Chocolate 2; Pistachio 21
Author: Marina
Story: Shifts universe (pre-Tremors)
Challenge: Chocolate 2 (rivalry/jealousy), Pistachio 21 (a picnic)
Toppings: Rainbow Sprinkles (Isabelle), Hot Fudge (Rupert, and Abraham a little bit), Butterscotch (a year or so before this piece)
Word Count: 1,022
Rating: PG
Summary: Rupert rarely uses or talks about his second ability. Isabelle only knows what it is because he once used it on her.
Notes: This piece was born of vague ponderings on why Rupert and Abraham went into business together, and how Isabelle ties into it (as there are a few scenes in Shifts that reference the fact that the three of them go way back). Isabelle is three or four years older than the other two; in this piece, she’s a college senior, and the boys are just about to start (Abraham may even have a year under his belt as he’s older than Rupert, I’m not sure).
Isabelle enjoyed picnics, for simple family outings. Summer days seemed specially crafted for just that purpose, and her mother’s cooking tasted best after walking the mile uphill to their favorite sunny spot. If the wind was right, she and her father would bring a kite along; on other days, the three of them would simply lie back and watch the clouds, or read.
The only picnics she did not like were the large company picnics her parents-as well as Abraham’s-threw at the end of the summer for their employees and friends. Because she was a Wellingstone, her presence was required, and she was expected to mingle with people who might one day work for and with her, something she often did not like and occasionally loathed. With some people, etiquette was overrated.
Even so, she shook Morton Gardiner’s hand with a cool smile. Just get this over with, and you won’t have to see him again until next August. “We’re honored to have you and Rupert joining us again, sir.”
“The pleasure is all ours, Miss Wellingstone,” he replied, and she almost gagged. “You are now a senior at Princeton, correct?”
“That’s right. I’ll be flying back up there next week.”
“You may be seeing my son around campus, then. He will begin his studies there this year.”
I sincerely hope not, she thought, allowing her smile to widen in proportion to her growing displeasure. “I hope he’ll enjoy it.”
The uncomfortable questions continued throughout the event; somehow, Morton finagled a spot for himself and his son near enough that he could still talk to her. “I assume you are planning to work toward taking over the company after your graduation.”
It was all Isabelle could do to keep from squirming. She knew what Morton expected her to say and why he was asking, and her acute awareness of the way Rupert was studying her just made it worse. “No, that will be Abraham’s job. I’m not interested in exports.”
“Oh?” A calculating glint came to his eyes. “What are your plans, then?”
“I want to make my own living,” she said, deriving a twisted pleasure from the obvious shock she had given both men.
“Doing what, if you do not mind my asking?” Rupert said.
“I plan to invest in real estate.”
“That will be risky. You must have a sizeable inheritance.”
She shrugged, not about to let him know exactly how large it was. “I’ll get by.”
After they rolled up the blankets and packed up the baskets, she caught up with Abraham. “You look a little green around the gills, cousin,” he said, offering her his arm.
“I’ll be glad to go home,” she said, and he chuckled at her frankness. “I cannot stand the Gardiners. I know Rupert is your friend, but he and his father both make me feel uneasy.”
“Rupert isn’t so bad. He’s intelligent, and he has a good head for business.”
“I wish I could say the same for his people skills.”
He laughed again, patting her arm. “I’ll meet back with you at the mansion. For now, I’m going to speak with my friend. You’ve been monopolizing him.”
“Abraham, you are always welcome to cut in. In fact, please do.”
“I will keep that in mind.”
Isabelle waved as he left, and turned to walk down to her car. She did not understand that friendship, but if Abraham saw something in Rupert that was worth his time, that was his business. Oh, I wish he wasn’t going to Princeton, she thought, feeling suddenly possessive. She glanced back, saw Rupert watching her again, and shuddered, quickening her pace.
***
Rupert firmly shook the hand Abraham offered him. “It has been much too long.”
“Agreed. I am sorry it took me this long to make my way over. Did you enjoy the picnic?”
