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Post by Jenny on Aug 11, 2007 14:03:11 GMT -5
'You're sure?' Jerome just didn't quite know where to leave things, where to stop sometimes. Esmé shot him a look. It was so obvious that Carmelita was angry at nero, and Jerome was, as usual, NOT helping.
'Yes,' Nero snapped before Carmelita had the chance.
'Don't be rude to our guests,' Carmelita hissed at him.
'Your parents,' he hissed back, as if somehow this meant he could treat them as he wished. 'And they've been PLENTY rude to me, haven't they?'
'AND they've apologized,' Carmelita replied instantly.
Jerome coughed to get their attention. 'Would you like us to go home?'
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Post by Emma “Emmz” Squalor on Aug 11, 2007 14:29:12 GMT -5
“No,” she replied firmly. “No. Nero is just…” Just what? It had been HIS idea to invite Esmé and Jerome over in the first place, and now Nero was making a spectacle of both himself AND Carmelita. She sighed. “He’s just frustrated from overseeing so many punishments in one day.” In other words, the sugar from all that candy was making him cranky, though Carmelita wasn’t going to say so.
Unfortunately, Esmé could and did. “Well,” she said, “it’s obvious that the sugar from all the candy that you insist on packing away”— and I don’t mean in your pocket —is making you cranky.” She laughed contentedly at the joke.
Jerome shifted his eyes uneasily from Carmelita to Nero, expecting one or both of them to say something. Jerome swallowed hard, wishing that there was enough space between the coffee table and couch so he could crawl underneath the couch and hide there while everyone else argued.
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Post by Jenny on Aug 12, 2007 13:51:46 GMT -5
Nero actually stood up, nearly overturning the table and covering everyone in wine.
'Why is everyone so determined to comment on my job?' he wailed. 'I'm a Vice Principal! I went into this line of work because of my hate of children! Is that so abnormal?'
He stood there panting for a long time, until Esmé eventually shrugged.
'I suppose having an irrational hate of young children is something i can rather relate to,' she said.
Nero sat down, looking happier.
'Really?' he asked hopefully.
'Oh, yes,' Esmé laughed. 'I once pushed three down an elevator shaft, in fact. Among other things.'
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Post by Emma “Emmz” Squalor on Aug 12, 2007 14:27:45 GMT -5
Jerome looked absolutely appalled at his wife’s obvious delight in doing something so awful. Though, as always, he chose to remain passive on the matter.
Carmelita appeared as though she didn’t know quite what to think. After a brief moment of silence, however, she let her feelings be known. “What about ME?” she asked quietly, and everyone turned to look at her. “Was I ever on your list of Most Hated Children?” She figured she must have been difficult at some point, even though neither Esmé nor Nero had ever once complained about her behavior to anyone.
“Of course not, Carmelita,” Esmé said. “Don’t be silly. I was referring to the three Baudelaire brats.”
Carmelita turned suspiciously to Nero. “What about YOU, Nero?” she asked. “You’ve known me since I was a child. Did you hate me then?” She sat back and folded her arms while she awaited his answer.
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Post by Jenny on Aug 12, 2007 15:33:58 GMT -5
'No!' Nero cried. Too quickly. 'No, of course not! And, even if I did, you've changed since then, haven't you?'
Carmelita folded her arms. 'And you, Jerome?' she asked softly, knowing that Jerome was avoiding being asked the question.
'I never hated you, Carmelita.' He said honestly. 'But I won't say you weren't....irritating. Difficult maybe is the word,.' he said softly. 'But you soon improved.'
She seemed satisfied with that answer, but then spoke again, to Nero. 'So,' she said quietly. 'If you hate children so much, does that mean we'll never have any?'
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Post by Emma “Emmz” Squalor on Aug 12, 2007 16:52:46 GMT -5
Almost unconsciously, Jerome reached up and put his hand over Esmé’s mouth. He knew she was dying to say something contradictory, but from the direction the conversation seemed to be heading in her two cense was the last thing anyone needed to hear.
