Poem: "To Protect the Most Vulnerable"
Oct. 19th, 2017 09:16 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ysabetwordsmithThis poem is spillover from the November 5, 2016 Poetry Fishbowl. It was inspired by prompts from technoshaman, jtthomas, and Anonymous on Dreamwidth. It also fills the "drunk girl / guy" square in my 11-1-16 card for the Fall Festival bingo. This poem has been sponsored by janetmiles. It belongs to the Mallory thread of the Polychrome Heroics series.
Warning: This poem contains some intense topics. Highlight to read the warnings, some of which are spoilers. It includes confusion, indecision, college party hijinks, Whitney sneaking alcohol into a non-alcoholic event, binge-watching television, Whitney passing out drunk on the couch, reference to past alcohol misuse, reference to past rape, Mallory having a panic attack with awful flashbacks and other intrusive images, Heron calling the Student Health Center for Whitney, Mallory crying on Heron, and other angst. But there's a lot of fluff too. If these are sensitive issues for you, please consider your tastes and headspace before reading onward. However, this is a major plot point, so skipping it would leave a gap.
"To Protect the Most Vulnerable"
The more Mallory watched Heron,
the more she realized that he tended
to take care of everyone who let him.
He took care of other things, too,
like joining a group of students who
wanted to plant a pollinator garden in
a pocket park on the Urbanburg campus.
Curious (and bored), Mallory went along
and sat underneath a shady tree, staffing
the big cooler of sodas and bottled water
which she handed out to sweaty volunteers.
They cut through the turf, rolled it up,
and spread a truckload of compost.
Then they planted coneflowers,
penstemon, wild bergamot, and
other native prairie plants.
Heron gave safety tips, guided
teamwork, extracted splinters,
and patched up blisters.
"Why do you do all this stuff?"
she wondered as she passed
him a bottle of vanilla soda.
"Climate change is a moral issue,
and what affects the pollinators
affects us too," Heron said. "It's
our responsibility. It's up to us
to protect the most vulnerable,
so the Earth can support us."
"Huh," Mallory said, not really
understanding it, but willing
to humor him even so.
After the planting was done,
a dozen people followed them
home to the promised party that
Paige and Maisie had organized.
Everyone took turns using the hose
for a quick rinse in the yard before
trooping into the house and descending
on the food like a swarm of locusts.
It was simple stuff -- one big bowl of
potato salad, another of fruit salad with
berries and peaches, plus a long buffet
of bread and lunchmeat, cheese and
condiments, and fresh vegetables for
making all kinds of cold sandwiches.
Nobody wanted to look at hot food today.
Heron put on his Party Monitor t-shirt and
filled a punch bowl with virgin merry mimosas.
Mallory didn't have the heart to tell him
that Whitney had been sneaking sips
from a silver-chased hip flask that
was no more virgin than she was.
"What can I get you to drink?"
Heron asked her, leaning
against the kitchen counter.
"Well, I'd like to order a Pain Ray
or a Ginger Bitch, but that's not
happening," she said, crossing
her arms over her bulging belly.
Heron curled just the corner of
his mouth. "Trust me to show you
something new?" he suggested.
"Sure," Mallory said. The man
was amazing in a kitchen.
Heron came back with not only
a tall tumbler but also a sandwich.
"One pineapple ginger cooler and
a comoros sandwich," he said.
Oh, right. She'd forgotten to eat.
The sandwich turned out to be
slices of tomato, cucumber, and
hard-boiled egg. It was different,
and interesting, and she decided
that she liked it. Meat was still iffy
sometimes, even if the nausea
had mostly gone away by now.
The cooler was downright incredible.
"Wow," said Mallory. "That has a kick."
She felt like her lips were on fire, which
was what a Ginger Bitch was supposed
to do, only without the alcohol.
Heron gave her that graceful,
head-and-shoulders bow she was
coming to adore. "Thank you."
Mallory wished that she
could decide what to do
with him, and with her life.
She had tried his exercise
of pretending that she was
going to keep the baby, or
give it up for adoption.
She had even talked with
Professor Bonneville and
Mr. Cummings, and she was
confident that if she handed off
her baby to them, they would
make fantastic dads, but
she still couldn't decide.
