eleanor branstone. (interpreting) wrote in newsalem, @ 2011-11-10 22:05:00 |
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“Okay, Jacky baby, this... is the front yard!” Eleanor exclaimed as she bent over to set the little bundle of fur on the small patch of grass within the fence. It was risky, considering how Zach had even come across the puppy in the first place (that and she worried about other creatures out and about, and possibly getting him sick), but it was only going to be for a few minutes, and then he’d have to go back inside to his little kennel for a few hours. He deserved some fresh air just as much as she did. “What do you think? Promise me you won’t wander off again like you did when Zach found you. I think it’d break his heart.” She felt a little silly, talking to an animal when she was sure he couldn’t understand, but... well, it was what it was. It wasn’t terribly different than talking to a baby, she reasoned; babies and puppies both needed to be able to recognise the sound of their mum’s voice. Which, she thought, was probably the strangest part of it all: that somehow she’d ended up sharing pets with Zacharias Smith. They were playing house, minus any sort of romantic relationship. “If you go wee out here, I’m going to get you the biggest toy I can find,” she promised, head down, remarkably not self-conscious about saying that aloud. Charity Summerby felt restless in her new house. Everything was in its proper place, considering she'd only just bought the place and had it decorated with the help of Hortensia Bassett's firm. There was not a single thing to do that she hadn't already done. This week's proofs were ready to go, even packed into their neat little envelopes. All the negatives were developed. The cameras cleaned. Manny must have sensed his mistress's anxiety and began padding from the front door to where she was seated in her closet. The second largest room in the house had been converted into an overly large closet, much larger than the one she had in Bath, and so after everything, Charity thought a spot of shopping might do the trick. That empty shelf of shoes wasn't going to fill itself, and she always felt productive after a good shopping trip. Arf! But first, Manny needed a good walk. A jog around Dunmoody would make them both feel better. With a quick change, Charity was pony-tailed and dressed down and ready to go. One of Manny's leashes was taken from its hook, and down the stairs they went. Dunmoody wasn't quite the sleepy town she had envisioned. There was always something going on, which suited her tastes. It was one of the reasons she thought to move. It helped that half her family lived there and were a quick jog around the streets. She could drop by unannounced, without so much as a crack of Apparition. It was getting much cooler outside, and for the first block, Charity wished she'd brought more than the hoodie she'd worn, but it didn't take long before her muscles warmed up and her body temperature regulated to something more fitting. Which was precisely when she spotted Eleanor Branstone in her front garden. It had been a few years since she'd seen the formerly engaged woman, and it would be nice to get reacquainted. This might be just what she needed. "Hey, El," Charity said, as she made her way up the street. Outside the house she shared with Zacharias Smith, she stopped, jogging in place. Manny didn't understand the concept himself, but he understood when Charity did it and began sniffing at the grass in front of her. "I thought it was you. How've you been?" At the sound of her name, Eleanor lifted her head, pleasantly surprised to see Charity's face attached to the voice. Even though they'd talked a handful of times over the journals, Eleanor hadn't really gotten the chance to see much of Charity since the other woman had moved to town. Charity had taken their engagement photographs, and she'd been lined up to take the wedding photographs as well. After Eleanor saw the result of the engagement photos, she'd been really looking forward to the wedding ones. When the engagement ended, so had her budding friendship with Charity -- not because Eleanor suddenly disliked the woman, but because navigating her new life was something she had to take one step at a time. Seeing Charity would have reminded her of her relationship, and since their relationship had been professional as well, it wasn't too hard to distance herself from the other woman. It wasn't ideal, however, and she'd missed their friendship. Now, Eleanor was more able to face reminders of her old life and not feel anything close to heartache. Now, seeing Charity brought a wide smile to Eleanor's face. "Charity, hi!" She bent over to pick Jack up so he wouldn't wander off while she was busy talking, and then she approached the fence. "I've been doing really well, actually, thanks. What about you? You look well, though that’s no