“Well, I—” Nero hesitated. Carmelita had never mentioned ANYTHING about wanting to have children. “That is, we’ve never really talked about it…”
It was at this moment when Jerome decided it was safe for him to take his hand away from Esmé’s mouth. No sooner had he done so than he was sorry he had. “Perhaps you don’t know Carmelita as well as you thought you did,” Esmé said.
Jerome shut his eyes tightly and waited for the vice principal to say something to defend himself.
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Post by Jenny on Aug 14, 2007 10:08:39 GMT -5
It was Carmelita Nero turned on, even when Esmé was the one to disrupt the situation.
'Why,' he said. 'Of all times, you tell me you want children NOW? With THESE TWO around?' he motioned at Esmé without reaching to include Jerome. They all knew this was not coincedental.
Carmelita, however, was adamant. 'I always assumed we would. That's the usual process after marriage, isn't it?'
'Not when your prospective husband is your senior by twenty-two years and three--!' Jerome was too slow, by the time he had reached to clamp both hands practically around his wife's whole face to shut her up, lips pulled back in a manic expression as he tried desperately to stop her saying things she would regret, everyone had already figured out what she intended to say.
Carmelita's face fell. 'I suppose you're right,' she said honestly to Esmé. Jerome heard the wavering in her voice before either of the two people that knew her better did.
'Carmy?' It had been years since he'd called her that. It wasn't as cute when he was slowly suffocating Esmé beside him, who was clawing at his arm in an attempt to free herself. Carmelita finally cracked, two tears sliding down her cheeks as she started to cry.
The whole table went silent.
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Post by Emma “Emmz” Squalor on Aug 14, 2007 11:47:55 GMT -5
Esmé reached up and yanked both of her husband’s hands away from her face, gasping. After giving him one of her iciest glares— a glare that said quite frankly “I’ll yell at you later” —she turned to Carmelita. “Do you see now what I’ve been trying to tell you all along?” Esmé said gently, and Jerome had to put his own hand over his mouth to stifle the scream that threatened to escape. “If you really intend to have children someday, Carmelita, then it would be better to just—”
Nero cut her off. “That does it!” he snapped, and pointed an accusing finger at Esmé. “I’ve had just about enough of you butting into our affairs…” He paused then, realizing what he’d just said. He rose from the table once more and continued speaking. “Let’s get something straight here, madam,” Nero went on. “This is not YOUR house, this is MY house, and I will not have you disrespect me in it. Is that clear?”
Before Esmé could answer, a loud sob echoed from the chair Carmelita was sitting in, and when everyone turned their heads they saw that she had risen. “You’re all HORRIBLE!” she shouted at them, tears streaming down her cheeks as her words ripped through their hearts like fire. With that, Carmelita turned and fled the parlor.
A few moments later Esmé, Jerome and Nero all heard the door of the back bedroom as it slammed shut violently.
[Sorry it was so long! I got carried away with all the drama goin’ on.]
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Post by Jenny on Aug 14, 2007 14:32:35 GMT -5
[That's OK Nero was practically shaking in his anger, looking after Carmelita as she left. When they heard the slam, he turned towards Esmé once again, Jerome holding his head in his hands in despair. 'Is that clear?' he bellowed at her, wanting an answer, wanting her to see the damage she'd done. She stood up in anger, drawing herself up to her full height. She was taller than him by a couple of inches, and used it to her advantage carefully, glaring down at him icily. Before she could utter one word about how Carmelita deserved better, how Nero should have been looking for someone his own age to listen to his atrocious violin palying, Jerome was standing, joining them. He actually raised his hand slightly like a schoolchild to grab their attention. Esmé slapped it down, angry at her husband for being so...weak. 'I can see you've got him under check, rather like Carmelita...' 'At least I CARE for--' Jerome raised his hand again, and coughed. 'Esmé,' he said loudly. 'Stop being a child.' 'It's because I want the best for her!' Esmé wailed, beaten. 'Well, stop it.' Just as Nero smiled, Jerome turned to him. 'And you are as bad. My dislike for Esmé's childishness, or her agressive defensiveness, I have a more profound dislike for any man who will act so disgracefully to a woman because he has no other way of controlling her. You are both wrong, and look at what you've done,' he motioned to the door that Carmelita had run through. 'As much as I hate to say it,' he continued. 'I'm afraid neither of you deserve Carmelita at all.'
