Who: Splendid, Max, Capable, and Furiosa What: Labor Day Grill Out When: Monday, 09/07 around 11AM Where: Irvine Regional Park Rating/Warnings: General Audiences/None really Status: Closed/Complete
~*~
Splendid had been lucky enough to find a table that had a covering, and a grill before the rush of other park goers arrived. She breathed a long sigh of relief, thankful that she'd gotten there early enough. After she'd parked, she grabbed a few things from the trunk of her car, and then the car carrier from the backseat. Valerian was sleeping soundly, pacifier in his mouth, although she doubted that he'd be asleep for much longer.
By the time she made it to the table, her arms were hurting slightly from all of the weight she was carrying. She made one more trip, with Valerian in tow, to get the last few things from her car. She placed his carrier on top of the table, smiling softly down at him. He was precious to her, although she did live with the fear that his father would appear and try to take him away from her.
Pushing her thoughts aside, Splendid started getting things set up while she waited on the others to arrive.
~*~
The ute was brought out to take Max to visit the women at the park. He felt strange, nervous. They couldn't like him, could they? Their lives were too different from his own. They were normal. Sane. Even if they shared his dreams, lived in his dreams, they were still not the same as he was courtesy of his madness.
Max felt the vehicle was better than his rig since he'd take up only one space in the lot with it. He felt strange driving it without the Russian man who had started to become a friend to him. Pietro was one who might have enjoyed food with beautiful women. Should he have asked him to come along? Likely not. Normal people didn't invite friends to lunch with their social workers and those who starred in their dreams.
Wandering up to the table with a cooler filled with ice and canned drinks, Max raised a hand in greeting, not managing to say anything while he placed the cooler on the edge of a bench where it would be easy to access. They could circle the table to take the drink of their choice. He'd gotten several types of soda. No alcohol. Max could not handle alcohol with his medication and Splendid had a babe to worry over. "Drinks," he explained as he rapped the top of the cooler with his knuckles, pointing to the baby in the carrier, Max asked, "Up? Or leave sitting alone?"
He liked the idea of holding the boy. Valerian was small yet perfect in every way. It was nice to hold him knowing he was fine, incapable of catching the madness Max suffered from and pleased to be held.
~*~
Capable was excited to be having this day with her friends. She considered them all very good friends and she cared a lot about them. She’d brought the watermelon and desserts as promised and had been very smiley all morning as she and Furiosa had been getting everything ready. Days like these helped her forget the awfulness of the dreams, she didn’t want those experiences to taint her waking time.
Hopping from the car she made her way over with the watermelon, it was heavy but she was determined. And she managed to get it onto the table with a smile of success before moving to hug Splendid and Max in greeting, “You got a really good spot Splendid” she told her friend, pressing a kiss to the top of Valerian’s head.
~*~
The engine of Furiosa's car rumbled as she pulled up and parked. She'd driven Capable and followed behind her, carrying the wal-mart Potato Salad under one arm and a bag filled with cups and other utensils in the other. There was something surreal about seeing them all there, even with some people missing. The setting felt almost too peaceful. She put the salad on the table, and ran her hand over her scalp, before giving Splendid a hug. She nodded at Max in greeting.
"You got here early, didn't you Splendid."
~*~
Splendid gave a small wave back to Max, and then Capable and Furiosa as they arrived. She laughed softly, and lifted a shoulder. "I did get here a bit early. I just wanted to make sure we had a really good spot." And they did, for that she was extremely thankful.
"And you're welcome to hold him. He needs to get up anyway, or else he won't go down for his afternoon nap and then everything will be thrown off." It was true, if he slept for too long he'd mess up his schedule, and hers as well. Splendid had to go back to work the next day, so if she had the chance to get a decent night's sleep, she'd take it.
"Burgers and hotdogs are here. Although the grill definitely looks like it could use a good cleaning." It was a good thing she'd come prepared for that at least, and Splendid began the task of opening the charcoal and getting it into the grill to light it.
Once the grill was lit, all there was to do was wait until the coals were hot enough to move them around and then clean the grill. "Has everyone had a good weekend so far?" She asked, looking around at the rest of them.
~*~
Max accepted the hug awkwardly from Capable, trying not to get too close to the woman or give anyone reason to think things of him. He nodded back at Furiosa -she seemed more and more the woman warrior from his Dreams and less and less a person of this world- before moving to free the infant from his carrier. Valerian was a welcome weight in his arms as he held the babe.
