Logs:Complications
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| RL Date: 15 March, 2011 |
| Who: Madilla, Milani |
| Involves: High Reaches Weyr |
| Type: Log |
| What: Nursery, High Reaches Weyr |
| Where: Madilla shares her news. |
| When: Day 20, Month 3, Turn 25 (Interval 10) |
| Weather: Cold. |
| Mentions: B'tal/Mentions, Giorda/Mentions, Varens/Mentions |
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| Nursery, High Reaches Weyr The double door to the nursery is sturdy skybroom and a good three inches thick, meant to contain the natural noisiness of young children. Beyond the doors, a complex of interconnected, glowlit caverns houses the Weyr's infants and children under seven, opening out from a gaily painted foyer where an auntie usually sits to guide visitors and keep a rheumy eye out for would-be escapees. Two large play caverns see the most everyday use, their smooth walls decorated with layers of more fanciful paintings left by generations of rider and resident offspring. While one cavern is nearly bare, intended mostly for running and roughhousing during inclement weather, the other is lined with shelves at the right height for short legs, stocked with suitable toys, games and crafting supplies aplenty. Beyond the play caverns are two 'quiet' rooms, one with cribs and cradles, the other with low cots for use during both naptime and nighttime sleeping, each with a small sleeping cubicle for nannies on duty during the night shift. Late afternoon often heralds the time of parental picking up of children and so it is for Milani who's come to fetch Milandra and Nikalas. The former headwoman is leaning against the wall though, watching her daughter and son piling up blocks with Andi very much steering the proceedings while Nik is more interested in turning the shapes around and around in his chubby little hands. Arms folded across her chest, Milani watches with the dewy-eyed look of a fond parent. Madilla doesn't run, not really, but there's definite speed to the way she turns into the nursery in a flurry of footsteps. Somehow, though, she's surprised by what she founds: no one waiting impatiently for her, perhaps? Lilabet /is/ in evidence, though, floating effortlessly between other children as though she were entirely part of a different world. Catching sight of her daughter is when the young healer actually stops; her expression unconsciously mimics Milani's, all sweetness. The sound of footsteps breaks Mliani's focus and she looks over as Madilla comes in. She waits a moment before speaking though, perhaps not wishing to break that moment of pure adoration. "She's getting so big, Madilla," is what Millie says, tone fond and complimentary all in one go. "Can you believe they're not little babies in arms anymore?" Even with that moment's wait, Madilla's expression turns faintly startled-- and then distinctly pleased all over again, as Milani's remark registers. "No, I can't," she admits, sidestepping out of the doorway and towards the other woman. "Was it really two whole turns ago that she was that tiny thing in my arms?" Her eyes seek out Milani's pair, and her head tips in their direction, too: "They're getting enormous, too." "More like /kids/ now," Milani says with a little laugh and steps a little closer to Madilla, offering her a hug. "How're things? It seems like it's been busy lately." Accepting the hug, and leaning in to return it, Madilla agrees, ruefully. "More like kids." Though she's still smiling as she draws back from the hug, there's a hesitance to her; certainly, she pauses for more time than is strictly necessary before responding. Wide-eyed, softly spoken; "It's-- things have gotten complicated. Varens proposed, and he wants us to move to the Hall." A brief squeeze of arms follows and Milani draws back, smiling at the healer in spite of that long pause. The wide eyes tilt Milani's head to the side, curious, whereupon she promptly joins her friend, blue-green eyes going wide. "Sweet Faranth, that /is/ complicated," she says sympathetically. "Though awfully /nice/ too. I'm so glad he's finally asked," she says sincerely and offers another hug while her children continue to build the Leaning Tower of Reaches out of blocks over yonder. "It /is/." Nice. Madilla is obviously genuinely pleased about it: her cheeks have gone pink, and her eyes somewhat misty despite their continued consternation. She returns the hug, leaning in to it for a moment, before she adds, "I've told him I need to think, and-- I suppose we'll work something out. One way or another. I hope." She manages a rueful little smile, then, glancing towards the children, gaze sweeping from hers to Milani's, then back again. "I'm sure you will, he's always seemed like a pretty reasonable guy," Milani replies thoughtfully, straightening up again, gaze shifting to the kids briefly, then back to Madilla, taking in her expression. "Long distance can be hard," she says gently, "but when you really care and are committed, it can work." Madilla is silent for a few long moments, and then recalls; "You did it, didn't you? For a while. I know others do, too. I /know/ that. But we want another baby, and I don't want a-- part time father, I suppose. It's just complicated." She does seem to be taking comfort from what her friend has said, though; her smile is slightly more relaxed, now. "I want to do this properly. But I don't want to have to leave my home - and my work - for it. Which feels terribly selfish." "Yes," Milani replies simply, though her gaze shifts away from Madilla and fixes on a stray stuffed animal abandoned on the