Morningstar Manor

Out of respect for Icene and how tough she'd had things recently Joe had differed to Adam's wishes and quietly set his plans into motion. But now everything was packed up and or put in storage, the forms were signed and filed, his tickets purchased - he had no choice but bring the subject up again.

Adam was as reluctant as ever and Joe began to suspect it had as much to with his brother as Icene. A part of him was touched, but the majority remained unmoved. He was ready to go.

Eventually they decided on an upcoming date for the big announcement over a quiet dinner at home.

The walk home from the shop had been cold, but rather than fill up on chocolate and hot food, Gregori had come down to the gym to work out. He'd get plenty warm that way, and besides, with all the chocolate he was eating lately he kind of needed to, otherwise he'd be putting on weight wholesale! In between short sessions on the treadmill, he was lifting weights, and after a while he got into the rhythm and was therefore surprised when the door opened behind him and someone else came in. He smiled, the treadmill wasn't that interesting, and even lifted a hand, "Hi, cold out tonight isn't it, is it still snowing?"

It wasn’t so much that Icene was tired, as exhausted. The last twelve weeks had been her own personal hell, from that frantic phone call just before Christmas, right up until now, as she passed through the doors of the Manor and trudged wearily into the Mocha. Her father was now settled in a little cottage type house he liked, just across the block from Masai’s new three bed place, where Mas’ girlfriend was happily calling on Dad for decorating help and assistance with shopping for baby things. Of the four of them, Icene seemed to be the only one still looking back, still grieving, but then, they had each other, and a new baby for hope. For most of the last six or so weeks, Icene had been the one in control, leashing her temper with an un-natural (to most people) calm, her cool and unflappable self causing a few raised eyebrows.

Even Adam flying out for the funeral hadn’t broken that, even though she’d needed him desperately, and was almost surprised when he just arrived out of the blue. The only times she’d cried had been that night in his arms, and the one after he flew home and left her still raw and reeling. For all her mother’s faults, and how ever un-motherly she had been, she was still the only mother Icene had ever known, and now she was gone. It just made it harder to think about a future that Icene still wasn’t sure she had, even if Masai now seemed to have his secured.

( Black'n'blues please )

A tense week. Not as bad as some others he'd experienced at Morningstar Manor, but still unpleasant.

Adam had responded in the most sensible way he and his brother could come up with: holing up in their apartments to wait it out. Whatever was or not coming would be easier to face and deal with from the familiarity of their own homes they figured....

Hopefully, anyway. Didn't really help the waiting though, that was still a bitch.

Finishing up a check-in call with Joe, Adam pushed the pizza into the oven and straightened to check the microwave clock.

Twenty minutes - more waiting.

Nearing the end of her workday, Jazz was down on the sales floor, selecting a few pieces from the cases that she wanted to take with her to tomorrow's morning consultation and catching up with the staff as to how they're day had gone.

~.~

Adam was picking up the necessary ingredients for the spaghetti dinner he was hoping to make for Icene tonight. And also, on a whim as he for the headed for the checkouts, a bouquet of flowers.

Here was hoping it was one of her decent nights and not one of her work-all-night nights.

~.~

His sister's birthday coming up, Riley was wandering aimlessly. Where to start, what to look for? Really these sort of things should have gotten easier with age, but to Riley it only seemed to get harder and more confusing.

Sunday was a day for catching up and preparing for the working week ahead:

Adam was in the laundry room, carefully turning a set of camo inside out before tossing them into the washer with the rest of his colors; Joe paused to consult a grocery list as he stood in Michaels Bros. dairy section; Jazz took a break from her errands with lunch at the Auberge.

Exciting? No. But life couldn't always be.

Niles was sitting in the Mocha, sprawled across one of the couches staring with an entirely confused expression at the cook book that was open in his lap. He'd been kicking around the idea of surprising Elspeth with something nice and boyfriendy. Someone had suggested a romantic dinner. He didn't know how to cook much other than Cajun food, which he prepared for them all the time. So... Something different? And how the fuck did anyone find a keish appetizing?

Smith was on his way from the garage back into the Manor, tugging impatiently at his tie. Who the hell decided formal dress on a day as hot as this was a good idea? Suits made him feel suffocated on the best day, and that feeling was only quantified when it was hot enough to melt balls outside. Disguested, he tugged his jacket off too for good measure and caught sight of the awesome wet rings under his arm pits from sweat in the reflective doors of the elevater. "Brilliant," he muttered to himself.

Declan was out in the garden, though he was safe in the shade as smoke billowed from his mouth while he talked on his cell phone. The daughter of someone his mother had known had recently gone missing and apparently they suspected the same person that had left the governor's daughter spread all over the City in little bits. Pinching the bridge of his nose, he muttered a series of "uh huh" "yes, mother" and "I will," as he promised to keep a closer eye on Sterrin. As though that were possible.

