Housevisit

Procella smilede skævt til Colt

"Thats putting it nicely. Its all...candyfloss and bling...a huntingcabin would suit me better. There is actually a boathouse and a guesthouse and a cabin to the property too. Ill show you the grounds some other day"

Procella stirrede ned på Daya og mødte det sorte blik. Noget bevægede sig kort bag det sorte blik, og det fik jægeren til at rynke sine bryn forvirret. Var Daya mere intelligent end normale børn? Hvordan var normale børn overhovedet?

Hun smilede kort ned til pigen og derefter op til Colt. Hendes ord fik det til at stikke i hendes bryst. Hvor længe ville hun overleve hvis hun fortsatte som jæger? Kunne hun ligge det fra sig overhovedet? Hvad skulle hun lave hvis hun ikke skulle jage abnormale væsner? Kunne hun overhovedet leve...normalt?

"God...i need stuff...babybooks. Years? For walking? Thats long..."

Procella lød lige dele rystet og tvivlende. Skulle hun slæbe rundt på dem i flere år?! Hun endte jo med at få arme som en goirlla af det pjat!

Hun lo let ad Procellas kommentar og endte grinet i et skævt smil.

"Well you're right on that ... And, nothing mean or anything, but I don't have any troubles imagining you in a hunterscabin ... Oh, boathouse and guesthouse, I see ... Big place this is, huh?" Hun smilede lidt ved tilbudet om en rundvisning senere. "And I'd be glad to see it all. Always been so freaking curious about everything, and it would be interesting to see it all, I have to admit - or a bit of it at least."

Hun hævede selv blikket, da Procella gjorde det, og gengældte smilet.

"If you want to - and know what you want of books - I can pick them up for you before getting here next time ...? Uhm, and ye, think it's about two years normally before they start walking ... you'll have them crawling all over sooner though. Think that will be before they turn one, but I'm not sure if I remember correctly ... I know from a friend of mine, who's got a little boy. When he finally started crawling and later walking, she wished to be back before those days where she would know where he was. The little guy is all over the place, and you can't leave anything lying around where his nosey little fingers can reach it. He's such a dear though ... Makes me wanna have one on my own." Hun smilede beroligende til den nybagte moder, der tydeligvis ikke havde haft så meget at gøre med børn før.

"Also if you need any advice for anything, I can try ask my friend. The boy is four now, so she knows a bit of the earlier years. It won't be a problem to ask her." Igen et smil, og hun forsøgte virkelig at lyde beroligende og forsikrende. Alt skulle nok gå fint, det tog bare lidt tid.

Procella så lidt flov ud og hun kløede sig i det mørke hår

"I would not know where to start. Do they even make books of quadruplets? I have no idea what is going on with babies at all..."

At all...nothing at all...crawling? What? I have to get leashes for them? a gps into the pacifiers?

"Sooo...you kinda have to nail everything down huh?"

Procella så sig tvivlsomt rundt. Havde Wick overhoved taget den slags med da han puttede 4 dæmoniske piger ind i et antikvarisk glashus?

"Maybe the girls will take some of your motherliness out. They are quite a handfull, to say the least."

Procella skævede interesseret til Colt. Kendte hun mennesker med børn? Hun prøvede ikke at se for interesseret ud, men det var svært at skjule sin iver. Hun havde aldrig selv kendt folk med børn. Det gjorde man bare ikke som hunter.

Det var en smule underholdende og en sule foruroligende at se Procella flov på den måde hun var og over det, hun var flov over, og COlts smil forsvandt lige så stille, mens hun talte.

"I should be able to get a book of twins. This is a little different, but the basics should be the same I think - just double the trouble. I will ask in the store to get as much information as possible for you - they should know what to go for."

*Damn she's not even read a pregnancy book or anything while pregnant? What has she passed her time with then? Sipping champagne?* Colt var ikke irriteret, bare overrasket, og hendes tanke en smule irriteret. Men det måtte de klare som det kom, der var ikke meget andet at gøre ved det, og hun skulle da gerne hjælpe til.

