Amanda Sefton (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
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xp_logs2009-09-09 12:03 pm
xp_daytripper) wrote in xp_logs2009-09-09 12:03 pm
Entry tags:
Amanda and Manuel - Tuesday lunchtime
Manuel comes to take Amanda for lunch and winds up discovering her new 'trick' for himself.
It wasn't unusual for people to drop by the Snow Valley offices, but Amanda was surprised to find today's visitor, when she came out into the entrance foyer, was one Manuel de la Rocha. Unconsciously, she straightened her blouse and flipped her hair back over her shoulder as she approached, her curiosity no doubt easily readable to the empath. "Heya," she said by way of greeting. "Don't see you around these parts much. You after Doug?"
"You actually," Manuel said and produced two tickets. "Call me cheap but I discovered two vouchers in the mail today, addressed to me, courtsey of Sabastian Shaw. I could not think of anyone who he owed more than you. Thus, here I am," he mused, though there was a hint of darkness to his tone. "Care to indulge?"
Amanda's face went stony, the smile dropping from it, at the mention of Shaw. For a moment she was poised to refuse, but sheer stubborness came to the fore. She was not a child, to be afraid of the past. "Well, it is coming up for lunch," she agreed at last. "As long as I don't actually have to go anywhere near anything Hellfire related, I'm all yours." She would, of course, tell someone where she was going - no point being stupid.
He could feel her suspicions and tucked the vouchers away. "We could go elsewhere. I have been having a taste for that Indian restaurant you showed me. Something more appealing than these have to offer?" he inquired, unable to shake her emotions from the waver in his voice. It was too easy to fall back on old habits now and then, especially with her.
Her response this time was far more natural, a gratitude entering her expression. "Sounds brilliant," she replied. She glanced over at Mark's desk - he must have stepped away for a minute - and made her way over to scribble a quick note on a post-it and stick it on his computer screen, letting him know she was heading out. "There, that'll give me a couple of hours," she said, returning to Manuel's side. "After you."
"Ladies first," he said, opening the door for her and following as she bustled through. On the street, Manuel rubbed at his jaw and opened his mouth as though he was adjusting something within. "I think one of my fillings is coming loose," he said unpleasantly. "It's very uncomfortable -- have you ever lost a filling?" He hadn't been to the dentist in years.
"Not that I know of." Amanda's own relationship with dentists was a reluctant one - Snow Valley had a health plan with all the bells and whistles, and Pete had made sure that she had taken advantage of it, the result being all her fillings were recent and very professionally done. "Maybe you should go get it taken care of?" she suggested as they waited for the elevator.
"It tastes metallic and I am unsure if that has to do with the fillings themselves or something else entirely. My jaw is sore at best and you know, I hate the dentist." There was so many emotions behind a professional eye like that, one that he'd rather put a cap on before he walked through the door.
"Pain's not a good sign, Manny." The elevator pinged as the car arrived and she stepped in when the doors opened, pressing the button for the lobby. "Just go to the bloody dentist, otherwise you'll just get worse. Wouldn't do to turn up at some business meeting and have your teeth fall out, would it?"
"I think there is a cavity there as well," he admitted, stepping onto the car. "It only started bothering me today. Perhaps its just a bad case of eating something -- no, nevermind. That has only potential to go badly, whatever I say," he smiled, despite the ache and hit the button even though it was lit up by her earlier touch.
"You're such a baby sometimes," she teased gently, rolling her eyes a little at the button-pushing. "Dentists aren't so bad - it's just a matter of finding a good one. I can help you if you want - Emma's got some good people on retainer."
"I am not a baby," he quipped. "Anyone that remotely resembles my past experiences needs to be mentally checked over, especially before I let them approach me with shiny metal objects to stick in my mouth." It was all too familiar of a situation, a past life like most would rather forget.
"Then ask Emma for a recommendation," Amanda pointed out reasonably. "She knows your history well enough so you can be pretty sure she wouldn't land you with someone your powers are going to react to." The elevator stopped and pinged again, the doors opening at the downstairs lobby.
Manuel stepped out after Amanda but he waved dismissively. "Yes, yes, I will. Stop acting like my mother or I will be forced to take drastic measures."
Amanda put on her best "who, me?" look. "Valentia at school?" she asked instead, steering the conversation away from Manuel's dental woes. "How's she taking to it?"
"She's in a... public school now," he said as though that was the most distasteful thing he could say. "It is...how do you say? Unenjoyable for her? She is different and realizes this more. The private schooling helped over the summer, but it will not undo what she already knows."
"Why public school?" Amanda asked, curious. She unconsciously adjusted her pace to Manuel's with the cane, used to doing the same wiith Remy when he was crippled. "I mean, I thought you would have stuck with the private one, if she was used to it there."
"She needs to socialize and deal with her issues earlier rather than later. I would rather her be accustomed to all types of people, not just those who can afford private schooling." He knew how that must have sounded, that a de la Rocha was stepping down in with the commoners but he rest assured her with a smile. "She will have private tutoring, of course. Do you think I would let that slide?"
