Who: Kathy and Benedict What: Neighbors Where: Aubade 501 When: December 30, 7:30ish
Any day of the week, at work, Kathy was on top of things, at home with Georgie she was on top of things, dealings with her own personal life...Complete disarray. Which is what had her wandering to 501, three days after Christmas, bottle of cognac in one hand and a sweater for Evie wrapped in a box in the other. Georgie was holding the card she’d made and she knocked on the door.
When Evie opened the door there was a quick hello before Georgie and Evie had kicked their shoes off and were running down the hall and sliding on the hardwood toward Evie’s room. It was always nice when someone else could keep up with her.
“Benedict?” she hollered out as she hung her coat in the hall closet, she’d been here before. She found him in his study and held the bottle up, “Can we open this now please? My nanny ran away to Vegas,” she said sighing as she sat down in the chair across from him.
Benedict heard the door open and the sound of Evie’s excited voice but that was nothing new. She liked to make friends wherever she went and around Christmas he’d be an idiot not to expect they’d come around. What he hadn’t expected was a visitor of his own, although he didn’t seem the least bit upset about it. Quite the contrary. When he saw who it was, his smile was as immediate as his rising from his chair to greet her.
“Kathy.” He gestured to the empty seat across from him but she was already sitting down. He made his way to the other side of his study, where the bottles and glasses were sitting for the evenings where there was too much going on in the living room and he needed something strong to drink. Grabbing two he came back to his desk, holding out an expectant hand for the bottle.
“Ran away to Vegas, you say?” There was a story. His wry grin said he was curious to hear it.
She handed him the bottle easily, there was a green bow on it, but that was the extent of the shenanigans she’d gone to wrapping it. If anyone asked she played the Jew card. But she knew he never would.
Once he’d poured the drink she took a sip and sighed loudly, “Ran away to Vegas to have a Christmas wedding, really I’m sure her Mother is so pleased,” she said shaking her head. Even her sensibly thought out marriage had gone badly, the insipid girl she’d entrusted her daughter with seemed to be lacking in a serious amount of judgment. Great. “She’s just met him, I could tell she was getting loopy about him but I didn’t think she’d fail to give two weeks notice. His name is Troy. He’s in a band. This’ll last, I can tell,” the last part was said sarcastically. And she took another drink.
His chuckle was a low sound, too polite to mock a woman who couldn’t defend herself, but unable to stop the laugh from coming out. He tried to cover it up with a clearing of his throat and took a long sip as an distraction. “Well, I’m sure Troy and...hm.” Sadly, he couldn’t recall her nanny - old nanny’s name at the moment. It was too late to feel bad about that, however, and he took another drink.
“Other than runaway help, did you have a nice holiday?” He gestured to the bottle sitting beside him as he leaned on his desk. “Thank you for this, by the way. You shouldn’t have.” It was as nice as the bottle he gave her for Hanukkah but the words, the expected bit of etiquette, slipped out like a bad habit.
“Beth,” she finished for him, and took another sip as she let herself get a bit more comfortable in her chair. It wasn’t often she found time to unwind, it wasn’t often she let herself relax with anyone. It was hard not to relax in this house.
She nodded, “Santa Claus was good to Georgie, we had a nice dinner. Evie was over visiting while you were gone. She was starting to get concerned you wouldn’t make it back in time, I could tell. I’m glad you weren’t stranded in the storm, I watched it on the news. No one liked to think of you sleeping in Heathrow on Christmas,” she said grinning a bit.
“I’m glad she was with you.” He was. Not that he expected Evie to get into trouble while he was away, or maybe not in too much trouble. This was his daughter they were talking about. And not that he expected her to be particularly lonely, not with Luc nearby. But still, it was nice to know that she had company, and company that he liked. Company other than Monsieur Fat Cat.
“I was getting a little worried there myself. It was... well.” He wasn’t going to complain and instead took another sip of his drink before he let himself get carried away. “I won’t be traveling that close to the more important holidays. Arbor Day, sure.” He shrugged slightly, just the smallest tilt of the head, and a hint of a smile that was the last tip off that he actually was showing some humor. “But not the bigger holidays. I think I’ll be staying close by for New Year’s.” He paused before he cast an inquisitive in her direction. “How about you? You and Georgie planning on anything especially festive this week?”
“She came in handy in a pinch once or twice, and refused to let me pay her so I bought her an expensive sweater and I don’t even care if she ruins it,” she said finishing off her drink and holding it out with a wry smile. “Hit me again, I give good cognac,” she said chuckling.
