[SCENE] Jake, Lana and Phoenix in "Innervenshun 4"
((Took place on Monday, June 30))
Jake: *roughly 4:45 pm at the Rusty Gust. It's a Monday, so the place is even deader than usual. Jake is at his trusty bar counter, idly doodling on a free notepad from a real estate agent with a BIC pen as he yawns*
Wright: *fifteen minutes into his shift and already, he's wandered away from the piano. Phoenix is wiping up a table with a dishrag... though really, as no one has sat there yet for the day, it isn't clear how it could possibly be dirty in the first place*
Lana: *deciding to drop in during the "usual hours" instead of when she would normally stop by the Gust, Lana steps quietly through the outer door before pushing open the swinging double doors, looking around for Jake and unsurprised to find the bar more or less empty*
Wright: *glances up when he hears the swinging doors creak, and when he sees who it is he looks sharply over to the cowboy behind the bar counter*
Jake: *when he sees Lana, he quickly but discreetly flips over the notepad and stands up straight, trying to look casual* H-hey baby! *smiles* Well, aren't you an early bird?
Lana: *at the tremor in Jake's voice there is a flash of severity over her features, but she reels that in and they return to neutral momentarily* I thought it more prudent, Jake. I hope you don't mind. *walks over to the bar, taking a stool across from Jake and looking him dead in the face*
Wright: ....... *gathers the dishrag, keeping his head down, and makes a 180 straight for the kitchen doors*
Jake: *doesn't turn to look, but he curses his pianist in his head and places his hat on the register, untangling his hair with a quick sweep of his fingers. He knows this isn't going to be an easy talk, but his eyes manage to meet Lana's* It's... it's fine. How you been?
Lana: I've been as well as can be expected - though I would care for some music, Mr. Wright, if you do not mind.
Wright: *freezes, having made it halfway through the doors--and then he nods, tossing the rag into the kitchen, wiping his hands off on his slacks, and heading to the piano* Uh... any requests?
Jake: *gestures towards Phoenix with a wave of his hand* Somethin'... happy.
Lana: Happy... and loud. *doesn't move her eyes from Jake, waiting for Phoenix to begin playing*
Wright: *though his poker face has improved to the point that he does not show dread on his features, there's a pretty noticeable up and down bob of his Adam's apple as he swallows and flips to a page in one of the song books on the piano stand. Tepidly, clumsily, he starts off the beginning to a novice ragtime version of " You Are My Sunshine (only played much much worse than that)"*
Jake: *solemnly looks straight at Lana, with no intention to smile and tease his way out of this one* That entry in my electronic journal... I kept it there 'cause takin' it down would've made me a lily-livered coward.
Lana: I know. I'm glad you left it up, in any case. *thinks for a moment, then winces* We can get to that in a minute. You had something you wanted to tell me?
Wright: *mumbles along to the words of the song as he plays, though this really isn't helping the music*
Jake: *glances towards Phoenix for a second, wiping his dry lips with the back of his gloved hand before re-focusing on Lana* That mornin', I bit the bullet and applied for the P.I. license. Took the exam, did the interview and everythin'.
Lana: *nods - she thinks she knows what's coming, based on Phoenix's skittishness, but she says nothing yet*
Wright: *there's a particularly loud discordant clang of a chord back at the piano*
Jake: *trying his very best to not lose focus* You probably guessed it by now, but... I didn't get the license. ...My head was all bothered 'cause I had too much to drink the night before. But that ain't the brunt of it.
Lana: *her mouth thins out into a severe line with an unkind set, and her brow wrinkles, but she nods* The brunt of it being what?
Wright: *the melody repeats, and the second time around is no better than the first. In fact, it's arguably worse*
Jake: *manages to continue on despite the noise in the background* It's my criminal record. They can't wave it off like it's nothin'. My chances of gettin' myself a license... is "highly unlikely," they say.
Lana: *spends a long time looking at Jake and then nods, slowly* ...I know. I had much the same problem. But... that isn't the point of becoming a P.I., Jake.