Drew stood in line in the Mocha, still in his hospital scrubs as he rubbed warily at his forehead. He was glad these scrubs, the rather unbecoming shade of green that they were, were at least comfortable and lightweight. They made days like today, after he'd had an especially bad day, more tolerable. Yes, it only meant that he didn't have to fuck with a button and a zipper when he was ready to crawl in bed, but sometimes you just had to appreciate the little things in life.

Seamus was in the lobby, having just come from visiting Conn to discuss something about the Lamb. Bloody hell, this place was swanky. It was the sorta gig that made him feel like he had to take his shoes off at the fucking door or something equally ridiculous. Shaking his head, he paused at the door to the Mocha and contemplated running in and getting a muffin before he headed back to the Lamb. He'd have to eat quick, though. Otherwise Dermot would get his grubby little dick-skinners on it and he'd never see it again.

Callan was in the Gardens, checking his cell phone while Amelia pranced around and slowly went about doing her business. He'd never understand the mindset of dogs. He certainly didn't play hopscotch before going piss everytime he went into the bathroom, but maybe he was going about it wrong. He waved to Declan who waved back, but looked entirely flusterd on the phone. Wiping at the sweat on the back of his neck, he muttered to the dog to hurry up.

Jude was in the Mocha, sitting relaxed and casual and alone at one of the tables while looking at a test run of one of the new roller coasters they were designing for the park. It was based off of one of the last movies, something about a frog that could dance, but somehow they could never get the roller coaster's safety bars to stay down when it went through the first loop. The human sized dummy fell out every time. Smirking a bit to himself, he contemplated suggesting to put the ride on through as is. It'd be a nightmare in one aspect, but in another...

Father's Day was Sunday and Adam, for once, was prepared ahead of time. Not only did he already have the prerequisite card, but also a gift card to the local Bass Pro Shop (a.k.a. Dad heaven). All he had left was to get the pair in the mail. And he would.

But first, the scent of fresh cookies leaking across the lobby from the Mocha was too powerful to ignore.

~.~

Their trip may not have been until July, but that wasn't stopping Jazz from shopping early. At a lovely, sun-warmed table by the window she surfed on her laptop, occasionally reaching into the small plastic box she'd brought home from work beside her to dig out a strawberry and dipping the fruit into the froth atop her latte before idly munching.

It wasn't a tropical cocktail and the strawberries were technically supposed to be for Cleo (who wanted to make a Strawberry Shortcake), but it did get her in the mood for swimsuit shopping.

They'd hung on after the barbecue to help Maintenance clean up and put away a lot of things. Most of the tenants had taken their dishes back, and the excess food had been disposed of somewhere. Then they'd gathered up the collection tins, and headed back up to Adam's apartment, where instead of doing anything constructive, they'd fallen into the shower and then bed with total agreement that sleep was the thing.

Now though, some ten, eleven hours later, they were both at least half awake, and in Icene's case, already up and making coffee. She carried a tray back to the bedroom and set it down on his night stand, before clambering back into bed and snuggling up to the warmth of him, "Come on sleepyhead, I made you coffee and it's nearly lunchtime, we have to eat?"

Things were starting to come together for the BBQ. Emily was on board for evening out Adam's carinavore with some of her tasty vegetarian dishes, the comissary butchers had finally caved to Adam's demands, and Icene had said she'd stop back by the Lamb to finialize their agreement.

All that was really left now were the details. Those annoying little things that always seemed to trip him up at the end...but he was trying.

He was wandering the grocery section at Micheals Bros right then, a list of supplies in one hand while the other hand steered a shopping cart laden with more things than any one man (even a man of Adam's size) could possibly need.

Emily was supposed to be writing on her laptop, but damn that wireless connection. She had somehow ventured to travel agency pages and other websites looking for something to do in July. She was going to have the full month of holiday since La Fee Verte was once again going to be closed, but what to do with all that time? City, beach, cottage? To be lazy or to adventure? She couldn't decide at all, but it was a fun past time to browse through images and locations - it was like a virtual holiday in itself.

It had turned out to be a gorgeous day, far too nice to be cooped up inside - especially when he'd already been so all day - so when Adam and Icene met up in the Mocha that evening, he suggested they take their drinks out to the gardens where they'd be able to enjoy the sunshine.

"There," he said, inhaling a deep breath of air that smelled full of fresh, new green things, as they took up a seat on a bench not far from the gazebo. "Isn't this better?" And he tipped his face back to soak up the sun's rays.

The McClaren brothers sat at a table together near the counter, conversing idly about nothing of particular importance as Joe flipped through an abandoned newspaper. Neither said anything about the notes they'd respectively recieved, but both were thinking about it.

~.~

Jazz sat with her back to one of the windows, sipping the sugary concoction she held in one hand and texting with the other. Cleo was bemoaning her decision to take a Saturday morning class and Jazz couldn't help but rub it in.

That's what sisters were for.

