#rivervale_lodge

"Well, yeah. Jaymes doesn't get girls."

"Tove's really girly, sometimes, so she wants all the girl stuff."

"Well, Jaymes got THAT girl" A smile "And he'll be happy for it."

"He should be. Tove is nice."

"I'm glad she's staying, you know?"

Siv says "never doubted, but it's probably something she'd like to hear. Tove is worried I think."

"Worried? About what? They're married now."

"About not being a good parent. " Siv says

"....Oh."

"I don't... I don't know if she's, like, a mom..."

"Right. And yet she wants to try to..well, be there for you you know? Give you advice like a mom would" Siv says "I've seen her. She asks Aunt Kerri for advice, and evne me own mother about how to help you"

"She's Tove. I don't want a mom."

"I mean, there's Jennifer... "

"Your original mother? mean, not saying mother might be the right term"

"My bio-mom, yeah." Shrug.

"Sounds like she wasn't much of.. oh. You don't want a mother since your first one botched it so badly?"

She scowls. "I'm not saying that. I'm saying I have one, and I'd just... I'd rather have Tove."

"I don't want another mom."

Siv ponders then says "Sometimes. I dont' think things through. So I'm going to ask you instead of just jumping into things- woudl ye like if I mentioned to Tove, off hand, how happy you are to have her? Just as herself? "

She chews on her thumb and nods.

"I'll try be subtle... ah.. " Ahem" Sylvi level subtle, not Siv level subtle" Blush

"I mean, does she want me to call her that, you think?"

"I think she might, but she doesn't know what it means to you.. most folks say 'mom ' 'mother' or 'ma' and it means.. well, something different to them than it might to you. " Siv's brow knits

"She's not my mom."

"I didn't have a dad before, so it's different."

"it is" Siv says "And.. darn it, Jaymes is a good dad." She ponders "Don't worry, Tove will get it. You love her, she loves syou, and you look out for each other. That's more than some have. " A grin "Look, this is getting a bit serious. Shall we discuss what really matters? Gerd getting acne soon?"

"Oh, c'mon, that'll be hilarious when she gets her first zit..."

"SURPRISE, Krakatoa!"

laughter

"Oh I.. I will feel sorry for her. One time I had this thing on my NOSE.. I mean, popping it, i t was like I had a third nostril.. so nasty"

"Gross! Oh, man, like when you pop them and they just shoot their wad over the mirror?"

"Like some kind of crazy pus bullet."

"I know, right? It's like... where does the firepower come from? You could take an eye out"

"Don't tell Symon, he'd try to weaponize it..."

"...."

Then "oh my god you're right. He totally would"

She snerks.

Snicker "Nadeen and Sylvi both might run screaming"

"Oh yeah, totally."

"They'd be all 'eeee-yew!'"

"I mean, not that i WANT zits, but some folks handle it worse than others"

"There's that. I mean, nobody wants them... but, well, I don't get harassed too much if one pops up."

"Sylvi is a cheerleader, she has to look good."

"Yup. Part of the job"

"Yuck. Not a job I want."

"I hear you.. I like flirting, but when I'm working up a sweat? ugh"

"I don't like flirting. I don't like it when boys get weird."

"Well.. you know, then you shouldn't... I mean, " Siv says "it's strange to me, but i haven't lived like you have what have you."

She shrugs. "I don't ever want one. When I grow up, it'll just be me and some dogs and cats and friends."

"Well, you've got a start on the dogs and cats already. " She smiles "Mackerel fussed at him earlier this morning. He's taken her spot"