(1942-01-09) Act of Kindness
Act of Kindness
Summary: Meeting Jesse again, Lillie helps him out. An onlooker doesn't get a very good feeling about it.
Date: 1942-01-09
Related: None.
Players:
jesse..lucietta..

Sister's Diner, Higsi
Mon Jan 09, 1942
Being the most popular diner in town this place is usually pretty busy during the morning and lunch hours. It closes up at 2:00 pm though, so if it is after that time, don't expect any service…or for anyone to be here at all.

The diner isn't a large one, for seating there is a row of booths that line the windows looking out over the town square and there is the counter with its red upholstered backless stools. The other side of the counter is the usual diner stuff, coffee , drink dispensers, the wide window which the plated prepared food is set for the wait staff to take to customers.

On the wall near the entrance is a chalkboard which lists the days specials.

Weather:
It is winter. The weather is cool and raining.


<FS3> Lillie rolls Empath+Mind: Good Success.

How lovely to have a day where, regardless of the chill of winter, the sun is high and bright. Lillie O'Clery isn't on shift today, but that doesn't stop her from being a visitor to her own workplace and supporting it with her patronage. Days spent slinging plates of delicious food ultimately result in the young lady craving a bit of it for herself, and generally she budgets a portion of her tips to treat herself with. The rest is carefully accounted for, put away. So today, on this cold but pretty day, January 9th in 1942… sits Lillie.

A single scrambled egg, a few pieces of bacon and a piece of toast with a dish of stewed pears for after… now that works just fine. Seated in her favorite booth by the sunniest window, Lillie tucks in. Daintily she forks the fare into her mouth with one hand; the other holds a letter with crisp fold lines. A few other patrons enjoy their breakfast and conversation; one waitress walks the floor, stopping by on occassion to chat with the Irish girl.

Every now and then Jesse tries to bum a free meal from the Diner. Sometimes it works, sometimes not so much. When he was younger, he could pull the 'hungry kid' card but as he got older, there seemed to be less sympathy. He's not begging…not really. He's more trying to charm his way into a meal than beg for it. Sometimes they actually stick a plate in front of him…sometimes it's just a mug of coffee and sometimes he's shooed away.

Maybe knowing that the kind, naive Irishwoman works there has made him a bit bolder when it comes to testing the Diner-waters today. He doesn't know her schedule so it's taking a risk. Worse comes to worse, he's no better off than he was before! So, walking stick in hand yet not really in use, the young man confidently steps through the doorway to sniff about at the tantalizing scents of Diner food. A little more carefully, he makes his way to the counter, hoping that there is a free seat near the end there, and picks up a menu.

Depending upon how attuned Jesse's powerful olfactory senses happen to be today… mayhaps the moment the blind young fellow steps into the Diner, his nose may pick up on that mildly familiar perfume. It's the very same that Lillie wore on New Years eve /and/ the night prior when she was setting up. It seems to be her favorite; that mild lilac-ish eau du toilette that she dabs behind her ears, at her collar and on her wrists. Even if he doesn't pick up right away, she sees him. It's also due to instinct as a waitress that Lillie looks up to spy Jesse's arrival through the door. Her big doe eyes spy his progress to the counter, and she thinks to herself how scary it must be to be blind. At least she would find it so; meanwhile Jesse seems confident in navigating his blindness.

She suddenly wonders if this was the result of an accident OR an affliction from birth. Maybe that's grounds for actually letting him know she's here, and perhaps her ever-present curiousity can be assuaged!

The waitress on shift recognizes Jesse and is preparing to go to him, her brow furrowed. Lillie beats her to it, moving up alongside the young Walker and speaking carefully. "Good morning Jesse. Would you like to join me?"

<FS3> Jesse rolls Enhanced Senses: Failure.

Jesse doesn't smell the tell-tale perfume with all the delicious scents of coffee and food that hit him. He doesn't startle, however, as that familiarly lilting voice speaks up beside him. There's a turn of his head and a smile, "Why, Miss Lillie! Are you working today? What a surprise!" Maybe his risk paid off. At the question of joining her, however, he looks a little confused, "Join you?" Surely she doesn't want him waiting tables! That could be disastrous.