No one needed anything from him as long as he was keeping the babe interested, aware, awake. Max could do those things. It wasn't hard to keep an infant's attention. He pulled out his key ring with its heavy keys to jingle it for Valerian. The boy reached for the keys, but Max knew enough to know better than to give them to him. He instead trailed the very tips over Valerian's forehead to get a reaction of something approaching glee from him.
Every boy needed to love driving.
It was the best freedom he'd ever have as far as Max was concerned.
"Glad to be here. Not driving usually bad. Here? Good. Happy."
He shrugged a shoulder. That was as much as he could manage.
~*~
Nobody in this group would think any things of Max, they were like a little family in Capable’s eyes and she was glad of that. It was a nicer family than she’d had in a long time and she wanted to show that. She smiled as she watched Max with the baby, it was the most relaxed she’d seen him.
“It is happy” she agreed, “It’s so nice to be out together” In much better circumstances than their dreams but she didn’t need to voice that.
Capable nodded in response to Splendid’s question, “It’s been lovely so far. Everybody seems to be in a happy mood, probably because of the extra day’s vacation” she smiled.
~*~
There was something about Max holding a baby and jangling keys that made Furiosa feel happy. It pushed the dreams to some other place, out of mind. She decided not to worry about what would happen to them in the hellscape, and instead focus on the now. It was that, or lose herself. She wasn't quite ready to hold the boy herself. Maybe later.
"Glad you got this spot. I hadn’t had any plans until this came up.” She smiled gratefully.
~*~
Happy was definitely something they all needed in their lives. Splendid knew that herself from the dreams she'd had. That world was...it was truly hell on Earth and she'd give anything to never go back there in her dreams again. Something told her that wouldn't be the case, that the dreams wouldn't stop until they'd left the Citadel or she died.
Part of her wanted to ask the others what they already knew, while another part of her wasn't ready for the weight of that knowledge just yet.
It was better for her to live in ignorance now. She didn't need to know her fate that badly, and besides, it was likely that she'd dream of it in the future.
Splendid watched Max holding Valerian for a few moments, before she glanced back over at Capable. "Mhm, that's for certain. I know I've enjoyed the extra time off. Good," she turned her attention to Furiosa, "I was worried that I was too late in asking everyone." She laughed softly with a shake of her head as she moved to sit down on the bench closest to the grill. It had Splendid wondering about other Holidays, and if they could possibly get together.
She had no family, and she didn't dare talk to any of the people she knew back in New York. Knowing her luck they'd sell her out, and well, there she'd be. "I know the day's still young and all, but we should do this more often."
~*~
Sometimes common sayings confused Max. He wasn't entirely certain what it meant for the day to be young, but he did understand what it was to be asked to come around more often. It was not a frequent request people made of him. There were too many men who weren't mad for anyone to want to go out of their way to spend time with him. Rocking the baby soothed him more than he could manage with words.
"Would not mind," he decided aloud, "Seeing more. You more. Strange to see you. All of you. Outside of the Dreams. Hell becomes Heaven becomes Life."
It was all he could say without starting to range into the completely insane. Max had never been a very good talker; his schizophrenia had worsened his condition to the point where he was better off resorting to nods, grins, and grunts. Those were the kinds of communications people could understand from him. It was hard to misconstrue language which was solely body related. Words might play tricks on a person, but body language was universal.
"Sorry. Wish was not---like this."
He looked down at the child's face. The boy was easier to handle than the women. Valerian's scrutiny was that of the innocent. His curiosity could be forgiven. Max was never certain about the stares of others. Their eyes were never quite right when they fixed on him. People always wanted more from him it felt. More than he could give. More words than he could say. More something always.
Splendid and Capable had been the first to ask nothing more of him than what he could deliver on his own. Piotr helped. Furiosa seemed content enough with him. Max wondered if this would be his new family in reality. No one would ever be able to replace those he'd lost, but having people of his own again was an appealing prospect. He wouldn't pass up the opportunity if it was presented to him.
~*~
‘Hell becomes Heaven becomes Life’ Capable liked that, it was a really good way of describing things. And kind of had a positive hopeful feel to it as well.
She smiled at Max, “Don’t be sorry, we love you for you” she told him, feeling sure she could speak for them all. She would do anything for the people gathered here and was fairly sure the same could be said for them. Furiosa had already saved her after all.
“I think it would be lovely to get together more regularly. It’s nice to just be yourself with people who understand”
~*~
"Asked just in time, I think." Furiosa smiled at Splendid, then moved to do something with her hands. Start getting plates ready. Or something.
Furiosa understood. While she couldn't always follow Max's words, she felt like she was starting to understand him. Where he was coming from, the kind of man he was. A survivor. Not necessarily a bad man, but a desperate one. At least here there wasn't that desperation. So she had nothing to ask of him that he didn't want to give, and she was happy enough with that.