"Well maybe not nail it down," sagde hun med et skævt smil, "but move it up so they can't reach it would be a good idea. At least what you don't want drooled all over or crushed. Anything that can break could hurt them so you want to get that out of reach as well ... But not before they start moving around, there would be no use for that yet." Smilet voksede sig lidt bredere, mens Procella så rundt.

Det var måske ikke det bedste sted at opbringe fire små piger, tænkte hun og fulgte selv blikket, men på den anden side kunne de lige så godt lære fra starten, hvordan deres hjem ville blive. hun halvt om halvt misundte disse børn, der ville få alt, de pegede på, alt de havde brug for, mens hun selv og hendes familie havde måttet leve i en kummerlig lille lejlighed, hvor hendes mindre søskende havde sovet i en kommodeskuffe som små. De små pigers liv her ville blive noget ganske andet, og godt for dem. Men det var svært ikke at blive lidt bitter inderst inde.

"Aye I can imagine that! But I wouldn't let that stop me caring as much for them as you need me to! Kids are always quite the handfull, but seeing them at peace and happy makes it worth all the bother ... Remember to go look at them sometimes while they sleep. My friend does it a lot. She says it calms her down and reminds her why she's doing it ... So if the world is crashing in, just imagine them sleep, that should be a little help - I hope."

Det var ikke svært for Colt at se, Procella var meget interesseret i, hun kendte andre med børn, og hun skulle gøre sit for at huske at spørge veninderne om diverse ting, så hun kunne brillere lidt hos Procella og hjælpe hende så meget som muligt.

Procellas blik blev en smule træt

"Watch them sleep? I hardly have time to sleep myself, let alone a shower or eating. Im glad you will come and work here"

Procella så pludselig en smule alarmeret ud

"Oh...by the way...there is something you need to know"

Hun bed sig let i læben og tænkte hurtigt løgnen op

"My husband has a cousin who lives with us. A tall very pretty woman. she is a bit...damaged...Not quite...there. You know?"

Hun tappede let en finger mod tindingen

"Porcelain can be very protective around the girls. If you see her I want you to avoid her. You wont be able to mistake her. Very pretty. always in heels. If she surprises you, I want you to use the pager and alert me. I will take take of her"

Der var en ildevarslende undertone i stemmen der tydede på at Procella ikke ligefrem var lykkelig over at hendes mands slægtning boede under samme tag som hende...eller pigerne?

Et blidt smil flankerede Colts mund ved Procellas opgivende stemme.

"You will get the time later on as they grow. For now I will help you as much as I can and you can just nap away while I work. Or use the time on other things whatever you need the most. Hously chores will be done for you now, so you need not worry about cleaning or laundry anymore. Also I shall gladly shop groceries on my way here and make you dinner, so that's even more off your mind. Else, you know, you can buy groceries over the internet and get them delivered. That way you don't have to go out to do it, if you just got a little time to click on the items you want. They got day to day delivery most places." Hun smilede beroligende, som lovede hun lige, at Procella ville kunne nå alt det, hun gerne ville - hvilket naturligvis ville blive umuligt med fire småbørn.

"I'll do my best to assist you in every possible way, even if I have to help you get a bath while you sleep!" En let latter lød fra hende for at lette stemningen og Procellas humør en smule.

Den pludselige alarm i den anden kvindes ansigt fik Colt til spørgende at hæve begge øjenbryn, mens hun afventede det.

"Oh I see. Does she need any attention from you too, or can you focus on the girls like it is now?"

Hun noterede sig det usædvanlige navn og nikkede lidt.

"I'll avoid her allright," lovede hun, "or else I'll send for you as you wish. If it's not possible to avoid her, I meen ... Uhm, is she home often? Just to know how much I should be aware of her."

