[SCENE] Jake and Lana in: Washroom Conversations
((Backdated to the night of the April investigation.))
Jake: *Several hours after finding out Lana may be pregnant, Jake stands impatiently outside her bathroom door, his arms crossed. After finishing their investigation of April, he'd made her get a pregnancy test in haste as they continued to squabble here and there. They've both calmed down somewhat since then, and now the reality of what they might be facing is settling in*
Lana: *there's a clatter and a light sigh from within the bathroom* Are you still out there? *her voice is still rather exasperated, and the exhaustion in it is clear*
Jake: *exhausted himself* Yeah. *looking towards the opposite direction of the door* How much longer is that thing gonna take?
Lana: Three to five minutes. I'm not coming out in the meantime. *from the direction of her voice, she's probably sitting on the edge of the bathtub*
Jake: *a barely audible sigh* Mind telling me why you ain't again?
Lana: It's just five minutes at most, Jake. Four, now. *a pause* If it's positive, what then?
Jake: *a pause from him as well* What do you mean, "what then"?
Lana: *snappishly* What do you mean, "What do I mean"? *it's clear just how severe a frown is on her features by the tone of her voice* What would you want to do? Would you want to keep it?
Jake: *as though it's clear and obvious* Yes, I want to keep it. What else would we do with it?
Lana: *rather curtly* There are other options, I hope you know. *a pause* We are financially ready, though. And neither of us are getting any younger. You... want to be a father?
Jake: Y.... *a longer pause* Yeah. Why not? *defensively*
Lana: To be honest, I didn't imagine you to be the type.
Jake: ...*much softer this time* To tell the truth, I never thought about it 'til I became the only one left who could carry on the bloodline.
Lana: I... see. *there's a creak at the bathtub, followed by the soft sound of bare feet on tile. This is followed by the door opening*
Jake: *looks back at the door when he hears the creak* And? How 'bout you?
Lana: I haven't put much thought into it--not as much as I would have liked. *meets his eyes briefly, then glances off; it's clear she's rather nervous for a change* ...but yes, I'd want to keep it.
Jake: *doesn't avert his gaze* ...So it's settled, then.
Lana: *falls quiet for a moment... then laughs lightly, shaking her head* I suppose it is...
Jake: *continuing from his last line, interrupting her a bit* --We're gettin' hitched.
Lana: *her hand seems to slip on the door frame that it's resting against* Hold it-- what?
Jake: *completely serious and monotonous* What?
Lana: Marriage? Because of all this? Don't tell me you believe in the archaic concept of......hm. *seems to reconsider her words*
Jake: Don't tell me you'd want your child to grow up without his father around.
Lana: *a glare* Don't tell me there's even the remote possibility of you leaving if I didn't want a wedding.
Jake: *frowns and glares back* Don't go accusin' me of having an idea like that.
Lana: *crosses her arms* You implied it yourself just now!
Jake: No, I didn't!
Lana: ........... *uncrosses her arms, using her hands to rub at her temples instead* Regardless. This is... really what you want to do?
Jake: Of course! *pauses to mentally tell himself to cool down; does so* Wouldn't have it any other way. *lowers his arms* ...You seem awful surprised there, bambina.
Lana: I am surprised. *her voice grows somewhat quiet, but she smiles faintly* To be formally married, settle down, have children... *tilts her head* It doesn't really fit the typical cowboy image, does it?
Jake: *unable to help himself from smirking at that; he takes a small step towards her and brushes a finger against the underside of her chin* Getting himself preoccupied with a woman for ten years of his life... That don't fit the cowboy image, either.
Lana: ...I suppose it doesn't. *this is said with some amusement as she leans in towards him, placing a hand on his chest* Well... I'm glad you're willing to make compromises to your character.
Jake: I can be more than just a cowboy...as you may have surmised already. *puts his hand on top of hers* Wouldn't want you to go through this all by yourself, anyway.
Lana: *hesitates, seeming to consider things through more carefully* If. If it's actually true.
Jake: ...How much more time?
