Who: Cate Adler and Tonya Staviski What: Hanging out, watching Art & Soul, and generally catching up When: Sunday, May 26, 2019 | evening (backdated) Where: Tonya's house Warnings: None in particular
Cate gave an exaggerated sigh and pushed further back into the couch cushions, her hand to her forehead as if she was going to faint. "My god, this show. I've already watched these once, and it still gets me every time." She flashed a smile over at Aunt Tonya and sat up again, curling her legs up under her as the final bits of music from the end of the Art & Soul episode faded out. "Okay, so. Remember I told you how the events of episodes 5 and 12 were going to come back together at some point? I know we skipped most of the beginning, but just trust me, it'll make sense. Just remember the twins, and that scene with Mr. Yang."
She was practically bouncing in her seat with excitement, but thankfully this wasn't the first time she'd watched something with her aunt, so it wasn't exactly a surprise just how much she got into it. It didn't hurt that she'd been on set during the week and met quite a few of the players, so she was extra into it. "You want some more?" She reached for the wine bottle on the coffee table and topped off her own glass. It wasn't often she got to actually drink, given her work schedule, so it was a nice change. "Did I mention I'm so glad you're living in town now? Mom is not nearly as fun to binge with. She still won't venture outside of Auror procedurals, so teen dramas with dark magical twists are so not her thing." She laughed and took a sip.
“Yes please,” Tonya said and held out her glass. “I have no idea how your mother can watch those procedurals. I guess it reminds me too much of work with all the medical stuff and I tend to find all the little mistakes so it’s not for me.” she laughed. “And these teen dramas are kind of a guilty pleasure of mine anyway although I don’t know how I missed this one. The boys love to tease me about my tastes in entertainment. They still give me a hard time about owning all four seasons of Star Wars Rebels because it’s animated and they keep saying that their mom watches cartoons.” She took a sip of wine and rolled her eyes. “They don’t know what they’re missing.
"They're just jealous that our shows get all of the best plot," Cate said, topping off Tonya's glass and returning the wine bottle to the table. "And I bet they wouldn't tease you as much if they realized just how much grown-up work went into making these things. I mean, I've watched plenty of videos online, but seeing it in person is a whole different thing. It's so serious." It made sense, but somehow that still hadn't made it any less impressive to see when she'd visited Tony on set. It was truly a business, a job, and not just the fun and games that it seemed like it should be, given the end product.
“The closest I’ve come to actually seeing what goes on was when they were shooting some stuff for a movie near the Sandia Pubelo. As it was, all I saw was a lot of trucks and lights but it was impressive. I’m just not technical enough for all that.” Tonya would rather work with the intricacies of a human body than the technical aspects of entertainment. “Sick humans are a lot more fascinating to me, the body is enough of a machine as it is.”
"Better you than me," Cate said with a chuckle and a rather wide-eyed expression that said far more than words how she felt about herself as a doctor of any sort. "I can talk to people all day long, but start asking me about what's going on inside them? Nope. Give me a document full of code any day, thanks."
She curled up a little tighter to fend of a bit of a chill. Days were getting a little warmer now, but evenings still called for long sleeves and a quilt when she could get it. "I could probably get used to Wizzywood, though, not gonna lie," she added with a mischievous smile. "I've never seen so many pretty people in one place in my life."
“Tell me about it, I have never been there. I’ve always wondered what it was like,” Tonya loved to travel but once she had gotten married and the twins had arrived, she hadn’t had time to do much of it. “I went to a conference in San Francisco once but that’s the only time I’ve been on the west coast except for school and I didn’t have any money to go off to Wizzywood then.”
"The place itself wasn't anything particularly special, I guess. A lot of offices and bigger studio buildings, some outdoor shooting locations roped off, but not really built out except for the ones in active use." Cate sipped at her wine and tried to think of any fun details her aunt might enjoy. "It was really the set that was most interesting. There were a lot more people than I expected with jobs doing things I never even thought about when it comes to movies and TV. Stocking the food that the crew eats, because they aren't necessarily getting breaks where they can leave. Walking around doing sticking charms on all of the cables for the lights. Checking the privacy wards to make sure the paparazzi don't get anything. Too bad they don't need a programmer."
