Turtle & Canary; Friday [09/25].

[white_oleander]

Once Astrid got into work that day and realized that nothing going on at the store could possibly distract her from the weight of dread and anticipation that came with the big question mark that was this weekend for her, she finally caved in and used the store phone to call back home and talk to her case worker (a new one, again, of course) and to just ask if she knew if Ingrid would be coming.

"Oh, no, sweetie, I'm sorry," said the case worker in that tone of voice that was well-practiced despite the fact that most of the kids she used it on were too cynical to be convinced by it. "Your mother probably won't be granted that sort of release for a while now. If you need to see her, the only way is for you to come here."

Astrid thanked her, and the moment she hung up the phone again, she nearly collapsed from the wave of relief that hit her. Of course. Of course she couldn't come, that would have been ridicilous, the world might be crazy, but not that crazy, and Astrid just sort of closed her eyes and leaned her elbows on the counter, face in her hands, grateful that she could breathe again, but not unaware of a weird knot in her chest now that almost felt a little bit like disappointment, too.

Because if Ingrid Magnussen truly wanted something, she would make it happen. So if she truly wanted to come...

But no. This was good. This was what she wanted, this was what was best, and she knew that. She was just mostly disappointed that, after all this time and hard work, her heart still couldn't seem to reconcile with her head on this one.

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Comments

[sundroplace]

"Okay, but after this I want to check out the restaurant! It's not fair if we check out the general store for Karen but nothing for me."

Despite that, Ann was laughing as they entered the store.

[raindroplace]

"Technically, as we're staying at the hotel, we've already got you covered," Karen noted, pausing to look at the sign approvingly. "Oh, that's a good idea."

[snowdroplace]

"I don't know if we can check out all of the bars and restaurants in one weekend, Ann," Elli said, smiling. "It's not like at home."

Not even a little, really, though everyone as still very nice.

"Hi, Astrid," Elli said, with a smile for her 'big sister'.

[white_oleander]

"Hey, Elli," said Astrid with a small smile for the conversation in progress as the girls entered the store, grateful for the distraction.

"Friends from home?" she guessed.

[snowdroplace]

"Yes!" Elli said, quietly radiating delight at the whole thing. "This is—"

[sundroplace]

"Oooh! So you're Elli's big sister!" Ann butted in enthusiastically. "We've heard so much about you! I'm Ann!"

[raindroplace]

"Ann, let Elli talk," Karen said, with an apologetic smile at Astrid. "You're being rude."

[snowdroplace]

"Oh, Karen," Elli said, a bit helplessly. "It's alright! I don't mind!"

[white_oleander]

"It's fine," Astrid assured Karen with another small smile, amused, even if the sort of banter and interplay between the other girls felt like something a little foreign to her. "It's nice to meet you. I take it Elli's showing you around the town?"

[raindroplace]

"Something like that," Karen agreed, with a smile. "My family runs the general store back home, so we wanted to come see what the island's was like."

[sundroplace]

"And then," Ann said, cheerfully determined, "we're going to check out the bars! And the restaurants!"

A pause.

"All of them!" Though she did grin at that. "Are there really so many that we couldn't do it all in a weekend?"

[snowdroplace]

"I showed you a list of all of them," Elli protested. "I wouldn't make up all those names."

[white_oleander]

"You guys'll be pretty well-fed, if anything," Astrid noted with a small grin. "But, yeah, in the meantime, welcome to Turtle & Canary." She gave a mild gesture around. "It's bigger on the inside, and there's no duct tape, but there's weird Squishies and a panda that gets aggressive if it doesn't like your cheese selections."

Just like home, no doubt!