He thought back to the lunch, and a smirk began to form on his face. “I did. Your cousin tells me that she plans to go into real estate.”
Abraham nodded and stuffed his hands in his pockets. “Yeah, she decided that a while ago. I’ll need a new business partner eventually, but there’s time to look into that.”
“Have you given any thought-“
A cry of pain cut through his sentence, and both turned sharply to see that Isabelle had fallen. “Isabelle!” Abraham cried, breaking into a run, Rupert on his heels.
When they reached her, she was attempting to regain some dignity by sitting up and pulling down her grass-stained dress, but it was obvious that she was in great pain. “What happened?”
“I stepped in a pothole,” she managed.
“Which foot?” Abraham asked. She gestured to her right, and he carefully removed the shoe and felt the bones. She hissed once, but otherwise bore it with composure, impressing Rupert. “It’s not broken,” his friend said, “but it’s twisted pretty badly and already swelling. You should go to the emergency room.”
“That is not necessary,” Rupert said, bending down next to him. He took Isabelle’s ankle gingerly in both hands and shut his eyes, visualizing the injury in his mind. The swelling immediately went down as the warm energy passed from him to her. He opened his eyes again and sat back. “Test it.”
Stunned, Isabelle did as he said. “It feels perfectly fine.”
“I did not know you could do that,” Abraham said, amazed. Rupert merely shrugged and stood up, offering a hand to Isabelle. She took it and hoisted herself partway up before switching gears to lean on her cousin. Rupert hid his frown.
“Isabelle?” By this time, the older Wellingstones had begun their descent, Isabelle’s mother leading. “Are you all right?”
“She’s fine,” Abraham called back. “Just a little winded.” He helped her steady herself. “Can you stand on it?”
“Yes.” She glanced at Rupert and muttered a “thank you” before tugging on Abraham’s arm. “Can you take me to the car?”
He nodded and began to lead her off, calling “I’ll be in touch!” back to Rupert as they went.
Rupert watched them go, thoughtfully, and then turned to walk back to his father.
Story: Shifts universe (pre-Tremors)
Challenge: Chocolate 2 (rivalry/jealousy), Pistachio 21 (a picnic)
Toppings: Rainbow Sprinkles (Isabelle), Hot Fudge (Rupert, and Abraham a little bit), Butterscotch (a year or so before this piece)
Word Count: 1,022
Rating: PG
Summary: Rupert rarely uses or talks about his second ability. Isabelle only knows what it is because he once used it on her.
Notes: This piece was born of vague ponderings on why Rupert and Abraham went into business together, and how Isabelle ties into it (as there are a few scenes in Shifts that reference the fact that the three of them go way back). Isabelle is three or four years older than the other two; in this piece, she’s a college senior, and the boys are just about to start (Abraham may even have a year under his belt as he’s older than Rupert, I’m not sure).
Isabelle enjoyed picnics, for simple family outings. Summer days seemed specially crafted for just that purpose, and her mother’s cooking tasted best after walking the mile uphill to their favorite sunny spot. If the wind was right, she and her father would bring a kite along; on other days, the three of them would simply lie back and watch the clouds, or read.
The only picnics she did not like were the large company picnics her parents-as well as Abraham’s-threw at the end of the summer for their employees and friends. Because she was a Wellingstone, her presence was required, and she was expected to mingle with people who might one day work for and with her, something she often did not like and occasionally loathed. With some people, etiquette was overrated.
Even so, she shook Morton Gardiner’s hand with a cool smile. Just get this over with, and you won’t have to see him again until next August. “We’re honored to have you and Rupert joining us again, sir.”
“The pleasure is all ours, Miss Wellingstone,” he replied, and she almost gagged. “You are now a senior at Princeton, correct?”
“That’s right. I’ll be flying back up there next week.”
“You may be seeing my son around campus, then. He will begin his studies there this year.”
I sincerely hope not, she thought, allowing her smile to widen in proportion to her growing displeasure. “I hope he’ll enjoy it.”
