*set meet_b true [i]January 16th[/i] "So the whole thing will take about eight months," Bertie says. This has become a familiar scene. Bertie has been in and out of the manor all week, sometimes touring around with you and sometimes without. Whether you would have hired Bertie on Charlie's recommendation or not had become a moot point when you found out that ${b_they} was the only contractor in the area who could take on the project. $!{b_they} turns to face you, clipboard in hand and pencil tucked behind ${b_their} ear. The family resemblance isn't obvious. $!{b_they}'s taller than Charlie for one—taller than just about everyone, for that matter, *if (b_taller = true) including you *else though you've got a few inches on ${b_them} —and although ${b_their} hair is blonde, it's straight and closer to brown than red. $!{b_their} eyes are the same shape, but Bertie's are light green. If they share anything, it's their sense of fashion. Bertie looks like ${b_they} just walked off the farm in ${b_their} jeans, flannel shirt, and muddy boots. You can imagine that Charlie got a lot of Bertie's hand-me-downs growing up and wonder if that accounts for the similarity. *page_break "So where does that put us on the calendar?" you ask. "End of August. Construction will begin in earnest the first of the month." You continue to follow ${b_them} through the empty rooms and watch as ${b_they} examines the structure, occasionally pulling the pencil out from behind ${b_their} ear and scribbling a note on ${b_their} clipboard. Sometimes ${b_they} stands motionless in the middle of the room for so long that you think ${b_they}'s transformed into a statue before your eyes. You and Alex decided you didn't want to [i]change[/i] the manor, turn it into something it's not, but you had no idea what needed to be done. Bertie hasn't exactly been forthcoming. "Big job will be wiring the place and adding plumbing and HVAC," Bertie says, looking up from ${b_their} notes. "Everything else will be cosmetic. We'll patch up the floors and repair the roof. Restore the woodwork too." "And that'll take eight months?" Bertie chuckles. "There's a lot to do outside too if you want the barn and greenhouses to actually function." "I guess it's a good thing we don't want to turn the place into a Hilton," you mumble. Alex slaps you on the back. "In a few years it'll be a comfortable enough bed and breakfast." "We don't have a few years." Before the conversation can continue, Alex's phone rings, and ${a_they} pulls it out of ${a_their} pocket. "It's mom, catch up with you later?" You nod, and Alex jogs out of the room. "Hey mom! Yeah, everything's fine..." The sound of their conversation dwindles the farther away Alex gets. You are alone with the contractor. *label upgrade "Have you been thinking about what you want to do with the rest of the budget?" Bertie asks you. "Yeah, Alex and I have talked it over, and we've decided go with—" *allow_reuse *fake_choice #"—the gazebo." *set feature 1 Although a gazebo won't be of much use in the winter, it'll create a great space in the garden for events in the spring, summer, and autumn. It will be great location for photo shoots and outdoor events. #"—the rooftop bar." *set feature 2 Creating an entertaining space on the roof turns the otherwise unusable space into an asset. It won't be good for rainy or cold weather, but it will attract a lot of business—and parties—in the summer. #"—the sauna." *set feature 3 Unlikely to be of as much interest during warm weather, a sauna will add to your business prospects in the winter. It will also open doors to spa and luxury minded guests. Are you sure this is the special project you want? *fake_choice #Yes! #On second thought— *goto upgrade "Great," Bertie says, penciling in your decision on ${b_their} clipboard. "So eight months will put us in August." Bertie looks up. "Thereabouts. So long as nothing goes wrong." *if (yr1_01_04_20_c) "Well surely Charlie wouldn't have recommended her [i]amazing[/i]—" you over-emphasize with a saccharine tone "—older ${b_sib} if she thought you were a dud." Bertie laughs. "I've no doubt she thinks I'm a dud, but I'm a dud who happens to know how to use a hammer." *if (yr1_01_04_20_c = false) "How long have you been doing [i]this[/i]?" You gesture around at the building and hope the anxiety that you feel doesn't come through in your voice. Bertie glances up at you and smiles. "Long enough to know what I'm doing." "How likely are things to [i]actually[/i] go wrong?" Bertie shrugs. "Not very, at least not bad wrong. We've got some time and money built into the schedule for small stuff. Anything short of an act of god should get us to the finish line on time and under budget." $!