"I'm off today, I have some extra tip money.. would you like to have some breakfast? Think of it as a compliment to the band." Lillie chuckles, suddenly realizing the reason behind his confusion. There's a sort of gut feeling that is telling her that somehow this offer would save Jesse a bit of trouble; maybe she was picking up on a touch of hopefulness as he picked up the menu and inwardly hoped for a handout. Perhaps a touch of awkwardness at that notion, too, as he weighed the possibility of being shown out of the establishment. Whatever the case, Lillie's acute intuition tells her to offer to spring for something to eat for him, and really it's not going to hurt her funding much!

Plus he was just so polite to her a week ago, not glomping onto her and dipkissing her during the balloon drop. That and really? She's straight-up kind.

"No pressure of course. I'm here having my own bite so thought I would offer."

Awkwardness doesn't seem to be in Jesse's vocabulary; even getting kicked out without even a strip of bacon would be amusing. It's all about testing boundaries and limits and he knows most of them aren't hard-set. He's gotten free plates before and he's also been shown the door before. The fun is in the attempt. And maybe he was hoping to catch the friendly young woman there.

"So you work in the diner and you eat in the diner? You don't get sick of it?" is asked as he slides off of the counter stool, leaving the menu there. "If you're sure you don't mind, I'd love to join you, Lillie." There might be a grin to the other waitress who was about to kick him out. Nyah-nyah!

"I actually don't eat much while I'm here on shift." Lillie admits, smiling as her offer is accepted and stepping aside so that Jesse may follow the sound of her voice. She isn't going to coddle the young man unless he asks for assistance; in that case, if so, she would likely guide him. Her booth isn't too far off and once there, she indicates the side opposite her setup with a light touch to his forearm. "Right here." She coaxes as she slides back in, in front of her plate. The waitress who was beelining watches quietly, her brow furrowed as she straight-up watches one of the newer, sweeter waitresses getting mixed up with a Walker. once she sees them settle, she will amble over.

"I bring my own lunch typically. That way I don't get sick of what's here… I know it's a bit silly." Lillie concludes her statement from before, "Is there anything in particular that you'd like?"

"Is it that busy?" It doesn't -sound- like it would be that busy and frankly, there might not be enough people in town for it to be too crazy, right? But then again, he's not taking a census. Jesse tilts his head towards the staring waitress and just smiles ever so sweetly at her. "So you make your lunch and bring it before you even come in to work? That's a lot of thinking ahead." More than he tends to do, that's for certain.

At the question of what he'd like, there's a pause, "I don't want to take advantage of your kindness," which is mostly true. "Whatever you think would be best."

"T'is the method to my madness. I'm still pretty new here and want to eventually go it on my own someday. I don't want to constantly be darkening my landlady's door." Lillie admits, in regards to her saving up money by making her own lunches. Why does she feel so silly? Surely Josie would keep her as long as she desires; would insist! But hey.. it's Lillie. She looks up from her plate and around the diner. "It's pretty slow this morning. I prefer this part of the diner.. lots of sun, and it's a bit out of the way." She explains. The truth? Fewer people elect to sit back here and she doesn't have to 'sense' as much! But she's not about to admit to that nonsense.

Meanwhile this other waitress continues to stare outright, snapping out of it once Jesse looks at her and smiles. 'Becky' prowls up to the booth, stopping first beside Lillie. "Hello again Lillie, anything else for you darlin'?" She asks sweetly, meaning it. The Irish girl looks up at her, trying to understand why her co-worker is trying to be so sweet while her inner emotions speak otherwise. A roiling sense of wariness, of feeling a bit put-off; Lillie's brow furrows as the strange feeling hits her. Maybe Becky is just having a bad day. "I'm okay Becky. Can I get another order of what I have here? Add another egg and a couple more pieces of bacon."

"Of course. Is it for our Jesse Walker, here?" Becky chimes, still feeling wary. "Breakfast with our sweet Lillie, I see?"

"The sun does feel nice," Jesse agrees, "Especially on a cold day like this one." He then tilts his head as Becky approaches. She gets another winning smile as if he too can feel the enmity rolling off of her. Thing is, he's amused by it. "Hi there, Becky. Happy New Year to you too. And what was I going to do? Be rude to Lillie after she's been so kind? Wouldn't that be doubly rude? Besides, she's new to town and we locals need to help show them the ropes, don't we?"

'Becky' is older than Lillie, maybe closing in on her thirties. She's an attractive-enough woman but a bit sharp in her gaze, as if given to gossip and suspicion. Nonetheless, she has taken to the younger girl in the past month and finds herself feeling protective of her. Emanating from her now is this… how can Lillie describe it… 'stoniness'. Lillie herself knows of the diner's proclivity for helping the less fortunate; how one down on their luck can get a free plate, or offer to do some dishes for a meal. Stuff like that. Becky has spied the younger Walker's efforts to test the boundaries and may even be catching onto him, but she can't quite give him the heave-ho if this frickin' sweet girl is inviting him to sit with her!