Wright: *after another painful stumble, he starts the newest phrase... correctly*
Jake: The point is, I let you down. *a few beats pass* 'Specially with the way I handled the result. I'm ain't askin' you to forgive me... I got no good excuse for that.
Lana: *sighs, putting a hand on the side of his face* I feel like I've been neglecting you, Jake, in the only ways that matter right now. All of this has just been a roundabout intervention; if you're going to get off the sauce, it's going to need to be a serious effort.
Wright: *and... surprisingly..... finishes off well. He stops, staring at the piano stand in earnest disbelief... and then turns back to look at the bar counter*
Jake: *casts his gaze down to the counter* There's one other thing I wanted to tell you... and it ain't any easier t'say.
Lana: What is it?
Wright: *yes, he's eavesdropping*
Jake: Life's too short to be beatin' 'round the bushes, so I'll give it to you straight. *either he doesn't notice Phoenix, or he doesn't care. He looks back up at her and delivers his words with a grave tone* I'm no longer the man you knew when we first met... and I'm sorry to say, I don't think he'll ever make his return. You're only hurtin' yerself by tryin' to bring him back, and I hate seein' it.
Jake: *looks off to the side, at nothing in particular* I'm only preventin' your happiness at this point. ...It might be best to put this relationship to sleep.
Lana: *there is a long, pregnant silence following his words as she stares at him in outright shock*
Wright: *there's about a split second pause from him as well--but it only lasts for that brief moment. Even though he hasn't really talked to Lana since her trial, and though he couldn't possibly know her all that well, he's familiar with her well enough that he's aware of what the hell might be about to happen. Standing up hurriedly, as quietly as he can, he high-tails it to the storage room*
Lana: *when the silence is broken it is accompanied by an open glare, directly into Jake's face* Mr. Wright.
Wright: *freezes at a doorway for the second time that day* *with a bit of a wince* ...Ma'am?
Jake: *slowly turns his to meet her glare -- there's a look of resigned sadness in his eyes*
Lana: *never wrenching her eyes away from Jake's face* You and Miss Byrde are going to be in charge of the Gust for the next few days. Do you think you can handle it?
Wright: *with quite a feeling of relief in his voice* Yes'm. We'll handle it just fine between the two of us.
Jake: *blinks* Hold it right there. Lana, what are you doing?
Lana: We're going. Mr. Wright, give Miss Byrde my regards when her shift starts. *she rises from her stool, breaking eye contact at last, and walks towards the front door*
Jake: Hey-- *follows her when she gets to the swinging doors* Goin' where? What're you in a hurry for?
Lana: *turns back to him, her face calm but her eyes wide and fierce* You and I are going to an alcoholic rehabilitation center... but first we're going to go make plans with someone who will have useful ideas. Consider this your intervention.
Jake: *frowns and returns the glare* Funny... I don't remember discussin' this. I don't get a say?
Lana: No. *her facade breaks, and her face is turned down in a pained scowl* I'm sorry... but I have to put my hand in this, Jake. Otherwise...
Wright: *is listening in, but trying not to be too obvious about it--glancing at the wall, hands in pockets*
Jake: *his tone is firm, but it's not out of anger -- he just wants to hear what she has to say* Otherwise what?
Lana: *she looks over at Wright and shoots him an open, unapologetic glare, then looks back up at Jake and drops her voice to a whisper* I'm not going to leave you, Jake. Not again. I wouldn't be able to live with myself if anything happened to you, and... and I'm scared.
Jake: *his expression softens at her determined words, and he puts a hand on her shoulder* *quiet* What are you afraid of, baby?
Wright: *at the glare, and at the hushed tones, he realizes he finally has permission to leave and slinks off hurriedly to the kitchen*
Lana: *when Phoenix leaves her voice returns to a more normal level* I'm afraid you're going to get hurt, Jake - really hurt.
Jake: *calmly, and without skepticism* You think it's gotten that bad, huh?
Lana: I think it's been that bad for a while.
Jake: *a long pause* Listen -- even if I get off the bottle? I ain't gonna be the same man you knew six years ago. I've faced the harsh winds of the desert for so long, I'm all worn out and destroyed... Never to be the same again. Do you understand that?
