Sunday evening - Amanda and Manuel
Sep. 21st, 2008 09:20 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
xp_daytripper posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
xp_logsBackdated to last night. Manuel takes a self-pitying Amanda out for a talk.
"You're projecting worse," Manuel commented dryly. "Turn left." She projected and he felt it, that shift in their conversation heightening her up and the colours around her were powerful. He turned away, observing the very few people walking tonight, feeling brief flashes of what they were feeling. It calmed him some.
"Sorry." Considering how pissed off and unhappy she was, agreeing to this was probably a bad idea, but when Manuel had emailed she'd wanted desperately something to distract her. And it was Manuel - some things never changed, and her being able to say no to him when he needed something was one of them. Taking the turn, she stopped at a light and decided to experiment, at least. Her shielding spell had always cut things back for him before... Clapping her hands briefly, she cast a small personal shield around herself, a dully-sheened bubble that fit close like another skin. "Does that help?"
"No," Manuel turned his attention back to Amanda. "I do not want this dampened. This is how I learn control. If you adapt yourself to me, I will never be able to adapt to you." He was learning it. He was feeling in control, which was a start for him. A very big step in the right direction, yet not at all where he should have been.
She bit her lip and clapped her hands again, turning the spell off. "Sorry," she repeated. She was babying him, again, making his decisions for him. Maybe Jennie had been right. She waltzed in, made a bunch of gestures, drove the bus a bit and then waltzed off again. The same as she'd done to Meggan. Her hands tightened on the wheel as she realised Manuel was probably getting a brain full of her self-pity. "Manny," she choked out. "Is there anything I can do? To help you forgive me?"
"Be with me and not Angelo." He said it, knowing the rise he would get out of her and after a moment, smiled. "You blame yourself and you let others put the blame on you. Don't. That is all I need for you to do. Stop feeling sorry for yourself. You bite when Jenny barks. Why?"
"Manny..." she began rising to the bait as he knew she would. Then she looked over at him and sighed. "I don't know. She's just so... argh. Smug? Superior?" The light changed, and she focused on getting them going again. "She went after me about Meggan. Opened up a lot of old wounds back when I really didn't need it and seems to think an apology fixed everything."
"I'm sure she feels the same about your air of arrogance you portray. Sounding familiar?" he asked, referring to the general population of the mansion and how they felt about him. "Turn right on the next block and keep going. She will always attack you about Meggan, so perhaps you need to remember that it is her problem that she cannot let it go." Manuel set his own personal feelings aside and thumbed the cane resting between his legs. He watched the stores as they passed by, checking landmarks as he couldn't recall the street name.
"I'm not arrogant," she replied quickly, then glanced at him again. "Am I?"
"Not to me. To me, you submit where you should stand. However, given our history, that is understandable." Manuel's eyes flickered away from the window, watching hers for a time before he returned his attention back to the landmarks. "This is not all centralized around what Jennie said to you, is it?"
"Sort of." There was a pause as Amanda tried to sort out what she was wanting to say and remembering who it was she was going to say it to. "It doesn't matter, what I do now, what I give up. All that's ever going to matter to the people at that school is what I did. I've tried to move on, but maybe she's right, it's just running away when things get hard." One hand left the steering wheel as she started to bite her thumbnail, already ragged. "After all, that's what you said, last time I saw you."
A habit Manuel did not like. He reached up, pulling her hand away from her mouth. "I say many things to you that are inappropriate, however you ignore them and move on. Perhaps you should do the same with this?"
She started a little at the touch of his hand on hers - since India, she'd been avoiding too much contact. Draining the life out of someone always made her feel soiled, even if it was the best way to deal with certain situations. "Perhaps because maybe it's true," she answered at last, eyes firmly on the road in front of them. "I ran away after the Selene business because I couldn't deal with anything. So it doesn't matter what I do. I always let people down."
"Feeling sorry for yourself only encourages them to stamp you down into the pavement more. However it's true you don't deal well with your problems. How many times do you try to deal with me? It always results in you running away. You do this with other things as well. You mock a front where you have a lot of doubt inside."