“When you watch a show on TV or see a movie, it all looks so natural,” Tonya shook her head. “But of course a lot of work has to go into it to make look that effortless. It does sound like it would a fun job though although doing it every day might not be nearly as much fun as just imagining it.” She took another sip of wine and grinned at Cate. “Did you get discovered? Did someone offer to make you a star? Because I might be partial but I think you’d look beautiful on camera.”
Cate laughed loudly at that, nearly fumbling her wine. "Hardly. Though I did help Tony rehearse a little bit, so I got to pretend I was a star for a few minutes. But I was reading Griffin Lee's line—that's Damien, in the show," she added by way of explanation. "And there are few people who are as beautiful on camera as he is. Tony being one of them, of course. Not that I've actually seen him on the show yet, but you know. I'm sure he is."
“Well of course he is! How did he get the part?” Tonya was curious, she knew that her niece was seeing someone but she didn’t know very much about him other than his name. Claire seemed to like him so that was good. “And tell me about him because I don’t know very much. Your mother hasn’t given me any details.”
"Mostly he fell into it because he knows people who knows people," Cate explained. "He was a professional Quodpot player for more than a decade after school, and his last season he was with the San Francisco Flyboys. We went to a party back maybe six week ago? Opening weekend and all, and I guess he got to talking with people and the magic just happened, so to speak." She couldn't help thinking about the things that had happened since, with all that Tony had learned about his Quodpot career, but she did her best to push the sad thoughts away for now.
"Tony in general is...." She debated how best to describe him to her aunt. She was so used to everyone already knowing him that it was more difficult than she expected. "Probably the most caring, positive, open, encouraging, charming person I know. Which is funny, considering Kent." She snorted a laugh and was glad that she hadn't tried to take another sip of her wine just yet. "Kent is prickly, terrible with people, far too smart for his own good, and pretty much the definition of hidden depths. You wouldn't think that we'd mesh, but...." She looked up at Tonya. "Mom did tell you about that, right? The three of us? Or is she still doing the silent disapproval thing?" She rolled her eyes to express exactly how she felt about that.
It took a moment for it to sink it but then Tonya raised her eyebrows. “The three of you? You’re…….together like a couple but with three people?” This definitely called for another sip of wine, a bigger one this time. “And no your mother didn’t tell me that. She told me you were seeing someone and his name was Tony and that was it. She didn’t mention anyone else. I….how does that work? I mean the three of you dating? I’ve never known anyone who did that but I’ve heard of it.” She was out of her depth here and didn’t want to hurt Cate’s feelings but she would have to get used to this. “Dating has changed a lot since I did it,” she laughed. “Are you happy? That’s the most important thing.”
Cate sighed, though for her mom's part rather than her aunt's. At least she didn't look annoyed and horrified at the news. "Of course Mom mentioned Tony and not Kent. Tony's the guy everybody likes, and Kent is the one no one understands." She set her wine glass aside for fear that her tendency to gesticulate when she was fired up would end with a spill on Tonya's couch. "I can't really say that we know how it works, either. We just decided we'd try it, and so far it's been good—a little over two months now. I see each of them individually, they see each other, and the three of us spend time together, too. Dad's come around about it, at least, probably because he likes the idea of having two people with vested interest in protecting his little girl." She rolled her eyes again, but this time it was affectionate.
"I am happy. Though...things have been pretty rocky lately. Not with the three of us, but just with some things that have been going on with them. Kent got hurt at work, and Tony found out some things about his past that he didn't know before. Plus his sister's pregnant—Tony's, that is—and she's had some complications, so he's been stressed about that." She smiled a bit sadly as she reached for her wine again. "It's just hard enough worrying about one person with that sort of intensity, much less two."
