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Post by JOSHUA DONOVAN DALE on Mar 2, 2012 18:22:32 GMT -5
  SO IF YOU HAVE A MINUTE why don't we go TALK ABOUT IT - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - SOMEWHERE ONLY WE KNOW "You know," said Joshua conversationally as he dropped the heavy box into the back of the van with the others, "you never really think about how much stuff is in a mansion until you've got to take it back out." His tone was light and not raised in any actual complaint, in a good mood thanks to the heat of the sun and the company of his parents. His father laughed as he dropped another box on top of the one Joshua had just placed. "Don't forget, your mother and I had to put it all in there in the first place," he pointed out. "Not all at once, I bet," Josh countered, and Donovan nodded in agreement. This was the last of several moving vans that it had taken to transport all of the essential furniture and boxes from the large mansion to the smaller but still impressive summer home by the beach. "You're sure about this?" Though he'd asked before and recieved the same answer every time, Donovan rolled his eyes good-naturedly. "Positive." Patricia joined them then, obviously having overheard. "Honestly, Joshua, you'll be doing us a favour, taking Annabel off our hands." She winked at him. He guessed that she was joking for his little sister wasn't as much of a brat as she could have been at her age. She had a temper, but after they'd raised Josh the anger issues had been easily handled. "And you're sure Annabel is alright with all this?" Patricia rested a hand on his shoulder. "Relax, Josh. She asked us herself."
His lips twitched slightly and he nodded, a little touched by the idea that his baby sister had requested to come and live with him. He was still reeling a little from the shock of having inherited a mansion, however. He had always known that the house was going to be his once Annabel had grown up and moved out, his parents having planned in advance. Joshua was the heir to the family fortune and so it was only natural that he get the house as well. Rather than waiting until they died (at which point Joshua would probably be well on in years himself) his parents had decided to speed things up a little. He just hadn't expected this much of a jump. His sister interrupted his thoughts at that moment, the driver pulling up in front of the house to drop her off from school. She ran up and hugged him, grinning. "Hey Joshy," she said affectionately, a lot less childish than she'd once been but still with the usual admiration in her tone. He ruffled her hair, knowing that it would annoy her and grinning when she frowned at him. "Hey, Belle. How was school?" She flattened her hair and then shook it slightly so that her blonde curls rearranged themselves. "Bo-ring," she said with a roll of her blue eyes. "I wanted to stay and help out—"
"—but Mum said that you shouldn't miss the last day of school," Joshua finished for her, offering his younger sibling a smile. "You didn't miss much, Belle. Just moving boxes." A good deal of the furniture would remain, Joshua's to do with as he wished. They couldn't fit everything into the smaller home and so had only taken their favourite pieces and all of the necessities. Annabel and Joshua's rooms, naturally, remained untouched. "You'll need to start over with your garden," Josh realised, glancing in surprise at his mother. That thing was her pride and joy. Her blue gaze glittered with amusement and something like excitement. "Oh, don't worry. I look forward to it. A fresh start'll be nice—for all of us." Joshua nodded, deciding that he would silence his worries for now. He had to admit, the idea of moving into a place with a lot more room to move around would be nice. He'd miss Nell's company, however, and his own complacence with the situation ebbed slightly as she came into mind. As if he could read minds, Donovan asked, "Are you going to give Nell a call?" Joshua frowned, nodding. "I guess I'd better," he said. She was his fiancée, this was something of importance. "We'd better go, hon," Trish said, giving him a hug and a quick peck on the cheek. Donovan was a lot more distance, merely clapping a hand on his shoulder, but the gesture was appreciated all the same. "See you. We'll come visit, don't worry." Patricia smiled, Donovan nodded, and then his parents got into the car and pulled out after the van leaving with the last of their things.