"You sound like Sofia." She blinked rapidly to stop the tell-tale prickle of tears and went on. "I don't know how to 'deal' with you, Manny. You were the first person I ever loved, and we did as much damage to each other as we did good. And then I tore your mind up and dumped you. How the fuck do we deal with that? I destroyed your fucking life. By rights I should be locked up somewhere."
"Yet I always manage to pick myself up and move on. How do we deal with that,Gemile?" He did not want to talk about them but it seemed as though they always had to whenever they got together. Settle old demons and yet, he knew he was right. She couldn't deal with it and wave after wave of emotion rolled off her onto him. It only pushed him to shield himself more. "Turn right into this parking lot." They arrived at a small restaurant that was obviously open all night long. He undid his seat belt, shifting in his seat to face her once she parked.
Once the ignition was turned off, she remained where she was, seatbelt still on. "I don't know," she said, in answer to his question, not even protesting the use of her former name. "I'd say it might be best if I just don't see you any more, but that's running away again, isn't it? All I know is, every time I see you, I remember what I did to you." And the guilt was crushing her.
"What would make you happy Amanda? For us not to talk? I do not believe that. You are not my excuse anymore for being the way I am. This is what I am. Accept it. Move on or move with me. Stop allowing little things to get to you and old wounds should be only scars now. Not wounds." He wanted her to learn from it, but more so, wanted to help her settle her restlessness.
"London stirred it all up again. Emma had to take the memories away so I could even function, and she's been feeding them back, but by bit, but it's like it's happening all over again. Sof says it's like having to rebreak a bone to set it properly." Her hands clenched on the steering wheel again, knuckles whitening as she fought to control herself. "I've come a long way from when just hearing your name would make me draw stick figures all over my work, but tonight... she went right for the worst thing she could have said." Amanda squeezed her eyes shut against the tears threatening. She wouldn't cry, not in front of Manuel. Not again. "But it's not her fault. I don't belong in the mansion, so why the fuck should I bother getting involved in anything over there?"
He fought to shield himself more from her, from what she was feeling but he was breaking down. Projecting on her faintly, he ended up projecting his strength against her weakness. "I won't give you reasons why you should be in the mansion. Perhaps you shouldn't be, however, you are there, and with it, should be you steeling yourself against such accusations. People will say things to hurt you. Will you always break down when they breech such a topic?" He was annoyed at her for being this way - so weak - for allowing anyone to see it. Yet he forced himself to calm, realizing he was getting worked up in her emotions again, falling back into a loop of her projections. Damn this.
"That's just it, Manny, I don't have to be at the mansion. I can let the staff take over the bus run and get A... my friends to visit me or meet them in town. I can stick to the Trenchcoats and let all this trying to make bridges between us and the school go hang. After all, it's what the rest of our lot do, keep to ourselves. And it's not like we haven't been told loud and clear we're not wanted." The beaten tone was leaving her voice as his projections took effect, anger coming to the fore again. "Jennie can go fuck herself."
"Yes, you could do that, however you won't solve anything. You won't get over these problems you're having. You and I are not so different as you like to proclaim." Manuel resisted the urge to take her hand, instead, brushed his fingers over her cheek bone, curling a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "We're labelled for our wrongs and despite what we do for our future, we will always be seen as our past portrayed us."
The touch left her skin tingling. "I never said we were so different," she said softly, still not looking at him. "That was always the problem - we were too alike. Knew how to hurt each other too well."
"And in knowing that, I should be the only one who makes you hurt like that, because there was little that we didn't know about one another. Those other people, the students, the teachers, the entire mansion, they do not know what I know. They say what's on their mind, knowing what buttons to push but not caring that they say it. It's meant to hurt, to drive you away. If you leave, it proves them right. That you are weak and not meant to be where you are now."
"But why push myself where I'm not wanted, Manny? It's not weak to know when something's a lost cause." She finally looked over at him, trying for calm. "There's not much point if no-one actually wants me there."