Life was easier when you kept people at a little distance. Furiosa, unfortunately, wasn't as good at that part as she'd like. One only need look at the fact she'd given up her bed for Capable and Laura.
A little girl at a nearby table kept staring at her modern prosthetic, and when she realize she'd been caught, she hid under the table. Furiosa chuckled. "We're all of us a little damaged. Maybe that makes all the difference."
~*~
"I think that might have something to do with it." Splendid agreed with a nod before pushing herself up in order to spread the coals out and clean the grill. It wouldn't take long before their food was ready since everything was fresh.
She scraped the grill with the new brush she'd purchased during her last shopping trip, and cleaned the remains of someone else's barbeque off the steel grate. It didn't take her much longer before she had all of the food on the grill, "And I agree with Capable, Max. You have no reason to be sorry for anything." She turned to look over her shoulder at Max, and then turned back to look at the food.
"Well, we can always pick a weekend to get together. Either at someone's place, or out every month." Splendid truly did like that idea. It was better when they were all together, and she had the utmost respect for all of them there.
"That way it's something that should work for everyone, and we get to spend time together." She flipped the burgers and the hot dogs as she talked, only to pause for a few moments. "Can someone hand me a plate please?"
~*~
Acceptance was a strange concept for Max. He was used to being a man who had to deal with ridicule or suspicion. His disease was too apparent for him to blend easily with the locals. It took most of his energy to appear semi-normal while doing his runs in his rig. The people he worked for knew him, knew his limitations, explained things ahead of time to those he'd be in contact with and it all worked out.
Max had never had friends who accepted him without their acceptance being prearranged or mandatory.
Balancing the infant on his shoulder, Max used his free hand to get a clean plate, closing the distance between himself and Splendid easily. He held the plate out to her so she could take it at her leisure while shielding Valerian from the heat of the grill. Babies had fragile skin. Max remembered something about sunblock or was it lotion? He remembered Sprog having the softest most delicate skin. That much he remembered.
"Plate."
He said it as if it weren't obvious.
"Glad everyone okay. Here. Some weekend have bonfire on beach? Make hot potatoes in the coals. Cook whole chickens over the flames. Cold beer or---drinks. Tea? Not a bad drink."
When the plate was taken from Max's hand, he moved away from the grill, bouncing Valerian while he tried to organize his thoughts.
~*~
“A bonfire on the beach sounds like fun, I didn’t know you could do that” Capable was learning the ways of the world but sometimes she’d encounter something that she didn’t know or was entirely brand new and she was finding it more exciting than daunting - for now anyway.
She smiled as she patted Max’s arm with a smile and let her hand stroke slowly over the baby’s head before moving to assist Splendid, not wanting the other woman to feel like she had to do everything. Capable could help her, she was good at learning and following instruction.
~*~
"Capable and I live in a sardine can with another girl," Furiosa joked. "Definitely not a comfortable place for large gatherings. Maybe when I find a bigger place." She nodded at Max. "I like that beach bonfire idea." You could never go wrong with fire.
She let the other women handle the grilling. They were more than capable and she had her potato salad to dish out. It was a silly, stupid thing. Potato salad. But it made her feel normal.
~*~
"Thank you." Splendid spoke as she took the plate from Max, and she carefully placed the hot dogs onto the plate before turning to Capable. "The burgers are nearly done. If you could put those down on the table and hand me another plate, please." She offered Capable a smile and then nodded. "I really like the idea of doing a bonfire as well. It would probably be better to wait until the weather is a bit cooler."
That was her opinion on the matter anyway. Splendid tended to associate bonfires with cooler weather, as per her life in New York. She had many good memories about spending time in front of a bonfire, making s'mores with her friends and laughing.
It felt as if a lifetime had passed since those days when in all reality it'd only been a handful of years.
"My home is always open too. It's not incredibly big, but I think there'd be enough room for us there." She gave a small nod of her head, and flipped the burgers once more.
~*~
"Beach rules only state must say when planning fire. Not can't. Only tell them first. Very nice police, beach police. Don't mind when---don't mind rig staying there for sleeping."
Max followed Capable's hand over Valerian's head. She was soft, too. He should hand the child to her. Someone kind and soft. The boy wasn't fussing in his arms, but Max knew that hardly meant much. It could be he was only sleepy. Tired children were willing to accept being held by anyone so long as they were allowed to sleep. If he offered the child over, it could upset him, make him cry, wake him from his drowsy state.
Was he making excuses to keep holding someone else's son?