"Just when I think I've got you figured, you surprise me," she replied, wryly. "I didn't expect you to think that way - 's good, tho'. Shutting her away from the world's not good for her." And idea struck her. "Where's this school of hers? I could pick her up sometimes if you like, get in some 'manda time with her?"
"If you would like. Once a week is... appropriate considering your schedule is not always set and I would not want to disappoint her. She gets her hopes up easily, especially with you," he said, pausing in stride to adjust his grip on his cane.
The witch bit her lip a little - it reminded her of Meggan, and how she'd disappionted her more often than not. "Yeah, that's probably a good idea," she said after a while. "I know I'm not the most reliable these days."
"No, you are not, however, you do have other attri--" Manuel paused mid-sentence when his company completely vanished. Had he just hallucinated that entire scenario? As an after thought, he brushed his fingers over his chin, looked around him and checked his watch. Was this some sort of telepathic game?
Then his phone rang.
Long distance.
"Hello?"
Over the crackle of long-distance static came Amanda's slightly sheepish voice. "Um, yeah, about that not being reliable thing. Seems I've added to it with subconscious new powers use." She paused, and then added. "Hi from Madrid, by the way."
"I should be surprised, but I am not," Manuel said drily as he turned on the street. "You owe me for this cancellation. I don't suppose you would be interested in smuggling some things in for me now would you?"
"Why is it every time this happens, people want souveniers?" Amanda mock-complained. "Okay, fine, as long as it's not too big - I don't seem to be able to carry more than a plastic bag's worth. I'll drop it by the mansion on Friday, unless you feel like meeting me in Times Square in about... three hours? It'll take me that long to recharge."
Manuel checked his watch again. "And here I thought you would have to fly back. Pity. You had my hopes up."
"Just as well I'm not - the tickets could get pricey since I'm doing this every week or so." Her tone turned mollifying. "I'm sorry, Manny. I thought I'd sorted this out."
"Do not be sorry. I will meet you in three hours with indian in tow and you can tell me all about it when you get back." He would ask about the other times this had happened as she had conveniently forgotten to mention this up until now. "And since you have three hours to burn, see what you can do about finding a better tie than the one I am currently wearing."
"You sure you want to trust me with that?" A laugh entered Amanda's voice. "You know I've got horrible taste. You might wind up with one of those tacky ties with the bullfighters on 'em."
"If it is that bad, I will just give it to Bishop," Manuel smiled and continued walking towards the restaurant. "Since we are being honest, I thought I was the victim of a terrible telepathic joke. Who knows. Maybe that is what this is and I am really walking down the street, in my briefs."
"Oh, I need to tell you about April Fool's Day. You'll get a laugh out of that, if you didn't see it on the journals already. Turned up in the middle of London in a t-shirt and my knickers." She laughed again. "I'll tell you the whole sordid story when I get back."
It wasn't unusual for people to drop by the Snow Valley offices, but Amanda was surprised to find today's visitor, when she came out into the entrance foyer, was one Manuel de la Rocha. Unconsciously, she straightened her blouse and flipped her hair back over her shoulder as she approached, her curiosity no doubt easily readable to the empath. "Heya," she said by way of greeting. "Don't see you around these parts much. You after Doug?"
"You actually," Manuel said and produced two tickets. "Call me cheap but I discovered two vouchers in the mail today, addressed to me, courtsey of Sabastian Shaw. I could not think of anyone who he owed more than you. Thus, here I am," he mused, though there was a hint of darkness to his tone. "Care to indulge?"
Amanda's face went stony, the smile dropping from it, at the mention of Shaw. For a moment she was poised to refuse, but sheer stubborness came to the fore. She was not a child, to be afraid of the past. "Well, it is coming up for lunch," she agreed at last. "As long as I don't actually have to go anywhere near anything Hellfire related, I'm all yours." She would, of course, tell someone where she was going - no point being stupid.
He could feel her suspicions and tucked the vouchers away. "We could go elsewhere. I have been having a taste for that Indian restaurant you showed me. Something more appealing than these have to offer?" he inquired, unable to shake her emotions from the waver in his voice. It was too easy to fall back on old habits now and then, especially with her.
Her response this time was far more natural, a gratitude entering her expression. "Sounds brilliant," she replied. She glanced over at Mark's desk - he must have stepped away for a minute - and made her way over to scribble a quick note on a post-it and stick it on his computer screen, letting him know she was heading out. "There, that'll give me a couple of hours," she said, returning to Manuel's side. "After you."
"Ladies first," he said, opening the door for her and following as she bustled through. On the street, Manuel rubbed at his jaw and opened his mouth as though he was adjusting something within. "I think one of my fillings is coming loose," he said unpleasantly. "It's very uncomfortable -- have you ever lost a filling?" He hadn't been to the dentist in years.
"Not that I know of." Amanda's own relationship with dentists was a reluctant one - Snow Valley had a health plan with all the bells and whistles, and Pete had made sure that she had taken advantage of it, the result being all her fillings were recent and very professionally done. "Maybe you should go get it taken care of?" she suggested as they waited for the elevator.
"It tastes metallic and I am unsure if that has to do with the fillings themselves or something else entirely. My jaw is sore at best and you know, I hate the dentist." There was so many emotions behind a professional eye like that, one that he'd rather put a cap on before he walked through the door.
