Date: 6/18/2001 10:11 PM Central Daylight Time
From: Liet Duran
Liet had skipped the duels on Sunday night. She could hear them
downstairs---she'd left her door open a crack---and even though it was tempting
to go down and just say hi, really, just grab a drink, maybe, just for a quick
minute, she knew she'd go down and never come back up. And she had work to do.
Her room was a mess. Actually, her room was beyond a mess. Her room put
the stereotypical all-male college dorm room to shame. There was clothing
draped over the chair that sat at the small desk, which was littered with pop
cans, water bottles and a couple of passbooks. Most of her clothing, however,
was piled on the bottom of the closet floor. At the moment, Bailey was using
the pile as his bed, avoiding her random, rushing steps. First, she dusted the
small bookcase, picking up the few knick-knacks she'd placed upon it and
replacing them once it was clean. However, she barely managed to complete a
shelf before she was distracted by the clothing draped on the chair. Dustrag in
hand, she wandered that way and swept the clothing off into the pile in the
closet---or, rather, sweeping it atop Bailey----and gave the chair a cursory
dusting before heading back to the bookshelf. On her way there, however,
something poking out from beneath the bed snagged her attention, and soon she
was on hands and knees, dragging her bag and a couple more random pieces of
clothing, a mightily chewed-upon stick, a large piece of rawhide and a scrap of
fur that she didn't even want to think about out from beneath the bed. The
clothing was added to the Bailey-pile [and since when did she have this much
clothing, anyway?], the bag stuffed under her desk, and the rest of the ...
stuff ... went into the trash. Brushing her hands off, she tackled the shelf
again.
Really, Liet was just avoiding the fact that she had to do laundry. She
was wearing her last pair of clean jeans and her last shirt, a rather raggedy
old tank top. Bailey seemed to know that she was going to have to get at the
clothing he was laying on and would stretch, every-so-often, with that deep,
groaning sigh of contentment of which only dogs are truly capable.
Finally, when everything downstairs was quiet and deserted, after she'd
cleaned as much of the room as she could reach and had stripped the bed, Liet
lured Bailey downstairs with promises of treats. She refilled his water dish
and set out a handful of the dog treats she'd purchased earlier and, bundle in
her arms, made her barefoot way to the nearest laundry facility.
Little did Bailey know: the cleaning was far from over.
Father's Day
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Re: Father's Day
Date: 6/18/2001 10:20 PM Central Daylight Time
From: Liet Duran
Liet had a plan: a simple plan.
She returned to her room, laundry a neatly folded pile in her arms: sheets and
blanket at the bottom, two towels, two pairs of jeans, two pairs of cut-offs,
two flannel shirts, several t-shirts and tanktops, from the largest items on the
bottom to the very smallest items neatly squared and piled on top. She whistled
her way past Bailey, who had sprawled out against the bar, whistled her way up
the steps as he watched her, his head quizzically tilted; whistled her way into
her room.
And hoped she hadn't woken anyone up, now that she stopped to think about it,
setting her laundry on the bed and clapping both hands over her mouth. It *was*
pretty late. Quieter now, she put the neatly folded laundry away, put the clean
sheets on the bed, gave the room a few last tidying touches before heading back
downstairs. She moved around down there for a while, ignoring Bailey all the
while: humming softly under her breath, straightening the pillows on the
callers' couches, wiping down the tables, setting the chairs straight before
watering the plants and moving over to give the bar some attention, too. The
bartop was gleaming by the time Bailey gave in to curiosity, stepping quietly up
behind her and sniffing at the back of her knee. As if she'd never felt a
thing, Liet stepped aside and moved further down the bar, polishing a few errant
waterspots from a glass or two. By the time she was moving liesurely back
across the room, she had a hulking shadow in the form of a big, white and very
dirty dog.
Bailey loved to swim, but he hated being bathed. His own curiosity betrayed him
as he followed behind her, ears perked forward for any bit of attention she
might toss his way. Bailey loved his person even more than he loved to swim,
possibly even more than he loved to chase sticks and lay in the sun and sniff
butts. He didn't realize where that curiosity was leading until Liet had shut
the door tight and, by the time he realized what was going on, she'd already
lured him into a shower stall. He gave in gracelessly, tail tucked up against
his belly, ears back and amber eyes almost brown with the depths of the sorrow
in the gaze he aimed her way. Poor, poor Bailey.
Liet just hoped no one would mind that she was washing her dog in the lady's
showers.
From: Liet Duran
Liet had a plan: a simple plan.
She returned to her room, laundry a neatly folded pile in her arms: sheets and
blanket at the bottom, two towels, two pairs of jeans, two pairs of cut-offs,
two flannel shirts, several t-shirts and tanktops, from the largest items on the
bottom to the very smallest items neatly squared and piled on top. She whistled
her way past Bailey, who had sprawled out against the bar, whistled her way up
the steps as he watched her, his head quizzically tilted; whistled her way into
her room.