The uncomfortable questions continued throughout the event; somehow, Morton finagled a spot for himself and his son near enough that he could still talk to her. “I assume you are planning to work toward taking over the company after your graduation.”
It was all Isabelle could do to keep from squirming. She knew what Morton expected her to say and why he was asking, and her acute awareness of the way Rupert was studying her just made it worse. “No, that will be Abraham’s job. I’m not interested in exports.”
“Oh?” A calculating glint came to his eyes. “What are your plans, then?”
“I want to make my own living,” she said, deriving a twisted pleasure from the obvious shock she had given both men.
“Doing what, if you do not mind my asking?” Rupert said.
“I plan to invest in real estate.”
“That will be risky. You must have a sizeable inheritance.”
She shrugged, not about to let him know exactly how large it was. “I’ll get by.”
After they rolled up the blankets and packed up the baskets, she caught up with Abraham. “You look a little green around the gills, cousin,” he said, offering her his arm.
“I’ll be glad to go home,” she said, and he chuckled at her frankness. “I cannot stand the Gardiners. I know Rupert is your friend, but he and his father both make me feel uneasy.”
“Rupert isn’t so bad. He’s intelligent, and he has a good head for business.”
“I wish I could say the same for his people skills.”
He laughed again, patting her arm. “I’ll meet back with you at the mansion. For now, I’m going to speak with my friend. You’ve been monopolizing him.”
“Abraham, you are always welcome to cut in. In fact, please do.”
“I will keep that in mind.”
Isabelle waved as he left, and turned to walk down to her car. She did not understand that friendship, but if Abraham saw something in Rupert that was worth his time, that was his business. Oh, I wish he wasn’t going to Princeton, she thought, feeling suddenly possessive. She glanced back, saw Rupert watching her again, and shuddered, quickening her pace.
***
Rupert firmly shook the hand Abraham offered him. “It has been much too long.”
“Agreed. I am sorry it took me this long to make my way over. Did you enjoy the picnic?”
He thought back to the lunch, and a smirk began to form on his face. “I did. Your cousin tells me that she plans to go into real estate.”
Abraham nodded and stuffed his hands in his pockets. “Yeah, she decided that a while ago. I’ll need a new business partner eventually, but there’s time to look into that.”
“Have you given any thought-“
A cry of pain cut through his sentence, and both turned sharply to see that Isabelle had fallen. “Isabelle!” Abraham cried, breaking into a run, Rupert on his heels.
When they reached her, she was attempting to regain some dignity by sitting up and pulling down her grass-stained dress, but it was obvious that she was in great pain. “What happened?”
“I stepped in a pothole,” she managed.
“Which foot?” Abraham asked. She gestured to her right, and he carefully removed the shoe and felt the bones. She hissed once, but otherwise bore it with composure, impressing Rupert. “It’s not broken,” his friend said, “but it’s twisted pretty badly and already swelling. You should go to the emergency room.”
“That is not necessary,” Rupert said, bending down next to him. He took Isabelle’s ankle gingerly in both hands and shut his eyes, visualizing the injury in his mind. The swelling immediately went down as the warm energy passed from him to her. He opened his eyes again and sat back. “Test it.”
Stunned, Isabelle did as he said. “It feels perfectly fine.”
“I did not know you could do that,” Abraham said, amazed. Rupert merely shrugged and stood up, offering a hand to Isabelle. She took it and hoisted herself partway up before switching gears to lean on her cousin. Rupert hid his frown.
“Isabelle?” By this time, the older Wellingstones had begun their descent, Isabelle’s mother leading. “Are you all right?”
“She’s fine,” Abraham called back. “Just a little winded.” He helped her steady herself. “Can you stand on it?”
“Yes.” She glanced at Rupert and muttered a “thank you” before tugging on Abraham’s arm. “Can you take me to the car?”
He nodded and began to lead her off, calling “I’ll be in touch!” back to Rupert as they went.
Rupert watched them go, thoughtfully, and then turned to walk back to his father.