Outback Steakhouse | Evening | Friday | July 16

[death-and-pies.livejournal.com]

Ned was having dinner with his mother. Thinking that still made his hair stand on end. It felt like his childhood hadn't ever happened. It felt like it'd been one long nightmare and now it was over and he could breathe again.

They'd kept the conversation light. Ned hadn't wanted to think about the past and his mother hadn't wanted to dwell. She'd wanted to hear about his school, Rhode Island, his friends and Kaylee. He'd obliged, of course, and now they were sitting in comfortable silence, waiting for the girl in question to arrive.

Hopefully Ned wouldn't start crying again.

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[weefeetbigboots.livejournal.com]

Kaylee had never met a boyfriend's mom before, much less one who'd been dead the last ten or so years.

So, it had taken her a little while to figure out what to wear. When she finally arrived, she was a little hesitant in a pretty pink -- not too bright, for once! -- and yellow dress. It took her a minute to tentatively locate them, and she gave a shy wave as she headed over.

[death-and-pies.livejournal.com]

Ned bolted upright when he saw her, a grin coming close to splitting his face, when he saw her.

"Hi!" That happiness was a little strange. "I'm glad you made it."

The woman at the table stopped eating and smiled up at the new arrival.

[weefeetbigboots.livejournal.com]

"Hi!" Kaylee said, clearly a little nervous, though she relaxed a bit at Ned's happiness. It wasn't...what she was used to. "Sorry t'keep y'all waiting."

[death-and-pies.livejournal.com]

"It's all right," he said, holding a chair out for her. "We were just talking quietly and eating. I ordered you something. I hope that's all right."

[weefeetbigboots.livejournal.com]

"That's fine," she said, turning her attention to the lady at the table and shyly extending a hand. "Hi, ma'am. I'm Kaylee Frye. It's short for Kaywinnit Lee but ain't no one who calls me that. Just Kaylee."

Oh, god, she was nervous.

[two-times-dead.livejournal.com]

"Hello, Kaylee," his mother said, taking that extended hand and shaking it. "It's good to meet you. I've been hearing about you but I'm glad to put a face to the name."

[weefeetbigboots.livejournal.com]

"I've heard lots 'bout you, too, ma'am," Kaylee said politely. "Just 'bout every time Ned makes a pie, in fact."

[two-times-dead.livejournal.com]

"And does he do that a lot?" his mother asked, amused. She sent a smile towards her son. "I'd hope he does other things beside just baking."

[weefeetbigboots.livejournal.com]

"He's real good at it," Kaylee assured her. "Way better'n me! But he does other things, too. I just really like his pies."

[death-and-pies.livejournal.com]

"I bake cookies sometimes too," he said and laughed. "I like baking. I got that from you."

His mother smiled and reached over to pat his hand. "I know you did, dear. What sorts of things do you do, Kaylee?"

[weefeetbigboots.livejournal.com]

"I fix things," she said carefully. "I'm a mechanic. I built Ned a oven!"

What? She had.

[two-times-dead.livejournal.com]

"An oven?" his mother repeated, clearly impressed. "That's quite the level of skill. Is that what you're doing up in Rhode Island?"

[weefeetbigboots.livejournal.com]

"No," Kaylee said cheerfully. "I work in a store. Ned makes donuts!"

[death-and-pies.livejournal.com]

"I make other things besides donuts," Ned felt the need to clarify. "It's not just a donut store."

His mother smiled warmly. "What sort of store?"

[weefeetbigboots.livejournal.com]

"I sell clothes," Kaylee said. "For professional ladies."

Old, ugly clothes, she thought.

"And Ned makes other things but I like the donuts from there a lot. But they still ain't as good as his pie!"

[death-and-pies.livejournal.com]

"She's the best at what she does," Ned complimented, smiling over at her. "She's very good at it."

"I'm sure she does," his mother said softly. "Everyone has to start somewhere, after all. I know Ned has plans but he has to work his way there. Why don't you fix things for a living, Kaylee?"

[weefeetbigboots.livejournal.com]

"I ain't found a place that'd hire me," Kaylee admitted. "Just yet. But I'm not givin' up trying! Ned's got a start in baking, too, so I just gotta find my footing, like."

[two-times-dead.livejournal.com]

"And where is your family?" his mother asked. "Ned hasn't told me too much about them."

