#rivervale_lodge

She continues to frown and follows silently.

He pours some coffee for both of them, "I'm still a new teacher, by official standards, though less so. By real standards, with their retirement and turn over, I feel pretty old. I partly took the job to have an eye on changelings there, to offer help. Mixed results. I'm not sure I SHOULD Stay"

Brekke settles in to listen. "Say more."

"Many of the lodge have aged out. Proud of them for forging their own lives and all. Hope I was more of a help than a hinderence' He sips " There are some childlings who are going to hit high school, not of the lodge per se, but they're smaller in number. Meantime, because some yahoo admins decided WE could wait for them an extra fifteen minutes, I arrived late to take part in a right of rescue. If Frank and Kerri weren't here... and later Jaymes, Gerd might have been whisked off" A frown "I am not sure I can be Mountain, a husband and father, and a teacher at a school. Never mind my stalled writing career. "

She sips her coffee, then sets it on the table, looking at its surface. After a moment she says, "I understand this. I have also had times where my mortal employment was at risk. It has not been such an issue since the Count supports much of the Lodge's needs, and I personally need little. But at times in life it was a dire concern."

"I'm not hurting, I suppose" He admits "Thanks to the support we have from lodgemates and friends, I have babysitters that most wouldn't when both the wife and I are caught up. You wouldn't believe the cost of child care centers these days." A drink "House was paid off early, thank goodness. So we're holding on and can stretch a buck, banal as it sounds. But the TIME is harder to ration. I don't want my son growing up going 'who are you again?' I'll never been my grandfather or Frank level of Mountain, but I at least need to be here when folks need one. On the other hand, I like to think I DO help keep that school less banal. Two weeks before Summer I found a boy crying in my class room thinking it was deserted.... Son of Adam, good kid. Desperate for a girlfriend. He got one... and she abused him. Physically, mentally, and he was convinced it was HIS fault. I helped him... told him ANYONE can be a victim and it does not unman you to be human. Felt good. He wasn't a kithain. I'm no Liam meant to help man kind, and yet, I'm glad I was there for him. But I have to ask myself, if Gerd was in danger again, and I had a choice to be helping her, or in that class room and helping that poor mixed up boy? I'd choose Gerd. Which, forgive the language, makes me feel like a selfish asshole."

A slow nod. "Such decisions are never easy." The voice of experience. "And the burden after the decision is inevitable. I do not think I have an answer. But I do understand the struggle you are going through."

"I appreciate that" He says and means it, "And I apologize for using your ear. I just thought it best to bring up that I'm not sure how long one of these will hold. We may need other eyes and ears in the school system if one of the Admins gets petty. French is what I was hired to teach and it is no longer in demand as much. I teach other classes, but my...value, as the school sees it is dwindling. Enough on me though. How's the new girl Ylva working out? She in you think? "

She raises her hand to forestall the change of topic. "Then perhaps the school is not the place to continue work. I believe, though, that many families hire tutors?"

He arches a brow but then considers it "True. I feel bad for the kids whose parents can't afford that, but it would allow me to stay somewhat in."

A slight hint of a sympathetic grin. "You cannot be all things to all people, Mountain."

"Says the voice of experience?" A smile though, as he appreciates her point, "I suppose I can't. "

"I'll see what I can sort out about the options of tutoring" He nods "With finances NOT being a priority, it IS an option for me"

She nods. "And my impression is that it allows you greater flexibility of time."

"It's a good idea," he admits "Thank you. Now, I tried to change the subject earlier. Let me try again. How's the new kid, or if you prefer, how is the House Hunting in Alaska? You can do that latter online, you know?"

A sigh, and another sip of coffee. "I confess, I have not spent much time with young Ylva. The Count has demanded my time a great deal recently. What I have heard of Ylva's presence is positive, but I have met her only briefly." Sip. "As to the new home: we have been invited to rely on the Lodge at StarBear initially when we move there. That will give us time to see and feel the places we might consider."

"You guys are going to build a cabin or something" He grins "Frank wants to do it himself, doesn't he? Well, do it with you." His eyes sparkle with amusement and fondness. "He might settle for an extreme fixer upper he can tweak. Now this is just a guess, tell me if I'm wrong."

The twinkle in her eye tells him he hit the mark. "It is something we have both considered. It is what we would prefer, unless some property surprises us. We have some experience with construction, Frank especially."

"Fair, and I can see the appeal." He admits "It's nice to have something that is truly yours from start to finish . Don't feel bad if you want to ask for a bit of help though. I bet you'd have a few extra backs offer to aid a day or three. Speed the process up just a bit with you and frank as the foremen. Heck, Siv... actually knows some carpentry from ship building lessons and what you and her father have taught her."

"We wished to make sure she was skilled," she agrees with a nod. "And yes, reaching out will happen. It will be one way to meet many of the local fae, as well."

"mmm" his eyes light up "Pardon me for using your situation to the advantage, but maybe Gerd could put on her Emissary hat then. Roc attacks aside, the girl is itching to strut her stuff there."

"That would be wonderful, but I cannot guarantee that the Baron there would wish her service, and we, as individuals, would not rank as Emissary duty." A slight grin.

"But I will recommend her to the Baron."

He nods at that, "Thank you."

"Once we are settled, we will certainly welcome visits, provided we know in advance."

Amusement in his eyes "The younger me would have foolishly taken that as a challenge. The older me knows there are easier targets in this world to poke at. I'll make sure word gets spread, though I suspect Kerri has already hinted to those not in the know that you and frank don't always appreciate surprises."

Then he adds "I take no responsibility for Olgar, mind you"

A snort. "Anyone who claimed responsibility for Olgar would be a fool. Olgar would not welcome it. He is responsible for himself. And he knows better."

"Outside of our preferences, a surprise visitor might very well not find us home."

"There is that, you guys are going to have whole new vistas to hike" He concedes, "And I wish you joy in it. I know you're not going to be Chief anymore, but how much correspondence from the lodge do you want? "

"Be it offical 'this is what happened last month just keeping you in the loop' to less formal 'baby pictures and well wishes'?" He clarifies

A small grin. "All of it."

Okay, that gets a WIDE grin, "Ha. All right. I'll see what I can do on my end" He makes a mental note to have Siv Jonas and Piper send actual letters and physical photos now and then along with all the texts and online pics. He'll have to ask Kerri for other suggestions. The Hearth likely knows even more what Brekke and Frank will both want to hear of, "Thanks, Brekke" he says after a moment "It's nice to be reminded I CAN 'do' things that matter and do good as well. "

Her brow furrows. "Mountain, I have never known you to do anything other than that." Seriously.

"That is very nice to hear" he admits, "Now, may I ask what kind of things Count Hemlock has you doing? If its' not forbidden to say ?" He knows nothing about the glamping, the art trips, and the new toy line tour.

A wince. "Among other things...golf." A sip, seeking solace in coffee.

"Never my favorite sport" he admits "It's like hiking but along more boring terrain in funny pants. Unless you take a cart, and then you don't even get the walking in"

The coffee does provide solace. Coffee is proof that the Dreaming, on some level, loves all and wants people to be happy.

"The day that somebody demonstrates for me how it develops a useful skill, I will understand it. That day has not yet arrived."

An amused look in his eyes "Perhaps it is meant to build patience."

A grumble. "Perhaps."

She then begins to tell him about the various other purposes that Hemlock has had for her presence. She doesn't say that they seem to be excuses for nostalgia, but the implication is clear.

He listens to these, letting the normally stoic cheif do the talking mostly, and gives her an audience for her own nostalgia, or frustration at dealing with same. And... of course, there's coffee.

(End Scene)