His son was dead. Sprog was gone. Max would never hold his own son again. No matter how long he was trusted with Splendid's child, this baby would never be his own. Valerian belonged to his mother. She was his only, his all. Max was blessed to be allowed to spend time with the woman and her child, but he knew it was only a kindness on her part. Splendid was too smart a woman for a man such as him.
Hesitantly, he looked around the group and asked, "Should let someone else hold him? He's a good boy. Very good. Don't mind letting someone else hold him."
Not really. He didn't mind, really.
~*~
Capable moved to do as Splendid instructed, smiling at Max, “Sounds like you get on well with the beach police” she said, glad they let him keep the rig there when he needed to. “And I think Valerian looks pretty content with you right now” Not that she was an expert on babies but they both looked more relaxed and with Max that was no easy feat.
She was sure the others saw it too, they were all family really. Valerian may belong to Splendid but all of them would do anything for the child, he would grow up very loved and protected.
“I’ll have a cuddle later though” she added with a grin as she held the plate for Splendid to load the burgers onto which Capable could then take to the table too.
~*~
"We could do something for or near Halloween. It doesn't always have to be cold weather though. There's a big festival in Nevada every year but that was a couple of weeks ago."
She couldn't see them doing a dinner party or something mundane like that. A BBQ fit them all better. So did a bonfire. Something wild, something a little uncontrolled.
She held up a hand. "I'm not very good with babies. He'll probably start crying as soon as I picked him up."
It was like an unspoken conspiracy between the women - Holding Valerian seemed to do as much good for Max as it was for the boy.
~*~
Chuckling, Splendid glanced over her shoulder at Furiosa. "I doubt that he would. He's pretty laid back." Splendid couldn't have asked for a better baby, not that there weren't days where he cried, or nights that he woke up hungry or wet. That was just part of it, but more often than not, he was quiet.
"And I agree." Splendid stated as she started plating up the burgers, "I think he's fine with you, but you can put him back into the carrier while we eat if you want to." It was a simple offer, although she was certain that Max was capable of holding him while eating.
Still, Splendid never wanted to impose upon anyone.
"A Halloween bonfire would actually be very nice." She agreed with a nod as she spread the coals a little thinner so they could start to go out. "I actually wasn't planning on taking him Trick-or-Treating since he's too young this year." Next year she might, but this year Splendid didn't really see the point.
"So I say we aim for that." She turned away from the grill, placing the spatula down on the table before she moved over to the diaper bag to pull out the pack of baby wipes. She popped the lid open, and pulled one free so that she could wipe her hands off. "If anyone else wants one, feel free."
~*~
Grinning at everyone, Max felt grateful no one wanted to take the child from him. They seemed to enjoy---him. People rarely enjoyed his presence. Madmen made people unhappy, discontent, confused, sometimes even angry. Max was a lucky man to have found women who could tolerate his presence; knowing they enjoyed having him around was a lot better than knowing they could tolerate him.
He smiled outright when they started talking about a bonfire for Halloween.
"Like Halloween. Can be normal then---everyone pretends to be mad. Masks are normal. Me? Normal. Will make certain everything is fine for fire. Boy will have a good first Hallows Eve."
Max moved the child to rest on his shoulder, rubbing his little back softly to try to lure him into sleeping. His grin was almost painful as he tried to take in everything all at once. Furiosa would have been fine with the boy. He was certain. The boy was good as Splendid had said. Capable had kind eyes turned on everyone, happy eyes today. Splendid glowed. She was worthy of her name.
"Will be very good so beach police people let have gathering. Family. Is that right? Family gathering?"
~*~
Max was one of the few people Capable felt safe around, everybody here made her feel safe and she liked their company a lot.
“Halloween would be lots of fun” she agreed, she’d never dressed up or anything but they had carved pumpkins on the compound so she knew what it was all about. It helped her to not feel so ignorant as she usually did when somebody mentioned some pop culture reference which she didn’t get.
Yes, Max was right about that she was definitely happy today. They all were it seemed. “Family’s right” she nodded, “A family gathering is what it would be. What this is too”
~*~
"Multitasking," Furiosa pointed out, cheerfully. "You've adapted to this mother thing pretty quickly." She didn't think that Splendid wouldn't have. Splendid was stubborn and strong, and could tackle anything thrown at her.
Family. Furiosa remembered the quiet nights in her dreams. They'd become a family on a twisted little road trip. These women she'd resented at first and grown to love. This man, a victim in his own way, just like them.
"Family. Can't remember the last time I had a family." The thought of family, once, would have made her angry. Angry at being abandoned or used or abused. "I think I like it."