#rivervale_lodge

"Right... okay, you know? All together it SMELLS great"

"I've helped Tove make this..."

Pasta into the salty water.

"Well, thank goodness. Because if it ere relying on me? We'd flub it" She admits

"Nah - like you said, you could order pizza."

"Well, yes. But I think mom would eye it like...wwhat's this?" a chuckle "Might be funny mind you"

"Oh, I'm sure Chief has eaten pizza."

"Could you turn on the broiler?"

"Oh got it" She does so "You need to warn Tove to stay away. She can be stubborn, but if she caught whatever this is while pregant it could hurt the boy" a pause "Damit it, now jaymes has me guessing boy"

"Hmph."

"She's recording, and Dad's at the store."

"They're busy."

"Yeah, like some of the changes he's made to the store by the way. I think it's getting mroe popular. I Saw Lupe with a whole group of folks dropping by for some trail mix and such"

"...yeah. Lupe's good people."

Stirring pasta. Stirring sauce. Stir the things!

"Boil boil ttrouble and toil" Siv says as she works to help place other things on

"Ha."

"I wonder if Jonas cooks? He took care of the kids" She looks thoughtful

"I bet he does, at least a little..."

"Well, I'll load him up with work if it comes to that, assuming he's not already loaded. Patrols for the lodge, jobs for Anne Marie, he's almost as hard working as you" She smile and says "About that dessert idea? What were we doing again?"

"Um. Sylvi had an idea, but I'm not sure... like.. there's marshmallows and you melt them?"

"Mm that sounds like a gamble. Maybe the ice cream we've got in the back unless Sylvi returns with suggestions for dessert? "

"That sounds safer."

"oh listen to me, wimping out.. house Fiona must never hear of this" Despite her words she's jesting and readies the ice cream, not taking it out but having it ready to be taken out.

"I won't tell."

"You rock" Siv says "How are things at school? I don't really go anymore. I kind of miss it."

"School's.. well, school."

"I like shop. Math sucks."

"...I need to figure how to get out of gym..."

"Why? You're good at athletics"

"Yeah, but we're gonna swim!"

"Wait, you know how to swim right? I mean, I've seen you near the lake"

"Um."

"Not really."

"And we have to wear a swimsuit. And we're sharing the pool with boys."

"Okay. We are going to help you out. Lessons in swimming I can do .One piece, and as for the marks..." A frown "Well, they ought to mind their own biz, but by now they've faded some surely?"

"Not enough!"

"Okay, okay," She says gently "First, you need to learn how to swim, even if it's not at school. It's a skill that can save your life." A pause "Second, there are ways to help scars heal faster I think...we can look into that. You worried folks will judge?"

"I know they will. And they'll talk. And stare."

"Well, do you really care what they think?" Curious

"I don't want to be a freak."

"No one does" She says "It sure stung when I got called a slut for flirting even though at the time I had my V card firmly attached" A sigh "But I wasn't a slut, no matter what they said, and you're NOT a freak, no matter what they might say."

"Well, maybe I'm not so tough as you."

"You know, I'm going to take that as a compliment because your'e one of the toughest women I know" She says seriously "But there's got to be a way to remove those scars if we ask. Would you trust Chieftain Clem to tend?"

Jaw-jut.

"I just don't wanna be showing them off."

"It's why I was thinmking removing them would solve the problem" She says "Those scars do not define who you are. They are certainlyh not all you are." SHe puts plates out then says

"I don't wanna mess with them." She HEFTS a pot to take it over to drain.

"mm. Okay. Well that's that then" She says "But at least let me teach you how to swim in private? "

"Well... okay."