*comment DEALER'S HAND *temp d1 0 *temp d1_num 0 *temp d2 0 *temp d2_num 0 *temp d3 0 *temp d3_num 0 *temp d4 0 *temp d4_num 0 *temp d5 0 *temp d5_num 0 *temp d6 0 *temp d6_num 0 *temp d7 0 *temp d7_num 0 *temp d_num 0 *comment OPPONENT'S HAND *temp o1 0 *temp o1_num 0 *temp o2 0 *temp o2_num 0 *temp o3 0 *temp o3_num 0 *temp o_num 0 *comment PLAYER'S HAND *temp mc1 0 *temp mc1_num 0 *temp mc2 0 *temp mc2_num 0 *temp mc3 0 *temp mc3_num 0 *temp mc4 0 *temp mc4_num 0 *temp mc5 0 *temp mc5_num 0 *temp mc_num 0 *temp card 0 *temp round1 true *temp round2 false *temp round3 false *temp hand1 0 *temp hand2 0 *temp hand3 0 *set var "." *set counter 0 [i]June 14th[/i] "Are you ready?" Bertie asks you. *if ((b_rom > 0) and (yr1_02_05_20_b != 1)) Despite the blindfold over your eyes, you can feel how close ${b_they} is. *gosub_scene mechanics_setup flirt_style *if (style = 1) "Get on with it already!" $!{b_they} chuckles at your impatience. *else You nod. $!{b_their} hands brush against your shoulders as ${b_they} tugs at the blindfold, and it falls to the ground. *else "I've only been waiting about a million years!" you whine. $!{b_they} chuckles at your impatience. "On the count of three then—three... Two-one-go!" You pull the blindfold from your eyes. Your kitchen! It's finished. [i]Finally[/i]. "No more canned soup," you nearly moan with pleasure as you take in the picture before you. It's not like you haven't been down here in the last few months, but it really makes a difference with all the finishes. White cabinets with butcher-block tops line the exterior walls, a wooden shelf hanging in the space under the windows. Pots, pans, and utensils of every size, color, and shape hang off the walls, equal parts art and utility. A large wooden island stands in the center, and a recess in one of the walls houses a restaurant-sized stove and multiple, stacked ovens. *if (yr1_01_16_20 = 1) True to ${b_their} word, the larger *else The large windows allow light to flood into the room and ameliorate the claustrophobia-inducing low ceilings. The white subway tile brightens the space further, and the stainless steel appliances, catching and reflecting every odd ray of light, don't hurt either. "So what do you think?" Bertie *if ((per >= 59) and (b_rom > 0)) asks with a nervous frown. *else asks. *fake_choice #"It's—I—you—" I stammer with a response that reflects my happiness. *set awk %+ 5 Your tongue ties itself in knots as you try to express how you feel. "It's—I—you—" you stammer, hoping your happiness comes through. *if (b > 1) Bertie squeezes your shoulder and flashes a friendly smile. $!{b_they} [i]gets[/i] you. *else Bertie claps you on the back. #"I can't wait to cook in here!" I squawk in delight. *set dir %+ 5 *set gen %+ 5 "Ahhhhhhh!" you squawk. "I can't wait to cook in here!" Bertie grins at you. #"It's not half bad," I say. *set dir %- 5 *set gen %- 5 The corners of your mouth quirk ever so slightly upward. "It's not half bad," you say. Bertie rolls ${b_their} eyes at you with a barely suppressed smile. *if ((per >= 59) and (b_rom > 0)) *if (style = 1) #I note ${b_their} frown and flash ${b_them} a huge grin. You grin at them, and soon ${b_they}'s reflecting your happy expression. *else #I note ${b_their} frown and give ${b_them} a shy smile. You flash them a shy smile, and soon ${b_they}'s reflecting your happy expression. *else #What the hell? I go for a hug. *set cha %+ 5 *set org %- 5 Now is not the time for staid expressions! You nearly tackle Bertie to the ground with your enthusiastic hug. *if ((b_rom > 0) and (yr1_02_05_20_b != 1)) *if (style = 1) Bertie catches your impromptu embrace and holds you in for a moment. *else Bertie wraps ${b_their} arms around you and squeezes tight. *elseif ((b_rom > 0) and (yr1_02_05_20_b = 1)) Bertie tenses and lets out an awkward laugh before reciprocating with a one-armed-hug. *elseif (b > 0) Bertie lets out a hearty chuckle and slaps you on the back. *else "I'm glad you like it," ${b_they} says. Your stomach is already grumbling at the thought of actual food. "I think that's testament enough to how I feel." "So what's the first thing you're gonna make?" ${b_they} asks. *if (cha >= 57) "Already begging for treats?" *elseif (gen <= 43) "Food," *elseif (dir <= 43) "Wouldn't you like to know!" *else "You'll have to wait and see," you say with a mischievous glint in your eye. $!{b_they} makes a swatting gesture at you. *page_break Soon enough, you have your kitchen to yourself, and you take a moment just to enjoy it. You walk around the room and test the cabinet doors and drawers, admiring the neat collection of china and silverware already squared away. Sitting against the wall on a counter next to one of the stoves is an antique animal crackers tin in which all your wooden utensils sit, awaiting your command. Its yellow and red color scheme has faded with age, but the old fashioned animals charm you still. It had been a gift from your mother, an avid collector of old tins, when you went away for college. You hadn't packed it, and you have a suspicion that a certain lovable tag-along wrote home to your mother about it. At last it's time to get down to business and see your kitchen through her maiden voyage. You've already chosen to make buckeyes (your grandmother's recipe, of course). Now all that remains is to begin. *fake_choice *if (yr1_03_31_20_j = 0) #I've decided to invite Judy. *set yr1_06_14_20_1 1 *if (yr1_03_31_20_j = 1) #Now is the perfect opportunity to bake with Judy! *set yr1_06_14_20_1 1 #On second thought, Alex is enough company for today. *set yr1_06_14_20_1 2 *if (yr1_03_31_20_j = 2) #I've decided to invite Judy after all. *set yr1_06_14_20_1 2 *if ((yr1_03_31_20_j = 0) or (yr1_03_31_20_j = 2)) #Alex is enough company for today. *set yr1_06_14_20_1 2 *if (yr1_06_14_20_1 = 1) *set j +1 *set cj +1 *set var "Judy" Not long after Bertie leaves, you hear a knock at what would have once been the servants' entrance. You open the unassuming door and find your partner in crime laden with pre-mixed containers of sugar, flour, cocoa, and all the other ingredients you'll need to make your mamaw's famous buckeyes. You usher Judy out of the heat and into the kitchen, taking half her load as you go. She surveys the room with a professional eye. "It's so big!" she says in an awed voice. "My kitchen isn't half this big!" "Your kitchen is also in the middle of town," you console her. "You know, where all the customers are." "I don't guess you need a pastry chef do you?" You laugh. "Not yet, but I'll keep your resume on file." You gesture to the oven. "Shall we?" *if (yr1_06_14_20_1 = 2) *set a +1 *set af +1 *set var "Alex" Speak of the devil and ${a_they} shall appear! Alex bumbles down the stairs and into the kitchen, shedding stray ingredients as ${a_they} goes. You glide over to your best friend and grab the precarious containers of sugar, flour, and cocoa. With bounty secured, Alex takes a look around the space with a grin. "It's about time." The two of you get down to business measuring ingredients, greasing pans, and pre-heating the oven. *fake_choice #I could burn a no-bake cookie. I let ${var} take the lead. *if (yr1_06_14_20_1 = 1) You asked Judy to help you for a reason. It's a good thing she's here, and it's an even better thing that she's measured out all the ingredients ahead of time. You stir what she tells you to stir, pour what she tells you to pour, and move when she tells you to get out of the way. *if (yr1_06_14_20_1 = 2) Alex won't ever be a pastry chef, but ${a_they} can read a recipe and follow it. $!{a_they} thrusts the peanut butter, sugar, and butter into your hands and directs you to measure them. When you accomplish the task, you step back, and Alex takes over, mixing everything together. "Ughhgh," ${a_they} grunts. "What is it?" "I forgot the peanuts." "[i]Ah[/i]," you say. "Well nuts." $!{a_they} shoots you a dirty look. Nuts or no nuts, the buckeyes make it into the freezer to set, and you set a timer. #I'm no Julia Child, but I know my way around the kitchen. *set yr1_06_14_20_1_1 true *if (yr1_06_14_20_1 = 1) *set rp +1 Your cooking skills won't embarrass you in front of Judy. The two of you develop a rhythm, dividing the tasks wordlessly. Judy preheats the oven, and you grease the pans. You measure the sugar; Judy beats the butter. You've no doubt that in [i]her[/i] kitchen, making complicated and labor intensive pastries, you'd be out of your league. But here making your mamaw's old fashioned buckeyes, you can hold your own with the young (how is she so young??) pastry chef. *if (yr1_06_14_20_1 = 2) You'll do your mamaw proud with these buckeyes, of that you're certain. You push the chocolate over toward Alex and ask ${a_them} to melt it while you read through the recipe again to make sure you know what you're doing. When Alex pushes the peanut butter, powdered sugar, and butter toward you, you mix it all together and begin rolling it into balls. At the very end, you dip them into the melted chocolate. Mixing it was your favorite part as a child. You visited your mamaw and papaw in Eastern Kentucky every Christmas, and your mamaw would make 'candy' with you. Paradoxically, you didn't even like them! But they were still your favorite thing to make. *if (yr1_06_14_20_1 = 1) When you slide the pan into the freezer, you turn your attention to the leftover chocolate hugging the sides of your double boiler. You gather a spoonful on the spatula and stick it into your mouth. "Seriously??" Judy chides with a hand on her hip. "What? Don't tell me this is an American thing?" "Just straight melted chocolate?" "I'm not gonna let it go to waste!" you retort through a mouthful of sweet sweet chocolate, scandalized by the mere notion. Judy shakes her head at you in disapproval. "You could at least dip some strawberries in it or [i]something[/i]!" *if (yr1_06_14_20_1 = 2) With the buckeyes in the freezer, you grab two spoons from the silverware drawer and hand one to Alex. The two of you sit quietly and scrape the leftover chocolate off the sides of the double boiler. For a minute, it's almost like you're kids again sitting in your mom's kitchen. A sort of bittersweet nostalgia that even the sweetness of the chocolate can't cure surges through you. You glance up at your friend and see your own pensive mood reflected in ${a_their} distant eyes. *if (a_rom > 2) The smudge of chocolate that coats the right side of ${a_their} mouth imbues a bit of whimsy into ${a_their} serious reflections. You can't help but grin at your friend, and a surge of affection grips your heart. Alex looks up and notices your scrutiny. "What?" ${a_they} asks. "You've got a..." "A what?" Your first instinct is to wipe it away with your thumb, but you instead grab a wet washcloth and hand it to ${a_them}. "You're a mess," you say tenderly. The timer goes off before ${a_they} can respond. *page_break "So who are you going to take them to?" ${var} asks you after a minute. "Who says I'm going to take them to anyone?" you counter. *if (yr1_06_14_20_1 = 1) Judy looks at you sideways. "You're gonna eat this whole pan by yourself?" *if (yr1_06_14_20_1 = 2) Alex nudges your shoulder. "I've known you for more than twenty years. [i]I[/i] say you're gonna take them to someone. Now tell me who." You chuckle. "Alright, fine. You got me. I [i]do[/i] have someone in mind." "Spit it out," ${var} huffs. *fake_choice #"I'm going to take these to the Carrolls." "I'm going to take these to the Carrolls. *set yr1_06_14_20_2 1 *set b +1 *set c +1 *set f +1 *if (yr1_06_14_20_1 = 1) *set meet_o true *set o +1 It's a neighborly thing to do," you say. *if (yr1_01_04_20_c) "Especially since they let us borrow their camper." *if (yr1_06_14_20_1 = 1) "Oh," Judy says with brightened eyes. "Can I come too?" "Yeah, of course," you agree. Once you finish boxing the buckeyes up, you lead Judy out of the kitchen, and the two of you make your way across Darbury fields toward the Carroll farm. *if (yr1_06_14_20_1 = 2) *if (b_rom > 1) "Yeah, I'm sure what you're feeling right now is [i]'neighborly[/i]' feelings," Alex snorts. *gosub_scene mechanics_setup flirt_style *if (style = 1) You grin at your friend. "So there's an additional incentive. Sue me," you say with a shrug. *else You feel the blood rush to your cheeks. "Come on, let's go." Alex laughs at you. "You won't get off that easy." You shoot a pointed look at your so-called best friend. "Are you coming or not?" *else "That's probably a good idea," Alex agrees. "Shall we just walk there?" You nod. "No need to drive, especially since people around here don't shoot trespassers on sight." Alex slides off of the counter ${a_they} had been sitting on. "Lead the way." *if (yr1_02_05_20_i != 0) #"I'm going to take these to Ines." *set yr1_06_14_20_2 2 *set g +1 *set i +1 "I'm going to take these to Ines," you say. *if (yr1_06_14_20_1 = 1) Judy draws her features into a twisted look. "I take it you don't want to come then?" you ask with a laugh. She shakes her head. "I'll leave the dragon-taming to you." *if (yr1_02_05_20_i = 4) "She hasn't eaten me [i]yet[/i]," you say. "Even though I might have deserved it." Judy's eyes grow as large as two saucers. "What did you do?!" "Nothing much." You shrug. "I was just kinda rude to her when we first met." She looks at you with horror. "It wasn't that bad!" you insist. "I've apologized." Judy shakes her head. *else "She's not [i]that[/i] bad," you insist. Judy looks at you with a raised eyebrow. "Yeah, well, she likes [i]you[/i]." "And she doesn't like you?" Judy shudders. "She's just... so..." "So [i]what[/i]?" you ask with a laugh. "Demanding." "She is that," you agree. "But she's no dragon. "If you say so." She slips around you and grabs a buckeye before you can pack it away. "My fee," she says. "Have fun with the dragon." "I'll do my best," you call over your shoulder as Judy slips out of your kitchen. *if (yr1_06_14_20_1 = 2) Alex nods ${a_their} head. "Do you think she ever made stuff with ${gabby} when ${g_they} was a kid?" ${a_they} asks thoughtfully. *if (yr1_04_08_20_i != 0) You think back to the baby *if (yr1_04_08_20_i = 3) photos Ines showed you *else photo you saw on Ines' bookshelf when she invited you to tea. "She's definitely a doting grandmother," you say. *if (yr1_04_08_20_i != 0) *if (g_rom > 3) The image of tiny ${gabby} sitting in an oversized mixing bowl flashes before your eyes and tugs at your heartstrings. *else "She's got this one photo of ${g_them} in the living room. $!{g_they} must have been two or three, sitting in this big mixing bowl and grinning at the camera. I bet she [i]did[/i] teach ${g_them} to cook." "I wonder if ${g_their} food is any good." "$!{g_they}'s got the most successful restaurant in the area," you point out. "That's not very hard when it's the [i]only[/i] one in the area." You laugh. "I guess that's true. In any case, I'm gonna head that way." Alex grabs one of the remaining buckeyes before you can pack it away. "Have fun." *if (yr1_02_05_20_i = 0) #"These are apology buckeyes for Mrs. Duchamp." *set yr1_02_05_20_i 5 *set yr1_06_14_20_2 2 "These are apology buckeyes for Mrs. Duchamp," you say. *if (yr1_06_14_20_1 = 1) "Apology buckeyes?" Judy repeats after you. "What do you need to apologize for?" You sigh. "I was a bit of *if (ass = "ass") an ass *else a jerk when we first met." Judy's eyes widen, and she bites at her bottom lip. "Don't worry," you chuckle, "her ire isn't contagious. It won't rub off on you." *if (j > 1) "What did you [i]do[/i]?" "I told her to take a hike when she showed up here yelling at everyone and swearing we were [i]ruining[/i] everything." If possible, Judy's eyes grow even larger. "She [i]is[/i] rather—" "Nosy?" "Scary." "I take it you don't want to go?" She shakes her head vehemently. "I'll leave you to it." The look on her face suggests she doesn't entirely believe that she'll escape Mrs. Duchamp's animus. You shake your head, trying to suppress your amusement at Judy's expense. "I'll see you later," she says, grabbing a buckeye and slipping out of the kitchen. *if (yr1_06_14_20_1 = 2) "Probably a good idea," Alex says. "Probably a good idea after I pissed her off," you mean. "You said it, not me." "She would've annoyed you too if you had been there." "Maybe," ${a_they} says with a shrug. "Still wasn't a good idea to snap at her." "Hindsight is 2020." Alex shrugs again. "I'll leave you to your redemption arc." $!{a_they} grabs a buckeye and flounces out of the kitchen. #"I'm going to take these to ${rash}." *set yr1_06_14_20_2 3 *set r +1 "I'm going to take these to ${rash}," you say. *if (yr1_06_14_20_1 = 1) "The artist?" Judy asks. "Yep. $!{r_they}'s making a sign for the farm. Ever met ${r_them}?" Judy nods. "$!{r_they} comes into my shop every once in a while." What do you think of ${r_them}?" Judy blushes and looks down at her lap. "$!{r_they}'s very friendly." You raise your eyebrows. "Very [i]friendly[/i] indeed," you agree. You see Judy out before hopping in your truck. *if (yr1_06_14_20_1 = 2) *if (yr1_05_20_20_r = true) "Those strawberries weren't bribe enough?" You roll your eyes. "You just want to keep the buckeyes for yourself." "Guilty as charged," ${a_they} admits before stuffing an entire buckeye in ${a_their} mouth. *else "Trying to bribe ${r_them} for a better price on the sign?" "You've seen through my nefarious plans. Alex stuffs an entire buckeye in ${a_their} mouth. "Well ${r_they} won't get this one," ${a_they} declares. You swat at your best friend. "Behave." "Never!" ${a_they} says, grabbing for another buckeye and jogging up the stairs before you can reprimand ${a_them}. You shake your head and finish packing the remaining goods before heading to the truck. #"I'm going to take these to Sebastian and his family." *set yr1_06_14_20_2 4 *set s +1 "I'm going to take these to Sebastian and his family," you say. *if (yr1_06_14_20_1 = 1) Judy's eyes light up. "Have you met his kids?" she asks. *if (yr1_03_14_20_2 = 2) "Yep," you say. "I ran into them at the market back in the spring." "Aren't they cute!" she squeaks. You laugh. "Eddie looks like a miniature version of Sebastian." "I think he wants to be his dad when he grows up." *else "Not yet," you say. "They're great," Judy squeaks. "Eddie is just like his dad." "Excitable and forgetful?" Judy laughs. "Looks just like him too." "Do you think they'll like these?" you ask, gesturing to the buckeyes. "Have you ever met a kid who didn't like chocolate? The real question is will Daisy forgive you for pumping them full of sugar." "Well here," you say, shoving one of the remaining buckeyes into Judy's hands. "One less buckeye to hype them up." "I won't argue. Let me know how it goes?" she asks over her shoulder as she heads for the door. "For sure—catch you later." *if (yr1_06_14_20_1 = 2) "I'm sure Daisy will thank you for giving her kids a sugar rush." "I'll let her know it was your idea." Alex sticks ${a_their} tongue out at you. You laugh. "Does Sebastian really strike you as the kind of parent who lets their kids eat sweets whenever they want?" $!{a_they} wrinkles ${a_their} nose. "No." "Oh-ho-ho, have we finally found a parent more strict than your mom?" "We couldn't all be a wild child like you," ${a_they} retorts. You chuckle. "Here—" you shove one of the remaining buckeyes at your friend "—take one before Sebastian locks them up." "You don't have to ask me twice." $!{a_they} stuffs the entire thing in ${a_their} mouth. "Have fun," ${a_they} calls over ${a_their} shoulder and disappears up the stairs. #"I'm going to take these to Tony." *set yr1_06_14_20_2 5 *set t +1 "I'm going to take these to Tony," you say. *if (yr1_06_14_20_1 = 1) "Tony's nice," Judy says. "Yes, very charming." "Have you been to the bar?" "Yeah, went last week actually. Charlie took us." "Oh?" Judy asks, fiddling with the twine holding the box closed. "Did you have a good time?" "Yeah, I'd go again." "Maybe we could go, you-and-Charlie-and-me." It comes out as one word. "And Alex of course." She adds as an after thought. "Well, tell ${t_them} I said hi." "Will do," you agree. You walk Judy out and head to the truck. *if (yr1_06_14_20_1 = 2) *if (t_rom > 0) "Take a liking to the bartender then?" Alex taunts. *if (drunk = true) "How surprising!" "Shut up," you grumble. "Have you ever met a bartender you didn't like?" ${t_they} teases. "I have, in fact. But Tony seems nice." "You've got me there. Very charming. Well, I'll leave you to it. You know, give you some privacy." You roll your eyes and head to the truck. *else "$!{t_they} seems nice," Alex says. "You wanna come?" you offer. "Nah, I've got some things to take care of. I'll leave you to your errand." You grab the box of buckeyes and head to the truck. *page_break *if (yr1_06_14_20_2 = 1) You trudge through the fields toward the Carroll farm, climbing over rickety old stiles every once in a while to get to the next expanse of Earth. Eventually the ancient farm house comes into view. Although you've never been inside, the exterior has become a familiar sight during your explorations across the Darbury property. The two story house sits behind a waist-high fence. A blueish-green wooden door and matching windows pop against the dark brown stone. You suspect the steep roof was once thatched, but it has since been replaced with weathered wooden shingles. Thriving plants burst out of every free bit of Earth, cheering the otherwise dreary exterior with bright yellows, pinks, purples, and greens. You walk up to the little wooden door and knock. *page_break *if (yr1_06_14_20_1 = 1) Someone you've never seen answers the door. *if (height < 67) The lanky teenager towers over you. *elseif (o_taller = true) The skinny teenager looks down at you. *else You blink twice at the tall and lanky teenager. His straw-berry blond curls spill out in an uncombed mess. He's wearing light-blue skinny jeans and a pink short-sleeved button-up with a flamingo print. "Oliver!" Judy calls from behind you. He looks over your shoulder and smiles slightly at your companion. "This is my cousin, Oliver," Judy explains, and Oliver nods in confirmation. "He's also Charlie's cousin. We're not cousins, Charlie and me, that is," she adds rather quickly. "You gonna let us in or just stand there?" Like a switch has been tripped in his brain, he shuffles out of the way, and you follow Judy as she slips into the cottage. *if (yr1_06_14_20_1 = 2) Frankie answers the door, and ${f_their} eyes light up in recognition and delight. "Hey! What brings you out this way?" You gently shake the box in your hands. "A neighborly thank you." You hand over the box and begin to make your goodbyes, but Frankie interrupts you. "Aw, don't tell me you think you can show up here with a box of goodies and escape without an invitation inside? Come one, come say hi to everyone." $!