(1944-03-02) Here Fishy Fishy
Here Fishy Fishy..
Summary: Kathleen plans for a future she hadn't expected.. Clifton prevents disaster.
Date: 1944-03-02
Related: NA
Players:
clifton..kathleen..

Wright Residence, Higsi
Sat Mar 02, 1944


Built by the late Basil Wright, this beautiful Craftsman-style house overlooks the intersection of Cooper and Butler. A huge porch, flanked by two shade trees, is the first to greet visitors. It is set up seasonally with quite a few comfortable chairs and a large wooden table that looks rather archaic.

The immaculate interior presents a large kitchen with pantry, open dining room, den, full bathroom and two multi-purpose spare rooms. Closet-space is ample, appointed in nooks and crannies throughout the house and never given to clutter. A sturdy stairwell, with hand-carved designs set into the railing, ascends into a large second storey. There, one shall find a master bedroom, another occupied bedroom, a small bathroom and a large sitting room from which one can observe the street below through two large windows.

Departing the house and following a walkway around toward a fenced-in back yard, an addition from the late 1920s is accessible. There, two functional and comfortable rooms are located for usage as rooms-to-let to passing visitors. A large shed serves as a workspace for the home's owner.

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

(OOC: Mood music - "The Ash Is In Our Clothes" © Sleeping at Last)

===

Clifton had taken every extra shift at the feed store he could, trying to get extra money and also keeping himself in town more. Because reasons. So after today's yet again early shift ended, he had been tired but felt good about the day. Before heading out for the day though he picks up a few more items. Specifically, sardines and tea. With supplies in hand he then makes his way to the Wright household. His hand rises to knock on the door as he calls out "I come bearing fish and tea!" A peace offering! He had done nothing to require said offering…but he just found it better safe than sorry these days.

Kathleen Wright has been doing a good job of keeping her condition under wraps.. which says something, given the nature of Higsi. But thus far, at seven weeks along (almost), she is still rather flat-stomached… at-a-glance. She has always known her body well and since childhood, Kathleen was always coltish. Thin. In the times in between, alone, only she can see the barest.. tiniest swell of something in her lower abdomen. Not necessarily a baby growing yet, but her body making 'changes'. But to see her in the street, in coveralls and a blouse… nobody could hope to know.

Except for a select few. Kitty jokingly remarked to Clifton the other day of her odd cravings and thought nothing of it. Which is why when the Walker comes calling, she is startled.. surprised. Because she has company.

Madeline, out for a hen party this fine Saturday evening, isn't even in attendance to catch Clifton and give him the heads' up. Nope. The door opens to admit the Walker but it's actually an older woman leaving. A midwife. Stern hazel eyes in a lean face look at Clifton as the woman stands there in a nurse's uniform, carrying a bag. The look asks one thing: 'are you the father?'

The Walker only catches the scent of someone else right before the door opens. Damn sardine smell! So when the woman opens the door and addresses Clifton, he's caught off guard but just lofts a brow and raises the bag of supplies. "I'm the errand runner." So there! "Who are you?"

Squint. She doesn't look local; in fact this one is a recent transplant to town, one of a few nurses hired on at the clinic to see to women who are in a family way. "Hn," She huffs. "Having cravings this early on. You're all in for quite the ride." Said succinctly as she gives Clifton a sideward glance and makes to step past him. The midwife is just straight-up snooty; not in the town's Walker-hating manner but just due to personality. "I'm the nurse, a midwife. Prenatal appointments are imperative to keep up with lest the babe or mother be struck with issues that could be dealt with in a… preemptive manner."

Doesn't even ask the man's name; Higsi will break this one in eventually. "Good day, then." And she's off, with her suspicions and airs.

Kathleen peers out from the foyer, watching the woman go. She's wearing slim-fitting slacks and a button-up blouse, hair tidily plaited back. Maddie must've been at her. There's color to her cheeks that isn't typically seen there.. until now. "Jesus.. what a piece of work." She whispers to Clif, glaring into the street.

