Lulu (to Eep): Oh. Sorry, grumpy man... Mouse just called & told me I could spin a set tomorrow night. I didn't think she would, but she did. I just hope she likes it. I really want to spin out more & if she says I'm good then it really means something.
Eep (to Lulu): Yeah. She said your mix was good, so I'm not surprised she wants to see you try it live.
Lulu (to Eep): She probably doesn't remember this but I heard her spin years ago in East Piedmont and I loved what she was doing & it made me want to do it too. She inspired me... much to my mother's chagrin, I might add.
Eep (to Lulu): Mom's not a fan of the DJing, huh? That seems kinda stupid.
Lulu (to Eep): Well, it wasn't so much the djing she had a problem with, it was the fact that I told her I was done with school... I mean, she had my childhood pretty much plotted out & I never really had anytime to have fun. It was always work, work, work. So, when I saw something that caught my interest, I jumped on it & used it as part of my excuse. I may go back to school, eventually... But not right now.
Eep (to Lulu): Huh. That, uh, that sounds like it pretty much sucks.
Lulu (to Eep): Well, it's okay, really. It's not like I don't already have degrees... Oh. Ignore that. I should really switch to decaf.
Eep (to Lulu): Yeah. I'd say so. ... Shit.
Lulu (to Eep): What is it? What I do now? Are you going to yell at me?
Eep (to Lulu): What? Oh. Sorry. No. Not you. It's... Someone else. What the fuck is she still doing in town?
Lulu (to Eep): Huh? Who are we staring at?
Eep (to Lulu): It's Midwestern Mom over there. You read that article about Mouse in the Indy Weekly a few months back?
Lulu (to Eep): Yeah, I vaguely remember it... Something about finding Vincent on her doorstep, right?
Eep (to Lulu): Yeah. That's one of the people connected to that Goddamn Divine Hope church. I figured she'd fuck off, but here she is.
Lulu (to Eep): Oooh... She is in drastic need of a new dye job & possibly to stop shopping at Walmart for her clothes. Talk about Frumpy-R-Us.
Eep (to Lulu): She needs reality to fucking smack her up the backside of her head. Shit! Is that really the fucking time? I need to get to a meeting. If you see Vincent, tell him to avoid the cafe.
Lulu (to Eep): Oh okay... I should probably head to work, myself. See you later.
Eep (to Lulu): Later.
A short time later:
Poppy (to Oliver): Hey honey, can I get my usual?
Oliver (to Poppy): Of course. No little man with you today?
Poppy (to Oliver): No, I had some errands to run so I left Victor home with his father... Oh! What is she doing here?
Oliver (to Poppy): Huh? Who? Poppy? Where are you going?
Poppy (to Oliver): I'll be right back... (to Mary Jones) What are you still doing in town? You should really go home before someone drops a house on you, honey.
Mary Jones (to Poppy): Well, you're part of the reason I'm here. It was Poppy, wasn't it? Let's not be coy, Poppy. What's your game? I don't know what my brother offered you or told you to get involved with this little charade of his...
Poppy (to Mary Jones): Excuse me!?! I have no idea what you're talking about. There's no game.
Mary Jones (to Poppy): Oh, please. I know what you think of me. I'm some small town woman playing out of her league, in a hip urban area. I'm not a fool, miss. I saw those announcements you and Paul put in the local paper. I know who and WHAT my brother is. And if you think for one moment that you can get something out of my family, you have quite another thing coming!
Poppy (to Mary Jones): Honey, you have ABSOLUTELY nothing that I want. And, I certainly don't have to justify myself to you or anyone else. I am in love with VINCENT & have been from the first moment I met him and I believe it was the same for him. So, don't you dare stand there and try to tell me what you know about us. Your family gave up that right the moment your parents beat the crap out of him and left him on the kitchen floor... And, you are very lucky that we're in public, madam. Because, if we weren't I would show you exactly what I think of you and your small minded bigotry.