{f_they} steps back out of the way and gestures for you to come inside. *page_break The low ceilings, despite the exposed wooden beams, make the space feel small. Although well cared for, the hardwood floor dips in some places, creating a fun-house effect and betraying the age of the cottage. In the living room, oversized furniture orbits around an old fireplace. A green-and-yellow-striped chesterfield couch sits in the middle covered with a motley array of frilly throw pillows. Catty-corner opposite the sofa, a wide, red club chair flanks the fireplace, a woven throw blanket draped haphazardly over its arm. Messy stacks of books dot the room, annexing every surface in excess of the wooden bookshelf that takes up most of the far wall. Wherever a book has failed to take up residence, a plant has taken its place. You barely have enough time to process the overwhelming scene before you're climbing down a set of stairs and into the kitchen. Wooden counters line the walls, but the middle of the room is clear of furniture, making the smaller room appear larger than the crowded living room. Pots, pans, utensils, and dishes hang from the walls or sit on open shelves. Charlie stands at the sink doing dishes and turns around at your entrance. *if (yr1_06_14_20_1 = 1) Bertie and Frankie enter *if (yr1_06_14_20_1 = 2) Bertie enters from the opposite side, and suddenly the little kitchen feels much smaller. *if (yr1_06_14_20_1 = 1) "We brought buckeyes!" Judy announces, and you present the small box with a flourish. *if (yr1_06_14_20_1 = 2) "They brought us something!" Frankie announces. Charlie walks over and opens the lid. You can practically see her mouth water, and she glances up at you as if to ask permission. "Go ahead," you say with a laugh. "They're not decorative." She doesn't waste a second before stuffing one into her mouth. "Mmmmmmmm." Frankie laughs. "The kitchen is too small for a party. Let's split up. I've got dibs on the chair," ${f_they} declares and makes for the living room. *if (yr1_06_14_20_1 = 1) Bertie rolls ${b_their} eyes and follows with Oliver on ${b_their} heels, leaving you, Charlie, and Judy in the kitchen. *if (yr1_06_14_20_1 = 2) *if (b_rom > 1) Charlie rolls her eyes and follows, shooting you a not-so-subtle wink and dragging Alex behind her. *else Alex laughs and follows, leaving you, Charlie, and Bertie in the kitchen. *fake_choice *if (yr1_06_14_20_1 = 1) #Join Bertie, Frankie, and Oliver in the living room. *set yr1_06_14_20_2_1 1 #Stay in the kitchen with Charlie and Judy. *set yr1_06_14_20_2_1 2 *if (yr1_06_14_20_1 = 2) *if ((b_rom > 1) and (yr1_06_11_20_2 != 4)) #Join Alex, Charlie, and Frankie in the living room. *set yr1_06_14_20_2_1 3 #Stay in the kitchen with Bertie. ♥ *set yr1_06_14_20_2_1 4 *set yr1_06_14_20_2_1_7 2 *set b_rom +1 *else #Join Alex and Frankie in the living room. *set yr1_06_14_20_2_1 5 #Stay in the kitchen with Bertie and Charlie. *set yr1_06_14_20_2_1 6 *if (((yr1_06_14_20_2_1 = 1) or (yr1_06_14_20_2_1 = 3)) or (yr1_06_14_20_2_1 = 5)) You wander back into the living room and take a seat on the far end of the over-stuffed sofa, moving a few throw pillows out of your way. Frankie throws ${f_them}self into the chair and arranges the blanket and throw pillows to ${f_their} satisfaction. *if (yr1_06_14_20_2_1 = 1) Oliver joins you on the sofa taking the seat nearest Frankie. Bertie sinks down between the two of you and props ${b_their} feet up on the messy coffee table. *if ((yr1_06_14_20_2_1 = 3) or (yr1_06_14_20_2_1 = 5)) Alex joins you on the sofa, taking the seat nearest Frankie and likewise rearranging the throw pillows. *if (yr1_06_14_20_2_1 = 3) Charlie sinks down between the two of you and props her feet up on the messy coffee table. *if (((yr1_06_14_20_2_1 = 1) or (yr1_06_14_20_2_1 = 3)) or (yr1_06_14_20_2_1 = 5)) You grab one of the discarded pillows and and hug it to your torso. The embroidered velvet cover is soft, and you worry the fringe between your index finger and thumb. *if (((yr1_06_14_20_2_1 = 2) or (yr1_06_14_20_2_1 = 4)) or (yr1_06_14_20_2_1 = 6)) You ease yourself into a chair at the wooden dining table at the end of the kitchen. *if ((yr1_06_14_20_2_1 = 2) or (yr1_06_14_20_2_1 = 6)) Charlie and *if (yr1_06_14_20_2_1 = 2) Judy *if (yr1_06_14_20_2_1 = 6) Bertie *if ((yr1_06_14_20_2_1 = 2) or (yr1_06_14_20_2_1 = 6)) take seats facing each other, leaving you between the two of them. *if (yr1_06_14_20_2_1 = 4) Bertie takes the chair against the wall, sitting diagonally from you. *if (((yr1_06_14_20_2_1 = 2) or (yr1_06_14_20_2_1 = 4)) or (yr1_06_14_20_2_1 = 6)) The placemat in front of you is made of a rough, woven material. You loop and un-loop the fringe at the end around your index finger. *if (yr1_06_14_20_2_1 = 1) "So, Oliver," you say, turning to the relatively unknown element in the room, "these old lug-heads are your cousins, huh?" Frankie snorts, but only the twitch of Oliver's lips reveals that he reacted to your question at all. "Do you like spending time with them?" you try again. He shrugs. Bertie reaches over and nudges his shoulder gently. "You better be nice," ${b_they} says in a stage whisper, "or I'll be forced to retaliate." "I'd like to see you try," the teenager retorts quietly. *if (yr1_06_14_20_2_1 = 3) Despite Frankie's best attempts, it looks like everyone is going to band together in the living room rather than splitting into smaller groups. With you, Alex, and Charlie on the couch and Frankie in the chair, there's really not anywhere else to sit, so Bertie leans against the doorway, watching the domestic scene unfold. "So what now?" Charlie asks after a moment of awkward silence, interrupted only by the swishing of fabric against fabric as everyone settles into comfort. *if (yr1_06_14_20_2_1 = 5) "So..." you begin, waiting for someone to take charge of the conversation, "what now?" *if (yr1_06_14_20_2_1 = 6) Bertie grabs a buckeye out of the pan and begins to eat it, methodically tearing off small bites and placing them in ${b_their} mouth. "So..." you begin, waiting for one of your hosts to begin the conversation in earnest. A mischievous glint brightens Charlie's eyes. "I could tell you some embarrassing stories about Bertie!" she declares. *if (b_rom > 0) *gosub_scene mechanics_setup flirt_style *if (style = 1) You lean in conspiratorially. *else You feel butterflies fluttering around in your stomach. "Oh really?" you ask. Bertie eyes ${b_their} younger sister warily. "We could take turns," she offers in concession. $!{b_they} sighs. "I'll get no peace until I agree, so I guess we might as well get this over with." *if (((yr1_06_14_20_2 = 1) and (yr1_06_14_20_2_1 != 2)) and (yr1_06_14_20_2_1 != 4)) *if (yr1_06_14_20_2_1 != 6) Frankie grins. "How about some embarrassing childhood stories?" *if (yr1_06_14_20_2_1 = 1) *if (per >= 60) Oliver shifts on the couch and looks down at the floor. *if (per <= 40) You would have hated if your cousins had started telling embarrassing stories about you. "Good idea," you say conspiratorially. *fake_choice #"I'll go first," I volunteer in an attempt to take the heat off of everyone else. *set yr1_06_14_20_2_1_1 1 *if (yr1_06_14_20_2_1 = 1) *set yr1_06_14_20_2_1_7 1 *set b +1 *set f +1 *set o +1 *if ((yr1_06_14_20_2_1 = 3) or (yr1_06_14_20_2_1 = 5)) *set a +1 *if ((yr1_06_14_20_2_1 = 3) or (yr1_06_14_20_2_1 = 5)) #"I've got one about Alex," I say, but I know full well the story is more embarrassing for me than ${a_them}. *set yr1_06_14_20_2_1_1 2 *if (yr1_06_14_20_2_1 = 1) #"Let's hear it then," I say with a smile for the poor teenager. *set yr1_06_14_20_2_1_1 3 *if (yr1_06_14_20_2_1 = 6) #"I'll go," Bertie grunts. *set yr1_06_14_20_2_1_1 3 *if (yr1_06_14_20_2_1 = 3) #"Come on big sister," Frankie goads Charlie. *set yr1_06_14_20_2_1_1 4 *if (yr1_06_14_20_2_1 = 6) #"Fine, I'll go," Charlie mutters. *set yr1_06_14_20_2_1_1 4 *if (yr1_06_14_20_2_1 != 6) #"Let's start with you, Frankie," I say, turning the attention back to ${f_them}. *set yr1_06_14_20_2_1_1 5 *if (yr1_06_14_20_2_1 = 1) *set yr1_06_14_20_2_1_7 1 *set o +1 *if (yr1_06_14_20_2_1 = 2) "These are soooo good," Charlie mumbles through a full mouth. "What are they?" "buckeyes, my mamaw's recipe," you answer. She turns to Judy. "Why don't we have them here?" *if (per >= 60) Judy pulls at the sleeve of her shirt. "I, uh, I don't know, but we could? I could add them to the menu at [i]Sugar and Spice[/i]," *if (per >= 60) she *else Judy answers in a high-pitched tone. She turns to you as if to ask for confirmation. "I mean, I would come up with my own recipe of course." You glance back at Charlie, whose puppy-dog eyes alert you to the answer she wishes to hear. "Uh, yeah, sure, why not?" you agree. Both women beam at you. "Your grandmother taught you how to make them?" "Sure did." "Do you miss her?" "I do," *if ((dir <= 43) or (gen <= 43)) you affirm cautiously. You're not one to wear your heart on your sleeve or reveal your feelings to anyone beyond your closest circle. *elseif ((dir >= 57) or (gen >= 57)) you admit openly. You're not one to back away from your feelings. *else you say. "I remember my grandma only a little," Charlie says. "She used to watch us after school when we were little. What do you miss most about her?" *fake_choice #"Her buckeyes, of course," I answer lightly. *set awk %- 5 *set cha %+ 5 *set dir %- 5 *set yie %- 5 You're not in the mood to share deep and serious truths. "Her buckeyes, of course," you say. "Well I can totally see why," Charlie answers with a laugh. "I'm not sure I'd have left America if this is the kind of stuff you guys have." "And what am I? Chopped liver?" Judy demands with a hand on her hip. "Th-that's not, I mean, I really li—" Judy reaches a hand out to Charlie's forearm. "I'm just joking," she promises. Charlie looks only slightly relieved #"I miss listening to her stories and talking to her about life," I say. *set cha %+ 5 *set per %- 5 "I miss listening to her stories and talking to her about life. "I still call her once a week," you say, "but there's nothing like sitting around the kitchen table and swapping gossip." Judy laughs. "What do you gossip about?" "Mostly people from her church." "Isn't gossip... I don't know? [i]Sinful[/i]? Shouldn't people who go to church avoid that?" Charlie asks with an unconvinced eyebrow. You grin. "I don't know about sinful, but if you think that the old biddies aren't swapping sordid tales with each other after the pastor finishes his spiel, then you have definitely never been to a Southern Baptist church." "I guess you got me there," she admits, still eying you uncertainly, whether because she doubts your truthfulness or the piety of gossiping old ladies, you don't know. #"Her advice," I say, "she always knows what to say." *set gen %+ 5 *set hum %+ 5 *set org %+ 5 *set yie %+ 5 You've been living on your own for years, but there's something very different about packing your bags and moving to the other side of the planet. When you were in New York, you always knew in the back of your mind that if need be, your mamaw could get on a plane and come get you. It's harder now. "Her advice. She always knows what to say." "Can't you just call her?" Charlie asks. "I could," you say, "but it wouldn't be the same." Judy nods. "It's different when you're so far away. It's like living in different worlds." "How so?" Charlie asks. Judy shrugs. "I love my halmeoni, but she doesn't really know what my life is like here. She doesn't know anyone I know or anything I do." A smile flickers across your face. You remember when you, all of seventeen years old, were getting ready to move to New York City from rural Kentucky. Your grandparents had [i]advised[/i] you to walk between your dorm and your classes with a friend. They lacked the context and experience to understand how impractical that would be, not that you told them that. [i]Sorry, mamaw, but the buddy system just isn't gonna happen[/i]. [i]If I get murdered, I get murdered.[/i] #"I miss being doted on by her," I answer. *set org %- 5 *set yie %+ 5 "I'm her only grandchild," you explain, "so I get all of her grandmotherly attention. It's a far cry from the seven grandkids—not including wives—and three great-grandkids on the other side of the family. I miss being doted on by her." "I understand," Judy says. "I'm the only kid on my mom's side too, but my grandparents still live in South Korea. We don't get to visit very often, but halmeoni does her best to make up for it when we [i]do[/i]." "I've lived on my own for years, but it's nice to hand over responsibility and be the center of attention and affection, at least for a little while," you say. "I wish I could have known my grandparents more," Charlie says wistfully. You steer the conversation to less troubled waters. *if (((yr1_03_14_20_1 = 2) and (yr1_04_15_20 = 2)) and (per >= 60)) *set yr2_05_01_21 1 "So how was the seaweed soup?" you ask Judy. She scrunches her eyes up for a moment before brightening. Charlie blushes a bright pink and looks down at her lap. "It was—" she hesitates for a fraction of a second "—good!" "Maybe you could teach us to make it sometime," you offer nonchalantly, and Charlie perks back up. Judy glances between the two of you and begins to twirl one of her braids around her index finger. "Yeah, that would be really fun. A girl's night out. Or in, I guess." *elseif (yr1_03_14_20_1 = 3) "So Talverton Day is coming up soon, right?" you ask. Charlie nods. "Yeah, it's about a month away now. Are you gonna go?" she asks *if (per >= 60) angling her body slightly toward Judy. *else you. "Yeah, Alex and I figured we couldn't hardly miss it, gotta be tourists while we're still newbies. How about you?" you ask, glancing between the two. "Definitely," Judy *if (per >= 60) answers with a slight blush, *else answers, "I'm making the pies for the pie-eating contest." Charlie's eyes grow wide. "There's going to be a pie-eating contest this year?" "Well I guess I know where to find you," you say with a laugh. Charlie blushes slightly, and Judy smiles. "For real though," you continue, "we should meet up." *else "So you guys share a cousin?" you ask. *if (per >= 60) Judy blushes slightly. "Yeah, his mom is my dad's sister—" "—and his dad was my mom's brother," Charlie completes. "Confusing, yes." "But [i]we[/i]—" Judy emphasizes, gesturing to Charlie and herself "— are [i]not[/i] cousins." *if (per >= 60) You nod "So did you guys grow up together?" you ask. "Well yeah," Charlie says, "you can hardly avoid growing up with the people your age in a town of 5,000." "Everybody knows everybody around here," Judy says. *if (yr1_06_14_20_2_1 = 4) *gosub_scene mechanics_setup flirt_style Bertie looks at you with a gentle smile. "So this is why you wouldn't tell me what you were gonna make first." *if (style = 1) You grin. *else You blush. "Guilty as charged." $!{b_they} grabs a buckeye out of the box and begins to eat it, methodically tearing off small bites and placing them in ${b_their} mouth. You examine ${b_their} hands more closely. They are large, *if (b_gender = "f") larger than normal for a woman, *else even for a man, and covered in hard-earned callouses. *fake_choice #I reach out and touch one of them. *set bol +1 You reach out and touch ${b_their} callous-covered hand. $!{b_they} start a bit at your touch, but instead of withdrawing ${b_their} hand, ${b_they} open ${b_their} palm more widely and allow you to caress ${b_their} neglected callouses. They feel #$!{b_they} places ${b_their} hand over mine. *set shy +1 $!{b_their} hand covers yours, enveloping it in warmth. The first thing you think is that ${b_their} hands are as rough as they seem before you remember to be wide-eyed and nervous. $!{b_they} brushes ${b_their} thumb against the top of your hand, ${b_their} rough callouses like sandpaper beneath your softer skin. You look up and meet ${b_their} eyes, and ${b_they} smiles at you. "We still haven't gone to lunch," ${b_they} says in feigned admonition. *gosub_scene mechanics_setup flirt_style *if (style = 1) You arch an eyebrow. "And whose fault it that, *if (b_gender = "f") Mrs. Boss-Lady?" *else Mr. Boss-Man?" you retort. "I can't help it that you're too busy to take me to lunch." Bertie laughs and squeezes your hand. "I never said I was going to take you. [i]You[/i] have to take [i]me[/i]." "We'll see about that." *else You gulp and begin to pull away by force of habit, but Bertie gently squeezes your hand, and you still. "Don't tell me you're getting cold feet?" ${b_they} asks. You shake your head. "No, no cold feet." $!{b_they} flashes a full smile at you, one that would have made your knees tremble had you not already sat down. When ${b_they} withdraws ${b_their} hand, disappointment wells inside you, and you feel like such a tenderfoot for letting a little not-quite-hand-holding excite you so much. Maybe it's the anticipation. For all you've known Bertie for the last six months—${b_they}'s been constantly in and out of your house—you barely know ${b_them}. It's time to rectify that, you decide. Since you're already on the subject of lunch, you'll ask— *choice #"Are you much of a cook?" *set yr1_06_14_20_2_1_4 1 "Are you much of a cook?" Bertie laughs. "That doesn't sound like a promising answer," you tease. "I have... learned to cook a few things. It was hard to avoid." "Why's that?" you ask. $!{b_they} shifts in ${b_their} chair. "I had to take care of the kids when dad died." At your wide eyes, ${b_they} adds, "I'm not that much older than Charlie and Frankie, I know, but I had to take responsibility for them at a pretty young age. That included not letting them starve." *fake_choice #"For what it's worth, I think you did a really good job," I offer. "For what it's worth, I think you did a really good job." *set cha %+ 5 Bertie looks up at you, a slight smile on ${b_their} lips. "Yeah, they're not half bad," ${b_they} agrees. "Just a quarter." The dam breaks, and a full smile floods forth. "Maybe three-eighths." #"How old were you?" I ask. "How old were you?" *set dir %+ 5 "Twenty," ${b_they} says quietly. You think back to what you were doing when you were twenty, a junior in college. You had moved out of the dorms and were living like a real grown-up, not that you felt like one. Sometimes you [i]still[/i] don't feel like one. Now add raising two teenagers to your list of things to do. Not something you could fit in neatly between your classes. You wonder what ${b_they} had to give up for ${b_their} *if (f_gender = "f") sisters. *else brother and sister. #"That must have been really hard," I say. *set gen %+ 5 "That must have been really hard." $!{b_they} shrugs. "I did what had to be done." *if ((dir >= 57) or (yie <= 43)) "No," you say. "Don't do that. Don't brush it off. It was hard, but you still did it." $!{b_they} raises ${b_their} eyes to meet yours. "It [i]was[/i] hard," ${b_they} admits in a voice barely above a whisper." *else When ${b_they} looks up at you, there's a tightness around ${b_their} eyes that you've never noticed before. #"I can't imagine being in your shoes," I say. *set hum %+ 5 "I can't imagine being in your shoes." $!{b_they} shrugs. "I wouldn't have been able to imagine it either, until it happened." *if (per <= 43) Your mom was twenty when your older brother Jake was born. Sometimes you think about what it would have been like to be in her shoes, raising a kid when you're still a kid yourself. Bertie had it even worse. $!{b_they} didn't get to grow as a parent as Charlie and Frankie got older. Rather, tragedy made ${b_them} into the guardian of two teenagers and eliminated his support system and fount of wisdom in one fell swoop. *elseif (gen >= 57) "I'm sorry you had to go through that." You reach out and squeeze ${b_their} wrist, the only act of compassion and support you have in your arsenal. #"What kind of food do you like?" *set yr1_06_14_20_2_1_4 2 "What kind of food do you like?" Bertie shakes ${b_their} head with a rueful smile. "You're going to think I'm boring." *if (style = 1) "If you're going to take me to lunch," you counter with a saucy smile, "I'm going to find out eventually." *elseif (gen <= 43) "If you don't tell me, then you'll just have to hope that you don't hate what I choose," you say with a laugh. *else "That bad, huh?" "Alright," ${b_they} concedes, swatting at you like you're an annoying fly. "I like plain, old British food." You wrinkle your nose. "Do you actually eat beans on toast?" Does anybody for that matter? The appeal eludes you. $!{b_they} laughs at your question, but ${b_they} doesn't answer it. Does that mean ${b_they}, like you and any other reasonable person, find the idea of eating beans and toast ridiculous? Or does it mean that ${b_they} [i]does[/i] eat it and refuses to admit to it? The world may never know. "Is British food the only food you eat?" you ask, a bit uncertain about the future of this relationship. $!{b_they} shrugs. "I've just never traveled much, and Talverton's small. Not a lot of things here to try." "But you're not [i]against[/i] trying new things?" you ask, a note of hope slipping into your tone. You nod, already compiling a list of things you must make ${b_them} try when you get an opportunity. [i]Spicy tuna rolls, pad see ew, muhammara, bhuna curry, arepas—[/i] Bertie interrupts your reverie. "What kind of stuff do [i]you[/i] like?" "What kind of stuff [i]don't[/i] I like?" you answer. "You can find anything in New York, and better yet, you can get it delivered. We're gonna have to expand your palette." $!{b_they} smiles at you. "I look forward to it." *if (yr1_06_14_20_2_1_1 = 1) You take a deep breath, preparing for the plunge. "I'll go first." *if ((yr1_06_14_20_2_1 = 1) and (per >= 60)) Oliver shifts on the couch and glances at you for a fraction of a second before his eyes return to his lap. Here goes nothing. "I was in Moscow once, just there overnight while I waited for my flight the next day. I'd never stayed at the hostel I was in, so I wasn't really familiar with the area. Well, I decided I wanted Georgian food, so I went down to the front desk, and I asked the guy if he had any recommendations." "You speak Russian?" *if (yr1_06_14_20_2_1 = 1) Oliver *elseif (yr1_06_14_20_2_1 = 3) Charlie *elseif (yr1_06_14_20_2_1 = 5) Frankie *else Bertie asks. "Enough to ask for a restaurant recommendation," you answer with a laugh. "Though I wish I had known more because maybe I would have asked some questions that might have saved me from my experience." "What happened?" *if (yr1_06_14_20_2_1 = 1) Bertie *elseif ((yr1_06_14_20_2_1 = 3) or (yr1_06_14_20_2_1 = 5)) Frankie *else Charlie asks. "Well, luckily-or-unluckily enough, there was actually a place right around the corner. So I go, and you can't see inside because the entryway is just the coat check, and the dining room is beyond a curtain. I give them my coat, and they lead me to a table. I'm wearing a t-shirt, a denim jacket, and *if (gender = "f") leggings. *else sweatpants." *if (yr1_06_14_20_2_1 != 6) Frankie raises ${f_their} eyebrows to you as if to ask, "so what?" *else "Not quite up to snuff?" Bertie asks "If only you knew!" you answer. "It was a fine dining joint. Waiters in tuxedos, multiple forks, the whole nine yards." You can tell Bertie is trying not to laugh at you. "And there's nothing I can do about it, I've already handed over my coat. I can't just high-tail it out of there. So I have to sit through the most awkward meal of my life. I swear my waiter hated me." *if ((yr1_06_14_20_2_1 = 1) or (yr1_06_14_20_2_1 = 3)) Frankie begins to laugh, and the others join in. *elseif (yr1_06_14_20_2_1 = 5) Frankie begins to laugh, but Alex just shakes ${a_their} head. "I would have died of embarrassment." "I nearly did." Frankie swats your humiliation away. "Nah, that's hilarious." *else The two laugh at your predicament, though Charlie does reward you with a sympathetic smile. "Yes, yes," you agree. "It was very funny. The next day." *if (yr1_06_14_20_2_1_1 = 2) "I know one about Alex," you say, mischief in your eyes. Alex's ears turn a bright red, and ${a_they} twists around to stare at you with horror-struck eyes. You nudge ${a_them} lightly in the ribs. Frankie leans forward as if to better hear your story. "This one here—" you gesture at your uncomfortable best friend "—came to visit me in New York a couple years ago." $!