action;

[mayfield_mods]

[Late at night on Fourth of July, after the last fireworks have stopped and after all the droning has worn off, Jane Smith can be seen walking down the streets of the town. Or rather, stumbling, but she doesn't appear to have been drinking. She seems happy as she always does, but the smile today is wider and even less natural looking than normal.

Comments

[ooeeooahah]

[ Ilsa hasn't been in Mayfield to meet everyone, but the names she mentioned are familiar. She gets some of the spare napkins from the picnic basket and goes to the woman. ]

Yes, I know. Do you want to talk about it?

[ She hands the woman a napkin for her tears. ]

[mayfield_mods]

I-I'm fine, honest, quite all right! Wonderful, even!

[ooeeooahah]

Mmhmm, it's been stressful. Talk to me, hon.

[mayfield_mods]

I can't, I can't, not even now because nothing I say will matter! A-ahahaha!

[ooeeooahah]

It matters a lot to you, that much is sure. Tell me about Richard.

[ Ilsa might try to guide her to a park bench, if there is one nearby, and sit with her. ]

[mayfield_mods]

D...don't you know we're not supposed to talk about Richard? Richard ohgod where are you [She stumbles over to the bench.]

[ooeeooahah]

Hon, I'm the one that's going to ask about things "we don't talk about" because that's what ends up hurting the most.

Things left unsaid.

Tell me.

[mayfield_mods]

I-I can't. I can't talk about it...

[ooeeooahah]

[ Ilsa sits on the bench next to her, and asks in a quiet voice, ]

Tell me what you can about him. Who is Richard?

[mayfield_mods]

Richard Grey... Richard Grey is gone now.

He won't be coming back.

[ooeeooahah]

Why is he not coming back? Who was he to you?

[mayfield_mods]

He's dead.

He's not coming back because he's dead and there's nothing any of us could have done to stop it.

[ooeeooahah]

Dead in a place where life is cheap... tell me the difference?

[mayfield_mods]

He won't be coming back.

[ooeeooahah]

Yes, so you said. What happened?