{b_they} returns to taking measurements and scribbling down notes, and you wander around the room to perform your own inspection. The room you're in right now will be a bedroom when all's said and done, one of fourteen. It's larger than any bedroom you've ever had, though some of the space will be sacrificed to create a bathroom—a worthwhile cause as far as you're concerned. *if (yr1_01_04_20_c) Although you're now the proud borrower of a circa 1995 travel trailer, running water is just a memory from the not so distant past. *if (yr1_01_04_20_c = false) After rejecting Charlie's offer to loan you the Carroll family camper, you had taken a very unhappy Alex into town to acquire some low-tech camping gear that the two of you set up in the same sitting room that you had spent your first night. Between the fire, tent, and sleeping bags, you've managed to not freeze to death at night, but unfortunately running water wasn't one of the amenities included. You quickly saw the merit in Alex's point of view and signed up for a gym membership, and access to daily hot showers, almost as soon as Sebastian had left you to your own devices on your first day in Talverton. *page_break You walk over to the opposite end of the room and run your hand across the stone mantle of the fireplace. There's something satisfying about the rough texture against your bare palm. "Wanna see something cool?" Bertie asks. Your raised eyebrows are invitation enough, and ${b_they} joins you near the fireplace. $!{b_they} knocks against the panels until the answering thud reveals the hollow space beyond. Smiling at you, ${b_they} runs a finger down the length of the panel's seam. [i]Click[/i]! The panel swings open, revealing a hidden passageway. A [i]dark[/i], hidden passageway. Images of your first night in the manor rise before you. "Do you want to explore it?" Bertie asks. *choice #"Are you joking?? Of course I want to go down the secret passage!" *set yr1_01_16_20 1 *set b +1 Your eyes light up, and you bounce with excitement. Who knows what treasures you might find! "Are you joking?? Of course I want to go down the secret passage!" #"Why not?" *set yr1_01_16_20 1 *set b +1 It's still a novelty to you that you're living in a house older than the United States. "Why not?" you agree. What could possibly go wrong, right? #"Thanks, but I think I'll go find Alex instead." *set yr1_01_16_20 2 *set a +1 You catch up with Alex in the courtyard behind the manor. $!{a_they}'s still on the phone, pacing back and forth. Your footsteps crunch against the gravel, and Alex glances up at your approach. $!{a_they} sticks ${a_their} tongue out and you, and you scrunch your face up in return. "It's only been two weeks, mom." You shove your hands in your pockets, chilled by the January wind. Even in the dead of winter, neglect has allowed the courtyard to become overgrown. Brown, half-dormant vines cling to the stone bricks, and evergreen shrubs overcrowd the paths leading furhter into the garden. *page_break "Even if I came home, I'd have no job. I didn't even hand in my notice—I just quit." If you hadn't already overheard this same conversation half a dozen times, you'd feel embarrassed to eavesdrop on Alex's phone call with ${a_their} mom, but these phone calls have become a regular refrain in the last two weeks, and you don't expect them to stop anytime soon. [i]Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result[/i]. You're tempted to make bingo cards. Or turn it into a drinking game. "There's no future in Valley Creek. I'd been looking for a new job for months. Hell, I'd've taken an intern—yes ma'am." The way Alex holds ${a_their} phone away from ${a_their} ear suggests that Melissa is yelling now. Maybe scolding Alex for [i]cursing[/i]. *if (fuck = "fuck") You smirk at the thought of your mom trying to curb your filthy mouth. Between you and Jake, she's developed her own sailor's mouth. "${first_name} just gave me an excuse to do what I already wanted to do." *page_break You kick your boots against the ground and send a wave of gravel flying upward. Tired of standing around, you walk over to a stone bench and sit down. The cold seeps into your skin, and you bounce your legs up and down to create a little movement and warmth. Alex turns toward you. "Mom says hi." "Hi Mel," you holler. "Tell daddy we said hi and love you, but I gotta go now. It's time for supper. Yep, love you too." Alex groans and throws ${a_them}self down next to you on the bench. "Dinner time, huh?" Alex nudges you with ${a_their} knee. "Shut up." The two of you sit in