{a_they} eyes you warily, not quite sure where this ride is headed. "We did all the lame tourist things." "Lame tourist things?" *if (yr1_06_14_20_2_1 = 3) Charlie *elseif (yr1_06_14_20_2_1 = 5) Frankie *else *bug asks. "You know, Central Park, Time Square, the works. Pro-tip: you can get a really great view of the Statue of Liberty for free on the Staten Island Ferry. Very cold in the winter, though." Alex wrinkles ${a_their} nose and lets out a weak laugh, warming up to your story by a degree. "So anyway, we went to One World Trade Center—" "That being?" "Great big tower built after 9/11," you explain, "tallest building in the city now. We made the mistake of going up to the observation deck at sunset, but that's a story for another day. By the time we got back down to the bottom, it was pretty dark, and Alex wanted a pic in front, so ${a_they} asked me, of course." Alex's smile grows larger and more confident as ${f_they} realize where you're going. "It's a *if (ass = "ass") big-ass *else huge building, impossible to get the whole thing into the shot." You glance over at your best friend with a conspiratorial grin. "Well, almost impossible. You wanna find the pic?" you ask ${a_them}. $!{a_they} nods and pulls out ${a_their} phone. $!{a_they} finds it within a couple of minutes and passes it to Frankie. "That's quite an angle," ${f_they} observe. *if (yr1_06_14_20_2_1 = 3) "Let me see!" Charlie demands, and her ${f_sib} hands it over. "Wow, nice pic." "How'd you get it?" You exchange a look with Alex, and ${a_they} starts laughing. "I laid down flat on the ground. In the middle of the sidewalk." *if (yr1_06_14_20_2_1 = 3) "Did you really?" Charlie asks. "One-hundred percent," you swear. "Believe me, there are weirder things to see in New York." "That guy that walked by was very entertained," Alex says with a giggle. *if (gender = "f") "I think the dress I was wearing really added to scene. There I was, sprawled out on the sidewalk, my billowy dress draped across the concrete like I was some kind of deflated balloon." Frankie grins but crosses ${f_their} arms. "It's a funny story, and a great pic, I'll give you that. But it's not an [i]embarrassing[/i] story." "Are you telling me you wouldn't feel the least bit self-conscious lying in the middle of a busy sidewalk in New York City?" *if (yr1_06_14_20_2_1 = 3) Charlie heckles her ${f_sib}. *else you challenge. "Still not a childhood story," ${f_they} retorts with a casual shrug. Alex snickers. "Then maybe you should give us a better example." Frankie raises ${f_their} eyebrows. "Challenge accepted." *if (yr1_06_14_20_2_1_1 = 3) "Let's here it then," you say to Oliver. *if ((yr1_06_14_20_2_1 = 1) and (per >= 60)) Bertie shoots at dirty look at ${b_their} younger ${f_sib}. "I'll go," ${b_they} says. *if (b_gender = "f") "Miss *else "Mr. Perfect has an embarrassing story?" *if (yr1_06_14_20_2_1 = 1) Frankie mocks. *elseif (yr1_06_14_20_2_1 = 6) Charlie prods with a smile. *else *bug *if (yr1_06_14_20_2_1 = 1) "You asked for it," Bertie says before pelting ${b_their} little ${f_sib} with a throw pillow. $!{b_they} shifts toward you on the sofa and begins ${b_their} story. *elseif (yr1_06_14_20_2_1 = 6) Bertie rolls ${b_their} eyes and shifts toward you. "When I was twenty-two, I brought someone home to meet Charlie and Frankie. $!{their} name was Jamie, and we met in one of my history classes at uni." *if (yr1_06_14_20_2_1 = 1) $!{b_they} scowls at Frankie. "Didn't go so well, I take it?" you ask. Bertie shakes ${b_their} head. "I was going to make this big dinner for everyone with a cake and everything. Don't get me wrong, I'm no chef, but I can boil water and follow simple instructions." You glance over at *if (yr1_06_14_20_2_1 = 1) Frankie, and ${f_they}'s shaking ${f_their} head vigorously. *else Charlie, who has arched a skeptical eyebrow at her older ${b_sib}. "When we sat down to eat, the food was... strange, bland. Nobody mentioned anything at first, whether out of politeness or confusion, I don't know. But we made it through the roast and moved on to dessert." *if ((yr1_06_14_20_2_1 = 1) and (per >= 60)) You glance over at Frankie and notice that ${f_they}'s shaking ${f_their} leg up and down. *else You arch an eyebrow in anticipation and invite Bertie to continue. "So I cut the cake and pass pieces around, and we all sit down to take a bite. [i]Salt[/i]." *if (yr1_06_14_20_2_1 = 1) "Salt?" Oliver pipes up. *else Charlie pantomimes retching. "Frankie had switched the salt and sugar. The roast was bland, sweet but bland, and the cake was dreadful. I nearly gagged at the table." *if (yr1_06_14_20_2_1 = 1) You look back at Frankie, a small smile on ${f_their} face. "Gotcha," ${f_they} says with a shrug. *else "Frankie really got you," Charlie says. *if ((yr1_06_14_20_2_1 = 1) and (per >= 60)) An uncomfortable silence descends on the room. "What happened to Jamie?" you ask. Bertie shrugs. "We broke up." "Not because of the cake, surely." $!{b_they} smiles at you. "No, we lasted a couple months after the cake." *if (yr1_06_14_20_2_1_1 = 4) "Come on big sister," Frankie goads Charlie. Charlie scrunches up her mouth as if thinking very hard on the subject. "When I was thirteen, I went through my 'angsty' teenager phase." *if (yr1_06_14_20_2_1 = 3) Frankie snorts. "It lasted more than a year, believe me." Charlie glares at her younger ${f_sib} *elseif (yr1_06_14_20_2_1 = 6) "You sure you were finished with that phase by the time you turned fourteen?" Bertie teases with a small smile. Charlie returns ${b_their} smile *else *bug and continues her story. "I thought I was all grown up, and I started going on long hikes to get away from mom and dad." A nostalgic smile tugs at her lips. "They were really supportive. They took turns driving me to these remote trails all over the place." *if (per >= 60) She looks down at her lap and tugs at the hem of her shorts. *else "So what happened?" you prompt. "I found this one really obscure hike and asked them to drive me out. They didn't want to, but I kept pestering them until they finally gave in. I think they just wanted me out of the house so that they could have some peace and quite." *if (yr1_06_14_20_2_1 = 3) "We were [i]all[/i] ready for some peace and quite," Frankie mutters. *else Bertie chuckles. "They made me take a cellphone with me so that I could call them if anything happened. Mom drove me, and I swear she spent the entire drive trying to convince me to go back, but I wouldn't listen." *if (yr1_06_14_20_2_1 = 3) "You should've listened," Frankie mumbles, and Charlie throws a pillow at ${f_them}. *else "You always were a stubborn little thing," Bertie says. "Well, I should have known as soon as I laid eyes on the trail. It was supposed to be an 'easy' trail, and only a couple of kilometers long, but it was completely washed out. I wouldn't admit defeat and call mom though, so I just kept going. I figured it would be half an hour, forty-five minutes at most to get to the end, but boy was I wrong. "I actually had to scale rocks to follow the path, when I could even tell where the [i]path[/i] was. There was this one section that I had to climb down like a ladder because the stone 'steps' were so steep. I slipped [i]a lot[/i], got mud all over my clothes and arms and face. My shoes were ruined. "Even then I wouldn't call mom, just kept pushing forward. Until I took a wrong turn." *if (yr1_06_14_20_2_1 = 3) Alex's eye brows raise to ${a_their} hairline. "How did you find your way out?" Frankie barks out a laugh. "She didn't. Mom had to call the cavalry." Charlie sticks her tongue out at ${f_them}. "She *else "And then what happened?" Mom called the park rangers." Bertie chuckles. "That's underselling it a bit, ducky." $!{b_they} turns to you. "There was a man hunt to find Charlie, including search and rescue dogs and a helicopter." "Why didn't she just call [i]you[/i]?" you ask. Charlie flushes. *if (yr1_06_14_20_2_1 = 3) Frankie snickers. "Because she wouldn't pick up the damn phone!" *else "She refused to pick up the phone," Bertie answers for her with an affectionate pat on her forearm. "The worst part is they didn't even find me," Charlie continues in an exasperated tone. "I wandered out of the forest of my own accord, covered in mud but not really any worse for the wear." "Mom was super relieved, of course," Bertie cuts in, "but Charlie's [i]hikes[/i] were... curtailed from that point on." "I wasn't exactly rearing to get back into the forest after that," Charlie grumbles. *if (yr1_06_14_20_2_1 = 3) There's a moment of silence before Alex begins to laugh, and then everyone else follows. *else You laugh, not sure whether the image of little mud-covered Charlie or her ongoing embarrassment is funnier. "It's about time I have something to laugh at you about after the sight you stumbled across the first time we met," you tease her. She looks up at you with a slight smile, her embarrassment abating somewhat as she begins to join in the laughter. *if (yr1_06_14_20_2_1_1 = 5) You raise your eyebrows at Frankie. "Let's start with you, Frankie," you say, turning the attention back to ${f_them}. "Oof," ${f_they} says, "a palpable hit." "Well?" you spur. *if ((yr1_06_14_20_2_1 = 1) or (yr1_06_14_20_2_1 = 3)) "How about that time you found 'dynamite' at school?" *if (yr1_06_14_20_2_1 = 1) Bertie *else Charlie prompts. *elseif (yr1_06_14_20_2_1 = 5) "Okay, I've got one," ${f_they} says with a rueful grin. *else *bug *if ((yr1_06_14_20_2_1 = 1) or (yr1_06_14_20_2_1 = 3)) Frankie frowns and pelts a throw pillow at ${f_their} *if (yr1_06_14_20_2_1 = 1) ${b_sib}. *else sister. "Lotta help you are!" Resettling into ${f_their} chair, ${f_they} begins again. *else Frankie curls one of ${f_their} legs under the under and hugs the pillow close to ${f_their} chest. "In my defense, I was a very [i]curious[/i] child—" *if ((yr1_06_14_20_2_1 = 1) or (yr1_06_14_20_2_1 = 3)) "You were a [i]nosy[/i] child," *if (yr1_06_14_20_2_1 = 1) Bertie *else Charlie interrupts, throwing the pillow back at Frankie. $!{f_they} scowls at ${f_their} older *if (yr1_06_14_20_2_1 = 1) ${b_sib}. *else sister. *else You let out a derisive snort. "You doubt me?" ${f_they} asks with a faux-wounded look. "I'll save judgment until I hear the whole of the tale." $!{f_they} scowls at you. "Anyway, it was my very first week of school. I was bored, okay? So I started looking through Ms. Wright's purse, you know, for [i]entertainment[/i]." You arch your eyebrow, seeing where this story is headed. "And I came across what [i]I[/i] thought was a stick of dynamite, and being the responsible citizen I am, I alerted the rest of the class to the danger before us." *if ((yr1_06_14_20_2_1 = 1) or (yr1_06_14_20_2_1 = 3)) "What ${f_they} means to say," Bertie butts in, "is that ${f_they} began to wail at the top of ${f_their} lungs before yelling that they were all going to die." *if ((yr1_06_14_20_2_1 = 1) or (a_gender = "m")) "What was it?" *if (yr1_06_14_20_2_1 = 1) Oliver asks, eyebrows scrunched up. *else Alex asks, leaning backward into the sofa as if afraid of the answer. *elseif (a_gender = "f") Alex flushes and immediately averts her gaze to the floor. *else *bug "A tampon." *if ((yr1_06_14_20_2_1 = 1) or (yr1_06_14_20_2_1 = 3)) The three of you begin to laugh at Frankie's expense. *else You laugh at Frankie's expense, and eventually Alex lightens up enough to contribute a weak chuckle to the mix. *if ((yr1_06_14_20_2_1 = 1) or (yr1_06_14_20_2_1 = 3)) "The school had to call our mom and dad," *if (yr1_06_14_20_2_1 = 1) Bertie *else Charlie continues, "to take ${f_them} home." *else "What happened next?" ${a_they} asks. "The school called my mom and dad and made them come pick me up." "I bet they were thrilled," you comment. "Oh, they were ecstatic," Frankie agrees. "And no one will let me forget it!" *if (yr1_06_14_20_2 = 1) *page_break *if ((yr1_06_14_20_2_1 != 2) and (yr1_06_14_20_2_1 != 4)) You *if (yr1_06_14_20_2_1 = 1) Bertie, and Frankie *if (yr1_06_14_20_2_1 = 3) Charlie, and Frankie *if (yr1_06_14_20_2_1 = 5) and Frankie *if (yr1_06_14_20_2_1 = 6) Bertie, and Charlie continue to swap stories *if (yr1_06_14_20_2_1 = 1) while Oliver looks on with an occasional smile *if ((yr1_06_14_20_2_1 = 3) or (yr1_06_14_20_2_1 = 5)) while Alex tries to avoid notice *elseif (yr1_06_14_20_2_1 = 2) The two agree, and the conversation moves on *elseif (yr1_06_14_20_2_1 = 4) *if (yr1_06_14_20_2_1_4 = 1) You steer the conversation to less troubled waters, and the *elseif (yr1_06_14_20_2_1_4 = 2) The *else *bug two of you continue to chat about light topics until *if (((yr1_06_14_20_2_1 = 1) or (yr1_06_14_20_2_1 = 4)) or (yr1_06_14_20_2_1 = 6)) ${var} appears in the doorway. *else you look down at your phone and notice the time. A glance out the window reveals the setting sun and the lateness of the hour. How did time pass so quickly? *if (((yr1_06_14_20_2_1 = 1) or (yr1_06_14_20_2_1 = 4)) or (yr1_06_14_20_2_1 = 6)) "Ready to go?" you ask, looking up. *else You turn toward ${var}. *if (var = "Alex") "We *else "I should probably head out," you say. *if (var = "Alex") "Yeah, I want to get home and check on the animals before it gets dark." *else "Yeah, I need to get home. Early to bed, early to rise, and all that." You nod. "Aww, do you really have to?" Charlie *if ((yr1_06_14_20_2_1 = 1) or (yr1_06_14_20_2_1 = 4)) whines, following at ${var}'s heels. *elseif (yr1_06_14_20_2_1 = 5) whines, appearing in the doorway. *else whines. *if (var = "Alex") "If we want to get back to the house before dark we do," Alex answers. *else "I have to be up early enough to make the breakfast pastries," Judy pouts. You suddenly have to suppress a yawn. "I've never felt more like a farmer." Charlie chuckles at you. "Welcome to the life. Just wait until winter rolls around again and there's basically no daylight in the day." You wrinkle your nose and climb out of your seat. "Well come on, partner," you say to ${var}. "Let's hit the road." *if (yr1_06_14_20_2_1_7 != 0) "I'll grab my bag and meet you out there." ${var} nods and heads for the door. *if (yr1_06_14_20_2_1_7 = 1) *page_break Bag in hand, you find yourself in the entryway checking your pockets. [i]Phone, wallet, keys[/i]. Before you turn to head out the door, Bertie appears in the doorway. You meet ${b_their} eyes and arch a curious eyebrow at ${b_them}. "I appreciate what you did in there," ${b_they} says. You cock your head. "With Oliver," ${b_they} explains. "He's a shy kid. Frankie was out of line putting him on the spot like that. But you saved him before I had to, so thanks." You nod your head. "It was no sacrifice on my part." *if (b_rom = 0) "Thanks anyway," ${b_they} says with a grin. $!{b_they} runs ${b_their} hand through ${b_their} hair. *fake_choice #I smile back. "See you around." You smile at Bertie. "See you around." #"Anytime," I say with a wink. ♥ *set bol +1 *set b_rom +1 You wink at Bertie. "Anytime." $!{b_they} grins again and takes a step closer. #$!{b_their} grin makes my heart flutter, and I smile shyly back. ♥ *set shy +1 *set b_rom +1 Bertie's grin makes your heart flutter, and you grace ${b_them} with a shy smile. $!{b_their} grin mellows into a a gentle smile, and ${b_they} takes a step closer. *if (b_rom > 0) "I'm glad you came by today," ${b_they} says. "You know, with the buckeyes." "With the buckeyes," you nod. "We should do it again sometime. Maybe lunch or something," ${b_they} says nonchalantly. "That would be nice." For a moment, neither of you say anything. You just stand there, waiting for [i]something[/i], until *gosub_scene mechanics_setup flirt_style *if (style = 1) you break *else Bertie breaks free from the spell. *if (style = 1) "Goodnight," you say. *else "Goodnight," ${b_they} says in a hoarse voice. "Goodnight." *elseif (yr1_02_05_20_b = 1) "Well thanks anyway," ${b_they} says after an awkward pause. $!{b_they} turns to leave. *fake_choice #Let ${b_them} go. #[i]"Are you still up for lunch sometime?" I ask uncertainly.[/i] You bite your bottom lip. "Are you still up for lunch sometime?" Bertie turns to face you. $!{b_they} studies your face for a moment, scrunching up ${b_their} mouth. "Maybe," ${b_they} says finally. "I'll see you around." The sinking feeling of disappointment settles at the bottom of your stomach, and you turn to leave. *elseif (b_rom > 0) Bertie takes a step closer to you. "Maybe not," ${b_they} agrees, "but it was really kind, so thank you anyway." *gosub_scene mechanics_setup flirt_style *if (b_rom = 2) *if (style = 1) You stand up straighter and lean forward. *else You wilt under ${b_their} gaze. *if ((hair = true) and (headscarf = false)) You stand still as ${b_they} wraps a loose strand of hair around a finger. *else $!{b_they} places a hand on your arm and squeezes gently. "Let's do this again sometime," ${b_they} says in a low tone. You nod dumbly before regaining your voice. "Goodnight." *else $!{b_they} squeezes your forearm slightly. "You're welcome," you say *if (style = 1) reaching your free hand to cover ${b_theirs}. *else a bit out of breath. $!{b_they} pulls away. "Goodnight." *else *gosub_scene mechanics_setup flirt_style "I'll see you out," Bertie quickly volunteers, and you smile your acquiescence. *page_break You and Bertie are alone in the entryway, except for the shadow that you suspect is Charlie peeking around the living room doorway. "Thanks for the buckeyes," ${b_they} says. You try wave ${b_their} thanks off, but instead ${b_they} catches your hand and curls it inside ${b_their} own. $!{b_they} looks into your eyes, and *if (style = 1) you stand up straighter and lean forward. *else you wilt under ${b_their} gaze. *if ((hair = true) and (headscarf = false)) You stand still as ${b_they} wraps a loose strand of hair around a finger. *else $!{b_they} places a hand on your arm and squeezes gently. "Let's do this again sometime," ${b_they} says in a low tone. You nod dumbly before regaining your voice. "Goodnight." *if (yr1_06_14_20_2 = 2) *if (yr1_04_08_20_i = 0) You turn off onto an old cobblestone road and follow it to a row of interconnected houses. *else You make your way down the familiar cobblestone path. The blooming flowers that spill out of window boxes on the house façades wilt under the hot June sun. Sweat running down the back of your neck, you can sympathize. You stop in front of *if (yr1_04_08_20_i = 0) a green *else her door and knock. After a moment, Ines pulls back the curtain hanging over the window and peers out. *if ((yr1_02_05_20_i = 3) or (i > 2)) She opens the door, her eyes brightening with a smile. "Ello *if (gender = "f") ma chère. *elseif (gender = "m") mon cher. *else dearie. What brings you 'ere?" [i]Is that a smudge of dirt across her aristocratic cheekbones?[/i] You lift your box up for inspection. "I made some buckeyes." Her eyes brighten with curiosity, and she motions you inside. You expect her to lead you *if (yr1_04_08_20_i != 0) to the parlor where she served you tea *else to a living room or even the kitchen, but soon the June sunshine is spilling over you once again. The garden at the back of the house is small and surrounded on three sides by an old stone fence. Most prominently featured, surprise surprise, is the rose: reds, pinks, and whites. That's [i]definitely[/i] a smudge of dirt across her aristocratic cheekbones. You pause a moment to enjoy the flowers, to smell the roses, as it were, but Ines hurries you along. "Come!" Depositing you in a wicker lawn chair next to an overgrown rose bush, the lady lowers herself onto a rubber mat and arms herself with a pair of clippers. She couldn't match her surroundings better if she tried, wearing a shabby pair of overalls and straw hat. Even the ribbon around the crown matches the pink roses that surround you. "Is there anything I can do to help?" you ask. She waves you off. "I enjoy caring for my flowers." Sitting in the garden with Ines brings memories of your own grandmother's garden to mind. *fake_choice #I share the memory. *set cha %+ 5 *set i +1 *set yr1_06_14_20_2_2_1 true "My mamaw and I used to plant flowers every spring," you begin. Ines looks up. "Oh?" You nod. "They live on an acre of farmland, and mamaw has gardens all over the place. Had," you correct. As she's gotten older and her aches stronger, she can't handle all the weeding, watering, and pruning anymore. She still has one near the house, and a patch along the fence row. "There's a patio at the back of the house where she keeps all the potted plants. There's this old wash barrel, wooden, gray with age, with iron bands around the exterior. She would take me to Lowe's— "Lowe's?" Ines repeats back at you with raised eyebrows. "It's a home improvement store," you explain. "Every spring they would set out flowers to take home and plant, and my mamaw would take me to pick out my favorites." A smile pulls at her mouth. "Which one did you like best?" *fake_choice #"I liked the begonias best." *set yr1_06_14_20_2_2_1_1 1 "I liked the begonias best," #"I liked the geraniums best." *set yr1_06_14_20_2_2_1_1 2 "I liked the geraniums best," #"I liked the marigolds best." *set yr1_06_14_20_2_2_1_1 4 "I liked the marigolds best," #"I liked the pansies best." *set yr1_06_14_20_2_2_1_1 3 "I liked the pansies best," you say. "They were my papaw's favorite, and I wanted to be just like him." Your listener rewards you with a full smile. Gesturing around at the garden, she says, "I like roses—as I think you can see." *if (yr1_04_08_20_i != 0) "Did ${gabby} help you in the garden when ${g_they} was little?" Ines nods, her eyes far away as she remembers. "$!{g_they} was eager to please also." "Did ${g_they} name the restaurant for you?" A blush to match the delicate flowers rises to her cheeks. "Oui." *if (yr1_04_08_20_i = 0) You smile back at her. "My little angel used to help me in the garden, too." You raise your eyebrows, inviting her to elaborate. "${gabby}," she says, "${g_they} is very busy at the restaurant now, but ${g_they} still makes time for gramère. $!{g_they} is a very good *if (g_gender = "f") girl." *else boy." Roses, chefs, ${gabby}, it's all coming together. "Your grand{$g_child} is the chef of [i]La Chambre Rose[/i]." "Oui," she confirms. #I keep the memory to myself. *set per %- 5 Sometimes you miss home so bad it aches. Of course, it's been years since you planted flowers with mamaw on the porch anyhow. You moved away to college, couldn't fly home on the weekends just because. You wonder if she still plants marigolds in her little planter without you. They are papaw's favorite, probably because mamaw always bought the red ones, you suspect, a small act of love, to plant a color he could see through his color-blindness. And so you loved marigolds because papaw did, and you wanted to be like papaw. "I have always loved roses," Ines says, interrupting your reverie. My ${gabby} even named ${g_their} restaurant for me." Pride suffuses her tone and expression, brightening her eyes and bringing a smile to her face. [i]Ah.[/i] [i]So ${g_they}'s her grand${g_child}.[/i] [i]Naturally.