#scarsdale

"It's... lovely..." Head tilt and a little frown.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah." Hirim waves the compliment away, coming back to take his seat.

"Well then." And Zara proceeds to prattle - talking about her classes, books she's read, Uncle hijinks...

The Uncles roundly deny any hijinking.

Deny or not, Zara KNOWS.

Bah.

Zara does her best to get Miriam to laugh, even if it is at an Uncle's expense.

Oh, Miriam seems to be here for a good time, and means to have it. Laughter? Sure!

And she gives as good as she gets.

And the hours fly by. It seems Miriam has been solidly designated as "Mom" - Mama being reserved for Hannah, but this seems Zara's happy compromise.

Miriam is happy with 'Mom.'

After coffee, Zara suggest dominoes. Teams. Girls against boys.

"Ha. Wanna make it interesting?" Hirim asks.

"....Howso?" A glimmer, that spark of curiosity.

Ratchet and Hirim exchange looks. "Bet?"

"Bet what?"

An expressive shrug, very casual. "Well...whatcha got?"

"Mmm..." A look at Miriam.

Miriam gives her a dry look. "Careful. They cheat."

"Oh, if they wish to play -that- way..." Grey lips quirk.

"We do NOT!" Ratchet protests. "We just know each other really well, it -looks- like cheating."

"Feh."

"So what, you wanna play or not?"

"We win, you two.... ah.... take us to the good bookstore? The one in the City?"

Both nocker guys grin, simultaneously. "And if -we- win?"

She looks at Miriam, then the Uncles. "Um."

Miriam crosses her arms over her chest. "Hey, you're gonna have to live with 'em."

"I will make you a brisket?"

Hirim -grins- "You clean the workshops. Both of 'em."

She sniffs. "Hardly equivalent to the bookstore."

"Didn't say it had to be." Smugly, from Hirim.

She rolls her eyes. "No bet, then."

"So change your bet!"

"Feh."

"Chicken?" Hirim grins.

"It's just not fun, no."

"Bah."

"Just wanted to play a fun game."

"Feh. Fine." Hirim agrees with little grace but... that's Hirim.

"We'll kick your tuches anyway."

Ratchet laughs, a rusty sound. "Zara, we've been plyaing Dominos longer than you've been alive."

"But I have Miriam." A proud lift of her chin.

"Been playing longer than -she's- been around, too. Feh."

"We'll see!"

"Fine." Hirim gets up and limps over to get the box while Ratchet clears space.

Zara leans against Miriam's shoulder, too content to get that riled up.

And Dominos is played. ((I don't know how.*G*))

((If I ever get to FL, I am teaching you mexican train!))

Dominoes is SERIOUS BIZNESS. Betrayals! Chains of doubles! Playing one Uncle against the other! Alliances forged and then taken away!

((..... that sounds.... dirty.))