Clifton watches the woman leave, giving an exaggerated shudder as he hears Kathleen's remark and he turns to give her a smirk. "Eh I think she likes me!" The bag is then offered out to his friend, "Sardines and tea. So…do I have to brew the fish…in the tea…or how weird do these craving things get?"

"I don't quite know what she likes. For a midwife that one sure is a harridan.. I'm thinkin' she got pigeon-holed into the duty." Said with the barest touch of sympathy. "Ya think she ain't got the gumption to deal with pregnant women. I reckon she's gone without the actual duty that gets us there for far too long." Hey, at least she's owning her condition now; joking about it. Kathleen snorts and is about to show Clif in, close the door… then he makes his offering. Her already pinkened face flushes further, "Ya serious… ya seriously got this stuff? Clif, they're gonna wonder what's up with ya-" She breaks into laughter; her laughter sounds nice. "Earl grey and sardines. Ya ain't gotta do anything," She hooks a slender digit into the pull tab and rips the lid off, plucks out one of the previously-cooked tiny fishies and examines it. It hangs there limply from her fingers, glistening with oil.. and Kathleen shoves the headless bit of it into her gob. Crunch. Gross.

"Unnff…" She sighs happily, eyes closing in pleasure. IT's almost an O-face.

"They either already wonder what's up with me or don't care enough to wonder…" Clifton says with a smirk before stepping inside. As Kathleen takes the offerings and begins to eat the sardine, he lofts a brow. "All this time…ya mean all I had to do was feed you sardines for THAT reaction?" He can't help but laugh though, "How are you feeling? Any developments? Is Maddie home?"

"I hate sardines." Kathleen says simply, already feeding in the next one. There's about seven of 'em packed tightly into that modest tin and she's gonna take 'em all down. GROSS.

"I'm kinda just going into it headlong and takin' it day by day. I sort of remember Ma when she was in the family way, but I was only a kid… I was out in Da's shed then learnin' the trade. I could do now with having had a peek into her life, lookin' back." She pops in another one, chews contemplatively. Her golden eyes look honestly saddened for a few seconds. Even just seven weeks in, Kitty's changes are seen emotionally. Already. God help everyone.

"I'm doin' ok.. sick mostly in the mornings, fine at night." Blink, she nudges the door shut with a hip that is still angular. "…. horny as hell at night. Worse than usual. Ain't knowin' what to make of it." Says the woman eating a can of salted fish. Sexy.

"Mads is with Katieluu or Rosabelle or whatever the sam's fuck her name is." Poor Katiebelle.

Watching her down the sardines, Clifton just blinks "Well…the baby apparently likes them." He lets the woman down the fish…noting that he needed to get more next time. "I remember some of what Dot went through…so you can bounce stuff off me if you want? Or…if you want I can ask her? I will come up with some reason." He fidgets a bit, rubbing the back of his neck "I had to tell Clyde…just so he knew why I was out more. Then we had a family member return, but she isn't super involved in the town again yet so I kind of got advice from her too…but I haven't told anybody else." He prepared himself for a smack.

"Tell Dot t'be my midwife. Better than that crusty thing that gave ya the evil eye. Does Dot look after women in a way? Bet she'd be far easier to deal with than that." Gulp. Down does sardine #5. She didn't even CHEW that one. Sensitive werewolf olfactories may or may not detect a change in Kathleen's very scent. Clifton, her partner in.. ah, sport… may very well recognize such a shift. It's not a bad change. She pauses, tin of tea tucked up beneath an elbow, fingertips digging into some of the greasy tinned fish as sunlight pierces the window above the door and sets her gaze to blazing. Not angrily.

"Yer family ok, though? I don't want to be a.. burden. Ya know I ain't expectin' ya to look after me, Clif. This is above and beyond." Gulp. Sardine #6.

Talk of another family member being told quirks a brow. "Ya'll got another girl up there?"

