Morningstar Manor

Ted had come home for a few days - dental appointment, parties with friends, the obligatory dinner at home and debriefing at the office.

Dad was disgustingly fit and his mental acuity didn't seem to have dulled in the slightest, which was infuriating on one level but comforting on another. No worries about Alzheimers or senile decay for loyal servants of Ouroubos.

Mum tried to be reasonable, in fact couldn't have been sweeter or more attentive. But he kept overhearing her on the phone to friends gushing over her grand-daughter and his perverted brother and his - Christ on a bike - husband and that made Ted gag.

After three days of seeing her flush as she noticed him and end the call and turn a sweet but low wattage smile in his direction he had had enough and decided to call someone he rather admired for having freed himself of both father and competing sibling.

"Mr Temminck please. Oh - Ted Fanshawe," he said and snarled as he was put on hold.

It was mornings like this that made Rhiannon grateful for Miri and Lee, her two assistants that also helped her in the shop. Otherwise, there was no way she would've gotten it open on time this morning.

Jazz had stopped in the Mocha after an afternoon spent at Rutherford with the intent of enjoying a cup of coffee and perhaps using the time to get some Environmental Studies work done...but that was boring and could, truthfully, wait until she got home.

Surfing her laptop for a Valentine's joke turned real idea was far more entertaining and just as useful a way to pass the time. Plus, in the Mocha, in theory, she'd be able to see Tom, who she was trying to surprise, or Cleo, who would be impossible to live with if she saw what Jazz was up to, coming and could feign innocence.

How about we book this red hot swing combo for the next Manor ball?

Which is Feb 14th btw!! See you there?

<:3 ~ Charlie

It was that time of month again and Leo sat in the Mocha watching the steam rise from his tea and waiting for Erik.

He caught Joy's eye and smiled, giving her an approving nod. Her tea-making was vastly improved.

Del, at a loose end, lounged on one of the couches reading a novel in Spanish and sipping iced coffee and dreaming of white beaches, brilliant sunshine and girls in hardly anything at all. Winter - he hated it. Not that he wanted to go anywhere - his job for De Rossi was still fun - but some sun would be nice.

~

Brendan had come down to buy a bag of coffee beans because, while Zack was still too poorly to drink much of it, Brendan needed the bursts of caffeine to keep him going. He thought the crisis was past, thank God, but Zack didn't seem to be improving quickly. Between tiredness and worry Brendan needed all the help he could get.

~

Andy had come home from work early with a crashing headache and a general down on the entire world. It was just one of those days and she didn't much care who knew it. With her aching forehead propped on his fist, she flipped through a copy of Smashing that someone had left there and thought snide things about the glamour pusses within.

~

Finally Allan breezed in to the Mocha with his duffle bag on his shoulder, having dumped the rest of his luggage on a trolley in the lobby. Someone from maintenance would be along to help him move in just now, he had been assured. Meantime - coffee!

He'd asked her to help him carry some things from the office downstairs to his place upstairs so he could sort through ancient files that had been there since his uncle had owned the place, but that wasn't really the only reason. Connor wanted to talk to her. Maybe not talk. Maybe just...try to feel her out about what had gone on, what WAS going on. Or not. Because too much had passed between them before for him to screw this up again, ever, and lose her all over. If just friends was what it was going to be, he could handle that. But just friends didn't feel about each other the way he felt about her.

"...how about this one?" Gavin pointed at the green plaid sofa. It didn't smell *too* bad. And it had only a few stains.

They needed furniture, and neither of them had enough cash to drop on anything really nice.