It's also not Becky's place to tell Lillie outright how she is feeling about this. But little does she know, Lillie is reading between the lines and surmising something just as outlandish. Could Becky be jealous? Does she fancy this young fellow?! No.. she can't; this doesn't 'feel' like jealousy. Jesse speaks to her, offering her one of the smiles that Lillie cannot help but appreciate, and it's all the waitress can do but to concede.

"Of course. Right kind of you, Mr. Walker. It's good of you to help look after her, she's mighty precious to us here." Becky smiles hard, and turns on a heel. "I'll get that order up for you."

"I think she's having an off day…" Lillie muses as she watches the waitress depart. "She's normally a bit more chipper."

Jesse can no doubt feel Becky's ire at him but it just seems to amuse him even even more. Lacing his hands on the table, he tilts his head up to the waitress, "Why, thank you, Becky. It's the Christian thing to do, after all, isn't it?" Like the Walkers are terribly religious. Once she stomps off, he turns back to Lillie, "I think you're being too kind. Becky doesn't seem to like me very much. I can't imagine why," even though he knows perfectly well why.

"She's usually so gregarious…" Lillie starts, then shrugs slender shoulders once. "That's really too bad.. you seem nice enough. I guess it's not my business to think any further into it." She pinches up another piece of bacon between forefinger and thumb, gives it a quick nibble. With her other hand, again, she handles the letter that she had been reading. A few quick folds and she stuffs the rectangle of paper into the front pocket of her dress. "That's too bad though… it takes a lot of energy to dislike someone."

As the two talk, Chuck is in the back getting the meal prepared… the place is slow enough where within 10 minutes' time, the plate of breakfast fare is slid across the counter to the waiting Becky. A few brisk footsteps later, said plate is set down quickly in front of Jesse, and Lillie gets right to the heart of it all by asking unabashedly. "Are you ok Becky? Have either of us said anything to offend you?"

Caught off guard, the older waitress handwaves. "Just a bit of local history darlin'. Pay it no mind." She says quickly shooting Walker one more warning glance before flouncing off to leave the two be. Lillie, still smarting from the rush of aghast emotion from her co-worker, turns back to Jesse. "Enjoy it, Chuck fries up the best bacon."

"Why, thank you, Miss Lillie…and you also seem quite nice." And she smells good too. He bets she's even quite pretty. The rustle of paper gets a little tic but he doesn't ask about it. That's totally her business. As far as the dislike, he shrugs, "Some people have long memories, I guess." Or prejudices. It could really be a little of both with him.

The sound of footsteps and the setting down of the plate has Jesse looking back towards Becky, "Uh, might I get a little coffee, too?" is asked so very genially before the waitress flounces off. He may not see the warning glance, but he quite possibly feels it. It takes a moment for him to find the utensils on the table and he sniffs some to see if he can figure out where on the plate the food is before digging in. "Oh, I know. I can smell the bacon from a couple streets down."

While he may be cordial and polite, his manners aren't the best. It's not on purpose, but there was really no one to show them how one should properly eat and not-talk with one's mouth full or not shovel food into their maw. Maybe he's just hungry too?

"I try to be." Lillie says with a smile, regarding the 'being nice' bit. She waits politely though, allowing Jesse to dive into his meal without feeling as if he has to converse further. Let the young man enj—-

Oh my.

Oddly enough, there's something rather fascinating about someone shoveling down a meal with unabashed relish. Just how hungry /is/ he? Lillie allows herself to play the observer, noting the young man's attire and how quickly he's decimating the plate. Just how bad off /is/ he, financially? She allows herself to feel sympathetic toward but not exactly sorry for Jesse; she's getting a definite 'survivor' vibe from him. But it saddens her a tad to see him shoveling down his food as if it's been awhile since he's had such a plate at his disposal.

Punctuating the contrast further, Lillie takes up her own fork and knife to gingerly cut away a portion of her remaining eggs, only to gently lift it to her mouth. An onlooker may find the display amusing. Finishing her breakfast, the Empath dabs her mouth as the requested coffee is brought to the table for the both of them.

(OOC: RL ate us. Fade here. :) )

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