And hoped she hadn't woken anyone up, now that she stopped to think about it,
setting her laundry on the bed and clapping both hands over her mouth. It *was*
pretty late. Quieter now, she put the neatly folded laundry away, put the clean
sheets on the bed, gave the room a few last tidying touches before heading back
downstairs. She moved around down there for a while, ignoring Bailey all the
while: humming softly under her breath, straightening the pillows on the
callers' couches, wiping down the tables, setting the chairs straight before
watering the plants and moving over to give the bar some attention, too. The
bartop was gleaming by the time Bailey gave in to curiosity, stepping quietly up
behind her and sniffing at the back of her knee. As if she'd never felt a
thing, Liet stepped aside and moved further down the bar, polishing a few errant
waterspots from a glass or two. By the time she was moving liesurely back
across the room, she had a hulking shadow in the form of a big, white and very
dirty dog.
Bailey loved to swim, but he hated being bathed. His own curiosity betrayed him
as he followed behind her, ears perked forward for any bit of attention she
might toss his way. Bailey loved his person even more than he loved to swim,
possibly even more than he loved to chase sticks and lay in the sun and sniff
butts. He didn't realize where that curiosity was leading until Liet had shut
the door tight and, by the time he realized what was going on, she'd already
lured him into a shower stall. He gave in gracelessly, tail tucked up against
his belly, ears back and amber eyes almost brown with the depths of the sorrow
in the gaze he aimed her way. Poor, poor Bailey.
Liet just hoped no one would mind that she was washing her dog in the lady's
showers.
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Re: Father's Day
Date: 6/19/2001 9:08 AM Central Daylight Time
From: Liet Duran
"Liet?" Geoff Duran paused a moment as his voice, more accustomed to life in a lumbercamp, boomed out and filled the Outback, echoing from the rings to the balcony and back again. It wasn't the sort of place he'd thought to find his daughter, he supposed—but then again, why not? Another look around at the heavily crafted bar, the generously spaced rings, and
it occurred to the big, brawny man that he probably shouldn't be surprised. Before he could finish the thought, though, a door upstairs slammed and he could hear the thud of booted feet coming down the upstairs hallway and—there she was, flying down the stairs.
Nothing could warm a father's heart more, and a wide grin spread across Geoff's face as he spread his arms wide, stepping across the room to grab her up in a big bear hug, spinning her.
"You're early!" It was practically a squeal as she was spun, all over again a little girl as she hugged her father tightly. It was hard not to babble out how much she'd missed him and everyone else when he dropped her to the floor and settled his hands to her shoulders.
"It was all downhill," he grinned, deep blue eyes gleaming. "I must've overestimated the drive time. Say, are you getting taller?"
"Da... " she just rolled her eyes at him, turning out of his grip to elbow him in the ribs and head for the door. "C'mon, I've got a million things to show you today."
"Hey, hold up there, tiger." He caught her by the arm after overdoing the reaction to the elbow, and dragged her to a halt before she could reach the door. "What about this place right here? Where are we?"
"The Outback, home of the Duel of Fists," she announced with a grin. "I live up there," pointing up the stairs she had descended, "and get my butt kicked down here," pointing to the rings. "It's the first place that I've made some friends here in Rhydin. Maybe you can come watch the duels tonight?" Once again, she was pulling toward the door, and this time her father followed her, casting another glance around.
"Probably not tonight," Geoff said, "I've got another meeting tonight, after business hours."
"Bleh." Liet made a face at him. "I don't have to go to that one, too, do I? Getting me up this early was bad enough." Geoff shook his head in answer to the question as they headed out of the building, into the early morning.
From: Liet Duran
"Liet?" Geoff Duran paused a moment as his voice, more accustomed to life in a lumbercamp, boomed out and filled the Outback, echoing from the rings to the balcony and back again. It wasn't the sort of place he'd thought to find his daughter, he supposed—but then again, why not? Another look around at the heavily crafted bar, the generously spaced rings, and
it occurred to the big, brawny man that he probably shouldn't be surprised. Before he could finish the thought, though, a door upstairs slammed and he could hear the thud of booted feet coming down the upstairs hallway and—there she was, flying down the stairs.
Nothing could warm a father's heart more, and a wide grin spread across Geoff's face as he spread his arms wide, stepping across the room to grab her up in a big bear hug, spinning her.
"You're early!" It was practically a squeal as she was spun, all over again a little girl as she hugged her father tightly. It was hard not to babble out how much she'd missed him and everyone else when he dropped her to the floor and settled his hands to her shoulders.
"It was all downhill," he grinned, deep blue eyes gleaming. "I must've overestimated the drive time. Say, are you getting taller?"
"Da... " she just rolled her eyes at him, turning out of his grip to elbow him in the ribs and head for the door. "C'mon, I've got a million things to show you today."
"Hey, hold up there, tiger." He caught her by the arm after overdoing the reaction to the elbow, and dragged her to a halt before she could reach the door. "What about this place right here? Where are we?"
"The Outback, home of the Duel of Fists," she announced with a grin. "I live up there," pointing up the stairs she had descended, "and get my butt kicked down here," pointing to the rings. "It's the first place that I've made some friends here in Rhydin. Maybe you can come watch the duels tonight?" Once again, she was pulling toward the door, and this time her father followed her, casting another glance around.
