#scarsdale

"Mom.." the word escapes, worried. She crouches down.

"I'm sorry." At a loss.

She looks.... a little shocky. Pale, even for a nocker, the spirals standing out in contract. Irises constricted.

Zara withdraws, retreating to a corner.

"... are you two okay?" a whisper, the boy has a small tray, tea, coffee

And his eyes dart back and forth between his half sister and mother

Zara draws herself up. "Fine, fine. Mother needs a moment. Let me take that. Go ask Auntie Hannah for a cookie. She keeps special ones in the Mother Goose jar."

"Oh.. okay" He hands it over, a worried look on his little face, but he complies after one last glance. Then he's gone, and they have the room again, but this time a room with beverages.

Zara carefully places the mug in Miriam's hands, wrapping the nocker's gnarled fingers around it and making sure she is actually holding it before letting go.

Miriam wets dry lips and about half a beat out of sync looks at Zara.

Zara has fallen back again, arms wrapped around her torso.

The coffee cup begins to shake, slopping slightly, and Miriam manages to get it on the floor before it falls.

Zara has slunk back to her corner, wedged in against the wall.

Earls' breathing shifts- possibly the only other noise in the room

Miriam grinds the heels of her hands into her eyes, pushing, rubbing.

Zara shrinks in on herself... and... if one were to look at that corner again.. she is nowhere to be seen.

The room is quiet except for some wet, snuffly, congested noises.

And so it goes. Sleeping Earl, Jacob in the kitchen learning interesting curse words...

Eventually the snorking stops, and it's quiet. Then knobby knuckles reach for the coffee cup, pull it closer... lift it....

Slurp.

Slurp.

Sluuuuuurp.

Miriam looks up from the inky depths of her mug.

Earl, the pot pie.

Hannah's immaculate living room with far too many doilies (Zara's work - Miriam has seen enough to recognize that favorite half-hitch...)

A tray with Jacob's tea.

She scrubs at her cheeks with her free hand, and takes another gulp of coffee.

jacob peeks into the room, and does not see his sister.

He does see his mom.

the boy's bow tie appears to be 'lost'..how tragic.

"Hey." She greets him.

Hoarsely.

'mom, where's sis?" he looks aobut, searching the shadows with his eyes

"Dunno. C'mere."

He moves to his mom's side

She drapes an arm around him.

Sluagh are not often prone to physical displays, but he hugs her back, like a leech on the side of a blow fish

"Aw. Hey, s'ok. Settle down, ya little mench."

"why is zara so tense, and why are you shaken? and..." A look at earl "Why are they eating earl later today when he finally thaws?"

"Hey, Miss Hannah's a good cook; he'll be fine. Got some news I didn't expect an'... where -is- Zara?"

"is what I'm saying" at mention of zara not being about "was it good news?"

"Yeah. I guess. On the whole. Just.... startled me."

"Kay...so why is good news making her run or hide? Should I go seek?"

"Nah, kiddo. Let her have some time alone. We talked about that, nu?"

"yeah, hiding heals" A sigh then "but I'm getting better at seeking. one day i'll learn all her secrets" A smile "that will realllly annoy her"

"Yeah." She rubs her cheeks again and drinks coffee. "Might be a long one day, though."

He wrinkles his nose "we sluagh are known our patience" a beat "but I hope it's a summer long day, those are shorter long days"

"Yeah. Ok." A deep breath that comes out as a groan. "Scheisse. I gotta go into the kitchen."

"Okay... " He notes the groan "You okay? you're making old people sounds"