"It is only a lost cause when you believe it is." Manuel couldn't believe he was giving her a motivational speech when he, himself, did not care much for those in the mansion. "Should I say that the mansion would become a better place?" he asked, his tone laced in sarcasm. "Come, let's go inside. We'll talk there." Manuel got out of the car and immediately moved to the driver's side to open her door. Especially seeing as how she hadn't moved.
With another sigh, that of the put upon, Amanda unbuckled her seat belt and got out of the car, locking the door after Manuel closed it for her. "I hate being like this," she complained, unaware she was echoing Manuel's own feelings. "I keep trying and nothing fucking changes."
Manuel tried to strengthen what very little shielding he had,but he found it only exhausted him to the point that he gave up. They headed for the front door of a small, but very packed restaurant. "The food is very good here." It was impossibly small for all the people here and there must have been thirty tables all tightly shoved together. Manuel leaned on his cane, holding up his other hand over two other people behind them and gesturing for two. The hostess nodding and she left for a moment before returning abruptly and pointing to them. "Follow me," she said but it was lost in all the noise.
With so many emotions flooding around them, Manuel immediately stopped projecting, instead, concentrating on remaining sound in such a loud place, flooding with colours. They were seated at a table in the midis of the mess and Manuel's chair bumped someone else's, to which he did not apologize for.
"Feel better?" he asked once they were seated and given their orders for drinks. He looked over the menu with a cool detachment from their situation.
Strangely, she did. "Yeah," she replied, her voice losing some of the depressed tone. The noise and the bustle were strangely comforting, like when she was in the middle of a busy city street. But this was Salem Center still - nothing to twitch her powers here. She gave Manuel an appraising look. "You always got frustrated when I got whiny," she said. "I s'pose I should thank you for putting up with me tonight." She wouldn't outright say he'd been influencing her, but hopefully he could read between the lines.
"You are always a angel and a pleasure when I do. How could I not?" Manuel leaned back as the waitress came with their drinks, asking if they were ready to order. He exchanged a look with Amanda, holding his hand up to silence her while he gave an order for two. They exchanged smiles, hers flirtatious while his was tolerant before she briskly moved off to put their order through. Manuel turned his attention back to her, folding his arms in front of him, leaning on the table.
She couldn't help the snicker at his words, even if there was an eye roll included. "You are, as the kids would say, cheesy as ever," she teased him, leaning back in her chair and rubbing her eyes. She felt exhausted now most of the upset was ebbing. "I hate to see what the bosses have to say about my little outburst tonight. I'm not supposed to lose my rag like that. Bad work practice for a spy."
"I am sure everyone has their bad days, even you. Tell me something. If I booked a trip to Spain, would you come?" He knew this was direct and sudden to her, but it was not so sudden for him. He had been thinking about it for sometime. "I have some accounts that need to be closed over there and knots to be tied. I would appreciate the company from someone who knows me." At least knew him better than he knew himself.
Amanda blinked, shocked by the sudden request. "I'd have to see what my schedule's like," she replied, knowing it sounded like a brush off but well aware of her workload. "You looking at going for business or for plea... just for a break?"
"Business. There is few things requiring my attention. We may be gone a week or two. Possibly only a week. I can purchase our return tickets later if need be, but it is cheaper to buy round trip fare. Then of course, you'll have to speak with Angelo." He leaned back as the waitress returned, placing a basket of fresh buns in between them and he picked one up as she departed.
"I can get you a good deal on tickets, if you want to hold off." Amanda reached for a bun herself, picking at it with nervous fingers rather than eating. "Let me get back to you? I've got something on I'm doing for Jane that's kind of urgent and I'll have to see what else is going on. With Wanda away, 'Yana and I are it for the weird magic shite department and there's a lot that needs following up."
"Good. I was thinking November or December, if that suits you well." He noticed she didn't mention anything about Angelo. He couldn't concentrate solely on her emotions as others pulled him in different directions. He would have to be satisfied for what he saw at face value and buttered his bread, addressing another topic while he did. "This thing with Jennie will come out worse later. Someone should speak to her."