So Mallory did what she
usually did and pushed it out
of her mind, instead focusing on
Heron and the various guests.
They mingled then, because
the party was tuning up now that
most folks had found themselves
something to eat and drink.
Whitney was funny and full of gossip,
hanging all over some skinny dweeb
who kept talking about honeybees
and flower gardens and pesticide.
"He has fantastic fingers,"
Whitney stage-whispered to
Mallory, waggling her eyebrows.
Honeybee Dweeb blushed all over.
Mallory laughed along with Whitney
and then saw Paige struggling
to open the closet door.
The latch was well and truly jammed,
but a flick of energy got it loose.
Paige brought out a stack
of board games, and Maisie
(or more likely, Ham) started up
a yard game that involved bouncing
balls off a trampoline into a board with
target holes in several sizes.
Mallory played a few different games,
although the pregnancy wrecked
her balance enough to make
throwing things less accurate.
Heron moved with deliberate grace,
gladly joining any conversation or
other activity, but he wouldn't stay
for more than a few minutes before
moving on to check someone else.
Mallory watched him shoo people
away from parts of the house where
they weren't supposed to be going
and find other places for them to be.
He coaxed shy people out of corners
and found folks for them to talk to.
He mixed interesting drinks for people
who bitched about the lack of alcohol.
Mallory had no qualms about
ordering another pineapple cooler.
Whitney, who had stuck with
whatever hooch she had brought
in her hip flask, was starting to wobble.
As the evening wore on, some
of the boys starting doing
improbable party tricks.
Mallory watched without feeling
any compunction to join in the hijinks,
which was unusual for her, but she didn't
particularly want to be the reason Heron
had to break out the first aid kit. Again.
Paige popped open her laptop
and people crowded around it
to binge-watch some new show
called Mrs. Barton's Boarding House
that was all over the internet.
Mallory wandered over to watch
the first episode, which introduced
a bewildering number of characters,
some families and some singles.
"How many are there?" she asked.
"Thirteen," Paige said. "Mrs. Barton
and a dozen boarders. Don't worry, you'll
sort them out eventually. It helps that they
all have such different personalities."
Mallory had to admit that the big white house
was beautiful. Its hardwood floors and
hubbub of people and comedy-drama
reminded her of Maisie's house.
After the credits rolled, though, Mallory
went to help Heron in the kitchen, because
sitting still for too long made her stiffen up.
They put away the remains of the sandwich bar,
set the dishes in the sink, and wiped the table.
Then they set out a snack bar full of chex mix,
different dips for chips and vegetables,
fresh fruit, mixed nuts, and candy.
As they worked, the two of them
listened to Honeybee Dweeb talk about
bees that made nests out of flowers.
Once they finished the snack bar,
Mallory drifted back to the living room.
The house party was plenty of fun,
until Whitney passed out on the couch
and Mallory had a panic attack.
It was like being trapped in a dream.
She couldn't think, couldn't move,
couldn't do anything but stand there
staring at the helpless girl sitting
on the couch like a broken doll.
Mallory recalled everything
that had happened to her
at the New Year's party.
Someone dropped a blanket
over Whitney, but that didn't
bring Mallory out of her reverie,
and Whitney didn't wake up either.
Heron came by and leaned over
Whitney, trying to shake her awake.
Mallory's head played awful memories
of people leaning over her, which
blurred into images of Whitney
being fucked on the cushions.
Mixed in with those were
memories of Heron and how
he'd reacted to finding a drunk guy
in his bed that time, which made
Mallory wonder if he'd freak out too.
But none of that happened.
Instead, Heron pressed his fingers
against Whitney's throat and frowned.
Patting her down, he found
the flask, sniffed it, and muttered,
"Rum. Well, that's just wonderful."
He lowered her carefully onto the couch,
straightening her body so that she lay on
her left side with her head propped up.
Then he pulled out his phone and
called Student Health Services.
Mallory tried to pull herself together,
because she hated being this vulnerable
at a party, but she couldn't get a grip.
By the time the drunk escort
showed up to scoop Whitney
into their safe transport van,
Mallory had started to shake.
Naturally Heron noticed that too.
"Are you okay?" he asked, one hand
resting feather-light on her shoulder.
