Memory Share: Richard Strand

[nobasisinfact]

The room is soft in pastels of yellow and blue. The pictures on the wall seem more child-oriented than anything else. Your sister decorated it – she'd overruled your choice of a pleasant dark green and a more adult-like decoration. 'growing girls don't want their rooms to look like a stuffy scholar lives there' she'd said. You still don't agree, but at least you were able to get your way about the books. She needs something more substantial than 'Goodnight Moon.'

The weight pressing against your leg, wiggling a little is light, but it's still amazing how much heavier she was then even a few weeks ago. She's growing so much, and the thought of it is almost frightening. What are you going to do when she starts school; or when she starts to look at boys? Cheryl can't stay with you forever, and this is all new territory for you. You can barely handle an adult girl let alone a tiny one that you'd managed to create.

“Dad?” The tiny voice is calm but questioning — a girl's voice. When you turn to her, there's a little girl there, sitting on your lap with a questioning look in her deep blue eyes. She looks like you, it's strange, but there isn't very much of the woman who had her there. Just you; or maybe you only see what you want to.

“You wanted 'The Deranged Cousins' right?” You can't help smiling about that. Cheryl hated that you get her Edward Gorey, but she loved it. She also liked it when you read Greek myths and ancient books to her – Cheryl had banned those while she was visiting though. There was also an increase of traditional children's books showing up in her room. You'd have to sell them once she left.

Opening the book, you begin to read. There are pictures, and the young girl looks at them with rapt enjoyment as she listens to you carefully and rhythmically reading the words. “Seventy-nine years ago there were three cousins whose names were Rose Marshmary, Mary Rosemarsh, and Marsh Maryrose. They lived in a house covered with roses on the edge of a marsh ...”

As you continue, the girl reads with you, as if she knows the book by heart. She does. This is a book you've read to her several times. It's her favorite. There's a soft clink as a mug of tea is set beside you, and both you and the girl look over to see a woman settling herself into another chair, sipping from her mug. “You're gonna make her weird, Richard.” It's said with rolled eyes as the girl crinkles her face at the comment.

It's an old argument. Be a normal dad, read her normal things and make sure she has a normal life. Charlie isn't normal. She's extraordinary, she's your daughter, and you plan on making sure she knows just how smart she is, just how extraordinary she is. “If anyone thinks that then they aren't worth her time. Right, Charlie.” Your voice is both soft and strong with conviction.

The girl nods then she taps the book. “I wanna get to her killing her cousin.” It's a demand that you can't say no to, so you keep reading even as Cheryl sits back with a small smirk on her face. Only you would read something like this to an almost three-year-old girl, and only your daughter would enjoy it.

Comments

[11calls]

[Alex is surprised really, by the memory on the network. This is a Richard who she doesn't know, who she can't know, really, one carved away by loss and time and betrayal and having all of his choices removed. It makes her smile to see the girl who would be the woman who yelled at her on Skype, who is slightly older than herself, and who grew up to not have contact with the man reading to her for twenty years. It's fixed now, thanks in large part to Alex herself, but there was still that gap that she can't change.

This reminds her of what was lost during that gap. It's beautiful, and it's sad and she knows that Richard is going to hate that it's there on the network.]

I loved that book too, when I was little.

[nobasisinfact]

[There's a resigned sigh. Richard hates that his memories are being thrown out for the world to see; especially private memories like this. Memories of Charlie are for himself alone, and he resents the Sphere for pulling this one out of him, for putting it on display for the world to see.

But there's nothing he can do about it.]

It's a good book.

[11calls]

It is. I'm not surprised she knew it by heart.

[And then because she's herself, and she knows him and how much he hates this, she just asks softly.]

Where are you?

[nobasisinfact]

My office.

[11calls]

[when Alex shows up at his office (of course she’s going to show up to his office after that, she can’t not) she’s carrying a tray with two paper cups in it. She’d been at the coffee shop and brought his favorite tea and a pastry along with her. Otherwise she would have brought scotch but she assumed that he has some of that at his office there just like he would have at his office back home. Knocking gently with her elbow, Alex is sure she’s expected. She just doesn’t know if she’s here first or not.]

[gristle]

I didn't realize you had a kid.

[nobasisinfact]

I don't talk about it.

[gristle]

Okay. I was just gonna say it's why you're so good and dad-like now. That's all.

[nobasisinfact]

I'm not sure one leads to the other. I could have been a horrible father.

[borntolove]

[Ten is assuming that Richard knows what's best and to be honest doesn't encourage fairy tales himself]

Does she know that those are based on truth? Or just something exciting to hear?

[nobasisinfact]

You don't need to ask questions about my memories.

[borntolove]

You're a good father.

[nobasisinfact]

I didn't ask for your opinion.

Audio

[unknownmoirai]

[Silence, warmth and a sweet song fill her ears. It's a lovely memory of a sweet time. The end is a little startling but only because she doesn't know the book that he's reading or it's unexpected twist and turns.]

I never had someone read to me like that. [She'd had a strange childhood.] It's very nice of you.

It looks like fun.

Re: Audio

[nobasisinfact]

[She's either really playing this up, or she's had a weird childhood.]

It's common where I'm from.

Audio

[unknownmoirai]

[People who never met their parents are often deprived of story time.]

Did you read to your daughter every night?

Re: Audio

[nobasisinfact]

When she wanted me to.

Voice: theboneless

[ragnarsson]

[Expecting Ivar's usually scathing sarcasm designed to try and piss people off? Surprisingly, that's the exact opposite of what Richard gets. He sounds pensive and a little sad, much more subdued then the Viking ever is.]

I didn't know you were a father. Do you miss her?

Re: Voice: theboneless

[nobasisinfact]

[He's so close to scathing, but there's something about the way the man asks that softens him a bit.]

Yes.

[ragnarsson]

I also miss mine terribly.

[He sounds so sad it's to the point of being painful to feel. Winter still waits for him back in his home world, while Baldur is in the afterlife. All Ivar has ever wanted was children, to keep his legacy going, and to have someone to love.]

[nobasisinfact]

You have children?

[Seriously, he looks like a kid himself, and acts like one.]

[spherenpc]

Need more scotch?

[nobasisinfact]

If you're feeling up to it.

[spherenpc]

I'm fine.

[He's not fine, but he's trying to be. So, in his book that counts as being fine. Richard understands that, right?]

[nobasisinfact]

[He understands it completely.]

Then I'd gladly welcome more scotch.