"I've sort of used up my leave this year, what with vanishing for weeks at a time," she said wryly. She hadn't mentioned Angelo because that was a bait she wouldn't rise to, especially after tonight's argument. "And if you want to talk to her, do it as a free agent - I don't want anything more to do with her, and I don't want her thinking I'm sending people to have a go at her on my behalf." There was an edge of bitterness as she pulled a larger chunk of bread off the roll and put it in her mouth.
"I am sure you can work something out for Christmas. I cannot put this off too long or accounts will be resolved for me. One week is more than enough time to finish what I need resolved. As for Jennie, I'll speak with her regardless. I do not want to be used as leverage every time you two decide to fight."
"Like I said, I'll get back to you. If I can't make it, I'm sure you'll find someone else." Pressuring her about her free time, especially after Jennie's remarks about her gadding about for months at a time, was a sore point. "And after tonight, you probably have as much reason to talk to Jennie as anyone. I'm sorry you - and Meg, for that matter - got dragged into it." She gave him a slightly twisted smile. "You'll notice I didn't bring up Europe, even though I could have with talk of people who run away? Didn't want to fuck over you and Marius and Yvette as well with that particular clusterfuck, just to score points. Too bad it didn't work the other way."
He knew when to back off and did so without any further pressure. "Do not apologize. We did what we did, knowing the consequences." Somewhat. "Yvette?" he asked for a moment before the name brought on a face. "Oh yes, Penny. She is too young to be dragged into something like that. A shame others are not so mindful and courteous." He wasn't entirely sure what he would say to Jenny, though he was positive that when the occasion called for it, as it did now, he would know what to say once he started.
"Well, I've learned my lesson - leave the psycho bitch alone." She reached for her drink again and took a sip, setting the glass down just as their food arrived. "And how about we just forget about the whole stupid argument and enjoy dinner, yeah?"
"A very wise suggestion," Manuel agreed, turning to the waitress. "Can we see your wine list please?"
"You're projecting worse," Manuel commented dryly. "Turn left." She projected and he felt it, that shift in their conversation heightening her up and the colours around her were powerful. He turned away, observing the very few people walking tonight, feeling brief flashes of what they were feeling. It calmed him some.
"Sorry." Considering how pissed off and unhappy she was, agreeing to this was probably a bad idea, but when Manuel had emailed she'd wanted desperately something to distract her. And it was Manuel - some things never changed, and her being able to say no to him when he needed something was one of them. Taking the turn, she stopped at a light and decided to experiment, at least. Her shielding spell had always cut things back for him before... Clapping her hands briefly, she cast a small personal shield around herself, a dully-sheened bubble that fit close like another skin. "Does that help?"
"No," Manuel turned his attention back to Amanda. "I do not want this dampened. This is how I learn control. If you adapt yourself to me, I will never be able to adapt to you." He was learning it. He was feeling in control, which was a start for him. A very big step in the right direction, yet not at all where he should have been.
She bit her lip and clapped her hands again, turning the spell off. "Sorry," she repeated. She was babying him, again, making his decisions for him. Maybe Jennie had been right. She waltzed in, made a bunch of gestures, drove the bus a bit and then waltzed off again. The same as she'd done to Meggan. Her hands tightened on the wheel as she realised Manuel was probably getting a brain full of her self-pity. "Manny," she choked out. "Is there anything I can do? To help you forgive me?"
"Be with me and not Angelo." He said it, knowing the rise he would get out of her and after a moment, smiled. "You blame yourself and you let others put the blame on you. Don't. That is all I need for you to do. Stop feeling sorry for yourself. You bite when Jenny barks. Why?"
"Manny..." she began rising to the bait as he knew she would. Then she looked over at him and sighed. "I don't know. She's just so... argh. Smug? Superior?" The light changed, and she focused on getting them going again. "She went after me about Meggan. Opened up a lot of old wounds back when I really didn't need it and seems to think an apology fixed everything."