Annabel stood fanning herself with her report card, the very reason her parents had not allowed her to skip the last day of school. "Looks like I'm the one that has to get you in trouble from now on if you get bad marks," Joshua teased, and his sister gave him a look. He laughed. "Seriously, Belle, I'll want to look at it later." His parents planned to transfer legal guardianship of Annabel over to him as soon as they could secure a trial and fill out the required paperwork. The mention of trials still made him uneasy but he knew it was only to ensure that he was responsible enough to take care of his little sister. If she only lived with him and he didn't have guardianship, they'd have to run back and forth between houses for trivial matters like field trips and the like. They'd agreed as a family that it would be too much of a hassle. "Aren't you going to call Nelly, Josh?" Annabel asked him, apparently wanting to avoid the discussion of her report card. He wondered if she had gotten bad marks but decided they'd deal with that later on when his parents were settled and he could talk things out with them, as well. "Of course. You should go inside and make sure everything's still there in your room, yeah?" She nodded and went inside. Joshua sat down on the porch steps and pulled out his phone, grinning as he selected Nell's number. "Hey, babe, what's up?" he greeted, his tone light and amused. "You free right now? I'm hanging out at the mansion if you are. There's some stuff I've gotta tell you." He went back inside after he'd made the call, intending to sit down in the dining room before remembering that it would no longer be furnished. Huh. Guess I've got some shopping to do. Instead, he sat down on the bottom of one of the curved staircases to wait. oh simple thing, - - - - - - - - - - WHERE HAVE YOU GONE? I'M GETTING OLD & I NEED something to rely on SO TELL ME WHEN YOU'RE GONNA LET ME IN, I'M GETTING TIRED & I NEED SOMEWHERE TO BEGIN |
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Post by NELL DOE DALE on Mar 3, 2012 23:32:36 GMT -5
  YOU'RE THE CONVERSATION ---i'm the game PHOTOGRAPHS PAINT MISTAKES ON YOUR SUITCASE
Nell watched as her ball soared over the green and said, "If it lands in the lake, do I have to putt it out?" Her father turned and blinked at her before shaking his head. He returned her question with another question. "Do you hear yourself when you speak, or do the words just come from your mouth as you think them?" Unfortunately, her sunglasses prevented a glare from being effective so she only held her nine-iron like a cane in both her hands. "You are simply jealous because I am beating your score." She wiped her forehead with the back of her hand, glad that she hadn't gone with an old-fashioned golf outfit this time. It was easier to bust his balls in smaller ways. "We're not keeping score, remember? You said were an invention of the proletariat meant to keep us down." She shrugged, waited for him to swing. Hanging out with León didn't feel like father-daughter bonding. She didn't know what it felt like, but she was fine with it.
Before heading to the next hole, she decided she should get the question she'd been meaning to ask off her chest. "So did you like Ms. Kustack?" The man blinked, tilted his head with a look that seemed to be exasperation. "It's awkward when you call her that." She rolled her eyes, heading over to the golf cart. "Stacy, sorry. How'd the date go?" He got in beside her, took a second before answering. "Her favorite show is Real Housewives," he said, and her response was instantaneous. "Oh c'mon, don't play this game. I know her. She's smart and funny and you're not going to ruin it by looking for faults where there aren't any." He snorted as if not really believing her and took out a water bottle from his bag. She was insistent. "What did you say at the end of the date?" He took another sip of the water. She tapped her fingers on the steering wheel, waiting. "You know, you're taking a very creepy interest in my love life."
She groaned, rolled her head back. "You live in a mansion, might as well have a wife and kids to take up space." Oh jeez, that was weird to imagine. Having half-siblings. She didn't think she'd particularly mind it, though she did wonder if after all these years, if León would make a good father. It would be his choice (he was still young after all, and Stacy was in her mid-thirties) and whether or not she had any inhibitions, what he did with his life was out of her hands. Just like hers was out of his. "I told her that I'd call her." Nell slipped her sunglasses down her nose a little. "And did you?" The silence said everything and she thwacked his arm. "Call her. And go out with her again."
He was still silent, and knowing that this was just how her father was, she revved the engine with more gusto than she should have, earning another exasperated look from her father. "Please don't kill me," he deadpanned, and she threw back her head with a manic grin and stepped on the gas. She didn't kill him even though it seemed she made an enthusiastic attempt to, and by the last hole she was sure both their arms were tired. After parting ways, she decided to head home and get a shower, wondering if she should call Stacy and ask about her date. Would that be too weird? Was it weird enough that she had set up her boss with her father? If she thought about it, everything involved her relationship with her father was weird, so she didn't think much of it. She was eating ice cream when her phone rang, and she didn't have to look at the screen when she answered. "Gas prices, that's what's up. Five dollars, can you believe it?" She didn't say it with a particularly exasperated tone. "I am free as a bird," she said. "I'll be over soon."
She got a lint-roller before heading out, thinking of how one of the downsides of living with five cats was that their fur could be found anywhere. By the time she reached the mansion, though, she managed to un-fur herself. Outside, she couldn't see that anything had changed about the mansion, but when she was let in she stopped short, looking around. Nell held up her hands in a mock calming gesture. "Josh...I don't want to alarm you...but you have been robbed." If she were serious about it, she'd have already been calling the cops, but judging by the fact that Josh wasn't panicking right now, she figured that there was another explanation.
