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Tweak says, "Big brother didn't do it!"

Alicia Spinnet-Pucey (_alicia_) wrote in finnigans_rpg,
@ 2014-09-17 23:03:00

Entry tags:

character: alicia spinnet, character: richard summerby

RP: Alicia and Richard
Who: Alicia and Richard
What: Lunch and catching up
Where: J+A Cafe on Sutton Lane
When: 17. September, 1pm
Rating: SFW

Alicia loved her job as a Healer for Pride, but she hadn’t been exaggerating when she had told Richard that she would be spending her morning with a bunch of divas. Last week’s defeat had made some of the players antsy and superstition had them request additional Healer assistance and check-ups and… She had drawn the line when one them had gotten the idea into his head, that a second test for spattergroit was necessary (she had been close to kicking him out when he had asked for the first one).

Finally back in London she had changed into something a bit more Muggle friendly yet still fitting for a café lunch. Rather than waiting inside, she settled against the stonewall in front of her house and began checking the messages that had ticked in on her phone this morning. Barely had she gotten started before the phone rang, and Alicia found herself listening to Mrs. Creevey’s relay on how the 9 year old daughter of a Muggleborn couple who hadn’t survived the interrogations during the war had finally shown signs of magic and that she had spent the morning with the uncle preparing him for what was to come and how to deal with it and could Alicia please remind Dennis…

Alicia listened patiently, perfectly happy with the steps in the right direction the uncle had finally taken and even more so that someone as well-versed in raising magic children of her own as Mrs. Creevey was had been there to help out. She had just heard all about the latest batch of fruit scones when a big steel grey car came down Sheffield Terrace. “I’ll be sure to tell him that, Mrs. Creevey,” she assured the older woman once again, before she hung up and watched as the car came closer.

“Looks like I’m springing for both lunch and drinks today.”

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_alicia_
2014-09-18 08:14 am UTC (link)

“I believe we shall,” Alicia chuckled, her smile bright, highly amused by Richard’s antics and maybe just a touch self-conscious about suddenly having a chauffeur. Then again, it was ‘just’ Richard, which was why she had no qualms about letting her eyes wander up to take in the entirety of his outfit, before she leaned up to kiss his cheek in greeting.

“Looking good, Summerby,” she said with a gesture to him in general before she nodded to the opened door. “But if you think I’m riding in the back, you have another think coming. I don’t want to talk to your neck all the way to Sutton Road.” Which was one thing. Another thing was that after having constantly been allocated a spot on the backseat all of her life, either because she was the youngest or the one with the shortest legs, sitting in the backseat had somewhat lost its novelty.

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the_richard
2014-09-18 04:10 pm UTC (link)

"Right then," Rich laughed as he tossed his hat on the back seat and closed the rear door of the car. "Consider yourself promoted from cargo to passenger." He opened the front door and closed it behind Alicia, then walked around to the driver's side and got in. "No changes in plans then?"

Wizard or no, Rich was an accomplished driver and got them quickly and smoothly to the restaurant. After ordering, he raised one eyebrow at Alicia. "So, a young gentleman in your life now? Good for you. Glad you're moving on with your life. When do we get to see the two of you out as a couple so I can meet him and see if he's good enough for you?"

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_alicia_
2014-09-20 11:16 am UTC (link)

“My main mission in life has been accomplished,” Alicia grinned and shook her head as she made good use of Richard’s gallantry and got into the car. “No changes in plan.” Not at this point at least, but she had long ago learned not to expect that as a sign that nothing would change.

The drive to the café just proved to Alicia why it was she never drove in the city; Richard was an accomplished driver, but there was still a lot of traffic and as a general rule the other drivers tended to drive like they had their heads… tucked far away. With a chuckle she groaned slightly at his question before she shrugged. “I don’t know,” she admitted. “It’s not like we have it all planned out or anything, but us out as a couple and you meeting him doesn’t necessarily have to be the same thing. There is such a thing as a private dinner, for instance?” She smiled at him and held out her hands. “Publicly and officially, though, that will have to wait until both the Puceys and the Fawleys know, which.” With a sigh, she closed her eyes and rubbed her forehead. “Frankly I don’t know how to tell the Fawleys even if Mrs. Fawley has been pushing for me to get out there again.”