( For Adam )

( For Joe )

( For Andy )

What with work tomorrow and neither of them having anything pressing to do this evening, Icene had taken the time to practice her cooking and presented Adam and Joe with a home cooked roast dinner. Her first, and quite possibly her last given the stressful time she'd had of making sure everything was ready at the same time. No way was that dinner as easy to cook as it looked on the plate! But, once they'd eaten and cleaned up, Joe had made his excuses and left, with Icene teasing him that if he was going to throw up, he should let her know, she had insurance after all....

Now she was curled up on the sofa with Adam, wondering how to go about telling him about the photo session she'd won at the auction. Of course, she had to consider that he already knew, but he certainly wouldn't know what she was planning... well, she hoped not anyway. She snuggled a little closer, the sheer heat of him seeping into her very bones and melting the ice at her core. "Adam, I heard about Eli going back overseas. Have you heard anything that I need to know about? I mean, after last time when you didn't want to say, I just thought I'd ask?"

Icene didn't want a fuss made, so Adam, ever eager to please, kept his response light. Or at least, he thought so.

The little exsperated smile-frown she shot at him when he turned up with cake, ice cream and presents might have said otherwise, but she still buried her face in the happy yellow daises when he handed them to her and got that misty, dreamy look he'd come to recognize. And once she'd seen the bundle of white in the box he handed her she'd bounded off, insisting it had be tried on right then while he served up the desserts.

Yup, he thought happily as he helped himself to a dollop of frosting, a perfectly good birthday.

Round two in the basements for Jazz. This time though she'd brought food with her and when she needed a break she perched on an overstuffed ottoman (a survivor of the first purge) and propped her feet up on a box of clothes as she bit into an apple.

~.~

While Ang gave Gavin his nightly bath, Alec took Faith for a long walk around the block that ended with a stop in the Mocha for a coffee for him and an oatmeal cookie for her. While the dog gleefully enjoyed her snack under the table, Alec sipped his coffee and quietly perused the classifieds in the paper someone had left behind. Ang said they'd be okay, but it still made him feel nervous, neither of them working, like he was tempting fate somehow.

~.~

Joe was beginning to suspect the librarian liked him. You know, as much as the dead could like anything. More often when he stopped in to do a bit of reading, as he was now, he would see her, moving slow and silent just out of the corner of his eye. Perhaps because he too was careful and quiet she felt a sort of ghostly kinship?

~.~

Setting his grocery bags down at his feet, fish tonight - he'd been craving grilled fish for ages it felt like, Adam popped open his mailbox and started the ritual sorting dance. Junk in the trash, keepers under his arm, bills...hover over the trash then reluctantly stuff them under his arm with the rest of the keepers.


((OOC: I'd love to play if someone wants to, but if not, consider it a 'Yes! My pups are still about!' type post.))

Icene had had to work, bless her, so the McClarens were left to their own devices for the bulk of the morning and afternoon. They'd exchanged a couple gifts (the rest they decided to save until Icene got home) and were now settled on the couch doing the one thing they could both agree on: watching the copy of District 9 that Adam had gotten for Joe.

"We should probably at least start thinking about dinner," Joe said at one point during a break in the action. "That way it'll be ready, or near ready, when Icene gets home."

"It's just chicken," Adam shrugged. "Won't take too long."

Joe started to nod then looked over at him, brow furrowed in confusion. "Chicken?"

"Chicken," Adam repeated, matter of fact.

A moment of silence passed, broken only by the gunfire on the TV, in which Joe continued to stare at Adam.

"What?" the younger asked. "We always have ham. Or turkey. I thought something different might be nice."

Standing in the mailroom Jazz sorted through her mail, whistling the 12 Days of Christmas under her breath. With the job from Nine finished and, more importantly, having finally been able to spend some time with Tom things were starting to - dare she even think it - look up.

Oh, look! Birthday cards!

Grinning she tucked the rest of her mail under arm and flicked the card open.

~.~

Down in the laundry room Adam was sorting his whites from his colors, singing We Wish You A Merry Christmas softly to himself. As he moved about his sweater, one of his mother's patented bad choices and adorned with dozens of tiny sleigh bells, jingled along festively.

~.~

In the Mocha Alec wasn't crooning Christmas carols, but he was smiling in a bemused sort of fashion as he supervised Gavin, who was currently having just as much fun smearing the cookie Alec had gotten him all over his face as he was actually eating it. Luckily, Alec had a stack of napkins ready for the cleanup so he was, for the time being, content to let the boy enjoy himself.

After work Jazz finally taken time to do a spot of Christmas shopping. Jane and her sister were accounted for now, but something for Tom still alluded her. What did she get a man who could and did get everything he wanted?

Toting a large Michaels Bros. bag she crossed the Lobby from the garage and headed into the mailroom, pondering to herself the merits of trying online shopping in his case.

~.~

In the Mocha the McClaren boys were also taking of some Christmas related work. They sat side-by-side in a booth, Adam's laptop powered up in front of them and currently they were quietly arguing over whether or not to purchase something designed for pure entertainment value, or something more practical.