IS YOUR CARD AN ACE?---- am i the joker in your hand? -----------OR A FRIEND ON A BAD DAY? |
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Post by JOSHUA DONOVAN DALE on Mar 4, 2012 0:20:54 GMT -5
SO IF YOU HAVE A MINUTE why don't we go TALK ABOUT IT - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - SOMEWHERE ONLY WE KNOW Joshua went into the kitchen after only a minute or so, noticing that his father had left a copy of the newspaper sitting on the kitchen island. He thought about what his mother would have said ("Don, just because we have maids does not mean you should make them pick up after you all the time!") and his lips twitched with amused nostalgia. It was still weird to think that he owned the mansion now and that there would be no more arguments between his parents about whether they should repaint the hallways a certain colour or which furniture looked best in what rooms. He sat down at one of the stools that flanked one side of the island and pulled the paper closer to him, glancing at the front page. It was nothing that wouldn't be on the television later, he didn't think, but he read the major stories anyway. He preferred to gain his information from the written word than from the spoken. It was in his nature. Flipping over to the back page, he noticed that his father had left the daily crossword puzzle half-finished. This bothered him for some reason and he wished he had a pen with which he could complete it. Probably somewhere in my room, he thought. He was just considered a trip up the stairs to investigate when the doorbell chimed the arrival of whom he guessed to be his fiancée. He wasn't expecting anyone else, unless of course it was someone unaware of the fact that the Dales had relocated.
He answered the door himself, being that the butler was in service to his parents and not the house itself. He was thinking of hiring some staff of his own, knowing that he'd be much too busy with college and volunteer work to keep up with the entire place himself. He certainly had the sort of money that it would take to cover the expenses. Upon opening the front door, he found that it was indeed Nell who'd come calling. He offered her a warm smile and chuckled when she announced the robbery, shaking his head in amusement. Oh, Nell. "Oh dear," he said, placing a hand over his heart. "How ever will I cope?" Dropping the act, Joshua brushed his lips against hers and then deepened the kiss for a moment, allowing himself a momentary distraction from the business of the day and the news he had to tell her. It was all too easy to get caught up in the physical affections of being a couple but he pulled away after a moment, the smile having broadened itself into a grin. "Come on, let's talk," he said, gesturing to the kitchen and leading the way in. Normally he'd have suggested the dining or living room, much more comfortable alternatives, but seeing as they were currently barren he figured that the kitchen was the closest place of convenience. It was very white with the sun spilling in from the huge windows that flanked the far end, the light glancing off the counter-tops and silver pots hanging from the ceiling. Though none of the fluorescent overhead lights were actually on, it was as brightly lit as it could be.
Sitting down and folding his hands together, he rested his chin on them and focused his gray gaze on his fiancée. He was still digesting all of this himself and so he wondered how best to break the news that he'd inherited the house and was moving out of her residence. He wanted to live both in the apartment and the mansion for different reasons but he could only choose one or the other, and with a little sister that he was meant to be taking care of it was obvious which one he was going to need to take. He supposed he could have refused and sent her off to live with his parents but he knew that would have made her unhappy and resentful toward him, something that he did not want. He remembered how upset Devin's sister Athena had been when Judith had announced their move and didn't want his own sibling to suffer the same. I hope Nell's not too upset. His fiancee was a lot more mature than Annabel and he figured this would work to his advantage. She'll understand. He thanked his luck that he'd gotten engaged to such an understanding person. She likely wouldn't have been able to tolerate his attitudes and anger issues otherwise. "Well you've already noticed the state of the house," he said, dipping his head. "My parents decided that they wanted to move out to the summer home by the beach. You know the neighbourhood around that huge lake?" It was an extension of the upper-class where most, including the Dales, kept their vacation homes and cottages.
He considered her for a moment, then said outright, "They left me this place." He gestured vaguely with his hand, though he knew it was fairly obvious which place he was referring to. There certainly weren't any other homes that they could leave him—not in Canada, at any rate. "It was a lot easier than selling it and they said they didn't really care about the money, anyway." They wanted him to be happy, to have a place of his own without the usual struggles of mortgages. He'd still have to pay the bills but it was a lot easier than paying off bills and loans. He unclasped his hands and resisted the urge to drum his fingers against the island, not wanting to distract himself with the sound. He was a little uneasy about all of this but his calm demeanour had not yet broken to betray this to Nell. "Annabel's coming to stay, too, so I'll need to move out of your place. I'd have told you sooner but I only just found out myself." There was something else on his mind as well, something he'd been waiting to mention until he was sure she understood his situation. He leaned back slightly and offered her a smile. "You are welcome to stay with me... you know, if that's what you'd want." The smile stayed in place as he let the offer stand, not sure of what she'd say to it. He wasn't sure how she felt about living with him (even though they'd spent the past several months living together) as they weren't married and she herself owned the apartment. But he wasn't going to deny her the chance. oh simple thing, - - - - - - - - - - WHERE HAVE YOU GONE? I'M GETTING OLD & I NEED something to rely on SO TELL ME WHEN YOU'RE GONNA LET ME IN, I'M GETTING TIRED & I NEED SOMEWHERE TO BEGIN |
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Post by NELL DOE DALE on Mar 4, 2012 16:50:14 GMT -5
YOU'RE THE CONVERSATION ---i'm the game PHOTOGRAPHS PAINT MISTAKES ON YOUR SUITCASE
Nell snorted at Josh's reaction to be robbed. "Don't cope, call the popo," she said urgently. It would be a concern if he actually did call the fuzz, but he appeared to halt in the farce. She was happy to have him kiss her, and smiled as she pressed her lips against his. And of course she was disappointed to have him pull away, though she was curious about whatever he called her to talk to her about. She hoped it wasn't anything bad, but Josh probably wouldn't be smiling if he had to break some bad news to her. And if so, she'd have to worry about his sanity. She went with him to the kitchen, instinctively edging her way to the fridge. What if the robbers took the food? she thought humorously, but then she considered the fact that the place was strangely barren. She knew about spring cleaning, summer cleaning would be something else. But what did she know about rich people? Well, a little bit considering she was no stranger to the Dale family. Or her father. Her father was a different story. She sometimes wondered how much he cared about the money he had, and she believed he had a very good quality in that it didn't matter to him. He was a biochemist for his love of science, and he obviously would give up the wealth if he so wished it. He did it once before, even though she didn't think that anything he did back then was noble.
