Bode 'Bishop' Coldiron (minorpiece) wrote in remains_rpg, @ 2017-04-11 13:34:00 |
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Entry tags: | # 2020 [04] april, bode coldiron, cherry chan |
Who: Bishop Coldiron and Cherry Chan
Where: Their respective homes
What: Bishop and Cherry catch up over the phone.
When: April 4th, 2020
[The wheels had been set in motion, Bishop's brewery was going to happen and he found himself wanting to share that news with an old friend. No matter how many times he called instead of simply walking two rows of trailers over, he reckoned he might never get used to this. Bishop didn't view it as a bad thing, just different, and after the start in Austin most of them had had different was likely a good thing.] BISHOP: [he listened to the phone ring a couple of times before a familiar voice picked up on the other end.] Hey, darlin'. Got time to talk? CHERRY: Hey, you. [the smile on her face is likely heard over the phone, somehow.] Right now is great. What's up? BISHOP: [he smiles despite the fact that Cherry can't see it.] Would you believe me if I told you that soon I won't be making moonshine in the middle of nowhere anymore? CHERRY: You're not giving up the game, are you? BISHOP: [laughs.] Ain't anyway I could give it up, reckon moonshine runs through my veins by this point. [pauses.] Guess you could say I'm upgrading of sorts. Just started the whole process to open up a legitimate brewery in Austin. CHERRY: Oh my god, that's awesome! When does it all open up? BISHOP: [laughs] Suppose it is, yeah. Honestly it feels more than a little strange to be making a legal go of things. I meet with a real estate agent a couple days from now to look at building options, I imagine after that it'd be a couple of months at the least before the doors will be open. CHERRY: I hear legal living is all the rage these days, don't worry. BISHOP: It does seem to be the thing nowadays [laughs softly] This ain't where I would have seen things ending up years ago. Though I reckon I always imagined I'd end up rotting in a cell some day. CHERRY: [She's surprised by the way her instinctive reaction is a mix of disgust and a complete lack of surprise at how such a thing really wouldn't be uncalled for, all things considered. When she speaks, she hopes it's not evident in her voice.] Good thing things turned out a different way, then, I guess. BISHOP: [he considers her words for a long moment and when he answer it's with the same kind of candor he's been known for since he set foot in Austin.] Sometimes I ain't sure if it's good or not. Now, I ain't saying I'm not grateful for being free, for getting to watch my boys grow up or create a life with Hazel. But that doesn't negate the fact that there's a lot of shit that the Hellhounds need to atone for, myself included. Reckon starting a business and proving I ain't wasting this second chance it a good step in that direction. But I ain't going to pretend like it makes up for all that shit that happened. CHERRY: [She takes a deep breath, wondering just what, exactly, she's feeling now and whether she misses when things were 'simpler.' Did that make her complicit in what had been done before?] But you would never go as far as to actually turn yourself in, even if they weren't going to come after you for what had been done. No one is. BISHOP: [he hums and shakes his head.] Reckon you already know my answer to that darlin'. Sure, most of Austin would like to see that and I don’t blame ‘em. But no, I don’t think any of us will ever go so far as to turn ourselves in. Most of us have started to make upstanding lives for ourselves. [the conversation had taken a far more serious turn than Bishop had intended.] What I really want to know is if I can count on you and Max to be at whatever shindig gets thrown once I’ve got my place up and running? CHERRY: [she allows herself a bittersweet smile, glad he can't see.] Yes, if I'm still here. BISHOP: [frowns despite the fact he knew Cherry might be leaving.] Any word on when that might be yet, darlin'? CHERRY: I'm hoping to hear back soon. At the very least so I can figure out what to do. BISHOP: Did they give you any idea when you might hear from them? CHERRY: By the end of the month, I think. Do you have any idea when your brewery will get to open? BISHOP: The end of the month ain't that bad. The brewery probably ain't opening for a month at least, gotta find a place and get it all outfitted and that'll take time. CHERRY: Well, [her voice much brighter than before, no doubt in an attempt to cover up all of the mixed emotions this conversation has brought her,] no matter what, I should still be here when that happens. BISHOP: [his smile can be heard in his tone.] I gotta admit I’m real glad about that. Especially if it might be the last time you’ll be celebrating with us for awhile. [pauses.] That ain’t said to make you feel guilty ‘bout leaving. Going back to school is a good thing, but I’ve told you that already. CHERRY: [She laughs.] Good to know. BISHOP: [chuckles.] I reckon you already knew every last thing I just said, but I ain't bothered by confirming it. You're well liked here darlin', that ain't new. CHERRY: It's still good to hear. Especially since I don't really make it out there as much as I thought I would, a year ago. BISHOP: Just ‘cause you ain’t gotten out here as much as you thought don’t mean that would change how anyone felt about you. I understand liking to hear verbal confirmation of that, though. Reckon everyone likes to hear how others feel about ‘em from time to time. CHERRY: I know, but it's easier to keep friendships going if you see them often. BISHOP: Can't really argue with you there. [he pauses.] Do you feel like your friendships have suffered since you moved outta the Greenbelt? CHERRY: To a certain extent, but part of it can't be helped. [Pauses, too, before:] I'm no longer as comfortable with the things that happened, so it makes things hard. BISHOP: [silence falls over the line as he weighs his reply and when he speaks there isn’t a trace of judgment in his tone, just curiosity.] Hard because of how your feelings have changed in regards to past events, or hard ‘cause it’s changed how you feel ‘bout people here? CHERRY: Mostly the first one. But whatever's changed about the way I feel about people there, I apply it to me, too, for being okay with it for so long. BISHOP: darlin', I think shifting feelings like that are only natural. Reckon ain’t anyone going to blame you for taking a step back and realizing you ain’t okay with what was done in the name of survival. CHERRY: Well, that's good to know. [She's silent for a moment, before adding:] That's all, I guess. BISHOP: [he’s quiet for a moment before he says.] I appreciate you bein’ honest ‘bout how your feelings on things have shifted. [pause and then chuckles softly.] And I'm real glad you didn't tell me opening a brewery was two steps away from bein' crazy. CHERRY: [She laughs] Glad I could help. BISHOP: I'm glad you could too, darlin'. [laughs] And now I should probably be letting you get back to whatever you were doing. CHERRY: All right. Take care for now, okay? BISHOP: Okay, but only if you do too, darlin’. |