Finally, Lina comes to lie closely next to Stan, sweaty and exhausted after they have finished 'getting recreational' as Dot had called it, an interesting wording. She remains lying on the mattrass, catching her breath as the after-effects and sensations wear off. She'd love to remain there longer, just concentrating on those feelings and fading echoes, but after a while, she has to follow the call of nature. She struggles to get up with a sigh, she has never really been able to keep these things apart and in moments like this, it annoys her. She caresses Stan's chest as she rises. "That was pretty amazing... Hope you enjoyed it as much as I did." She gives him a kiss and goes for the bathroom. After getting the necessities out of the way, she assumes the liberty of using the shower and returns to Stan's room, sitting back onto the bed, turning thoughts around inside her head.

It might be nice to entertain thoughts of you and Stan in the shower, but the reality is that his shower is a bit on the small side and the two of you would more than fill it, especially if something were to come up between you that needs attention. He is still laying naked on the bed, although his hands are behind his head. "You are incredible, Lina. All of what I have already seen, and also that? Yeah, I am pretty sure that I enjoyed that as much as you did. Right now, I wish my shower was bigger so I could have joined you, but my parents were not into the whole shower-sharing thing. But you look thoughtful, so, all the nuyen I have for your thoughts?"

All the money he has for her thoughts ? She smirks and rubs his chest. "This and that." Hearing what she just said, she realizes how stupid that sounds and hurries to elaborate. "As you know, a lot of stuff has happened the last days. Effective counter-program to the weeks before that, but that's not the point. It's just that this is among the few calm places that gives me time to really think about things, what has come from them and what will." Lina rises from the bed and starts to collect her clothes from where they fell while thinking about what is on the menue for next week. Descisions including Koreans, for example. "I still got some things on my plate I want to see to next week. Visiting some people in hospital." Some on a friendlier basis than others. And she'll have to do some digging on a select few topics. "And the interview scheduled on Monday, of course. I don't even know what to espect from that one. You can probably tell I'm a bit nervous about that." Especially with some finer points of her current predicament. She starts to get dressed and pulls her hair back into a ponytail when she's done with the clothes. She drops down back onto the bed. "So, what'd you like to do next ?"

Stan watches you get dressed with ill-disguised lust, listening to you talk at the same time. When you are done, he looks you over and whistles softly. "I am pretty sure that what I want to do next is unrepeatable in mixed company, but as I feel a bit unable to live up to my desires at the moment, I will take my own shower and get dressed. Why don't you come talk to me from the doorway?" As he stands and walks to the shower, it is impossible to not notice his lean, muscular body and the sure manner in which he walks. His body is visible through the glass door and watching brings definite pangs of desire to your body. He talks above the noise of the running water. "I would not worry too much about the interview, Lina. I have already given my statement and they will be checking mostly for points I might have left out. But please consider this place yours to think in. Tell me if you need time or space to yourself and you got it. I mean it. Just tell me to quit bothering you and take all the time you need to think. I don't think I can hide that I have fallen for you. Way fallen, I think, is the current term, but Dot would know more about that. And I want very much to help you. Please do not think that you have to carry your whole load all by yourself. I would like you to talk to me when you are ready. The best sigh of a good couple that I can think of is when they talk and work things out together." He steps out of the shower and towels off. When he stands he looks full at you and steps to where you are, folding you into his arms and kissing you. When he steps away, his desire for you is evident and he looks down then back up at you with a blush. "Well, I guess you can see just how attracted I am to you. I do hope that you give me another chance to show you."

Lina follows Stan to the shower, although she stops by the door. She surely can't say she doesn't like what she's getting to see. "Okay then, I'll just take it as it comes. I'm not too familiar with those things and how they're handled over here, that's all." The remark about the thinking time doesn't go over her head, but she has reasons that whether she takes this time doesn't matter. After all, she knows she's under close scrutiny, even if its just the 'good' kind. She scratches the back of her head and the room falls silent as she simply watches Stan shower for a bit before speaking up again. "I know, Stan." Still, she's reluctant to drag other people in. If she was able to get into that drek by herself, she ought to be able to get out again by herself as well, at least in her own small black-and-white world, that only holds two sorts of people... She knows which one she aspires to be. She kisses Stan after he is done with toweling and follows his eyes down and back up. "I pretty sure can... Not that I mind." She kisses him again and makes the few steps back to the door. "I'll leave you to your dressing and go see where the rest is. See you in a bit !" She leaves the room and heads towards the patio to see if the two others were back already. She moves silently, as she hasn't been wearing shoes or socks since her arrival the day before. Should she encounter no-one at the patio, she'd make a detour to the fridge and get another glass of soy-milk to go outside with her.

Leaving the room, you walk down the hallway to the large living room. Both Tony and Dot are sitting on the couch and Tony asks, "That was a lot of noise. Are you alright?"

Dot pushes his shoulder. "Hush, goober. I think that was Lina thinking about being our mom."

Tony smiles. "Really, are you? Cool. I think you would be great."

Dot stands and walks with you to the kitchen and watches while you get some more soymilk. "Hey, Lina? Don't let Tony push you. I know this is a big choice for you. I happen to think that you and dad would be perfect for each other. But I am not you and I do not want to see you rush into this without being sure. I know it might embarrass you a bit, but it does sound like there is no problem in at least one aspect of the relationship. I will say that I think you would be a great wife and mom."

Lina opens the fridge, gets the container with the soymilk and a glass from the cupboard and fills it. "Why should I be embarrassed by that ? Admittedly, the noise might have gotten a bit out of hand..." She puts the container back where she got it from and leans with her back against the counter. "But as you said, let's not jump to things here. I'm sure the prospect of someone else around here with all that entails looks great. Just keep in mind that most of you have only seen me in my more agreeable state. Present company excluded to some degree. Apart from that, not everyone copes well when they find out their wife and/or mum can snap their arm like a twig." She chuckles and drinks some of the cold milk. "Doesn't mean I'm a rage monster at my worst, but that can be pretty intimidating for some. As you said, we'll wait and see how things turn out." She takes another sip and gives Dot a curious look. "How's your homework going ? Any progress so far ?"