Det var tydeligt at mærke på Procella, hun ikke var glad for kvindens tilstedeværelse, og med fire småbørn under samme tag, hvem ville da være det? Hun havde lidt ondt af kvinden overfor sig, der tydeligvis havde det hårdt for tiden, og hun smilede beroligende.

"If I see her go near the girls, would you like me to beep you on the pager as well or does that not matter?" spurgte hun roligt. Procella var i alle aspekter en beskyttende mor, og en lettere retarderet ville ikke være betryggende for nogen af den beskrivelse at have i nærhedne af nyfødte børn.

Procellas smil blev stift

"I dont know if she needs it, but she demands it. She is home often, but she is also often out with my husband. Just keep your eyes open. I dont like her around the girls, but my husband seems to be confident in her...limited abilities"

Et kort glimt af noget der kunne tolkes som decideret had, flammede kort op i de sære gyldne øjne.

"Anyway...its family. Some you get along with, and some you dont. You know? Just have to get the best out of it....or try to"

Procellas smil blev en smule mere ægte

"So i will have to get some bankinformation from you, accountnumber. How soon could you start? This week or the next?"

Det stive smil var fuldt ud forståeligt, og hun kunne mærke Procellas afsky overfor Porcelain.

"I will," lovede hun alvorligt, "And I do understand you on that point as well ..." Hun sank en klump ved tanken om hvad, der kunne ske med sådan en omkring småbørn.

"And ye, family. A pest and a blessing at the same time - know it all to well!" Hendes eget smil fik et trist drej, og hendes øjne blev et øjeblik mørke ved et gammelt minde, tydeligvis et bittert et af slagsen. Men så, som Procellas, blev smilet mere ægte igen.

"Yes ofcourse, I'll just have to get acces to my internet bank since I can't remember them. And I can start right away; whenever you'd like me to. You need the help as soon as possible I can imagine, and I don't mind that."

Hun fastholdt sit smil og forsøgte ikke at virke alt for ivrig efter at komme i gang. Hun ahvde jo brug for pengene, og Procella havde brug for hjælpen, så det ville passe hende helt fint at begynde snarest muligt.

Procella smilede varmt til Colt

"They are! They really are! So...you have family here on the islands too? Are you close?"

Hun spurgte på en let og ubesværet måde, men var egentlig en smule bekymret over svaret. Hun var ikke parat til at lave grimme ting hvis det ville skabe ekko igennem en hel familie. Hun ville bare have ram på ulven...Colt var en...statist i det spil...det var ikke meningen hun skulle være casualty.

"Uhm...the weekend should be busy i think. So...uhm..do you have any plans this weekend? If i give you the phone and pager, then i can contact you as soon as i figure out when he leaves. If you are free that is? I can give you some extra for the short notice i think?"

Procella anstrengte sig for ikke at lyde halvdesperat. Det endte bare med at Colt ville løbe skrigende væk i stedet for.

"Ye, my parents, their family, my two sisters and my brother, but I hardly speak to them any more ... Things kinda went off when I was younger, and they kicked me out to live in the streets ... HAven't spoken to my parents since, though I sometimes meet with my sis. It can get kinda lonely without them, and I do miss being close to them ... but then again, we never really were that close, being so many at one place, you know ... With four kids in a small flat you really try to get out of the house as much as pssible and don't see each other a lot." Hun trak let på skuldrene, men det var tydeligvis temmelig svært for hende at tale om det, og hun sank en klump.

Hun betragtede dernæst Procella og så børnene igen, mens kvinden talte.

"The weekend is fine to me. Ain't got no plans, so nothing to be interupted or anything. And you can just call away, I'll be over the phone all day!" Hun smilede bredt igen. Hun ville ikke takke nej til at få lidt ekstra for det, selvom hun følte sig lidt grisk ved at tage imod det, men det var noget, hun havde brug for, og det samme havde Procella.

