Two days before Thanksgiving...

[amityville_sweetheart]

Ah, Florida. Warm weather all year long, even in late November. Home of beautiful palm trees, the Mouse, warm, sandy beaches... and bugs big enough to count as the state bird. Ew.

Glancing at the clock, Corrine makes a left at the last light before her sister's house. She'd turned off the heat to the rental car hours ago, and only an hour after that the windows had gone down. It was nice to feel the cool breeze through her hair and not be shivering, but the farther and farther they drove into the warmth of Florida, the more anxious she got. This would be her family's first time meeting Caleb, and his first time meeting them.

If at all possible, she wanted to avoid screaming matches or fist fights, but she had a feeling by the end of the day it'd be inevitable. Just for safety's sake, Corrine had insisted that they stay at the hotel only 20 minutes away. Angela's house was more than big enough to accomodate her and Caleb, but she had a feeling her older sister would probably try and offer them seperate rooms. Not to mention it gave them a place to escape if the family got too unbearable.

Corrine waits patiently at a stop sign before turning into a residential neighborhood. The yards are spacious, every house has two car garages, and there are children playing football in a yard. The driveways are either packed with cars or completely empty, and with a nervous sigh, Corrine pulls the car into the third house on the right.

Turning off the car, she turns to Caleb. "Well, we're here." A nervous smile. "Ready?"

Comments

[caleb-z.livejournal.com]

A warm smile accompanies his response. “I am.” He grabs her hand and makes eye contact. “And you needn’t worry, dear.”

The neighborhood reminds Caleb of the community his family lived in during the summer when he was a youth. So many individuals who so eager to disconnect themselves from the world around them, and substitute it with their numerous, yet meaningless, reminders of their own wealth and influence. Such temporal power…

In roman times, victorious Generals returning from their conquests were given a parade in Rome, where a slave would be constantly following his master repeating reminders that he was still just a mortal man, and that all glory was fleeting.

It’s truly a shame that some traditions have faded with time.

[damage-girl.livejournal.com]

A nod and a sharp intake of breath. "Okay. Here goes, then."

Slinging her pocketbook over her shoulder, Corrine gets out of the car and makes her way to the front door. She can hear activity inside... children running around, the familiar voices of her sister and brother watching the game, and another child singing loudly and off-key.

Now or never. She rings the doorbell, and waits.

[outcast-xtras.livejournal.com]

The commotion inside quiets down, and through the frosted glass on each side of the front door a figure can be seen approaching the door.

Then it opens, and Corrine is vigorously hugged by the woman on the other side. "ROARY!" she exclaims, nearly lifting Corrine off of her feet. "How was your trip? Did you hit a lot of traffic? Do you need Louis to get your bags?" She leans back a little, yelling down the hall. "LOUIS! Therese is here!"

[outcast-xtras.livejournal.com]

Louis pops his head out of a doorway. "Be there inna minute!"

Seconds later he's coming down the hall, throwing a dish towel over his shoulder. His eyes light up as he spots his younger sister. "Therese!" He hugs her warmly, then steps back to look at her with his hands on her shoulders. "You look amazing, sis. Got any nieces or nephews for me yet?"

He looks up at Caleb and grins, reaching out to shake his hand. "Hey, man. Louis."

[caleb-z.livejournal.com]

Caleb firmly shakes the man’s hand.

“Greetings, sir. I’m Dr. Caleb Zukov. And, uh … no. No nieces or nephews quite yet, I’m afraid.” And none in the near future, either, if I can help it.

Corrine had warned him that her siblings each had a degree of mystical power, but the amount in Louis seemed almost on par with Corrine. In no small way, this caught Caleb off guard. None of that was evident in his body language, though.

[damage-girl.livejournal.com]

And it begins, Corrine thinks to herself, blushing at Louis's question. She should have expected that. He had asked her that even when she hadn't been dating anyone.

She turns to Angela. "No, no bags. We, uh... we decided to get a hotel. I didn't want to intrude." Now, she prays this goes over well.

[outcast-xtras.livejournal.com]

Angela's brow furrows, and she grimaces. It's obvious she's trying very hard to keep her tone. "You know better, Roary. You're always welcome here."