Dot nods. I understand that.......wait, did you say snap my arm? Wow. You do not look that strong, are you 'wared up?" She looks at you in a whole new light. "I never considered that. I know dad has tons of stuff in him, but I guess I just did not think................ Hmmm. Puts a new meaning to spankings, I guess." She looks amused and continues. "But, yeah, none of us have known you or you us for more than a couple of days. However, I do think that your character has come out in that time. Sure, there will be times when you lose it or have a bad day. That happens to all of us and we just need to learn to cope. My dad can be the same way when he goes all internal about something. He has a lot of responsibility and he cannot talk about his job to any of us, and that has to be tough on him. But I do think that he is worth catching, although I am a bit prejudiced. And look what you get as part of the package deal." She holds up fingers as she counts. "Husband who adores you and wants to make you happy, an older daughter that would love the sort of mother-daughter relationship I think we can have as well as the teacher-student and supervisor roles, a son who needs a mother who loves and wants him. That was the worst part when she left; she stood at the driveway to the city apartment and told us all that she wanted nothing to do with any of us. he just did not understand and kept calling for her to come back. She ignored him and left. He still does not understand, but I think he accepts it now." She looks a bit sideways at you. "So have you given much thought to being a mom? Lots of responsibilities involved in the job. You know, just between the two of us, I think you would make a great mom. Have you ever thought of allowing yourself to get pregnant?"

After that question bomb, she is silent until you ask about homework. She nods and says, Yes, been looking at the med books for a while. Will do more after we eat and clean up. I really appreciate the extra time you are spending teaching me stuff that I will need. I hope that I do not let either of us down."

"We'll see, should be an interesting next week then. But if you keep up with what I've seen so far, I don't see much trouble." She shoots Dot a sly glance and takes a sip of milk. If her hands could keep up with appearances, it was about time to start thinking about stage two. She chuckles as Dot asks about her being 'wared up'. "An implanted biomonitor and a few other modifications. They come in pretty handy at times like the attack earlier this week." She eyes Dot again. "But then, that arm-snapping hasn't too much to do with the 'ware... Even without the stuff, I don't think it'd be much of a problem. It all boils down to lever, pivot, the right amount of force and knowing when and how to apply it. Me, I prefer technique over brute force when I have that choice. However..." She grins and takes some more milk. "Not judging you on whether you see that as a good or bad thing, but I don't really spank people, especially adults." After all, in those situations really calling for it, she prefers a measured slap to the face. "And I also don't break limbs to prove a point, I reserve that for different circumstances, so no worries there."

Lina listens thoughtfully and nods. "I can imagine that was pretty fragged and also pretty shitty display of motherhood." The question about motherhood and pregnancy catches her off-guard. She put the glass down on the counter and thinks for a while before replying. "A few times, but circumstances were against it. Most of the time, the relationships ended before things got far enough. And looking at my line of work, being a single mum isn't really something I see as feasible. Sure I could pass the kids off to my relatives, but then, what's the sense of having children if you don't take the time for them ?" She shrugs and turns to re-fill her glass. Without looking at Dot, she hands the question back. "What about you ? Any designs in that direction or are you still taking advantage of your occupation and freedom and save that for later ?"

Dot smiles, "Me? No, no thoughts of motherhood just yet. There have been a couple of guys to have fun with. One seemed serious until one night he got drunk and it came out he was dating me on a dare and that ended that. Pre-med was a bit intense and I needed some release once in a while, but nothing stuck, you know? And Med school is just way to much to be looking at anything permanent. And no one seems to be overly interested in anything but having me as a good time anyway, so no danger yet. Besides, anyone I get serious about would have to pass the "dad test", and perhaps the "mom test" and I haven't found anyone capable of that yet. Besides, there is this nagging idea that I might have inherited some pretty fragged up parenting skills and I wonder if I want to subject any kids to that."

"Can't say I don't know that feeling... Med school is a bad place for that kind of thing with the fees and all that. My mum ditched her job training when my older sister was born and hasn't been able to get a placement after that. Now that basically all of us are out of the house in one way or another, she's working in a meat plant. Way to go from what she aimed at when she was your age. That's the way it goes. Thing happen and responsibilities are thrust upon you. All you can do is face those challenges and do the best you can. Me, I think she did a good job, especially after dad's departure. I know for a fact that none of us was really planned and they always had the option to not have one of us for the sake of convenience, but they never did. Thing weren't great, but we got by." She nods, turns back around and empties the glass. "Eh, I've seen enough people whose parenting skills made them like King Midas, only whatever they touched turned into drek, not gold. Say what you want, but neither you nor Tony look like you've been raised by one of those and Stan doesn't strike me as that much of a clueless parent.

My dad wasn't the best or more than mediocre. He was unable to keep regular jobs for long, he drank too much and he raised us with the Army method. It was the only way of training people he knew. He had those moments where he would shout at us for some irrelevant things or where he wouldn't know where he was or who we were. Mum used to say the war broke him. But he also could be funny and whimsical. He taught me a lot of the things I still like to do today. He busted his ass to get the things we needed. He would have done anything for us to ensure we would get the chances and choices he never had. He hadn't inherited the best parenting skills and wasn't too good at showing us he loved us or cared. But that never stopped him from trying. For those of us who were old enough to have some recollections of him that go beyond pictures and videos, that was enough. It still is." She puts the glass with the other dirty dishes and places the milk back in the fridge. "Yet here again I am, finding myself telling long-winded stories instead of just cutting to the chase. What I wanted to say... Parenting skills aren't unimportant, but they aren't everything either. Most of my parents' kids turned out to be compatible with mainstream society, so there's that." She chuckles and closes the fridge.

Dot looks at you for a bit after you finish talking. “Wow. Sounds like you had it rough, too. Please don’t get me wrong, Dad is The. Best. Dad. Ever. In my opinion. But we needed a mom, too, and she just was not there for us. We were more a burden she could complain about to her friends than anything else. I do not know who my biological father is. Certainly not the man she was married to when I was born. I guess he suspected something and had a DNA test done and I was not his. He dumped her. And me. Did not want anything to do with her or a kid to remind him of her, I guess. She swooped in and plucked dad up and he was the greatest. He adopted me and now I had a father. But still no mother. I think dad invented his own brand of parenting and it worked out well enough with me, I think. And I don’t think Tony is doing all that bed, either. And goodness knows dad had it rough with me. I was not the best of children by any definition of the term. And when she left I sort of expected to lose him, too, just like the first time. But he just gathered us in his strong arms and said we were on our own for a while, just the three of us. Together. Family. I think I cried for days for what he was doing and for how I had treated him in the past. That day was my real birthday, because I grew up a lot right there on that porch that day.”

