fandomtownies | Graduation Brunch: The Park, Sunday, mid-morning to mid-afternoon

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Graduation Brunch: The Park, Sunday, mid-morning to mid-afternoon

It was the Grads' Brunch in the park today, as the brightly coloured banner -- CONGRATULATIONS, CLASS OF 2008! -- indicated.

There were lots of tables and chairs set up in the park, under sails for shade, and long tables groaning under the weight of the food and drink. Not just traditional ~~moddable~~ brunch foods, but a wide selection of ~~also moddable~~ greek dishes and delicacies.

Coffees, teas, punch, juices and softdrink were only some of the ~~also also moddable are you sensing a theme here?~~ wide range of drinks.

Music played quietly in the background, the speakers hanging from the trees, and bocce ball and croquet had been set up. There was even space for dancing, a hard floor having been laid over the grass between the trees.

It may be the Grads' Brunch, but everyone was welcome! Come and congratulate the class of 2008!

[ooc: What it says up there! This is a picnic to celebrate the 2008 graduates and their guests, but it's open to all of Fandom.

Plz wait for OCD

OCD? We has it.]

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And Adah just gave the Eel a wide-eyed look that told him very distinctly that, after this? He'd be lucky if he even had a groin left.

"Hey, thanks," Lee said, wincing under Adah's look and considering dialing it back just a bit. He'd already trampled over some imaginary line, he was pretty sure. "Always a treat when people notice."

Lee nodded politely at Rachel before looking back at her mother. "I often make people speechless. We can add that to my ever growing list of talents."

If he was alive later, he'd wonder why he pushed so hard on this one. He probably wouldn't find an answer but he'd think about.

He just hoped he was alive to do that.

"The talkative speechless and, apparently," Orleanna stated with a nod toward Adah, "the speechless talk. It's a shame one of those talents isn't discerning the difference between speechless and someone simply using their manners to know when not to say anything. That's something you could stand to add to your list, too, maybe."

"Maybe," he repeated, crinkling his nose a bit in thought. "Maybe not. It wouldn't be as fun. Random question. If you'd known about me, if Adah had mentioned me, would you have wanted to meet me?"

Edited 2008-05-06 04:03 (UTC)

"If she'd mentioned you, yes," Orleanna answered. "Probably to the same effect, too. A thing about Adah that you might have noticed is that she's smart; I wonder if that has anything to do with the fact that she hasn't."

"Yeah, I noticed," he said tightly. "She asked me if I wanted to meet you the other night. I said yes. I don't really know why I'm acting like a bastard. Wait, I do know why but I'm not going to get into that. Here's the thing, I'm not using your daughter. I'm not with her for any of the frakking wrong reasons you're thinking up in your head. And if you're anything like her, you're probably ready to hit me. I wouldn't care if you did. I'm not trying for your approval here, I don't want it, but I do want you to know that I'm not going to hurt your daughter."

Edited 2008-05-06 04:18 (UTC)

As she felt the air tighten a bit around her from the collective intakes of breath from both her daughters, Orleanna blinked coolly at the boy before responding to something like that. "I never indicated," she said, "that you would. I know my own daughter, a hell of a lot better than you do, and probably even she knows herself. Considering how you'll never be a mother, I don't expect you to understand, but I do know that you hurting her is not a concern of mine because I know better than anyone that Adah wouldn't put up with that. Of course, whether you're going to hurt her or not bears absolutely no merit on the fact that I still don't think that you're good enough for her. I don't like to make passing judgments, Lee, but it's a damn good thing you're not looking for my approval, because you've got quite a lot to make up for if you even want to be considered for it."

"Miss Price, I don't think I'm good enough for her," Lee said after taking a moment to gather his thoughts. "I've thought that since I met her. And really, I'm used to people not liking me. I've been glared at and yelled since I got to this frakking planet. I don't want your approval and I won't be seeking it because I think the same damn way you do. I'm not good enough for her but that doesn't mean that I don't lo-like her and like being with her."

[I shall mebbe be falling asleep soon. That, or head into heavy drinking so I can have an empty bottle to smack Lee with.]

The silence of Orleanna actually being a bit speechless this time was ended by Rachel letting out a long whistle, and Orleanna shook her head. A glance toward Adah told her nothing useful; the poor girl looked absolutely shellshocked, like her entire body had just gone into paralysis instead just the usual right side limbs.

