#scarsdale

Hirim gives Ratchet a glare, then a shrug.

"Zara, he wants you to feel this way. He's like a stalker wanting the object of his affections to think she's asking for it. Don't believe it. It's a trap."

"I can't stop him. I can't even scry on him."

"Neither can I. " He reminds

"What, am I going to paint him to death?"

"Vulnerability does not, cannot equal blame. That's the dream of every conqueror who ever wanted to pretend they had a moral high ground"

"So, what, you handle this satyr - then comes another, vershtay? And another, and another. All chasing whatever reward he offered."

The Uncles sigh. "Zara." Hirim drinks, and sets the goblet down. "If this is what we think it is... if HE is.... then yes, he's bad news. Powerful, more powerful than he was 16 years ago, and even -then- we couldn't catch him! We couldn't even identify him."

"You want to feel like a failure...." He mumbles into his cup. "Live with that on your soul for two decades."

Hirim picks it up and drinks again.

"What do you think he is? It is Arawn Paler. My father. He seduced my mother, like he did a dozen other women, at best. Or raped, at worst. Samhain means she doesn't remember - but I've seen him, he wouldn't need force, not with magic. And he has a dozen, twenty, countless children to act as his agents."

"And I can't...."

"He's not your father in anyway worth respect. Aaron? I'd shake Aaron's hand and be honored to. And there's a limit to his offspring. Trust me, even DeBukes have a countable number and we've been breeding like crazy for generations"

Ratchet is giving Hirim a very careful look.

She massages her temples.

Thoughtful, miserable, then thoughtful again

"I'm not hungry. I think I'm going to go home."

Ratchet sighs, and nods. "You take some with you. Or, you want, I can bring it over later."

Hirim pours another cup.

She rubs at her eyes and nods - most of her expression hidden by her hair. "I'm sorry I took so long to tell you."

Earl looks ready to go as well, "Thank you for the meal"

Ratchet captures Zara's hand, squeezes, and lets go. "You told us." He pauses. "Maybe.... maybe that's the part that's not nocker. The keeping secrets part." He shrugs. "So. We'll work on it. When are they due back?"

"Friday. The first."

Ratchet nods. "So, we'll do what we can and get this right. You did good, Bubalah."

Earl gives a grateful look to Ratchet

Hirim is singing into his cup, quietly. "S’iz a finstere nakht un ikh zits mir un trakht...mayn lebn hot gornisht keyn vert......" It sounds vaguely operatic.

"Oy vey." Ratchet mutters.

"Hehe..."

That seems to do it, tears spill as Zara's chair scrapes back from the table.

Earl puts a hand on her, "It's a lovely song."

Hirim looks up from his goblet. "Vas?"

Zara looks like she wants to sink into the floor, face hidden by hair, shoulders curled.

"You need some private time, Zara? Go." Ratchet says gently. "I'll bring leftovers tomorrow. Go on, it's ok, Bubalah. We love you." He delicately moves the wine bottle out of Hirim's reach.

Zara retreats, slipping out from Earl's hand on her shoulder.

Earl starts to follow, then if she signals no, he leaves her be

If she allows, he follows.

"S’iz leydik un pust, mayn shtrebn umzist; keyn mazl iz mir nisht bashert....." Hirim croons, reaching past Ratchet for the wine....

Zara having left without him it seems, Earl turns to the uncles "Got a taller glass?" And takes a seat

Ratchet wards off the reach and move the bottle again. "Ok, Hirim enough... that's three glasses in about 15 minutes, you schmuck..... Yeah, here." He passes the bottle to Earl.

"Nor plutsem a shtral, a likhtiker kval: tsvey oygn hob ikh derzen......" Hirim wraps an arm around Ratchet's shoulders.

"To loving a dark eyed girl" A toast and drinks

"L'Chaim!!" Hirim toasts back and drains the cup, reaching for the bottle again. Ratchet sighs.

"Going to be one of those nights. Go ahead. Let him have it. Not like his temper in the morning will be better or worse, anyway." Resigned.

"Bring it on" Earl says

"I'll get the vodka." Ratchet rises and brings back a few bottles, actually.

And he settles in next to Hirim, moderation next to excess.

"I promise not to drink and fly" He assures, and takes up the challenge

((Fade))