“He was already the father of record on Tony’s birth certificate, even though he is not the biological father, so he did not have to do any formal adoption. And whoever the real father is did not come around. I can remember that my father came to just about every special event I ever had in school. I used to be embarrassed when he would jump up and down and let people know “that is my daughter”. What ever it was. He was always up front taking pictures and telling everyone how great his daughter was. Some of the other kids used to make fun of me because of him and it sort of torqued me off, you know. I was super embarrassed when he volunteered to be the chaperone at school events, like dances. The boys were so afraid that he would arrest them for copping a feel or offering me a dope stick or a drink that I never got to do all of those things. All those things you think you want to do when you are young, especially because Becky James or Charlotte Hodges are doing them. Well Becky and Charlotte got preggers in senior year and dropped out to have babies and are not doing so well. My father kept my knees together in spite of myself and I do not regret not doing any of those things one bit now.”

“And his antics have not stopped. Someday you should ask me what he did when I graduated from high school. I was still embarrassed and was going off to tell him, but Jilly stopped me. She is perhaps my very best BFF; maybe my only one. I have known her practically since the day I came to live with dad as she used to live across the street from us. She asked why I was embarrassed. I thought and thought and I could not tell her why. She told me that the other kids we had grown up with were making fun of me because they were jealous of me. They all wanted dads like mine but I was the only kid that had one. So I stopped being embarrassed. He topped himself when I finished top of my class at university and was one of only four people selected for the advanced med school program here. Soon after I had moved in with him, he found me crying over something, who knows what anymore, and he asked me what I liked best. I knew he was trying to cheer me up but I was being stubborn and stupid and I made something up and told him I liked clowns with red and yellow balloons. He drew me one on a piece of paper and told me that he would be my clown if I let him. I just cried and nodded and we never spoke of it again. He showed up at my university graduation, in the middle of my valedictorian speech, leading a group of six clowns with scads of red and yellow balloons in their hands. I knew which one was him because all the rest could do clown tricks and he was horrible at it. I stopped in the middle of my damned speech, too amazed to continue. Catcalls came in from all over the audience for disrupting the cermony. The chancellor called for security. A dozen KE officers pulling duty as security came out to chase the clowns away and there was some sort of series of pratfalls, missed grabs, and accidental collisions for almost twenty minutes. It was soon obvious that it was all rehearsed and the audience was howling in stitches at something he later told me was pure Keystone Kops. He had done it all for me. Planned it for years just for me. For me. And I am not even his kid.”

Dot turns away and you an see her rubbing her hands on her face as she almost whispers, “Greatest. Fragging. Father. Ever.” She turns and you can see the tracks of some of her tears. “And you know what? You want to know the best part? The very best part.? Lina, he loves you. I can see it in his eyes when he watches you. I can hear it in his voice when he talks about you. He sees in you what I see in you, only on a different level and with a different perspective. Don’t stay with him if you don’t love him, and certainly not because Tony and I want it. Let him go if you don’t want him, but don’t deny to yourself that he loves you. Don’t use that as an excuse to leave, because it just isn’t true. If even I can see that, then you can, too. Let him enter your world and you will be telling everyone you know that he is the Greatest. Husband. Ever.”

You hear a slight noise and turn to see Stan standing in the living room and just looking at you from about thirty feet away. Tony is standing beside him with eyes as big as saucers and his mouth hanging open. Dot mutters, “Just fragging great!” She quickly moves to grab Tony’s arm. “Let’s go, sport.”

“I wanna stay.”

“You will come with me if you want any chance of her being our mom.” Tony shuts his mouth and turns to go with her. Dot calls over her shoulder. “We’re taking some water and going to the lake. Back in two hours.” As Tony heads to the patio fridge for some bottled water, he says, “The lake? Goody. I bet I can still skip rocks better than you.” Dot’s response is lost as the kids race down the yard to the expanse of water in the distance.

Stan barely acknowledges their departure, continuing to look at you. He finally nods. “OK, well.” He pauses then continues as he waves his hands in the general direction of the lake behind him in the distance. “So, all of that. Not really all that important except the last part. I was holding off saying it because I did not want to send you running back to the city. But after that, I suppose it needs saying now. Lina, I do love you. I have never known anyone quite like you. You are brave and defiant and tender all at once. My heart aches for what it can give you and for what you can give back. But it would ache even more if you said yes for the wrong reasons. I love you with all my heart. The kids love you. I think that you would be a perfect fit for our family, the thing missing. Dot was wrong about one thing, though. She said I did that clown thing even though she was not my kid. But she IS my kid and has been from the first day I saw her. She was scared and defiant and she wanted to be so adult and so much a child all at once. I never thought twice about adopting her, or about claiming Tony as mine. They are my kids and I want to make them yours as well.”

He takes a deep breath. “So, I guess that’s it. I am not good at this sort of thing, so here it just goes. I love you. I am asking you to marry me and I hope that, if you can’t say yes, that you will at least think about it. I want to be your partner in everything and to have you as my partner in the same everything. I can promise that there will be times when we do not see eye to eye on things and we will probably fight tooth and talon on occasion, but I will promise to never let the sun set while mad at you, to carry you to bed for as long as my muscles will allow, to absolutely love you forever, to do my best to make you happy and take care of your needs, and to treat you as you deserve to be treated.”

His voice falls off and he stands there, looking at you.

Lina shrugs. "Eh, in a way everyone has, so no big deal, really." She nods and listens to Dot's story and the way she highlights her father's achievements and his
efforts of making sure that she grew up right, especially in the light of her mother's... less than stellar performance. Oh, she knows quite a few of that kind, not all
of them as self-absorbed or egoistical as the example she's being presented with, but nonetheless the number is too high for her liking. The mentioned antics coax a chuckle from her. "I can imagine ! he went through a lot of trouble for you guys..." When the topic comes to Stan's feelings for her, she doesn#t find a lot to reply.
She knows, after all. After all that's been said and done, the signs were too obvious to miss for any person with even remotely normal eyesight. Still, she can't shake a certain uneasy feeling that seeps into her with what a more cynical person than herself would describe as coming pretty close to a sales pitch. Dot is doing a good job with it, too. Not that there is little to bring up, Dot's points have a lot of merit. She is willing to put the uneasiness with certain points that she ascribes to the typical American sentiment. As she scratches the back of her neck, still unsure what to say, she slightly turns her head and notices the two others that have joined them without getting noticed earlier. Well, this got awkward fast... Her eyes go from Dot to Stan and Tony and then back again. Dot reacts quickly and removes herself and Tony from the scene. Lina isn't sure whether that#s good or bad, but she gets the distinct impression it'll be a short time until she'll get the opportunity to find out.