She laughed at his joke, “Good plan, Arbor Day yes, Earth day no. Wasn’t there a recycling party on Earth Day?” she asked trying to remember, it was the day she didn’t have to do her own recycling. That was handy. “Nothing at all, she will make it until midnight, I will fall asleep on the couch and I’ll wake up and see that she colored on the walls while I slept. Happy New Year.” She said taking a sip of her newly refilled drink and smiled good naturedly.
“She will.” It was like a promise although he tried, and failed, to lighten his tone. Evie had a habit of doing things like that, ruining expensive clothes. But he wouldn’t call it bad, at least not now, and he doubted Kathy would either. She had a daughter. She was used to it. should be used to this.
She held out her glass and he obliged her, pouring a bit more into his own glass. “I seem to remember last year Evie come in and telling me about plans for a recycling event. Then again, it could just as well have been a Thursday.” He set the bottle back down as he listened to her grand plans for her holiday evening. He gave her a quite smile. It sounded quiet, and relaxing. He was jealous. “If only my evening could be that simple. Granted, I’m not entirely sure what that daughter of mine has planned but I’m sure she won’t be letting me sleep.” A soft chuckle and a long sip.
“I’m surprised Georgie has the energy to stay up that late. Although I suppose it’s that she’s growing up.”
“She comes around for causes more often than the girl scouts do,” it wasn’t a jibe, it was just a fact. She liked that about Evie, she was an odd sort of girl, but she had her mind set on the way things should be and Kathy always admired that kind of conviction. She also admired Benedict, he indulged her and spoiled her but somehow managed to keep her from becoming self entitled. He was the kind of parent she admired, there were too many terrible parents in the world it was refreshing to see a man so interested in raising a good contributing human being.
“I’m constantly surprised by how much energy Georgie manages to have. Ever since she found out there was one night a year I’d let her stay up passed midnight, she’s made it her life’s goal to take me up on it. I should have Evie wear her out early in the day,” she said grinning. She doubted Evie would let Benedict sleep, as it was she was surprised she let him sleep any other day of the year either.
“I hate to shatter such idealistic dreams,” he shot her an apologetic look, “but I doubt that will help any. At least, if my memories of Evie’s childhood serve me correctly.” He schooled his features into something pleasant, even as he forced back the darker memories of Evie’s childhood back. He shook his head slightly, rueful was what he hoped he looked, and took another sip of his own drink.
“Well, you two are more than welcome to come by. All that glorious energy should meet its match. Perhaps Evie and Georgie can keep each other entertained. Or wear each other out.” He’s chuckle was more to himself as he realized that he set his nineteen year old daughter on something akin to a play date but he sincerely doubted that anyone, least of all Evie, would take offense to it. “
Kathy didn’t know anything about Evie’s childhood, she knew that she hadn’t spent all of it with Benedict and from what she could tell they were better off with each other. She knew they were close, she knew Evie adored her Father, and it was somewhat endearing. Georgia’s father was never around, and it was a nice change of pace to see that not every man in the world was a complete jerk. “I think we just got lucky, Evie and Georgie are the special kind of kids,” she said chuckling.
“We might take you up on it, Georgie’s first new years eve party, she’ll be thrilled,” Kathy said finishing off her drink. For once she didn’t ask for a refill, she was sufficiently relaxed.
Her lack of a request was a good enough signal for him. He was near the end of his drink but he made no move for more either. Now was not the time for excessive drinking.
“Certainly keep it in mind. It will just be three of us. Myself, Evie, and a good friend of the family, Luc.” Luc was family by now than friend in all of their eyes but Benedict didn’t think he could find any way of lightly explaining how that came to be. “It would be nice to have other guests. If only to give Evie and Luc someone to talk to and not snarl at.” The downside to the sibling-like bond that those two had was that they had a tendency of fighting quite a bit, as a brother and sister were likely to do. It was a small price to pay. “But, should I not see you to before the first rolls around, let me at least wish you a happy new year.”
She reluctantly got up from her chair, only because she’d now have to attempt to wrangle her child. “Sounds lovely, we’ll be here with bells on I’m sure,” she said grinning. “Thanks for sharing your Christmas present, and remind that daughter of yours that she has a sweater to open,” she said almost sure the gift was forgotten by now. “Enjoy the rest of your evening,” she said smiling widely as he saw her out and she hollered for Georgie to get a move on.