Heron mingle

[exothermia]

Who: Heron and visitors
Broadcast: N/A
Action: the Heron
When: April

[Hello birdies! We've got new bunks and a quieter engine, and possibly some rumours stuck to the fridge. What are you getting up to this month?]

Comments

B

[stabsbothways]

Gardening and cooking, a regular man of the house.

You're going to make a fine husband for a lucky chap some day.

[ She nabs one and takes a big bite, happily talking while she continued to chew. ]

That's a lot better than mashed potatoes and gravy.

[exothermia]

[He had glanced up when Isabela came in, and gave her a cordial nod. But it's her comment that makes him freeze for a moment, not having expected something like that. It hits too close to home. There's an awkward pause where he has to take a breath, settle himself, and continue stirring the batter.]

I'm afraid that time has already been and gone.

[At least that came out steady. Good.]

...it isn't hard to do better than that, you realise.

[stabsbothways]

You've been married before? Contrary to popular belief, losing your virginity does not in fact ruin you for other men.

[ She stuffs the rest of it into her mouth and takes a few moments to chew it down and swallow. ]

I'll agree with you on that last point when we get a live-in chef.

[exothermia]

[He's torn between smarting at the comment, and being bewildered by it. Why is she talking about being ruined for other men? Erik shakes his head slightly, not sure how his morning has taken this turn.]

I was, yes.

[stabsbothways]

[ 1) Because it amuses her and obviously puts him off balance.
2) there is no 2 ]

I can see you're just overflowing with details, as usual.

[exothermia]

[If this wasn't so very out of nowhere, he'd have stormed off already. As it stands, he finds himself giving answers where otherwise he wouldn't.]

I was married. [He picks up the bowl he was working in and slaps it down a bit too hard on the counter nearby.] She died a few months ago. ['Almost a year' his mind supplies, but he focuses on beating a new cup of egg substitute into the batter.]

[stabsbothways]

[ The slammed bowl was enough of an indicator to know she was treading on rough ground. But he kept talking, so she figured the anger wasn't directed at her. ]

I'm sorry. [ Her tone takes on an uncharacteristic softness. She put her hands on the table and jumped up onto it, her legs dangling off the side. ]

I was married once, too. Similar outcome, very different lead up, I think.

i'm so sorry i thought i replied to this!

[exothermia]

[Erik doesn't look her way when she moves. It's a far better choice to keep his eyes on the mixing bowl. But he's listening.]

Why would you think that?

[He's said nothing about his life, after all.]

[stabsbothways]

I figure it's a safe assumption that you didn't enable an assassin to murder your wife.

Apologies if I'm wrong.

[exothermia]

...no. I did not.

[Different circumstances indeed.]

An unhappy marriage, I take it.

[stabsbothways]

It had it's charms.

Eventually the charms wore out. I decided I wasn't the marrying type. And I was young and spiteful, and didn't envy the prospect of being hunted.