And boy, does she find out. What has been said can't be taken back and so Stan details his feelings for her. She's positively touched and taken aback, although she might have seen it coming. The words coming at her make her swallow and she doesn't know what to say at first. "I know..." That's all of a response she's able to get out. Nothing of which would have been a problem. At least until Stan actually proposes.

Well, shit.

Lina sure as hell doesn't know what to do about that last thing. Dot had already alluded to the issue more or less stealthily, but now the elephant is out in the room.
And it's not going to leave just like that. She is caught completely flat-footed. Why ? Why this ? Why now ? She can't seem to comprehend the reasoning behind that and that makes it even worse. Just when she thought she had everything more or less figured out. Just when she had started to settle into things. She should be glad to hear those words, there were times when she would have given a lot to hear her then-partner say them, but right now ? She isn't. She wants to shout at Stan. Hit him. Hard. Let him catch a glimpse of the frustration and emotional turmoil she's going through. But she won't do that, no matter how desperately she wants to. She knows herself better than that. So she just looks at him, until she is able to get herself together again. Until she knows how to react. Or so she thinks.

"Why ?" Her voice is bleak and toneless. "Why, Stan ?" Her voice trembles and she doesn't know for sure whether it's anger or emotional distress that causes it. She feels her hands curl into tightly clenched fists. "You... I just..." She knows what she wants to say, but getting the words together proves way more difficult than
expected. "I..." She gives up and just pushes her way past him, with force if necessary and makes her way back to the guestroom. Omce she has arrived there, she locks the door and sits on the bed in silence to think about what was going on.

Saturday 9 June 2075 1702 Stan's Cabin



Time passes. No one disturbs you. Eventually, you can smell the aroma of food cooking as it wafts up to your window. Just as you can hear the clock in the room chime out five, there is a soft knock at your door and you hear Stan say. "Lina, I brought you some dinner. I was not sure how you like your steak so it is medium. I will leave it here." There is a slight noise outside the door then steps fading away.

It feels like several hours pass while she's just lying there, hands behind her head, looking at the ceiling and thinking. What the hell is she supposed to do and even more important not to do ? She still had no idea how to go on from here and how to diffuse the situation that she had detached herself from earlier. Of course she knew that said situation was still waiting for her downstairs quite patiently and that there was little to be done about that except for confrontation. The when and how is pivotal of course and that makes the matter so fragging complicated. The knock at the door tears her out of those thoughts and makes her aware of the time that has passed. What now ? She doesn't know. No. She does. What she doesn't like is what that means for her and all other people involved. Ah, drek, someone's got to do it, might as well be me... She gets up, opens the door, takes the food and goes downstairs to get a seat and see what the others are up to.

Saturday 9 June 2075 1710 Stan's Cabin



You an hear the sounds of the trideo game as you descend the stairs. Reaching the floor, you see Tony on the couch engrossed in the game. Dot is sitting near him, but reading from a pad. Neither seem to notice you. Stan is visible through the patio door, sitting in one of the chairs. His back is to you as he seems focused on the yard to the rear of the house.

Lina walks through the kitchen to the fridge. She puts her plate onto the kitchen counter and pulls the door open. Looking over the contents, she gets a beer out and uses another bottle to open the first one. With the second bottle back in the fridge, she picks her food and drink up and walks through the patio door to get outside. Once there, she sits on one of the chairs and makes herselfcomfortable to start eating. The only remark she directs at Stan is a short "'Sup ?" as she sits down.

Stan has a plate of food on the table but it seems mostly untouched, as is the bottle of beer next to the plate. He watches as you sit and nods, “Well, thanks for asking. I have proven to not be very good with words or timing, so please bear with me. I would say that the day started off amazingly well and then went sideways. I have been sitting here, trying to figure out if there is any way to salvage what I have done to the most beautiful and interesting woman I have ever met. I am not sure she is all that interested in me anymore, even if the chemistry seemed to be there for a while. Do you think that maybe I could bounce the situation off you and get some advice? See, I am so totally in love with her that I lost focus and failed to determine whether she was in love with me. I told her what was in my heart but I have never been that good with words and it must have come out all wrong because all it did was seem to make her angry. I thought she was going to hit me and wish somehow that she had. A good physical scene might have got everything out in the open and might have ended poorly, but it might had led to a resolution and an understanding.”

“Instead, she went up to her room and stayed there a few hours and I have been thinking a lot of what it would mean if she just left and I could never see her again. Would life here go back to normal after a period of sadness and regret, back to when I could just sit here and look out at the lake down there and the stars at night? Sadly, I believe the answer to that is a resounding no. I have known this woman for only a couple of days, but she has had the most astounding effect on me. Some people, perhaps you included, would say it is just lust. After all, she is quite lovely to look at and I can see how some might get that impression, but no, that is not it. I do think of her in a very sensual manner, but my feelings run so much deeper than just wanting to have sex with her. No, what I feel is much more than that, but is so difficult to explain, even to myself. I have never felt this way about any other woman and rather believe that she is unique in that regard. And I totally flubbed trying to tell her that and it all came out wrong, I guess.”

“I want to wake up next to her and have my eyes and my smile be the first thing she sees every day. I want to carry her to bed every night and blow her mind with the joy and happiness that two people in love can bring to a relationship. I want to watch her grow old and be able to tell her every day that she is more beautiful now than at any other time and that she is only getting better. I want other people to look at us and instantly know that we are in love. Of course, all of that takes two people and it is not enough if only one person is in love and the other is only in like, if indeed that much. So, any advice? How do I tell this woman that she has burrowed deeply into my heart and that I will never get her out of it, not even if she just leaves and never comes back? What words do I use to tell her all of this? So far, my own words have been inadequate to the task and I apparently need help. I was moving very fast, probably too fast for her, but I love her so much that the words could not be kept inside. So here I am, totally lost without her and trying to get advice from you on what to say to her.”