"I'm sure she feels the same about your air of arrogance you portray. Sounding familiar?" he asked, referring to the general population of the mansion and how they felt about him. "Turn right on the next block and keep going. She will always attack you about Meggan, so perhaps you need to remember that it is her problem that she cannot let it go." Manuel set his own personal feelings aside and thumbed the cane resting between his legs. He watched the stores as they passed by, checking landmarks as he couldn't recall the street name.
"I'm not arrogant," she replied quickly, then glanced at him again. "Am I?"
"Not to me. To me, you submit where you should stand. However, given our history, that is understandable." Manuel's eyes flickered away from the window, watching hers for a time before he returned his attention back to the landmarks. "This is not all centralized around what Jennie said to you, is it?"
"Sort of." There was a pause as Amanda tried to sort out what she was wanting to say and remembering who it was she was going to say it to. "It doesn't matter, what I do now, what I give up. All that's ever going to matter to the people at that school is what I did. I've tried to move on, but maybe she's right, it's just running away when things get hard." One hand left the steering wheel as she started to bite her thumbnail, already ragged. "After all, that's what you said, last time I saw you."
A habit Manuel did not like. He reached up, pulling her hand away from her mouth. "I say many things to you that are inappropriate, however you ignore them and move on. Perhaps you should do the same with this?"
She started a little at the touch of his hand on hers - since India, she'd been avoiding too much contact. Draining the life out of someone always made her feel soiled, even if it was the best way to deal with certain situations. "Perhaps because maybe it's true," she answered at last, eyes firmly on the road in front of them. "I ran away after the Selene business because I couldn't deal with anything. So it doesn't matter what I do. I always let people down."
"Feeling sorry for yourself only encourages them to stamp you down into the pavement more. However it's true you don't deal well with your problems. How many times do you try to deal with me? It always results in you running away. You do this with other things as well. You mock a front where you have a lot of doubt inside."
"You sound like Sofia." She blinked rapidly to stop the tell-tale prickle of tears and went on. "I don't know how to 'deal' with you, Manny. You were the first person I ever loved, and we did as much damage to each other as we did good. And then I tore your mind up and dumped you. How the fuck do we deal with that? I destroyed your fucking life. By rights I should be locked up somewhere."
"Yet I always manage to pick myself up and move on. How do we deal with that,Gemile?" He did not want to talk about them but it seemed as though they always had to whenever they got together. Settle old demons and yet, he knew he was right. She couldn't deal with it and wave after wave of emotion rolled off her onto him. It only pushed him to shield himself more. "Turn right into this parking lot." They arrived at a small restaurant that was obviously open all night long. He undid his seat belt, shifting in his seat to face her once she parked.
Once the ignition was turned off, she remained where she was, seatbelt still on. "I don't know," she said, in answer to his question, not even protesting the use of her former name. "I'd say it might be best if I just don't see you any more, but that's running away again, isn't it? All I know is, every time I see you, I remember what I did to you." And the guilt was crushing her.
"What would make you happy Amanda? For us not to talk? I do not believe that. You are not my excuse anymore for being the way I am. This is what I am. Accept it. Move on or move with me. Stop allowing little things to get to you and old wounds should be only scars now. Not wounds." He wanted her to learn from it, but more so, wanted to help her settle her restlessness.
"London stirred it all up again. Emma had to take the memories away so I could even function, and she's been feeding them back, but by bit, but it's like it's happening all over again. Sof says it's like having to rebreak a bone to set it properly." Her hands clenched on the steering wheel again, knuckles whitening as she fought to control herself. "I've come a long way from when just hearing your name would make me draw stick figures all over my work, but tonight... she went right for the worst thing she could have said." Amanda squeezed her eyes shut against the tears threatening. She wouldn't cry, not in front of Manuel. Not again. "But it's not her fault. I don't belong in the mansion, so why the fuck should I bother getting involved in anything over there?"
