precious and fragile things Who: Laura (with Anaise, NPC) & Kal. What: Laura's picked Anaise up from school and runs into Kal in the lobby on the way back to their apartment. Where: Pax lobby. When: April 3, late afternoon
"And then we read books, and then we had a snack, but it was carrots and I don't like carrots. Can I have celery with peanut butter next time?"
"Uh, maybe," Laura replied, guiding the small girl through the Pax doors and into the lobby. She still felt unsure about Anaise attending kindergarten, but at least it sounded like her daughter was enjoying herself. Clad in pink and orange, her skirt nearly a tutu, a My Little Pony backpack was draped over one shoulder. Anaise waved enthusiastically at Stephan, who smiled and waved back. Laura directed her toward the mail area, and started to open the assigned box for 705. Anaise, however, was not content to remain in one place. She skipped back toward the concierge desk, putting both small hands on the surface she could not quite reach otherwise.
"Why are you dressed like a lady?"
Stephan smiled benevolently down at the child, arms crossed on the desk. "Because I like it. Do you?"
Anaise smiled wide, bouncing up and down a little. "I do! You look so pretty. Mommy won't let me wear makeup yet." Laura cast a gaze toward the pair, shaking her head in amusement, before looking back to sort through the mail.
"Maybe when you get older, sweetheart," Stephan replied. Their attention was momentarily diverted by the elevator doors opening.
Kal stepped into the lobby with a backpack in one hand. Donned in hiking boots, shorts, a tank, and his long hair balled up on the top of his head, he was ready for a hiking adventure near their home with the intention of pitching various easy but wonderful hiking trails to Nat Geo. A tube protruded from the back, the end dripping water, and Kal murmured to himself as he fidgeted with the mouth piece.
“Hey Stephan,” Kal gave a nod to the man and smiled at the woman and child. “I’m sorry to bother you, but could I have a piece of tape? This da--” He glanced down at the little girl and back at Stephan. “darn thing is loose and I don’t want my water leaking out while I’m hiking.”
"Why are you leaking water?? Do you need a diaper?" Anaise pushed away from the desk, and Laura moved to intercept.
"Anaise, that's not polite," she interrupted, grabbing her child by the handle of her backpack before tiny hands could attempt to make a bigger mess of whatever the man was messing with. "Sorry, she's five. Manners are touch and go at best."
Stephan leaned up from his slouch against the desk to pull a drawer wide. "I've only got Scotch, dear; are you sure that's sufficient? You look like you're about to head out of here down the Oregon Trail."
“Scotch is fine,” Kal said with a laugh. “It’s better than nothin’.”
He moved to put his backpack on the edge of the desk, ensuring the water didn’t go on Stephan’s stuff, and accepted the tape from him. “It’s fine, kids are kids,” he offered to the woman before turning his smile downward to the child. “See this? It’s like a big straw. My backpack has water in it, does yours?”
Anaise grinned, crouching in the manner that only small children who fully express their excitement through body language, and shook her head. Then she nodded, as though thinking better of her initial answer.
"I do! Not like yours," she replied. Laura released her grip on the backpack as Anaise started to flip her bag around to withdraw a matching MLP water bottle. "It doesn't have a straw, though," she added, glancing at her mom.
"And you don't need one, because we just got that one for school, didn't we?" She hugged Anaise to her legs, glancing at the tall man with a broad smile. "Guessing you're one of our neighbors. I'm Laura, and this is Anaise; we're both in 705." Her eyes assessed his outfit, clearly impressed but curious. "I didn't think there were serious trails around her to merit so much equipment."
“Kahale Weber, 305,” he replied, reaching forward to offer her a hand to shake. “But my friends call me Kal.
“The trails are pretty easy around here but my bag mainly has water and food, plus my gear. I’m writing about the trails and taking what photos I can. So while there are many and all are short, I’ll be out for a good bit. You’re both new?” He asked this to Laura but his eyes turned down to Anaise as well, a flicker of a smile at the tiny, excited child.
Anaise nodded enthusiastically, but a case of shyness came over her at the overwhelming height of the other man. She shrank back a little against her mother's leg, half hiding her face.
Laura smiled down at her, then back at Kal. "Just moved in. Anaise just got out from school, and I don't have to go into work for a few hours, so I picked her up. Usually my brother handles it, but he's caught up at his own job." She made to start to walk away, giving him good wishes for his hike, but Anaise suddenly overcame her shyness.
"Can I go take photos with him too??"
Kal grinned. “How about I go investigate these trails, make sure they’re safe, and I’ll let you and your mom know what ones to go on, then you can take pictures,” Kal offered, not entirely certain that would be enough for the tot. He looked back at Laura, his smile remaining. “Where’d you move in from?”
Laura kept a careful grip on one of Anaise's hands, unwilling to let the girl drift off in her excitement.
"We were in East Los Angeles before," Laura offered. "Then this one," she continued, pulling Anaise back against her again to look down at her with a fond smile, "got too big for our one bedroom apartment." She glanced back to Kal's face. "This place is a little more than I wanted to spend, but my brother and I pooled resources. We're originally from Louisiana, so it's nice to be living under the same roof again.
"But I don't wanna keep you, and we're overdue for dinner" she continued, affectionately brushing a hand over Anaise's forehead, "But if you were serious about that hiking offer, I think I at least might have time this weekend. I'll have to check with John, but if you don't mind the company, it'd be great to work out some energy and get outside."
“Sure thing!” Kal said with a large grin, taping the mouthpiece of the water spout and handing the Scotch back to Stephan. “Bring whoever you want. I’ll ping you on the messaging board for further details.” He looked down at Anaise and pointed at her. “If we go, you gotta be sure you bring your water bottle, okay? If it’s alright that you use your school water bottle for hiking, that is.”
Anaise looked up to her mother, who gave her a stern but amused look. "You can bring it, and your backpack, so long as you take good care of it, all right? Uncle John just got that for you so I wanna keep it nice for as long as possible." Anaise nodded enthusiastically, and then looked back at Kal with a wide grin.
"Thanks," Laura said, starting to move away with Anaise in tow. "We'll talk later." She turned away, grabbing Anaise's hand and leading her toward the elevator. The little girl's voice returned, pelting her mother with a dozen more questions in quick succession that Laura painstakingly answered without complaint.
Stephan, having remained silent throughout the whole exchange, levied a brow in Kal's direction.
"Well if I didn't know better, Mr. Weber, I'd say you're just a big ol' teddy bear for the little ones."
Kal laughed, throwing his backpack over. “I don’t know about that,” he said with a sheepish smile. “Thanks for the tape, Stephan. I’ll see you around.” The mountain of a man turned, walking the opposite direction from the elevator and Stephan, but Stephan’s comment moved with him, keeping a smile firmly on Kal’s face.