2017-04-12: An Awkward Family Reunion
- Cutscene: An Awkward Family Reunion
- Cast: Jacqueline Barber
- Where: Adlehyde, at Jay's Curatives and Curios.
- Date: 12 April 2017
- Summary: Jeremy and Jimmy Barber head to Jacqueline's shop to have a talk...but it doesn't quite go as planned.
Jay's Curatives and Curios was settled comfortably alongside a road just off of Adlehyde's main street. It was not the largest of buildings around, but its sign...its sign was attention-grabbing enough to make up for the small store that might otherwise have gone unnoticed. The sign was painted with a variety of bright colors. Almost too bright. They caught your eye in a way that made it difficult to look away, even though you might really want to.
It was this sign that caused the brow of the man standing outside to furrow, as he stared up at the audaciously gaudy sign that told him he had reached his destination. He had the look of a no-nonsense, well-to-do individual. Finely dressed, arms clasped behind his back, and with an impeccably-groomed mustache that was almost wider than his head. In his mind it was the kind of mustache that demanded respect, fitting for a man who demanded the same - though in reality, there could be found many a set of rolling eyes once his back was turned.
He was not alone that day. Behind him and somewhat to his left was a much shorter, similarly-dressed man, though what he lacked in height and the other man's fine facial hair he made up for with a build that looked as if he could wrestle a large animal to the ground and keep it there for some time without any difficulty. The shorter man fidgeted uncomfortably as they approached the store. He did not approve of what they were about to do, though his apprehension went unnoticed by the taller man who barged through the doors.
"Jacqueline! I need to speak with you about this...this.../abomination/ of yours!" He shouted, incensed. Unfortunately for him, the target of his rage was not present. Instead, the only victim of his outburst was a small, mousy girl wearing a pair of large glasses (mousy in the sense that she was the shy, timid sort - if she had any literally mousy features, a distinct possibility on Filgaia, she had managed to conceal them quite well) who had, before the mustachioed man's sudden appearance, been busy sweeping the floors.
She stared at him with a mix of fear, panic, and confusion, looking away only when the broom she had been using began to fall away from her. She scrambled to catch it quickly, and held it tightly to her chest as if hoping to be able to use it as a weapon should either of the men start to come any closer. For his part, the mustachioed man at least looked appropriately apologetic once he realized his mistake, while the shorter man stared down at his feet shamefully.
The taller one muttered something about coming back at a later point and was about to turn to leave when the door behind the counter in the back burst open, revealing Jacqueline herself - currently devoid of her usual traveling bags and bearing an angered expression that did not often grace her face.
She did not address the man with the prodigious facial hair with more than a glare at first. Instead, with her expression softening she made her way quickly over to the girl to put a comforting arm around her shoulders and give a few gentle, calming words. With a pair of nods the girl detached, darting quickly through the door Jacqueline had just left with broom still in hand.
The glare was back on Jacqueline's face after that, her arms folded over her chest as she focused on the mustachioed man.
"Jeremy. You here for a reason, or did you just feel a sudden, inescapable need to be awful to my employees?" She asked, her eyes boring into his own.
The mustachioed man - Jeremy, apparently - found himself unable to meet her gaze. He shifted uncomfortably and glanced over to the western wall of the store to distract himself, where a wide array of brightly-colored potions could be found - arranged by color and use with the wall behind each row painted to match the potion in front of it. Like the sign outside it was...quite eye-catching.
"Your...choice of décor is as appalling as ever, I see, sister." He replied. He tried to sound unaffected by the situation, but it was clear that he had felt he had lost ground in the conversation and was trying to reestablish himself.
Jacqueline wasn't having it. She didn't respond, instead turning to stroll away from him towards her seat behind the counter, where she sat down. Jeremy shifted uncomfortably at this and adjusted his collar before continuing.
"I am only insinuating that, perhaps...you could use a little assistance? Come back to us, sister. We'd be glad to help you get this.../establishment/ of yours..." He cast his gaze about with a hint of distaste. The dusty and rundown look - intentional, to better suit her usual clientele - that the rest of the store carried didn't seem to sit well with him. "...Looking much more...acceptable. Really, I don't know how you can stand consorting with those, those.../ne'er-do-wells/ that you must be plagued with!" He shook his head.
"Good here, thanks. Do you need help finding the door, or can you get out of here on your own?" Jacqueline replied, staring at him. She had ceased being angry with him, and was simply done with the conversation entirely.
"Hmph. Well, I can see this won't get anywhere today. I'll come back again when you're not feeling quite as...unreasonable." Jeremy replied, stroking his mustache as he turned to leave. He bristled somewhat at the 'Get Out' that was directed to his retreating back, but didn't respond.
Jacqueline sighed and sat back, massaging her forehead. Well, that was a good way to ruin any day. She shut her eyes tight, opening them only to observe the shorter man who had yet to leave.
He had walked over to one of the shelves, his eyes scanning the items perched upon it. Eventually he picked one of them up to inspect it more closely. It was a plain silver bracelet, bearing no stones or gems. There was only a swirling pattern carved into it that covered it wholly save for the sides. He seemed to be satisfied with this, however, as he brought it over to the counter and set it in front of Jacqueline.
Like Jeremy before him he couldn't meet her eyes, instead glancing off to the side. "...Sorry." He muttered, before reaching into his pocket to count out some gella. In response, Jacqueline simply waved a hand dismissively.
"Not your fault, Jimmy, not your fault. It's just...ugh. Has he gotten worse since I left?" She asked, leaning forward.
"Probably feels insulted. ...You opening up your own store here. You know how he is." Jimmy replied in that same muttering tone he had apologized with.
"Yeah, yeah. Right. I know. But...enough about him. How're you? How's Johnny?" Jacqueline asked, concerned. The fact that she clearly wasn't upset with him was enough to get Jimmy to look at her properly as he set his gella on the counter in front of her.
"Good. We're...good. As can be. Keeping him from wrecking everything." He said, jerking his head back towards the door to indicate which 'him' he was talking about. Jacqueline chuckled slightly and counted up the gella before nodding towards Jimmy.
"Glad to hear it. Don't be strangers now, all right? And tell mom and dad I said 'hi'." She replied with a friendly smile. Jimmy nodded in response and turned to leave, clutching the bracelet carefully in both hands.
"...Same to you. Take care on the road out there, Jackie." With those last words, Jimmy disappeared through the front door.
Things were quiet for a short time. Eventually the door behind Jacqueline creaked open, and - perhaps sensing that danger had passed - the mousy girl poked her head out and looked around before her eyes landed on Jacqueline. Jacqueline sent her a smile and a shrug. "Brothers, right?" She said with her signature chuckle.