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Post by Emma “Emmz” Squalor on Aug 14, 2007 16:53:40 GMT -5
[*dances* Go, Jerome! I’m so proud of him!]
Esmé simply stared at her husband in utter shock— proud of him for taking some serious initiative for once and irritated that he would dare to tell her who she did and did not deserve. Nero was also gawking at Jerome, Nero’s beady dark eyes narrowed as he glared up at him.
Despite Esmé and Nero’s stubbornness, they both had to admit that Jerome was right: the fact that the two of them had literally been at each other’s throats from the moment they met was literally tearing Carmelita apart.
Esmé was the first to speak. It was on rare occasions where Jerome’s voice would spontaneously raise above the rest, and when it did it was usually by way of a last resort. “You’re right, Jerome,” Esmé said softly, and he looked down at her in surprise. “It IS terrible what we’re doing to Carmelita… making her choose between her mother and her fiancée…”
Nero nodded in agreement. “I am ashamed as well,” he said, and looked toward the bedroom door. “I didn’t realize that my actions were hurting her so much…”
“Well,” Jerome said, “I’m glad the two of you have finally reached that conclusion. I don’t like to argue, but it was necessary in order to get my point across. Still…” He looked over at the door Nero was still staring at. “I think I ought to be the one to talk to Carmelita. Wait here,” Jerome added firmly, and before anyone could stop him, he swept out of the parlor and down the hallway.
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Post by Jenny on Aug 15, 2007 8:14:46 GMT -5
[Also, as you're playing both Carmelita and Jerome--even though I can't seem to keep on just one person anyway--I'll stay here and cover some sort of agreement.
Depeding on whether you're on today, this might be my last post for the rest of the month. We'll see.]
For a couple of minutes, Esmé and Nero sat in silence, glaring down at their feet, thoroughly ashamed of themselves. Eventually Nero lifted his head and scooped inside his pocket.
'Would you like a lemon drop?' he asked gently. 'I was given them today by a very badly behaved student. I would be more than happy to share them with you.'
She smiled slightly. 'No thank you,' she replied, watching as he stuffed three into his mouth at once. 'You could choke on those, you know.'
'I know. I won't.'
'Well, wait until Carmelita gets back at least. Then she'll know I didn't kill you.' Esmé smiled when she said it to show that this wasn't any sort of insult.
'Would you like me to give you a tour of the apartment?' Nero asked quietly.
Esmé just shook her head. 'Nero, I don't think Carmelita wants us to be best friends and play squah together every weekend, we just have to get onw hen she's around, when it's important.'
She paused. 'We could say what we liked now. Get it out of our systems.'
Nero considered it, before turning back. 'I've nothing else to say about you.' he ommented honestly.
She smiled again. 'No. Neither have I.'
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Post by Emma “Emmz” Squalor on Aug 15, 2007 9:14:07 GMT -5
[That’s okay, we can play a little bit of everyone. If I don’t see you today I hope you have a good trip and I’ll see you when you get back.
Since you covered Esmé and Nero, I’ll just go ahead and do the same with Jerome and Carmelita.]
Jerome knocked softly on the bedroom door and waited for an answer before he opened it. He remembered back when Carmelita was still a child and he had sent her to her room for throwing one too many temper tantrums. When he had gone into her room to talk to her about it, she had hurled her boot at the door and would have nailed him in the face with it had he not shielded himself with the door.
He doubted that would be the case in this situation, but, as his father had always told him, it was better to be safe than sorry. Jerome was about to knock again when a soft voice emanated from behind the closed door: “Come in.” He pushed open the door and entered the room where he found Carmelita sprawled out across the bed just as she lifted her face away from the pillow.
“How are you?” Jerome asked, sitting down beside her.