floor. Bending to retrieve it, the taller woman smooths her fingers over the furry surface of what is apparently a stuffed toy cat. "I can understand that," she tells Madilla sincerely, looking back up again. "Having a family ... it's a good thing." She waits a moment then clears her throat. "It's no more selfish of you than it is for him, really. I mean, either way, one of you gets displaced and well, there's Lilabet to consider. /Her/ family is here." The 'yes', without further remark, probably doesn't do much to assuage Madilla's fears, but she leaves it alone, instead drawing her head forward into a slow nod. "Varens says B'tal can visit; will visit, even. Which is true. But." She pauses, takes a breath. "Varens teaches. He can't do that here, and I /could/ do another things-- but." She draws her lips together, then shakes her head. "We'll work it out," she repeats, quietly. "Somehow. And I didn't even ask how you were, before I unloaded myself-- how /are/ you?" "I can't imagine he /wouldn't/," Milani agrees of the greenrider in question. "He's devoted to Lilabet as far as I can tell," she assures, looking down at the stuffed animal in her hands and with a little grin, makes it 'nod' its head at Madilla. "I don't suppose he'd be able to swing that he could spend the day teaching at the Hall and come back here at night?" she suggests with a thoughtful tilt to her head. Madilla's question draws a renewed smile. "I'm great, really. Sometimes I have to fight back the urge to go see Giorda and tell her how to do her job, but for the most part I'm content with what I'm doing now." "He is," says Madilla, simply, and with genuine pleasure. "I don't know. I suppose it's possible. There are always riders assigned to delivery duty-- it couldn't be /too/ difficult." Her expression turns thoughtful as she considers the issue, but she shakes that away in order to tell the former Headwoman, laughingly, "Poor Giorda. It must be difficult for her, too, though she seems to have everything under control." Beat. Softly; "I'm glad. That things are going well for you. Truly." "Exactly, there's always someone to ask, especially some of the older riders who aren't doing much more than turns on watch," Milani says encouragingly. "With clear skies, I really think you can work it out," she continues confidently then starts to chuckle, nodding. "Oh I know. She's done a good job and she's happy to have finally got the job after all that time." Something wistful touches Milani's expression then fades. "And I'm still doing plenty of ledger work, so I'm not bored at all!" The blocks, predictably, choose that moment to tumble down and Nikalas sits there blinking with a pile of the colored shapes in his lap, one hand patting over each in turn. Milandra on the other hand gets to her feet looking put out at the nerve of the structure for falling down and comes over to lean into Milani's skirts and peeks up at Madilla with a sweet smile. "Hi, Dilly," she greets the healer familiarly. Something in Madilla's expression suggests that she's caught the wistfulness in Milani's, though it lingers only a few moments longer than the other woman's. "Mm," she murmurs, in lieu of an actual answer, followed by, "I'm sure it will. Things always do." She's distracted from anything else, then, by Milandra's arrival. "Hello, Milandra. The blocks didn't want to stick together?" One of Milani's hands drops to smooth back Milandra's hair as the girl leans in against her. Looking up at Madilla still, Milandra shakes her head slowly. "Nooooo. They wented bomp," she relates and points over at the block pile, where Nik still sits in happy toddler bliss, sorting through the pile in a highly focused manner. "Are you thinking soon for another baby?" Milani asks Madilla and adds on mildly: "Or do you prefer to wait until you've tied the knot?" "Silly blocks," says Madilla, half serious, half smiling, though there's no suggestion she's laughing or making fun. "They should have known better, right? Next time, though-- and then you can build the biggest tower of all!" She concludes that statement with a grin, before, more quietly, glancing at Milani again. "I don't know. It isn't as though we have been specifically avoiding it, thus far. Just... the moving back and forth probably hasn't helped." Milandra giggles and bumps her head into Milani's thigh, one hand curling into the fabric of her mother's skirt. She nods though, still smiling at Madilla. Milani lets out a small breath, nodding. "Of course, could make it a bit harder," she agrees then gives Milandra's head another gentle caress, before she sets that stray stuffed animal on top of one of the shelves and heads over to Nik who is starting to make quiet fussing sounds. The kind a lot of babies make when they're either about to fill their diapers or already have. "Come on, Niky-boy. Looks like we should probably get you home and both of you fed," she says and hefts the toddler up onto her hip. He's quite the armload these days! Returning to where she left Madilla and Milandra, Millie reaches for Milandra's hand and offers the healer another warm smile. "I'll cross all my fingers and toes for you and we'll be by soon for Nik's next checkup. I need to get them home though for a change and then supper before baths and bed!" "Thank you," says Madilla, genuinely, smiling as she watches Milani with the two children. "Of course - have a good evening. I'd better go rescue Lily, too, before she slides past us all again." Lilabet, escape artist. "Good bye, Milandra. Nikalas. Good night." |
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