She leaned against the island, not feeling at all tired even though she'd spent her day playing golf with her father. Her arms felt sore, but that was about it. Her energy stores probably had a surplus, there was really no other way to explain it. Nell cracked a smile when he mentioned her noticing the fact that the place seemed to have been emptied out, and then informed her that it hadn't been robbed. "Oh, oui, oui," she told him when he spoke of the summer homes. "Nice place." Well of course it was nice, it was for the rich folk. In a lot of ways it was nice to be financially secure enough that you didn't have to worry about a lot of the hassle most others needed to worry about when moving. Like if you could afford a house. She didn't factor a few things into this moving decision yet, not realizing what it meant for Joshua.
She laughed when he told her that he was getting the house. "Oh, you fancy," she said with a grin. Damn, that was something else. It was still hard adjusting sometimes, thinking how it was possible that people could inherit mansions. Perhaps if her grandparents hadn't been disowned, she might have been in a similar situation, but there were so many variables in any hypothetical idea with her family that she couldn't even consider it. "Hey, maybe you should go the Monopoly route, and now that you have a mansion, just expand all over the place. Hotels and everything." She said, and was she serious about this? Well, she believed anyone could do whatever they wanted to. When he informed her about Annabel, she balked. "Oh, I'd have thought she'd stay with your parents." Usually parents reared their children until the were eighteen, because really, there was a lot they needed to teach them. And there was a lot of things that they'd want to be around for. Like being home to catch them when they sneak out. She couldn't speak from personal experience, but she'd had enough knowledge to be certain of this.
She didn't know that he was at all uncomfortable about this, but Nell didn't mind at all that he'd be moving out. Not that she thought he was a nuisance taking up space or anything, but if there was no reason to stay with her, she wasn't going to keep him around. They really weren't married or anything. She wasn't the most important thing in his life. Family came first. She could understand, even though she couldn't necessarily relate. She didn't have a family, so she looked out for her friends as if they were her relatives. Like a real family should have, like her own didn't do for her. Josh had his sister to take care of, and that much she could grasp with her limited familial wisdom. Nell hesitated at his next words, even though there really shouldn't have been hesitation. For a moment, she thought of what she'd be sacrificing by moving in with him. Independence. But then she remembered it was stupid, because she didn't have to sacrifice anything. "That's your decision," she said with a half-smile and a shrug. "It's your home and all, so if you want me around..." She lifted her hand up to show that she was fine with whatever he wanted.
IS YOUR CARD AN ACE?---- am i the joker in your hand? -----------OR A FRIEND ON A BAD DAY? |
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Post by JOSHUA DONOVAN DALE on Mar 4, 2012 17:53:58 GMT -5
SO IF YOU HAVE A MINUTE why don't we go TALK ABOUT IT - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - SOMEWHERE ONLY WE KNOW He tilted his head ever so slightly and examined her expression as she grinned at him, wondering if Nell had yet realised what that meant for him. He now owned a mansion of his own, no longer in need for her small apartment. Of course, he'd had the option of moving back into the spacious house for quite some time now but that had been when his parents had still owned it and staying with Nell had seemed like the better alternative. He still preferred company to space but his sister changed everything. He liked the prospect of spending more time with Annabel but it meant less time with Nell and that complicated things more than he liked to admit. Damn it, why did his affections for the Earth elemental make everything so difficult? He loved Annabel and he loved Nell, in different ways but with equal favouritism. Despite his uncertainties, Joshua chuckled at the idea of turning his home into the base for a Monopoly scheme. "First the hotels, then the world," he jested, smiling. For someone who enjoyed power and being in charge of things, Joshua did not think he would ever desire to take over the world. It was impossible of course, but even in the depths of fantasies and daydreams he stayed far clear of anything to do with world domination. He wanted to make his mark on the world... but not that big of a mark.
