A Little 'Me' Time - Open

Val roller her eyes at herself; she was slipping, where was her head today?

“I am so sorry I am usually much better with names. Let’s blame it on a tough sale and pretend I didn’t just commit a major faux pas.”

She honestly felt bad, it wasn’t like her not to remember a name. Something like that was very important to her.

He waved his hand as if to assure her it really didn't matter...though in truth he was more hurt by the slight than he'd admit. What was happening that beautiful women weren't falling all over themselves the way they used to...why was it he was needing to resort to 'helping' them see him in a favorable light so much...he'd looked in the mirror...he still looked like the same Nic he'd seen in the mirror for hundreds of years. Did he need a makeover? Had he fallen behind the times in the style department?

Though his thoughts were again on him, he managed to focus a little of his attention back on the women he was with.

"Sale? You are a sales person? What do you sell, that could require such dedication and yet not assure you of a successful outcome?"

Nic looked back to Fallon, having forgotten she was there. He laughed to himself, as he took note that maybe one reason he had begun to fail with the ladies, was he was failing to see them. He tipped his mug to her, as his way of acknowledging she was still there, and he was aware, even if he was talking to Valentine.

Val was sure he hadn’t forgiven her and she wasn’t so quick to let it slide. That was the sort of thing people would hold against you later.

“No, I’m sorry and I’ll have to find a way to make it up to you. I won’t take no for an answer.”

Subject closed. Business would be a safe topic for a while, at least she wouldn’t forget anything too important although she did laugh at the idea of not being successful.

“Actually I own the place, car dealership. This guy is a good client buys what ever I tell him and comes in once a year like clockwork he was just in a mood today and I’m afraid it might have rubbed off on me.”

"Thank you," Fallon responded, when Valentine spoke so respectfully to her. Though partially her fault, for keeping to herself so much, Fallon wasn't used to anyone considering what she spoke, and actually conversing WITH her. So when it happened she was always surprised, and usually rendered speechless, even if only momentarily.

In this case she was content to sip her rum, and listen to Nic kid with the other woman.

"Car dealership? No shit? Now that's providence...I was just telling Fallon how I'd been out shopping for a motorcycle...well, I need transportation, and would really love a new bike, but I've not seen one dealer in town. I guess I could go to the next town over...but do you car dealers ever have access to buying bikes? A Ducati...Ducati Monster S4R, specifically?

Or, maybe you or one of your lackeys could find the name of a local dealer? I'm really sick to death of cabs. Besides...while I want a bike now...I'm sure I'll be in the market for a car soon...weather is turning a bit brisk for taking the ladies out on a bike.

I'd consider us even if you could some how manage to find me my bike!"

Nic grinned and winked at Fallon, before turning back to Valentine. He loved driving fast...he loved bikes...and ever since he returned from Europe had his mind set on a Ducati Monster.

Val laughed, she had a good laugh a bit of a throaty chuckle, and shook her head.

“And here I was thinking I could buy you a drink rather than track down an import.”

She’d never turn down a sale though and mentally went through her list of contacts. Who did she know who owed her a favor and would be in a position to get a Ducati? Hmmm… he was a possibility.

“I think I can point you in the right direction. I’ve got one or two dealers in New York that owe me a favor. Give me a day or two to talk to them.”

Rubbing his hands together, Nic almost laughed with glee.

Sure he got turned on by women...and he liked luxurious living...good food...parties. But driving fast and a new motorcycle made him feel like a kid. Which was a little strange considering when he was a kid there was nothing made that could transport him at the speeds he now loved. It had only been the last eighty years or so that speed had become something he could experience.

He took a card from his pocket, checked it to make sure it was one of his, and then handed one to Fallon. As he stood up, he took Fallon's hand, bent and pressed his lips to her knuckles, and smiled. It didn't bother him when she pulled her hand away...he almost expected it. But that seemed to be the extent of her fright, so he didn't concern himself further.

"Ladies...I'm afraid I've got some things I must resolve, and the more I consider them, the more I realize they must be addressed now. So if you'll excuse me.

Fallon...it was great meeting you...I hope you get employment soon, and as I said - should I hear of anything fitting I will leave the information for you at the front desk."

Turning to Valentine, he gently picked up her free hand, slipped his card into it, and repeated the guesture he'd just done with Fallon.

"And you madam...I will await good news from. You both have my number now, so please don't hesitate to call upon me for whatever I may be able to assist you with.

It has been my pleasure."

Nic really would have liked getting to know both women better, but instead considered that would be on his agenda for the future. Knowing he had some serious meetings in his future, it helped him to know he had plans for afterward...helped disguise the fact that he might not have an afterward, after all.

(Nic out pending responses.)

Fallon took Nic's card, and promptly did pull her hand from his. She was discreet about her dislike of being touched though, and made her movement slow and deliberate.