silence. The whistle of the wind and the coo of the doves in the trees create a soothing soundtrack. "She'll come around eventually." When Alex huffs in response, you know ${a_they}'s not in the mood to talk about it. You peak over at your friend, ${a_their} arms crossed across ${a_their} chest and slumped against the bench. If talking won't work, you opt for distraction. "Race you to the apple tree?" Alex's eyes snap to you, and before ${a_they} gives you an answer, ${a_they}'s up off the bench and bounding away. "Hey! No fair! I didn't say you could have a head start!" "Excuses, excuses," ${a_they} calls back over ${a_their} shoulder. You're careful to maintain a short but sufficient distance between the two of you as you scramble across the overgrown grounds, dodging errant roots and ducking under low hanging branches. As you enter the orchard, you feel the apples left to rot from last autumn's neglected yield underfoot and curse yourself for suggesting this race while you try to avoid skidding over the obstacles and falling flat on your face. But at last the tree is in sight. *choice #Let Alex win. You close the gap between you and your friend but allow ${a_them} to maintain the lead. A few seconds after Alex's hand slaps the trunk of the apple tree, you catch up. "You let me win!" Alex complains, huffing and puffing between each word. "Did not! You had a head start." Alex sticks ${a_their} tongue out at you. "You haven't even broken a sweat." "It's cold." "Didn't stop me. You don't have to let me win to make me feel better." "Did it work?" you ask, placing a hand on your hip. Alex glares at you. "Shut up." #Speed up to beat Alex to the tree. You close the gap between you and your friend and pass ${a_them} to take the lead. In a few seconds, you're reaching your hand out to slap the trunk of the apple tree and waiting for Alex to catch up with you. "You have no sympathy for my poor lungs," Alex complains, huffing and puffing between each word. "You're just jealous of my superiority." You waggle your eyebrows at Alex, and ${a_they} scoffs. "Am not." "Are too." "Am not!" "Are too!" You stick your tongue out to emphasize your point. Alex waves ${a_their} hand at you. Walking over to the tree, ${a_they} slides down the trunk and sprawls out at the base. You join ${a_them} and begin plucking blades of grass out of the ground to form a *if (org >= 55) neat *if (org < 55) messy pile between your two legs. You listen to Alex's wheezes and the sound of wind rustling the branches of the trees. *page_break "It really will get better." Alex doesn't scoff this time, but ${a_they} doesn't respond either. You think maybe you should have left it alone. That's why you challenged ${a_them} to a race after all—to get ${a_their} mind off ${a_their} family. But then ${a_they} speaks up. "But what if it doesn't?" *fake_choice #"You've got me." *set gen %+ 5 You squeeze Alex's shoulder. "You've got me." Alex looks over and meets your eye. "We always said we were gonna be old *if ((gender = "f") and (a_gender = "f")) ladies *else geezers together and—" "— and race our wheelchairs through the nursing home," Alex finishes for you, grinning. "We'd drive the nurses crazy." "I'm counting on it." You laugh. "Thanks," Alex says in a soft voice. $!{a_they} draws ${a_their} knees to ${a_their} chest and rests ${a_their} elbows on them. *fake_choice #"You better thank me, putting up with your theatrics," I say with a grin. *set cha %+ 5 *set gen %- 5 You bump into Alex's shoulder and grin. "You better thank me, putting up with your theatrics." "[i]I'm[/i] the theatrical one?" Alex scoffs. "Who's the one who got drunk as a skunk and bought an estate in a country no one'd ever heard of?" "I said you were theatrical, not impulsive." Alex rolls ${a_their} eyes. "Well thank you, your majesty, for putting up with my [i]theatrics[/i]." You climb up off the ground and give Alex an exaggerated bow. "It's my pleasure, peasant. What would I do without my loyal subjects?" "Come closer, and I'll show you a loyal subject!" Alex shouts, but you've already dodged out of ${a_their} grasp. You laugh. "Come on, let's get home." #"That's what friends are for," I say. *set gen %+ 5 You shrug. "That's what friends are for." "I mean it though," Alex says. "I know. But you don't have to thank me." "Well I will anyway." You roll your eyes and climb up off the ground. Extending your hand to Alex, you say, "Come on ol' buddy ol' pal, let's get home before dark." $!