surprise.” Charity met a lot of people, saw a lot of faces. Consequently, there'd been a lot of people from the time Eleanor made her sad exit from Charity's life. Perhaps they weren't bonded in some instant friendship, but there was enough of a tug and Charity was such an overwhelming friendly person that a familiar face was really all it took. (Never mind that an unfamiliar face worked just as well.) However, Eleanor's sad story had always touched a nerve in Charity. Her own almost-wedding was the biggest life-changing event in Charity's life, and most of her current attitude could be explained by pointing in that one day's direction. "Thanks," she said, with some measure of practised modesty. She worked damn hard to make sure she looked her best; no harm in knowing it. "You too." She inclined her head in Eleanor's direction, recalling their conversation about a photo shoot. Her grin took a mischevious turn. "Good enough for some high fashion photos even." "Oh..." A blush warmed Eleanor's cheeks, and she looked down at her feet bashfully. Unlike Charity or Brielle, Eleanor's confidence -- at least when it came to her physical appearance -- didn't come as naturally. "I don't know about that." It was easier for her to believe in herself when it came to her job. Of course, Eleanor knew she was pretty, but she was far from perfect. Her broken engagement had done a number her self-esteem, and it was still a work in progress now. "I suppose it'd be hypocritical of me to diet for your photoshoot when I refused to do it for Lee," she commented, but the difference there was that she knew what Charity had in mind. High fashion wasn't barely-there bikinis or posing naked with well-placed objects. She did, however, worry about being able to fit into the outfits. "So we'll just have to hope for the best. I trust you, at least. You'll find a way to make it look amazing even if I don't feel it." Charity had initiated the conversation, but she hadn't really thought about Manny in all of this. A few more steps were taken in place before she stopped her bouncing and began to do stretches in place. Manny was sniffing at the fence about as intently as the dog could get. The tiny puppy on the other side might have something to do with it. "It's only hypocritical if you think it is," Charity answered with a shrug, lifting her knee to her chest. The opposite shoulder rose in a shrug. "Besides, most photography is all tricks with light and filters anyway. I could make Cornelius Fudge look like one of Myron Wagtail in his heyday." Manny let out a low woof, drawing Charity's attention downward. "Ah, that must be the puppy in question?" "I suppose that's true enough." Now if only she could find the will power to follow through. Going running in the mornings on a regular basis would help if she didn't watch her eating habits. She didn't eat a lot or particularly unhealthy, but a large majority of her dates with Rory involved food. She did wonder who Charity could make her look like, if her comment about former Minister Fudge was true. That was what she liked about fashion photography; it was escapism at its best. Eleanor grinned and nodded. "This is Jack." She lifted the puppy up so Charity could get a closer look. "He won't be going on any runs with me like Manny does with you, but he's still pretty cute. We're working on house training. It's... ah... it makes me glad I don't have a baby." Three years ago, she would have said she expected to have a baby by the time she was twenty seven or twenty eight; now, however, she was grateful she didn't. Puppies and kittens were essentially pet catnip for Charity. Then again, they were catnip for anyone with a heart. Stretching (temporarily) forgotten, Charity stepped up to the fence, reaching out to pet the tiny animal. "Hey Jack," Charity cooed in that ridiculous voice people designated for babies and baby animals. "You're so much cooler than a baby, aren't you? A couple months old, and you can play and run around. A baby just drools, sleeps, cries, and poops all the time, huh?" Eleanor laughed. She used the same voice with Jack, and she was pretty sure Zach used his own variation whenever she wasn't around to witness it. "You can say that again." Jack, for his own part, seemed to agree as well and he licked Charity's hand to show it. "I hate to say it, but I'm glad his owners haven't come by to claim him. I think we'd both be heartbroken to give him up, and he's hardly been with us any time at all. Zach would never admit it, but... he likes Jack more than he lets on." Charity let out a bark of laughter. The idea that Zacharias Smith could let anything manipulate him into enjoying it was entirely hilarious. Her smile wrinkled right up to the corner of her eyes as she leaned back to look, once more, at the person she was speaking to (and not the insanely cute dog who could not speak back). "Why in the world was a pedigree