

"Well...you could experiment and see what reaction you get."

"I think it would work better to ask and borrow."

Frank does not seem to have anything to say about borrowing clothes.

Brekke finishes her breakfast. "Very good, Siv, thank you."

"Well yes, but if I steal them I wont be perfect and she'll feel better by comprasion" joking?

An eyebrow.

"Don't make yourself less or worse just to earn favor, Siv." Frank recommends mildly.

"As your father says," Brekke agrees.

"Point" Sheepish all over again "I do sometimes wonder what it would have been like, to grow up just a few years after her with her around"

"Yes." Frank says quietly.

"We have all wondered about that," Brekke says quietly. "From time to time."

"I think it would have been fun, and infuriating... and dad might have less hair"

A slight grin at that and she looks at Frank speculatively.

Shaggy Bed-Head.

"And sometimes I feel annoyed I'll never know, but would be ingrateful to the fates not to focus on the joys we have instead"

"It does not hurt to wonder what might have been, but to obsess over it is unhelpful." She nods. "Now, go, Siv, and let me prepare for patrol. It is almost dawn."

"Well, since you're done with your food, let me grab the tray " Siv says doing so "And I love you both, you're grand parents even if none of us ARE perfect" A merry smile and out she goes blowing a quick kiss to each.

"Grand parents, perhaps, but not grandparents too soon, daughter!" Brekke comments as she heads out. Once she's gone, Brekke turns to Frank and sighs. "Well."

He holds out a hand. "Come here."

She goes to him and takes the outstretched hand. "You weathered that well."

Somewhere Siv chuckled at the pun..but starts cleaning in the kitchen

He pulls her back down to the bed and pushes her long, damp hair behind her shoulder. "It could have gone worse."

And there is more discussion, about both daughters, and Brekke is reminded at some point that the reason Frank didn't get out of bed is that his chest is not the only thing bare, here..... (end scene)