“I wonder if she’s the one Healer Jackson mentioned,” Tonya said thoughtfully. “They said that there was a pregnant woman with some interesting history and we’d talk about it more if I took over the case. That’s all that I know though. I hope that she comes through it all okay and yes, I do know how to deliver babies in case Tony is worried about that.” She smiled at her niece. “I’m not going to pretend that I understand how this works, it’s certainly very different from when I was your age but as long as the three of you have things worked out and it continues to go well then I’m happy for you. Your mother will come around, you know she always does. She didn’t like Nick at first because he was no-maj and she ended up loving him to death.” It still hurt to think about him, it had been almost three years since he’d died and he had been sick for four years before that. “For all I know the boys have girlfriends each,” she laughed. “Well Max is still getting over a broken heart but Victor? I wouldn’t be that surprised to be honest.”
"Probably," Cate said with a nod, because 'interesting history' definitely fit in this case. "There aren't exactly a lot of options for that label. She's been doing better, I know. Tony's flipped back from worried to excited, for the most part."
She smiled a little sadly at the mention of Uncle Nick. She'd never been as close to him as to his wife, but she'd always liked him and it had shaken her a bit when he died. It didn't help that it had been the same year her sister-in-law, Anne, had passed away, which had made her even more susceptible to it than was already her tendency. "I just wish she wouldn't clam up about it. It makes it so hard to tell whether she's upset or just doesn't have anything to say." Or maybe those two were the same. It was so opposite her own approach that she couldn't say. "Broken heart? Who dared? Point me at 'em and Nora and I can take care of it." Her eyes narrowed, but her expression was still playful.
“She’s always been like that. I said what I thought and sometimes I shouldn’t have but I can usually get her to open up. I can always pretend that I don’t know and somehow bring it up. She knows the trick, I’ve used it all our lives but maybe it will help. I’ll be honest, it sounds really strange to me but things are different from when I was your age and as long as the three of you are happy and know what you want, that’s all that matters.” Tonya reached over and gave Cate’s hand a squeeze. “The next time we go to the Chicago night market, we’ll visit her. She makes jewelry and had a shop in Santa Fe, that’s where Max met her. The Night Market offered her a permanent spot and she’ll make more money so it was hard to say no. Max couldn’t leave his job so that was that. So maybe not entirely a broken heart but close.”
Cate squeezed Tonya's hand back even as she gaped. "Wait, they broke up over a job? Jobs plural. That's awful. What good is wizard travel if you can't even make a long distance relationship work?" She couldn't help thinking of what she'd told Kent and Tony about wishing she could apparate. She'd realized since that the sentiment had come up again partially out of concern and partially out of jealousy, from knowing that she'd never be the partner who could immediately be at the others' sides when something happened. But maybe it was even more of a romantic notion than she'd even realized. "What a crap decision to have to make."
“You know how men are. They aren’t going to tell you everything. There could have been more to it than that. I just know that he’s very sad although he still talks to her. It’s confusing,” she laughed. “My hope is that they work things out because sometimes you can just tell when someone fits with your family. Like Cao, she already feels like part of the family and they aren’t even married yet. She’s always felt that way. That’s how it was with Kerry. She got on with us from the very beginning.”
"Cao is part of the family. It's kind of adorable that Benny wants to make his proposal this special thing, but I wish he'd hurry up and get on with it already!" Cate laughed and shook her head. How long had he had the ring now? Weeks now, she was pretty sure. "Which is to say, yes, I know exactly how men are. Well, many of the ones of my acquaintance, anyway. I'm fairly sure I know at least a couple who'd tell you far more than you want to know, too."
She poured out the last bit of wine, splitting it between her glass and Tonya's. "I've never actually been in the Night Market in Chicago before, so that'd be fun. Then maybe I can talk some sense into Max." She winked and laughed again. After a brief pause, she said, "Ready for the next episode? This will get you all caught up to start with the new one coming on Tuesday, and for Tony's first episode the week after that."
“We will have to plan a trip then once I’m settled with work and all that.” she accepted the refill. and settled back on the couch. “Yes, I’m ready and I’m going to get impatient having to wait, I have a feeling! I don’t suppose Tony offers spoilers?”
Cate smiled at her aunt mischievously. "Who needs Tony when you have me?"