Jennifer doesnât MINDÂ at all, but she FEELSÂ as if this young woman DOES, and in a way, thatâs concerning. Her own younger years had their FAULTS, but they werenât terrible, and at the very least, her mother had ALWAYSÂ been there for her. Of course, they hadnât been very close, and they still arenât- in fact, now itâs probably LESSÂ so- Â but still, sheâd always known that it was ALRIGHTÂ to ask for help. Sheâd always KNOWNÂ it was alright to find someone to vent to, and her mother had always been willing.
SEVERALÂ of her friends now had not HADÂ such a luxury. Herb is one. Bailey is as another. To some extent, so is Mr. Carlson. Jennifer is always trying to BEÂ there for her friends, always trying to SHOWÂ them by example. In some ways, it has worked- all of them ALWAYSÂ hurry to be there for her (well, for the most part), but she canât seem to get them to UNDERSTANDÂ that it goes both ways. It always seems that it takes a bit of PROMPTINGÂ from her- sometimes more severe than other times- to get them to do it in the REVERSE.
And, perhaps to her own EVENTUALÂ detriment, though none that she sees on her CURRENTÂ horizons, sheâs always willing to take on another. Sheâd like to help ALLÂ of them- sheâs going to. Itâs just going to take some time, is all. And thatâs alright too, because sheâs willing to WAITÂ just as long as it takes. For ALLÂ of them.
          âGood! That sounds PERFECT. I think I
           might KNOW the one you mean. Itâs a
           LOVELY place, really.â
She SMILES, accepting the proffered hand WARMLY.
          âJENNIFER MARLOWE. Itâs wonderful to meet you.â
She doesnât PILEÂ on any sort of unnecessary enthusiasm, but itâs still CLEARÂ that she means it, as she turns to FOLLOWÂ the girl in the direction of the coffee shop.
   Jean leads the way inside and finds them a table near the window, where the sunlight filters inside and adds a soft golden glow to the atmosphere. The sun makes Jean feel more comfortable. Warmth, heat, those are things that she understands. Her core is made of fire, and the sun is made of the same stuff. Some people are made of stars, but Jean had always sort of been one in many regards.
   Funny it was, how difficult the stars could be to reach for.
   When a waitress comes over, Jean decides to forego the coffee, and orders a chai. She had been raised by the son of English immigrants, and tea is like breathing for them. It was a habit Jean, in turn, had inherited. It is one of the many things she likes to hope that she's gotten from her foster father. And one of the few things that he had gotten from his own parents.
    âReally, I shouldnât be upset about it,â she says once theyâre settled properly. "My parents gave me up a long time ago. I havenât seen them since, and I donât really want to. But thereâs something about blood, I guess. It makes you always wish it would work out for the best, even if there isnât really a best left to go back to.â
   Jean looks up at Jennifer, lips folded in for a moment before she speaks. âHave you ever been happy, happier than you ever were before -- but thereâs a part of you thatâs still sad? A part that might never be anything but sad?â
gracieabrams
andulkaphoto
theartofmadeline
ellievsbear
2087
snowghoul
