I'm Pretty, But I'm Plain and I Prefer It That Way

[ella-kessler.livejournal.com]

Morning, Friday August 7, Day 66
The Miskatonic Cafe

It's been a while since I came ta town. Chris an' I don' come in often what with the orchard keepin' us busy near all the time. I been hopin' ta get down sooner'n now, but Daddy's health ain't been too good. He's strong as an ox but when he gets a cold it hits hard. Maybe I'll see Glass or Jenna for somethin' ta help him.

I told Chris to run by the bakery ta see if'n Edmund needed anythin' from us while I went by the butcher's to place an order for some meat. After that I still had some money left over, so I decide to buy Chris an' I somethin' to eat at the cafe. It's not often we get ta do that an' we like bein' able to eat away from the house every now an' then.

"'Mornin', Miss," I say when the waitress comes over ta the table I'm seatin' at by the window. "Real nice day, ain't it?" She jus' nods, waitin' on my order. "Two hot chocolates an' some pastries, please," I say. Chris is leavin' Edmund's and he looks over here longingly, so I wave him over.

I been hearin' 'bout strange stuff happenin' in town, but Main Street's quiet like usual an' nothin' looks too different.

[OPEN]

[CLOSED}

Comments

[notte-halthor.livejournal.com]

My active day had started a little earlier than I'd hoped. The tiger-lilies' disagreement had escalated into a brawl within minutes of their descent from the planter, so my moment of zen by the river had been cut short. I don't know if it was the best of choices, but after the trouble it took to set everything right, I decide it's a good idea to start looking around the town NOW.

Hmm...the cafe. I can smell the coffee the moment I open my front door, and it's clear the Miskatonic will be my first stop. Breakfast sounded good anyway.

"Two hot chocolates an' some pastries, please," I hear as I walk in--a voice I recognize, and my reaction of turning to face it was immediate. It was...Ella, right? I'd seen her a few times during the Market days. Would it be strange just to walk up to her? I didn't recognize the gentleman sitting with her, though they seemed to be related. I must have looked ridiculous just standing there--or she felt me looking at her.

[ella-kessler.livejournal.com]

Chris sits down and I almost immediately feel like someone's lookin'. I glance out the window and then around the cafe. My eyes stop on someone I've talked ta at the Market. I'll be darned if'n I'd remember her name.

I smile at her and wave a little. "'Mornin'."

[notte-halthor.livejournal.com]

"'Mornin'."

My cheeks aren't as hot as they feel, I hope. "Good morning, Ella," I reply, smiling a bit and walking over, though I'm internally praying to Nanshe that is her name. "May I join you?" Time moves differently here for me, even more so than the river does. It seems that the days are extended--it's only been a week, and yet I feel like I haven't seen her in an age.

[ella-kessler.livejournal.com]

"Good morning, Ella," she says. Really wishin' I'd remember her name. "May I join you?"

I smile. "Please do. We already ordered, so I'm sure the waitress'll be back real soon." Darn, definitely can't recall the name. 'M good with faces, not so good with the names ta go with 'em. "Have you met my brother, Chris?"

[notte-halthor.livejournal.com]

I take the empty chair at their table, considering the male there. "I don't believe I have--it's a pleasure though. I'm Nohte; I run the nursery next door." I take his hand, feeling the callouses as we shake.

The waitress returns as the sun-haired woman promised, and after she delivers their food I request my tea--on a separate bill, please, and thank you.

[ella-kessler.livejournal.com]

"I don't believe I have--it's a pleasure though. I'm Nohte; I run the nursery next door." Nohte. That's it. I can't believe I couldn' remember a name like that. She shakes Chris' hand but he doesn't seem much interested, like usual. He can be such a twelve year old boy sometimes. Guess it's good, though. Sometimes I think he's growin' up too fast. Kind'a like I did.

The waitress brings our food. The service here's always been fast. Then she's gone again nearly as quick with Nohte's order.

"You goin' ta the market tomorrow?"

[notte-halthor.livejournal.com]

Chris is adorable to me, even if he doesn't seem to take much interest in the introductions. Releasing his hand, I look to Ella.

"You goin' ta the market tomorrow?" she asks, and I nod almost instantly.

"Yes--It would be good to finally see all the faces of the town." I tried remembering if I'd seen Ella on an off day, and my memory failing, go ahead and ask her. "Are you often in town, or only near the weekends?" My mind strays again as the sunlight catches her hair--it was an exquisite shade. I wonder if I had any flowers that color?