She steps back, waving a hand to usher them inside. "Unfortunately, Dave had to do a job out in Texas, so he won't be here. We'll make do without him." She goes over to the stairs, yelling up them. "GIRLS! Your aunt is here!"

Obvious by their omission is any words at all to Caleb, but now she turns to him. "Would you like anything to drink, Caleb? I have pepsi, iced tea, Louis bought a six-pack if you're the beer-drinking type, there's also some whiskey in the freezer and I can open one of the merlots if you'd like."

[caleb-z.livejournal.com]

Curious by nature, Caleb takes in his surroundings once inside Angela’s home. He rarely felt such prolific magic in any one location. In fact, only the witches’ covens and the JSA came close. How interesting.

“Thank you, ma’am. A, uh .. a Pepsi does sound appetizing.” A moment passes, and Caleb brings forward a rectangular box, presenting it to Louis.

“I’ve brought a dinner present. It’s a bottle of 1995 Torre Spina Pinot Gridgio.” In the environment Caleb grew up in, it would have been rude –not- to make such a gesture.

[outcast-xtras.livejournal.com]

"Speaking of Kenton, I've got something for you, Resie. Caleb'll probably like it, too. Consider it an early Christmas." Louis leans over the side of the couch, pulling out a large cherrywood picture frame. Several photos are in the frame, all of immediate family.

"Jack helped me put them together. I made one for you, Angela and sent one off to Patrice. They're all a little different for each of us, but yours have the pictures from..." He looks hesitant for a moment, and sad. "From the last day. See, there's your graduation pictures, from kindergarten, high school, and college. Jack suggested we include Casey, too, so I put in the one mama got done for Nan the Christmas before. Then there's you and papa from the restaurant that day, and you and Genie at his confirmation."

[damage-girl.livejournal.com]

Corrine's completely speechless as she takes the frame, her fingers running over each picture, but resting an exceptionally long time on the photo of her and her father. She still misses him so much, even after all these years. Especially now, though, after everything. She doesn't have the heart to speak of any of it to her siblings. Louis and Angela didn't need to know it, considering it may have very well been her father that started it all. She shakes that thought from her mind.

"Th... thank you, Louis. It's... it's beautiful." There are tears in her eyes, and she looks utterly stunned.

[outcast-xtras.livejournal.com]

For the first time since Corrine and Caleb's arrival, Angela genuinely smiles. "Mine has everyone's newborn pictures with papa. Mine, Patrice, Louis, you, Genie, Casey. And the last family portrait before I moved out in the center."

She leans over, giving her sister a hug, then tilting her chin up to look in her eyes. "Don't worry, Roary. None of us have forgotten how hard it was for you, staying there through the worst of it. You're a stronger person than you know." With a sigh, she stands, heading off towards the kitchen. "I'm going to check the turkey, see what kind of loot the girls got."

[caleb-z.livejournal.com]

After Angela leaves, Caleb begins looking at the photograph of her in kindergarten and can’t help but smile.

“You were a rather cute child, love.” Then his gaze shifts to his girlfriend. “Some things never change, it would seem. And do mind your sister’s words – they aren’t without merit.”

[outcast-xtras.livejournal.com]

Louis smirks, shaking a finger in Caleb's direction. "I like this one!" he says through laughter. "Keep 'im!"

He leans over towards the two, voice low. "Have you told him about Christmas with Greg, what was it? Four years ago? Three?"

[damage-girl.livejournal.com]

Corrine facepalms, shaking her head but still laughing. "Oh, Merciful Kitten, Louis! No! I haven't managed to scare him off yet, please don't!"

[caleb-z.livejournal.com]

Caleb is a creature of immense natural curiosity. To one like him, bait like that is beyond impossible to resist. He briefly scratches the back of his neck with his right hand as he responds.

“Why, uh … no. She, uh … never did tell that tale. Though, after viewing her reaction, I, uh … I am rather curious.”

[outcast-xtras.livejournal.com]

From the kitchen, a triumphant cackling can be heard. Then, Angela's voice echoes through the house. "Ready and waiting, y'freeloaders!"