He nodded, noticing her surprise and not being phased by it himself. "So did I," admitted Joshua. "But Annabel didn't want that, and my parents wanted her to be happy." He was sure his parents knew what they were doing when they entrusted her care to him. It wasn't like they were going to disappear—they lived about half an hour away and Joshua would always be able to call or drop by if anything came up. He wondered if his sister realised what he would be sacrificing in order to give her what she wanted. Her wish was to remain in the house she'd grown up in with the friends that lived nearby and the environment of her childhood. His wish was something a little different. He wanted to make his loved ones happy and he wanted to be happy, two things that could conflict slightly and raise some bumps in the road. We lived separately before, he reminded himself. We can do it again. He was often busy with his studies and had spent a lot of time talking to Nell while he was studying, making up for his busy schedule by multi-tasking. Would that be harder when they were separated? "Besides, we agreed it would be easier for when Annabel starts at the Academy. I can look out for her at school and at home." He played the role of the protective older brother well—almost too well. He couldn't pretend that he wouldn't physically attack anyone that tried to harm his little sister.
He noticed the hesitation and it worried him, making him wonder what was going through Nell's mind. A myriad of different things flashed through his thoughts and he forced himself to stay focused and avoid making the situation something that it wasn't. It was ridiculous to think she was doubting them, it was probably something to do with herself and what she wanted, right? He hoped so. He fixed her with a raised eyebrow and a disbelieving look when she actually spoke. "I asked you, Nell," he pointed out with an almost amused twitch of his lips. It's always what someone else wants, isn't it? She was too selfless for him to understand sometimes. He wouldn't change that for the world but that didn't mean he grasped the concept. Or is it? What could she be worried about? "Mi casa, tu casa, is that not what you told me once?" His gray eyes were light as he smiled, quite sure that it was what she'd said to him. He had a very good memory for this kind of thing. Most of the conversations he'd had with Nell were of very high priority in his mind. Right up there with memorizing notes—a privilege not many shared. Hesitating himself, he asked, "Is there something that worries you? I would understand if you said no, I promise." And he would. He was only putting it on the table so that she knew it was an option. oh simple thing, - - - - - - - - - - WHERE HAVE YOU GONE? I'M GETTING OLD & I NEED something to rely on SO TELL ME WHEN YOU'RE GONNA LET ME IN, I'M GETTING TIRED & I NEED SOMEWHERE TO BEGIN |
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Post by NELL DOE DALE on Mar 4, 2012 21:59:24 GMT -5
YOU'RE THE CONVERSATION ---i'm the game PHOTOGRAPHS PAINT MISTAKES ON YOUR SUITCASE
Again, there was a bit of a clash shock. Some people couldn't afford the luxury of their children's absolute happiness. That's what she'd known from living in the projects. A lot of children didn't have a lot of choice in certain matters, and she didn't even speak for others that came from broken homes. If she did take that into consideration, well...she wasn't the only one who had to go to court for a crime committed against a child in self-defense. And she also didn't deny that the upper class children couldn't be abused either. She was sure there were other cases in her family, considering her grandparents. "Whoa, you're kind of like a dad now," she acknowledged, raising her eyebrows. He was his sister's legal guardian now. It was a little strange to consider. "Congratulations." She said this as a joke, laughing a little afterward. Nell didn't think Annabel was a lot to handle, but she was a professional in handling children, though they were younger than Josh's sister. The kids she looked out for really brought out the maternal instincts in her, especially the ones she met at the home she volunteered at. It always worried her, not knowing the home situation of kids at the daycare. But she would immediately be calling CPS the moment she noticed something suspicious on a child's body.
Even though her demeanor said that she would be perfectly fine with it, she was discovering more doubts popping up here and there. Nell knew she was being somewhat ridiculous. She'd lived with Josh for a while now, they worked well together in the same space. That shouldn't change when that space belonged to him. But for a reason, it felt like it would. She wondered how Josh felt like, living in her apartment then. He was just as independent as she was, and he fared well enough. Never complained, and even though that could be chalked up to the fact he wasn't the type to whine, she liked to believe it was because he wasn't bothered by his living conditions. Her apartment was certainly not a mansion, but it wasn't as bad as living downtown. Nell smiled warmly when he mentioned the old saying, ducking her head a bit. She was slowly becoming more self-aware, and because of that she realized how stupid she could be sometimes. Like thinking of how she was worried she'd be a burden, when she'd never thought of Josh that way when he was living with her. She just couldn't help it. The last time she lived under someone else's roof, well, that was her entire childhood. And Josh knew about her childhood.
He asked her if there was anything else bothering her, and she wished there wasn't. She wanted to live with him and be around him, but she didn't really know if that would be right in this situation. She'd rather live without the closeness of being in the same house than becoming a parasite on him or soemthing. "I'm just thinking...I don't want to be like...a burden or anything," she said awkwardly, still not all that great with expressing her feelings correctly. But for Josh's sake, she tried to express just what she felt about the situation. Pursuing English as a major, one would think she'd be better at dictating her feelings. As it were, she tended to flounder and fumble. "Because now you have Annabel to take care of and I don't want to add anything to your plate..." She squinted, trying to think if she phrased that right. A stubborn part of her didn't want to lose the independence of owning her place of residence, because then she would be supporting herself. Nell shrugged. "I'm just being silly," she told him softly.