[/i] [i]Speak of the devil and ${g_they} will appear[/i]. ${gabby} strolls into the garden from the house and stops short when ${g_they} sees you. "Mon ange!" Ines says, hoisting herself onto her feet to envelop ${gabby} in a hug. *if (yr1_04_08_20_i = 0) "${gabby}, this is— Returning her hug, ${g_they} interrupts her, "We've met, gramère." She glances between the two of you and *if (yr1_02_05_20_i = 3) simpers. *else smiles. "Then I am sure we shall all be good friends." ${gabby} sends a dubious glance in your direction. *if (yr1_04_08_20_i != 0) "Our friend has come to visit again," she tells her grand${g_child}. "I can see that, gramère," ${g_they} responds with a curious glance in your direction. She pulls another wicker chair up beside your own and deposits ${gabby} into it. "Look! ${first_name} made these, these, oh what do you call them?" "Buckeyes," you supply. "Buckeyes," she repeats. *if (yr1_02_05_20_i = 3) "Now, I must tend to my, my ranunculus. Yes—" she smiles, satisfied, "—my ranunculus." Before you have a chance to respond, she flounces away, leaving you and ${gabby} to your own devices. *else Having arranged matters to her satisfaction, she kneels again before her rose bush a few feet away. "You young people must have some conversation, no?" By the look on ${gabby}'s face, you think the answer is indeed [i]no[/i], but you'll humor the old woman and try to chat with her recalcitrant grand${g_child}. "What are you doing here?" ${gabby} asks you in a low tone. *if (yr1_05_30_20_g != 1) "Making another delivery," you retort. ${gabby} eyes the box, curious but too proud to deign to ask you for one. You open the box for ${g_them} and thrust a buckeye into ${g_their} hands. *else "What is it that you [i]think[/i] I'm doing here?" you ask, genuinely curious. Does ${g_they} think that you're going to murder ${g_their} grandmother in her bed? Or maybe you're scouting for oil, because something-something American. $!{g_their} eyes widen. "You Americans, trying to win the "hearts and minds" with your—your buckeyes—" "The Cold War's over, pal," you say, thrusting a buckeye into ${g_their} hands. $!{g_they} sniffs at it like a dog before picking off a piece and popping it into ${g_their} mouth. "It's not [i]bad[/i]," ${g_they} says petulantly. "I'm sorry?" you say. "Did you want it to be?" $!{g_they} rolls ${g_their} eyes. "Of course not." "Could've fooled me." So the two of you sit there, bickering, as Ines tends to her flowers. You pretend not to notice ${g_them} steadily sneaking pieces of the buckeye into ${g_their} mouth, and ${g_they} pretends not to notice you noticing. *if (yr1_02_05_20_i = 3) Eventually Ines returns from the other side of the garden and frowns. You rise from your chair. "I really ought to be going." Your hostess deflates. "Of course. ${gabby}, see our guest to the door," she instructs. $!{g_they} sighs. "Yes, gramère." *else Eventually you get hot sitting out in the sun. "I really ought to be going," you say loud enough for your hostess to hear. She rises to her feet and gives you a smile. "Thank you for coming, dear." ${gabby} takes a look at ${g_their} watch. "I need to go too, gramère, it's time to start prepping for service." Ines steps forward and kisses first her grand${g_child} on both cheeks before performing the service for you. "Come back soon," she says with a smile. *page_break You exit the house in silence with ${gabby} at your heels. *if (yr1_02_05_20_i = 3) As you round the corner, you expect to say goodbye, but ${g_they} keeps walking with you. "No motorcycle today?" you ask. $!{g_they} glances at you. "It's a short walk to the restaurant." You nod. *if ((yr1_05_30_20_g = 3) or (yr1_05_30_20_g = 4)) "Did you get the pie?" ${g_they} asks quietly. "It was good," *if (g_rom = 0) you say. *if (g_rom > 0) *gosub_scene mechanics_setup flirt_style *if (style = 1) you say, making a point to catch ${g_their} eye. *elseif (style = 2) you admit, grudgingly. *else you mumble, dropping your eyes to the floor. "Thank you." "I'm glad you liked it," ${g_they} mutters. *else "Do you bake often?" ${gabby} asks cautiously. You shrug. "I haven't really had a kitchen to bake [i]in[/i] in a long time." *if (yr1_05_30_20_g != 1) *set num 0 Running a hand through ${g_their} hair, ${g_they} adds, "Maybe I could teach you something sometime," ${g_they} says nonchalantly. You raise your eyebrows at ${g_them}. *fake_choice #"That could be fun," I say, neither agreeing nor disagreeing. *set awk %- 5 *set dir %- 5 You glance over at the sourpuss. Are you sure you want to be cooped up in a kitchen with ${g_them}? Something tells you high-pressure situations don't make ${g_them} [i]more[/i] pleasant. And who knows what ${g_they}'s capable of with a knife! "That could be fun," you say $!{g_they} huffs. "That's not an answer." A smile threatens to spill over. "You didn't ask a question." ${gabby}'s eyes widen before ${g_they} narrows them again. "Touché." #"Maybe once all the renovations are finished," I offer weakly. *set awk %+ 5 You wring your hands and glance away from ${gabby}. "Maybe once all the renovations are finished." $!{g_they} frowns at you and then nods. #"Bold of you to assume there's something you know that I don't," I joke. *set cha %+ 5 *set gen %- 5 *set hum %- 5 You grin. "Bold of you to assume there's something you know that I don't." ${gabby} rolls ${g_their} eyes. "I know how to have a little bit of humility for one." You scoff. "Are you serious?" "As a heart attack." *if (per >= 58) The twitch at the corner of ${g_their} mouth gives ${g_them} away. You laugh. "So you [i]do[/i] have a sense of humor buried in there somewhere." "It's under all my charm." *else You roll your eyes. *if (ass = "ass") "Serious as a heart attack my ass." #"It's a date!" I agree with a saucy smile. ♥ *set num +1 *set awk %- 5 *set dir %- 5 *set bol +1 *set g_rom +1 ${gabby} looks at you in horror. "I—I didn't—I didn't mean—" You laugh at ${g_their} flustered demurral. Patting ${g_them} lightly on the shoulder, you say, "It's an American saying. It means I agree." [i]Does it though?[/i] $!{g_they} runs ${g_their} hand through ${g_their} hair and clears ${g_their} throat. "I see." $!{g_they} refuses to make eye contact with you again. #"Like what?" I ask suspiciously. ♥ *set num +1 *set hos +1 *set g_rom +1 You look over at ${g_them} with narrowed eyes. "Like what?" ${gabby} scowls and throws ${g_their} hands in the air. "I don't know!" "It seems like you haven't thought this out." $!{g_they} sighs. "Do you prefer every invitation you receive to come with an itinerary?" *if ((org >= 60) or (gen <= 40)) "As a matter of fact, I do," you retort. *else You scowl. Suddenly, ${g_they} grabs you by the shoulders. "Why are you so difficult?" You look into ${g_their} wild, hazel eyes. "You make me want to..." "Want to what?" you whisper. $!{g_they} clears ${g_their} throat. "Shake you," ${g_they} answers, letting go of you. #"What kind of something?" I ask, tamping down the nervous butterflies. ♥ *set num +1 *set dir %- 5 *set shy +1 *set g_rom +1 You peep over at ${gabby}. "What kind of something?" $!{g_they} runs ${g_their} hand through ${g_their} curls. "I—I didn't have anything in particular in mind." "Oh." "Do you like French food?" $!{g_their} voice breaks. You nod. "Do you?" You frown and shake your head. "Of course you do. That was a stupid question." Daring a glance at ${gabby}, you see a smile playing at ${g_their} lips "The name of my restaurant [i]is[/i] French," ${g_they} says in an amused tone. You shrug. "Maybe you've gotten sick of it after all this time." ${gabby} laughs. "Not a chance." The two of you reach the end of the street, and ${gabby} turns to go left where you need to go right. *if (num = 1) "This is me," you say, interrupting ${gabby}'s progress toward the restaurant. "Oh." $!{g_they} pauses. "I thought... Never mind. See you later, then?" You nod and set off toward home. After a few feet, you turn to look back and meet ${gabby}'s eyes. $!{g_they} waves. You wave back. And then he's gone. *else "See you around," your companion says with a farewell glance. You respond with a wave and turn toward home. *else The two of you reach the point where your paths diverge. "Well see you later then," ${g_they} says stiffly, leaving you before you can make your own goodbyes. You frown. Whatever. It's still a nice day for a walk home. Probably nicer without with such dour company too! *else *if ((yr1_02_05_20_i= 1) or (yr1_02_05_20_i = 2)) She steps out and pulls the door closed behind her. "Ello," she says. She pulls her lace shawl tightly around her and waits for you to speak. *else "Ello?" she says as she peaks around her half-closed door. *if (awk >= 57) You shift from one foot to the other and force a smile. *elseif (cha >= 57) You smile at her. *else You do that polite grimace-smile, and she furrows her brows at you. "I brought you a dessert." She glances down at the box in your hands, and a moment of silence passes. "Why?" [i]Why??[/i] Why indeed! *if (yr1_02_05_20_i = 5) You take a deep breath. "I wanted to apologize." *elseif (awk <= 46) "All the better to charm you with," you answer with a smile that quickly recedes. *else "I thought you would like them." Your pitch increases at the end of your sentence, and it sounds more like a question than an answer. She eyes you like you're a door-to-door vacuum salesman who wants to do a demo on her Persian rug. Finally, she opens the door and motions you inside. You get a quick peep of her living room—pastels, damask, and crown moulding—before she shuffles you into the kitchen. It's like you're threatening to drip your peasant mud on her carpets. "Sit," she commands, and you plop into a white Windsor chair. She puts a kettle on to boil, her back to you as she stands at the stove, and you look around the room. The tiny hexagonal tile on the floor reminds you of your grandmother's kitchen at home, and you suppress a snort as you imagine how Ines would react to the comparison. As you're inspecting the pink floral wallpaper, a white cat prowls into the kitchen and eyes you with suspicion. She slinks over to Ines and wraps her tail around the lady's leg. You blink at the cat, trying to coax her close enough to pet, but she trusts you about as much as her owner does. The whistle of the kettle interrupts your thoughts. Ines slides you a cup with a dollop of honey. *fake_choice #Thankfully that's the way I take my tea. *set num 1 "Thank you," you say to your hostess as you accept the cup of tea. You wrap your hands around it and enjoy the warmth that radiates through the porcelain. #That's not how I take my tea, but I guess it's how I'm taking it today. *set num 2 *set hum %+ 5 *set yie %+ 5 You flash an insincere smile at your hostess and take the cup of tea, stirring it around as if that'll make it more palatable. #That's not how I take my tea, and I'm going to say so. *set num 3 *set dir %+ 5 *set hum %- 5 *set yie %- 5 "That's not how I take my tea," you say as the lady settles into a chair of her own. She narrows her eyes at you and vaults out of her chair again, bringing you a new cup of tea. Setting the tray of tea things in front of you rather more forcefully than necessary, she lowers herself back into her chair and watches as you make your own cup. #I don't drink tea at all. *set num 4 You eye the cup with barely hidden distaste, but you know better than to turn your nose up at it completely. Stirring the tea gives your hands something to do, and hopefully she won't notice when you never take a sip. For a minute, the only sound in the small kitchen is the tinkling of your spoon against the porcelain tea cup, and you're not quite sure how to break the silence. Thankfully, Mrs. Duchamp does it for you. "How go the renovations?" she asks. Raising your eyes to meet hers, you let out a nervous breath. "They're going." *if (yr1_02_05_20_i = 5) "${bertie} told me that you are restoring the ground floor." You nod. She hesitates. "Not a theme park." Your brows crease. "A theme park?" "You are not... You are not turning the manor into some sort of—some sort of American [i]attraction[/i]?" You imagine erecting a hotdog stand in the foyer and setting off fireworks every night. [i]Maybe you could find a bald eagle for photo shoots[/i]. Eyes wide, you shake your head and bite your lip against a laugh. "No, *if ((cha >= 58) or (hum <= 42)) the only American attraction around these here parts will be me and Alex." Much to your surprise, the older woman's lips twitch, but she won't give you the satisfaction of having amused her and quickly quashes the expression. *elseif (gen <= 42) there won't be any American attractions or attractive Americans, either," you say with a self-deprecating smile. Much to your surprise, the older woman's lips twitch, but she won't give you the satisfaction of having amused her and quickly quashes the expression. *else we won't even have any American outlets." "Outlets?" "You know, to plug things into." She raises her eyebrows at you, and you shake your head. "Bad joke." She doesn't so much as grimace at your attempt, her face a blank canvas. You clear your throat and shift in your chair. "Look, I should apologize for the way I spoke to you when we first met." Mrs. Duchamp watches you, nary an emotion crossing her face. "It was wrong of me, and I'm sorry." She reaches forward and pours herself another cup of tea. Eyes trained on the tea pot, she says, "I accept your apology." You let out a relieved breath. *else Mrs. Duchamp nods. "Work on the kitchen finished this week," you elaborate when a longer response isn't forthcoming. "I brought buckeyes," you say with a gesture toward the box. "I thought it would be a nice gesture." Mrs. Duchamp eyes the box with cautious interest, and you open it and slide it in her direction. She reaches into the box as if it contains a venomous snake before plucking out a buckeye and setting it on a napkin next to her tea cup. Her eyes flash up to yours. *fake_choice #"They're my grandmother's recipe," I say just to have something to say. *set awk %+ 5 You clear your throat and touch your ${tic}. "They're my grandmother's recipe." Mrs. Duchamp gives you an assessing look. #"I didn't poison them, scout's honor," I promise. *set cha %+ 5 You raise your index and middle fingers together in a salute. "I didn't poison them, scout's honor." Mrs. Duchamp purses her lips. #[i]THEY'RE FOR EATING[/I], I scream, but on the inside. *set cha %- 5 Your eye twitches, and you bite back your retort. [i]THEY'RE FOR EATING![/i] Mrs. Duchamp narrows her eyes. #I wait for her to break the silence. *set cha %- 5 *set yie %- 5 You take a deep breath and wait for Mrs. Duchamp to say something. At last, she tears a piece off and delicately places it in her mouth. "It is very sweet." *if (dir >= 58) "It's a dessert." *elseif ((cha <= 42) or (gen <= 42)) Your jaw tightens. [i]No shit, Sherlock.[/i] *else You blink a few times. "Yes." [i]What are you supposed to say to that??[/i] Before this stilted abomination of a conversation can go on, the door bell rings and puts you out of your misery. Mrs. Duchamp rises from her chair. *if (yr1_05_30_20_g != 4) "Excuse me. I will just get the door." *if (num = 4) You take this opportunity to glance around the kitchen, and spotting a plant on the window sill, you seize on your opportunity. With Mrs. Duchamp's all seeing eyes absent, you slither over to the potted plant and pour your tepid tea into the dirt. Your hostess returns just as you've settled back into your chair. *else You tap your spoon against the tea cup and strain to hear the greeting taking place at the front door. Your curiosity doesn't go unsatisfied for long. Soon your hostess returns, And she's got company. Your eyes widen. It's that asshole from the farmer's market. Mrs. Duchamp clears her throat. "${mx} ${last_name}, this is—" "We've met, gramère," ${g_they} interrupts tersely. Mrs. Duchamp's eyes flit between the two of you. *if (g_rom > 0) *gosub_scene mechanics_setup flirt_style *if (style = 1) Your eyebrows shoot up. They're related! You can see the resemblance in the shape of their eyes, the curve of their mouths. The similarities end there, though. You smile at the revelation. *elseif (style = 2) "The puzzle pieces are really coming together," you say. "What?" your two companions ask in unison. You shake your head. *else You blush. Mrs. Duchamp's eyes widen, and she does a double take before sending a questioning look in her ${gabby}'s direction. You rise from your chair. *if (g_rom = 0) As curious as you are to find out the connection between these two... [i]interesting[/i] people, you've got things to do and places to go! You rise from your chair. "I really should be going." "I'll see your guest out, gramère," ${gabby} says to Mrs. Duchamp. A crease forms between her two eyebrows, but she doesn't protest. *page_break ${gabby} shuffles you out of the kitchen. "What-are-you-doing-here??" ${g_they} hisses. "I brought your mother—" "—She's not my mother, she's my grandmother." "Fine!" you growl. "I brought your [i]grandmother[/i] some buckeyes." ${gabby} narrows ${g_their} eyes at you. "What are you playing at?" "What do you mean?" you holler, forgetting to whisper. Why are you whispering anyway? "You can't just waltz in here and buy people with your—with your, whatever it is—" "Buckeyes!" you supply. "—with your buckeyes!" ${gabby} has backed you into a corner in the entryway, ${g_their} wild hazel eyes staring you down. *fake_choice #I roll my eyes and make my exit. You slip past the cranky chef with en eye roll. "Enjoy the buckeyes!" you call over your shoulder as you open the door and see yourself out. You hear the door slam behind you and shake your head. With a sigh, you begin the walk home. What a waste! You could have just eaten that whole pan of buckeyes by yourself! But [i]no[/i], you had to go and be a good neighbor. And now that asshole will surely be chowing down on your grandmother's world-famous buckeyes. C'est la vie. #I lift my chin and take a step closer. ♥ *set hum %- 5 *set yie %- 5 *set bol +1 *set g_rom +1 You lift your chin at ${gabby}, daring ${g_them} to—to do [i]something[/i]. You're not quite sure [i]what[/i], but you take a step forward anyway. Suddenly your skin breaks out in goosebumps. The air between the two of you feels like a lightning storm. And then ${g_they} blinks and brushes past you. "Don't let the door hit you on the way out." You stick your tongue out at ${g_their} retreating back and see yourself out. As you begin the walk home, your thoughts linger on the hot-and-cold chef. You hope for ${g_their} sake that ${g_their} cooking is more consistent than ${g_their} attitude. #I scowl and slip past ${g_them}. ♥ *set cha %- 5 *set hos +1 *set g_rom +1 You scowl and take a step forward, ready to slip around ${g_them} and out the door. But ${gabby} grabs your forearm. Your eyes snap down to the touch before you raise them again in a glare. The two of you stand there in charged silence, but then ${g_they} blinks, and you yank your arm back. You shake yourself out of the moment. "What was that about??" you demand. ${gabby} runs a hand through ${g_their} hair and frowns. "Just leave my grandmother alone, alright?" You scoff. "I think your grandmother is more than capable of taking care of herself." You turn on your heels and march out the door without a backward glance. Okay, maybe just a [i]small[/i] backwards [i]peek[/i] a few steps later. A tiny one. You shake your head and make your way home, [i]not[/i] thinking about a certain cranky chef as you go. #I drop my eyes to the floor. ♥ *set yie %+ 5 *set shy +1 *set g_rom +1 You feel like you're on a roller coaster, and the ride has dropped, taking your stomach with it. Your eyes fall to the floor. ${gabby}'s wearing brown suede oxfords. When you dare to look up again, those eyes bore into you. And then ${gabby} blinks and takes a step back. Clearing ${g_their} throat, ${g_they} opens the door for you, and you walk through it without another word. You glance behind you, and ${gabby} meets your eyes before turning away. $!{g_they} rubs the back of ${g_their} neck and closes the door. You set off down the cobblestone path toward home in a daze. *else [i]That's your cue![/i] "I really ought to be going," you say, also rising. Mrs. Duchamp lets out a huff of annoyance. Or maybe it's a sigh of relief. It's hard to tell with the old bird. When you get to the front door, she opens it. The ${g_person} standing in the doorway scowls. "[i]You![/i] You grimace. It's that asshole. The one from the market. "What are you doing here?" you blurt. "I could ask the same of you!" Mrs. Duchamp's eyes flit between the two of you before settling on you in question. You shrug. "I need to get home." You make to brush past ${gabby}, but ${g_they} halts you. "Don't think this is over," ${g_they} says in an undertone. You roll your eyes. "Whatever." The door closes behind you, and you set off toward home. [i]Asshole[/i]. *if (yr1_06_14_20_2 = 3) *gosub_scene mechanics_setup pet_names_r As you get farther away from the village, the temperature drops. Slightly. But the humidity continues to stick to you like glue, getting worse as the mountains disappear in your rear-view mirror. It's not until you can see the Mediterranean that you get any relief from the sea breeze. You pull up next to the beach cottage and slide out of your truck. Grabbing your buckeyes, you march up the stairs and knock on the door. Unlike last time, you hear no movement on the other side. After a few minutes with no answer, you knock again. "Over here, ${r_nn1}," ${rash} calls from behind you. *gosub_scene mechanics_setup flirt_style You spin around and nearly drop the buckeyes. Rash is lying, reclined, on the beach on the other side of the porch railing, dark hair fluttering in the breeze. *if (r_gender = "f") A crocheted crop top clings to her bust, and her silky skirt has ridden up her legs, exposing her thick thighs. *else A gaudy pink Hawaiian shirt hangs off his body unbuttoned and exposing his hairy chest. His dark blue swim trunks have ridden up his beefy thighs, and you avert your eyes before you can get further acquainted with his bulge. $!{r_they} grins at your scrutiny, dark eyes hidden behind a pair of aviators. *if (r_rom <= 1) You shoot ${r_them} a dirty look as you regain your balance. *elseif ((r_rom > 1) and (style = 1)) You place your free hand on your hip. "$!{r_nn1}?" "I call 'em as I see 'em," ${r_they} answers with a grin. *elseif ((r_rom > 1) and (style = 2)) "$!{r_nn1}??" you spit out, ready to hurl the box at ${r_them}. $!{r_they} winks at you. *elseif ((r_rom > 1) and (style = 3)) You blush at the pet name, and ${r_they} grins. "Make it a habit to sneak up on people, do you?" ${rash} shrugs. "Didn't mean to startle you," ${r_they} says, but ${r_their} wolfish grin belies ${r_their} amusement. "So what brings you here? Sign's not ready yet." "I'm not here for the sign." $!{r_their} eyebrows shoot up. "What'd you have in mind then?" ${r_they} asks in a low voice. *if (r_rom > 1) *if (style = 1) You raise an eyebrow at ${r_them}. "I brought you some buckeyes, [i]${r_nn1}[/i]." *elseif (style = 2) You narrow your eyes at ${r_them} and scoff. "I brought you some buckeyes, but I'm beginning to question my decision-making." *else Your heart rate ticks up. "I, uh, brought you some buckeyes." *else You shake your head and sigh. "I brought you some buckeyes." $!{r_they} springs up from ${r_their} position on the beach and saunters over to the railing. "And just what are buckeyes?" *set num 0 *fake_choice #"Maybe if you'd cut the flirty act you'd find out," I grumble. *set cha %- 5 You frown. Does ${r_they} ever stop flirting? "Maybe if you'd cut the flirty act you'd find out." ${rash} laughs. "Who says it's an act?" You roll your eyes. "[i]No one[/i] could be that blind to my indifference." $!