Tears slipped from her eyes as she forced a smile. “My mother and fiancée HATE each other,” Carmelita replied tearfully. “How do you THINK I am?” She saw the hurt look on Jerome’s face immediately. “I’m sorry, Jerome. I didn’t mean to take it out on you. In fact, you’re the ONLY one who hasn’t made this a night to forget.”
“It may help you feel better to know— at least, I hope it will —that I had a talk with Esmé and Nero after you left. They both admitted that they were wrong,” Jerome explained.
Carmelita’s azure eyes widened at this. “Really?” she asked incredulously.
“Yes. I was surprised too. This is the first time Esmé has willingly listened to ANYTHING I said.”
“No,” Carmelita corrected. “I mean that you actually argued. You NEVER argue.”
Jerome smiled modestly. “I suppose there’s a first time for everything,” he replied.
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Post by Jenny on Aug 15, 2007 13:13:49 GMT -5
[Back! May well be on tomorrow a little as well, after all. Look at my spelling in that last post! Bwah! What was I doing!!! ] Esmé fixed herself another glass of wine without being actually offered any. Nero laughed to himself when she poured the last of the bottle into his glass. 'I never said I wanted wine.' he said to her, testing how far their new found toleration of each other could go. 'It dulls the...guilt. Drink up.' 'Guilt?' 'For sending your future wife off sobbing to shut herself in your room.' Nero raised an eyebrow. Esmé was too busy downing what she could of the bottle of wine to notice. 'So,' he began. 'She IS my future wife now, then?' Esmé looked at him levelly. 'It's not as if I've any real say in the matter. The more I push her to dump you the less she's likely to. If she marries you now she can't blame me for it later.' This was as good as it was going to get. She wasn't insulting him or throwing things, so he was OK with that. 'Charming,' he said in response, just as Jerome and a slightly tearful Carmelita returned to the room.
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Post by Emma “Emmz” Squalor on Aug 15, 2007 14:38:02 GMT -5
[Awesome! And don’t worry about the spelling. : )]
Jerome looked from Esmé to Nero and smiled. “So,” Jerome said, “by the looks of things I see you two are getting along quite well now. I guess my little lecture did the trick, huh?” He said this last part rather jokingly, but still it wasn’t enough to keep Esmé from giving him a look that reminded him he was pushing it.
Her hardened expression softened as she turned to Carmelita. “I’m sorry about before,” Esmé said.
Carmelita nodded, noticing the empty bottle of wine and the two partially filled glasses beside it on the table. “I can see that,” she replied.
Esmé looked somewhat embarrassed by the remark, but said nothing. She didn’t want to endure another lecture from Jerome, whose enjoyment of giving them was almost equal to his dislike of arguing, nor did she want to risk damaging her relationship with Carmelita.
“I would like to offer an apology as well,” Nero said, and Carmelita turned to look at him. “I never meant to make you cry, Carmelita.”
“Thank you, Nero,” she said. “And you too, Esmé. I accept your apologies.”Carmelita then hurried over to where Nero was sitting and, leaning forward, pressed her lips firmly against his.
Jerome, out of politeness, turned his face in the opposite direction while Esmé swiped Nero’s glass of wine, tilted back her head and swallowed the contents in a single gulp.
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Post by Jenny on Aug 16, 2007 5:11:37 GMT -5
Jerome had the sense to stop her when she made a move to approach the wine rack for another bottle, forcing her to sit back with him on her chair. She glare back at him, but said nothing.
'I'm so glad this has been resolved,' Carmelita smiled pleasantly at everyone, stopping especially to nod to Jerome. 'There's no reason we can't all just get along.'
There was a short silence after that, buit soon enough conversation resumed.
'I was thinking of shortening my violin recitals to four hours,' Nero told everyone. 'To give the students more study time. Besides that, I need to plan my gym lessons. Now that I don't seem to be able to get a hold of Coach Genghis anymore, I have to do them myself.'
Carmelita and Esmé shared a look across the table. Only Jerome seemed to be perfetly oblivious.
'That sounds like a wonderful idea,' he said. 'Although I'm sure the children do enjoy your recitals.'
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