Topic: Posters, Posters Everywhere!

Jonathan Granger

Date: 2016-04-23 17:40 EST
Posters! Posters everywhere, bearing her name and her picture, and Mataya had a very shrewd idea of who was responsible for them. As flattered as she was, with Max and Oscar at home, not to mention the dogs, and the Spring Gala about to begin, Beltane was the furthest thing from her mind right now. That didn't mean she couldn't make her friend sweat about it, though. She had it on good authority that Jon was visiting his wife at the theater to take her out to lunch, and as such, the theater owner was waiting in the foyer when her star turn arrived. "Jonathan Granger, I want a word with you," she said ominously, one of those posters in her hand.

Jon's gaze darted from the look on Mataya's face to the poster she was holding in her hands, and he winced. He knew immediately that he was in trouble, but hopefully, she wasn't too angry. he had his reaasons, after all. "If it's about the posters, I can explain ..." Right there, he had practically admitted his guilt.

"Oh, I hope you can," 'Taya said, her brows rising above what might have been a smile. She was trying very hard to intimidate him, but they knew each other too well. he knew perfectly well that he wasn't in that much trouble. She waved the poster at him. "Explain."

He sighed, sensing her irritation beneath the facade of either amusement or even the hoped for intimidation. "Look, I know it was stupid, but I can't think of anyone else who deserves to be May Queen more than you. You've done so much for the city, 'Tay. I realize this is a business, but you never fail to give back. You're outgoing and welcoming to everyone who comes here, patron or perfomer. You juggle home and family and career and still have time to do charity work." To his credit, he wasn't just sucking up; he really meant everything he said. And sure, there were plenty of people in Rhy'Din who did things for the city, but few who had been as consistently doing it for years the way Mataya had.

She held his gaze for a long moment, the wind taken out of her sails by the remarkably well thought out response she'd been given. "All right, well ..." She cleared her throat. "You virtually described yourself there, too, you know. Maybe I should nominate you for this." No, Jon really wasn't being told off. Mataya had been blindsided by it a little, that was all. "Look, Jon, it's not that I don't appreciate it, or that I'm not flattered by it, but you should have told me."

It wasn't really that well thought out; it was just honest. He rolled his eyes and laughed at her remark. "Please don't. I've been accused of being a queen once too often. Let's not give them more fuel for the fire, shall we?" he asked, linking his arm with hers. "Come on. I'll buy you a cup of coffee to make amends."

"You're supposed to be taking your wife to lunch," she reminded him with a faint smile. "I've withdrawn my name, you know. I might go to the Beltane fires, but I enjoy my quiet time with Max and Oscar too much to say for certain that I'll be anywhere in the evenings."

"It wouldn't have been a surprise if I'd told you, but I understand," he told her, not letting go of her arm as he led her toward the cafe for a quick cup of coffee. "She won't be ready for a little while yet. I'm early, and we don't get enough time to just talk," he told her.

"You're lucky she wouldn't believe for one second you'd cheat on her, Jonathan Granger," Mataya teased him, putting the crumpled poster in the trash as they headed for the cafe. "Especially not with me. I'm sorry, it was a lovely gesture. Just ....not the right timing this year."

"It's the thought that counts, right?" he asked with a hopeful smile. He knew Vicki would never accuse him of cheating, especially not with his best friend. They might have been lovers once, but that had been a very long time ago - another lifetime ago, as far as Jon was concerned, and one he didn't remember. "Anyway, I understand. My time with Vicki and the kids is precious. There's very little I'd give it up for."

"And it was a lovely thought," she assured him, flashing a smile to Elouise behind the counter. Ms. Matsuo knew what they'd order, so there was no need to do it, just find a seat and get comfortable. "I can't believe Oscar's two already," Mataya said, thumping down into a seat. "All that heartache over thinking I'd never have a baby, and I have a ramnbunctious toddler running around, driving his father crazy."

Jon chuckled as he followed her to a seat and claimed one for his own. "I know a couple you can borrow if you're feeling the urge," he told her with a grin. He wasn't sure if she and Max would ever try to have another. As it was, Oscar was her miracle baby, but she was perfectly welcome to borrow his two whenever she wanted.

"Three by the end of the year," Mataya snickered cheerfully. "I nearly predicted it accurately - I should have gone with my instincts and offered you the end of the summer off, not the beginning." She smiled as Elouise slid two coffees off a tray and onto the table between them. "Thank you, Elly ....and don't you dare foist your terrible twosome off on me without warning. I love your children dearly, but they're a pain in the ass."