Clifton shakes his head "You're not a burden…I was just letting him know is all. So they don't worry if I don't come home a night or two." Not that they really worried given his previous reputation anyways. "I'll ask Dot…that might be a good idea." Or a terrible one. Who knows! He then nods his head at her last question. "Yeah. Movie star or something who used to live here…Cherry."

"Cherry fuckin' West?" Blink? Kathleen's tiger-bright eyes gawk into Clifton's face. "Maddie loves 'er… she's been in a couple of flicks, nothing big.. mostly cabaret. Ya'll are related to her? Surprised someone would come here from there.. but who am I to judge. I'm the knocked-up spinster." Not said in a sorrowful way, merely amused. Finally she turns on a heel to show Clif in proper as they continue conversing in the foyer. "No obligations.. I'll be okay. I reckon if I can keep workin' up til' I get fat… I'll be able to save a lot. Been canning too, getting the stock up. I.. ain't wanting Mads to be thinking she gotta carry me. If I keep through the summer right up until…" Flush.

Now in the kitchen, she rinses out the tin and gets water set to boil in a kettle, all in one swoop. ".. til' I'm due. Get all the jobs with crawlspaces done and over with now.. save th' detailing for closer to the fall when I can't get around as much…"

Clifton just laughs "I'll see if I can get an autograph!" Following Kitty into the kitchen, the Walker shakes his head "You worry about taking care of yourself and the baby first you understand? Save what you can and do what you can…but health is the most important." He looks around the house "Are you needing anything? Or eventually? To make it easier to get around the house or…anything?" Even though he had gone through Dot's pregnancy, Clyde had taken on most of the responsibilities with helping her. He had respected that. Still, he'd try to help how he could now!

How easy it'd be if—

Oh fuck right off, hormones.

He could live here, return the hills when he needed, anytime he wanted. That way he needn't worry-

FUCK. OFF. HORMONES.

Kitty is thinking in ways that honest-to-goodness she would never consider, well before this circumstance. She keeps her back to Clif as he speaks, making to prepare the tea… at least he won't see her blush and embarrassment at herself. "I ain't thinkin' I need much. Not yet. What I need is money. The house is more-or-less paid for… Da saw to that. I haven't much t'go. We're coming up on the hot season where heating this place ain't nothin. All the money is not just to prepare for babe but for.. for Mads, Clifton." She peers over a shoulder. The unreasonable feeling has passed. "She's thinkin', still, that she will step back to be there for me. That girl ain't gonna miss a DAY of school. Not for me. She ain't gonna become me." She turns back to the counter. She's still so skinny.. such thin hips.

If Clifton picks up on any trace or scent of the woman's thoughts or how they might be affecting…things…he does not let on! "We will figure it out." He couldn't take money out of his family's jar, but maybe if he kept working extra hours. That'd be extra money that he could decide what to do with. Then, there was Clyde's offer of help with any extra meat from their hunting. "You just gotta' promise me you'll be HONEST with me when you DO need things. Otherwise you run the risk of things falling through the cracks and then Maddie will be more likely to try and take on responsibility and help…"

Clifton knew he wasn't telling her anything she didn't know, but damnit if there was ever a time to not be stubborn this was it, Kitty! At the mention of Maddie missing school, he shakes his head "There are a lot worse people she could model herself after…but don't worry we will make sure she stays in school and keeps at her studies and her own life's dreams too. That doesn't mean that she can't help in her own way too though."

Stubborn meets stubborn. Kathleen seems to know of Clif's thoughts in that strange way of hers — no supernatural senses, honest — and she nods once. "I want her to succeed, Clif. I want her to leave this town and be someone. Marry rich. Be taken care of. Be a society woman. That way when she's thinkin' of me she can do it in letters, sending 'em off for the new baby to gnaw on. When she falls in the family way she will, God help me, have a husband."

A deep breath.. sigh. So sentimental. Kitty hates it and loves it.