IS YOUR CARD AN ACE?---- am i the joker in your hand? -----------OR A FRIEND ON A BAD DAY? |
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Post by JOSHUA DONOVAN DALE on Mar 4, 2012 22:30:39 GMT -5
SO IF YOU HAVE A MINUTE why don't we go TALK ABOUT IT - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - SOMEWHERE ONLY WE KNOW Despite the fact Joshua did not see much of a change in her demeanour, Nell's words were starting to concern him. At first he hadn't even considered the possibility of Nell coming to live with him at all, merely lamenting the fact that he'd need to move out and part himself from her company in favour of his mansion and his little sister. The thought had occurred to him fleetingly and he'd decided that he would put the offer on the table. If she'd simply refused and said that she didn't think now was the best time, Joshua likely would have smiled and dropped it with ease. It was her awkwardness that was making him fear something else was wrong. Has she been having doubts? He remembered the way she'd been acting before he'd proposed to her and his gut twisted with a sudden pang of panic. What if she wasn't as sure about the engagement as she'd thought she was? No, he tried to reason with himself, surely she'd have told me by now if she wanted to break it off. He was confident in himself but he could not be so sure about what Nell wanted. Sometimes he wished he could read minds so that he could decipher what she was feeling without having to try and extract it from her. "A burden?" Joshua repeated, furrowing his brow and looking quite as confused as he felt. He laughed and shook his head, though the laughter was uncertain. "Nell, what makes you think you'd be burdensome to me? I've been living with you for the past several months and you've never complained." Unless she did think he was a burden? But then why would she have let him stay with her once he had a place he could go back to with his parents?
His lips twitched softly at the mention of Annabel but he was no longer trying to disguise the fact that he was concerned about the situation. What was the point in hiding it from her? He didn't think that being a burden was Nell's only concern, else why wouldn't she have relaxed once he insisted that he wanted her around? He could not think of what could be troubling her, especially since they got along so well when they shared a living space back in her own apartment. I hope this doesn't happen after we get married. He never thought about marriage with an 'if' in the mixture because he didn't want there to be any doubts like that in his life. He loved Nell, he believed that she loved him, and they didn't drive each other absolutely insane when they were forced to share a bed or even sleep under the same roof. He was perfectly alright with her deciding that she'd rather keep the apartment for now but he couldn't help but think it would be rather hard to live a married life in separate houses. Especially since Joshua knew that he wanted children. He knew Nell liked kids but he'd never actually asked her if she wanted any of her own. There were a lot of things he'd never asked. "Annabel likes you," he reminded her gently. "It's not like you'd be getting in the way or anything."
Sighing slightly with the mild stress of the situation, he shifted back and regarded her seriously. "You are my fiancée, Nell," he pointed out, and he stressed the word for effect. He liked the way it sounded and he liked applying it to her, for it meant that she was something more than just a summer fling or a fleeting romance that would fade as quickly as it developed. There was still a chance that they could fall out of love or get into a fight and break up but he didn't consider that chance as heavily as he could have. He didn't think it was going to happen, didn't feel any differently toward her than he had in the beginning. "I love you, you know that. You could never be a burden to me." Blinking his gray eyes at her, he added, "But is that really what's troubling you? You can tell me. I'm not going to leave just because you don't want to give up your place." Though he did not know it was the independence that plagued her thoughts with doubt, Joshua likely would have been confused if he did. He'd never tried to question her independence or make her reliant on him and had no plans to start doing so. "I called you over here to let you know, that's all." oh simple thing, - - - - - - - - - - WHERE HAVE YOU GONE? I'M GETTING OLD & I NEED something to rely on SO TELL ME WHEN YOU'RE GONNA LET ME IN, I'M GETTING TIRED & I NEED SOMEWHERE TO BEGIN |
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Post by NELL DOE DALE on Mar 5, 2012 15:22:18 GMT -5
YOU'RE THE CONVERSATION ---i'm the game PHOTOGRAPHS PAINT MISTAKES ON YOUR SUITCASE
Nell knew that what she really wanted was to stay with Josh. She really liked living with him, but she wasn't lying when she said that the burden thing was one of her concerns. Especially with Annabel. "You know I don't complain, Josh," she said with a small smile, and then realizing that this implied that she might have wanted to complain, she amended, "There was no reason to. But you know...you're you. Not me." Yeah, real awkward with her explanation. She didn't think she was as easy to live with really, and Josh hit the head on the nail when he mentioned that she wouldn't be getting in the way. Nell scratched at the back of her head as she thought. If it was only that, she really would be on board. Then again, she didn't want to seem too needy in wanting to live with him. Hell, some engaged couples didn't even live together like they did, and only when they married did they start living the real couple life. She'd gotten so used to Josh, it'd be kind of scary to start living without him.