[ella-kessler.livejournal.com]

She's smilin' at Chris and he shyly smiles back before focusing on his hot chocolate and pastry. I take a sip from my mug, enjoyin' the taste. We mostly only have coffee and tea at the farm. Nothin' usually as sweet as what this is.

"Yes--It would be good to finally see all the faces of the town."

"It sure would. I hear there's lots'a new people movin' inta town lately." I hope ta see some old faces, too. As excitin' as the newcomers might be, it's the ones I recognize that give me a comfy feelin', like this is still the Excolo from when I was younger.

"Are you often in town, or only near the weekends?"

"No. Not often. Mostly jus' the Saturday market. I try and get in more, though, since it can get lonely out on the farm sometimes. I've been comin' to the faire from time ta time, too. You been there yet?"

[notte-halthor.livejournal.com]

The tea arrives and is soothing to me--hibiscus, and fresh at that. I think on her question as a sniff the brew appreciatively. Faire, faire...Wait a moment--

"There is a faire here?"

The surprise is pretty bare on my face. I hope it came recently, or I've been entirely too wrapped up in the house.

[ella-kessler.livejournal.com]

She tastes the tea and seems to enjoy it slowly. Surprise crosses her face and she asks, "There is a faire here?"

My surprise must be somethin' like hers, I reckon. "Yeah. S'been here a coupl'a months now, I think. Two or three. Amanda and I have gone a bit. D'you know the Wilsons? Amanda's the younger girl."

[notte-halthor.livejournal.com]

A couple of months? And here is where I begin to show my absolute lack of knowledge concerning the town and the people. And to miss a faire on the way in! I really need to pay attention more. Where has my head been?

It's an intense relief that Bii isn't here--the last thing I need is a snide remark from him.

"D'you know the Wilsons? Amanda's the younger girl."

I grasp at the name--it was familiar. "I've passed the Wilson farm on my trips, but I haven't stopped to talk." Tenatively, I have to ask, "Amanda works with Kate at the general store?" I asked.

[ella-kessler.livejournal.com]

"I've passed the Wilson farm on my trips, but I haven't stopped to talk. Amanda works with Kate at the general store?"

"She sure does. Just for the week, right now. She's hopin' it'll go on longer."

It's nearly all she's been talkin' 'bout the past week. Her talks been 'bout customers an' helpin' people she knows an' doesn't know. I hope she gets hired by Miss Kate. Sounds like she's doin' right by her.

"'Manda's mama's worried 'bout her bein' gone from the farm a whole lot, though. Edith, that's her sister, she's been unreliable lately. Ever since she took up with the Granger's boy, Brian."

Don't understand that. Molly Kincaid's by far the nicer and prettier of those two gals. Thinkin' 'bout her brings a smile ta my face. She usually stops by once or twice a month to check up on us. Brings us some'a Jamie's honey, too.

I suddenly realize that my mind's wanderin' again and I've got a mug'a cocoa goin' cold in my hands.

[notte-halthor.livejournal.com]

"She sure does. Just for the week, right now. She's hopin' it'll go on longer." while I didn't have much experience with the girl, she seemed nice enough and was more than helpful my last visit. I took another sip of my tea, adding honey while I watched and listened to Ella fill me in.

'Manda's mama's worried 'bout her bein' gone from the farm a whole lot, though. It was only understandable. Edith, that's her sister, she's been unreliable lately. Ever since she took up with the Granger's boy, Brian." I couldn't say I'd met him.

She smiles, looking suddenly very feminine in my eyes, and I can't help but wonder if my face changes that way with expressions. "Would I have a chance to meet them in the market tomorrow?"

[ella-kessler.livejournal.com]

"Would I have a chance to meet them in the market tomorrow?"

I think for a moment and take a long drink from the mug.

"Maybe. Amanda likes goin' ta see if she can barter jewelry and things like that. I ain't seen Edith out an' about for a while."

I haven't seen Brian much either, now's I think 'bout it. Maybe they've gone and eloped somewhere else. That'd be easier ta do outside'a town than tryin' to be discrete about it 'round here.

"Their mama usually goes an' does a bit'a shoppin' in the market, too. Usually a'fore she goes down ta Silk Road," I say kind'a disgusted. Don' like protestin' other people's business. What they do is up to them.

[notte-halthor.livejournal.com]

I watch her take a sip of the chocolate that was rather rapidly losing its steam, but Ella seems to like it nonetheless. Isn't much different from high-end chocolate milk, so must still be good.

