How open they are to helping him, even in a small way like with providing him with some small plants to keep, really does surprise Jeff. It wasn’t like the people back home weren’t friendly, of course, especially at Snow Wood, but this was the most generous that complete strangers had really been to him.
When the man outstretches his hand for a handshake, Jeff takes it and gives a small smile when they shake hands. It does remind him how pale and thin he is compared to those living in Tazmily; just another way he felt separate from everyone else. It was very kind of them to be this welcoming when he was someone from the past that they didn’t even really need to speak to.
“Oh, well… my friend isn’t originally from Foggyland, he just goes there to school with me, so his family lives a warmer climate. That might help.” Tony liked to read up on and study all sorts of plants, and usually a flower or two adorned their window and thrived despite the lack of sun, but what would Jeff say were among his favorites…?
“Perhaps… any kind of fern? Or Clovers. He likes lilacs, too. But really, I’m sure he would be excited to study any plant you’ve got. Poinsettas sort of remind me of home, too. Snow and Christmas and all.”
Did they even have Christmas here? Jeff was positive he’d been coming off as odd.
This train of thought is also broken when the young woman states that the plants might decorate Dr. Andonuts’ office, and for a few moments, Jeff isn’t sure where this was coming from. He’s about to ask what she means by it before realizing: he’s Dr. Andonuts’ son, after all, and isn’t an adult, and doesn’t have a place to stay. Of course they’d assume that Jeff was staying with him.
“I’m certain some decoration would help with Dr. Andonuts’ apartment, if you want to give him some.” Those poor plants. He could come and water them, or ask Lucas to help, he supposes. “But, I, er… don’t actually live with him at the moment.
I know it’s rather unusual, but I… I’ve been staying in the, uh, the time machine.”
His voices lilts slightly higher at the end of his sentence, almost like a question, and he shrugs his shoulders apologetically.
“I’m sure it’s got room for plants, too, though. I’ll make sure I take good care of them for you.”
In the boy’s musings about what plants may remind him of his friend, Jeff threw out a few different suggestions: ferns, clovers, more warm weather-type plants. Jeff was in luck, then, as Tazmily was warm nearly all year-round. Abbey excitedly bounced on her heels, already preparing to let Jeff know the good news. They didn’t have clover, but they had ferns and lilacs, plus the poinsettias since Jeff seemed open to having them. They nodded and hummed at his associating poinsettias with winter and Christmas.
“Then that’s perfect!” Abbey interjected, still overjoyed.
However, the conversation continued on to an unexpected place. When Jeff gets to the subject of Dr. Andonuts’s apartment, he admitted that he was not living with his father at all. Abbot and Abbey tilted their heads almost in perfect sync, curious. Why wouldn’t he live with his father? Abbot had seen the inside of the apartment, and while it was very junky, he didn’t think it was too bad to live in, certainly. He couldn’t imagine living in a time machine. Abbot had caught glimpses of the machine Dr. Andonuts was working on, and if Jeff’s was anything like that, then it was awfully cramped.
That did concern the two of them. What kind of father was Dr. Andonuts if he allowed his son to sleep out in the time machine instead of in a proper home? Something wasn’t right, but both knew it wasn’t their right to pry. But Abbot didn’t feel right just leaving it unaddressed entirely. He wouldn’t press for information. Abbot had hated it whenever people tried to pry into his own home life as a child-- and while he did his best not to project, he still felt a pang of sympathy when thinking about the whole thing.
Abbot and Abbey exchanged worried glances, but they tried not to look so nervous. Abbey nervously wrung her hands nonetheless, always wearing her heart on her sleeve, even when she’d rather not. But Abbot kept himself together a bit more. “Well, that’s a shame. Sorry ta hear that,” Abbot murmured, then smoothed it over by continuing, “but hey, we do got some ferns ‘n’ lilacs fer ya! You cin also look at some’a our other stuff, you might find some other plants ya like. We got gerberas, sunflowers, saplin’s, some marigolds, maybe some other stuff... if we knew how long you was stayin’, we could see about plantin’ some seeds if ya have any requests. I collect seeds, so we got lots ta offer.”
Abbey fidgeted with her hands, shifting uneasily on her feet, as she appeared to be in thought. “I’m tryin’ ta think if there ain’t a place you cin stay. I don’ think it’s healthy ta stay in a small space like that... oh, I hate ta assume, but I seen Dr. A’s machine, and it’s awful cramped, ain’t it?”
“Bad fer the back,” Abbot suggested lightheartedly.
“Yes, oh, goodness! Huh...” Abbey paused to think a little more. “Well, the Yado ain’t a hotel no more, an’ I don’ think they’ve had a vacant apartment in a dawg’s age. Lessee, ‘cause Bud an’ Lou live there, Lisa an’ her kids, Donna part a’ the time, DCMC ‘n’ Duster, plus Venus an’ Elmore...” She counted out the groups on her fingers. “Yep, thass everybody. Plus Jackie’s family an’ Sebastian...”
“Ain’t no way they got room,” Abbot concluded.
The two looked at each other again. If push came to shove, they wouldn’t mind extending an invitation to Jeff to stay with them for a while, if he was comfortable with that. They just didn’t like the idea of him being stuck in that machine one bit. There had to be a place for him. Suddenly, Abbey’s lit up with understanding, and she bumped Abbot with the back of her hand.
“Oh! Oh, oh! What about the Children’s House?” she suggested. “Ain’t nobody live there but Nana now! Me an’ Abbot an’ a bunch’a other kids used ta live there, so it’s got plenny a’ room!”
Abbot lightly smacked his forehead. It was such an obvious solution now that he thought about it. The Children’s House had been the home of all of the orphaned kids of Tazmily. All those kids had grown up now, save for Nana. Abbot and Abbey had grown up there, as had Paul and Linda, Isaac, Bateau, Tessie, Lisa... quite a few of them, now that he thought about it. It was always meant to house multiple people, and while half of the Children’s House had been repurposed for more apartments, there was still room left for Jeff. Nana wouldn’t mind sharing, would she?
“Well, ain’t that perfect!” Abbot agreed. “You really oughta stay in a real place, ya know? I think that’s pro’ly better fer ya... where is that machine anyway? If it’s too far out, ya might get attacked by chimeras, and ain’t nobody want that.” Abbot paused and scratched his neck. Are they being too pushy? Too... parental, maybe? “Well-l-l, we don’t wanna assume too much of ya. Thass yer choice, but... there’s place for ya if ya need it. Children’s House is all for kids who got no place ta live. I bet Nana wouldn’t mind the company one bit.” He smiled reassuringly at Jeff.