Nina Clarke: ᴍᴀʏᴏʀ, ᴀᴜsᴛɪɴ ᴛx & sʜʏ ʙʟᴏʙ (commonlaw) wrote in remains_rpg, @ 2016-11-14 19:32:00 |
|
|||
Entry tags: | # 2019 [11] november, kevin clarke, nina clarke |
Who: Nina and Kevin Clarke
Where: The Governor's Mansion
When: 11/4, 4PM
What: After Kevin reunites with his parents, the two siblings talk through what happened.
Nina sat down next to Kevin on an upholstered sofa with two glasses of water in her hands, then held one out to him. As much as the Governor's Mansion still didn't entirely feel like home, she was grateful for the privacy it had offered just half an hour earlier today. The conversation between the two siblings and their parents, held to let the latter know about one of the siblings' change in mortality status, had been... Well, could a one-sided conversation, with very little contribution from the other side, really be considered a conversation? Nina wasn't sure. Still, she was determined to keep things upbeat. "I think there are some positives to keep in mind. First of all, they didn't seem mad." Despite how personal this was for everyone, it was easier for Nina to continue to rely on the formalities she used in her professional life. It made her feel grounded, like things were normal still despite the upheaval. "And they're happy that you're alive; I know that much is true. They just need some time." All the ways that Kevin had imagined telling his parents would play out, all the scenarios he'd run in his head over the past few sleepless nights, and their reactions had still hit him like a kick to the chest. He'd anticipated mad. No, he’d wanted mad. Both in the hope that it would soften the guilt he carried if they unloaded on him and because, when it came to his parents, their anger had always come from a foundation of love. Shock and silence, though, felt too much like the absence of any affectionate feelings, no matter what Nina said. Kevin lifted his head from his hands and finally saw her offering him the glass of water. He took it with a nod, but didn’t drink. “Yeah,” he said after a moment. “Time. I took more than my fair share getting here, so I guess I can’t blame them for needing some too.” Nina took a sip of her water, thinking through his statement, before she turned to better face him. She tried a small smile, but it felt forced as she looked back at his worried expression so she suppressed it after only a moment. "When I first came out to them," she started, knowing that Kevin hadn't been there for the initial mess of it and realizing as she spoke that she hadn't ever really talked to him about how it had gone down. Especially after she'd seen him spending some time at the men's table at speed dating in September. Still, she continued: "It didn't go as well as I'd hoped it would. It felt as though everything was never going to be the same, and I didn't think they'd ever get to a better place of acceptance or even… happiness, I suppose. But with time they came around. I know it's nothing like this, but I guess the point I'm trying to make is that it's easy to think the way it is now is going to be the way it'll always be. I don't think that'll be the case here. They love you too much to let you go now that they have you back." As much as he understood the gesture that Nina was making, Kevin couldn’t shake the feeling that this story laid out just another way that he’d screwed up. Instead of being there for Nina when she had that difficult conversation, instead of having her back like a good brother, he’d been in prison. Kevin grimaced. “Sorry I wasn't around for that. I should've been.” "You don't have to apologize. That's not why I brought that up." And though Nina could understand the urge behind it, she couldn't help the irritation his apology brought on, though she tried to sigh it away as she waited for him to speak up again. He eyed a nearby end table, considered setting his water down on it, and abandoned the idea. Too damn fancy to risk leaving rings on with his glass. “I get what you're aiming at, though, and I know you're right. It's a lot to just show up here after so long, and silence doesn't mean indifference.” Despite his words -- and the tight smile he managed to put on -- Kevin didn't really look any more convinced than he had before. “And at least I ain't facing it alone.” "You're absolutely not alone." Nina reached out and placed one of her hands on his, squeezing it gently. "This will get better." In the back of her mind, she couldn't help but think: I'll make it better. She knew saying it aloud wouldn't do much good to ease Kevin's concerns, but Nina was determined to bridge the gap as best as she could. "One day, this will be just a memory." “Yeah,” Kevin said again, but this time there was less of a defeated air to the word. He shifted his glass to a one-handed hold so that he could return Nina’s squeeze. For a moment he was profoundly grateful just for her presence in his life, for the fact that she was always managing to pick up his sorry ass when it fell down again. If there’d ever been a better older sister than Nina, he’d be surprised. After a moment he nodded, seeming to come to a decision. As she said, it would get better. They simply had to help the situation get there. “I’ll give them space for now, to get their heads around me showing up on their front step, but then I guess I’ve just got to be around for a while. Show up like a bad penny until they get used to the idea that I’m not disappearing again.” "Exactly." She couldn't help but smile; his statement was like an unspoken agreement that she was right, that everything would be okay as long as they just kept trying at it, and that he really believed her when she said that. "We can start slow. Once a week at first, maybe, until everyone's feeling more comfortable." Nina didn't actually know how often Kevin, who'd always been more independent of their family unit, wanted to see his parents. But this was a special case, one that required more effort than usual. "And the holidays are coming up soon." She paused, studying the profile of his face briefly, before she added, "It'd be nice to have you at Thanksgiving." At the mention of the upcoming holiday Kevin looked over at Nina. Man, it was really fucking weird to think they'd be celebrating that again. To set aside a day that was all about feasting, when just last year they'd barely been scraping by -- must be a sign of how far Austin had come. He gave a disbelieving shake of his head, but said, “As long as you’re okay with it being awkward as hell, yeah. I'll be there. You inviting that woman you've been seeing?” "I hear that the holidays are always a little bit awkward, once you grow up." This was a hypothesis on her part, as they'd never really had a chance to have a real Thanksgiving together as a family, all four of them, but Nina was optimistic that their first one would be good. If she could get Kevin to agree to it, anyway. She paused briefly, then, considering his question, before answering with a nod and a question of her own: "Why don't you invite Torrie? She was very nice when we spoke at the Halloween party." “I can check with her,” Kevin said, but his expression was doubtful. Bringing someone else, even a close friend, into the mess that was his family situation right now seemed like a bad idea. “If you think Mom and Dad wouldn't mind. Guess there's Torrie’s brother to consider too, and any plans she might have with him.” After another moment of consideration, he shrugged. “But I'll ask, see what she says.” "All right." Nina was already of a mind to invite Torrie herself -- after all, Torrie and Kevin were friends, and Nina and Sol were friends -- but she was beginning to learn that sort of thing could be seen as overbearing. "Just consider it; that's all I ask." Kevin had heard a little bit from Torrie about how that conversation on Halloween had gone, but it had been good to hear Nina say basically the same thing. “I will. I'm glad that you two got along, too. She can be a little blunt, but there's times I appreciated it. Probably times I’ve needed it too. Hell, you know that.” His self-awareness drew a laugh and a shake of her head. "I noticed that. It was a nice change of pace, honestly. I don't often see a lot of bluntness in my day job." The cabinet and council meetings were an exception to that rule, and intentionally so, but more people applied diplomacy to her than she wanted. "I'm glad you know her, Kevin." He laughed too, raising one shoulder in a nonchalant half-shrug, but there was a pleased expression on his face. “Are you trying to tell me that woman you're seeing --” But whatever Kevin had been about to say became lost as the sound of the front door being unlocked cut him off. As far as he knew the only people that had keys to this place were Nina and his parents, and since she was sitting right here next to him ... “I guess they're back,” he said, in a tight voice. Kevin glanced at Nina out of the corner of his eye, then rubbed his palms across his lap and stood. “Better go see what's what. Coming?” "Yes, of course." Nina followed suit, looking over her shoulder to shoot him a reassuring smile, before she moved forward to lead their way back towards the front door. |