[damage-girl.livejournal.com]

And why couldn't that have happened ten minutes sooner? Ah, well. Caleb seemed amused at the least, and things were going well so far. Corrine wasn't going to fret over the small stuff. She gets up to head towards the kitchen, then remembers the girls are still outside. Besides, Louis has been giving her that look all night, so now is as good a time as any.

"I'll go get Jenn and Tonya." She gives Caleb a quick peck on the cheek and she's out the front door in a moment's time.

[outcast-xtras.livejournal.com]

Louis just smirks as Corrine jets out the front door. It was that time again. Honestly, Louis respected tradition as much as the rest of his younger siblings. Even with Patrice out in California, and Genie flitting in and out of everyone's life at his whim, tradition still held power over all of them. Corrine was no exception, even if he liked Caleb. Angela was the eldest, she made the final call, and that was just the way it was; the way it always had been, for years now.

Better Angela than papa, may he rest easy. So, hesitantly, he played his part. "I'm gonna go get Jack and Mark. Why don't you see if Angie needs anything, Caleb?" And he's up the stairs without another word.

[caleb-z.livejournal.com]

Caleb opens his mouth to reply, but Louis is gone so fast he doesn’t have time to utter a single syllable. That was odd.

Something doesn’t feel quite right, as Caleb can spot a set up when he’s walked into one. But these seem like nice enough people, so whatever they’re setting him up for, it’s unlikely to be too terribly bad. Besides, this Louis bloke seemed pleasant enough.

He turns and walks into the kitchen, taking in his surroundings briefly before speaking. “Corrine and Louis are fetching the others. Might I be of assistance?”

[outcast-xtras.livejournal.com]

Angela's got a stack of plates in her hands that she wordlessly hands Caleb, before rushing back into the kitchen, cursing profusely. There's some clattering, and then, "Ah, good. Didn't burn the bread. That would've pissed me off real tender."

She emerges from the kitchen again, giving Caleb a polite "thank you" as she starts setting wine glasses around the different placements. "So, Dr. Zukov, huh? Doctor of what?"

[caleb-z.livejournal.com]

Immediately Caleb begins to set the table, thought he takes a little longer than he would at his own beach house. This seemed to be the fine china, after all. Someone else’s fine china – and it wouldn’t be a very good first impression if he were to break one.

“Well … a historian, actually. I’ve a PHD in American history from the University of Metropolis.”

[outcast-xtras.livejournal.com]

"History, hrm? Interesting." She doesn't even look at him as she speaks, leaning down now to retrieve a stack of cloth napkins from a small armoire in the corner of the exquisite dining room. It certainly is an extravagant house-- the fireplace in the living room, the cathedral ceiling and tower windows of the foyer, the chandelier over the dining room table. It could well be suspected her line of questioning since his arrival is all to ensure her sister is not interested in a pauper, merely looking out for the financial well-being of her sister, but now it takes a turn for the absolutely absurd.

"Roary told me you were a doctor. What she didn't tell me was that you were an incubi," she says just as conversationally as can be, finally looking at him now.

[damage-girl.livejournal.com]

"Jack-jack!" Corrine comes back in with the girls, sitting down next to Jack and giving him a hug. "Too much wine again?" she asks, eyeing Tonya as she sits down in the chair closest to Caleb. Great. Her niece is giving her boyfriend googly-eyes.

[caleb-z.livejournal.com]

“It’s not a problem. I’ve been their myself on more occasion than I care to admit to.”

Unsure of what to do next, Caleb looks about him. “Pardon me, if you could.” And with that, he turns and heads towards the front door. He see’s Corrine approach him, though, and he pulls out her chair for her, then sits beside her.

While quite impassive to a perfect stranger, one well versed on the face of Caleb Zukov can tell that his smile is composed 50% bovine fecal matter.

[damage-girl.livejournal.com]

Corrine folds her lips under, looking around awkwardly. Okay, so he really didn't enjoy being set up. Right. Honestly, she knew better, but there was no avoiding it and... oh, the car ride home would be so pleasant. Sigh.