Lana: *glances towards the washroom* It's about ready, I think. *lowers her hand and walks back in*
Jake: *quietly steps into the washroom, watching her*
Lana: *walks over to the sink, where the open wrapper of the test is sitting. It seems as though she'd placed the stick back into it before; she slides it out now and studies the side of it*
Jake: *even a few seconds of silent wait is too much for him; he quickly starts talking again* Being able to foresee our future with a stick... It's almost like witchcraft.
Lana: *slides the test stick back into the wrapper* Well-- it's negative. *her tone is light but her face is rather expressionless; she moves to throw the item out* ...I'm sorry for having worried you.
Jake: Oh. *stands there for a second, also expressionless, before leaving the bathroom without another word*
Lana: ... *spends a few minutes cleaning up the washroom in silence. After wiping down the sink and washing her hands, she walks back outside*
Jake: *is standing facing the bedroom wall -- suddenly, he pounds the wall with the side of his fist*
Jake: *lowers his arm and faces Lana with determination after a moment* All right -- let's have a baby.
Lana: *her eyes widen in surprise, and she blinks for a few seconds, looking at him, before responding:* Alright. Let's.
Jake: *with a straight face, pointing at her with two digits* Take off your skirt.
Lana: *this part, she doesn't bat an eye at* Not right now. *walks past him, flicking the brim of his hat down as she passes by*
Jake: Hey. Why not? *shuffles next to her* We ain't gettin' any younger. *putting one hand on her lower abdomen, the other on her lower back* This thing could shrivel up like a prune left in the sun if we don't hurry.
Lana: That really puts me in the mood, cowboy. Why, any more motivation and you'll be sleeping on the couch tonight. *this is said quite primly as she brushes aside his hands and heads down the hall--but she's smiling as she does so*
Jake: *doesn't follow her* We may could get married first!
Lana: *laughs lightly, looking to him* We should, shouldn't we? I'll start the planning. *heads down the stairs*
Jake: *watches her until she disappears* .... *quietly, to himself* Jake Marshall: restauranteer, private eye... husband... father. *grins slightly and heads down the hall*
Jake: *Several hours after finding out Lana may be pregnant, Jake stands impatiently outside her bathroom door, his arms crossed. After finishing their investigation of April, he'd made her get a pregnancy test in haste as they continued to squabble here and there. They've both calmed down somewhat since then, and now the reality of what they might be facing is settling in*
Lana: *there's a clatter and a light sigh from within the bathroom* Are you still out there? *her voice is still rather exasperated, and the exhaustion in it is clear*
Jake: *exhausted himself* Yeah. *looking towards the opposite direction of the door* How much longer is that thing gonna take?
Lana: Three to five minutes. I'm not coming out in the meantime. *from the direction of her voice, she's probably sitting on the edge of the bathtub*
Jake: *a barely audible sigh* Mind telling me why you ain't again?
Lana: It's just five minutes at most, Jake. Four, now. *a pause* If it's positive, what then?
Jake: *a pause from him as well* What do you mean, "what then"?
Lana: *snappishly* What do you mean, "What do I mean"? *it's clear just how severe a frown is on her features by the tone of her voice* What would you want to do? Would you want to keep it?
Jake: *as though it's clear and obvious* Yes, I want to keep it. What else would we do with it?
Lana: *rather curtly* There are other options, I hope you know. *a pause* We are financially ready, though. And neither of us are getting any younger. You... want to be a father?
Jake: Y.... *a longer pause* Yeah. Why not? *defensively*
Lana: To be honest, I didn't imagine you to be the type.
Jake: ...*much softer this time* To tell the truth, I never thought about it 'til I became the only one left who could carry on the bloodline.
Lana: I... see. *there's a creak at the bathtub, followed by the soft sound of bare feet on tile. This is followed by the door opening*
Jake: *looks back at the door when he hears the creak* And? How 'bout you?
Lana: I haven't put much thought into it--not as much as I would have liked. *meets his eyes briefly, then glances off; it's clear she's rather nervous for a change* ...but yes, I'd want to keep it.