She smiled and nodded at him when he mentioned a job, and then promptly decided that bit of news wasn't anything she needed to retain. She had been flirted with enough to know a line when she heard it. She didnt' mind though, not really...it had all been harmless.

"It was nice meeting you as well."

She was ever polite.

As he directed his final goodbye to Valentine, Fallon let her eyes drift back to the fire, and sipped her rum again. She found either the fire had finally warmed the chill from her, or the alcohol was doing so, because she was feeling a bit warm now. The only problem was, under her hoodie she had only a bra on. So for now she just unzipped the jacket as much as she could, and still remain properly attired. She also pushed her sleeves up as far as she could.

“So now I don’t have an excuse not to remember your name?” She teased making fun of her own error. “I’ll let you know what I can find you though, nice to meet you Nic.”

Val was a bit cross he was taking off. Although she was, certain she’d recovered nicely and hadn’t done anything to chase him off. So, she just let him go and tried to figure out the other.

She let a moment of silence hang as she sipped at her drink. Sure, this was her second but Val was concluding it wasn’t a good scotch. Oh well, she’d remember that for next time. And rather than bitch smiled supportively at Fallon.

”New in town then? I hope I didn’t interrupt anything.”

Unable to not listen, Fallon had to admire the other woman's ease in joking with Nic. The only time Fallon ever thought of anything witty to say, was fifteen minutes after the conversation had ended.

It didn't matter though. It wasn't like Fallon had a need to flirt, especially with someone she didn't know.

A few seconds had passed before she realized Valentine had spoken to her.

"New? Oh yes...very...just arrived yesterday in fact...and no, no you aren't, weren't interupting. I'd just met Nic as well. Whoo...can't say he wasn't easy on the eyes...and friendly? The way he was flirting I wasn't sure if he was trying to amass his own harem, or what."

The rum was getting low, but Fallon had acheived a nice warm buzz from what she'd had already. Once what she had was gone, that would be it.

"Congratulations on your sale, and what sounds like another one pending. You really must be quite the salesperson to have complete strangers solicit your services...coming right up to you like that..."

Fallon wished she had that kind of talent.

Since Val was feeling more relaxed Fallon got a rather toothy smile, she wasn’t as worried about appearances right then. Huh, maybe it was a good scotch after all.

“He is a pretty boy that is for sure. Not sure what I’d do with him though, I’m lousy that harems. Can’t imagine you do well with them either.”

Val had noticed the way the other woman had… separated herself from Nic when he’d kissed her hand.

Switching which leg was crossed over which Val dismissed the complement.

“I’m not bad but its more about the buy than the seller you just have to find the right way to stroke the ego and you can usually talk them into anything. I think most people could do it if they wanted.”

But I’m better than most, she added to herself.

"Now I think you're selling yourself short.

It takes a talent to 'pursuade' someone to do something, especially if they're set against it, or are leaning another way. I know I could ask someone if they wanted to buy a car...and if they said yes...sale made...if they said no...I'd just turn around and walk the other way. I figure they know better than I do...what they want.

Then again...I guess I'm not terribly ambitious, so I certainly wouldn't have the drive needed."

Fallon had dreams once...to be a wonderful teacher...the kind the students admired and looked up to...but that was in another life...on another planet. And for some reason that idea struck her funny, and she half laughed to herself.

"But, truth of the matter is, I am looking for a job. Don't suppose you happen to know of anyone looking for a waitress...secretary...stripper?"

The last idea just slipped out at the last minute. While she had no professional training...she'd given plenty of private performances for her ex...sadistic bastard that he was.

“Now I didn’t say it was easy, just that most people could do it if they wanted. So, I’ll take the compliment. Thank you.”

She would have offered to teach Fallon, really, it could be done. She made some of her less promising salesmen work nights so she could coach them until they could sell anything to any one. However, without that drive, Fallon would never make it.

The stripper comment took her off guard and Valentine half choked on her drink, coughing and laughing as she got things under control.

“All my best contacts are in New York or Chicago and you wouldn’t want to work for me, I can be a bitch. I’m sure there must be something around her, it’s not a small city.”

Not sure why Valentine was laughing, Fallon was concerned about the coughing, until she saw the woman was okay.

"I really wasn't asking you for a job, personally...though I really can't see you as a bitch. Not if the people who work for you, do their job...and if they don't, they deserve what they get.

I've got a few leads, and you're right...Nachton is about three or four times bigger than where I'm from... One reason I decided this was where I was going to live now. Anonymity is important to me, at the moment. But I'm hopeful."

Fallon drained her mug, and then started chewing on a rough cuticle, as she looked into the fire again.

"Let me ask you this, if you don't mind...have you been in Nachton long? Do you know if there might be a new subdivision...you know...new homes where they might also have new schools going in?"

The paper had no mention of any teaching jobs, but done the line they might be popping up...she could hope.

“Anonymity is highly over rated. I’ve tried it and didn’t care for it.”