But her own independence was a roadblock. She could be stubborn about the worse things. Nell listened to him, and it was amazing that she could still blush about the little things, like him saying that he loved her. She chose her words carefully because she didn't want it to sound like she was complaining, now aware that Josh was uncomfortable as well. She didn't want that. "It's just...I don't know...weird," she said, still struggling with how to phrase it, trying to paraphrase all these feelings into just a few sentences. "The last time I lived under someone else's roof, well...that's my entire childhood right there. And since I was seventeen I was living on my own." It was something she'd gotten used to. Then Josh had come around and turned her life around, and he had moved in with her, albeit reluctantly considering he'd been kicked out.
However, it was her apartment. She liked that, her apartment, having something to call her own. "I know it's stupid, but I like the feeling that I own my place of residence and all that." She felt like she was really making a big deal out of nothing, and so she was trying to use her own words to lessen the significance of the matter. "I kind of don't want to...give that up, I guess." She wasn't really used to sharing her life in the way she shared it with Josh. Sure, she'd lived with her family, and then her mother when it was only her, but that was different. It wasn't a matter of choice for her. And now it was, and she didn't know exactly how she felt about it or what she should feel. Over a year in the real world, and she was still struggling with it all. Over a year and she was engaged. She ducked her head, but looked at Josh from the corner of her eye to see how Josh would react to this. She hoped he realized it wasn't anything to do with him, it was just her being ridiculous.
IS YOUR CARD AN ACE?---- am i the joker in your hand? -----------OR A FRIEND ON A BAD DAY? |
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Post by JOSHUA DONOVAN DALE on Mar 5, 2012 18:09:42 GMT -5
SO IF YOU HAVE A MINUTE why don't we go TALK ABOUT IT - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - SOMEWHERE ONLY WE KNOW Joshua felt a mixture of exasperation and affection for Nell as she went on, shaking his head slowly and allowing a hint of a smile to touch the edge of his lips. This girl. Did she really think that she was going to be that much of a problem? It didn't make sense to him, seeing as he had specifically requested to live with her when his parents had given him the offer to move back into the mansion after reconciling. "I don't have a reason to complain, either," he countered with a stubborn but gentle determination in his voice. He was adamant that he would not budge from his opinion because in Joshua's eyes it really was the truth. If she didn't want to move in with him he honestly wouldn't mind but she was not getting away with telling him that she was burdensome or annoying. "We've already lived together, Nell, and I promise you that I don't find you annoying. Hell, you're probably less of a pain in the backside than I am." He was also determined not to lose his temper with her over something like this. Surprisingly enough, Joshua was confident he could keep his anger from triggering itself simply because it was Nell he was dealing with. She did not always prevent his anger but her presence soothed it somehow. It was difficult to be upset with her and it kept his anger in line a lot of the times. Even when he did slip up, he was respectful enough of his fiancée that he could suck up his pride and apologise.
The comment about her childhood stirred an unsettling discomfort in his stomach. What does she mean by that? He did not know everything that she had gone through but by a combination of the trial and Nell's own admissions he knew enough that she had not had an easy upbringing whatsoever. Was she comparing her childhood with her parents to the idea of moving in with him? Surely she doesn't think it would be similar. He knew enough about himself to know he wouldn't lay a hand on her or do anything extremely objectionable. The confusion and slight hurt might have shown on his expression as he frowned. "We're talking about two very different things here, Nell," he said carefully, walking on eggshells as he wasn't sure how to phrase his thoughts without starting some sort of disagreement. They hardly ever yelled at one another and they weren't even prone to many arguments but they certainly weren't immune. Then she mentioned her apartment and his expression relaxed again. Is that what this is about? The tension in his shoulders released and he laughed nervously, shaking his head. "God, Nell, you nearly gave me a heart attack," he accused with a small smile. "I thought you were suggesting..." He trailed off and shook his head again, relieved. However, the fact that she was not concerned about a repeat of her childhood did not change the issue at hand.
He understood the feeling of independence, of enjoying it. He had felt strange when he'd moved out of his apartment and back with his parents because it had meant following rules again, something Joshua had not liked. And even now he enjoyed the idea that he would own the mansion and not have to listen to anyone. It did worry him a little that she was so stuck on the idea of independence, though, because he had to wonder what they were going to do when they did get married. Couples usually lived together after that point and he wasn't sure their future marriage would work out otherwise. For someone who was very self-confident and sure of himself, Nell knew how to inject worry and uncertainty into Joshua's thoughts and future. "I understand," he said softly, "If you want to keep your apartment, keep it." He raised his hands slightly in a gesture of surrender. He hadn't meant for this to turn into such a big deal and now his stomach was twisted into knots with concerns about the future and how this was all going to pan out. He couldn't give up Nell and yet he worried he might be forced into compromises later in life that he wasn't going to be happy with. He thought about the future a lot. "I wouldn't make you give up your independence for me." I never will, but where does that leave us? It pained him to think about it.