{r_they} shrugs. "Maybe I do it for the love of the game." #I tap my foot impatiently. "Mine, if you don't come get them." *set gen %- 5 Tap-tap-tap. It's already taken you a half hour to drive out here. Time is money, or something. "Mine, if you don't come get them." "Hold your horses, honey-bun." #"The best thing ever," I say. *set hum %+ 5 You smile, perhaps more brightly than the occasion calls for, but hey, ${rash} isn't the only one who can be dramatic. "The best thing ever." "Then I guess I ought to come see for myself." #"Why don't you come and find out?" I ask with my own saunter. ♥ *set num +1 *set bol +1 *set r_rom +1 You close some of the distance between you and the railing. "Why don't you come find out?" "Don't mind if I do," ${rash} says. #I roll my eyes. "Do you want them or not?" ♥ *set num +1 *set dir %+ 5 *set hos +1 *set r_rom +1 You roll your eyes and huff. You've already got a few hours invested into these things. How long's this gonna take? "Do you want them or not?" ${rash} laughs. "Hold your horses, ${r_nn1}." #I pull at my ${tic} and thrust the box toward ${rash}. "Here." ♥ *set num +1 *set awk %+ 5 *set shy +1 *set r_rom +1 Butterflies flutter around in your stomach, and you glance away from the sultry look that ${rash} is shooting you. Opening the box, you take a step toward the railing. "Here." ${rash} smiles at you. Not that you'd know, since you [i]aren't[/i] looking at ${r_them}. Definitely not looking at ${r_them}. [i]Especially[/i] not from the corner of your eye. $!{r_they} grabs one of the posts and boosts ${r_them}self up. Lifting ${r_their} leg over the rail, ${r_they} *if (num = 1) straddles it and winks at you. *gosub_scene mechanics_setup flirt_style *if (style = 1) You smile at ${rash}. "You think you're really hot, huh?" "$!{r_nn1}, I [i]know[/i] it, and you do too." You laugh and roll your eyes. *elseif (style = 2) You scoff. "Please." "Well since you asked nicely!" "Watch me push you off." $!{r_they} laughs at your threat. *else You blush, even though you're still [i]not[/i] looking. "It's alright to look," ${r_they} says, a laugh in ${r_their} voice. "If you're *if (they = "she") a good girl, *elseif (they = "he") a good boy, *else good, I might even let you [i]touch[/i]." You can hardly disguise the embarrassed gasp that escapes your mouth. $!{r_they} laughs at you. "Help me down, ${r_nn1}?" ${r_they} asks with a hand outstretched toward you. You take ${r_their} hand, and ${r_they} swings ${r_their} other leg over the railing, leaning into you more than strictly necessary before sliding onto solid ground. *if (style != 1) *set var "" When you begin to pull away, ${r_they} *else *set var "." $!{r_they} laces ${r_their} fingers through your own${var} *if (num = 1) "Finders keepers," ${r_they} whispers into your ear as ${r_they} brushes past you, tugging you behind ${r_them} into the house. *if (style = 2) You roll your eyes but let ${r_them} keep your hand. *else You can't think about anything but the feel of ${r_their} *if (per >= 59) rough, calloused hand against yours. *else and tugs at you to follow ${r_them} into the house. *if (num = 0) finds ${r_their} footing and lowers ${r_them}self onto the porch. $!{r_they} heads for the door, motioning for you to follow. *page_break *set collage_rash_studio true $!{r_they} leads you through the organized chaos that is the living room and into an area that's half-bedroom half-studio. In one corner, a bed not quite as large as a double sits low to the ground under one of the windows. Mirrors, prints, paintings, and textile pieces—some finished, some unfinished—hang from the walls. *set var "" ${rash} *if (num = 0) pats the seat of *else *set var "." installs you on a small fainting couch with burgundy velvet upholstery${var} *if (num = 0) and motions for you to sit. $!{r_they} hoists ${r_them}self onto a dresser a few feet away. "Did you make all of this?" you ask with a gesture at the carelessly arranged art. $!{r_they} shrugs. "Most." "How many things do you know how to do?" You can barely keep from gawping at the motley collection. "I dabble here and there," ${r_they} answers. Rubbing the back of ${r_their} neck, ${r_they} continue, "not very into print-making. Too hands-off." *if ((num = 1) and (style = 1)) A half smile rises to your lips. "So you like to [i]touch[/i] things." $!{r_they} grins. "You could say that." *elseif (num = 1) You nod and find yourself looking back to the artist. A playful glint in ${r_their} eyes puts you on your guard. "I like using my hands, [i]touching[/i] things." *if (style = 2) You scowl. "I like touching things, too. With the sharp end of a knife." Your potential stab victim barks out a laugh. "You really are very charming." *else Your eyes widen, and you tighten your grip on the box in your lap, clinging to it like a soldier marching into battle. ${rash} chuckles and raises ${r_their} hands in surrender. "Worry not, you're safe from me." You're not sure if you're relieved or disappointed. Perhaps ${r_they} can sense your disappointment, because ${r_they} adds, "For now." "What's your favorite medium?" *if (num = 1) you ask, steering the conversation into neutral territory. Or so you thought, until a wicked grin spreads across ${rash}'s face. *if (style = 3) You blush preemptively. But the sally never comes. Instead, ${r_they} looks down at ${r_their} lap, curling the drawstring of ${r_their} *if (r_gender = "f") skirt *else trunks around ${r_their} index finger. When ${r_they} looks up, ${r_they} answers, *if (num = 0) $!{r_they} purses ${r_their} lips. "Pottery, I think." You nod, not really sure what to do with the information. You search for some response, something to add to the conversation before the inevitable Awkward Moment ensues. You asked for the information after all! But before you can come up with anything, ${r_they} slides off the dresser. "I have to draw you," ${r_they} announces suddenly. Before you know it, ${r_they}'s riffling through drawers and leaving a trail of discarded materials in ${r_their} wake. Sketchbook and pencil in hand, ${r_they} plops an ottoman down in front of your couch and crawls on top of it, crossing ${r_their} legs and balancing the sketchbook on ${r_their} knees. $!{r_their} dark brown eyes seem to look [i]through[/i] you as ${r_their} hand moves across the page. *fake_choice #"I [i]am[/i] beautiful," I concede with a wide smile. *set cha %+ 5 *set hum %- 5 Your eyebrows shoot up, and a cheshire grin spreads across your face. "I [i]am[/i] beautiful." Rash chuckles. "Indeed you are, now shut up." "That's not a very nice thing to say to your inspiration." "I just called you beautiful!" ${r_they} counters. "No, [i]I[/i] just called [i]myself[/i] beautiful. [i]You[/i] only agreed." ${rash} rolls ${r_their} eyes. "I still think you're beautiful," ${r_they} mutters. #"What do you mean you [i]have[/i] to draw me?" I grumble. *set cha %- 5 *set yie %+ 5 You scowl. Will that make it into the sketch? "What do you mean you [i]have[/i] to draw me?" "Shhh," Rash chides. "And stop frowning." You stick your tongue out at ${r_them}, prompting a frown of ${r_their} own. "You're difficult, you know that?" "Aren't yo supposed to suffer for your art or something?" "Believe me, I am," ${r_they} mutters under ${r_their} breath. #"In the market for a new muse?" I quip. *set gen %- 5 $!{r_their} face has lost all of playful charm as ${r_they} examines you. You feel like a vegetable for sale at the grocery. "In the market for a new muse?" you quip. *if (num = 0) "You looking for a paid gig?" ${rash} retorts, ${r_their} voice flat, distracted as ${r_they} hones in on your little idiosyncrasies. *else A distracted grin spreads out over ${r_their} lips. $!{r_they} looks up at you long enough for your eyes to connect. "Are you for sale then?" *if (style = 1) "You couldn't afford me." *elseif (style = 2) You scoff. *else You blush. But ${r_they} doesn't respond, already refocused on the image taking shape at the tip of ${r_their} pencil. You fidget in your seat. "Sit still," ${r_they} orders, the corner of ${r_their} mouth tugging upward. You scowl. "And stop frowning!" "I'm not frowning! "If you want to be my muse, then behave, ${r_nn1}." *if (num = 0) "If I'm the muse, then I ought to decide how this goes." Rash laughs at you. "Then [i]you[/i] draw it," ${r_they} counters. *else *if (style = 1) "I was under the impression you preferred to [i]mis[/i]-behave." $!{r_they} laughs, eyes on the paper again. "Misbehaving is for [i]later[/i]." "Shame," you say with a bored yawn. $!{r_their} eyes snap back up to you, and ${r_they} watches you like you're a tiger about to pounce. $!{r_they} narrows ${r_their} eyes. "Tease." You laugh. *elseif (style = 2) You stick your tongue out at ${r_them} "Do you ever get tired of being contrary?" "No." $!{r_they} looks up at you and grins. "I love a good challenge. There's something [i]satisfying[/i] about mastering a difficult medium." *else "I don't think I'm qualified to be your muse," you say with a quiver in your voice. $!{r_they} looks up at you, ${r_their} bushy eyebrows bunched together. "And why is that?" ${r_they} asks before looking back down at ${r_their} sketch. You wrinkle your nose, not sure how to articulate how... [i]on edge[/i] ${rash} makes you. "I like beautiful things. You're beautiful," ${r_they} says in a bland, matter-of-fact way. "Seems like enough '[i]qualification[/i]' to me, and I think my opinion should have some weight since I'm the artist. Now stop scowling!" You swallow down your butterflies and try to regain some sense of ease. [i]Beautiful[/i]. *page_break #"I'm really not comfortable with this," I say and get ready to leave. *set yr1_06_14_20_2_3_1 1 *set dir %+ 5 *set yie %- 5 You stand up from your position on the fainting couch. "I'm really not comfortable with this." ${rash}'s eyes pop upward to look at you like a deer caught in the headlights. "Oh—yeah—of course." $!{r_they} snaps the sketchbook shut and clambers off the ottoman in a graceless lurch. "Sorry." You pick up your buckeyes for want of something to [i]do[/i] and thrust the box at their intended recipient. "Here. Happy Sunday, or something." Rash takes them, rubbing the back of ${r_their} neck. "Thanks." "Well I should go," you say. Before it can get worse, you shuffle out of the room. "See you around," ${rash} calls out from behind you. When you get back to the truck, you shudder. [i]Well that was awkward[/i]. *goto transition Lapsing into silence as ${rash}'s concentration grows, you make your own examination. ${rash} is young, near your age, you think. But the solemnity of ${r_their} focus ages ${r_them}, and you get a glimpse of ${r_them} ten years into the future. "Enjoying the view?" ${rash} asks off-handedly. *if (num = 0) *set yr1_06_14_20_2_3_1 2 "Not as much as you," you retort. "Touché." Same unconcerned tone. *if (num = 1) *set yr1_06_14_20_2_3_1 3 *if (style = 1) "Are [i]you[/i]?" "Undoubtedly," ${r_they} answers in a deep tone. *elseif (style = 2) "Was I supposed to be?" you retort, settling your attention on something, [i]anything[/i] else. $!{r_they} smiles. "No, not at all." *else "Wh-what?" you sputter. "I'll take that as a yes." $!{r_they} turns those piercing eyes back on you, *if (num = 0) and you feel naked under ${r_their} scrutiny. *else and your breath catches. Then ${r_they}'s on ${r_their} feet again and bounding toward you. ${r_they} throws ${r_them}self unceremoniously onto the fainting couch, and you have to grab the buckeyes at the last minute to prevent ${rash} from squishing them. $!{r_they} thrusts the sketchbook into your hands, and you look down at your image. The strokes are simple, crude. They couldn't be otherwise in such a short period. *if (hair = true) Your ${hair_texture} hair is a mess of dark shading that fades out as it gets farther from your face; *if (headscarf = true) Your headscarf is a shapeless frame around your face; *if (bald = true) The shape of your face is a rough outline of shade; your nose and lips fuzzy approximations. But your eyes. [i]Your eyes![/i] Delicate, each eyelash finely reproduced. You can see the light reflecting off your pupils. Even without color, ${rash} has replicated the waves of contrasting hues in your ${eye_color} eyes. You don't know what to say. "So do you like it?" ${rash} prompts. You look back to ${r_them}. "It's nice." It's weak, not enough, but ${r_they} grins anyway. Suddenly you feel as though you've bared enough, and you need to get the spotlight off of you. "You still haven't had a buckeye." "Oh yeah!" ${r_they} say, reaching across you to grab the box. $!{r_they} opens it up. "So what are these things anyway?" "Chocolate." Rash grins. "Chocolate's an aphrodisiac, you know." *if (num = 0) You roll your eyes. "Yeah, I know." $!{r_they} pops a buckeye into ${r_their} mouth. "These are good." You shrug. "Grandmother's recipe." Reaching for the sketchbook again, Rash rips your portrait out and passes it to you. "Payment," ${r_they} says. You roll your eyes. "I didn't bring them to sell." $!{r_they} laughs. "A gift then." You reach out your hand and shake on the trade. The two of you continue to chat, mostly about art, until you notice the sun going down. "$!{shit}, I gotta get back," you say. With a wave to Rash, you shuffle out to the truck, portrait in hand, and head home. *goto transition *else *if (style = 1) You raise an eyebrow at ${r_them} *elseif (style = 2) You wrinkle your nose. *else You hold your breath. as ${r_they} selects a buckeye from the top of the pile $!{r_they} breaks off a piece, and hands it to you. *if (style = 2) "You think I poisoned you, is that it?" ${rash} laughs. "Could you blame me if I did? But no. Sharing makes things better." You narrow your eyes and watch ${r_them}, but you accept the piece all the same. *else You take it and place it in your mouth. ${rash} watches you. [i]Aren't you going to have one?[/i] you want to ask, but something stops you, and you find yourself looking into ${r_their} eyes. *fake_choice #$!{r_they} pops the rest of the buckeye into ${r_their} mouth and breaks the moment. ${rash} pops the rest of the buckeye into ${r_their} mouth, watching you with a raised eyebrow. The tension deflates, and ${r_they} looks away. "This is good," ${r_they} says after swallowing. "Grandmother's recipe." Rash grabs ${r_their} sketchbook again and carefully rips your portrait out. Running ${r_their} free hand through ${r_their} hair, ${r_they} passes you the paper. "Fair trade?" You take the paper, admiring again ${rash}'s rendition of your eyes. Offering a handshake, you say, "Deal." The two of you continue to chat, mostly about art. Rash leans back against the arm of the fainting couch, draping ${r_their} legs across your lap. *if (r_gender = "f") You curl the fabric of her skirt around *else You draw circles on his calf with your index finger. Eventually you notice that it's getting dark. "$!{shit}, I gotta go," you say, and you untangle your limbs. "So soon?" ${rash} asks. You laugh. "I've been here all day." $!{r_they} waggles an eyebrow at you. "You could stay all night, too." You shake your head. "I gotta go." Heaving a dramatic sigh, Rash lifts ${r_them}self off the couch and walks you to the door. Once you're sitting in the truck, you look down at the portrait again and then back at the silhouette in the cottage window before pulling away. *goto transition #I lean in and kiss ${r_them}. ♥ *set yr1_06_14_20_2_3_2 true *set num 1 *set bol +1 #Before I know what's happening, we're locked in a kiss. ♥ *set yr1_06_14_20_2_3_2 true *set num 2 *set hos +1 #$!{r_they} leans in and kisses me. ♥ *set yr1_06_14_20_2_3_2 true *set num 3 *set shy +1 *if (yr1_06_14_20_2_3_2 = false) *bug *if (yr1_06_14_20_2_3_2 = true) *set r_rom +1 *gosub_scene mechanics_setup flirt_style *if (style = 1) *set yr1_06_14_20_2_3_2_1 1 *elseif (style = 2) *set yr1_06_14_20_2_3_2_1 2 *else *set yr1_06_14_20_2_3_2_1 3 $!{r_their} thick eyebrows draw your attention to ${r_their} dark brown, almost black eyes, and you see yourself reflected back. *if (num = 1) You glance down to ${r_their} lips, plump and, you imagine, hope, soft. Leaning forward, the last thing you see before you close your eyes is a smile parting those thought provoking lips. Then you *elseif (num = 2) You study the rest of ${r_their} face: ${r_their} wide nose, square jaw, and plump lips. And then you close your eyes and *else $!{r_their} steady gaze unsettles you, and you drop your eyes only to find yourself contemplating ${r_their} plump lips, parted in a smile at your notice. $!{r_they} leans forward, placing a hand under your chin, and then... [i]and then![/i] You close your eyes and feel those lips brush against yours. [i]$!{r_they} smells like sunscreen[/i], you think to yourself as you entwine your fingers in ${r_their} hair. $!{r_they} rubs circles into the skin behind your ear, eliciting a sigh. *if (style = 1) Your heart rate speeds up, but you don't have any time to think as ${r_their} *else $!{r_their} tongue parts your lips. *if (style = 1) *if (r_gender = "f") You wrap a hand around her waist and pull her toward you, and she *else You tug at his open shirt with both hands, tugging him forward. He obeys, straddling your thighs. You curl *else ${rash} wraps ${r_their} free hand around your waist and tugs you forward into ${r_their} lap. Bracing yourself against ${r_their} shoulder, you straddle ${r_their} thighs. $!{r_they} curls a hand around the backside of *if (style = 1) ${r_their} *else your knee, massaging the soft skin. As you settle into your new configuration, ${rash} redirects ${r_their} attention to your neck, peppering it with light kisses and nips. "You taste like chocolate," ${r_they} whispers into your ear before returning to your lips. *if (style = 1) You laugh into the kiss, and so does ${r_they}. *if (style = 3) Heat rises to your cheeks. This kiss is like a dance, give and take, rise and fall. When ${r_they} slides ${r_their} fingers under your shirt, *if (style = 1) your phone rings. You groan, and ${rash} scoots out of your lap, shooting you a sultry grin as you answer it. "Alex? What do you want?" you ask more aggressively than you had intended. When it becomes clear that your friend was worried about the length of your absence, your annoyance evaporates. Satisfied that you're not dying in a ditch on the side of the road, Alex lets you off. *if (a_gender = "f") "Little woman *else "Your man getting worried?" ${rash} asks. *if (a_rom > 1) An ache in the pit of your stomach opens up. "No—I—we—Alex and I, we're not [i]together[/i]," you say. ${rash} shrugs. "It's not my business." You're not sure how to recover the mood after this interruption, but it's getting late anyway, and you pick yourself up off the couch. "I should get going." Rash bounds up, a grin on ${r_their} face, and says, "I'll see you to your car." Fingers laced in your own, ${r_they} takes the lead. When you get to the truck, you climb into the cab, and ${rash} shuts the door for you, leaning into the window. You lower your head and close the gap between the two of you. Your lips brush against each other for the second time today until ${r_they} pulls away. With a slap on the roof of the truck, ${r_they} says, "see you around," and you pull out of the drive. *elseif (style = 2) your eyes snap open. You pull away, and ${rash} releases you. *page_break You stare at ${r_them} for a moment, eyes wide, as you process the moment. [i]What are you doing???[/i] You don't know whether to be affronted or bewildered. And then you scramble out of ${rash}'s lap, rather gracelessly if ${r_their} laugh is any indication. "I-really-must-be-going," tumbles out of your mouth in one word as you gain your bearings and flee the cottage. ${rash} scrambles after you. "Wait!" At the door, you pause and turn around, ${rash} nearly running into you. $!{r_they} places a hand on your forearm. "Are you alright?" ${r_they} asks. You stare at ${r_their} hand. "I'm great! I've just really gotta go." A nervous laugh bubbles to your lips. "See you around!" You turn on your heels and make a break for the truck. Once inside, you grip the wheel and take a deep breath. From the porch, ${rash} continues to watch you, a concerned look on ${r_their} face. You wave awkwardly and pull out of the driveway. *else you let out a surprised squeak and tense up. ${rash} removes both hands from your body and raises them in surrender, eyes wide. *page_break "Too fast," ${r_they} says. It isn't a question, but you nod anyway. $!{r_they} lowers ${r_their} arms, returning one hand to the back of your knee, running the other through ${r_their} hair. $!{r_they} rubs ${r_their} thumb in circles across your skin. You tremble from mortification. "I'm sorry—" "—Don't do that," ${rash} says. $!{r_they} shrugs. "Don't apologize." You reach your hand up to finger your ${tic}. $!{rash} chuckles. "Don't do that, either." "Do what?" $!{r_they} grabs your hand with both of ${r_their} own and kisses your palm. You blush, and ${r_they} grins. "That's better." *if (r_taller = true) $!{r_they} stands up, scooping you into ${r_their} arms. You grip the collar of ${r_their} shirt for whatever good it'll do you. "What're you doing?" $!{r_they} laughs. "Sitting you down." And so ${r_they} does before lacing ${r_their} fingers with yours and *else The two of you untangle your limbs and climb off the couch. $!{r_they} laces ${r_their} fingers with yours before guiding you outside. "Come on, ${r_nn1}, I think you've had enough of me, for today." "See you around?" ${r_they} asks when you reach the truck. $!{r_they} raises your palm to ${r_their} lips and kisses it again. You nod dumbly before climbing into the cab. $!{r_they} shuts the door after you and waves, devious grin on ${r_their} face, as you pull out of the drive. *fake_choice #I drive away. #${rash} watches ${nickname} drive away. ${rash} watches the old pickup disappear down the road, shaking ${r_their} head. *if (style = 1) $!{r_they} grins at the way ${nickname} pulled ${r_them} into ${their} lap. [i]If only ${their} friend hadn't called.[/i] *elseif (style = 2) Of all the reactions ${r_they}'s inspired with a kiss, panic is not usually one of them. $!{r_they}'ll have to be careful with ${nickname}. *else $!{r_they} chuckles at the bashful squeak ${nickname} made when ${r_they} slipped ${r_their} fingers under ${their} shirt. Slow isn't a problem, though. The reward will be all the sweeter for having waited. When ${rash} returns to ${r_their} studio, ${r_they} retrieves a paper that's fallen to the floor. It's ${their} portrait. $!{r_they} studies it for a moment. It's not ${r_their} best work, and ${r_their} fingers itch to try again. [i]To get it right.