“Mhm mhm.”
She then crossed her arms and then sighs heavily
“Well I suppose I have to say that your theory of them is correct. Cole has told me that your younger self has ended up here in our home.”
“Mhm.”
She adjusted her glasses and then looked to the side
“Do you recall the conversation of alternates we had a little while back?”
My latest of the HQ art
Silentlily, swap au refs and them next to Desmond, and something for Bluesky rp :3
“I’m glad you arrived.”
She gets up from her seat
“Cole isn’t here at the moment so you don’t have to worry about him glaring at you. He’s busy with the little one and Sparrow.”
“Ah, Claire. I see you my invoice has been noticed.”
“I need answers.”
“Sparrow gets another hand injury? Oh for goodness sakes. Does he not ever use his gloves properly when it comes to the oven?”
She then sighs and shook her head in disbelief
“I thought it was made clear to have the child lock on in case Theodore tries to sneak out.”
“And this happened while I was visiting the doctor?”
She placed her hand on her glasses for a moment to take them off and then huffed
“Was this the same time Theodore decided to go outside? I told you and sparrow to watch him.”
“The small one?”
She seems confused on what he’s talking about at the same time she felt cold - is that what the doctor was talking about earlier?
“No, I don’t think I have. Whatever brings that up, my dear?”
Melinda sighs and shook her head a bit in disappointment
“Yes, yes I thought so too. But I suppose common sense isn’t so common these days, my darling. To think a professor who is to be an example for lady manners, invasive questions slip through the cracks.”
“Presuming it is. Though, from there things had gone silent between the two of us.”
She seems unhappy remembering how the rest of the conversation went and then she remembered that media scandal
“She knows better than to ask questions like that.”
“We were only speaking about Valentine’s Day. I had merely made a joke of Theodore leaving a trail of rose petals for her but instead she ended up doing it.”
Her eyes then narrowed as she tried to remember the conversation further
“And then she mentioned the name ‘Hershel’.”
Melinda’s smile flattered a bit and she had a small frown on her face but she sighs as she answers his question
“She tried asking me something you, Mond and Theodore. Something your childhood and the relationship you with them if I recall. But I did not answer it.”
Melinda’s eyes followed the rain drops falling down from the sky and gently tapping against the window sill. She then smiled and then used her free hand to place her hand on his waist.
“Absolutely. What better is it to enjoy it with company no? The atmosphere is less cold. It’s warm.”
Melinda sneaks up behind Cole and when she did - she rested her chin on his shoulder. She seems then to look outside the window and smiled a little
“For once, I am not worried about missing this time of the season’s coming. The rain is quite rhythmic tonight.”
Melinda covered her mouth realizing she slipped a little but she gives Claire a side glance as she clarifies
“Some. Not all. There is a difference in it, of course. No?”
“If I recall, yes it was.”
Melinda looks to the side as she placed a hand over her mouth. She’s committed to keeping that secret of Cole’s childhood.
“Precisely.”
She then shudder a little as she remembers how distant she and Mond had become after she and Cole got married
“Cole, he’s not too open about the topic. He tends to brush it aside.”
Melinda chuckled a little
“Oh that’s a family secret, Doctor. Cole and I agreed upon marriage we never share details about ourselves to others. But I’m sure at least maybe Mond has told you, I heard you both are close.”
“No not at all.”
Melinda side eyes for a moment and then back at Claire
“Most of the time I hear Theodore or Theo, Cole sometimes says ‘Dore’ as a joke.”
“Odd, Cole nor Mond had mentioned that to me as far as I remember.”
Melinda looks confused for a moment as she doesn’t recall hearing that name before at least not that she can recall
“Hershel? I’m sorry is that Theodore’s second name or a nickname you gave him?”
“Hm? Oh no no! Not at all.”
Melinda does that gesture with her hands quickly as she shook her head and then she stopped
“I was merely surprised as all. I would’ve it was Theodore the one who would’ve done it. I’m sorry perhaps I should’ve been more clear.”
“Excuse me?—“
Melinda was caught off guard by that sudden answer
“Ah the class indoors celebration of valentines? Did he have flower petals on the floor for you to follow?”
She asks that last part jokingly well at least a little
“I’m glad to hear that, I hope you and Theodore had enjoyed this Valentine’s Day after the day of bad luck”
“Oh my day has gone .. quite well. Very well actually. And yours?”
“Happy Valentine’s Day to you too, Claire.”
“I just hope that thing isn’t cursed or something. We don’t want to scare Theodore.”