"Sure thing, let's see what comes of it." Lina lets Stan do the talking while she does the eating in silence, nodding every now and again to indicate she's still listening. As soon as she's done with the food, she sets the plate aside and finishes the bottle of beer off, putting it to the ground next to the chair. "Now, I'm pretty sure she'd find all those things very flattering and would be impressed how much an effect she's having on you. But I think you already see the issue that popped up." She sighs and shakes her head, holding up two fingers. "Two simple words: Too soon." She takes down one finger with each word. "I mean, you know her for how long now, a week ? Let's say it is a week, for the sake of simplicity. You love her, OK. You want a relationship, OK. But I really wonder what the actual frag came over you to fragging propose after, like 36 hours at your place ? If that were me and there had been a physical scene, you could count yourself lucky if your head was still attached !" Lina sighs and scratches the back of her head. "Dropping that bomb right in front of her straight out of the blue with no warning whatsoever after that short period of time, what did you expect to happen ? Honestly !" She shakes her head again. "I mean..." She thinks about the words she's looking for. It takes a while to find them. "I mean, God-damn-it, man !" She looks a bit taken aback as she realises what just slipped from her and silently chides herself for her bad and frivolous choice of words. "That's one of those things I don't get about you Americans. It's all about you, it's all or nothing and if you want something, it has to be right now. If that means risk to alienate that girl because of..." She looks for words again, doing some incoherent gestures with her hands while doing so. "Stuff. Like, if she's as perfect as you'll think, she'll happily agree and if not, there's still enough time to mourn over what was not to be. Why waste time with actually seeing how things turn out ?" She exhales and looks at Stan. "Dunno how you think about that part, but I just-don't-get-it."

Stan gives a weary half smile. “Sounds like I really messed up. I told you I was horrible about this. I was never really into dating at all. Too shy and nervous in high school to even talk to girls, then the military and no time to talk to girls, well, except the ones you paid for and that really isn’t the same thing. Then here and bam, Liz takes me by storm, then nothing since she left.” He shakes his head. “I won’t go into some long-winded explanation for my poor timing, but I hope that there is still a chance for me with you." He motions in the direction of the lake. " I built a couple of covered benches down at the lake and it is a great view of the water. We might even see some wildlife down there and the fish will be jumping for insects soon. There are some beers and sodas stocked in a frig down there and I would love to show it all to you if you fancy a walk.”

"We'll see... Here's a hint: I'd avoid that m-word, that w-word and the h-word like hell in the near and middle future and work with what you got so far." She stretches and gets up, careful not to get too close to the bottle or the cutlery. She looks at Stan and nods. "In that case, lead the way."

Stan rises from the table and tells the kids that the two of you are going for a walk to the lake. The path is leads across a field of grass and wildflowers and Stan walks next to you. He motions with his arm to the array of colors surrounding you and says, "Do you know anything about these flowers? I know very little, but they certainly are pretty, in my opinion."

The walk is not too long and you see a small shelter against some trees as you approach the lake. He reaches out an arm to stop you just before reaching the small promontory the shelter sits on, pointing off to where three small deer are standing at the lake edge and drinking. All too soon they bound away and he takes you the rest of the way up. The shelter is not overly fancy; merely a rock and concrete pad with log walls and a roof. There are two long, padded benches and a locked chest on the floor, along with a metal fire pit. Stan motions to the benches and chest. "The chest has some blankets and there is a wood bin just past the far wall that has some chopped firewood for the fire. The fridge is in the ground underneath a trap door right over there. Now, if we are quiet, we might see a couple more deer come down and the fish will be jumping at insects right about now as well." Even as he says that, you see a fish break the water in search of some of the insects flying about. The splash sends small ripples through the water. He sits down and invites you to join him.

Asked about the flowers, Lina is able to roughly identify two out of the masses of flowers although those aren't the pretty ones, they just remind her of some of the plants she has been told to avoid like the plague due to them being poisonous. But they sorta look nice too, if only in a more subdued fashion. "Those two there look like stuff I think I was told not to eat unless I had masochistic tendencies. The rest ? No idea." She shrugs as she walks past until they come to the pad. As Stan describes the accessories the place comes with, she whistles through her teeth. "Are you always that crazy prepared or is this some sort of vantage point you frequent more often ?" She sits at the bench next to Stan and watches nature being... nature. It#s a nice change to actually see something like that, not quite as disturbed by human intervention than in the places she's been mostly. She thinks about lighting a cigarette, but that thought feels like a sacrilege in its own right, so she doesn#t go through with it and just sits and watches the things that happen around them.

Saturday 9 June 2075 1930 Lakeshore at Stan's Cabin


Stan sits and looks out at the water for a bit, not saying anything. You can hear sounds echoing off the water from the far side of the lake and once you think you hear the snarl of a large animal from nearby. Stan nods his head in the general direction of that noise. "Old Yeager, I would guess. Huge mountain lion that has roamed these woods for years. He has been known to take down large animals, but usually stays clear of people. He is just marking his turf, and even the bears shy away from him." He stands and moves to the wood shed, grabbing an armful of split logs and setting them on and near the fire pit. He sets some kindling and lights the fire before returning to the bench. "Something about sitting in front of a nice fire on a night like this. Here, let me get you something for the chill. The fire will heat the front, but the back will feel a bit less warm." He goes to the other bench and opens the top to reveal a storage bin, taking a couple of blankets out. He shakes one open and drapes it around your shoulders before sitting back down next to you.

Lina knows full well that 'a bit less warm' was the understatement of the month. She likes to compare it to being cooked in the front and being able to feel the ice residue settle down on the back when the weather is right. Basically the only thing missing for some good campfire fried eggs are some eggs and a proper entrenching tool, not one of the new ones that have been painted for improved camouflage. Nobody likes their eggs saturated with olive paint. "You got an awful lot of wildlife out here apparently. No concerns they'll ever try to pose some problems or do a little property damage to this place ?" She pulled the blanket closer around herself and looked into the flames that were slowly growing. "I mean, OK, concrete, but still, there haven't been any incidents, have there ?"

Saturday 9 June 2075 1950 Lakeshore at Stan's Cabin


Stan nods his head. "Once in a while we do. A cushion ripped up and scat left just off the concrete pad, that sort of thing. Nothing more than that, really. Most of the wildlife tends to just leave us alone here." He is content to sit next to you and enjoy the fire, getting up once in a while to add a log or two. He puts the second blanket around his own shoulders and asks, "So, where did you serve?"

