the war is finally over for florinda mcgonagall (lionhearts) wrote in neeps, @ 2018-01-21 15:08:00
Who: Florinda McGonagall & Shona McGonagall What: More cousin catchup time When: 10 January 2000 (BACKDATED) Where: Florrie's clinic in Montrose Warnings: None significant
“I’m getting too old for this.” Shona flopped onto a cot in Florrie’s medical bay, which was miraculously empty, despite the teams practicing outside, getting ready for the friendly. “How is Portree even a functioning team at this point? I mean, honestly.” She frowned, then. She frowned, then, another thought coming to mind. “And sometimes I wonder about us, too.”
"Nonsense. As long as Merc is in charge we're better off than Portree's been this last half-season. Not to mention, the level of manager-shagging amongst Montrose's players and staff is significantly lower," Florrie quipped. It had been long enough that she could joke about that, or at least make a decent showing of it, and with a little distance from it, the whole thing had a ridiculously humourous element to it, even if some of it was at her own expense.
"Have a bit of this rose-flavoured Turkish delight that Georgi gave me. It's sweet from all the sugar but the taste is so different to any I've ever had," Florrie added, digging through a drawer to find the tin she'd put them in,
“My husband might have something to say about it if I did start,” she replied wryly, and reached for a sweet. At least Shona could still find humor in the whole ordeal, she supposed, though the oncoming migraine might cut that a bit short. “What’s this about Cav shagging all of Portree?” She asked after a second, finally registering what her cousin had been saying, and cast a suspicious glance. Florrie better had not have been holding out on her.
Florrie wasn't even holding out on the Turkish Delight; she handed Shona a piece and set the tin down so she could give Shona another after the pain potion she was about to fetch.
"Apparently he's been getting round more than I knew. Meaghan told me early on that she'd had a go at him, which didn't bother me because she's Meaghan and the idea of her doing anything other than exactly what she wants to do wouldn't occur to her." Even if it was technically very improper and Cav was in the position of power, Florrie wouldn't have bet on Cav in a confrontation between him and Meaghan. "But she didn't want to step on the hem of my robe and we've agreed that it would be no hard feelings if she wanted to again if he and I broke off--which we have. But she's not going to bring him round for a while even so. She's a good friend.
"The other one I know about, and don't spread this round, of course--" though Shona would hardly count her husband or Merc as spreading round in that sense "--turned out to be Elsie, of course, which--I didn't want to think that but it does make sense of why me and not Cav. She told me as much between the two of us before she went abroad. But that's over since she and Doc have got back together. I honestly thought they had been together the whole time, the way they were at matches, so it didn't occur to me that she might be, well, that she might see that as stepping on the hem of her robe."
Shona took several breaths, and eyed her cousin with a narrowed gaze. “Florrie, I know she’s your cousin and all, but that’s such a bullshit move to pull with you of all people.” She had more choice words for Ellie MacFusty, but even McGonagalls knew when to hold their tongue on occasion, and had the sense to refrain from breaking into frenzied Gaelic calling her everything under the sun.
Unceremoniously, she fell to the cot again and took more deep breaths. This was so much to process, and thankfully, Florrie wasn’t asking for advice and no one was looking to her for an immediate decision, so she could take it all in without a coherent reply that reflected efficiently on all matters addressed. “Also, I stand by what I said and feel so even more vehemently: I have no idea how Portree is a functioning team right now.”
"Are they?" Florrie asked, putting a silencing charm on her chair before she pulled it over to sit with Shona. "I mean, they're a winning team, but they've lost their full roster of beaters, both starters and their reserve, since the beginning of the season. They've got some great players holding them together: the chasers are all aces and Lorna's brilliant and so is Meaghan. But I don't really know how much of a team they are, all together."
Shona raised an eyebrow at the spell, but didn’t move otherwise. “I couldn’t tell you. Their cohesiveness leaves much to be desired, but their record isn’t the worst it could be.” She paused, considering her thoughts. “I suppose a better question would have been ‘how are they still managing to win’ at this point? Great players mean nothing if they can’t work as a single unit. Like you said.” She amended.