{a_they} takes your hand, and the two of you start back toward the manor. #I nudge ${a_their} shoulder. *set dir %- 5 You nudge Alex's shoulder, and ${a_they} nudges you back. "I never could've expected this," ${a_they} says. "What, traipsing across the world with your favorite person?" "Something like that. I thought I was gonna be a drone in the county government for the rest of my life." "Sometimes life takes you a different way." You climb up off the ground. "Come on, let's head home." *if (a_feelings = true) #"There's no one else I'd rather grow old with," I say trying to catch ${a_their} eye. ♥ *set a_rom +1 You look over at your friend and try to catch ${a_their} eye. "There's no one else I'd rather grow old with." Alex avoids your gaze and chortles. "Bold of you to assume we're going to survive this place long enough to grow old." You snicker. "At least the 'ghost' didn't get us." Alex elbows you in the ribs. "Shut up." You climb up off the ground and reach your hand out to your friend. "Come on, let's head home." #"You've just got to show them that you made the right choice." *set hum %- 5 *set org %+ 5 *set yie %- 5 You squeeze Alex's shoulder. "You've just got to show them that you made the right choice." "My mamaw still doesn't like the idea of New York, and I lived there for years. Eventually though, she had to come around to the fact that I could handle myself." Alex kicks ${a_their} boots against the ground. "What if I'm [i]not[/i] doing the right thing though?" You frown. "Are you so sure that staying with the job you hated was the [i]right[/i] choice?" $!{a_they} doesn't hesitate. "No. Leaving that job was a good decision." "I don't know how this is gonna turn out, but mistakes make you who you are don't they?" "I guess. But I don't think mom wants to hear that." You laugh. "No, I guess not." Reaching out to pat Alex on the knee, you add, "Let's make sure it's not a mistake then, huh?" Alex grins at you. "[i]Excellent[/i] plan." You climb up off the ground and reach a hand out to your friend. "Come on, let's get back before it gets dark." #"Then fuck 'em." *set cha %- 5 *set org %- 5 *set per %- 5 *set dir %+ 5 *set yie %- 5 You grimace. "Then fuck 'em." Alex scoffs. "Is that what you told yourself when your mamaw threw a fit?" "You're an adult now, Alex. [i]We're[/i] adults now. Sometimes we're going to do things that our families don't like or approve of." [i]Heaven knows I have[/i], you add silently. "So I should just grow up is what you're saying?" ${a_they} asks with a raised voice. "I'm [i]saying[/i]—" you pause for effect, "—that making your own decisions and going your own way is [i]part[/i] of growing up." "You think you're so much better than the rest of us because you went off to New York after high school, but you have no idea what you're talking about." Growing agitated, you spit out, "What do you want me to say? Alex climbs up off the ground and begins heading back toward the manor, shaking ${a_their} head in obvious frustration. *fake_choice #"Your mom's worried about you, but that doesn't mean she's upset with you," I call out after ${a_them}. *set per %+ 5 You bound up off the ground before Alex gets too far away. "Your mom's worried about you, but that doesn't mean she's upset with you," you holler in ${a_their} direction. Alex stops in ${a_their} tracks. "Your family isn't going to stop loving you because you don't do what they want. At some point you've got to fly the nest. They know that. It's just... hard." Alex turns around to face you. "But I've never—" "I know," you interrupt. "Come on, let's head back." #"Hey—wait!" I call after ${a_them}. "I know it's hard." *set yie %+ 5 "Hey—wait!" you call after Alex, bounding up off the ground before ${a_they} can get too far away. $!{a_they} pauses to listen to you, but ${a_they} doesn't turn around to face you. "You've never done this before. It's gets easier though." When Alex turns around, you let out a sigh of relief. "Do you promise?" "I do," you say, catching up to your friend and handing an arm around ${a_their} neck. "And I [i]don't[/i] think I'm better than everyone else. Just some people." Alex laughs at you. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean that." "I know. I should have been more... tactful." "Maybe a little," Alex agrees with a chuckle. "Come on, let's get back before dark." #Let ${a_them} go. *set yie %- 5 You watch your friend's silhouette disappear through the trees and continue to add blades of grass to your pile. $!{a_they} needs time to cool off, and maybe you do too. Displeasing your rather large and traditional family is no stranger to you, but it's a new sensation for Alex, and it chafes. When the sun begins to set, you figure you've given ${a_them} enough time to get home, and you climb up, letting stray pieces of grass fall to the ground. You set off toward the manor and think of ways to make up with your best friend. #"You just have to give them time." *set hum %- 5 *set dir %- 5 *set yie %+ 5 You squeeze Alex's shoulder. "You just have to give them time." $!