"Me ? I've got that magnetism for rural backwaters that have been bombed back into the Stone Age... I went to Sarajevo in '63 and what can you say ? Everything except the churches and mosques has been blown into drek and only holds up due to either corporate funding or some faith, spit and stuff that most architects would balk even looking at. Same with infrastructure. Little electricity, big issues with water and fickle Matrix depending on how much of the wires were still up that particular day and few streets left in acceptable condition. Which might have been due to the mortar fire into the city every now and then. The natives call those craters 'Roses from Sarajevo. Romantic, eh ? I returned there in '71 and very little had changed. They even still had that wired Matrix and it was still very unreliable. I bet nothing much will have changed in 20 years or so." She shrugs. Little use in trying to keep several bunches of violent fanatics and greedy politicians and corps from killing each other as long as they are that invested in their... 'traditions'. "Poland was nicer. Not because of the landscape and infrastructure, that was still pretty fragged up only two years after the end of the civil war, but people weren't completely focused on killing themselves and us. Admittedly, there was still some bad blood and we got some nasty looks if we talked to the people in the wrong language. Too bad my Russian is a lot better than my Polish, I guess, but at least I could speak with some natives. The Balkans wasn't as forthcoming with that, they speak some stuff noone understands. Poland was mostly normal duty with some extra shifts in guarding our stuff against members of the underworld."

Saturday 9 June 2075 2015 Lakeshore at Stan's Cabin


Stan smiles and nods. "I completely understand the rural backwater reference. Most of my service was in similar surroundings, but a lot closer to one ocean or another. Cannot say much about it, but I totally understand when you talk about some people willing to put everyone, including themselves, in the stone age to prove their religion or their culture is superior to everyone else's. My missions were mostly of the get in, do the job, and get out again sort, so I was never in one place long enough to see the things you did. And, yeah, I got you when you talk about the underworld. The black marketeers were everywhere, even on secure bases. Our own people stole stuff for the big payouts and we could not keep the locals from risking life and limb by scaling razor wire fences and trying to break into secured bunkers. Amazing talents, some of those guys. I could use some of them in the KE organized crime unit, but they could not pass the background or psych tests. So, are you a real doctor?"

Lina shrugs. "To each their own. Personally, I like to think of those sort of things as a matter of live and let live, where possible. Where not possible... You get the idea." Ah, she knows that stuff, missions you're not supposed to talk about and all that. His last question makes her chuckle. A curious question, wasn't it ? "Would it make much of a difference if I wasn't a 'proper' Doctor, but a veterinarian or dentist ? As things are, I'm not burdened by any sort of medical degree. People at the clinic don't really distinguish between the real doctors and the mere paramedics, EMTs or whatever you guys call that stuff over here, like me. I'm not too savvy with the English legalese for whats the exact term applying here. That makes some of the more specific legal stuff a bit tricky in the grey and black areas, but people don't really distinguish. You wear those scrubs and get them back onto their feet, you're a doctor, easy as that."

Saturday 9 June 2075 2020 Lakeshore at Stan's Cabin


Stan looks at you then nods. "Yes. I have seen men and women with pieces of paper and strings of letters after their names who could not heal if the patient was not in a text book. On the other hand, I have also seem EMTs and paramedics who braved death to try to heal wounded. Some died in the process. I think that you are of the latter sort. You are a remarkable woman, Army, just remarkable." With that, he goes silent, looking into the fire. He rises to add a couple of logs to the blaze and retakes his seat next to you.

"Well, its a question of ability and willingness. One of the two is a good start, but in whatever job you are, it takes both to be truly great. I can understand people who are not willing to take too great personal risks or still have to build the confidence in their abilities they need to make the hard and fast descisions. Admittedly, there are a lot of people who view their job as a cushy meal-ticket, but still having one of those is better than having none. In the end, its personality that counts and some circumstances bring that personality out. In situations like that, the most arrogant and competent young physician with the biggest mouth on this side of the Adria can have their knees turn into pudding. In the same situation, the unassuming dentist who is pushing fifty-five with four kids and the first grand-kid on the way proves he has ice-water in his veins and more guts than everyone else combined. What people say or what job they have is unimportant. What people do when it counts, that's what's important." She nods and looks into the flames for a while. "People who put their job above everything else can have a big impact, but they also don't have a tendency to get old enough to retire. I got one of those stories when I started working at the clinic and was in the first row to witness a second. When time's up, it's up. Nothing to be done about that, really. We carry on until we're next or get out. Easy, isn't it ? I like things easy like that. It's a nice change from most other messes."

Stan nods his head. “I totally understand all of that and have seen it in both of my careers. Certainly more in the service than with the KE here, but I think it holds true in almost any walk of life. Some people will go through life without ever being faced with a horrible choice that could determine whether people live or die. Others face it far too many times for their psyche to hold onto a shred of sanity or conscience. I think that I fit somewhere in between. I spent a lot of years evaluating data and intel from various sources and making decisions based on that intel and gut feelings and training. Sometimes, those decisions have to be made on the spot. I think that led to my rather hideous display of bad judgment earlier today. I took the data presented to me and made an evaluation of the situation. So far, so good, but then I made a rookie mistake by not correctly taking the personal factors into consideration. I tried to apply a military solution to a purely private and deeply personal situation. I am sorry that I embarrassed and angered you, and am quite glad that you did not immediately demand to be taken back to the city. I have spoken to the kids, telling them how close I came to ruining everything with you and asked them to let me try to do this without further unsolicited help from them.” He laughs and shakes his head. “I must come across as one very supreme dork.” He looks over at you, “Do people still use that word? I do not really need to rely on my kids to get my point across, but I guess they see me as fairly useless in the romance department, which is very true, sadly enough, and they wanted to give me a push. I asked them to let me make my own blunders without help from them in the future.”

"To their credit, they were trying to be pretty subtle about it and that partly worked out. After all, they only had your best interest at heart, didn't they ? But we'll see how things will go if they are doing what comes close to their best with holding back." She is still a bit sceptical about that bit, but things will show how that works out. But she's curious in general how things will continue with the dynamics that are currently at work. So she does what she tends to do a lot and shrugs that off for the time being. No need to break her head over eggs that haven't been laid yet. "Apology accepted. So, what's the plan for the rest of the weekend ?" She has some things to do mapped out pretty well, after all, but at this point it might be interesting to hear the other side of things. Then she remembers the opportunity to get some info she has at hand at the moment. "Also do you know any local sports that are any good ? Im currently probing to get back into my exercise schedule, I've been pretty lazy the last few weeks." She pokes her stomach as if to illustrate the point.

OOC: Glad to see you back.

Saturday 9 June 2075 2030 Lakeshore at Stan's Cabin


Stan shrugs. “A schedule? Nah, weekends out here are not really scheduled. This is a time to relax and unwind. Is there something that you would like to do? If so, just say it and we can try to make it happen.”