"It's been a month. With Elsie gone, we don't know that they are, really. We'll see after Ballycastle on the twentieth." Florrie shrugged a little, because she didn't, and she felt bad about that, and somewhat responsible, even though Ellie's behaviour was hardly her fault, even if she had somewhat stepped on the hem of Ellie's robe with Cavallero. "I'm glad we're not in the same position here. And I don't want us to be dragged further in. I told everyone I was all right about Bastian breaking things off, and I was, but it was mostly because I felt like whatever's going on over there doesn't need me in it further. And I adore Meaghan and Joy, but, honestly? I'd be happier with a bit more distance. And the same for Doc, but at least nobody perceives him as a rival as far as I know."
That last might not be technically true, with Owen, but Florrie was fairly certain that Owen wasn't going to slap Doc. Fairly certain.
“The extent of our drama has been Lennox and his...difficulty with sharing, shall we say,” Shona agreed, and pulled her lips back in a slight grimace. “I don’t even know what to tell Kenna, and I feel like I should be able to say something, since she’s my goddaughter and all. But.” She shrugged a shoulder. “I think distance would do you good from the Portree lot. They’re not bad folks, but there’s a lot of internal things happening that I have no desire to be a part of.”
“I’m not moving out of the Cattery until the end of the season, but all of this may be resolved by then. Most of it is honestly Elsie, and I can’t blame her if it’s an injury, but it’s not all bludgers. If you ask me, it’s jealousy. You know Lorna is four days older than I am? When we were wee lasses, we always used to have birthday celebrations together. And Elsie would be quite upset if she didn’t get a gift of her own. Some of this seems a bit of the same, and it’s not on me to solve it. Not about Bastian, not about Meaghan, and not about other things.” Florrie thought back to her journal conversation with Ellie, frowning, and decided she was better off not going down that road. Instead she focused on the other half of the conversation: the part she might be able to fix. “What’s going on with Lennox? He doesn’t want Kenna to play? But she did so well in the charity match!”
More and more, a sense of frustration and distaste settled in towards Ellie, as much as she’d tried to like the girl over the years. For Florrie and Merc’s sakes. But this conversation made it nearly impossible to be optimistic. “It’s not on you, and if Ellie thinks it is, she’s not ready to be back on the pitch.” Shona said firmly.
She exhaled at the mention of Lennox, and reached up to play with a loose strand of her hair. “He’s been very standoff-ish towards her. Avoids her unless he absolutely can’t, and it’s all very noticeable to the team. It’s like he’s worried we’re going to replace him at any possible second, or something.” Shona looked up at the ceiling, as if it’d be able to give her answer.
“That’s not right and I know Merc won’t tolerate it in the long run. Seekers can be possessive of their place, but nobody can fly a whole season. Well,” Florrie amended, “anyone would be a fool to plan on it. And Merc’s neither a fool nor inclined to put up with a lot of nonsense. Lex’s shenanigans at the party Maggie MacDougal threw the night before Jason and his mate opened their shop made that clear. If he needs to, he’ll ground Lex, and Lennox too. As for Kenna—let me think on it but I might be able to come up with ways to help. Or ask her to help me, to show I trust and value her.”
“No, I know he won’t, and knowing Merc he’s probably already brought it up to Lennox, but if he’s worried about being replaced, getting territorial and risking potential injury isn’t going to help. And taking it out on your teammates - particularly your reserve - does not make one more inclined to to keep him on.” Shona came down from her soapbox, casting Florrie a glance. “Not that we’re looking at anyone else at the moment, but you understand my meaning.” She gave a half-smile. “I’ll let her know. And I know it’ll be handled - Lennox Campbell is nothing compared to Lex Yaxley - but I just don’t like it. It bothers me.”
"If it could all be managed that easily, you wouldn't have a job. And neither would I, nor Merc," Florrie reminded Shona. "And to deal with all this stress, I prescribe--another piece of Georgi's lokum." She offered the tin again, making sure there was water close by so Shona could drink her fill and perhaps head off some of the worst of the headache. "Anything else you need to let off steam about? Ridiculous solicitors wanting more money for next year? BIL troubles? Someone raiding administration for the new Scots Department? Hmmm?"
“Well, that’s true,” Shona admitted with an indulgent smile, and reached for the Turkish delight. “Florrie, we’d be here all day if I ranted about everyone in my life who needed a good dose of reality.” She eyed her cousin with a raised brow from behind the delicacy, which, admittedly, was making her feel better.
"We can sit here all day if you like, and I can feed you Turkish Delight and we can complain about all the ridiculous people who aren't doing what they're supposed to be doing. Moderation in everything," Florrie said firmly, "including moderation."