Lana: *her response is instant* I don't care. I'm not the woman you knew years ago, either - and I want to try, if not to reclaim what we had, then to build something new.
Jake: *a serious stare* I've been hidin' my drinkin' from you. I've already hurt you plenty with that. What if I hurt you again?
Lana: *she flinches - she can't just say she trusts him not to, because that's not entirely true, but...* It's a risk I'm willing to take. For you.
Jake: ...Rehab. *takes a moment to taste the word* Never imagined I'd need a thing like that.
Lana: We've all had to accept things we thought we would never need... But first I want to go talk to Angel, about what to do with the bar.
Jake: No need to be remindin' me of that particular truth. *lowers the hand on her shoulder to take her hand* ...This place... what about it?
Lana: We'll talk about it on the way, all right? *tugs gently on his hand* But it's enough that this place is bad for you.
Jake: *a long sigh -- she's right, he needs professional help. But he doesn't want to lose the Gust... Still, knowing she still cares to this extent cheers him up a little* All right. I'm comin'. *leans in and gives her a quick kiss on the lips*
Lana: *reciprocates - but it's quick, and then she's leading him out* Thank you.
Jake: *a small smile* Don't mention it, baby. *he follows her out through the swinging doors, and is led outside*
Wright: *it's some minutes later that Phoenix comes back out from the kitchen-- he really wasn't eavesdropping that time. He sighs with relief, walking over to the bar counter and moving behind it, getting used to the space. After noseying around briefly--he's already done this once before, so it doesn't take long--he finds the mix list for drinks. Satisfied that he can at the very least do a passing job now, he heads over to the register and tugs off his knit cap, switching off the camera inside the pin and placing it away. Then, he picks up the cowboy hat Jake left resting on the register, placing it on his head and taking a minute to make sure it sits right*
Wright: *takes a stance he figures appropriate, and in his best attempt at a Western drawl, addresses the empty saloon* Any man don't wanna get killed... better clear on out the back. Yeehaw, pardner.
Jake: *roughly 4:45 pm at the Rusty Gust. It's a Monday, so the place is even deader than usual. Jake is at his trusty bar counter, idly doodling on a free notepad from a real estate agent with a BIC pen as he yawns*
Wright: *fifteen minutes into his shift and already, he's wandered away from the piano. Phoenix is wiping up a table with a dishrag... though really, as no one has sat there yet for the day, it isn't clear how it could possibly be dirty in the first place*
Lana: *deciding to drop in during the "usual hours" instead of when she would normally stop by the Gust, Lana steps quietly through the outer door before pushing open the swinging double doors, looking around for Jake and unsurprised to find the bar more or less empty*
Wright: *glances up when he hears the swinging doors creak, and when he sees who it is he looks sharply over to the cowboy behind the bar counter*
Jake: *when he sees Lana, he quickly but discreetly flips over the notepad and stands up straight, trying to look casual* H-hey baby! *smiles* Well, aren't you an early bird?
Lana: *at the tremor in Jake's voice there is a flash of severity over her features, but she reels that in and they return to neutral momentarily* I thought it more prudent, Jake. I hope you don't mind. *walks over to the bar, taking a stool across from Jake and looking him dead in the face*
Wright: ....... *gathers the dishrag, keeping his head down, and makes a 180 straight for the kitchen doors*
Jake: *doesn't turn to look, but he curses his pianist in his head and places his hat on the register, untangling his hair with a quick sweep of his fingers. He knows this isn't going to be an easy talk, but his eyes manage to meet Lana's* It's... it's fine. How you been?
Lana: I've been as well as can be expected - though I would care for some music, Mr. Wright, if you do not mind.
Wright: *freezes, having made it halfway through the doors--and then he nods, tossing the rag into the kitchen, wiping his hands off on his slacks, and heading to the piano* Uh... any requests?
Jake: *gestures towards Phoenix with a wave of his hand* Somethin'... happy.