He laughed at her very honest reaction to his suggestion. "Thanks, I think. I'll be sure to share that with Vicki," he said, regarding their children. He nodded his thanks for the coffee before taking a small sip. "I used to tease Vicki that we'd have six before we were through, but to be honest, I'm a little nervous about this one."

Mataya frowned curiously at her friend as she sipped her coffee. "Why would you be nervous about this one?" she asked, at a loss to even guess his reasons. "You've done it twice already, you'll be pros this time around."

"I don't know," he admitted with a small frown. "Everything's gone so well ..." That wasn't quite true. He'd come a little too close to losing Vicki and Emily to a ghoul a few years ago, but he didn't want to talk about that. "I know it's silly, but I guess I'm just worrying when all my good luck is going to run out."

"Jon ..." Mataya rolled her eyes at him, shaking her head. "You had a run of bad luck that would last anyone a lifetime. Stop waiting for the other shoe to drop - I've been doing that myself, and what?s happened" Everyone in my family got married and started popping out babies, that's what happened. Don't expect the absolute worst to happen, because it won't."

"I know. I'm sorry. Bad habit," he explained. "Anyway, we were talking about you. You really do deserve some acknowledgement for everything you do, Mataya, besides your paycheck." She might have think he did a lot for the theater and the community, but he knew for a fact, she did more. But then, it wasn't a competition.

Derailed from reassuring him, she squirmed a little. As much as Mataya De Luca enjoyed the spotlight, it was different when the spotlight was being aimed by a friend. "But I don't do it to be acknowledged, Jon," she said, her familiar smile almost shy for a moment. "When I came here, there was virtually no provision for the stage unless you were a ballerina. I'm proud of the performers who have acted on our stage, and the crew that work behind the scenes. I'm proud that I can give them somewhere to express themselves. Oh, that reminds me ....I really should talk to the Head over at Bristle Crios about that diploma course idea. A qualification in Theater Studies with practical experience here at the Shanachie could take a student a long way."

Jonathan Granger

Date: 2016-04-23 17:41 EST
"And now look at it ....You have not only a theater, but a theater company, a rep company, a ballet troupe, and a children's program. It's taken time, but we've grown by leaps and bounds," he offered with a smile. Not to mention the outpouring of support via sponsors that had just about blown her away. "We could offer to have a few students who have an interest in theater do an internship here in the meantime," he suggested.

"That's what I was thinking," she nodded. "We couldn't offer them performance places, but we could set dates aside for their own performances on the stage, if they wanted it, and there are always places for willing hands backstage and in prep."

"See what I mean about you helping the community?" he pointed out with an amused smirk. "So, I've been thinking ....What do you think we should do with the production company?"

She bit her lip, a playful light touching her eyes. "We really should find something else to produce, shouldn't we?" she suggested. "Perhaps we could ....hmm. A script competition, maybe? Invite people to submit their scripts, and put it to a vote as to which we might work with?"

"I like that idea. There you are, getting the community involved again!" he teased, nudging her arm with an elbow. "And who knows ....We might discover the next Oscar Wilde!" Though it was hardly likely. It was no secret that Wilde was one of Jon's favorites.

"Oh, come on," she laughed. "With so much talent in such a relatively small place, why shouldn't we give it as much of an outlet as we can' We're lucky enough to be in a position to do it. Oh, that reminds me ....the renovations to the Seven Towers are due to start at the beginning of June. Hopefully we'll raise enough at the reception after the Gala to cover living costs for the children while the Towers is being made fit for purpose."

"If it doesn't we can always contribute a little of our own money, and I'm sure Humphrey wouldn't mind adding to the pot," Jon remarked, before taking a sip of his coffee. If she'd been annoyed with him over the May Queen thing, all seemed to have been forgiven and forgotten.

"And once the renovations are close to done, Agnes can start hiring more staff so those kids get a good all 'round education, not just in how to control themselves," Mataya nodded. They'd been talking for years about doing something with their personal money, but this was the first time they'd actually gone out on a limb and done something. It was proving to be a success, too. "How is Liv coping with being back at work?" she asked then, curious to know how things had changed since the Storms welcomed child number four into their ranks.

"Don't tell her, but I give her as little to do as possible without insulting her. I think she's a little worried about Sol stealing her job, but as efficient as he is, he lacks a certain something," Jon explained. He liked the man just fine and he did a fantastic job, but in his opinion, there was only one Liv. "I don't want her overworking herself, and really, there's not much to do these days but sort my mail."

"No complaints when you told her she was only working mornings, then?" 'Taya asked with a curious smile. This was something else they'd discussed, prompted by gentle enquiries via Johnny and Fliss as to how Liv was dealing with being a mother to such a busy family. "You should get a medal for convincing her to do that."