He takes an undisguised look at your stomach then the rest of you as well. He drolly replies, “Yeah. You look like you need to work out a lot. From what I can recall, it all looks pretty fantastic to me. As for sports, hmmmmmm. Out here not much for anything in the team variety. Swimming, of course, in the pool or the lake, and hiking. We could go a couple of miles to Eddy’s place and borrow a couple of horses to ride. I have some exercise equipment just begging for someone to use it. In the city, now, lots of things to do. You could get on the local Blood Bowl team if you want to go that way. Pretty rough sport, though. The university has a pretty full range of team sports that you be able to get involved in. I could teach you some SCUBA if you are interested. The KE headquarters has a very nice gym and I could get you in on a guest pass. Lots of ways to stay physical, depending on your interests.”

Stan gets up to add a couple more logs to the fire and without looking at you, says, “You know, after a warm day like today, the lake might still be nice, if you want to go dip your toes in it.”

"Neh, I think I should take it easy with swimming for a few days... The last time got to me quite a bit. Got to disappoint you with the horses, I've never been able to establish a good rapport with those things." She thinks. "I don't think I need too much violence in my spare time when that already makes up most of my job, so thanks, but Blood Bowl is out, I guess." Admittedly, she has also seen a lot of violence in her active time with the club, but that can't be as bloody as what she thinks sounds like people slicing each other open for fun. She's heard they play Soccer here too, but she doesn't think too many people are into it, preferring what she sees as Rugby for girls. She still wants to have a look at how the Seattle team plays. "I appreciate the offer with the KE people, but I'd like to get my stuff with them in order before thinking about that sort of stuff." Still a bit dodgy around those guys ? Eh, shut up ! "Not to speak of time. With not even a week employed, Im still trying to work out my times for scheduling other things if I get the opportunity." She doesn't like that, but thats the way it is. "Who's this Eddy guy ?"

Stan laughs as he stands. "That lets out most of the things I mentioned. Maybe a hike, then? And Eddy? Nice guy. Eddy Romano. He lives a couple miles off that way. Well, I guess you could say he lives there about as much as I live here, which is not a lot anymore. He has a large mansion snug up against the side of a valley he owns. Keeps a few head of horses there. Used to be lots of parties there, but Eddy never had much luck with women, either. He has a big place on the Lakeshore that he calls home, but his real loves are a small sports bar named Eddy's and his stable of race horses. Pretty successful, too. He had one in the Cup, a rather impressive race, that ran today. Won, too. I think his share of the prize was about a million, plus part of the gate. He also likes real books and that one I had earlier is one of his that he let me borrow. Like I said, a nice guy. Perhaps I can see if he is home tomorrow and go introduce you. If you like."

"I originally wanted to make a few visits in hospital tomorrow, but if there's still some time left and depending on how that goes, I'm game." Mansion in a distant place, race horses and horse races, parties, last name that sounds Italian to her... It might not mean anything, but somehow this guy ticks off all the dots on her 'Mafia 101' list cleanly and in perfect order. Although with Stan as a neighbor ? Maybe it was her brain paying her back for over-addling it with crime literature. She'd see. Lina reaches out and uses the campfire to light a cigarette. Speaking of next week reminded her of some other things that need settling and pretty urgently, too. Not that she likes that, she sure doesn't. But there are few ways past that. "So, Monday... Who will I be taking to and is there anything I need to keep in mind ? Apart from not bringing any guns and perhaps thinking about what ID to bring." She'll see what she can get away with, but finds herself arguing in favour of putting her cards clear onto the table with the authorities. Sometimes that sort of thinking annoys her, like now. Yet, she'll need some sort of rapport established, depending on the people and what's coming at her there.

Saturday 9 June 2075 2100 Lakeshore at Stan's Cabin


Stan looks over at you. "You will be talking to Paul and our supervisor, Commander Trent. He oversees the entire Organized Crime Unit for KE in Seattle. Paul will be the one asking most of the questions unless the Commander wants to throw something in. Just tell the truth as you know it. You can take a gun to the building, but you will need to check it at the door. If it is not registered to you it will be confiscated and you will need to answer some different questions after you are finished with Paul. But you should have nothing to worry about. They are just making sure they have all the available information. For example, you may have seen or heard something a bit differently than I did and it might be important. You were defending the clinic and the people inside it from harm, a very brave thing indeed, let me tell you. One of the things I lo........I like about you."

"Do I look like the type that carries unregistered guns while making a habit of hanging out with cops ?" She phrases the question in a way that makes clear it sounds more serious than she means it. "There are enough people with guns where Im going, I doubt I'll need to bring one with me." The way Stan phrases it, it sounds like she should make a list of detail she still knows before they are fully committed to oblivion. Nothing she looks forward to, but again, it has to be done. Which leaves her with another matter for the big tour tomorrow. "So, I got another question, actually. As I'm preparing for that trip to the sprawl tomorrow and don't really have a license currently, I wanted to ask if I could borrow Dot and the car to get around. If both are free and nobody minds, of course." She doesn't think they do, but then, asking is the thing to do after all. And she still had to take care of some messages and other bits and pieces after all. "Also you mentioned that book collection of yours and with the gym in addition, would you mind giving me a tour of the house as is ?"

Stan looks away from the fire at you. "No problem with the car, but would you mind me as the driver instead of Dot? I have a couple of things I can do while you are visiting at the hospital. A better tour is certainly in order, but do you want to do that tonight or is tomorrow what you meant?

"Tomorrow, today would be a bit late after all and I get more prep time out of it." She decides it's better not to tell Stan what sort of prep time that entails. She glances over the fire and looks over to Stan. "So, what about we wait for the fire to burn down a bit, make our way back for that tour and then see to we get up tomorrow in due time so we can be where we need to be to do the things we need to do ?"

Stan nods and comes to sit next to you, making sure that the blanket is tucked around you. Soon enough the logs are down to embers and he uses a can of water to douse those. "Can't afford to let the fire get away."