Lana: Happy... and loud. *doesn't move her eyes from Jake, waiting for Phoenix to begin playing*
Wright: *though his poker face has improved to the point that he does not show dread on his features, there's a pretty noticeable up and down bob of his Adam's apple as he swallows and flips to a page in one of the song books on the piano stand. Tepidly, clumsily, he starts off the beginning to a novice ragtime version of " You Are My Sunshine (only played much much worse than that)"*
Jake: *solemnly looks straight at Lana, with no intention to smile and tease his way out of this one* That entry in my electronic journal... I kept it there 'cause takin' it down would've made me a lily-livered coward.
Lana: I know. I'm glad you left it up, in any case. *thinks for a moment, then winces* We can get to that in a minute. You had something you wanted to tell me?
Wright: *mumbles along to the words of the song as he plays, though this really isn't helping the music*
Jake: *glances towards Phoenix for a second, wiping his dry lips with the back of his gloved hand before re-focusing on Lana* That mornin', I bit the bullet and applied for the P.I. license. Took the exam, did the interview and everythin'.
Lana: *nods - she thinks she knows what's coming, based on Phoenix's skittishness, but she says nothing yet*
Wright: *there's a particularly loud discordant clang of a chord back at the piano*
Jake: *trying his very best to not lose focus* You probably guessed it by now, but... I didn't get the license. ...My head was all bothered 'cause I had too much to drink the night before. But that ain't the brunt of it.
Lana: *her mouth thins out into a severe line with an unkind set, and her brow wrinkles, but she nods* The brunt of it being what?
Wright: *the melody repeats, and the second time around is no better than the first. In fact, it's arguably worse*
Jake: *manages to continue on despite the noise in the background* It's my criminal record. They can't wave it off like it's nothin'. My chances of gettin' myself a license... is "highly unlikely," they say.
Lana: *spends a long time looking at Jake and then nods, slowly* ...I know. I had much the same problem. But... that isn't the point of becoming a P.I., Jake.
Wright: *after another painful stumble, he starts the newest phrase... correctly*
Jake: The point is, I let you down. *a few beats pass* 'Specially with the way I handled the result. I'm ain't askin' you to forgive me... I got no good excuse for that.
Lana: *sighs, putting a hand on the side of his face* I feel like I've been neglecting you, Jake, in the only ways that matter right now. All of this has just been a roundabout intervention; if you're going to get off the sauce, it's going to need to be a serious effort.
Wright: *and... surprisingly..... finishes off well. He stops, staring at the piano stand in earnest disbelief... and then turns back to look at the bar counter*
Jake: *casts his gaze down to the counter* There's one other thing I wanted to tell you... and it ain't any easier t'say.
Lana: What is it?
Wright: *yes, he's eavesdropping*
Jake: Life's too short to be beatin' 'round the bushes, so I'll give it to you straight. *either he doesn't notice Phoenix, or he doesn't care. He looks back up at her and delivers his words with a grave tone* I'm no longer the man you knew when we first met... and I'm sorry to say, I don't think he'll ever make his return. You're only hurtin' yerself by tryin' to bring him back, and I hate seein' it.
Jake: *looks off to the side, at nothing in particular* I'm only preventin' your happiness at this point. ...It might be best to put this relationship to sleep.
Lana: *there is a long, pregnant silence following his words as she stares at him in outright shock*
Wright: *there's about a split second pause from him as well--but it only lasts for that brief moment. Even though he hasn't really talked to Lana since her trial, and though he couldn't possibly know her all that well, he's familiar with her well enough that he's aware of what the hell might be about to happen. Standing up hurriedly, as quietly as he can, he high-tails it to the storage room*
Lana: *when the silence is broken it is accompanied by an open glare, directly into Jake's face* Mr. Wright.
Wright: *freezes at a doorway for the second time that day* *with a bit of a wince* ...Ma'am?
Jake: *slowly turns his to meet her glare -- there's a look of resigned sadness in his eyes*
Lana: *never wrenching her eyes away from Jake's face* You and Miss Byrde are going to be in charge of the Gust for the next few days. Do you think you can handle it?