"Well, yes ....of course, she complained, but once I explained to her that I only needed her part-time and that it would give her more time to spend with the kids, she relented. In the end, I think she was realist about it. It's not like she needs the paycheck really. Humphrey made them honorary Grangers a few years ago," he explained, which meant they were allowed to live at the Grove rent-free, among other privileges.

"Oh goodness," Mataya laughed. "Please tell me he didn't try and put the Storms on that stipend business as well. I would pay to be a fly on the wall for that conversation!" Liv might well be a bit of a mouse, but she could stand up for herself when she needed to.

"He tried, until I explained that they'd rather earn their own keep. As far as I can tell, they're doing fine. You know, Fliss' boyfriend's family is living there, too," he informed her, not that it mattered really, but when the two of them got together, they were like two old women sharing gossip.

"Really?" Mataya never could resist a good bit of gossip. "I thought his family were on his Earth, whichever one it is. So Johnny's not having minor fits every time Fliss closes her bedroom door these days, or is the boy still living with the Storms?"

"No, the boy is living with his mother and brother. I think she's separated from her husband. He's a politician of some sort or other," he said with a shrug, not too terribly impressed. He wasn't one to pry into people's private lives or share gossip, but this had come to him by way of Liv.

"Oh, politics." All it took was one look at Mataya's face to see her opinion of that. "No wonder Lucas was sent here, then. Good for his mother for breaking with a man who cares more about his career than his family. So which Granger are you going to marry her off to?"

"Lucas' mother?" Jon asked, chuckling, searching his brain for someone in the family who was still single. "I have no idea!" So, he wasn't the matchmaker that his wife and other female members of the family were. "I can't think of anyone who's not already spoken for!"

"Well, you're just going to have to dig up more cousins then, aren't you?" Mataya laughed, glancing up as another laugh joined hers.

"And just why are you suggesting we start digging up the Granger mausoleum, Madam Mischief?" Vicki asked her employer, moving to bend and touch a kiss to Jon's temple. "Hello, by the way. Are we planning some sort of zombie wedding?"

"Not that kind of digging, Vicki!" Jon interjected as he got to his feet to greet his wife with an almost apologetic kiss. "How'd you find us?" he asked, having lost track of the time.

"You were betrayed," the redhead told them with a smile. "Blue saw you waylaid by the Queen of the Arts here, and where you spirited her off to. He gave me a virgin cocktail to pass the time with, and when you still hadn't appeared, I came looking."

Mataya looked guilty for a moment. "Sorry about that," she apologized. "But you got the drafts done?"

Vicki nodded. "All done and signed off," she assured her employer. "Just need to run them to the workshop on Monday morning, and they can get started."

Jonathan Granger

Date: 2016-04-23 17:41 EST
"Sorry, I lost track of time!" he said by way of apology. There were times when Jon was more than a little absent-minded, and it wasn't just because he was an amnesiac. "We were talking about Lucas' mother. Mataya is looking to hook her up, but I'm not even sure if the divorce is final yet." It was the women of Maple Grove who really knew what was going on there.

Vicki smirked at the topic shared with her, glancing down to find Mataya looking just as interested. "I have reason to believe that the divorce is going through uncontested," she told them. "Keep it under your hat, though. I think Jessica deserves to tell Gordon while it's still a surprise to be told." She patted 'Taya's head teasingly, capturing Jon's hand. "Come on, you promised me lunch."

"Wait ....Gordon?"

"Gordon?" Jon echoed, in time with Mataya. If Jessica Foster had somehow managed to coax Gordon Granger out of his decade-long grieving, it was news to him and nothing short of a miracle. "Are you sure?" he asked, brows arching upwards, even as he got tugged to his feet.

"That's the scuttlebutt, and not a word from either of you," Vicki chuckled, wiggling her finger at the best friends. "Gabi and Miranda have it in hand. There's no rush. And I'm hungry." She whined this last directly into Jon's ear, making Mataya laugh.

"Go and feed your redhead, and take her home afterwards," 'Taya insisted. "Enjoy the weekend for once."

"Yes, ma'am," Jon replied, snapping a salute at his best friend, before turning back to Vicki with a conspiratorial grin. "And you have been holding out on me!" he scolded her, teasingly. "See you later, 'Tay! Sorry about the posters!"

"Yeah, yeah." Mataya waved the couple away with a faint chuckle, pretty sure Jon would get the scoop from Vicki and pass it on when he could. She grinned down at her coffee. Mataya for May Queen. Not a chance.

((Thanks to Mataya for indulging me, and Jon apologizes for nominating her! :D ))