Pekingese just wandering around on its own? Who would spend that much money on a dog like this, just to let him wander off." Charity shook her head. She'd gotten Manny - who in a fit of jealousy, sat down on her foot - at a Dalmatian rescue in Birmingham many, many moons ago. "Clearly someone with money to blow, and not a care for anything but themselves." "I honestly don't know. It's awful." On the flip side, he wouldn't have found Zach if he hadn't been left to wander, so while Eleanor was sad that someone had been either careless or heartless, she was glad it had happened. It made her a little ill to think about it that way, but it was what it was, and she couldn't change that. "We'll be keeping a closer eye on him, that's for sure. I doubt he'll be as good as Manny here and come running back when we call his name." Charity smiled. "Manny came from a rescue farm, so he was trained up by the time I got him. All I had to do was change what name he responded to." Manny, AKA Manolo (as in Blahnik), had come from the same litter that Polka and Dot had come from. The three of them together formed a tripod of energy and barking when they got together. "You never know, little Jack might panic if he's left for too long." "He might do…" Eleanor scratched the puppy behind his ears, wondering if that was what happened the first time. Did he get left alone for all of a few seconds and panic because he didn't know where to go, and ended up wandering off the wrong way? That argument might have held more weight in her mind had anyone around town put up posters of a lost puppy, but it was a concern. "I pop by to check on him over lunch these days, or before we settle in if I'm over at Rory's, or if I know Zach's going to be out for a while because of work. I feel bad, leaving him at home all day. I suppose it's a good thing that he gets used to it, but I'm honestly not really sure what I'm doing," Eleanor admitted. "I've never had a dog of my own." "They can keep themselves entertained well enough. It's true, they're not like cats, so by the time you get home, he'll be bouncing everywhere and demanding as much attention as he can. He'll get used to it, though. It won't be too hard on him." Charity knew that feeling all too well. She'd felt something akin to separation anxiety when she'd first gotten Manny and had gone off on a photography trip for a week. These days, if she was gone for longer than 3 or 4 days, she tried to get accommodation for the dalmatian. She didn't like to be without him for too long, and he was a good enough guard dog. "So was Jack the name on his collar? Or did you give it to him?" Charity was right on the ball describing the way Jack acted when she got home, and Eleanor had to laugh. He spent a lot of time underfoot once she got home, or nestled up beside her on the couch. Having Franklin around for company probably helped, Eleanor thought. Even if the cat was more independent, at least Jack wasn't completely alone. For all she knew, they spent their days playing together and sleeping in a pile. "Zach picked it, actually," Eleanor answered with a shrug. "Since he didn't have a collar or anything. It seemed to fit, and I thought Zach might throw a fit if I tried to argue with him about it. I've been trying to use it as much as possible so he knows it's his name." She shivered a little and glanced up the street briefly before settling her gaze back on Charity. "I should let you go, shouldn't I? I missed you, you know. After Kenneth and I broke up, I wasn't really sure… well, everything was kind of a mess." She gave Charity a sad little smile. "We should get drinks sometime. Catch up a little more?" Funny. It wasn't that Charity didn't want to abandon ship, so to speak, but it was chilly, and she was wearing her running gear which wasn't exactly meant for non-movement. She was beginning to get a chill from being outside. It was definitely time to move on. "Jack's a cute name, so he chose well," Charity answered with a smile. The mention of Kenneth instantly brought up her own misfortunes, which she was not eager to share. Needless to say, she'd always felt something of a kindship with Eleanor for it. She just couldn't say anything about it, for fear of opening a dam she would not be able to close. "You, too. We'll do dinner and dancing or something soon. Or just sitting in a cafe and playing catch up. That's always fun, and there's people to watch." Charity reached down to scratch Manny behind the ear. "You take care, all right? And don't let Zacharias run all over you. I've heard horror stories." Eleanor laughed and gave Charity a look. "Please. I might be nice and entirely too optimistic for my own good, and all right, maybe I can be a bit of a pushover sometimes, but I can handle him. He's harmless." Mostly. "Have a good day, Charity," she added before she turned to head inside, a warm and sleepy puppy snuggled up in her arms. |