Why would someone want to be anonymous, in Val’s experience it was to hide. So why would Fallon want to hide? She sure didn’t seem like a criminal so that meant hiding from someone and that was usually a man. Bastard.

“Me? No, no no. Not long at all. I maybe newer than you. But you’re a teacher? I thought about ding that once, it was my third grade teacher that did it, heck of a lady.”

"Anonymity can be one's only means of survival...and some of us have the strongest urge in surviving, by whatever means...you might be surprised. Though I do understand a lot of people need people. I guess I do for somethings, just not for surviving."

Fallon had sought some counseling, shortly after she'd married Ted and found out what kind of man he was. But it was short lived...him having put an end to it when he found out. She had remembered a few things she'd been told though, and one was the fact that most people had an instinctive nature to keep themselves alive. It made perfect sense, she'd just never appreciated it really, until the last few months.

"Children? Ah...no. I don't get along well with the small ones. I work much better with the teens...fourteen, fifteen, sixteen. I'm not sure why - god knows I didn't have the best experiences myself at that age, so I know it's not a matter of sharing my own times with them. But I'm able to relate well with the older ones...I guess...they just seem comfortable around me."

Fallon had gotten on a subject that she loved, but knew others really cared less about, so once she realized it, she apologized.

"Sorry...I can ramble sometimes. As for me, and teaching, I'm whatever I need to be for the time being. If I can teach again, that will be great, but I'm more concerned with being able to keep gas in my car, and a shelter around me...you know...those luxuries?"

She laughed.

"I'm okay for now though. I've been planning this little trip for a while, and won't really start sweating if I don't find a job, for another...couple days at least."

Again Fallon snickered. She would, by budgeting, be fine for at least two months.

Well she needed people, after a fashion. Although at this point Fallon was not ‘needed’, not right now, she’d gotten a nice bite in New York before coming back.

Survival, Val wrinkled her nose she hated just surviving. She’d done it once or twice back in Ireland when she had to go seriously underground and it always made her grouchy.

“You have to move beyond survival, I guess I don’t consider it living if you don’t. More like holding up and waiting for things to end or blow over.”

Another couple of days? Valentine thought of herself as a decent judge of character and took Fallon for a shrewder person than that.

“Now those are indeed luxuries. But why the sudden trip or did you just get the urge to pull up stakes?”

"Oh I know...though I did come her purely on instinct to survive...I want much more than that. But getting the surviving part out of the way is my priority now. Once I get a job and get settled, then I can work on the quality of my survival. If all I wanted to do was wait for things to end, I would have never even bothered coming here."

Explanations were a way of life with Fallon. She was forever explaining herself to Ted...and Ted to others...until she decided he wasn't worth explaining...and really, there was no explanation for him anyway.

"The opportunity presented itself, and I was afraid if I didn't take it, I might never. I couldn't stay in Wilmington any longer... Had I not cared about even surviving... then it would have been the appropriate place. The change had been a LONG time coming."

Fallon had done the best she could with what she had, and what she knew. She knew she never deserved to be treated the way she had been...but she was completely responsible for not having left the marriage within six months of exchanging vows. Vows that she was the only one who believed in...practiced. Years wasted because she was afraid. And though she tried to be strong now, it was an uphill battle.

"But really...it's a very boring story, and a little nauseating to some extent. I don't want to trouble you with it...unless of course, you're looking for something to put you to sleep? And in that way, I'm sure I can accommodate you."

Her father had been a storyteller, so had Giovanni; her mother had been a listener and Valentine had picked up some of each. She’d listened to Fallon, what she said and her body language and honestly, her curiosity was piqued.

She was certain she was right about hiding and was starting to think she was right about the bastard. Finally downing the rest of her drink, she gave the other woman a sympathetic smile.

“I’ve got a strong stomach.”

"It's not your stomach that concerns me. But once you've fallen asleep...do you have a room here...that you can be moved to easily?"

Fallon appreciated the woman's courtesy, and interest, though she had to think Valentine was already bored senseless, if she was offering to hear what it was that had drive Fallon to Nachton.

"And it really is all so trite. If you're sure though..."

And Fallon gave Valentine a few seconds to withdraw her offer, before plunging ahead.

"I grew up in Oregon, mediocre childhood, got my teaching credential, met my husband shortly after I graduated, and we married too soon thereafter. I thought things were just going to get better from that point on, only to find at some point after my honeymoon, the pod people came along and replaced my husband with a 'not so nice' alternate.

Unfortunately, I had responsibilities beyond myself, so I couldn't just leave him. But knowing that, I did everything in my power to make things work. Once I hit the bottom, and no longer had any one to answer for but myself, I got out."

So, okay...she'd left out a LOT of detail, but the gist of the story was there, and everything had been pretty much explained.

"And I just realized, you MUST be a great salesperson, because you can listen to your customers, and really make them feel like you're completely enthralled with them and their pitiful lives. Who wouldn't want to buy a car from you."

She really did appreciate that the woman had appeared interested, even if she couldn't possibly be.