"So," she observed after a moment, "you're not actually as stupid as you act."

"I'm not stupid," he said defensively. "I just lack common sense sometimes and I don't think things through. It's a family trait. It's part of my charm, just ask anyone. I'm surprised you didn't smack me, though. I thought I had it coming a few times."

"Oh, believe me, if you were one of mine, you wouldn't have gotten to a few," Orleanna informed him sharply. "Far be it from me to discipline another person's child, though. Something to maybe chat with your father a bit with your father should I take you up on that invitation to your own graduation, but, believe you me, if I find out that Adah end up being even just half as indignant and arrogant to him when...if she meets him..."

She trailed off, letting her threat hang in the air, only partially because she knew it was mostly empty and Adah was actually far beyond her discipline now, with good reason.

"You have that invitation," he replied, shrugging. "I really don't care because I don't think my father will come anyway. He's really too busy for these type of things. And that's not me being arrogant, that's me quoting him. As for your discipline, I have my reasons for acting like I am and they're good ones."

He shrugged then, leaning back in his chair. "I'm done though, I got it out of my system. If you want to know anything about me, I'll tell you."

With an eyebrow quirked in wondering what these reasons were and that they'd have to be pretty damn good, really, Orleanna glanced a moment toward Adah. As expected, though, the girl was giving absolutely nothing away, body tight and closed off, her eyes solely down toward a spot on the grass. Rachel seemed to be deeply invested in pushing her food around her plate with a fork. Orleanna sighed.

"No," she said, "I really think you've said quite enough."

Lee raised an eyebrow but didn't push. He'd probably done that enough.

"I've got a big mouth. People tell me that enough. I like to talk. Maybe too much. That's not an apology. Can I ask you something?"

[Sdklj;flskd PRETEND YOU DIDN'T SEE YOU THAT. God, I need CAFFEINE.]

"If I say no," Orleanna asked, "are you still going to ask anyway?"

"I won't ask if you say no," he said, shaking his head. "Everyone has the right to refuse to answer. It's not a bad question, though, if you're wondering."

[They're right next to each other on LJLogin! It's all technology's fault!]

With a sigh and the consideration for the fact that Rachel was looking at her very much like if they didn't at least get to hear what the question was, she was just going to go and drill for it herself, Orleanna leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms over her chest. She was getting much to old for this.

"For the sake of satiating curiosity," she muttered, "shoot."

"If you're anything like my mother," he said carefully, tapping his fingers against the table, "you're very perceptive. If you're anything like my father, you form opinions quickly. For the sake of my curiosity, because other have asked me in the past and because you've gotten time to form some judgment of me, do you think I care about your daughter more than just a school boy crush?"

"Dear God," Orleanna muttered, "I hope so. If this is what you'd be like over an infatuation, I'd hate to see what you're like when it's more."

"That's probably the most honest answer I've ever gotten to that question," Lee said, smiling a little. "That's all. I can leave you and your daughters to your brunch now. I've probably said enough."

Orleanna's eyebrow lifted again with a slight bit of wondering if that was a question the boy had to ask often, but was certainly willing to dismiss it. It was a good thing that she knew Rachel always carried plenty of aspirin with her in her purse. Or something stronger masquerading as aspirin, anyway.

"And then some," she pointed out. "And, yes, it has been nearly a year since I've had the company of more than one of my daughters at the same time on the same continent, Lee, so it would be rather nice if we can go back to pretending it's been peaceful."

Adah shifted slightly, moving her head from where she'd been staring and trying to remove herself entirely from the situation, head toward the Eel first before her eyes lifted toward him, through the hair in her face, where she offered him a small strained smile. Partly apologetic, but mostly the sort that said that, hey, he had all of his limbs still, so it could have been worse...

The whole thing had her wondering, though, over a lot of things, and not a single one of them seemed to be something she felt she knew for sure.

"It was good to meet both of you," Lee said, offering them each a smile before turning towards Adah. The smile he gave her was a little wider, a little more emotional.

"I'll talk to you later," he said quietly and covered one of her hands with his briefly, squeezing once before he stood up. "Enjoy your time here. Have a safe trip home."

One more nod and he headed off.

As usual, it was Rachel who broke the silence that followed the departure.

"Well, then. That was interesting."

And that seemed to have been the general consensus around the table.

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Graduation Brunch: The Park, Sunday, mid-morning to mid-afternoon

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