Nina Clarke: ᴍᴀʏᴏʀ, ᴀᴜsᴛɪɴ ᴛx & sʜʏ ʙʟᴏʙ (commonlaw) wrote in remains_rpg, @ 2016-10-23 11:56:00 |
|
|||
Entry tags: | # 2019 [09] september, demi rafferty, nina clarke |
Who: Nina Clarke & Demi Rafferty
When: Backdated to September 10, after Demi's phone call with Isaac
Where: Their respective locations
What: A bit of gossip and some talk about quarantine colds.
NINA: [answers on the first ring, happy to see Demi's name flash on her screen.] Hi, Demi. How are you? DEMI: [without wasting time she cut straight to the reason for her call.] Do you want to tell me why you were wearing another woman’s clothes at your meeting yesterday? [she took a pause.] And hi, Nina. I’m still me as of right now, so that’s something. [part of her wants to tell Nina about Isaac, but the words get caught in her throat.] NINA: Well, that's something. [it's better than something, actually, but she's itching to tell someone about Amanda and at the same time, doesn't want Isaac to find out. There's silence before she speaks again:] You have to keep it a secret. I mean it. This isn't something I can take lightly. DEMI: The medical staff here seems to think so. [still knows she needs to tell Nina about Isaac. But not right now. Right now she wants to know about this secret the other woman has.] I promise I won’t breathe a word of it, and you know I’m damn good at keeping a secret when I need to. NINA: I mean it. I could lose my job over this. [Actually, she's not sure, but it is a concern she has.] DEMI: Nina! I understand. It’s a super secret, don’t even tell Isaac, kind of thing. I won’t breathe a word to anyone. Now spill. [she taps her fingers against her knee while she waits for Nina to confess what this super important secret is.] NINA: All right, fine. [she glances around her room, knowing she's alone, but lowers her voice all the same.] I slept with someone. The government liaison from Denver. DEMI: Oh. my. god! Nina! [she doesn't even attempt to get her voice down. After all who's going to eavesdrop on a woman who may be dying?] Amanda van whatever? That liaison? Was it any good? Is it going to happen again? I want all the details. NINA: Yes. Amanda van Eeden. Yes, it was -- good. I don't know if it's going to happen again, but it probably shouldn't. [there are more details, but she isn't sure yet if she wants to divulge them.] DEMI: [excitement is laced through her every word and tone.] Well? How do you feel about it? I know you said you don’t think it should happen again, but do you want it to happen again? [pauses.] and we’re going to revisit the whole “should it happen” thing, because I want to know why you think that. NINA: I feel -- I don't know how I feel about it. [she sighs.] It's a complicated situation. DEMI: [sighs, though she understands the complications of the situation.] Okay, ignore the fact that you work together and that complicates the hell out of things. Just think of Amanda as someone you met at a bar. Now, would you want to meet and/or hook up with her again? [pauses.] and don’t overthink it, just go with your gut and the first answer that comes to mind. NINA: [she pauses for only a moment as she attempts to envision this scenario. It feels distant and out of reach, but it's enough for her to answer.] Yes. I would. DEMI: [smiles despite the fact Nina can’t see her.] Well, that ought to give you a little bit of an idea on how you feel about it. [pauses.] Who initiated things? You or her? NINA: Her. [she actually laughs.] Of course it wasn't me. [she doesn't want to get into why it happened, though, or the guilt she still feels about the events of the last few days -- including Demi and Isaac's current states -- so she changes the subject, offering distractions as she always had to lead Demi away from or towards certain topics.] Do you want to see what she looks like? DEMI: [laughs because she was half expecting that to be answer the answer.] Well, thank god one of you made a move. [of course she wants to know why it happened, but Nina doesn’t share and she knows there’s only so much prying she can do.] Do you even need to ask? [barely seconds after her reply her phone vibrates to indicate a text message, the one that contained Amanda’s picture.] Oh my god, Nina. Who cares if it should or shouldn’t happen again, she’s the kind of hot you absolutely have to break rules because of. NINA: [her voice is dry when she responds, though the fact that she sent a picture -- and took it in the first place -- is enough of a sign that she agrees.] Is that actually a 'thing' or did you just create that just now? DEMI: [laughs, entirely unfazed by Nina’s dry tone] Would you regard it more seriously if I told you it was an actual thing? [pauses.] Really, does it matter what it is? A woman like that walks into your life and makes the first move and you're just going to leave it at that? NINA: If it was a known phenomenon I might be more likely to consider it, yes. [she sighs, thinking for a moment, before adding:] You make some good points, but there's a whole sort of hierarchical power imbalance on top of the co-working dynamic that concerns me. DEMI: In that case it's a known phenomenon. [she already knew she made some good points, but she's pleased to hear Nina acknowledge them.] Does any of that really matter at the end of the day? You're not forcing her to sleep with you because you're mayor and she's not doing it because she's the government liaison. Does any of this concern her? NINA: You know I… [she gives another sigh, knowing Demi will jump on this.] I don't actually know what concerns her. DEMI: Maybe that’s where you need to start then? [pauses.] The two of you hooked up, so talking about it is just a natural progression, right? NINA: Is it? [she's genuinely curious -- and unaware.] Do you usually talk about your one night stands with said one night stands the following day? DEMI: [smiles softly as she remembered she probably had more experience in things of this nature than Nina did.] Sure, if you want them to become more than a one night stand. Or in your situation if you have to still work with the person. [pauses.] It’s better to clear everything up. If it was just a one night stand you should probably both be on the same page about that. NINA: All right. [she sounds a bit distant, as though she's already planning through such a conversation -- once she can get the nerve up to have it, anyway.] I suppose you're right. We ought to talk about it. DEMI: [smiles to herself, pleased that it seemed as if Nina might actually be taking her advice.] I may not be right in a lot of things, but in this I am. You should, especially if you’re going to work in the same office. [pauses.] God, I wish I were sitting on your couch giving you this advice right now. NINA: Me too. [despite the little bit of levity the topic has given them, it's impossible to ignore what they aren't talking about.] How are you doing? Really? DEMI: Really, [there was a pause as she weighed just how she was doing and whether she wanted to unload how Isaac was doing onto Nina’s already full plate.] Physically I’m fine, honestly. I still feel like me, bored, but still me… [another pause.] Bu--but Isaac’s sick, I don’t know if it’s the virus or a cold or what and I’m scared. Nina, I can’t lose him. NINA: I know. [The words apply to everything: Demi's worries, Isaac's condition, and everywhere in between. She sighs, trying hard to push away the guilt she feels at the prospect of losing both of them.] Isaac's immune. He'll be okay, even if he is resigned to the end. DEMI: [she lets out a sigh of relief, glad despite the situation, that Nina already knew.] That's what I keep telling myself, but he doesn't seem to be so sure. [pauses.] I wish we knew more about immunity, but we don't so there’s not a point in dwelling on it. [sighs.] Let’s talk about something less depressing, please. If I keep thinking about this I'm just going to panic. NINA: [hurriedly, on the latter half of a sigh:] All right. We can talk about something else… like? DEMI: [ponders the question for a moment.] You could always give me more details about this hook up of yours...[she knows it's a long shot that Nina will reveal more than she already has, but she tries anyway.] NINA: [She laughs, but says nothing.] DEMI: Or we could plan a girl's night for when I'm out of here, because oh my god, it's been forever. NINA: Sure. [This is a much better topic, and the thought of it is enough to bring back the optimism she keeps trying to channel.] Just name the place and date and I'll be there. |