From: ivrinsun	Date: 07/15/2007 17:23:25

*hurries from table to table as quickly as she can manage without tripping over her own feet and very likely breaking her neck*

*cuts corners whenever you're lurking elsewhere, just so she doesn't fall behind*

*tugs at the collar of her itchy uniform* *muttering* ...rather be fucking all day. *hurries to cover when table four looks at her strangely* You'll be having the duck today?

	From: starbrow	Date: 07/15/2007 17:31:57

*is so encouraged by the volume of guests this late in the day!*

*has Ellen assist at the desk while she walks through the restaurant*

*shakes hands with a couple who arrived yesterday and are still waiting for their drink order* *smoothly* But of course, my apologies. It'll be here promptly.

	From: ivrinsun	Date: 07/15/2007 17:35:25

*turns to walk to her next table and trips over someone's errant brat running loose*

*involuntarily deposits every last drop of table nine's strawberry smoothie all over table nine's v. v. nice and v. v. expensive silk blouse*

*...*

	From: starbrow	Date: 07/15/2007 17:48:05

*eyes widen as she catches the full extent of this event*

*canNOT abide the chaos of young children* >.<

*can neither have her service area cluttered with accidents*

*glares looks for the child in question* Are your parents dining, dear? And do they have you on a leash?

*helps you to your feet with a firm arm* On we go, dear. *briskly beckons the next server over* Martin, fetch a replacement order. Finduilas will get cleaned up.

	From: ivrinsun	Date: 07/15/2007 17:55:02

*flees to the kitchens for a rag*

*returns to mop up the mess, mumbling profuse apologies and wondering whether she could possibly get away with soundly kicking the kid with one of her sensible shoes (weep!)*

*heads into the kitchens once more to grit her teeth and force herself not to quit on the spot*

	From: starbrow	Date: 07/15/2007 18:00:48

*smooths it over with your table, with some light conversation about the garden show this weekend and will they be attending and the weather is forecasted to be splendid*

*assists Martin with the entrees for his table of six*

*purses her lips slightly less as the pace reaches a lull*

	From: ivrinsun	Date: 07/15/2007 18:05:34

*re-emerges and takes her time walking from now on, not really caring whether service lags because of it*

*mentally counts down the minutes until her shift is over*

*carefully avoids looking in your direction the entire time*

	From: starbrow	Date: 07/15/2007 18:12:28

*returns to the desk as she can see things are under control*

*checks her watch as the shift change rolls closer*

*will relax when the day's done, and not before*

	From: handofsilver	Date: 07/15/2007 18:14:06

*is on the road back to Delving after receiving a tow*

*finds the Inn as the first likely place to find a phone*

*parks at the end of the lot and wanders into the lobby*

	From: starbrow	Date: 07/15/2007 18:15:18

*notes your work boots and jean jacket*

*clipped smile* The delivery entrance is around the back, thank you so much.

	From: handofsilver	Date: 07/15/2007 18:18:37

*scans the lobby* *is pretty darned comfy not having to deal with these kind of places anymore*

*affably* Oh no, sorry, I'm not here for a delivery. ...Do you have a payphone here by any chance?

	From: starbrow	Date: 07/15/2007 18:20:26

*oh, you must be joking*

There's a courtesy phone for guests. Are you expecting someone?

	From: handofsilver	Date: 07/15/2007 18:26:05

*sighs*

*tries to recover some of that charm he figures he must have not because he's Fëanorian, don't even say it* I just need to make a quick call to my boss, I'll be out of your way in two seconds, I'd really appreciate it.

	From: starbrow	Date: 07/15/2007 18:27:26

*humours you so you'll leave*

Certainly, it's just on your left near the entrance.

	From: ivrinsun	Date: 07/15/2007 18:31:13

*comes through the front of the house after she finishes up washing off some of the grime of the day*

*doesn't feel like going out the back and all the way around to the employee parking lot today, okay??*

*fantasizes about a nice hot shower and normal clothes*

	From: starbrow	Date: 07/15/2007 18:35:18

*turns back to her folio notes after ensuring the young man isn't facing the incoming guests is taken care of*

Ah, Finduilas. *waves you over*

*actually thinks you did just fine today*

*not that that's actually evident in her face or manner, or anything*

	From: ivrinsun	Date: 07/15/2007 18:42:47

*reluctantly walks over to you*

*sighs and takes a perfectly amiable tone even though her eyes are daring you to bitch about anything* Yes?

	From: starbrow	Date: 07/15/2007 18:47:40

*wants to inspect your blouse*

*intently scrutinizes the stain* Berry is a challenge. :\ *apropos of nothing* If the stain remover doesn't take care of it, there's an excellent cleaner on L and 10th.

*face clears* Thank you dear. Have a good night. Ellen will have next week's schedule posted on Thursday.

*returns to the accounts without missing a beat*

	From: ivrinsun	Date: 07/15/2007 18:54:23

*blinks, surprised* *and more than a little relieved* Thanks. Goodnight then.

*continues to the front door and thinks that all in all, the tips could have been worse*

	From: handofsilver	Date: 07/15/2007 18:59:12

*hangs up, starting to shove his piece of scrap notepaper back in his pocket*

*really wonders how fast he can get back if he takes the side streets back tunnels*

*turns and catches the door behind you, holding it open*

...