[/i] *if (yr1_06_14_20_2 = 4) On the very outskirts of Talverton village, you look down at the map on your phone and turn down a side street just after the stone bridge. The houses, while not entirely part of connected rows, huddle together in cozy pairs and trios close to the bank of the river. They pop up across the gentle hills in a patchwork quilt of stone and stucco exteriors. Carefully tamed and cultivated English flora climb up and over ancient stone fences that separate the small front gardens from the cobblestone road under your feet. The vines and flowers reach out to you as if to make your acquaintance. The sound of children's laughter bubbles out from unseen gardens and catches on the breeze. When you find the correct number, you step up and knock on the door. No answer. You knock again, more loudly, but, still, there's no answer. Deciding to take a chance, you walk to the end of the road and follow a pebble path to the back. The laughter grows louder, and you catch a glimpse of a red sweater as its owner darts past a break in the greenery. A few more steps places you in front of a wrought-iron gate. *page_break "${name}!" *if (yr1_03_14_20_2 = 2) Eddie *else Sebastian calls out to you. You take that as an invitation and let yourself into the garden. It is everything you could have expected from a proper English gentleman. The fence nearly bulges at the seams trying to contain the sprawling greenery. Carefully pruned bushes and flowers crowd around shapely topiaries, leaving a narrow pebble path between the exterior walls and green center. *if (yr1_03_14_20_2 = 2) Eddie runs up to you. "Hi!" Summer follows, slipping her hand into her brother's, and looks up to you with shy curiosity. You smile at the miniature welcome party as you tread deeper into the garden and closer to the adults. They hop after you with an energy you haven't had in ten years at least. *else A boy with thick black glasses who looks like he stepped out of Sebastian's grade-school yearbook waves at you. "Hi!" You wave back. A little girl, the wearer of the red sweater, grabs her brother's hand and watches you cautiously, eying your box with curiosity. She wears matching red beads in her braided hair. "It's good to see you!" Sebastian says, motioning you to join the adults near the back of the house. He's standing next to his wife, Daisy, whom you've seen in passing. "Let me introduce you." Daisy smiles and holds out her hand to you. She has warm dark skin and an even warmer smile. Her black braids match her daughter's, though she's opted for a more grown up look with wooden beads with gold accents. "This is Daisy, and those two—" he motions to the whippersnappers following you "—are Eddie and Summer." "And this is Margot," Daisy completes, shifting the chubby-cheeked toddler balanced on her hip. "It's good to meet you," you say. You shift your box into your left hand and shake Daisy's outstretched right. "What's that?" Summer asks with a finger pointed at your box of buckeyes. With a discreet nod from Daisy, you dutifully open the box and present it to the young miss for inspection. "They're my grandmother's world famous buckeyes." Eddie and Summer glance at their parents for permission before thrusting their little hands into the box. The squares disappear into their mouths in a fraction of a second. "What do you say?" Sebastian prompts in his Dad Voice. Two simultaneous thank-yous, garbled over a mouthful of buckeye, follow. Daisy, much more daintily, also takes a buckeye, smiling her thank you. She breaks a piece off and feeds it to Margot whose large eyes watch you with skeptical curiosity. *set num 0 *if (yr1_03_14_20_2 = 2) Having passed muster, fear clutches your heart, and you narrowly avoid panic when her little arms reach out to you in invitation to take her from her mother. You can't help but feel flattered, in spite of the painful drum inside your chest. *fake_choice #Take the child. *set awk %- 5 *set hum %- 5 *set yie %+ 5 *set s +1 *set num 1 You reach your stiff arms out to her in awkward reciprocal movement. She doesn't seem to mind your apparent unease. #Don't take the child! *set awk %+ 5 *set yie %- 5 Wide-eyed with panic, you shoot a desperate look at Daisy for rescue, and she laughs at your predicament. Still, she intercedes on your behalf, distracting the youngster with another piece of buckeye. You and your cousin Isabel were the youngest kids in the family until nearly twelve years later her baby brother, Ben, surprised the entire family. Maybe you would have gotten some practice with kids then but for the fact that your aunt and uncle live more than a hundred miles away. Summer cookouts and holiday dinners comprise your—reluctant—experience with infants. "These are really good!" Eddie says before scampering off with his sister. "So I guess this means the kitchen is up and running?" Sebastian asks. You nod. "As of about nine-o'clock this morning." Daisy laughs. "You certainly haven't been idle then." "Of course ${they} ${has}n't!" Sebastian exclaims. "$!{they} wouldn't have come all this way if ${they_were}n't ready to work hard. Darbury Manor will be a success under ${name}'s tutelage. Eddie—Where are you?" Daisy rolls her eyes at her husband with a fond giggle. "I think he would fight a duel to defend your honor," she whispers to you while Sebastian locates his son. "Eddie!" "Yes, sir?" Eddie runs out from behind one of the topiaries, out of breath and a little rumpled. "${name} is just the kind of person I want you to look up to." Eddie studies you with wide-eyed admiration. "With a little elbow grease—" you wonder how familiar elbow-[i]patch[/i]-wearing Sebastian is with elbow-[i]grease[/i] "—[i]anything[/i] is possible!" "Yes, sir!" You almost expect him to salute you. "Do you want to play with us?" He looks at you with such hopeful eyes that you can't bear to say no. *if (num = 1) You hand Margot to her father and turn back to Eddie. "What are we playing?" His bright grin takes up half of his face. "Hide and seek!" He grabs your hand and pulls you into the garden. "Summer's going to count." You survey the garden before the countdown begins, suddenly competitive despite the fact that you're twice as old as your adversaries. There aren't many places to hide in a space this small, but you spy a few. You could hide in the bushes. It [i]won't[/i] be comfortable, and there are definitely gaps between plants. You'll also have to be careful not to damage the plants as you settle into your nest. Then there's the trellis. It's likely to conceal you better than your other options, but it'll be a tight fit. If you scrunch up enough, you could slide under the wooden bench sitting against the exterior gate. You'll be in plain view if Summer thinks to look at things from a lower perspective. But if she [i]doesn't[/i]... *fake_choice #I hide in the bushes. You head for the flowering bushes in the center of the garden. Although they are well pruned, they are healthy and, more importantly, [i]full[/i]. The kaleidoscope of blooms might even camouflage the colors of your clothes. *if (org < 60) *set yr1_06_14_20_2_4 1 You brush through the bushes, leading shoulder first to spare yourself the indignity of scrapes up and down your arms. Crouching down, you position yourself in the middle near the stone birdbath. *else *set yr1_06_14_20_2_4 2 You part the bushes and wind around them carefully, contorting sideways to slide through narrow gaps. Crouching down, you position yourself next to a flowering bush in the outer ring of the garden. "—18, 19, 20! Ready or not here I come!" Summer goes skipping through the garden, spraying gravel as she goes. As the clink-clink-clinks get louder, you hold your breath until finally she's right in front of you. *if (yr1_06_14_20_2_4 = 1) "I found you!" she yells out. Abashed, you emerge from your prickly hiding place. "How'd you find me?" She giggles and points behind you. You turn around, and sure enough, there is a very obvious path from your position to the birdbath in the middle. The plants lean in the direction you pushed them. "Are you a detective?" you ask and elicit another giggle. "Now I have to find Teddy." And so she scampers away, and you find your way back to the tall people. *else And then she runs off again. A few minutes later, shouts and giggles indicate that Summer has found her brother, and eventually she finds you too, and you're careful to keep the smug grin off your face in front of your vanquished adversary, Eddie. #I hide behind the trellis. You head for the trellis, but you're not quick enough! Eddie has also scoped it out for his hiding place. You look at his pitiful little face and puppy dog eyes. Could you evict that face from his hiding spot? *if (yie >= 58) *set yr1_06_14_20_2_4 1 You couldn't. You sigh and make a mad dash for one of the topiaries. Maybe if you listen close enough you can move out of Summer's line of sight when she comes this way? "—18, 19, 20! Ready or not here I come!" Her footsteps crunch against the pebble walkway, and her hair beads clink against each other as she walks. You take a deep breath in and shift right. Right into her path, that is. "I found you!" she squeals. You grimace. "You sure did." She grins at you. "Now I have to find Teddy." And so she scampers away, and you find your way back to the tall people. *elseif ((cha < 58) or (hum < 55)) *set yr1_06_14_20_2_4 1 You could! "Aw, come on, Eddie," you say. "I'm an old person, you gotta go easy on me!" "Shhh!" he says. "She'll hear you!" He pushes you out from behind the trellis. "There's no more room here!" You back out and make a run for one of the topiaries. "—18, 19, 20! Ready or not here I come!" You're literally in the middle of the path when Summer opens her eyes. She giggles. "You were [i]supposed[/i] to hide!" "Guess I didn't get the memo." "What's a memo?" "It's like a message." "Oh," she says. "Now I have to find Teddy." And so she scampers away, and you find your way back to the tall people. *elseif ((cha >= 58) and (hum >= 55)) *set yr1_06_14_20_2_4 2 You could and you will! "Help an old ${person} out, Eddie! I bet you could find [i]five[/i] good hiding places. I'm toast if you don't help me." He puffs up at the flattery. "Of course. Dad says we should always respect our elders." You nearly choke on your own spit. "Y-yes, indeed—" He rushes off to another hiding spot before you can complete, and you stuff yourself into the space between the trellis and the fence before Summer finishes counting. *if (ass = "ass") "[i]Elder[/i] my ass," you mutter to yourself. "—18, 19, 20! Ready or not here I come!" You hear the swish of her skirt as she brushes by the bushes until she comes to a pause in front of you. And then she runs on! *else *bug *if (yr1_06_14_20_2_4 = 1) You give her an exaggerated wink with a nod toward the trellis. She grins at you, mischief dancing in her dark eyes. Rubbing her hands together, she sneaks up to the trellis, careful not to make a noise. Then she pounces. "I found you!" Eddie crawls out from behind the trellis, his glasses slightly askew. "How'd you find me so fast?" "I'm smarter than you," she says, a hand on her hip. #I hide under the wooden bench. You head for the bench on the far side of the garden. Its wide wooden slats will hide you well if you can manage to squeeze under it. You curl up into the fetal position, holding your breath as if that will help you fit better. "—18, 19, 20! Ready or not here I come!" You wait for a moment, listening to the songbirds sing. Summer walks past, her ankles at eye-level. Then she pauses. *if (height >= 72) "Ha! I found you!" You crawl out from under the bench, gravel sticking to you and leaving red indentations when it finally falls to the ground. "How'd you find me?" you ask. "Your [i]toes[/i] were peeking out!" *elseif ((dir > 44) or (per < 56)) And now two wide brown eyes are staring at you. "Found you," she says, matter of fact. "Yep." Are you going to get up?" You crawl out from under the bench and brush yourself off. "What gave me away?" "The gravel," she says, pointing to two indentations where your knees pressed into the path. "You're a clever one, aren't you?" She grins. *elseif ((dir <= 44) and (per >= 56)) Before running down the path. You let out the breath you were holding. A few minutes later, shouts and giggles indicate that Summer has found her brother, and eventually she finds you too, and you're careful to keep the smug grin off your face in front of your vanquished adversary, Eddie. *else *bug *if (yr1_06_14_20_2_4 = 2) "There you are!" she yells from the other side of the garden. Then you hear some rustling in the bushes and— "You found me," Eddie says. Within a few minutes a pattering of footsteps is coming back your way, and Summer is ejecting you from your comparably successful hiding spot. "I found you!" she says. "That you did. Very good detective work." She grins. "Again?" You play a few more rounds with the kids before your muscles are sore from crouching and stretching and contorting in increasingly unnatural poses. Eventually boredom wins out. There's only so much time you can sit and think about the meaning of life while a seven-year-old looks for you before the nihilism begins to set in. Clambering up from your most recent hiding spot, you brush off your clothes and stretch out your cramped limbs. Sebastian sees you to the gate. "Thanks for playing with the kids," he says. "They really enjoyed their time with you." "It was nothing," you say. "Not to them." You nod. "And thank you for the buckeyes. I hope we'll see you again soon?" "You can count on it," you agree before slipping out of the garden and beginning the walk home. *if (yr1_06_14_20_2 = 5) You find an open parking space on the side of the street and climb out of the truck. From the outside, [i]Bar None[/i] doesn't look any different from the last time you set eyes on it, aside from the sun's sitting higher in the sky. In other words, it looks deserted. [i]Is Tony even there?[/i] *if (t_rom = 0) There's only one way to find out. You head for the door. *if (t_rom > 0) You whip out your phone and *if (yr1_06_11_20_1 = 2) pull up the convo with *else send a quick text to your favorite bartender. *if (yr1_06_11_20_1 = 2) [i]When are you going to let me take you to dinner?[/i] the top message reads. [i]We're in the middle of the summer harvest :([/i] [i]Raincheck?[/i] You gird you loins and respond. Finally. [i]Hey[/i] Weak! Not even an emoji? *else [i]You around?[/i] A couple of minutes go by before your phone buzzes with an answer. *if (yr1_06_11_20_1 = 2) [i]Hey there ${t_nn1}![/i] *line_break [i]Are you ready to take me up on my offer ;)[/i] [i]Not exactly[/i] [i]:([/i] [i]You around?[/i] [i]At the bar[/i] *line_break [i]What do you need?[/i] [i]Just stay put[/i] You slide your phone back into your pocket and head for the door. *page_break On the inside, [i]Bar None[/i] looks every bit as closed as a bar in a sleepy village at 2PM on a weekday should. The chairs sit neatly stacked and upside down on their tables; the stools in matching posture on the counter. The bright afternoon sun floods into the otherwise unlit space, catching on dust particles that drift through the air. *if ((t_rom = 0) and (t >= 2)) *set yr1_06_14_20_2_5_1 true You glance toward the back of the bar, expecting to see Tony. But ${t_they}'s not there. "Over here!" ${t_they} calls from a table in the back. You turn to look and see that ${t_they}'s not alone. "This is my sister," ${t_they} answers your unasked question. The little girl looks up at you warily. An awkward silence threatens to overtake the three of you, but Tony comes to the rescue. "This is the person I told you about, kiddo. $!{their} name is ${name}." *if (gender = "nb") She sits up straighter to look at you, her eyes curious and eager. *elseif (trans = true) She glances over at you shyly, curious. *else She glances at you a couple of times, too shy to do more. "Hi," she says in a voice barely above a whisper. "It's nice to meet you," you say. Thankful for something to [i]do[/i], you motion at your box. "I brought buckeyes." You sit them on the table and open the box. "That was very nice of you," Tony says in a voice a little louder than necessary. "Yes," Claudia echoes. "Thank you." "Want to join us?" Tony asks, gesturing to the deck of cards sitting in the middle of the table. "What are you playing?" "Blackjack," ${t_they} and ${t_their} sister answer in unison. You pull out a chair and take a seat. "Bring it on," you answer with a grin. *page_break Tony returns your grin and shuffles the deck of cards. *goto blackjack *if ((t < 2) or (t_rom > 0)) *gosub_scene mechanics_setup flirt_style "Hey there!" Tony calls out from behind the bar. $!{t_they}'s adjusting neat rows of clean glasses on the back wall shelf, ${t_their} back turned to you. $!{t_they} looks over ${t_their} shoulder and greets you with a smile. You shuffle inside and let the door close behind you. Walking up to the counter, you exchange your box of buckeyes for a bar stool. You flip it right side up and place it on the ground before easing yourself onto it. With the last glass meticulously arranged, Tony spins around to look at you. "Whatcha got there?" ${t_they} asks. "I brought you something," you say *if ((t_rom > 0) and (style = 3)) shyly. *else with a smile. *if ((awk >= 57) or (hum >= 57)) "It's nothing much. Just an American dessert." "[i]Just[/i] an American dessert. The way you [i]just[/i] moved to the other side of the world 'just buckeyes' or the way you [i]just[/i] run your own business 'just buckeyes?'". You laugh an octave higher than normal and begin to tug at your ${tic}, but Tony reaches across the bar and quiets your nervous fingers. "None of that, love. I'm sure these 'buckeyes' are [i]just[/i] amazing." *elseif ((cha >= 57) or (hum <= 43)) "The best buckeyes in town." "I like your confidence," Tony says with a laugh. *elseif (gen <= 43) "The best buckeyes in town—the only buckeyes in fact." Tony rolls ${t_their} eyes at you, barely hiding a grin. *else "My grandmother's buckeyes." Tony smiles. "They're bound to be good then, eh?" $!{t_they} opens the box. "Kinda a truffle then?" You shrug. "Denser. And peanut-butter-ier." Tony bites into one, crumbs falling down ${t_their} shirt. *if (style = 1) You reach up and brush them away. "These are good," ${t_they} mumbles through a mouthful of buckeye. "I'd offer to repay the favor—" you wave away the notion of debt "—but I wouldn't want to subject you to my cooking." "That bad, huh?" "Worse." *if (t_rom > 1) You giggle, and ${t_they} grins at you in a way that makes you want to eat ${t_their} spectacularly bad food. *else You laugh. "Guess that's what happens when you spend a good measure of your adolescence and most of your adulthood on a ship." [i]$!{t_they} went to sea, sea, sea,[/i] *line_break [i]To see what ${t_they} could see, see, see,[/i] *line_break [i]But all ${t_they} could see, see, see,[/i] *line_break [i]Was the deep blue sea, sea, sea.[/i] "Maybe I could do you one better," ${t_they} says, pulling you out of your silly nursery rhyme. You brighten with curiosity. "What do you have in mind?" *choice #I drum my nails against the counter, impatient to know more. *set yr1_06_14_20_2_5_2 1 Your nails clack-clack-clack against the countertop. #My heart races in anticipation. ♥ *set yr1_06_14_20_2_5_2 2 *set t_rom +1 Your heart rate increases with excitement, anticipating what the bartender will suggest. *if ((t < 2) or (t_rom > 0)) "Well I [i]am[/i] a bartender... I could teach you how to make a cocktail?" *if (yr1_06_14_20_2_5_2 = 1) *if (drunk = true) "Alright," you agree. It's not like you've never mixed your own cocktail, but who says no to a master class? "What do you have in mind?" "Let's do a classic. How about a sidecar?" "Is that your favorite?" "I don't know that I have a favorite, but it's a good fall back. Come over to this side of the bar," ${t_they} invites. $!{t_they} gives you a quick tour of the claustrophobic space behind the bar: glasses, liquor cabinet, and accoutrements. While you find the cognac, Tony grabs a martini glass. You juice a couple of lemons, and Tony picks through the rest of the liquor bottles to get the orange liqueur. Passing you a tray of sugar, Tony says, "for the rim of the glass." You run a lemon wedge around the martini glass and dip it in the sugar like you've seen done a hundred times. Tony fills ${t_their} tin with ice and pours in the liqueur, shaking it a couple of times before passing it to you for a go. "That's good," ${t_they} says. $!{t_they} hands you a strainer, and you pour the finished cocktail into the glass. You take a sip and nod. "Good." Tony looks down at ${t_their} watch. "It's not often I serve a drink in here before four." "It's not often I drink before four, but desperate times." "Are you desperate then?" Tony laughs. "I was—desperate for a kitchen anyway." $!{t_they} points to your buckeyes. "Well you have one now, and I am certainly glad of it if this is the result." You grin. "I need to get going. Thanks for the drink." "You did all the work. Catch you around, yeah?" "You can count on it." *if (drunk = false) You frown. "Actually, I don't drink." "Oh," ${t_they} says. $!{t_they} scratches ${t_their} head. "I could teach you to make tea?" $!{t_their} voice is high and uncertain. You laugh. "I didn't realize it was complicated." Tony grins at you. "Oh but it is. I bet you've never had a proper cup of tea." You roll your eyes. "Actually, I have a better idea. I'll teach you how to make sweet tea." $!{t_their} eyes scrunch up. "You just put sugar in it, dontcha?" You laugh. "Bless your heart. You have any black tea?" $!{t_they} nods and disappears into the back. After a moment you hear the whistle of a kettle, and Tony returns with two steaming cups of tea and a handful of sugar packets. You rip the little packets open and dump them into the teacups, stirring it around until the sugar dissolves completely. "Now put these in the fridge to get cold." Tony looks at you like you've asked ${t_them} to commit a war crime. "Just do it!" "Spoil a perfectly good cup of tea," ${t_they} mutters, but ${t_they} does put it in the fridge. After a few minutes, when you think it's good and cold, you tell Tony to get the tea out. $!{t_they} obeys, wrinkling ${t_their} nose at the cold tea. "Now ice, and glasses." Tony fills up a couple of sling glasses with ice and slides them over to you. You pour the tea into the glasses and grab a handful of lemon wedges from the bin on the counter, squeezing the juice into the glass before sliding a pristine wedge onto the side. You push one towards Tony, and ${t_they} eyes it with caution. After you take a sip of your own, ${t_they} follows suit. "It's not [i]terrible[/i]," ${t_they} declares. You grin. "But a hot cup of tea is still better." "I'll convert you eventually." "Does one eat 'buckeyes' with 'sweet tea'?" "If one wants to." The two of you chat about regional cuisine while munching on the fruits of your labor and sipping at your sweet tea until you decide it's time to check out. "I oughtta get out of here," you say, sliding off your bar stool. Tony glances down at ${t_their} watch. "I should probably get ready to open anyway. Thanks for stopping by with these, even if you did make me drink cold tea." You wave away ${t_their} tease and slip out the door. "Catch you around!" *if (yr1_06_14_20_2_5_2 = 2) A wave a disappointment surges through you. You were hoping for something... more. *if (drunk = true) *set var "cocktail" Putting on a cheerful façade, you roll your eyes with an exaggerated scoff. "This isn't my first rodeo, *if (t_gender = "f") ma'am. *else mister. I know how to make a cocktail." Tony pokes you in the ribs on either side, making you squirm and yelp at the ticklish sensation. "Well fine then!" You scoot out of ${t_their} reach and raise your hands to shield yourself and slap away any further attempts to tickle you. "What do you suggest then?" ${t_they} asks and laughs at you. "Name a drink after me," you demand, sticking your tongue out at ${t_them} before your face settles into a defiant pout. "Alright," ${t_they} agrees with a good-natured shrug. You eye ${t_them} suspiciously. "You're not allowed to put anything gross in it, like-like pickle juice." You wrinkle your nose. Tony laughs. "Who puts pickle juice in a cocktail?" "[i]Not[/i] you." You continue to watch ${t_them} through narrowed eyes. $!