"I promise. But I will do everythin' in my power to not get there to begin with. If she reckons she's gonna drop out, Clif.. I'm gonna send her off to a girls' boarding school." Gasp.

She watches him, tears glittering in the corners of her eyes. So sudden. She hates it. "A good one.. posh. I know where it'll be. Not too far. She can't be beholden to this Clif, she can't. She'll balk but if she so much as sniffs at bein' a dropout I will send her. I'm the adult. I can." Then she sobs. Right when the kettle whistle blows.

Fuck. Run Clif, run. Ooooh pregnancy.

Clifton just blinks "Okay…I know you're pregnant so I am going to say this the best way I can manage. Calm. The. Fuck. Down. Kathleen." Gah! The Walker shakes his head "You're setting up responses to assumptions and scenarios that haven't happened and will in all likelihood never happen. Give Maddie some credit and also give yourself some grace…" As the whistle blows from the kettle he points to one of the kitchen chairs "Sit down. Or in the living room. I'll make your tea." Not really an option given, but it wasn't said harshly either. Just dang it woman let other people care for you once in awhile!

"I can't fuckin' calm down!" Kathleen bellows, pulling open the teabag tin and dropping three of them into one mug. "I done gone and got knocked the hell up! Dumbshit me! All the times I dodged the bullet and THIS time I—" Breathe. She begins to wrangle herself in. It's actually physically visible. Breathe; the pulling back of shoulder. "Fuck.. I'm so sorry.. I can't control it, Clif. I'm always on this tripwire. It's nothing.. like nothing I've ever-" He's up and wanting to make the tea. She sinks into a chair.

"God…" A sigh.

"It's hard not to speculate… it really is. I have th' choice, Clif, to plan. Ma didn't. I can't leave Madeline alone." Eyes still glitter with tears.

The tea is prepared and brought over to her, Clifton setting it down by her to let it finish steeping. "I'm not going to act like I understand…because I don't. Okay I get that I don't." That and he didn't want to get smacked. "But working yourself up this way. It won't do anybody any good. Blaming yourself won't do any good either…especially when you didn't do anything WRONG." He sits down in a chair now, pulling it across from hers so he can look at her. "Is it an ideal situation? No. But you and Maddie either one aren't alone. As for what will happen? I know you're worried about what happened to your mom." How could she not be? "But as best as you can, Kitty…you have to try not to think about that happening to you."

"Yer gonna make a fine father someday, Clif," Kitty says without guile, without strings. Sipping the tea seems to help her considerably… the heat is a distraction. "Whats done is done. I am gonna carry on, come through.. ain't no way of knowin' what I'll have but you can bet yer ass they'll know the ropes." A soft sigh then.. the tears have stopped.

She watches him then, "It's hard not to though, Clif.. I'm tryin'. Ma had the figure and the curves but her hips were wicket brackets. I got 'em. I'm scared of… I'm just scared, is all. But I'm gonna see it through all the same."

Clifton doesn't comment on the father bit, but listens to what else she says. He just shakes his head "I'm not telling you to not be scared…but you can't dwell. Talk to me when you need to…but whatever happens…good or bad up or down…we'll face it. Okay? Hell I'll make sure every damn doctor from here to five towns over is helping you deliver if we need to…" He'd make sure she and the baby were both fine. For multiple reasons. They had to be.

How can she not be touched? Kitty dips her head down to look into the teabag, swirling haphazardly-wait, THREE teabags. That's right. She just ruined a cup of tea. At least she doesn't perpetuate the very pessimistic, very real situation that COULD await her. Narrow hips; a difficult passage for babe's head. Were the babies big i his side of the family? No way for Kitty to know because he's long fucking gone. They were big on her side too.. enough to exhaust her mother into death. Oh god—her eyes squeeze shut. Breathe. She will make sure Madeline is safe.

"I'm sorry, Clif… it'll.. be ok. It's just a hard day. That nurse.. that lady was not easy to deal with. I'm in a state."

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