	From: ivrinsun	Date: 07/15/2007 19:03:18

*comments as a matter of routine* Thanks.

*glances back at you* *stops walking* Celebrimbor. *somewhat tightly* What are you--it'sgoodtoseeyouagain.

And oh Eru, I'm a fucking waitress.

	From: handofsilver	Date: 07/15/2007 19:19:24

*eyes widen as he stands in the closed doorway*

I... uh... just on a job...

*gets bumped out of the way by a bellhop coming in with luggage*

*makes a quick path outside to delay the uncomfortableness by 30 more seconds not be directly in the path of traffic* What are you doing here? ... Oh, right, honeymoon or something. :\

	From: ivrinsun	Date: 07/15/2007 19:24:49

*moves out of everyone's way as well*

Honeymoon? *pales considerably* Oh god...you heard about... *sighs* What a disaster.

*shakes her head quickly* No, I--. Well. *not very hopefully* I work here. *points to the nametag pinned to the front of her dress*

	From: handofsilver	Date: 07/15/2007 19:31:52

Oh god...you heard about...

*jaw tenses* Yeah, he told me himself. *mimics sarcastically* "I'm not an orphan anymore. How nice for me." :\

*really assumes this conversation isn't going to last long, so starts to fish his keys back out*

*frowns as he sees the tag* *genuinely a little thrown* Oh. *thought you were in that "other" line of work* How's that, uh, how's that working out?

	From: ivrinsun	Date: 07/15/2007 19:37:49

*mimics sarcastically* "I'm not an orphan anymore. How nice for me."

*winces perceptibly*

how's that working out?

*looking incredibly tired* I don't know. It's okay, I guess. It's hard. *impatiently* Look, 'Brimbor. I haven't even seen him in...I mean, he came by. And I made him leave. *looks you straight in the eye* I don't want anything to do with him.

	From: handofsilver	Date: 07/15/2007 19:56:44

*is a little disarmed by you speaking to him so directly*

*puts his keys back in his jacket pocket and fiddles with them*

So why did you...?

	From: ivrinsun	Date: 07/15/2007 20:12:36

Honestly? I was very, very drunk. *figures it's gone way beyond endangering your opinion of her, anyway*

*lays a hand on your arm lightly* And...while I'm sure this makes no sense to you? I love him. In some warped way, I do. Or did, or...whatever. But that doesn't mean I can stand the sight of him. Or that I've forgiven him.

	From: handofsilver	Date: 07/15/2007 20:20:02

while I'm sure this makes no sense to you?

Yeah, it doesn't.

*blurts out* Look, I don't want to know him, alright? As far as I'm concerned my life got better the day I left. I have my own life and none of that family's in it. :|

*looks around the parking lot uncomfortably* That's just the way it is.

	From: ivrinsun	Date: 07/15/2007 20:33:45

*doesn't know why you'd choose the phrase "that family" but assumes you're including her in it*

I have my own life

Yeah. I'm happy for you. *could not appear much less happy if she tried* Too bad for us fuck-ups, huh? *angrily* Curvo's the lucky one. He doesn't want to set anything right.

*pushes past you without looking at you* If you'll excuse me, I'm tired and I've got a double shift tomorrow.

	From: handofsilver	Date: 07/15/2007 20:39:13

He doesn't want to set anything right

*snorts* Don't think that'll change any time soon.

I'm tired

*does actually notice that*

*blinks as you push past him, confused about a lot of things*

*blankly* You could do better.

	From: ivrinsun	Date: 07/15/2007 20:46:09

You could do better.

*turns halfway but still doesn't meet your eyes*

*has no idea how to answer this apparent criticism* *helplessly* I sent Curufin packing and I got this stupid job and--. I'm sorry if it's not good enough. I can't change overnight.

	From: handofsilver	Date: 07/15/2007 20:51:17

I'm sorry if it's not good enough

You thought...?

I wasn't trying to punish you.

	From: ivrinsun	Date: 07/15/2007 21:05:12

*bewildered* Weren't you? Eru knows you can save yourself the trouble, little one. I do plenty of that on my own time.

little one

*hastily brushes aside a long-buried memory or two*

	From: handofsilver	Date: 07/15/2007 21:13:20

That wasn't what it was about, not with you anyway...

*is a little less successful at brushing those aside*

...

*looks trapped* I... can't do this. I'm sorry, Ijustcan't.

	From: ivrinsun	Date: 07/15/2007 21:19:58

I... can't do this.

*is simultaneously relieved and even more confused* *and heartbroken? yeah.* *just nods*

*continues to her car and gets in the driver's seat* *leans her head on the wheel and wonders what she ever thought she'd accomplish here* *doesn't move again until all the tears have stopped flowing*

	From: handofsilver	Date: 07/15/2007 21:24:07

*turns back after you walk away*

*is filled with guilt and has no idea where it's coming from*

*sits and stares at the steering wheel*

*barely notices anything on the drive back*

*completely forgets about Haleth and goes straight to the bar to forget the rest*

	From: handofsilver	Date: 07/15/2007 18:32:32

*nods* Thanks, really, two seconds. *adds a grateful smile*

*dials the auto shop and gives them the stats on the sedan he just picked up, and the owner's OAA^* information*

*really hopes he can make the rush hour traffic in time to see if Haleth's free for dinner*

^* Ôrë Automobile Association