"Pain's not a good sign, Manny." The elevator pinged as the car arrived and she stepped in when the doors opened, pressing the button for the lobby. "Just go to the bloody dentist, otherwise you'll just get worse. Wouldn't do to turn up at some business meeting and have your teeth fall out, would it?"
"I think there is a cavity there as well," he admitted, stepping onto the car. "It only started bothering me today. Perhaps its just a bad case of eating something -- no, nevermind. That has only potential to go badly, whatever I say," he smiled, despite the ache and hit the button even though it was lit up by her earlier touch.
"You're such a baby sometimes," she teased gently, rolling her eyes a little at the button-pushing. "Dentists aren't so bad - it's just a matter of finding a good one. I can help you if you want - Emma's got some good people on retainer."
"I am not a baby," he quipped. "Anyone that remotely resembles my past experiences needs to be mentally checked over, especially before I let them approach me with shiny metal objects to stick in my mouth." It was all too familiar of a situation, a past life like most would rather forget.
"Then ask Emma for a recommendation," Amanda pointed out reasonably. "She knows your history well enough so you can be pretty sure she wouldn't land you with someone your powers are going to react to." The elevator stopped and pinged again, the doors opening at the downstairs lobby.
Manuel stepped out after Amanda but he waved dismissively. "Yes, yes, I will. Stop acting like my mother or I will be forced to take drastic measures."
Amanda put on her best "who, me?" look. "Valentia at school?" she asked instead, steering the conversation away from Manuel's dental woes. "How's she taking to it?"
"She's in a... public school now," he said as though that was the most distasteful thing he could say. "It is...how do you say? Unenjoyable for her? She is different and realizes this more. The private schooling helped over the summer, but it will not undo what she already knows."
"Why public school?" Amanda asked, curious. She unconsciously adjusted her pace to Manuel's with the cane, used to doing the same wiith Remy when he was crippled. "I mean, I thought you would have stuck with the private one, if she was used to it there."
"She needs to socialize and deal with her issues earlier rather than later. I would rather her be accustomed to all types of people, not just those who can afford private schooling." He knew how that must have sounded, that a de la Rocha was stepping down in with the commoners but he rest assured her with a smile. "She will have private tutoring, of course. Do you think I would let that slide?"
"Just when I think I've got you figured, you surprise me," she replied, wryly. "I didn't expect you to think that way - 's good, tho'. Shutting her away from the world's not good for her." And idea struck her. "Where's this school of hers? I could pick her up sometimes if you like, get in some 'manda time with her?"
"If you would like. Once a week is... appropriate considering your schedule is not always set and I would not want to disappoint her. She gets her hopes up easily, especially with you," he said, pausing in stride to adjust his grip on his cane.
The witch bit her lip a little - it reminded her of Meggan, and how she'd disappionted her more often than not. "Yeah, that's probably a good idea," she said after a while. "I know I'm not the most reliable these days."
"No, you are not, however, you do have other attri--" Manuel paused mid-sentence when his company completely vanished. Had he just hallucinated that entire scenario? As an after thought, he brushed his fingers over his chin, looked around him and checked his watch. Was this some sort of telepathic game?
Then his phone rang.
Long distance.
"Hello?"
Over the crackle of long-distance static came Amanda's slightly sheepish voice. "Um, yeah, about that not being reliable thing. Seems I've added to it with subconscious new powers use." She paused, and then added. "Hi from Madrid, by the way."
"I should be surprised, but I am not," Manuel said drily as he turned on the street. "You owe me for this cancellation. I don't suppose you would be interested in smuggling some things in for me now would you?"
"Why is it every time this happens, people want souveniers?" Amanda mock-complained. "Okay, fine, as long as it's not too big - I don't seem to be able to carry more than a plastic bag's worth. I'll drop it by the mansion on Friday, unless you feel like meeting me in Times Square in about... three hours? It'll take me that long to recharge."
Manuel checked his watch again. "And here I thought you would have to fly back. Pity. You had my hopes up."
"Just as well I'm not - the tickets could get pricey since I'm doing this every week or so." Her tone turned mollifying. "I'm sorry, Manny. I thought I'd sorted this out."
"Do not be sorry. I will meet you in three hours with indian in tow and you can tell me all about it when you get back." He would ask about the other times this had happened as she had conveniently forgotten to mention this up until now. "And since you have three hours to burn, see what you can do about finding a better tie than the one I am currently wearing."
"You sure you want to trust me with that?" A laugh entered Amanda's voice. "You know I've got horrible taste. You might wind up with one of those tacky ties with the bullfighters on 'em."
"If it is that bad, I will just give it to Bishop," Manuel smiled and continued walking towards the restaurant. "Since we are being honest, I thought I was the victim of a terrible telepathic joke. Who knows. Maybe that is what this is and I am really walking down the street, in my briefs."
"Oh, I need to tell you about April Fool's Day. You'll get a laugh out of that, if you didn't see it on the journals already. Turned up in the middle of London in a t-shirt and my knickers." She laughed again. "I'll tell you the whole sordid story when I get back."