[weefeetbigboots.livejournal.com]

Kaylee gave Ned a hesitant look, and said, "They live far, far away from here. My daddy's got a repairshop, and my mama is a homemaker."

[two-times-dead.livejournal.com]

"Being a homemaker is an admirable job," she said, grinning. "I hope she thinks so too. I didn't have enough time to do that and I regret that."

Ned frowned down at his foot and sighed.

[weefeetbigboots.livejournal.com]

"But the time you did have made a big difference," Kaylee offered shyly.

[two-times-dead.livejournal.com]

"I still wish I had more time," she said, glancing at Ned and reaching to give his hand a squeeze again. "It was no one's fault. No one's."

Ned begged to differ but he kept quiet.

[weefeetbigboots.livejournal.com]

"I agree," Kaylee said, smiling a little. "It's good you think so, too."

[two-times-dead.livejournal.com]

"I do." Ned didn't, of course. "No one is at fault for Ned being as special as he is. And no one is at fault for accidents."

[weefeetbigboots.livejournal.com]

"He is special," Kaylee agreed. She lowered her voice, like Ned wasn't sitting right there, and added, "He don't always think so. I gotta tell him that sometimes."

[death-and-pies.livejournal.com]

"I can hear you both," Ned said, frowning at them both. "Don't talk about me like I'm not here. Talking across me won't convince me of anything."

[weefeetbigboots.livejournal.com]

"Sorry, bao bei," Kaylee said, meaning it. "S'true, though."

[two-times-dead.livejournal.com]

"She's right, Ned," his mother said, smiling. "One day, you might believe it."

Ned didn't think so but he didn't argue.

"He does have fun sometimes, doesn't he?" his mother asked Kaylee.

[weefeetbigboots.livejournal.com]

"S'what I'm for," Kaylee assured her with a giggle. "I make sure he does."

[two-times-dead.livejournal.com]

"What sorts of things do you do?" his mother asked, leaning forward. She really just wanted to know...everything.

[weefeetbigboots.livejournal.com]

"Sometimes I tell him a nice story, or say all the things I like best," she said, thinking that 'Sometimes I show him my boobies' was probably a bad thing to say. "We take Digby for walks, or we bounce on the bed. Sometimes I make him play games!"

[two-times-dead.livejournal.com]

"...you get him to bounce on the bed?" she asked, skeptical but amused.

[weefeetbigboots.livejournal.com]

"He bumped his head one time," Kaylee told her, frowning a little. "He's a little tall to jump on the bed too often."

[death-and-pies.livejournal.com]

"The ceiling was low," he explained, rubbing the back of his head. "I tend to just watch Kaylee jump. I don't jump that often."

Sometimes, though.

"You used to jump on your bed when you were younger," she recalled fondly. "You never hit your head though. Fallen off the bed? Yes, definitely."

[weefeetbigboots.livejournal.com]

"Makes him smile, any case," Kaylee decided. "Sometimes cake makes him happy, too. Or real good food."

[two-times-dead.livejournal.com]

"Real good food should make anyone smile," his mother insisted firmly. "Food is an art form. If you're a food artist, your food should be good."

[weefeetbigboots.livejournal.com]

"Ned's a food artist," she told her proudly. "His food makes other people happy, I think."

[death-and-pies.livejournal.com]

"I just like to cook," he said, feeling shy now.

"And now he's being modest," his mother pointed out as only mothers can.

[weefeetbigboots.livejournal.com]

"He always is," Kaylee said, rolling her eyes. "I always tell him to be prouder of his 'complishments, like."

[death-and-pies.livejournal.com]

"I'm...proud," Ned said grudgingly, shifting awkwardly in his seat.

"Not proud enough," his mother insisted. "You are a special person, Ned. You should know that and others should too."

[weefeetbigboots.livejournal.com]

"I know it," Kaylee said proudly. "Everyone should be as proud of you as I am, bao bei."

[death-and-pies.livejournal.com]

Ned didn't say anything because he was too busy being embarrassed and blushing. His mother couldn't help the grin on her face.

"Hopefully he won't continue to be quite as hard headed about this in the future as he's being now," his mother said fondly.

[weefeetbigboots.livejournal.com]

"Well," Kaylee said, a little shy. "So long as I'm 'round, I'll try an' talk him out of it."

[two-times-dead.livejournal.com]

"Then, he's lucky to have you," his mother said, smiling at her. "And I hope he realizes that."

Ned wasn't that dumb. He did realize it. He knew it everyday.