{a_they} snorts. "Coming from the one whose mamaw still rails on about 'mediterranean scoundrels.'" You laugh. "And how many times has [i]my[/i] family called?" $!{a_they} looks away. "Not as much as mine." "Your mom's not gonna stop worrying about you, but eventually she's going to realize that you can handle yourself. She's never had to cope with an empty nest before." "You really think she'll come around?" "I don't know. She may never stop trying to convince you to come home, but eventually you'll be confident enough to do your own thing without worrying about whether your family approves or not." You shrug your shoulders. "Sometimes they just won't, but that doesn't mean you're doing the wrong thing." "I guess." You climb up off the ground. "Come on, let's go home." *if (yr1_01_16_20 = 1) Bertie beams at you, and *if (height >= 70) you duck your head as you step into the claustrophobic corridor after ${b_them}. Some of the light from the bedroom filters in through the open panel, but as soon as you turn the corner, you and Bertie are in the dark. "It was just a mouse..." you mumble to yourself. "What was that?" Bertie asks. "Nothing." You shake your head and continue into the darkness. "These passages lead all over the manor. I used to come here when I was a kid and play around." Charlie [i]had[/i] said that Bertie'd love to get ${b_their} hands on this place. "I guess you could hardly beat this place for a hideout. Didn't even have to [i]pretend[/i] to play lord of the manor." "I'm sure Charlie and Frankie could tell you all about it." You don't need to be able to see to imagine the grin on ${b_their} face. "What about you?" *page_break "What [i]about[/i] me?" "What kind of place did you grow up? Sebastian said you were from the big apple." You laugh. "Everyone in New York thought I was a hillbilly. I [i]grew up[/i] in a small town in Kentucky. I [i]went to school[/i] in New York." "Guess you could say you've made a full circle then. Left one set of hills for another. What made you go through with it?" "I couldn't find a job." "Could've moved back home, couldn't you?" *fake_choice #"I figured this was my last chance to do something crazy before growing up for real." *set hum %- 5 *set org %- 5 You shrug. "I figured this was my last chance to do something crazy before growing up for real." "So... the craziest thing you could think of was taking on a property with huge time and money commitments?" "You have to admit it was a pretty [i]crazy[/i] thing to do, but I'm not so sure it's turning out to be what I expected. Did you have any youthful flights of fancy when you were my age?" Bertie huffs. "I'm not [i]that[/i] old." "Whatever you say, old *if (b_gender = "f") woman. *if (b_gender = "m") man. But you didn't answer my question." "I'd've traveled. Maybe backpack across Europe." "That's not [i]so[/i] very different from what I'm doing." "Yeah, other than staying in the same place for years and buying an estate, it's totally the same." You roll your eyes. "That part might be different, but it's still traveling and trying something new," you argue. "Yeah, I guess so." #"Moving back home felt like taking a step back. Like failing." *set hum %+ 5 *set yie %- 5 You sigh. "Moving back home felt like taking a step back. Like failing." "I... I can see where you're coming from. Life's not always linear like that though." "I know. But it doesn't feel that way when you spent eighteen years trying to get out just to get sucked right back in." "It didn't happen though." "Nope, I flung myself across the world instead." "Any regrets?" You pause. "It's been less than a month." "That's not what I asked." "Doubts maybe," you admit. "Having doubts just means you've got a brain." #"I wanted an adventure. No adventure to be had in Valley Creek, Kentucky." *set org %- 5 *set yie %+ 5 You laugh. "I wanted an adventure. No adventure to be had in Valley Creek, Kentucky." "None at all?" "Not unless you count doing donuts in the Walmart parking lot on Saturday night." "Uhh, I'll have to get back to you on that one." "I grew up in a place bigger than this, but more isolated too. My mamaw just about had a heart attack when I told them the news." "Mamaw?" A soft smile plays on your lips at the Southern appellation. "My grandmother." "Your [i]mamaw[/i] doesn't feel the same way about your adventure, I take it?" "I think she'd consider donuts in the parking lot