#rivervale_lodge

"Thanks. I am too" Sally Mae shines at the praise "LEt me guess, Dagmar is out there with the horses? Apologizing"

"Oh, like there was any chance of her passing the stables without getting waylaid?"

Indeed, MUCH fuss is being made of the three...

“That stuck up horse of hers smelled other horses on her, and now she has to apologize.” Symon rolls his eyes, still a little annoyed that he had the same thoughts as Dirk there. Be kinda cool if they did...

"Symon.. here, got some " She opens the green 'sluagh food' container and wishes she hadn't "It.. llikes like some sort of fish eye stew. Want me to.. uh heat it up?" Sally Mae is not as good at masking her distaste for the sluagh food as Kerri

“Nah, I like it cold. If you heat it up, the congealed bits start to turn into a slurry...”

Sylvi makes a valiant attempt at not gagging.

“Unless you have a straw?” He asks, perfectly polite.

Oh, that did it. "Ugghhhh...."

Full-body shudder.

Dirk shrugs

“See, it’s just like those tapioca wads in a bubble tea.” He remarks, possibly ruining bubble tea for everyone except Dirk.

With slow breathing, and a swallow "We do have a straw... no need to go about the.. tea"

Gerd says in a whisper "Symon, you ruin tea for me I may never forgive you"

"Oh, geez...Symon, sorry, I just..." Sylvi has to take a few steps back.

He grins toothlessly. “I had the feeling that Sylvi owed me for something I paid. Or bought? But we can call it even now.”

He does look very satisfied.

A deep breath. "I'm going to take your word for it."

Sally Mae does her job and prepares the meal for Symon "You're a wicked young man. "

But fondly

He fingers something in his pocket, and smirks. “You’re a flatterer, Miss Sally Mae.”

Dirk grunts and wipes crumbs from his lips "He doesn't gross ME out"

"Don't challenge him, Dirk. He might get bored" Zane suggests

And he does take his snack out to the porch. Oh they can still HEAR him slurping. And when you hear a sluagh, it’s because he wants you too... but it’s better than seeing. Or is it?

Another shudder. "Cut it out or I'll yodel!" Sylvi calls.

Gerd says "Argh. Goona be a month before I can touch Bubble tea"

He goes mercifully silent, the yodel threat may have worked.

When he comes back in, The container licked clean... “who’s going to spy on them to see what the results are?”

"Okay, so...I know I've got something for my folks...and I got something for Colton, too. Oh! Better let him know I'm back...." She fishes out her phone to text him.

"Spy on who?" Sally Mae says

“Otherwise they may clam up and never admit they experienced nothing.”

Her phone has some texxts that didn't get through the dreaming. But are there now.

A glare at Symon. "Ahem."

He goes silent. Because he certainly didn’t forget Sallie May was there.

Heart emojis. Wistful Sigh Emoji. Pout Emoji. Not all at once

A glance at her phone, a brief goofy grin, then back to business for a moment. "Sally Mae, I promise you we'll let you in on it...eventually. But we can't right now."

"At least, I don't think we can. Besides, you'll appreciate it more later, anyway."

“Besides, this way you have plausible deniability.

He smirks. But he’s not wrong...

"Okay okay. I AM Still a wilder you know? I fully understand the snitches stitches rule"

A smile. "You rock, Sally Mae. Okay...." she returns her focus to her phone.

“We’ve Lost her.” He sighs. “I’m gonna get this bottle of wine to Anne Marie. I don’t remember why she wanted wine... but I’m sure it’s pretty good stuff or I’d not have bought it.

Dirk says "Oh I'll go with you so I can get some credit for this"

“Did you buy anything else?” Looking over Dirk for the bristle of new blades of weapons... or a new hat?

"Yeah I.. uh.. yeah I did" he sounds surprised and heads outside

Symon shrugs, waves to Sylvi, and the rest, and follows.

Gerd waves as do the others

And Sally Mae smiles. Pretty sure she's got the kitchen going smoothly for the Hearth's return. All is well

Sylvi waves vaguely and gradually meanders her way back up to her room, still texting.

(End Scene)