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the_richard
2014-09-20 01:55 pm UTC (link)

Richard's face softened a little as he listened to his friend.

"Whatever's best for you and the kids. Yeah, I'd like to get to know the bloke. And I'm hoping he won't mind our friendship, and me dropping around for a visit with the twins. I've enjoyed being their 'uncle', watching them grow. So if you want to throw a little dinner party, or me to have some get-together, we'll work it out."

"Were me, I'd be seen out with the man a few times, and maybe a quiet word to the bird that writes that society column for the Prophet and a discrete picture of the two of you out somewhere... but yeah, I suppose Mrs. F ought to know first." He chucked, "The problems of the Social Registry."

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_alicia_
2014-09-20 08:27 pm UTC (link)

Alicia smiled at Richard, his concern for her and the twins was just part of the reason why she had never truly felt like a single parent. “Whether he minds or not, that isn’t anything you should worry about,” she assured him. “That’s all on me, however, I don’t see why he would. Besides, he would never get to dictate who I can or cannot spend time with, and that goes for who spends time with the twins, too. They’d miss you, you know? But I’ll be sure to let you know and coordinate schedules and all that.”

Listening to Rich’s suggestion, Alicia’s lips started twitching slightly, trying to contain the grin that was lurking as she wondered how she could have ever thought something this simple a problem at all. “We’ve been doing lunches and drinks and dinners as friends since he stank up my office with his brewing a couple of years ago,” she laughed lightly. “I think the society column has deemed us wastes of time when it comes to gossip. Maybe I’ll just let the twins in on it. Then everybody will know in a matter of days, at most.” Thanking the waitress when she brought them their drinks, she took a sip of hers and turned her attention back to Richard. “Enough of that. So, what’s in store for Mister R. Summerby now that you’ll be in London regularly?”

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the_richard
2014-09-20 09:27 pm UTC (link)

"Well aren't you the modern liberated woman," Rich replied with a grin. "Just give me a time and place enough ahead of time so I can be sure to be in town."

"The have reached the chatty stage, haven't they."

"Based in London." He shook his head. "Still out and about two to four days a week seeing customers and looking after contractors. The rest of the time? Father and I are still buying and refurbishing properties. Got the last building my side of Clink Street recently, now comes the remodel."

He thought for a moment. "Keep it under your hat for a month or so, but Bluebottle is going to be reborn soon. Bringing back the Family Broom, the Two-Place, and we'll be introducinga high-performance broom too. I bought in, minor partner, and am the chief test rider. Keeps me bbusy weekend mornings."

"Now if I could just find a dance partner for Saturday nights my calendar would be full."

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_alicia_
2014-09-21 04:41 pm UTC (link)

Alicia quirked an eyebrow at Richard. She had always hated the labels attached to women like that, especially since that wasn’t something that was usually attached to men. “If by modern liberated woman you mean someone identifying as female while living in the 21st century, then yes, I am,” she smirked. More accurately she had just learned to take responsibility for her own actions and opinions and wouldn’t let anyone make it their problem whether or not her boyfriend would mind them.

“Isla’s been in the chatty stage since she was 2. Liam’s reached the 80s hard rock stage and thinks Top Gun and Tom Cruise is the best thing that’s ever happened to the world. I dread seeing his reaction when he realises that Tom Cruise was only cool back then.”

She drank from her water as she listened, listening with genuine interest as Richard spoke of the new initiatives for the broom company. “The test riding sounds like fun, but do you really think there’s a market for the family broom?” She wouldn’t know, hadn’t needed to know in the sense that she hadn’t needed a family broom since… well, she had never needed a family broom.

“Ah, well, hopefully there are plenty of witches who’ll be helpful with that,” she chuckled. “Have you been to Wingbeats yet?”

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the_richard
2014-09-21 08:01 pm UTC (link)

Rich couldn't help but chuckle at Alicia's reaction. "Calm down, Spinn. Ginger Rogers did everything Fred Astaire did, backwards, and in five inch high heels. I was just kidding. You're as much a business person as I am, in addition to raising two lovely, and lively, children."