He fought to shield himself more from her, from what she was feeling but he was breaking down. Projecting on her faintly, he ended up projecting his strength against her weakness. "I won't give you reasons why you should be in the mansion. Perhaps you shouldn't be, however, you are there, and with it, should be you steeling yourself against such accusations. People will say things to hurt you. Will you always break down when they breech such a topic?" He was annoyed at her for being this way - so weak - for allowing anyone to see it. Yet he forced himself to calm, realizing he was getting worked up in her emotions again, falling back into a loop of her projections. Damn this.
"That's just it, Manny, I don't have to be at the mansion. I can let the staff take over the bus run and get A... my friends to visit me or meet them in town. I can stick to the Trenchcoats and let all this trying to make bridges between us and the school go hang. After all, it's what the rest of our lot do, keep to ourselves. And it's not like we haven't been told loud and clear we're not wanted." The beaten tone was leaving her voice as his projections took effect, anger coming to the fore again. "Jennie can go fuck herself."
"Yes, you could do that, however you won't solve anything. You won't get over these problems you're having. You and I are not so different as you like to proclaim." Manuel resisted the urge to take her hand, instead, brushed his fingers over her cheek bone, curling a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "We're labelled for our wrongs and despite what we do for our future, we will always be seen as our past portrayed us."
The touch left her skin tingling. "I never said we were so different," she said softly, still not looking at him. "That was always the problem - we were too alike. Knew how to hurt each other too well."
"And in knowing that, I should be the only one who makes you hurt like that, because there was little that we didn't know about one another. Those other people, the students, the teachers, the entire mansion, they do not know what I know. They say what's on their mind, knowing what buttons to push but not caring that they say it. It's meant to hurt, to drive you away. If you leave, it proves them right. That you are weak and not meant to be where you are now."
"But why push myself where I'm not wanted, Manny? It's not weak to know when something's a lost cause." She finally looked over at him, trying for calm. "There's not much point if no-one actually wants me there."
"It is only a lost cause when you believe it is." Manuel couldn't believe he was giving her a motivational speech when he, himself, did not care much for those in the mansion. "Should I say that the mansion would become a better place?" he asked, his tone laced in sarcasm. "Come, let's go inside. We'll talk there." Manuel got out of the car and immediately moved to the driver's side to open her door. Especially seeing as how she hadn't moved.
With another sigh, that of the put upon, Amanda unbuckled her seat belt and got out of the car, locking the door after Manuel closed it for her. "I hate being like this," she complained, unaware she was echoing Manuel's own feelings. "I keep trying and nothing fucking changes."
Manuel tried to strengthen what very little shielding he had,but he found it only exhausted him to the point that he gave up. They headed for the front door of a small, but very packed restaurant. "The food is very good here." It was impossibly small for all the people here and there must have been thirty tables all tightly shoved together. Manuel leaned on his cane, holding up his other hand over two other people behind them and gesturing for two. The hostess nodding and she left for a moment before returning abruptly and pointing to them. "Follow me," she said but it was lost in all the noise.
With so many emotions flooding around them, Manuel immediately stopped projecting, instead, concentrating on remaining sound in such a loud place, flooding with colours. They were seated at a table in the midis of the mess and Manuel's chair bumped someone else's, to which he did not apologize for.
"Feel better?" he asked once they were seated and given their orders for drinks. He looked over the menu with a cool detachment from their situation.
Strangely, she did. "Yeah," she replied, her voice losing some of the depressed tone. The noise and the bustle were strangely comforting, like when she was in the middle of a busy city street. But this was Salem Center still - nothing to twitch her powers here. She gave Manuel an appraising look. "You always got frustrated when I got whiny," she said. "I s'pose I should thank you for putting up with me tonight." She wouldn't outright say he'd been influencing her, but hopefully he could read between the lines.