"Should I go looking for books before that, so I can bring them?" kom hun pludselig til at tænke på og fortsatte sit smil. "Shouldn't be hard to find if one knows where to look, so it shouldn't take me long to get something ... I could also just visit the library and borrow some If you don't want to spend the money?"

Procella bed tænderne let sammen. Det var pludselig forbandet meget familie hun skulle tage stilling til. Ville hun være parat til at fratage en kvinde sin søster? Børn deres tante? Det var lidt ved at løbe ud af hendes hænder. Måske skulle hun opgive tanken om at hævne sig på ulven? Det var jo heller ikke derfor Colt var kommet hjem til hende i første ombæring. Hun havde jo faktisk ikke været klar over det andet.

"Good, ill contact you then. Uhm...i dont know about the books. Like i said, money is not an issue, so if you just pay in cash for it, we should be fine."

Hun rejste sig kort og gik over til et lille antikt bord. Hun havde allerede gjort klar til hvis kvinden var lovende, og indtil videre talte alt til hende fordel. Hun fiskede posen ud med telefon og pager.

"This should be easy. I have coded in my pager on the phone and on the pager already. So...you are good to go. Sort of speak"

Hun rakte posen frem mod Colt og gjorde tegn til at samtalen var ved at have fundet sit endeligt.

Den lille spænding i hunterens hage gik ubemærket hen, og Colt smilede bare varmt til hende.

"I'll look forward to that, and I'll look into the books and see what I can find." HEndes blik fulgte Procella over til bordet, hvor der overraskende ventede telefon og pager. Det havde hun ikke just regnet med, men hun skjulte sin reaktion og fastholdt sit smil, mens hun tog imod begge dele.

"Aye it would seem like it. And I've got nothing more today either, so I should just get going and leave you to the mercy of the girls." Hun blinkede fortroligt ved det sidste og ventede egentligt bare på, Procella ville lede vejen ned til døren, da hun selv ikke heeelt kunne huske ruten som det var lige nu. Men hun skulle tids nok lære at navigere rundt, det var hun sikker på, for hun havde altid været hurtig til den slags.

"Great, thank you so much. Ill contact you and do the money as soon as I have your information"

Hun smilede og lavede et let hovedkast imens hun gik mod døren, med Colts jakke over armen. Det her skulle nok blive interessant, på den ene eller den anden måde.

"So uhm...have a nice walk or drive safely or whatever you do before you take the ferry"

Procella holdt jakken så Colt kunne få den på, før hun åbnede døren for mennesket. Den kolde vintervind slog hendes fært ind i hendes ansigt. Hun rynkede brynene let og så sig omkring. Hvor meget ville kunne duftes i huset?

"Aye, I'll do it as soon as I come home and have the information ready."

Hun fulgte med gennem huset igen, forladende de fire småpiger, hun ville komme til at se meget mere til fremover, og hun glædede sig faktisk en hel del til at komme i gang. Ikke at jobbet var vildt spændende og interessant, men et var omgivelserne og i særdeleshed menneskene, hun skulle være tæt på her, og alt i alt var hun godt tilfreds med situationen.

"Thanks Procella, I will." Hun lod sig hjælpe på med frakken og knappede den hurtigt, før hun tog hat og halstørklæde på igen.

"So uhm, I'll see you later then," sagde hun en anelse akavet og sendte et sidste smil, før hun gik ud i vinterlandskabet og den bidende vind. Hun brød sig ikke om at trække det for meget ud, så Procella skulle blive syg i kulden, og hun begyndte bare sin spadseretur derfra med hænderne begravet dybt i lommerne på den sorte frakke.

//out

Procella så efter den unge kvinde. Hendes blik var langt og eftertænksomt.

So...the wolf got a girlfriend. Wonder if Wick knows about this. Hm...but then again...theres a lot he dosnt know...

Hun kunne ikke helt lade være med at smile svagt og hemmelighedsfuldt da hun lod døren glide i og lukkede kulden ude.

((End))