Mary Jones (to Poppy): I don't care what you think of me. I only concern myself with one opinion: God's opinion. You should do the same. Because no matter how you dress it up, or what you call it, or how ever much you play at "family," He knows the truth.
Poppy (to Mary Jones): Oh... Really? Well, I'd love to know what your God's opinion is of your father owning a cabin by a lake under a fake name or the fact that you & your parents never went looking for Vincent until recently. Doesn't sound very Christian to me. You are the worst kind of hypocrites. I highly suggest you go clean up your own house before you start casting stones... And here's the address where your father is probably hiding. Now, go get back on your broomstick and get out of here.
Mary Jones (to Poppy): I... I'm sure I don't know WHAT you're talking about. I don't know how you sleep at night, spreading such lies. Good day!
Oliver (to Poppy): Uh, are you okay? Here's your coffee.
Poppy (to Oliver): Oh... Thank you, Oliver. I'm fine... Actually, I'm not fine. I'm very, very angry. The nerve of some people.
Oliver (to Poppy): I'm sorry. I wish there was something I could do.
Poppy (to Oliver): It's alright, honey... But, there's something I can do.
Oliver (to Poppy): Bye Poppy.
Poppy (to Oliver): I'll see you later.
An hour or so later:
Poppy (to Vincent): Honey, is it too early for you to make me a very stiff drink?
Vincent (to Poppy): It's 5 o'clock somewhere, lover. Is everything OK?
Poppy (to Vincent): Yes... No... Maybe... I'm just in a mood, honey. I ran into the Jones Harpy at the café earlier.
Vincent (to Poppy): Mary? That would explain it. She's a jolly barrel of laughs, isn't she? Why on earth is she hanging around?
Poppy (to Vincent): She had the nerve to accuse me of trying to get something out of the family & that our relationship is a sham, honey... I could have killed her right there & then... She's very lucky we were in public... No one would ever find the body.
Vincent (to Poppy): Hee hee hee. She has no idea exactly how lucky she is. Here you are, hun. It's very large, and very strong. Don't worry. I'm sure the eldest of the Jones children will skulk off soon enough.
Poppy (to Vincent): Thank you, honey... I know I probably shouldn't have said anything as you were just starting to relax about her appearance. But, she really got my goat... And, the local authorities where your parents live may have gotten an anonymous tip as to the possible whereabouts of "Pastor Nate'... I was so angry, I couldn't help myself.
Vincent (to Poppy): Oh. Really? Well. That will be the second anonymous tip they've received about that cabin. Heh. I know I said I wasn't going to get involved, but keeping my father's secrets made me feel culpable. Besides... I have a vindictive side myself. And you can rant about Mary if you need to, hun. Believe me, I understand.
Poppy (to Vincent): Oh... Heehee... And, that is why I love you, honey. Because, you're deviously clever & quite handsome to boot.
Vincent (to Poppy): You're only saying that because it's true.
Poppy (to Vincent): Heehee... Wow... My tolerance for alcohol is practically non-existent. Anything I suggest in the way of violence, honey, please completely ignore... But, I'd really like to turn a Teslaracht onto your sister for twenty minutes or so. I still can't believe she accused me of playing some sort of game, because she KNEW who & what you really were… I was half-tempted to say, 'What you know he's an airship captain & royalty? Fancy that!'
Vincent (to Poppy): Oh good heavens. That old line again? I suppose she accused us of plotting some kind of extortion scam again as well. I don't doubt it. Of course, the irony is that Mary never really knew anything about me. She was out of the house before I was a tween. I also seriously doubt that I was the sole child they smacked around.
Poppy (to Vincent): Oh my goodness, yes... I had a few choice things to say to her. But, thankfully, I managed to hold my temper & stay calm.
Vincent (to Poppy): Come here, lover. Did you know that you're sexy when you get so worked up about me?
Poppy (to Vincent): Heh... I can't help it, honey, I love you.