Jake: *doesn't avert his gaze* ...So it's settled, then.
Lana: *falls quiet for a moment... then laughs lightly, shaking her head* I suppose it is...
Jake: *continuing from his last line, interrupting her a bit* --We're gettin' hitched.
Lana: *her hand seems to slip on the door frame that it's resting against* Hold it-- what?
Jake: *completely serious and monotonous* What?
Lana: Marriage? Because of all this? Don't tell me you believe in the archaic concept of......hm. *seems to reconsider her words*
Jake: Don't tell me you'd want your child to grow up without his father around.
Lana: *a glare* Don't tell me there's even the remote possibility of you leaving if I didn't want a wedding.
Jake: *frowns and glares back* Don't go accusin' me of having an idea like that.
Lana: *crosses her arms* You implied it yourself just now!
Jake: No, I didn't!
Lana: ........... *uncrosses her arms, using her hands to rub at her temples instead* Regardless. This is... really what you want to do?
Jake: Of course! *pauses to mentally tell himself to cool down; does so* Wouldn't have it any other way. *lowers his arms* ...You seem awful surprised there, bambina.
Lana: I am surprised. *her voice grows somewhat quiet, but she smiles faintly* To be formally married, settle down, have children... *tilts her head* It doesn't really fit the typical cowboy image, does it?
Jake: *unable to help himself from smirking at that; he takes a small step towards her and brushes a finger against the underside of her chin* Getting himself preoccupied with a woman for ten years of his life... That don't fit the cowboy image, either.
Lana: ...I suppose it doesn't. *this is said with some amusement as she leans in towards him, placing a hand on his chest* Well... I'm glad you're willing to make compromises to your character.
Jake: I can be more than just a cowboy...as you may have surmised already. *puts his hand on top of hers* Wouldn't want you to go through this all by yourself, anyway.
Lana: *hesitates, seeming to consider things through more carefully* If. If it's actually true.
Jake: ...How much more time?
Lana: *glances towards the washroom* It's about ready, I think. *lowers her hand and walks back in*
Jake: *quietly steps into the washroom, watching her*
Lana: *walks over to the sink, where the open wrapper of the test is sitting. It seems as though she'd placed the stick back into it before; she slides it out now and studies the side of it*
Jake: *even a few seconds of silent wait is too much for him; he quickly starts talking again* Being able to foresee our future with a stick... It's almost like witchcraft.
Lana: *slides the test stick back into the wrapper* Well-- it's negative. *her tone is light but her face is rather expressionless; she moves to throw the item out* ...I'm sorry for having worried you.
Jake: Oh. *stands there for a second, also expressionless, before leaving the bathroom without another word*
Lana: ... *spends a few minutes cleaning up the washroom in silence. After wiping down the sink and washing her hands, she walks back outside*
Jake: *is standing facing the bedroom wall -- suddenly, he pounds the wall with the side of his fist*
Jake: *lowers his arm and faces Lana with determination after a moment* All right -- let's have a baby.
Lana: *her eyes widen in surprise, and she blinks for a few seconds, looking at him, before responding:* Alright. Let's.
Jake: *with a straight face, pointing at her with two digits* Take off your skirt.
Lana: *this part, she doesn't bat an eye at* Not right now. *walks past him, flicking the brim of his hat down as she passes by*
Jake: Hey. Why not? *shuffles next to her* We ain't gettin' any younger. *putting one hand on her lower abdomen, the other on her lower back* This thing could shrivel up like a prune left in the sun if we don't hurry.
Lana: That really puts me in the mood, cowboy. Why, any more motivation and you'll be sleeping on the couch tonight. *this is said quite primly as she brushes aside his hands and heads down the hall--but she's smiling as she does so*
Jake: *doesn't follow her* We may could get married first!
Lana: *laughs lightly, looking to him* We should, shouldn't we? I'll start the planning. *heads down the stairs*
Jake: *watches her until she disappears* .... *quietly, to himself* Jake Marshall: restauranteer, private eye... husband... father. *grins slightly and heads down the hall*