#scarsdale

"Uncles?" Alarmed tries to keep his voice down "Hey, August.. Hirim isn't the best behaved Quest companion. YOu may not remember... storming into places... trying to do so alone... broken leg?"

"I remember what I was told about it, after a point. I fell. No Uncles is fine! I was... kind of teasing." Sheepish sounding.

"Give me a heart attack.." Mutter

"I... I need to think about having five. It..."

"Vince?"

"I know he's a dandy, and has trouble with the truth, but he can get people talking and he is ... well. I remember him being good in a fight, if that is needed."

"I admit he has admirable qualities..."

"Whatever you want." August promises.

"When do you want to go?"

A look at Zara, "Your call. "

"Soon?"

"Before orientation."

"Sooner the better I think" Earl says "But that's a gut feeling"

August, from inside the speakerphone. "Soon is -good-."

"Agreed."

"So.... when?"

"I could go tomorrow!"

A choked pause. "Tomorrow?"

"..Wednesday?"

"Something wrong with tomorrow?"

"I... Ah. Yes. No, I mean... tomorrow is fine. You'll know about the others? I have yet to ask them."

A look to Zara, then a smile, "Well... if they can't drop everything and join in right now... then they are probably too busy to join in. So tomorrow."

Then he mouuths to Zara 'keeping it small this way'

"There is that..."

"Sorry, what?"

"We're going tomorrow, August." Earl says

"Tomorrow... Okay. I will be ready. Can.... can we leave from here?"

"I need to know about the others."

A look to Zara. Her call

"Certainly. I wish to give instructions to miss Velvet, of course..."

"Okay. If you want, you can text me about the others. I'll wait."

A look to Zara and he mouths 'you okay? I don't want you feeling the group is too crowded'

"Ask Vince. It... thou are responsible for him!"

"no lion hair in the tea"

Earl realizes he just said that outloud and hopes August didn't hear it.

"Oh, we shall need service for five..."

Earl sighs and helps unpack the tea set

"I will be responsible for him." August pledges.

(And might regret it later.....)

"Oh well, I liked the Athenians better anyway"

"Well, alright then."

"Alright? Both?"

"Mmmph.."

"If they can both go tomorrow and understand we could be gone for who knows how long. "

"I'll tell them!"

Sympathetic shrug to Zara

"If they can't, then it's the three of us. Tomorrow." A pause. "Thank you."

"See you tomorrow, AUgust."

"later, August"

Still excited "See you tomorrow, Zara." *Click*