Wright: *with quite a feeling of relief in his voice* Yes'm. We'll handle it just fine between the two of us.
Jake: *blinks* Hold it right there. Lana, what are you doing?
Lana: We're going. Mr. Wright, give Miss Byrde my regards when her shift starts. *she rises from her stool, breaking eye contact at last, and walks towards the front door*
Jake: Hey-- *follows her when she gets to the swinging doors* Goin' where? What're you in a hurry for?
Lana: *turns back to him, her face calm but her eyes wide and fierce* You and I are going to an alcoholic rehabilitation center... but first we're going to go make plans with someone who will have useful ideas. Consider this your intervention.
Jake: *frowns and returns the glare* Funny... I don't remember discussin' this. I don't get a say?
Lana: No. *her facade breaks, and her face is turned down in a pained scowl* I'm sorry... but I have to put my hand in this, Jake. Otherwise...
Wright: *is listening in, but trying not to be too obvious about it--glancing at the wall, hands in pockets*
Jake: *his tone is firm, but it's not out of anger -- he just wants to hear what she has to say* Otherwise what?
Lana: *she looks over at Wright and shoots him an open, unapologetic glare, then looks back up at Jake and drops her voice to a whisper* I'm not going to leave you, Jake. Not again. I wouldn't be able to live with myself if anything happened to you, and... and I'm scared.
Jake: *his expression softens at her determined words, and he puts a hand on her shoulder* *quiet* What are you afraid of, baby?
Wright: *at the glare, and at the hushed tones, he realizes he finally has permission to leave and slinks off hurriedly to the kitchen*
Lana: *when Phoenix leaves her voice returns to a more normal level* I'm afraid you're going to get hurt, Jake - really hurt.
Jake: *calmly, and without skepticism* You think it's gotten that bad, huh?
Lana: I think it's been that bad for a while.
Jake: *a long pause* Listen -- even if I get off the bottle? I ain't gonna be the same man you knew six years ago. I've faced the harsh winds of the desert for so long, I'm all worn out and destroyed... Never to be the same again. Do you understand that?
Lana: *her response is instant* I don't care. I'm not the woman you knew years ago, either - and I want to try, if not to reclaim what we had, then to build something new.
Jake: *a serious stare* I've been hidin' my drinkin' from you. I've already hurt you plenty with that. What if I hurt you again?
Lana: *she flinches - she can't just say she trusts him not to, because that's not entirely true, but...* It's a risk I'm willing to take. For you.
Jake: ...Rehab. *takes a moment to taste the word* Never imagined I'd need a thing like that.
Lana: We've all had to accept things we thought we would never need... But first I want to go talk to Angel, about what to do with the bar.
Jake: No need to be remindin' me of that particular truth. *lowers the hand on her shoulder to take her hand* ...This place... what about it?
Lana: We'll talk about it on the way, all right? *tugs gently on his hand* But it's enough that this place is bad for you.
Jake: *a long sigh -- she's right, he needs professional help. But he doesn't want to lose the Gust... Still, knowing she still cares to this extent cheers him up a little* All right. I'm comin'. *leans in and gives her a quick kiss on the lips*
Lana: *reciprocates - but it's quick, and then she's leading him out* Thank you.
Jake: *a small smile* Don't mention it, baby. *he follows her out through the swinging doors, and is led outside*
Wright: *it's some minutes later that Phoenix comes back out from the kitchen-- he really wasn't eavesdropping that time. He sighs with relief, walking over to the bar counter and moving behind it, getting used to the space. After noseying around briefly--he's already done this once before, so it doesn't take long--he finds the mix list for drinks. Satisfied that he can at the very least do a passing job now, he heads over to the register and tugs off his knit cap, switching off the camera inside the pin and placing it away. Then, he picks up the cowboy hat Jake left resting on the register, placing it on his head and taking a minute to make sure it sits right*
Wright: *takes a stance he figures appropriate, and in his best attempt at a Western drawl, addresses the empty saloon* Any man don't wanna get killed... better clear on out the back. Yeehaw, pardner.