{t_they} raises their hands in mock surrender. "Okay. No pickle juice. What's the base of the [i]${nickname}[/i]?" You cross your arms and scoff. "Bourbon. [i]Obviously[/i]." $!{t_they} dutifully grabs a half-full bottle of bourbon from under the bar and sets it in front of you with a satisfying thud. "Okay—what else?" *if (drunk = false) *set var "drink" Not to mention the fact that you don't drink! Nervous butterflies float around in your stomach as you steel yourself to tell Tony that you don't drink. This conversation doesn't always go well. Some people think they just need to find the right argument to get you to start drinking, others look at you askance as if you're about to confiscate their drink. No matter what assumptions people make, it always puts a damper on the mood. You fiddle with your ${tic}. Will ${t_they} stop flirting with you because you don't drink? "Actually... I don't drink." "Oh," Tony says. Was it a disappointed [i]oh[/i] or just a I-didn't-know-that [i]oh[/i]? *if (gender = "f") She bites her bottom lip. *else He strokes his chin. "Well, I mean, there are specialty drinks on the menu? You know, like raspberry lemonade. We could make a new one?" $!{t_their} voice raises an octave higher than usual. A relieved smile rises to your lips, and your heart beats with affection and gratitude for the flustered bartender. You think of the Kentucky flavors you grew up with and how to turn yourself into a ${var}. If there's one thing you miss, it's your grandmother's— *fake_choice #—banana pudding. *set yr1_06_14_20_2_5_2_1 1 *if (drunk = true) #—bourbon truffles. *set yr1_06_14_20_2_5_2_1 2 #—peach cobbler. *set yr1_06_14_20_2_5_2_1 3 *if (drunk = true) #—pecan pie. *set yr1_06_14_20_2_5_2_1 4 *if (yr1_06_14_20_2_5_2_1 = 1) Banana pudding is a New Year staple in your grandmother's kitchen. She layers clunky tiers of vanilla wafers, banana—or sometimes chocolate if mamaw is feeling decadent—pudding, and fresh banana slices on top of each other inside a crystal bowl far too fine for instant pudding. Sometimes if you were lucky, she would give you the broken cookies, an honor that falls to Daniel's kids nowadays. *if (yr1_06_14_20_2_5_2_1 = 2) Bourbon truffles are a Derby staple in your grandmother's kitchen. Ostensibly an age-[i]in[/i]appropriate treat, in reality a tablespoon of bourbon doesn't go far when it's divided into more than a dozen truffles. You would sit catty-corner on one of the kitchen counters, wearing a ridiculous hat from the last century, and if you were [i]very good[/i] as your grandmother melted the chocolate, she would allow you to roll the creamy-chocolate concoction in cocoa powder before sending you on your way with a single completed truffle. *if (yr1_06_14_20_2_5_2_1 = 3) Peach cobbler is an Independence Day staple in your grandmother's kitchen. An easier recipe you'd be hard-pressed to find. You hardly even need to mix the batter before dumping it in a pan and sticking it in the oven. *if (yr1_06_14_20_1_1 = false) Even [i]you[/i] can make it! Mamaw would ration out slices of the summery treat right before the fireworks began, you and your cousins racing around the yard, occasionally running over to the picnic tables to stuff your faces before running off again with sparklers or bang-snaps to pelt at each other. *if (yr1_06_14_20_2_5_2_1 = 4) Pecan pie is a Thanksgiving staple in your grandmother's kitchen. When you're lucky, she has a bag of chocolate chips on hand—as every grandmother should—to add to the filling. Every year on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, you and your family convene in her kitchen to cook as much as possible for the big day. One of your favorite jobs is arranging the whole pecans on top. A bittersweet pang squeezes your heart as you wonder who will do that this year. *if (yr1_06_14_20_2_5_2_1 != 0) "So what are we making?" Tony asks. "A *if (yr1_06_14_20_2_5_2_1 = 1) banana pudding *if (yr1_06_14_20_2_5_2_1 = 2) bourbon truffle *if (yr1_06_14_20_2_5_2_1 = 3) peach cobbler *if (yr1_06_14_20_2_5_2_1 = 4) pecan pie *if (yr1_06_14_20_2_5_2_1 != 0) ${var}?" you mumble to yourself, pulling your mouth into a half frown as you consider how best to bring your artistic vision to life. *if (yr1_06_14_20_2_5_2_1 = 1) There's no way ${t_they} has any vanilla wafers, but... *if (yr1_06_14_20_2_5_2_1 != 0) "You got any *if (yr1_06_14_20_2_5_2_1 = 1) cookies? Or biscuits? Whatever you people call them." $!{t_they} disappears into the kitchen and re-emerges with a half eaten tin of butter cookies. You half expect to see your mamaw's sewing supplies when ${t_they} opens the container. You nod your approval. *if (yr1_06_14_20_2_5_2_1 = 2) chocolate?" $!{t_they} reaches into the fridge below the bar and grabs a bottle of chocolate syrup, setting it down next to the bourbon. *if (yr1_06_14_20_2_5_2_1 = 3) sweet tea?" Tony looks at you, ${t_their} brows furrowed. "You mean like tea with sugar? I have sugar packets." You frown. "You got black tea?" $!{t_they} nods and disappears into the back. After a moment you hear the whistle of a kettle, and Tony returns with a steaming cup of tea and a handful of sugar packets. You rip the little packets open and dump them into the teacup, stirring it around until the sugar dissolves completely. "Now put this in the fridge to get cold." Tony looks at you like you've asked ${t_them} to commit a war crime. "Just do it!" *if (yr1_06_14_20_2_5_2_1 = 4) maple syrup?" $!{t_they} grabs one of the syrup bottles from the front of the bar and sets it next to the bourbon. *if (yr1_06_14_20_2_5_2_1 != 0) "What else?" "What do you have?" Tony flashes you a grin. "Come see." $!{t_they} holds the little swinging gate at the end of the bar open and beckons you through, and you hop off your stool and obey. The space behind the bar is tight, especially with the majority of the bar stools sitting on top of the counter and blocking your view. "So what are we making?" Tony asks. "Think *if (yr1_06_14_20_2_5_2_1 = 1) *if (drunk = true) frozen banana daiquiri." *else banana milkshake." *if (yr1_06_14_20_2_5_2_1 = 2) boozy chocolate milk." *if (yr1_06_14_20_2_5_2_1 = 3) *if (drunk = true) long island iced tea, except not at all." *else peach tea." *if (yr1_06_14_20_2_5_2_1 = 4) bourbon sour." *if (yr1_06_14_20_2_5_2_1 != 0) "Let's start with a glass, yeah?" Tony directs you to the shelves under the counter where neat rows of clean glasses in every shape and size a well-stocked bar could be expected to boast sit awaiting your choice. You scan through the possibilities and grab a *if (yr1_06_14_20_2_5_2_1 = 1) poco grande *if (yr1_06_14_20_2_5_2_1 = 2) martini *if (yr1_06_14_20_2_5_2_1 = 3) highball *if (yr1_06_14_20_2_5_2_1 = 4) lowball *if (yr1_06_14_20_2_5_2_1 != 0) glass. With a distinct shape in front of you and a vague recipe in your head, you let your imagination run wild and *if (drunk = true) turn to the liquor cabinet. There's something decadent about a shelf full of half-empty liquor bottles, and you leaf through the motley selection with curiosity. *else search through Tony's stores to find the perfect ingredients. Every now and then you glance up at your obliging bartender to see ${t_them} watching you with amusement. *if (t_rom > 2) $!{t_their} eyes twinkle with the spark of new affection. At last you look down at your pile of ingredients. You have collected *if (yr1_06_14_20_2_5_2_1 = 1) a bunch of bananas, *if (drunk = true) a bottle of vanilla whiskey, the tin of butter cookies, and a can of whipped cream. *if (yr1_06_14_20_2_5_2_1 = 2) one bottle each of chocolate liqueur and creme de cocoa, your chocolate syrup, a shaker of chocolate sprinkles, and a chocolate bar. Death by chocolate! *if (yr1_06_14_20_2_5_2_1 = 3) your cup of sweet tea, finally cool enough to use, *if (drunk = true) a bottle of peach schnapps, and a jar of peach marmalade. *if (yr1_06_14_20_2_5_2_1 = 4) a carton of orange juice, an orange wedge, some brown sugar, the maple syrup, and an egg. *if (yr1_06_14_20_2_5_2_1 != 0) Pushing your bounty toward Tony, you raise an expectant eyebrow and say, "Make yourself useful." *if (drunk = true) "Oh, now you want my help, is it?" ${t_they} asks, ${t_their} lips quirking upward. *fake_choice #I turn the tables on ${t_them} and poke ${t_them} in the ribs. "Don't you want another chance to impress me?" *set bol +1 "Don't you want another chance to impress me?" you ask. Your fingers press into Tony's muscular sides, but ${t_they} doesn't budge. "Well that's disappointing." Tony laughs. "Thought you would turn the tables on me, huh?" "Yes, but apparently I thought wrong." "That's a shame," ${t_they} says, taking a step closer with a mischievous glint in ${t_their} eyes. $!{t_their} fingers shoot out toward your waist, and you double over in laughter. "It's not my fault if one of my flailing limbs hits you," you wheeze out. "Duly noted." You maneuver around ${t_them} and grab anything you can find to defend yourself. You hold the cocktail strainer out in as menacingly a way possible. Tony guffaws at your weapon, pulling it gently from your grasp "I guess I should make that cocktail, then." $!{t_they} slips through the space between you and the bar with a provocative grin, ${t_their} eyes locked with yours. #Something between a yelp and a giggle escapes my chest as ${t_they} pokes me in the ribs again. *set shy +1 Tony's fingers poke into your sides, and you let out a strangled yelp of laughter. This time there's no bar to separate you from your tormentor, and you quickly get hemmed into the corner. In a last ditch effort to escape the tickles, you duck under Tony's arms and make a break for it, but you're not quick enough. Tony grabs you from behind and pulls you back. $!{t_they}'s *if (t_gender = "f") surprisingly *else quite strong, *if (t_gender = "f") or maybe not so surprisingly when you consider she spent more than a decade in the navy, *else even if you hadn't known he was a former sailor, the biceps would have been a dead giveaway, and *if (t_taller = false) despite your height advantage, you can't get away. "Have mercy!" you squeak out, breathless with laughter and exertion. The tickling stops, and you catch your breath. Until you realize that Tony hasn't let go of you, and you stop breathing entirely. You half-turn around to look at ${t_them}, and ${t_their} arms slip away from you. "You're very ticklish." "A little," you agree. You feel hot and flustered. You choose not to think about it more closely. "So the cocktail." "Allow me," ${t_they} says with a grin. $!{t_they} passes behind you, lightly touching you shoulders as ${t_they} goes. *if (drunk = false) "Not gonna ask nice?" Tony asks with a grin. *fake_choice #I step closer and pout. "Pretty, pretty please?" *set awk %- 5 *set bol +1 You can feel the hairs on your arm stand up as you get closer. "Pretty, pretty please?" you ask with a perfect pout. Tony's grin grows larger. "Well since you asked so nice. Those puppy-dog-eyes are a weapon, you know." #I blush. "P-please?" *set yie %+ 5 *set shy +1 Heat rises to your cheeks, and you look down at your feet. "P-please?" you ask. "As if I could resist such a pretty picture," Tony says, and you blush even more deeply. You watch Tony mix the ${var} and pour it into your glass. "Bottoms up," Tony prompts *if (yr1_06_14_20_2_5_2_1 = 3) "Wait!" you say. You grab a paper umbrella from a cup filled with them and place it on the rim of the glass. "Now it's complete." Tony rolls ${t_their} eyes and laughs. *if (yr1_06_14_20_2_5_2_1 != 0) You grab the glass and take a sip. Does it taste like *if (yr1_06_14_20_2_5_2_1 = 1) banana pudding? *if (yr1_06_14_20_2_5_2_1 = 2) a bourbon truffle? *if (yr1_06_14_20_2_5_2_1 = 3) peach cobbler? *if (yr1_06_14_20_2_5_2_1 = 4) pecan pie? *if (yr1_06_14_20_2_5_2_1 != 0) Maybe not quite, but the inspiration is there! *if (yr1_06_14_20_2_5_2_1 = 1) It definitely tastes like bananas, if not pudding precisely. *if (yr1_06_14_20_2_5_2_1 = 2) It tastes like bourbon, and it tastes like chocolate. Of course there's a whole lot more than 1/12th of a tablespoon of bourbon in this glass. *if (yr1_06_14_20_2_5_2_1 = 3) It tastes like peach, which is the main thing. *if (yr1_06_14_20_2_5_2_1 = 4) It tastes like maple syrup, if not pecans. You don't think you'd want to [i]drink[/i] pecans though. The orange definitely lightens things up too. *if (yr1_06_14_20_2_5_2_1 != 0) "Not bad." "Not bad?? Not bad, ${they} say${v}! You're a demanding customer." "I'm [i]discerning[/i]!" Tony shakes ${t_their} head at your antics and continues to watch you as you enjoy your ${var}. *gosub_scene mechanics_setup flirt_style *if (style = 3) You're beginning to grow nervous under ${t_their} scrutiny. "Something on my face?" you ask in half-jest. "This was fun," ${t_they} says at last. "We should do it again." "You'll run out of room on your menu for special drinks." "Speaking of which, we need to name your ${var}. What'll it be?" *choice *if (nickname != first_name) #"The ${nickname}." *set cocktail nickname "An excellent name," Tony declares. "I agree," you say with a laugh. #"The ${first_name}." *set cocktail first_name "An excellent name," Tony declares. "I agree," you say with a laugh. #"The ${last_name}." *set cocktail last_name "An excellent name," Tony declares. "I agree," you say with a laugh. #"The Kentuckiana." *set cocktail "Kentuckiana" "The Kentuckiana," Tony repeats. "I think it'll be a conversation starter." #"Hmm, how about—" *label name "How about *input_text cocktail *set drink "$!{cocktail}" "The ${cocktail}?" Tony asks. *fake_choice #Yes #On second thought— *goto name "Do you think it'll be a success?" Tony takes the glass from you, ${t_their} fingers brushing against yours and sending a thrill down your spine. $!{t_they} takes a sip. *if (yr1_06_14_20_2_5_2_1 = 1) "I predict a small but dedicated following," *if (yr1_06_14_20_2_5_2_1 = 2) "A special occasion cocktail, I think," *if (yr1_06_14_20_2_5_2_1 = 3) "I don't know if this English village is ready for cold tea, but the peach will earn some favor," *if (yr1_06_14_20_2_5_2_1 = 4) "This doesn't deviate too far from your run-of-the-mill bar menu. It'll gain in popularity," *if (yr1_06_14_20_2_5_2_1 != 0) ${t_they} concludes. *if (yr1_06_14_20_2_5_2_1 = 1) "Charlie will like it." "As much as sex on the beach?" Tony grins. "That remains to be seen. She won't blush to order this one though." "Then maybe we should rename it." Tony laughs. *if (yr1_06_14_20_2_5_2_1 != 0) *if (((cocktail = nickname) or (cocktail = first_name)) or (cocktail = last_name)) "It'll be strange to see my name on a menu." Tony's eyes brighten with mischief. "I would order you if I saw you on a menu." *if (style = 1) You raise an eyebrow at your provocateur. "Is that so?" "In a heart beat." *else Is it hot in here? Your cheeks are. Again. "I would drink you up," ${t_they} adds. You look up at your provocateur. "You're so easy to fluster," ${t_they} says in a gentler tone, placing a hand on your forearm. *if (((cocktail != nickname) and (cocktail != first_name)) and (cocktail != last_name)) Tony hands the glass back to you, and you take another sip of your specialty ${drink}. *if (style = 1) You look into ${t_their} eyes as you gulp down the drink. *else Your stomach dances around knowing that you're sharing a drink with the flirtatious bartender. *if (yr1_06_14_20_2_5_2_1 != 0) Your phone rings. It's Alex. You groan. "I've gotta go. Thank you for this," you say, gesturing vaguely. Tony nods. *if (yr1_06_11_20_1 = 2) "You still owe me a dinner," *else "Don't be a stranger," ${t_they} calls after you. *label transition *page_break *goto_scene mechanics_crafting yr1_jun *label blackjack *set var "." *gosub deal *if (round1 = true) $!{t_they} deals to Claudia first, laying down the three of clubs. She grimaces at her card. Tony reveals the next card and lays it down in front of you. It's the *gosub card_1_player *if (mc1_num = 1) A barely audible gasp escapes your young opponent as she eyes your ace with envy. *elseif (mc1_num = 2) Claudia eyes your card with relief. Tony deals ${t_them}self a card, leaving it face-side down as ${t_they} refocuses ${t_their} attention back to Claudia. $!{t_they} gives her another card, revealing the jack of clubs. Claudia frowns and kicks the chair under the table, clearly disappointed with her hand. She looks back to her ${t_sib} and watches him deal your card. Tony turns to you and slides you the *gosub card_2_player *if (mc1_num + mc2_num) = 11 *if ((((((((mc1 = 1) or (mc1 = 14)) or (mc1 = 27)) or (mc1 = 40)) or (mc2 = 1)) or (mc2 = 14)) or (mc3 = 27)) or (mc2 = 40)) *set hand1 1 *else *set hand1 0 *if (hand1 = 1) "Not fair!" Claudia complains. "Hush now," Tony chides. "We're not finished." *elseif (mc1_num + mc2_num) > 13 Claudia glances over at your hand when she thinks you're not looking, staring longingly at your cards. *else Claudia wrinkles her nose at your hand. Tony deals ${t_them}self a second card, the six of diamonds. Claudia looks between her hand and her ${t_sib}'s card, her eyes brightening with excitement. "You want another card, kiddo?" She nods and boosts herself onto her knees in her chair. Leaning on her elbows, she bounces up and down and taps her cards impatiently. Tony reveals the next card in the deck: the queen of hearts. "Nooooo!" she nearly wails. Tony shoots her a sharp look, and she hushes. "Can we play again?" "We will," ${t_they} promises. *if (hand1 = 0) "But first, ${name} gets a turn to play, okay?" "Okay," Claudia agrees with a sulk. *goto hit_or_stand *else "Give me your cards, and I'll deal." The two of you pass your cards back to Tony, and ${t_they} makes good on {t_their} promise. *set round1 false *set round2 true *page_break *goto blackjack *if (round2 = true) "Round two!" Tony announces with a grin. $!{t_they} slides a card to ${t_their} sister. You peek over to see that it's the seven of hearts. Giving you a distracted grin, ${t_they} deals your first card: the *gosub card_1_player *if ((mc1_num = 1) or (mc1_num > 7)) Your little opponent shoots you a dirty look. $!{t_they} lays ${t_their} first card down in front of ${t_them}self and deals another card to ${t_their} sister. You notice that it's the queen of clubs. She looks marginally more resigned to her hand this round than the last one, but she lets out a little disappointed huff. Tony deals your second card: the *gosub card_2_player *if (mc1_num + mc2_num) = 11 *if ((((((((mc1 = 1) or (mc1 = 14)) or (mc1 = 27)) or (mc1 = 40)) or (mc2 = 1)) or (mc2 = 14)) or (mc3 = 27)) or (mc2 = 40)) *set hand2 1 *else *set hand2 0 *if ((hand1 = 1) and (hand2 = 1)) "That's impossible," Claudia mumbles. Tony frowns at her. "Be a good sport, kiddo." *elseif (hand2 = 1) Claudia eyes your hand with thinly veiled hostility. *elseif (mc1 + mc2) > 17 Claudia glances anxiously between your hand and her own. *else Claudia turns her eyes back on her ${t_sib}, her shaking leg shaking the table with it in her impatience. Tony flips over ${t_their} second card, the three of spades. Claudia grins at the development and leans closer to her ${t_sib}. "You want another card?" Tony asks her. She eyes the deck, chewing on her bottom lip as she concentrates on the impossible problem. Finally she shakes her head no. *if (hand2 = 0) "How about you?" *goto hit_or_stand *else Claudia practically stands in her chair as Tony begins to reveal ${t_their} cards. The first is the five of spades, and she inhales sharply. Then the five of clubs, eliciting a groan from the little gambler. [i]Surely the next will put ${t_them} out[/i]. But it's the two of spades, bringing Tony up to 15. You think Claudia has stopped breathing as she waits for ${t_sib} to end ${t_their} dramatic pause and play the next card. When it's the three of diamonds, you can barely contain your own amusement. "That's not possible!" Claudia announces with righteous indignation. Tony blinks ${t_their} eyes a few times. "And why is that?" "I never lose." "Well, it's a feeling you're going to have to grow accustomed to, because you just did, kiddo." "Deal again." "I will," ${t_they} says. *set round2 false *set round3 true *page_break *goto blackjack *if (round3 = true) "Last round," Tony says. $!{t_they} deals the queen of diamonds to Claudia, much to her relief. Then ${t_they} slides a card to you, *gosub card_1_player $!{t_they} slaps a card in front of ${t_them}self and starts the cycle again. Claudia's second card is the ace of spades, and she squeals with delight. Much to your surprise, the shy child sticks her tongue out at you. "I win!" she says, turning to her ${t_sib}. $!{t_they} laughs. "You do," ${t_they} agrees, "but you're not playing against ${name}. You're playing against [i]me[/i]." She cocks her head and looks over at you again. "But ${theyre} playing too," she argues. "Yes, but in Blackjack, you only play against the dealer. Me." Claudia scrunches up her eyebrows, clearly not convinced, but she doesn't argue. Instead her eyes turn back to you as she waits for her ${t_sib} to deal your next card. Tony turns to you and slides you the *gosub card_2_player *if (mc1_num + mc2_num) = 11 *if ((((((((mc1 = 1) or (mc1 = 14)) or (mc1 = 27)) or (mc1 = 40)) or (mc2 = 1)) or (mc2 = 14)) or (mc3 = 27)) or (mc2 = 40)) *set hand3 1 *else *set hand3 0 *if (((hand1 = 1) and (hand2 = 1)) and (hand3 = 1)) "Not again!" Claudia whines. "How is that even possible?" You turn your eyes to Tony, wondering the same thing. $!{t_they} shrugs with a sly grin. "Luck of the draw." *elseif (hand3 = 1) "Two blackjacks in one round, not bad," Tony says with a sly grin. Claudia looks mildly put out with you for stealing her spotlight, and she pouts with her arms crossed. *else You glance over at the smug look on Claudia's face and wonder if the child knows the word schadenfreude. *if (hand3 = 0) "You want another card?" Tony asks. *goto hit_or_stand *else "I think that's enough for one day," Tony says. *goto game_over *label game_over You reach out behind yourself and stretch. "Playing cards is hard work." Claudia looks at you dubiously. "Thanks for joining us," Tony says with a smile. $!