Dinner with Jessica

[abyssum_invocat]

When Malcolm had told her about having dinner at his mother's house, Sinthia really hadn't expected he'd be so nervous about it: she'd agreed readily enough, and had brushed Avi's coat until all the loose fur had shed off (there might have been a hand-held vacuum involved) so he didn't leave a cloud of white fur everywhere he went. She left the working harness on him, though his was elegantly embroidered in golds and silver and blues against the bright orange fabric for visibility.

"You really don't have to be so nervous, Malcolm. It's okay. I won't walk out and leave you." She smoothed down her skirt--demure black, and to her knees, but leather and only a few shades shy of completely indecent. It went with her heels, tall enough that she could comfortably lean her head over and lay her chin on Malcolm's head.

"You want Avi?"

Comments

[abrightboy]

He gave her a look. "I'm not concerned about what you'll do. I'm concerned about what you'll say. And what she'll say. And the potential generating of permanently bad blood. Which will be awkward for the length of whatever life we have together, since I see my mother a lot," he told her.

[abyssum_invocat]

"I won't say anything either," she said, shaking her head with a little smile. "You remember I worked with people far more irritating than your mother could ever manage to be."

Sinthia reached down to ruffle Avi's ears, nudging her shoulder to Malcolm's. "It will be okay. I promise."

[abrightboy]

"You haven't met her yet," Malcolm warned.

It was a short time later, he was letting them into the townhouse with his key, stepping into an entranceway that Sinthia may have recognized if she saw news coverage of the Surgeon's arrest.

[abyssum_invocat]

"It's just dinner. Everything will be fine," she replied; she actually did want to meet Jessica. She didn't have a mother, and never had as far as she remembered. His mother was someone special to Malcolm, even if she caused him frustration quite often, and Sinthia wanted to know her.

When they stepped into the house Sinthia's hand went to Avalon's harness, fingers folding around the strap even though he still had his collar and lead attached: it was habit as much as anything but the prickles of recognition were making themselves known. She wasn't going to ask: there would have been no question. This was where it happened.

"Do you think she'll like the bracelet?" she murmured eventually, turning a circle to take in the entrance of the house. She'd brought the jewelry as sort of a hostess gift, since it was the first time in her house. It was a very pretty thing, a jade bangle with cloisonné wirework and colorful enamel that formed a delicate dragon.

[abrightboy]

"Of course she'll like it," he assured her. "It's very tasteful."

He let his hand come to rest at the small of her back as he brought her through to the lounge, where his mother was sitting leafing through a magazine. She looked up as they stepped into the room, setting the magazine aside as she saw who was there.

"Malcolm," she exclaimed with quiet delight. She looked at Sinthia and offered her hand. "Jessica Whitly," she said, her tone warm and confident, but guarded.

[abyssum_invocat]

"Hello, Mrs. Whitly," Sinthia murmured, taking her hand unafraid, but gentle. "Malcolm has told me a lot about you, and I'm glad to finally meet you." She smiled, and pulled the small box from her pocket with the bracelet, offering it out.

"I brought you something, as thanks for welcoming me into your home." She smiled, small and content enough though her free hand stroked gently over Avi's elegant, narrow head and down to his collar with a soft alerting noise. "This is Avalon, he's my support animal. He may whine or nudge me, or take my hand in his teeth, but he won't hurt you." She wanted to be sure she wasn't worrying Jessica any more than could be helped.

[abrightboy]

"That's lovely of you, thank you," she said, accepting the box. She looked at Avalon while Sinthia was talking, then looked at Malcolm, raising an eyebrow. "Support animal," she echoed.

"At least he's not a parakeet," Malcolm quipped lightly.

Jessica gave him a bit of a withering look, then opened the box Sinthia had handed her. "This is beautiful," she said, then set it down on the end table. "Thank you." It didn't match the dress she was wearing, but she had a few that would match. She gestured in the direction of another room. "Come through to the dining room."

Malcolm gestured for Sinthia to go first.

[abyssum_invocat]

"Yes," Sinthia affirmed, smoothing his fur. "He's a registered service dog for CPTSD. But he...mostly helps me stay calm. He keeps people from crowding me in public, and other things." He knew several commands (though not in English) to help her or retrieve medicine or the like, but stayed a silent companion beside her.

"I hoped you might like it. I came across it at work and could take some time to restore it." She looked back at Malcolm, taking his hand as they crossed through the house. "Did it look like this when you were growing up?"she asked. "It's very elegant."

[abrightboy]

"Yeah, it hasn't changed much," he replied. "The decor was always my mother's."

[abyssum_invocat]

"I'm almost afraid to let Avi come in," she said slowly, looking around: she lingered at the spots which could hold either escape routes, or possible weapons, and Malcolm would notice. Of course Malcolm would notice that.

"I don't want to disturb anything." It was a pretty place, and she could see where Malcolm got his fashion sense: it blended very well with his mother's home, though not as well as with his own. She skimmed her hands down her skirt restlessly, tunnelling her fingers through Avi's fur. "Does she not like animals?"

[abrightboy]

"Of course Avi comes in," Malcolm said with a wave that said 'stop that'. "She doesn't object to animals on principle. She objects to dirt. Avi isn't dirty." He looked at Sinthia. "Mostly, though, she objects to having to deal with mental illness because it reminds her of all her failures as a mother. But that's not your fault either."

[abyssum_invocat]

"Would it make her more comfortable to not speak about it?" she asked, catching his hand as he waved, bringing it down between them with a tiny crooked smile. "Malcolm. I still want to meet your mother," Sinthia murmured.

"I just don't want to upset her because we haven't told her we're dating." They hadn't really told anyone, but a few people had figured it out. Namely Malcolm's boss at the NYPD, which had been...entertaining to learn, when Sinthia had met the man.

[abrightboy]

“Sinthia, I just brought you home. She isn’t stupid,” he pointed out, giving her fingers a gentle squeeze.

[abyssum_invocat]

"Not because she won't figure it out," she murmured, squeezing his hand back and lacing their fingers together as she shifted her grip on Avi's lead. "Because we didn't tell her beforehand."

She smiled at him and leaned in to kiss his cheek. "Should I be prepared for her reading me as easily as you did?"