InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "Here be binders full of women"

Sherri Salvage | Scheherazade (withinastory) wrote in bellumlogs,
@ 2010-05-15 15:49:00

Entry tags:

scheherazade, sultan's daughter

Who: Sherri and Joss
What: The Reunion
Where: The entrance to the lobby
When: Early afternoon
Warnings: Most likely a lot of squealing.

Out of all the boxes of disassembled furniture stacked in the back seat of Sherri's car, she had decided it was the most practical to take care of the biggest one first. Really, she probably should have made an effort to meet a neighbor and beg for help carrying the futon in, but the box (and, to be honest, the frame inside) was already ragged enough that she didn't think it would hurt to just drag it. The mattress was another matter, and not one she was looking forward to dealing with.

She'd wasted no time moving in after signing her lease, having tossed her two suitcases into the empty apartment before heading out to find the cheapest furniture possible. She wouldn't exactly be living in the lap of luxury once she got all her purchases inside, but she would have enough to get by (as long as she could get everything in without breaking it), and that was enough for her.

The likelihood of getting everything in undamaged, however, was getting smaller by the second. With a small, determined huff, she tugged the box along another few inches, backing toward the door to the lobby. Oh, shoot... did it open out or in? She couldn't remember for the life of her, and she didn't want to risk losing her grip by turning around to look. She'd deal with that when she got there, she supposed.

(Read comments) - (Post a new comment)

sultana
2010-05-16 02:58 am UTC (link)

Joss didn't hesitate, sinking to the floor and mimicking her position. Her arms crossed below her chest and her head tilted to the side. Sherri was a storyteller - she expected a good explanation. Something that would make sense as to why she'd abandoned her. (Because it was how Joss viewed it.)

But the explanation didn't satisfy her and Joss pressed on. "Where? The world's big-" Her mind went back to her conversation with the Southern girl the other day - it didn't matter where one went as long as they did go. Joss frowned, then let the questions come. "Where'd you go at first? How'd you find out about the building? Why'd you pick here? Why did you-" Her breath caught and she had to swallow and begin again. "Why did you go?"

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

withinastory
2010-05-16 03:40 am UTC (link)

Sherri straightened her spine and rested her palms loosely on her thighs, getting comfortable before she started talking. The last question... that was the important one and, she supposed, the beginning of the story. "He wasn't a good man. I couldn't prove it, of course. There was no proof, just things covered up that shouldn't have needed covering. I just knew it, but dad would never have believed me. After all, he was Leroy Preston, how could he do anything wrong?

"I left because I had to, because if I had stayed I would have been marrying that man regardless of my feelings about it. It might have turned out just fine in the end, but I couldn't take that chance. I'm sorry I didn't tell you, but no one could know. I couldn't risk word getting back to dad.

"My first stop was in a little town in Idaho. There was no real reason to stop there, except that I had to fill my tank, and have a hot meal. After that, I just stayed. I found a job at a used book store, and a little apartment, and I was getting by. Of course..." Her lips twisted into a wry smile. "Our father had to choose a man who traveled to marry me off to. Someone brought in fliers about a revival in the area, and I saw his name and knew I had to leave.

"I kept moving east from there. Again, I'm not sure why. I was just drawn in one direction, and I didn't see a reason to turn another. I would stop and work again, but he always seemed to be following behind me, and I would always leave. I'm not sure why here, except that it's about as far east as I can go. This building was the first that had a vacant apartment in my price range, but I'm really not sure why here, either. I'm glad that I am here, though."

There was a lot Sherri had left out. She hadn't mentioned her fear, how many times she'd nearly turned back, how she was less and less certain as time went on that she was right about the man she had been engaged to. She hadn't mentioned the times her car had broken down, or when she hadn't been able to afford to eat. Joss didn't need to know about any of that. She reached out and took her sister's hand. "It was never you that I was trying to get away from."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

sultana
2010-05-16 04:06 am UTC (link)

Sherri had always been a wonderful storyteller - even when at her most wild, Joss could calm down during a story. Her shoulders relaxed slightly as she listened, processing it slowly. It was almost like old times - minus the fact that they were sitting on the floor of an apartment in New York and the story was actually about Sherri.

There was a long pause when the story ended and her hand was taken. Joss blinked, finding herself ready to tear up - again. Crying unless it was on purpose didn't suit her; she wasn't really a child after all. She squeezed Sherri's hands, confessing, "Preston kinda seemed like a schmuck to me." Maybe. She hadn't paid too much attention to him before other than the guy who'd fix things by marrying Sherri. Picturing him now though? She couldn't definitely see it.

There was a pause and then she said, a bit more quietly, "I really missed you." It hurt to say that - it had been worse than when she'd been shipped off to England. At least she'd known why she'd been banished then. Saying she'd needed her was too much and Joss shook her head, pulling her hand back. "That's why I came. Sorta. Mom and Dad went berserk."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	withinastory 2010-05-16 04:23 am UTC (link)
	"I missed you, too." Sherri took a deep breath. "But I'm here now. That's what matters, right?" She could well imagine how 'berserk' their parents had gone, and while she felt bad for leaving Joss to deal with it on her own, it seemed her little sister had done a much better job of standing up to them than she had. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	sultana 2010-05-16 04:53 am UTC (link)
	Joss' mouth quirked into something that was almost a smirk. "Sure. If you don't run anymore." She paused, looking down for a moment before looking up. "And...they know I'm here. But I won't tell them, if you don't go." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

withinastory
2010-05-16 05:01 am UTC (link)

Could she promise that? Sherri knew that, if Leroy Preston came to town, it would be hard to resist the urge to move on rather than risk bumping into him. Still, it wasn't just anyone asking. It was Joss. She knew that there were likely still a lot of things they needed to talk about, and probably some arguments in their near future, but...

She squeezed Joss's hand once more. "If I'm going to stay, I need to finish dragging everything on my car. I'll take you out to eat if you help me get my mattress up the stairs." Not that she wouldn't anyway, but she could at least pretend it was a valid bribe.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	withinastory 2010-05-16 05:02 am UTC (link)
	((Also, out of* the car. Oops.) (Reply to this) (Parent)

	sultana 2010-05-16 05:08 am UTC (link)
	Joss squeezed it back, fully grinning. For her it was good enough - and if she took off again, Joss would follow her. That was a given, if she was just down the hall. "Deal!" She pushed herself up from the floor, giving her sister a hand before tugging her towards the door. (Reply to this) (Parent)

(Read comments) -