Topic: The Cowboy Rides Away

Jake Duncan

Date: 2007-10-24 07:41 EST
Jake had been pacing out front in the waning predawn of morning, wondering how best to handle this. Last night at had been awkward, and he was loathe to recreate that this morning, but he had told Ivy he would be by to walk with her to the Stitch. Finally the bond of his word won out over whatever awkwardness there might be afterall Erin was supposed to leave this morning on her trip with Lydia, and Carley so maybe she was already gone. Sneaking around to the kitchen door he paused, taking off his hat, and giving a soft rap upon the door. He waited patiently for Ivy to answer hoping he wouldn't have startled her by knocking, since at some point they had gotten to the point where he would simply let himself in the kitchen when she was there.

Ivy Forester

Date: 2007-10-24 09:52 EST
Ivy was in the kitchen when Jake approached the door. She was packing up the two thermoses of coffee for her walk, as well as a small lunch for herself. It was just her and Griffith(that was his name, right? She pondered it a moment) this week, and she wanted to make sure she was there as much as possible. Wasn't fair to leave him alone with things he was just getting used to...

With a sigh, she pressed her eyes. Erin said she was going to come by the night before, and yet never did. Ivy was up late waiting, and finally gave up around three. It was normal for Erin to dissapear from time to time, but it always worried Ivy. It usually meant that something had happened that would leave her more closed off and aloof than usual. Keeping Erin open and together was a fullltime job sometimes, Ivy mused.

The knock on the door startled her, and she wiped her hands on the apron she had tied over her plain grey dress. It was getting colder, and she'd added some woolen tights. Soon she would need to go to pants, a thing she was less than exuberant about, but would do. Her lace up boots were mostly unlaced as she clip-clopped to the kitchen door.

Part of her knew when Erin didn't come home the night before that Jake would be there in the morning with a weight on his shoulder. If anyone had seen this disaster coming, it was Ivy. She knew her friends, both of them, very well. She knew they had styles that were not well suited for each other. And though she also saw the looks, and laughs and smiles that passed between them, she wasn't fooled that Erin was at all ready or able to walk down the path Jake had uncovered.

Pausing for a moment to put her usual gentle smile on, she pulled open the door and placed her free hand on her hip.

"Well, good morning, Jake. What are you doing knocking on my door? I thought you knew you were welcome like family." Though in her eyes it was clear she had an idea just why he would be knocking. "Just me this mornin', seems like Erin took off without a proper goodbye." It was added both so that he knew it was safe, and also so that he knew she had a feeling of what was afoot. "Let me grab our lunches and the coffee. I hope you don't mind I packed you a lunch as well today. I had extra, and a good soup is fine for the autumn chill."