{t_they} shoots a look at Claudia, and she mumbles, "And thank you for the buckeyes." "It was my pleasure. Catch you around?" *set counter 0 *if ((hand1 = 1) or (hand1 = 2)) *set counter +1 *if ((hand2 = 1) or (hand2 = 2)) *set counter +1 *if ((hand3 = 1) or (hand3 = 2)) *set counter +1 *if (counter = 3) *set rp +1 *achieve blackjack Tony nods. "We can always use another card player." *if (counter = 3) Then, grinning, ${t_they} adds, "Especially one as good as you. As long as we're not playing for money, that is." Smiling, you wave goodbye and see yourself out. *finish *comment GUIDE TO CARDS *comment 1 - ACE OF CLUBS *comment 2 - 2 *comment 3 - 3 *comment 4 - 4 *comment 5 - 5 *comment 6 - 6 *comment 7 - 7 *comment 8 - 8 *comment 9 - 9 *comment 10 - 10 *comment 11 - JACK OF CLUBS *comment 12 - QUEEN OF CLUBS *comment 13 - KING OF CLUBS *comment 14 - ACE OF DIAMONDS *comment 15 - 2 *comment 16 - 3 *comment 17 - 4 *comment 18 - 5 *comment 19 - 6 *comment 20 - 7 *comment 21 - 8 *comment 22 - 9 *comment 23 - 10 *comment 24 - JACK OF DIAMONDS *comment 25 - QUEEN OF DIAMONDS *comment 26 - KING OF DIAMONDS *comment 27 - ACE OF HEARTS *comment 28 - 2 *comment 29 - 3 *comment 30 - 4 *comment 31 - 5 *comment 32 - 6 *comment 33 - 7 *comment 34 - 8 *comment 35 - 9 *comment 36 - 10 *comment 37 - JACK OF HEARTS *comment 38 - QUEEN OF HEARTS *comment 39 - KING OF HEARTS *comment 40 - ACE OF SPADES *comment 41 - 2 *comment 42 - 3 *comment 43 - 4 *comment 44 - 5 *comment 45 - 6 *comment 46 - 7 *comment 47 - 8 *comment 48 - 9 *comment 49 - 10 *comment 50 - JACK OF SPADES *comment 51 - QUEEN OF SPADES *comment 52 - KIND OF SPADES *label deal *if (round1 = true) *comment 2 OF CLUBS *set d1 2 *set d1_num 2 *comment 6 OF DIAMONDS *set d2 19 *set d2_num 6 *comment 9 OF HEARTS *set d3 35 *set d3_num 9 *comment 10 OF SPADES *set d4 49 *set d4_num 10 *comment 3 OF CLUBS *set o1 3 *set o1_num 3 *comment JACK OF CLUBS *set o2 11 *set o2_num 10 *comment QUEEN OF HEARTS *set o3 38 *set o3_num 10 *if (round2 = true) *comment 5 OF SPADES *set d1 44 *set d1_num 5 *comment 3 OF SPADES *set d2 42 *set d2_num 3 *comment 5 OF CLUBS *set d3 5 *set d3_num 5 *comment 2 OF SPADES *set d4 41 *set d4_num 2 *comment 3 OF DIAMONDS *set d5 16 *set d5_num 3 *comment ACE OF CLUBS *set d6 1 *set d6_num 1 *comment JACK OF CLUBS *set d7 11 *set d7_num 10 *comment 7 OF HEARTS *set o1 33 *set o1_num 7 *comment QUEEN OF CLUBS *set o2 12 *set o2_num 10 *set o3 0 *if (round3 = true) *comment 9 OF DIAMONDS *set d1 22 *set d1_num 9 *comment 8 OF HEARTS *set d2 34 *set d2_num 8 *comment 2 OF HEARTS *set d3 28 *set d3_num 2 *comment 5 OF DIAMONDS *set d4 18 *set d4_num 5 *set d5 0 *set d6 0 *set d7 0 *comment QUEEN OF DIAMONDS *set o1 25 *set o1_num 10 *comment ACE OF SPADES *set o2 40 *set o2_num 11 *set mc1 0 *set mc1_num 0 *set mc2 0 *set mc2_num 0 *set mc3 0 *set mc3_num 0 *set mc4 0 *set mc4_num 0 *set mc5 0 *set mc5_num 0 *set mc_num 0 *label player_card_1 *rand mc1 1 52 *if ((((((((((mc1 = o3) or (mc1 = o2)) or (mc1 = o1)) or (mc1 = d7)) or (mc1 = d6)) or (mc1 = d5)) or (mc1 = d4)) or (mc1 = d3)) or (mc1 = d2)) or (mc1 = d1)) *goto player_card_1 *label player_card_2 *rand mc2 1 52 *if (((((((((((mc2 = mc1) or (mc2 = o3)) or (mc2 = o2)) or (mc2 = o1)) or (mc2 = d7)) or (mc2 = d6)) or (mc2 = d5)) or (mc2 = d4)) or (mc2 = d3)) or (mc2 = d2)) or (mc2 = d1)) *goto player_card_2 *label player_card_3 *rand mc3 1 52 *if ((((((((((((mc3 = mc2) or (mc3 = mc1)) or (mc3 = o3)) or (mc3 = o2)) or (mc3 = o1)) or (mc3 = d7)) or (mc3 = d6)) or (mc3 = d5)) or (mc3 = d4)) or (mc3 = d3)) or (mc3 = d2)) or (mc3 = d1)) *goto player_card_3 *label player_card_4 *rand mc4 1 52 *if (((((((((((((mc4 = mc3) or (mc4 = mc2)) or (mc4 = mc1)) or (mc4 = o3)) or (mc4 = o2)) or (mc4 = o1)) or (mc4 = d7)) or (mc4 = d6)) or (mc4 = d5)) or (mc4 = d4)) or (mc4 = d3)) or (mc4 = d2)) or (mc4 = d1)) *goto player_card_4 *label player_card_5 *rand mc5 1 52 *if ((((((((((((((mc5 = mc4) or (mc5 = mc3)) or (mc5 = mc2)) or (mc5 = mc1)) or (mc5 = o3)) or (mc5 = o2)) or (mc5 = o1)) or (mc5 = d7)) or (mc5 = d6)) or (mc5 = d5)) or (mc5 = d4)) or (mc5 = d3)) or (mc5 = d2)) or (mc5 = d1)) *goto player_card_5 *return *label hit_or_stand *set num 0 *set num + mc1_num *set num + mc2_num *set card 2 *choice #Hit. *set card 3 Tony deals you a third card. It's the *gosub card_3_player *set num + mc3_num Your score is ${num}. *if (num = 21) *goto player_wins *elseif (num = 11) *if ((((((((((((mc1 = 1) or (mc1 = 14)) or (mc1 = 27)) or (mc1 = 40)) or (mc2 = 1)) or (mc2 = 14)) or (mc2 = 27)) or (mc2 = 40)) or (mc3 = 1)) or (mc3 = 14)) or (mc3 = 27)) or (mc3 = 40)) *goto player_wins *else *goto three_cards *elseif (num > 21) *goto player_loses *else *label three_cards You consider your hand. *set var "," You have the *gosub card_1_player *gosub card_2_player *set var "." and *gosub card_3_player "You want another card?" Tony asks. *choice #Hit. *set card 4 Tony slips you the *gosub card_4_player *set num + mc4_num *if (num = 21) *goto player_wins *elseif (num = 11) *if ((((((((((((((((mc1 = 1) or (mc1 = 14)) or (mc1 = 27)) or (mc1 = 40)) or (mc2 = 1)) or (mc2 = 14)) or (mc2 = 27)) or (mc2 = 40)) or (mc3 = 1)) or (mc3 = 14)) or (mc3 = 27)) or (mc3 = 40)) or (mc4 = 1)) or (mc4 = 14)) or (mc4 = 27)) or (mc4 = 40)) *goto player_wins *else *goto four_cards *elseif (num > 21) *goto player_loses *else *label four_cards You look at your growing pile of cards. *set var "," You have the *gosub card_1_player *gosub card_2_player *gosub card_3_player *set var "." and *gosub card_4_player "Hit or stand?" Tony asks. *choice #Hit. *set card 5 Tony deals you another card, the *gosub card_5_player *set num + mc5_num *if (num = 21) "Well I'll be damned," Tony mutters, and you grin. "That's a bad word," Claudia says. Tony sticks ${t_their} tongue out at her. *goto player_wins *elseif (num < 21) Tony's eyes widen in surprise. "You win by default." *goto player_wins *else *goto player_loses #Stand. "Wise choice," Tony says. *goto stand #Stand. Tony nods. "Probably for the best." *goto stand #Stand. *gosub score *goto stand *label score *if (card = 2) *set num 0 *set num + mc1_num *set num + mc2_num *if (card = 3) *set num 0 *set num + mc1_num *set num + mc2_num *set num + mc3_num *if (card = 4) *set num 0 *set num + mc1_num *set num + mc2_num *set num + mc3_num *set num + mc4_num *if (card = 5) *set num 0 *set num + mc1_num *set num + mc2_num *set num + mc3_num *set num + mc4_num *set num + mc5_num *return *label stand *if (round1 = true) *gosub score Tony reveals the two of clubs. *if (num < 8) *set hand1 4 *goto player_loses $!{t_they} deals the next card. It's the nine of hearts. *if (num < 17) *set hand1 4 *goto player_loses $!{t_they} reveals a final card: the ten of spades. Tony shrugs. "I'm out." *goto player_wins *bug *if (round2 = true) *gosub score Claudia practically stands in her chair as Tony begins to reveal ${t_their} cards, and you take a deep breath in, her excitement catching. Tony reveals the first card, the five of spaddes. *if (num < 8) *set hand2 4 $!{t_they} grins at you, and you stick your tongue out. You're out. Next is the five of clubs, eliciting a groan from your opponent. *if (num < 13) *set hand2 4 You groan too, at your own loss. You're out. [i]Surely the next will put ${t_them} out[/i]. But it's the two of spades, bringing Tony up to 15. *if (num < 15) *set hand2 4 And beating [i]you[/i]. You think Claudia has stopped breathing as she waits for ${t_sib} to end ${t_their} dramatic pause and play the next card. When it's the three of diamonds, you can barely contain your own amusement. *if (num < 18) *set hand2 4 $!{t_they}'s beat [i]both[/i] of you, and Claudia is none too pleased. "That's not possible!" Claudia announces with righteous indignation. Tony blinks ${t_their} eyes a few times. "And why is that?" "I never lose." "Well, it's a feeling you're going to have to grow accustomed to, because you just did, kiddo." She huffs. *if (hand2 = 4) "Hey, you're in good company," ${t_they} says with a nod toward you. Claudia looks over at you with a mulish expression on her face. "Deal again," she demands. "I will," ${t_they} says. *if (hand2 = 4) "Give me your cards." *set round2 false *set round3 true *page_break *goto blackjack *bug "But we gotta finish this round first." $!{t_they} plays the next card, the ace of clubs. *if (num < 19) *set hand2 4 "It's about time," you chide, sliding your cards back to the charming dealer. $!{t_they} grins and you and reshuffles the deck. *set round2 false *set round3 true *page_break *goto blackjack *bug "Are you doing this on purpose?" you ask with a laugh. $!{t_they} winks at you before revealing ${t_their} [i]seventh[/i] card. At last it's the jack of clubs. Claudia shoots you a dirty look as Tony congratulates you on your win and reshuffles the deck. *set hand2 2 *set round2 false *set round3 true *page_break *goto blackjack *bug *if (round3 = true) *gosub score Tony lays down another card, the nine of diamonds. *if (num < 17) *set hand3 4 *goto player_loses *bug Claudia groans, bored with the game. Tony plays the two of hearts. *if (num < 19) *set hand3 4 *goto player_loses *bug You're beginning to get bored too, but thankfully Tony deals the last card. It's the five of diamonds. *goto player_wins *bug *bug *label player_wins *if (round1 = true) *set hand1 2 You grin at your win. "Nice job," Tony says, collecting your cards and reshuffling the deck. *set round1 false *set round2 true *page_break *goto blackjack *bug *if (round2 = true) *set hand2 2 You smile at your win, despite your companion's sulking, before passing your cards to Tony. *set round2 false *set round3 true *page_break *goto blackjack *bug *if (round3 = true) *set hand3 2 "Nice hand," Tony says. "I can hardly take credit for the cards." *goto game_over *bug *bug *label player_loses *if (round1 = true) You shrug. "So much for beginner's luck." "Better luck next time," Tony says with a wink. *set round1 false *set round2 true *page_break *goto blackjack *bug *if (round2 = true) "Maybe next time," you say. Tony collects your cards and shuffles the deck. *set round2 false *set round3 true *page_break *goto blackjack *bug *if (round3 = true) You yawn, growing bored with the game. Doesn't help that you lost this round. Tony gives you a good-natured shrug, though Claudia is certainly less sympathetic. *goto game_over *bug *comment PLAYER'S CARDS *label card_1_player *if (mc1 = 1) *set mc1_num 1 ace of clubs${var} *elseif (mc1 = 2) *set mc1_num 2 two of clubs${var} *elseif (mc1 = 3) *set mc1_num 4 three of clubs${var} *elseif (mc1 = 4) *set mc1_num 4 four of clubs${var} *elseif (mc1 = 5) *set mc1_num 5 five of clubs${var} *elseif (mc1 = 6) *set mc1_num 6 six of clubs${var} *elseif (mc1 = 7) *set mc1_num 7 seven of clubs${var} *elseif (mc1 = 8) *set mc1_num 8 eight of clubs${var} *elseif (mc1 = 9) *set mc1_num 9 nine of clubs${var} *elseif (mc1 = 10) *set mc1_num 10 ten of clubs${var} *elseif (mc1 = 11) *set mc1_num 10 jack of clubs${var} *elseif (mc1 = 12) *set mc1_num 10 queen of clubs${var} *elseif (mc1 = 13) *set mc1_num 10 king of clubs${var} *elseif (mc1 = 14) *set mc1_num 1 ace of diamonds${var} *elseif (mc1 = 15) *set mc1_num 2 two of diamonds${var} *elseif (mc1 = 16) *set mc1_num 3 three of diamonds${var} *elseif (mc1 = 17) *set mc1_num 4 four of diamonds${var} *elseif (mc1 = 18) *set mc1_num 5 five of diamonds${var} *elseif (mc1 = 19) *set mc1_num 6 six of diamonds${var} *elseif (mc1 = 20) *set mc1_num 7 seven of diamonds${var} *elseif (mc1 = 21) *set mc1_num 8 eight of diamonds${var} *elseif (mc1 = 22) *set mc1_num 9 nine of diamonds${var} *elseif (mc1 = 23) *set mc1_num 10 ten of diamonds${var} *elseif (mc1 = 24) *set mc1_num 10 jack of diamonds${var} *elseif (mc1 = 25) *set mc1_num 10 queen of diamonds${var} *elseif (mc1 = 26) *set mc1_num 10 king of diamonds${var} *elseif (mc1 = 27) *set mc1_num 1 ace of hearts${var} *elseif (mc1 = 28) *set mc1_num 2 two of hearts *elseif (mc1 = 29) *set mc1_num 3 three of hearts${var} *elseif (mc1 = 30) *set mc1_num 4 four of hearts${var} *elseif (mc1 = 31) *set mc1_num 5 five of hearts${var} *elseif (mc1 = 32) *set mc1_num 6 six of hearts${var} *elseif (mc1 = 33) *set mc1_num 7 seven of hearts${var} *elseif (mc1 = 34) *set mc1_num 8 eight of hearts${var} *elseif (mc1 = 35) *set mc1_num 9 nine of hearts${var} *elseif (mc1 = 36) *set mc1_num 10 ten of hearts${var} *elseif (mc1 = 37) *set mc1_num 10 jack of hearts${var} *elseif (mc1 = 38) *set mc1_num 10 queen of hearts${var} *elseif (mc1 = 39) *set mc1_num 10 king of hearts${var} *elseif (mc1 = 40) *set mc1_num 1 ace of spades${var} *elseif (mc1 = 41) *set mc1_num 2 two of spades${var} *elseif (mc1 = 42) *set mc1_num 3 three of spades${var} *elseif (mc1 = 43) *set mc1_num 4 four of spades${var} *elseif (mc1 = 44) *set mc1_num 5 five of spades${var} *elseif (mc1 = 45) *set mc1_num 6 six of spades${var} *elseif (mc1 = 46) *set mc1_num 7 seven of spades${var} *elseif (mc1 = 47) *set mc1_num 8 eight of spades${var} *elseif (mc1 = 48) *set mc1_num 9 nine of spades${var} *elseif (mc1 = 49) *set mc1_num 10 ten of spades${var} *elseif (mc1 = 50) *set mc1_num 10 jack of spades${var} *elseif (mc1 = 51) *set mc1_num 10 queen of spades${var} *elseif (mc1 = 52) *set mc1_num 10 king of spades${var} *return *label card_2_player *if (mc2 = 1) *set mc2_num 1 ace of clubs${var} *elseif (mc2 = 2) *set mc2_num 2 two of clubs${var} *elseif (mc2 = 3) *set mc2_num 4 three of clubs${var} *elseif (mc2 = 4) *set mc2_num 4 four of clubs${var} *elseif (mc2 = 5) *set mc2_num 5 five of clubs${var} *elseif (mc2 = 6) *set mc2_num 6 six of clubs${var} *elseif (mc2 = 7) *set mc2_num 7 seven of clubs${var} *elseif (mc2 = 8) *set mc2_num 8 eight of clubs${var} *elseif (mc2 = 9) *set mc2_num 9 nine of clubs${var} *elseif (mc2 = 10) *set mc2_num 10 ten of clubs${var} *elseif (mc2 = 11) *set mc2_num 10 jack of clubs${var} *elseif (mc2 = 12) *set mc2_num 10 queen of clubs${var} *elseif (mc2 = 13) *set mc2_num 10 king of clubs${var} *elseif (mc2 = 14) *set mc2_num 1 ace of diamonds${var} *elseif (mc2 = 15) *set mc2_num 2 two of diamonds${var} *elseif (mc2 = 16) *set mc2_num 3 three of diamonds${var} *elseif (mc2 = 17) *set mc2_num 4 four of diamonds${var} *elseif (mc2 = 18) *set mc2_num 5 five of diamonds${var} *elseif (mc2 = 19) *set mc2_num 6 six of diamonds${var} *elseif (mc2 = 20) *set mc2_num 7 seven of diamonds${var} *elseif (mc2 = 21) *set mc2_num 8 eight of diamonds${var} *elseif (mc2 = 22) *set mc2_num 9 nine of diamonds${var} *elseif (mc2 = 23) *set mc2_num 10 ten of diamonds${var} *elseif (mc2 = 24) *set mc2_num 10 jack of diamonds${var} *elseif (mc2 = 25) *set mc2_num 10 queen of diamonds${var} *elseif (mc2 = 26) *set mc2_num 10 king of diamonds${var} *elseif (mc2 = 27) *set mc2_num 1 ace of hearts${var} *elseif (mc2 = 28) *set mc2_num 2 two of hearts${var} *elseif (mc2 = 29) *set mc2_num 3 three of hearts${var} *elseif (mc2 = 30) *set mc2_num 4 four of hearts${var} *elseif (mc2 = 31) *set mc2_num 5 five of hearts${var} *elseif (mc2 = 32) *set mc2_num 6 six of hearts${var} *elseif (mc2 = 33) *set mc2_num 7 seven of hearts${var} *elseif (mc2 = 34) *set mc2_num 8 eight of hearts${var} *elseif (mc2 = 35) *set mc2_num 9 nine of hearts${var} *elseif (mc2 = 36) *set mc2_num 10 ten of hearts${var} *elseif (mc2 = 37) *set mc2_num 10 jack of hearts${var} *elseif (mc2 = 38) *set mc2_num 10 queen of hearts${var} *elseif (mc2 = 39) *set mc2_num 10 king of hearts${var} *elseif (mc2 = 40) *set mc2_num 1 ace of spades${var} *elseif (mc2 = 41) *set mc2_num 2 two of spades${var} *elseif (mc2 = 42) *set mc2_num 3 three of spades${var} *elseif (mc2 = 43) *set mc2_num 4 four of spades${var} *elseif (mc2 = 44) *set mc2_num 5 five of spades${var} *elseif (mc2 = 45) *set mc2_num 6 six of spades${var} *elseif (mc2 = 46) *set mc2_num 7 seven of spades${var} *elseif (mc2 = 47) *set mc2_num 8 eight of spades${var} *elseif (mc2 = 48) *set mc2_num 9 nine of spades${var} *elseif (mc2 = 49) *set mc2_num 10 ten of spades${var} *elseif (mc2 = 50) *set mc2_num 10 jack of spades${var} *elseif (mc2 = 51) *set mc2_num 10 queen of spades${var} *elseif (mc2 = 52) *set mc2_num 10 king of spades${var} *return *label card_3_player *if (mc3 = 1) *set mc3_num 1 ace of clubs${var} *elseif (mc3 = 2) *set mc3_num 2 two of clubs${var} *elseif (mc3 = 3) *set mc3_num 4 three of clubs${var} *elseif (mc3 = 4) *set mc3_num 4 four of clubs${var} *elseif (mc3 = 5) *set mc3_num 5 five of clubs${var} *elseif (mc3 = 6) *set mc3_num 6 six of clubs${var} *elseif (mc3 = 7) *set mc3_num 7 seven of clubs${var} *elseif (mc3 = 8) *set mc3_num 8 eight of clubs${var} *elseif (mc3 = 9) *set mc3_num 9 nine of clubs${var} *elseif (mc3 = 10) *set mc3_num 10 ten of clubs${var} *elseif (mc3 = 11) *set mc3_num 10 jack of clubs${var} *elseif (mc3 = 12) *set mc3_num 10 queen of clubs${var} *elseif (mc3 = 13) *set mc3_num 10 king of clubs${var} *elseif (mc3 = 14) *set mc3_num 1 ace of diamonds${var} *elseif (mc3 = 15) *set mc3_num 2 two of diamonds${var} *elseif (mc3 = 16) *set mc3_num 3 three of diamonds${var} *elseif (mc3 = 17) *set mc3_num 4 four of diamonds${var} *elseif (mc3 = 18) *set mc3_num 5 five of diamonds${var} *elseif (mc3 = 19) *set mc3_num 6 six of diamonds${var} *elseif (mc3 = 20) *set mc3_num 7 seven of diamonds${var} *elseif (mc3 = 21) *set mc3_num 8 eight of diamonds${var} *elseif (mc3 = 22) *set mc3_num 9 nine of diamonds${var} *elseif (mc3 = 23) *set mc3_num 10 ten of diamonds${var} *elseif (mc3 = 24) *set mc3_num 10 jack of diamonds${var} *elseif (mc3 = 25) *set mc3_num 10 queen of diamonds${var} *elseif (mc3 = 26) *set mc3_num 10 king of diamonds${var} *elseif (mc3 = 27) *set mc3_num 1 ace of hearts${var} *elseif (mc3 = 28) *set mc3_num 2 two of hearts${var} *elseif (mc3 = 29) *set mc3_num 3 three of hearts${var} *elseif (mc3 = 30) *set mc3_num 4 four of hearts${var} *elseif (mc3 = 31) *set mc3_num 5 five of hearts${var} *elseif (mc3 = 32) *set mc3_num 6 six of hearts${var} *elseif (mc3 = 33) *set mc3_num 7 seven of hearts${var} *elseif (mc3 = 34) *set mc3_num 8 eight of hearts${var} *elseif (mc3 = 35) *set mc3_num 9 nine of hearts${var} *elseif (mc3 = 36) *set mc3_num 10 ten of hearts${var} *elseif (mc3 = 37) *set mc3_num 10 jack of hearts${var} *elseif (mc3 = 38) *set mc3_num 10 queen of hearts${var} *elseif (mc3 = 39) *set mc3_num 10 king of hearts${var} *elseif (mc3 = 40) *set mc3_num 1 ace of spades${var} *elseif (mc3 = 41) *set mc3_num 2 two of spades${var} *elseif (mc3 = 42) *set mc3_num 3 three of spades${var} *elseif (mc3 = 43) *set mc3_num 4 four of spades${var} *elseif (mc3 = 44) *set mc3_num 5 five of spades${var} *elseif (mc3 = 45) *set mc3_num 6 six of spades${var} *elseif (mc3 = 46) *set mc3_num 7 seven of spades${var} *elseif (mc3 = 47) *set mc3_num 8 eight of spades${var} *elseif (mc3 = 48) *set mc3_num 9 nine of spades${var} *elseif (mc3 = 49) *set mc3_num 10 ten of spades${var} *elseif (mc3 = 50) *set mc3_num 10 jack of spades${var} *elseif (mc3 = 51) *set mc3_num 10 queen of spades${var} *elseif (mc3 = 52) *set mc3_num 10 king of spades${var} *return *label card_4_player *if (mc4 = 1) *set mc4_num 1 ace of clubs${var} *elseif (mc4 = 2) *set mc4_num 2 two of clubs${var} *elseif (mc4 = 3) *set mc4_num 4 three of clubs${var} *elseif (mc4 = 4) *set mc4_num 4 four of clubs${var} *elseif (mc4 = 5) *set mc4_num 5 five of clubs${var} *elseif (mc4 = 6) *set mc4_num 6 six of clubs${var} *elseif (mc4 = 7) *set mc4_num 7 seven of clubs${var} *elseif (mc4 = 8) *set mc4_num 8 eight of clubs${var} *elseif (mc4 = 9) *set mc4_num 9 nine of clubs${var} *elseif (mc4 = 10) *set mc4_num 10 ten of clubs${var} *elseif (mc4 = 11) *set mc4_num 10 jack of clubs${var} *elseif (mc4 = 12) *set mc4_num 10 queen of clubs${var} *elseif (mc4 = 13) *set mc4_num 10 king of clubs${var} *elseif (mc4 = 14) *set mc4_num 1 ace of diamonds${var} *elseif (mc4 = 15) *set mc4_num 2 two of diamonds${var} *elseif (mc4 = 16) *set mc4_num 3 three of diamonds${var} *elseif (mc4 = 17) *set mc4_num 4 four of diamonds${var} *elseif (mc4 = 18) *set mc4_num 5 five of diamonds${var} *elseif (mc4 = 19) *set mc4_num 6 six of diamonds${var} *elseif (mc4 = 20) *set mc4_num 7 seven of diamonds${var} *elseif (mc4 = 21) *set mc4_num 8 eight of diamonds${var} *elseif (mc4 = 22) *set mc4_num 9 nine of diamonds${var} *elseif (mc4 = 23) *set mc4_num 10 ten of diamonds${var} *elseif (mc4 = 24) *set mc4_num 10 jack of diamonds${var} *elseif (mc4 = 25) *set mc4_num 10 queen of diamonds${var} *elseif (mc4 = 26) *set mc4_num 10 king of diamonds${var} *elseif (mc4 = 27) *set mc4_num 1 ace of hearts${var} *elseif (mc4 = 28) *set mc4_num 2 two of hearts${var} *elseif (mc4 = 29) *set mc4_num 3 three of hearts${var} *elseif (mc4 = 30) *set mc4_num 4 four of hearts${var} *elseif (mc4 = 31) *set mc4_num 5 five of hearts${var} *elseif (mc4 = 32) *set mc4_num 6 six of hearts${var} *elseif (mc4 = 33) *set mc4_num 7 seven of hearts${var} *elseif (mc4 = 34) *set mc4_num 8 eight of hearts${var} *elseif (mc4 = 35) *set mc4_num 9 nine of hearts${var} *elseif (mc4 = 36) *set mc4_num 10 ten of hearts${var} *elseif (mc4 = 37) *set mc4_num 10 jack of hearts${var} *elseif (mc4 = 38) *set mc4_num 10 queen of hearts${var} *elseif (mc4 = 39) *set mc4_num 10 king of hearts${var} *elseif (mc4 = 40) *set mc4_num 1 ace of spades${var} *elseif (mc4 = 41) *set mc4_num 2 two of spades${var} *elseif (mc4 = 42) *set mc4_num 3 three of spades${var} *elseif (mc4 = 43) *set mc4_num 4 four of spades${var} *elseif (mc4 = 44) *set mc4_num 5 five of spades${var} *elseif (mc4 = 45) *set mc4_num 6 six of spades${var} *elseif (mc4 = 46) *set mc4_num 7 seven of spades${var} *elseif (mc4 = 47) *set mc4_num 8 eight of spades${var} *elseif (mc4 = 48) *set mc4_num 9 nine of spades${var} *elseif (mc4 = 49) *set mc4_num 10 ten of spades${var} *elseif (mc4 = 50) *set mc4_num 10 jack of spades${var} *elseif (mc4 = 51) *set mc4_num 10 queen of spades${var} *elseif (mc4 = 52) *set mc4_num 10 king of spades${var} *return *label card_5_player *if (mc5 = 1) *set mc5_num 1 ace of clubs${var} *elseif (mc5 = 2) *set mc5_num 2 two of clubs${var} *elseif (mc5 = 3) *set mc5_num 4 three of clubs${var} *elseif (mc5 = 4) *set mc5_num 4 four of clubs${var} *elseif (mc5 = 5) *set mc5_num 5 five of clubs${var} *elseif (mc5 = 6) *set mc5_num 6 six of clubs${var} *elseif (mc5 = 7) *set mc5_num 7 seven of clubs${var} *elseif (mc5 = 8) *set mc5_num 8 eight of clubs${var} *elseif (mc5 = 9) *set mc5_num 9 nine of clubs${var} *elseif (mc5 = 10) *set mc5_num 10 ten of clubs${var} *elseif (mc5 = 11) *set mc5_num 10 jack of clubs${var} *elseif (mc5 = 12) *set mc5_num 10 queen of clubs${var} *elseif (mc5 = 13) *set mc5_num 10 king of clubs${var} *elseif (mc5 = 14) *set mc5_num 1 ace of diamonds${var} *elseif (mc5 = 15) *set mc5_num 2 two of diamonds${var} *elseif (mc5 = 16) *set mc5_num 3 three of diamonds${var} *elseif (mc5 = 17) *set mc5_num 4 four of diamonds${var} *elseif (mc5 = 18) *set mc5_num 5 five of diamonds${var} *elseif (mc5 = 19) *set mc5_num 6 six of diamonds${var} *elseif (mc5 = 20) *set mc5_num 7 seven of diamonds${var} *elseif (mc5 = 21) *set mc5_num 8 eight of diamonds${var} *elseif (mc5 = 22) *set mc5_num 9 nine of diamonds${var} *elseif (mc5 = 23) *set mc5_num 10 ten of diamonds${var} *elseif (mc5 = 24) *set mc5_num 10 jack of diamonds${var} *elseif (mc5 = 25) *set mc5_num 10 queen of diamonds${var} *elseif (mc5 = 26) *set mc5_num 10 king of diamonds${var} *elseif (mc5 = 27) *set mc5_num 1 ace of hearts${var} *elseif (mc5 = 28) *set mc5_num 2 two of hearts${var} *elseif (mc5 = 29) *set mc5_num 3 three of hearts${var} *elseif (mc5 = 30) *set mc5_num 4 four of hearts${var} *elseif (mc5 = 31) *set mc5_num 5 five of hearts${var} *elseif (mc5 = 32) *set mc5_num 6 six of hearts${var} *elseif (mc5 = 33) *set mc5_num 7 seven of hearts${var} *elseif (mc5 = 34) *set mc5_num 8 eight of hearts${var} *elseif (mc5 = 35) *set mc5_num 9 nine of hearts${var} *elseif (mc5 = 36) *set mc5_num 10 ten of hearts${var} *elseif (mc5 = 37) *set mc5_num 10 jack of hearts${var} *elseif (mc5 = 38) *set mc5_num 10 queen of hearts${var} *elseif (mc5 = 39) *set mc5_num 10 king of hearts${var} *elseif (mc5 = 40) *set mc5_num 1 ace of spades${var} *elseif (mc5 = 41) *set mc5_num 2 two of spades${var} *elseif (mc5 = 42) *set mc5_num 3 three of spades${var} *elseif (mc5 = 43) *set mc5_num 4 four of spades${var} *elseif (mc5 = 44) *set mc5_num 5 five of spades${var} *elseif (mc5 = 45) *set mc5_num 6 six of spades${var} *elseif (mc5 = 46) *set mc5_num 7 seven of spades${var} *elseif (mc5 = 47) *set mc5_num 8 eight of spades${var} *elseif (mc5 = 48) *set mc5_num 9 nine of spades${var} *elseif (mc5 = 49) *set mc5_num 10 ten of spades${var} *elseif (mc5 = 50) *set mc5_num 10 jack of spades${var} *elseif (mc5 = 51) *set mc5_num 10 queen of spades${var} *elseif (mc5 = 52) *set mc5_num 10 king of spades${var} *return