Log: Lil and Jean-Paul - Phone Conversation

[x-diamondlil.livejournal.com]

Lil finally finds time to call Jean-Paul and fill him in some.


Upon being all but forcibly removed from Madison's room by security in order for more testing to be done on her husband, Lil found herself in a sea of beige with nothing to do. The cafeteria held no appeal, nor did visiting Judd only a few rooms away and she didn't feel like sitting face to face with Mac, Heather or Joseph again. Too many ghosts, too many shadows. Instead, the blonde woman opened her carton of cigarettes and headed for the door. Once outside, she leaned against the building, lit up then pulled out her cell phone and stared blankly at it. Who to call? Her father who was hours away, probably on the road, for comfort? His parents to let them know what had happened despite their tumultuous relationship? Again, the choices were slim and not all that inviting. More on instinct than memory, her fingers typed out a number and she took a long draw of smoke into her lungs as the line began to ring.

The phone got out almost a full ring before Jean-Paul picked up.

"Lillian! Are you all right? How is Madison?" The words had barely any pause between them. It was possible that the speedster had been just a bit worried about her.

"Alive," she half-laughed, half-croaked, overcome by the comfort that stemmed from hearing his voice. "He's alive and breathing on his own. Awake, too though not very responsive to anything or anyone." Back pressed against the exterior of the building, she slid down the wall until her rear met the ground. "But he's alive."

"That is some good news, anyway." He paused to take a breath, but kept the volume of his voice low. "How are you holding up?" Yes, he was going to be insistent on that point.

Lil shrugged her shoulder then remembered he couldn't see her. "About as well as can be expected. Threatened a few doctors but I haven't broken anything, yet. They're doing tests on Madison right now so I'm outside smoking."

"And presumably not sleeping or eating, but I will try not to be too much of a hypocrite about that. Besides, if I lecture you, you would have to come back down here and kick my ass and I do not think you would want to spare the time." A door closed on the other end of the line and Jean-Paul raised his voice slightly. "I have not told Jeanne-Marie anything yet. I did not want to worry her until I knew who was going to be buried." Namely Langkowski. Jean-Paul frankly could not have cared if the man lived or died, but he doubted his sister would have the same outlook.

Her eyes drifted shut for a moment and she dropped her head back. "None of the Old Regime, though it's still touch and go with Juddsie. The five were former Betas I didn't particularly get along with during our years together but I never wished this on them." Lil sighed again then took a puff on the cigarette before laying her arm over her knee. "Fuck, Jean-Paul. I feel so helpless right now. The funeral's coming up and - and I don't know how I'm gonna sit through it without picturing Madison in a box of the wooden kind."


"It sounds as if you have both had a near miss and things are not completely in the clear yet. Thinking on what might have happened is not to be wondered at." There was hesitation on the other end of the line. "Even if I were inclined to, I doubt anyone there needs me trying to poke my nose into official Alpha business. But if you need me, I can be there. We both can."

"I couldn't ask you to do that," Lil told him, flicking the ash off the end of the cigarette as she stared at her shoes. "You've got too much to deal with already, I'm a big girl who can take care of myself and Madison at the same time." She didn't sound very convincing; exhaustion was in her voice even if the speedster couldn't see her too pale skin and heavy eyes. "But thank you for the offer. Heather's been checking in and that's all the mothering I can deal with right now."

"All right." There was some reluctance in the speedster's voice, but he seemed willing to take her word on things for the moment. "Though I do not promise that Johnny will not steal my car and find his way up to Yellowknife."

"Why in God's name would he try to drive to Yellowknife?" she asked, frowning into the phone. "You told him I was going to miss training, right? I just, I don't know when I'm going to be back or how much of this has gotten around the mansion."

"I told him the basics. He is just concerned, that is all. I suppose that is one more reason for me to stay put -- to keep him distracted."

"I'd appreciate that, especially seeing as Daddy's probably not home and I'm in Ottawa." There was the barest hint of humor in her voice. Another puff on the cigarette and Lil's attention was drawn to the glitter of her wedding band in the sun. It felt odd to be wearing it again. Odd, but right. "Tell him I'm okay?"

"You are expecting logic from teenagers?" Jean-Paul snorted. "I will do my best. I can probably get him to believe me."

"You're good at that kinda stuff. Talking people down." Perhaps that was why she'd called. "How is everything else there? Jeanne-Marie, Jake, Nathan?" Something else to think about for a few moments while she finished off the smoke and before she went back inside to sit with Madison.

"Nathan managed to collapse a lung. I have not asked how; I still need a bit of time before I can trust myself not to roll him out of the nearest window when I next set eyes on him. Jake is currently passed out in my bed and Jeanne-Marie avoiding me. Well, I think she is avoiding Jake, but it amounts to the same thing." A pause. "I took Rachel out for her birthday yesterday. Toystore and lunch at a 'grown-up' restaurant. I think this place is planting spores in my brain."

"Sounds like quite the domestic picture... if it was painted by Picasso or something," Lil chuckled dryly in return the ground out the cigarette against the ground. "Gotta watch out for those spores, Speedy. 'Specially if they're being planted by little redheaded girls who beg you to buy all the pretty dollies and horses in the store then make you play tea-party in public."

"I am not that much of a loss yet," was the equally dry response. "All tea-parties have been behind closed doors, at least so far as I will confess to."

"I really don't need to know about your and Jake's post-coital rituals, Speedy."

"Your interest in my selection of adult entertainment says otherwise." Every moment he could keep distracted was one less moment that she was abjectly miserable. If that was all he could do, then he would do it.

The comment drew a short but honest laugh from her though the happy sound faded quicker than usual. "You're right. Go have another round of tea with Jake then give me all the delicious details. I ain't gonna be sipping that cup for a few more months at least it seems so I might as well live it through you."

"For the record, woman, you have a filthy mind. My comments were made in complete innocence, and here we are, one short sentence away from innuendo about tea service. I blame you."

"As you should; it's usually my fault when it comes to these kinda things." Lil flicked the cigarette butt in the general direction of the nearest trashcan and pushed herself back to her feet. "I mean it, go have some fun. They should be finished running their tests and I need to get back to Madison."

"I will attempt this 'fun' you speak of if you take care of yourself, oui? Get something that passes for food. And be in touch if you need us for anything. Hell, play your cards right and you could get delivery from my kitchen."

"I'm fine," she responded automatically. "There's food. Heather keeps poking her head in. Lots of coffee." Not that she'd taken comfort in any of those but Jean-Paul didn't need to know that. "I'll call if I need anything, though. Promise. Can you tell Johnny I said hi if you see him?"

"The very next time," Jean-Paul promised. "Good luck, Lil."

"Merci," came the soft reply as the giantess hung up. "We're going to need it."