a little too much, much less uprooting myself and fleeing half way across the world." "Can't say I know enough to compare, but if adventure is what you want, I'm not so sure Talverton was the right destination." #"What would [i]you[/i] have done?" *set awk %- 5 *set dir %- 5 You bite your bottom lip and look to your interlocuter "What would [i]you[/i] have done?" "If I was in your place?" "Yup." *if (b >= 2) Bertie takes in a deep breath. "I guess I'd've done the same thing. I hadn't always planned to come back home, but sometimes life takes you in a different direction." *if (b < 2) "I can't imagine being anywhere but here," Bertie says. "I left for a while to go to school, but I always lived here before, and have ever since." "If you could live anywhere else, where would you go?" Without missing a beat, ${b_they} responds: "Dubai." You shake your head, more than a little surprised. "Dubai? Why Dubai?" Bertie chuckles. "Why not?" *page_break You almost run straight into ${b_them} when ${b_they} comes to a stop in front of you. Over the last few minutes, the darkness has abated somewhat, but you still struggle to make out the path in front of you. The click of another panel opening muffles the oof of surprise that escapes your mouth, and light from the opposite wall pours into the corridor, blinding you. "Here we are!" Bertie announces. "Where is here?" You shield your eyes from the light and step into the open space, but without the use of your vision you fail to notice the raised section that divides the hallway from the new room, and your foot catches. *fake_choice #I catch myself before I stumble. You reach out to the door frame and steady yourself before you lose balance. "You alright?" Bertie asks. "Never better. Just blind and about to break my neck, but don't mind me." "Glad to hear it." #Bertie reaches out to catch me, and I smile up at ${b_them}. ♥ *set bol +1 *set b_rom +1 Bertie catches you at your elbows and helps you over the partition like a 19th century gentleman helping his lady to alight from a carriage. "Was this your intent all along?" you tease, smiling up at ${b_them}. $!{b_their} jaw drops open, and a light blush blooms across ${b_their} face. For a moment, ${b_their} grip tightens, but then ${b_they} releases you and steps away, avoiding your eye for good measure. #Bertie reaches out to catch me, much to my mortification. ♥ *set shy +1 *set b_rom +1 Bertie catches you at your elbows and helps you over the partition like a 19th century gentleman helping his lady to alight from a carriage. Your cheeks heat up, and you attempt to avoid ${b_their} eye. $!{b_they} asks, "Are you alright, ${name}?" The sound of your name draws your attention, most unwillingly, upward. You look into Bertie's eyes, which widen in surprise at your reaction, and ${b_they} inhales a sharp breath before letting go of your forearms and stepping away. You take a look around the new room to regain your equanimity and allow your eyes to adjust to the light. "Welcome to the kitchen." *page_break The room is as bare as any other in the old manor, but the low ceilings make the space feel smaller than it is. Every surface is made of stone, reminding you more of a dungeon than a kitchen, an effect not helped by the small windows. Seeming to follow your train of thought, Bertie says, "There's nothing we can do about the height, of course, but we'll make the window openings larger to let in more light." $!{b_they} walks over to the large fireplace and flicks ${b_their} finger against the large, black pot sitting in the center, letting out a satisfying [i]bong[/i]. "We'll leave the traditional hearth, but we'll also install modern appliances. And plumbing." "Not going for the authentic feel then?" The contractor raises an eyebrow at you. *if (b >= 2) Looking between you and the black pot, ${b_they} asks, "Planning to brew some potions?" "You accusing me of witchcraft?" you challenge. The corners of Bertie's mouth twitch. "If the ruby slippers fit." *if (b < 2) "I don't think you'll need my services if you're going for authentic. If, however, you're going for [i]comfortable[/i], I might be able to help." You scratch your chin as if you're the godfather considering his request on this the day of your daughter's wedding. "I suppose a stove and a sink couldn't go astray." Bertie theatrically records your suggestions on ${b_their} clipboard. "Ask and ye shall receive." You pull out your phone and check the time. It's already late afternoon, and you've got things to do. "Thanks for the adventure, Bertie. I've gotta check out." $!{b_they} salutes you with ${b_their} pencil. "See you around." *finish