He takes the blanket from you, folding it up and sticking it back in the bench before offering you an arm to escort you back up to the house. The kids have already gone to bed when you get there and Stan walks you through the ground floor of the large house. He guides you through some smaller storage rooms and then into a large room that seems to be a throwback to an older age; large stuffed leather chairs and a long couch. Book shelves line the walls, containing hard covered books, and the aroma of old leather and cigar smoke permeate the room. "This is probably my favorite room in the house. I can come here to get away from things. Just reading books or looking out the window at the wilds out there. It is my private place." He lets you run your hands along some of the books and drink in the leather before he takes you back into the hall and down to an exercise room. You recognize a number of the most modern exercise machines as he points to a door across the room. "That is a small sauna, and you can use it if you like. The instructions are on the wall inside. You will sweat a great deal. The cooling off shower is just over there and towels are in the bin just there. I recommend it as a great stress reliever. The wine cellar is off that way , through the door and down some stairs. Not too much in it of any serious note, but there are some nice wines"

Lina follows Stan back to the house. Perhaps he notices that she's not fully with him mentally, as she's still wondering about the next two days. Days that will prove very instrumental to how things will continue from here. It all boils back down to choices and descisions. Knight-Errant, the hospital, the Koreans... While she mostly walks in silence, the gears inside her head are turning relentlessly until they reach the house. At this point, she's sort of sure she's made up her mind on some of the issues in front of her. There's still doubt, but she knows it all depends on deciding on a matter of course and seeing it through. Do what you do. If it's shit, it will at least be shit with everything you got behind it. A piece of advice that has taken her far, both in the good and the bad sense.

Stan's private room is indeed a throwback to an earlier age and it piuques her interest. Her grandparents had a shelf of books, much smaller than this and also stuffed with less known literature. Lina herself had found herself pulling dome of the tomes out, but while it did help improve her russian, most of the things had been tiresome to read with lots of words she didn't know and that few people even used anymore. She ran a finger along the backs of the collected works thoughtfully. It's pretty impressive. She chuckles. "So which book to I have to pull to open the passage to the bat-cave, Mr Wayne ?"

She takes a note of the sauna and the well-maintained exercise room. Another time, she tells herself, she's not sure she fully has yesterday out of her bones yet already and she'll need to be fully there tomorrow. "Alright ! I'll go and familiarize myself with the stuff as soon as I can." She looks at her watch. "How about we call it a day and prepare for tomorrow ?" She kisses him on the cheek. "Thanks for the tour anyd everything ! See you tomorrow !"

Saturday 9 June 2075 2200 Stan's Cabin


Stan watches you as you roam about the den. He chuckles when you ask about the secret door and says, "If you think this is good, wait until you see Eddie's library. Now, that is something to see." He does not try to take advantage of your cheek kiss by turning into it and walks you to the stairs. "See you in the morning. Think I will stay up a bit and read for a bit. Good night."

Once safely in your room, you can relax.

Lina makes a point of double-cheking her taser's functionality upon arriving upstairs. She decides not to field-strip it, that'd be overdoing it in her mind. And there is another matter that needs to be addressed... She browsed for the contact data she had gotten from Mr Kim a moment. She still owed him a message, after all. Sorting out what she knew about her schedule, she put that into a nice little table and underlined that with a short personal message. Consider me on emergency call, Mr Kim. Schedule's in the appendix. Looking forward to working with you.

Is she looking forward to that ? No idea, really. It can be a cushy second job or it can end up like her job with BuMoNa. If she is lucky, she'll be able to work without being shot at. She isn't sure if she is about to be lucky, though, but there's just one way to find out. Getting the message out, she puts the alarm on and finally goes shower and looking after her other evening routine bits. After she's done with that, she goes to sleep...

The taser looks like it is fine condition and ready to repel the KE agent downstairs from violating you. He wisely does not make the attempt and you sleep through the rest of the night, waking at your alarm. You take care of your normal morning routine and when you come out to dress, you catch the aroma of breakfast cooking. When you go downstairs you find the kids cooking and setting the table. Tony looks at you but does not say anything. Dot puts a large platter of scrambled eggs on the table and eyes you. "Say, just wanted to say again that we're sorry. Please don't hold it against Dad. Speaking of which, he is out on a run but should be back in a few minutes. He just called to say he was rounding the lake and is on the way up the hill. He mentioned something about a need to flatten his stomach."

As she gets up and prepares to go downstairs, Lina listens into herself as to whether she's fitter now than she has been yesterday, and the answer turns out to be mostly positive, which is a definite plus. That doesn't mean she should overindulge, of course. Still, knowing she's back on track boosts her mood. Fully dressed, she comes down the stairs to find the kitchen a busy place. Her eyes wander over the table and from Tony to Dot and back again. "No need to, no one's getting into trouble." She smirks and walks over to the kitchen counter to see if she can make herself useful in any way, shape or form. "Right... How are you two doing today and what still needs a hand ?"

Both of the kids look relieved and the mood lightens considerably. Dot motions to the stove. "The bacon needs turning, if you want to help. And I have a couple of questions about some things I was reading in the text you assigned me."

The two of you can do the cooking and some chatting about her studies. When you have most of the food on the table, Stan comes into the house. He comes to the dining room, sniffing loudly. "Wow! Smells great. I will shower fast and be out soon. Don't wait on me." He smiles at you and goes off to the hallway to his room to shower.

Dot looks at you. "Do we wait or just dig in?"

Lina gets to work, turns the bacon and positions herself next to the stove to keep an eye on the bacon that was sizzling in the pan as well as on Tony and Dot. She gets back to the bacon every now and then to make sure it doesn't burn, discussing the questions Dot has about the text while she's at it. At times she wasn't too bad at this whole multitasking thingy ! The only issue is that she needs a bit to remember what text Dot is talking about, but it becomes clearer as their talk draws on, luckily. The food starts taking up more and more space on the table and when the majority of it has been served, Stan returns from his morning run. She smiles back and gives him a small wave as he passes towards the shower. As soon as he has left the room, she puts up whats still missing on the table and returns a part of the eggs and bacon to the stove to keep it warm until Stan returns. Personally, she doesn't mind cold food, but knows that warm beats cold in this case. As thats done, she sits down at the table. "You heard the man, just make sure there's enough left and the end of that shower, I don't want to have to roll ouy out of the kitchen."

The three of you dig in and it is readily obvious that some of the food is not some form of soy. You and Dot have made a good effort and the food tastes good. Stan joins you before too long and sits down, exclaiming at the quality of the cooking. Dot carefully mentions that you helped her in the kitchen and he looks at you in surprise. "Well, done, Lina. Thank you." He looks at Tony and Dot, adding, "I will be taking Lina into the city to visit the hospital. You two be alright here?"

Dot nods. "Sure, Dad, we'll be fine." She looks over at you. "You going to visit your friend that was hurt?"