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Post by Roo Elliott on Apr 9, 2014 4:31:25 GMT -8
Roo was a bit startled to find the questions turned on herself--she had nothing to justify with regards to her parents.
Except that one time she turned up jobless and pregnant and needed a place to stay for a few years...
"When I was eighteen," she said. "I was up in London for six years, but...well, I always came back for the holidays...then I stayed back."
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Post by Eliot Parker on Apr 9, 2014 14:41:55 GMT -8
London? He was about to ask if she'd met Val while she was living there, but speculated that his sister must have switched countries about the same time as Roo’s relocating to London.
"You must really like Penchurch," Eliot reflected. "Don't get me wrong, I do like Penchurch. In fact, I hope to stay for a while, a couple of months if possible." He should move out of the B&B soon, before the expenses got too high. And move back to the apartment above the antique shop? That was a decision he was yet to settle on.
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Post by Roo Elliott on Apr 10, 2014 0:02:53 GMT -8
"It's Penchurch..." she said, then realized how stupid that sounded. "I needed to come back," she clarified, without much elaboration. She tossed some hair out of her eyes and took a sip of her squash, squinting at Eliot. "You selling the shop, then?" she asked. "Might take more than a couple of months, in a place like this."
Even then, there might be little hope the next owner would keep it as an antiques shop. There was no one in the village in a position to buy such a place, and a strange would probably see better profit from something a little more mainstream, as much as it broke Roo's heart to think of the place Mr. Parker had loved so much--it being all he'd had to love.
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Post by Eliot Parker on Apr 10, 2014 2:52:44 GMT -8
"I don't know yet. Mother won't have anything to do with it. Val is busy with her own life. I don't know anything about antiques and even if I ask the assistant to continue running the shop I doubt it'll be the same." Small shops like that tended to lose their charm when they didn't have a caring owner.
"He probably would have wanted it to remain an anqitues shop," Eliot added, playing with his gloves which were neatly folded on the table, "and if possible I'd like to respect his wish in that regard. Do you know anyone who might be interested?"
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Post by Roo Elliott on Apr 10, 2014 5:28:16 GMT -8
Roo shook her head, finishing her drink.
"No one 'round here could afford to, or knows enough about antiques." She pulled a face. "If it turns into a chip shop, God help me. Your dad'll be rolling in his grave."
Her gaze flickered to Eliot, and lingered.
"...have you been to the graveyard?"
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Post by Eliot Parker on Apr 10, 2014 6:48:22 GMT -8
"Not yet," he replied, returning her gaze. What was the point of visitng the old man's grave when he hadn't visited him while he was still living? He didn't particulatly believe in an afterlife and neither did Parker senior in all probability. Even so, he was curious to see- well, not really... But he should at least see to it that the grave had a proper headstone.
"Could you maybe... but I guess it'd be better if I go there alone."
Looking outside the window, it occurred to Eliot that the rain might not stop anytime soon. "I should be going," he stood up, adding with a smile: "I'm glad we could talk. Let me buy you a drink sometime."
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Post by Roo Elliott on Apr 10, 2014 11:36:08 GMT -8
Well here she'd meant to put the fear of God--or at least, fear of Penchurch scrutiny--in him, and he seemed like he'd had a chatty half hour with his personal psychotherapist.
How in the hell had she wound up COMFORTING the bastard?
Roo's smile was a bit tight...at least he spoke as if he might go to his father's grave, anyway.
"I'm here most days, until about three," she said, standing and taking her empty glass to stick it into the sink in the back. "You should stay in Penchurch a while. Even if you've got someplace better to be." Her brows knit themselves together. "It's better that you're here, for now."
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Post by Eliot Parker on Apr 10, 2014 14:36:41 GMT -8
"There is no better place," Eliot spoke before he could check himself. Now she would think he'd chosen Penchurch as a last resort. But it was true, wasn't it? Unless he wanted to move back into his mother's house, which he rather not consider as an option. "See you around, then."
He'd taken a few steps towards the door when he stopped and returned: "do you have an Umbrella I could borrow?"
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Post by Roo Elliott on Apr 11, 2014 1:51:10 GMT -8
Roo's eyebrows shot up for a moment, and she shrugged.
"You can try the Lost and Found, I guess," she said. "Out-of-towners always leaving cameras and whatnot. Might be something left over from last season."
She went behind the cafe's service counter and crouched to pull out a ragged battered milk crate that had seen better days.
"Aha, you're in luck, Mr. Parker Jr.," she said, fishing out a collapsing umbrella and standing, handing it to him over the counter. "I hope you like Peppa Pig."
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Post by Eliot Parker on Apr 11, 2014 5:05:34 GMT -8
"Thanks," Eliot chuckled, staring at the glaring pink child's umbrella, covered in large Peppa Pig motifs. Well, it was better than nothing! Certainly better than catching cold. "Take care."
Outside the cafe, he opened the umbrella to see if it was working and unfortunately it seemed to be in good shape. He only realised he'd forgotten to ask the time when he had climbed a row of slippery cobblestones up the street and was not looking forward to going back down. It should be about noon, he thought, or early afternoon. If he got back quick enough to the B&B, he could still catch his mother on the phone before her afternoon nap.
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