"You are always a angel and a pleasure when I do. How could I not?" Manuel leaned back as the waitress came with their drinks, asking if they were ready to order. He exchanged a look with Amanda, holding his hand up to silence her while he gave an order for two. They exchanged smiles, hers flirtatious while his was tolerant before she briskly moved off to put their order through. Manuel turned his attention back to her, folding his arms in front of him, leaning on the table.
She couldn't help the snicker at his words, even if there was an eye roll included. "You are, as the kids would say, cheesy as ever," she teased him, leaning back in her chair and rubbing her eyes. She felt exhausted now most of the upset was ebbing. "I hate to see what the bosses have to say about my little outburst tonight. I'm not supposed to lose my rag like that. Bad work practice for a spy."
"I am sure everyone has their bad days, even you. Tell me something. If I booked a trip to Spain, would you come?" He knew this was direct and sudden to her, but it was not so sudden for him. He had been thinking about it for sometime. "I have some accounts that need to be closed over there and knots to be tied. I would appreciate the company from someone who knows me." At least knew him better than he knew himself.
Amanda blinked, shocked by the sudden request. "I'd have to see what my schedule's like," she replied, knowing it sounded like a brush off but well aware of her workload. "You looking at going for business or for plea... just for a break?"
"Business. There is few things requiring my attention. We may be gone a week or two. Possibly only a week. I can purchase our return tickets later if need be, but it is cheaper to buy round trip fare. Then of course, you'll have to speak with Angelo." He leaned back as the waitress returned, placing a basket of fresh buns in between them and he picked one up as she departed.
"I can get you a good deal on tickets, if you want to hold off." Amanda reached for a bun herself, picking at it with nervous fingers rather than eating. "Let me get back to you? I've got something on I'm doing for Jane that's kind of urgent and I'll have to see what else is going on. With Wanda away, 'Yana and I are it for the weird magic shite department and there's a lot that needs following up."
"Good. I was thinking November or December, if that suits you well." He noticed she didn't mention anything about Angelo. He couldn't concentrate solely on her emotions as others pulled him in different directions. He would have to be satisfied for what he saw at face value and buttered his bread, addressing another topic while he did. "This thing with Jennie will come out worse later. Someone should speak to her."
"I've sort of used up my leave this year, what with vanishing for weeks at a time," she said wryly. She hadn't mentioned Angelo because that was a bait she wouldn't rise to, especially after tonight's argument. "And if you want to talk to her, do it as a free agent - I don't want anything more to do with her, and I don't want her thinking I'm sending people to have a go at her on my behalf." There was an edge of bitterness as she pulled a larger chunk of bread off the roll and put it in her mouth.
"I am sure you can work something out for Christmas. I cannot put this off too long or accounts will be resolved for me. One week is more than enough time to finish what I need resolved. As for Jennie, I'll speak with her regardless. I do not want to be used as leverage every time you two decide to fight."
"Like I said, I'll get back to you. If I can't make it, I'm sure you'll find someone else." Pressuring her about her free time, especially after Jennie's remarks about her gadding about for months at a time, was a sore point. "And after tonight, you probably have as much reason to talk to Jennie as anyone. I'm sorry you - and Meg, for that matter - got dragged into it." She gave him a slightly twisted smile. "You'll notice I didn't bring up Europe, even though I could have with talk of people who run away? Didn't want to fuck over you and Marius and Yvette as well with that particular clusterfuck, just to score points. Too bad it didn't work the other way."
He knew when to back off and did so without any further pressure. "Do not apologize. We did what we did, knowing the consequences." Somewhat. "Yvette?" he asked for a moment before the name brought on a face. "Oh yes, Penny. She is too young to be dragged into something like that. A shame others are not so mindful and courteous." He wasn't entirely sure what he would say to Jenny, though he was positive that when the occasion called for it, as it did now, he would know what to say once he started.
"Well, I've learned my lesson - leave the psycho bitch alone." She reached for her drink again and took a sip, setting the glass down just as their food arrived. "And how about we just forget about the whole stupid argument and enjoy dinner, yeah?"
"A very wise suggestion," Manuel agreed, turning to the waitress. "Can we see your wine list please?"