Clearing his throat awkwardly and rubbing the back of his neck, he tried to keep things nonchalant as he smiled at her. "I guess I'll need to come and get my stuff later today," he said, his voice surprisingly steady and maintaining the neutrality he'd been trying to keep. He did not pretend to be happy because he knew that Nell would probably see right through a guise of giddiness and cheer. Instead he tried to keep things professional so he didn't make her feel guilty about turning it down. That was not his intention. "I'll probably be a bit busy over the next couple of weeks since I have to furnish the place, so I might not be around as often." It made him feel strange to think that he would not be able to come home to Nell and tell her about his day like he was used to, that he'd be sleeping alone again unless she decided to spend the night or vice versa. He brushed aside this feeling in favour of keeping things in order. "I'll make sure I call, though," he said, twitching his lips. "I won't ignore you." He couldn't bear mentioning the fact that he'd been applying for a couple of jobs that required some experience with first aid, either, for extra credentials on his resume. That would mean even less time. oh simple thing, - - - - - - - - - - WHERE HAVE YOU GONE? I'M GETTING OLD & I NEED something to rely on SO TELL ME WHEN YOU'RE GONNA LET ME IN, I'M GETTING TIRED & I NEED SOMEWHERE TO BEGIN |
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Post by NELL DOE DALE on Mar 5, 2012 22:38:33 GMT -5
YOU'RE THE CONVERSATION ---i'm the game PHOTOGRAPHS PAINT MISTAKES ON YOUR SUITCASE
She sometimes wondered how many unresolved issues she still had. Obviously, self-esteem was still one, but she liked to believe she was getting better. But it was obvious at this point that she wasn't over that hump. She shook her head and laughed softly. "You're not a pain." He's the one person that she was truly, absolutely certain of in her life. She wasn't going to pretend that she had absolute trust in her father, after what he'd done. She gave her faith over easily, but being totally comfortable with them like she was with Josh...well, she couldn't be that way with anyone but Josh. That's why she wanted to live with him and being around him. She should have flipped that around, thought of how it might have been the same for him, but she never was good at getting inside other people's heads. She'd never known Josh to be dishonest or flaky with her, so she took his words at face value.
She didn't understand why he seemed upset after what she said, not really thinking of what he could have gotten from those words. I don't want any power over me whatsoever. Her mother had had an absolute control over her that made her desperate for liberation, and so any form of relying on others scared her. It wasn't that different for her, not at all. So why would... Nell almost choked when she realized what her words might have implied, but as it were she simply coughed. After a fit, she shook her head before recovering her voice. "No, god no," she said. Nell trusted him completely, she wouldn't even consider a relationship with him if she ever thought that he would be like Mia. She loved him, it was insulting to him to even consider that. "That's not what I meant," she said weakly, though Josh understood that now. It wasn't trusting too much to think that Josh would never hurt her like Mia. What her mother had done was inhuman and unnatural.
Joshua's words made her feel like the villain in the situation. It really wasn't even the apartment, though in a way it was. The concept of freedom was her main concern. That was what she wanted most in life, ever since she was little. And Nell knew she shouldn't feel trapped by Josh. She made the choice to be with him, she wanted to be with him. Then why was she so iffy about this? "It's just...a big change," she said as if to lighten it a bit. Really, moving from an apartment to a mansion with her fiance was a pretty big change. Sometimes, thinking about it sent her reeling, everything she was doing now. She was in college, and thanks to her major and classes she usually had papers due every other day. She worked and volunteered and had her friends and her father. Nell rarely let herself stop and consider everything that was going on, but she did so when around Josh. She didn't regret accepting his proposal, but she never really took time to stop and think about where her life was going. Where she wanted it to go. Maybe that was why the whole moving in to Josh's mansion frightened her.
Nell could feel the awkwardness as if it were palpable. She nodded when he said that he'd come pick up his stuff from her place. She wondered how it would feel, her apartment without it. She didn't really want to think about it. In the ways she could be independent, she ways also dependent on him. His presence and his company, and though she understood they both had lives (she tried not to think about it all lest she get another headrush) it gave her an empty feeling to consider seeing him less. "Just drop by any time." Mi casa es tu casa, as he'd said before. He always had her key. Sighing, she felt more exhausted than she'd felt coming here. She didn't expect for this news to affect her like it did, for her to be so concerned about her independence. She brushed her knuckles against his cheek before leaning in to kiss him. "I'm really happy for you." How could she not be? He'd inherited a freaking mansion, that was pretty big. And no matter how she felt about living with him and these conflicting emotions she had, she just wanted him to be content.
IS YOUR CARD AN ACE?---- am i the joker in your hand? -----------OR A FRIEND ON A BAD DAY? |
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