He shrugged. "Most people only need a solid, inexpensive, broom for an everyday ride. And face it, not everybody is you or I, able to climb on to a high-performance broom and not put it into the trees. What we're hoping is that the high performance broom, suitable for racing right off the rack, will lend some attraction to the more average brooms. Lot more families out there than there are Quidditch players and racers."

"Been there. No luck," he said with a wry smile. "I'm ready to try advertising in the Finnigan's journal in hopes of escaping the bits of pureblood fluff my mother keeps trying to send my way. Fashions, and parties, and being seen out and about with the Right People seem to be the only thoughts they have in their pretty little - empty - heads."

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_alicia_
2014-09-23 08:29 pm UTC (link)

Alicia nearly snorted her water when Rich’s comment had her laughing. “For your sake I really hope you’re more of a business, well, person than I am. Because me? Business woman?” she laughed as she shook her head. “No, no just no. I’m a Healer. I just happen to have the means to Heal more than broken bones. That’s not business.” She paused for a moment before she added with a smirk; “but I can do that in five inch heels. Probably backwards, too.”

“Mm, hmm,” Alicia nodded. “I see your point, and I’m not talking about the quality of the broom, uhm…” With her hands she mimicked holding someone in front of her. “Whenever I’ve been flying with the kids, one, usually Liam, has always been sitting in front of me, his harness attached to mine with a carbine, while Isla’s been strapped in the same way with the other flyer…” She frowned slightly, then nodded again. “Okay, yeah, I can see that with a family broom you wouldn’t have to have a second flyer if you were taking more than one child with you.”

“Alright,” she admitted, “maybe Wingbeat isn’t the place to go for that. There’s a weekly chess tournament at Finnigan’s.” She was teasing, but only partly so; if you were looking for girls with more than just the looks and the right blood maybe going to places aside from the most obvious, such as clubs or bars. With that in mind, she fell quiet for a moment, mulling an idea over. “It’s cliché, but maybe a bachelor auction could be an idea for the next fundraiser,” she mused aloud. “Or something not quite as stuffy and go for a speed dating night? That wouldn’t require people to dole out a lot of money, but it would be certain to raise awareness, maybe even bring in more volunteers.”

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the_richard
2014-09-23 08:58 pm UTC (link)

"The Family Broom will easily carry an adult and two kids. Or one adult who isn't... blessed with your sveldt figure. The Two-Place will carry two adults and three kids. And some groceries."

"Bachelor auction?" Rich couldn't help but laugh. "My luck, somebody's maiden great aunt Matilda would win me." He grinned. "Rather than a straight up action, make it a raffle. Buy as many tickets as you want on the bachelors you want. That way the girl who can only afford one ticket has at least some chance of winning. Sure, throw my hat in the ring. Along with my hat I'll put up a weekend in Paris - separate rooms, don't you know - and a one-off gown and shoes from some of my friends in the French fashion industry to sweeten the pot."

"Better chance doing that than at the Chess Club, anyway."

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_alicia_
2014-09-25 09:44 pm UTC (link)

“Yes, bachelor auction,” Alicia grinned. It wasn’t that far-fetched. After all, at just about all the fundraisers they had done for the Foundation there had been some sort of auction – traditional or silent – to boost the funds that came in. This, however, wouldn’t just be for the rich and famous, but for everyone, for those who volunteered their time and expertise, and… Rich was on to something with that raffle. “Well, perhaps this time maiden great aunt Matilda is from one of those families and still in her twenties,” she smiled – entirely too sweetly – at him. “But that’s actually a great idea, though just so you know? I expect to find your name at least close to the top when the sign-up sheets go up.”

She grinned at him. “And then I’ll invite the chess club, just to make sure that some of the brains are in the running, too.”

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the_richard
2014-09-26 01:38 am UTC (link)

Richard laughed. "When you make up the sign-in sheet just pencil me in as number one. Told you I'd sweeten the deal for an auction - let me know what I have to do for a raffle."

"Sure, sign up the whole chess club. You can trust me to buy a few tickets on everybody, so nobody feels unwanted. I'll just buy more tickets on the ones I really want to win." He threw Ali a quick smirk.

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