[EP/GP] Today is Check-In Day

[st_illunsmeared]

When the fifteenth of the month came and went without any new arrivals, most people logically supposed that there would be no new arrivals that week, or that the pattern they believed they'd found was false after all.

Kitty Pryde, Caroline Forbes, and Phryne Fisher were decidedly not most people.

Between them, they agreed it would be best to keep a watch for a few days following the fifteenth, on the grounds that, often enough, holidays interrupted regular schedules, which would reassert themselves again at the next instance. If "keeping a watch" had required them to do anything out of the ordinary, they might have been somewhat less sanguine about it. Might have, as they were not, after all, most people. Yet since their routines, almost invariably, had them in public places, working and people-watching, it required no special effort on their part to be alert for new arrivals.

So it was that Phryne had taken up a table in the lobby cafe to read and hold court, while Kitty took an extra shift tending bar, and Caroline tidied up and labeled the boxes of decorations from Valentine's day "for next year's residents" on the morning of the sixteenth and again on the seventeenth--and not one of them were surprised when, in early afternoon, newcomers began to arrive.

Comments

Re: Jane Doe - Assigned Threads

[st_artingpoint]

The only way that she'd tried it was without anything and she'd liked it so she stayed with that. "Um, just plain. It's the only way I've had it." She was curious though so she asked, "how do you take yours?"

Re: Jane Doe - Assigned Threads

[st_rigaetsica]

Not from a world that had coffee maybe? But it sounded like the woman was open to trying or at least learning about new things, which would help. "Black usually, or with a bit of sugar. My sister insists on cream or milk," she added to give the woman an idea of the usual choices. "Later in the evening or when it's cold out, maybe with a shot of whiskey. But usually just black." As she did now, leaving a little room at the top of both mugs, in case the other wanted to try something other than plain coffee.

Re: Jane Doe - Assigned Threads

[st_artingpoint]

"Whiskey." Jane contemplated that, it sounded good. "Maybe I'll try a shot of whiskey on a chilly night." She did idly wonder why it was called a shot of whiskey but more importantly, how did Jane truly understand what that meant? Maybe she had it once?

Re: Jane Doe - Assigned Threads

[st_rigaetsica]

"It can't hurt to try it. Never know what you'll like." Joanna took a cautious sip first to make sure she wouldn't scald her tongue, the a more normal one when she knew the temperature was right. "Joanna Beauchamp. I've been here about six weeks, which puts in me in the group that came a week after the first four showed up. Long enough, I can maybe try to help, if you have questions. Not so much any of us really know what's going on, I'm sorry to say."

Re: Jane Doe - Assigned Threads

[st_artingpoint]

Molly, after awhile had finally told Jane what Jane Doe really meant, but to her that was her name. At least until she knew otherwise. "Jane Doe." She smiled a little, "I know, I know, weird name right? But it's mine." There wasn't a lot of things that were hers.

"I met someone earlier that came that same time. It sounded like there were a lot of people in that group."

Re: Jane Doe - Assigned Threads

[st_rigaetsica]

"Names are what we make of them. It's nice to meet you, Jane." If she had another name she didn't want to share, or she didn't know what her name had been, didn't matter to Joanna unless Jane wanted her help. Until then, she was happy to call her what she wanted.

"More at once than have come since. Almost like whatever has done this wanted a grand opening before settling into something more routine. I'm not sure that makes things easier or harder for those of you who've arrived since."

Re: Jane Doe - Assigned Threads

[st_artingpoint]

Jane thought about that for a moment and then answered with her thoughts. "It's kind of comforting to me to know others have gone through something similar." Especially for her with no memories of anything, it made her feel less alone. "But, it's scary not knowing why."

Re: Jane Doe - Assigned Threads

[st_rigaetsica]

"Not knowing is always scary," Joanna agreed. The last time she'd world traveled, she'd known why and who was responsible. And how dangerous he was. This time, not knowing and having no control over the situation was not something she dealt well with.

"I think all we can do is our best to be prepared for the unexpected, and helping each other when we can."

Re: Jane Doe - Assigned Threads

[st_artingpoint]

Jane paused, trusting her gut as Molly called it, and decided to be more forthcoming. "Everything is unexpected for me. I came here to the hotel without any memories. The man behind the desk in the lobby told me my name was Jane. There's a lot of not knowing in my life right now." She smiled a little at Joanna. "And some help, too."

Re: Jane Doe - Assigned Threads

[st_rigaetsica]

Joanna's brow furrowed, jaw tightened, and she made a more thorough study of Jane, especially her eyes. Memory spells were dangerous, and often had unintended effects. Not that Jane was showing any of the likely side effects. Perhaps a magic unlike what Joanna wielded. Or not magic at all. A physical injury Joanna could heal, if she could do it without revealing herself, and the memories might return, but if there were psychological reasons for the amnesia, attempts to overcome it could make matters worse. And determining the cause was difficult.

"So for you it really is a new life in a new place. Not that I imagine that is much comfort."

Re: Jane Doe - Assigned Threads

[st_artingpoint]

Jane paused, suddenly struck by the idea of that. "You know, I didn't think of it that way. I guess you don't know what to miss if you don't know you have anything to miss."

She didn't mean that in a negative way, but that she couldn't miss anything she didn't know that she was supposed to miss.

Re: Jane Doe - Assigned Threads

[st_rigaetsica]

The thought had occurred to Joanna, who hadn't known if it would be cruel to say. She would take the pain of missing her children every time, over forgetting them entirely, but not everyone would feel the same.

"See, a silver lining. And no one telling you who you're supposed to be or like or do."

Re: Jane Doe - Assigned Threads

[st_artingpoint]

"True, but it could also be everyone offering advice as to what I should try and what I can be." Jane didn't think that was necessarily a bad thing. At the moment she'd take any and all suggestions and saw where they'd stick.

Re: Jane Doe - Assigned Threads

[st_rigaetsica]

"Advice is different, and it's something you can ask for when you want it." Of course, that wouldn't stop people from giving it whether Jane asked or not, but it was easier to ignore than expectations.

"On the other hand, I'm a mom. And a teacher. It's in my nature to meddle and push."

Re: Jane Doe - Assigned Threads

[st_artingpoint]

Jane's eyes sparkled at that information. "Oh? What do you teach?" Her lips curved into a smile, "I might need someone to push to get me to learn some things." She didn't know why, but deep in her soul, she felt like she was stubborn.

Re: Jane Doe - Assigned Threads

[st_rigaetsica]

"Art." The vague gesture that followed wasn't exactly a shrug, but felt similar. "When you want to be a painter but are trying to raise two girls on your own... you become an art teacher."

Re: Jane Doe - Assigned Threads

[st_artingpoint]

Jane thought about that, then commented, "you probably create a lot of art while you're teaching. Have you done any while you've been here? I'd love to see them if you have."

Re: Jane Doe - Assigned Threads

[st_rigaetsica]

"I'm sure I'll ask for art supplies eventually." When she got bored enough, probably, since Joanna preferred dealing with the staff as little as possible, and she was wary of asking for things other than necessities when she didn't know their source. "But so far I haven't. I've been spending a lot of my time seeing to the grounds. Indulging my green thumb instead. Strangely, I feel like I've met more of our fellow residents that way than I would've painting."

Re: Jane Doe - Assigned Threads

[st_artingpoint]

"Oh, you garden?" Jane couldn't help the smile, "You'd probably like my room then. It's got flowered wallpaper and it's not as ---" She thought about the phrase to use, "over the top as most of what I've seen in the hotel."