"Probably not tonight," Geoff said, "I've got another meeting tonight, after business hours."
"Bleh." Liet made a face at him. "I don't have to go to that one, too, do I? Getting me up this early was bad enough." Geoff shook his head in answer to the question as they headed out of the building, into the early morning.
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Re: Father's Day
Date: 6/21/2001 12:41 AM Central Daylight Time
From: Liet Duran
Monday afternoon found Liet and her father sitting on the back deck of a tavern not too far from the lumberyard at which they'd spent most of the morning. It wasn't a beautiful tavern; the fare was plain, nor did it claim so much as a decent view. In fact, the only reason they were on the deck was to escape the noise of the lumbermen taking their lunches in the
main dining room. For all its shabby appearance and simple food, it was the nearest restaurant to the three competing lumberyards in the immediate area.
Their business for the day complete, Liet and her father sat idly in the sun, Geoff sipping at a cold ale and Liet, some iced tea. She couldn't help it; she couldn't bring herself to order any strong drink in front of her father. She was still, after all, his little girl. It tickled him pink, she could tell, and she could see that he was tickled by it today.
"So." Finishing off the last scrap of the big sandwich she'd ordered, Liet sat back in her seat. "Did you mean what you said, before we left?"
"Of course I did. Are you still sure you want to take me up on that?" Geoff watched his only daughter closely and shrugged. "You could come home."
"I know, Da." Nonetheless, she couldn't help but roll her eyes a little. "Sorry, but I'd ruin Melissa's day."
"You'd make Taryn's."
"Aw, Da, c'mon—don't start in on this with me." Liet shrugged her way out of her seat, pacing the deserted deck. Her arms folded tightly for a moment, twisting together and then apart before she settled for resting fists on her hip and turning away, facing over the railing.
"Your mother—"
"Made a promise she had no right to make. Made a promise she couldn't have kept even if she were alive."
"—was just trying to make sure you'd be taken care of. And I'm not so sure it was such a bad idea." Geoff trailed off as Liet spun on a heel, eyes narrow.
"That's so funny, Da. It was never an issue before. Now- what- alla sudden you're married, Melissa's expecting, and I should do the same?"
"No, Liet, that's not what I'm—"
"Then what? It was great, yanno, when it was just us. We were fine. And you told me I didn't have to do anything I didn't want to do. Hell, Da, he could be my grandfather!"
"If he were human. You know he ages differently."
"Great. So he can remarry after I die. But who'll arrange that one?"
"All right, Liet, we're gonna drop this now." Geoff sighed, holding his hands up in momentary surrendur.
"Finally," she snorted. "Let's go, okay?" Without waiting, she moves across the deck and disappears into the tavern, making her way to the front of the building.
From: Liet Duran
Monday afternoon found Liet and her father sitting on the back deck of a tavern not too far from the lumberyard at which they'd spent most of the morning. It wasn't a beautiful tavern; the fare was plain, nor did it claim so much as a decent view. In fact, the only reason they were on the deck was to escape the noise of the lumbermen taking their lunches in the
main dining room. For all its shabby appearance and simple food, it was the nearest restaurant to the three competing lumberyards in the immediate area.
Their business for the day complete, Liet and her father sat idly in the sun, Geoff sipping at a cold ale and Liet, some iced tea. She couldn't help it; she couldn't bring herself to order any strong drink in front of her father. She was still, after all, his little girl. It tickled him pink, she could tell, and she could see that he was tickled by it today.
"So." Finishing off the last scrap of the big sandwich she'd ordered, Liet sat back in her seat. "Did you mean what you said, before we left?"
"Of course I did. Are you still sure you want to take me up on that?" Geoff watched his only daughter closely and shrugged. "You could come home."
"I know, Da." Nonetheless, she couldn't help but roll her eyes a little. "Sorry, but I'd ruin Melissa's day."
"You'd make Taryn's."
"Aw, Da, c'mon—don't start in on this with me." Liet shrugged her way out of her seat, pacing the deserted deck. Her arms folded tightly for a moment, twisting together and then apart before she settled for resting fists on her hip and turning away, facing over the railing.
"Your mother—"
"Made a promise she had no right to make. Made a promise she couldn't have kept even if she were alive."
"—was just trying to make sure you'd be taken care of. And I'm not so sure it was such a bad idea." Geoff trailed off as Liet spun on a heel, eyes narrow.
"That's so funny, Da. It was never an issue before. Now- what- alla sudden you're married, Melissa's expecting, and I should do the same?"
"No, Liet, that's not what I'm—"
"Then what? It was great, yanno, when it was just us. We were fine. And you told me I didn't have to do anything I didn't want to do. Hell, Da, he could be my grandfather!"
"If he were human. You know he ages differently."
"Great. So he can remarry after I die. But who'll arrange that one?"
"All right, Liet, we're gonna drop this now." Geoff sighed, holding his hands up in momentary surrendur.
"Finally," she snorted. "Let's go, okay?" Without waiting, she moves across the deck and disappears into the tavern, making her way to the front of the building.