"Maybe. Amanda likes goin' ta see if she can barter jewelry and things like that." I made a mental note to display a few of my wire-work pieces--maybe it will catch some attention amongst the shoppers after all. "I ain't seen Edith out an' about for a while."

I continue the slow sipping of my tea as I listen, as interested as if she were telling me a tale of flying carpets and treasure--and really, it was. Just listening to the inflections in her tone, the subtle gestures or faces she made. People were fascinating--they had such a range of expression.

"Their mama usually goes an' does a bit'a shoppin' in the market, too. Usually a'fore she goes down ta Silk Road." The disgust was hard to miss, though Ella didn't strike me as a preacher (though really, how would I know what a preacher looked like? I could pick a preacher from plants, but not from people). Silk Road, Silk Road...It was just the Follow Me Boy, apothecary, and the inn, right?

...oh. Now I understand. I simply nodded as one does when listening, taking the information as I did all the others and storing it away, hopefully somewhere I could retrieve it later.

"I'm beginning to look forward to tomorrow already then," I said optimistically, finding it to be true. At least the nervousness I was feeling this morning was gone.

[ella-kessler.livejournal.com]

"I'm beginning to look forward to tomorrow already then," Nohte says with a positive sort'a sound ta her voice and it makes me smile.

I'm startin' ta think that if things go well with sales tomorrow, that I'll see if I can't afford somethin' of Nohte's. Her flowers are always so pretty.

"It should be fun so long as the weather stays somethin' like this."

[notte-halthor.livejournal.com]

ta her voice and it makes me smile. Seeing Ella smile almost made me smile in response, simply because it was such an infectious gesture. Mental note to self to pick up a mirror at the market tomorrow--I want to see if my face could do such things, as silly as it sounded. Bii would give me grief for it, but I bet he'll be trying it too when he thinks I'm not looking! Picking up a book on manners for him would be good as well, if it weren’t for the fact I’d have to read it to him, and I don’t yet have that sort of leisurely time on hand. My pitches at the market have been minimal with everything so unsettled, so I had to make up for it until it evened out—there was rent to pay now, and an array of items I’d like to have a look at (and have) once I could afford.

Maybe the city does bring out a bit of vanity. Hm. Or maybe it’s not the city itself, but just the concept of choice and variety.

"It should be fun so long as the weather stays somethin' like this."

I finish the last bit of the wonderful tea (which I note dove from ‘lukewarm’ to ‘ice cold’ in a span of five minutes, as beverages were apt to do) and nod in agreement. “I hope it gets warm enough to dry up the mud by tomorrow,” I added mildly. Partially-congealed mud was never pleasant-smelling—it needed to even be fresh or completely baked. I look outside at the sun (which has made surprising pace into the sky) as though she would reassure me that she would, or at least agree to reappear tomorrow at the market with the rest of us.

“Thank you for allowing me to join you for breakfast,” I smiled at the two siblings across from me. “I enjoyed your company very much, but please excuse me.” I need to go water the afternoon plants now that they’re coming out of sleep. It wouldn’t do to have a third of my produce wilting just before the market.

[ella-kessler.livejournal.com]

“I hope it gets warm enough to dry up the mud by tomorrow,” she says as her eyes go up ta the sky after finishing her tea.

"I reckon it will, 'less we get some kind'a pop-up thunderstorm." I follow her eyes up an' see that the sun's gettin' mornin'-high.

“Thank you for allowing me to join you for breakfast." She smiles and it seems like she don't do that often, even though she looks real pretty doing it. "I enjoyed your company very much, but please excuse me.”

"Any time, Nohte. Thanks for joinin' us," I say, smilin' big. Chris an' I are done, too, so we all stand up an' I put money on the table to cover our part. "I'll be seein' you tomorrow, then," I say once we get outside. "Have a good one."

We head out'a town for the farm an' I'm feelin' less isolated from other people for'a change.

[notte-halthor.livejournal.com]

"I reckon it will, 'less we get some kind'a pop-up thunderstorm." I truly hoped not. I'm not a rain person, or rather, used to the heavy rain that had occured the other day. The trees were always so dense where I came from that even the worst of rain had to drip its way through the canopy.

"Have a good one."

"You too, and I'll see you tomorrow," I reply, a feeling of warmth in my chest as we parted. First to go check on the store, then to continue down Main Street.