"No," she managed to say.
"Okay, let's take this upstairs,"
he said. He asked Paige to keep
an eye on the rest of the party, and
then steered Mallory up the steps.
"Fuck," she whispered, leaning
against the wall on the landing.
"If you're worried about Whitney,
she'll be fine," Heron said. "She
just had a little too much to drink.
The escorts will take care of her."
"I know," Mallory said, gulping,
trying to swallow the lump in
her throat. "I know, it's just,
I can't help remembering ..."
Heron waited for her to finish,
and when she didn't, he said,
"... a time when things didn't
turn out as well as this?"
"Yeah," Mallory said. Her eyes
squeezed shut, remembering again
what had happened to her, but now
imagining how different it would have
been if Heron had been there. "I wish
that I had met you sooner."
"I wish that too," he said gently.
"But if it weren't for --" She waved
a hand over her belly. "-- then we
never would have met at all."
"Maybe so, but I like to think
that we might have met under
better circumstances," he said.
Mallory didn't know about
that, but she did know
something else. Finally.
"I decided," she said.
"I want you in my life.
I want you in my baby's life.
Forever, if we don't drive you away."
"Wow," Heron said. "That's fantastic.
I'm so glad to hear that. What made up
your mind? I know you've been struggling
with this decision for a while now."
"I watched you," Mallory said.
I saw you with, with Whitney and
what you did, what you didn't do,
it was, I don't know. Amazing."
"I'm trained as a Party Monitor,
and in first aid," Heron said. "I was
just following the safety steps, Mallory,
I did what anyone would have done."
She burst into tears.
Heron leaned into her,
gently pressing her between
him and the wall, providing
much-needed support.
"Okay, I guess that wasn't
what you needed to hear.
I'm sorry," he said.
When the tears finally dried up,
Mallory tried to explain it to him.
"When I saw you with her, you
were so gentle, so careful," she said.
"Whitney was completely vulnerable,
and you didn't take advantage of her,
you took care of her. And no, that's not
what anyone would have done,
because they didn't."
"I am so sorry to hear that,"
he murmured, his breath warm
against her hair. "I wish that I
could have been there for you
when you were vulnerable."
"I wish that too. I want it,
now that I've seen it -- I want
you, Heron," Mallory whispered.
"Iwantyou Iwantyou Iwantyou."
"Okay," he said. "You have me.
I'm yours. I've got you, Mallory.
We're really doing this."
She was shaking again,
but Heron had her,
so it was okay.
* * *
Notes:
Whitney Inglesby -- She has fair skin, brown eyes, and light brown hair just past her shoulders that she styles in a variety of ways. She attends Urbanburg University. Although not a great college student, she does know a lot about pop culture and enjoys group projects. Whitney is pretty and popular, but she has an alcohol problem. People know her as that drunk girl who pukes at the party or passes out in the yard.
Qualities: Good (+2) Limber, Good (+2) Pop Culture, Good (+2) Popular, Good (+2) Pretty
Poor (-2) That Drunk Girl
See a collage of Whitney, her with some friends, and passed out on the couch.
* * *
"Climate change is a moral issue. Investing in and extracting fossil fuels is a moral issue. In all the world’s great spiritual traditions we find common ground in our compassionate defence of climate justice. Caring for the Earth is our shared responsibility. It is up to us, as spiritual leaders, to raise our voice, to protect the most vulnerable, and to protect our precious home and all species who share it with us."
-- Sister True Dedication, Plum Village International Community of Engaged Buddhists - April 17, 2016
This poem happens on Saturday, July 12, when Mallory is 27 weeks pregnant.
A pocket park is a small green space, usually under 5 acres. Read about pocket park design.
Native plants help pollinators. Follow the steps for certification. To attract butterflies and hummingbirds, choose plants suited to your region. Browse plants suited to the Midwest and other areas.
This is how the Urbanburg pollinator garden will look in full bloom. The plants featured below are the ones I was pretty sure of identifying in the picture.
Penstemon is a prairie wildflower that blooms in late spring to summer, most often with white to pink flowers. Read about how to grow penstemon and where to buy penstemon.
Echinacea is a daisylike flower with white to purple petals. It's one of the most popular wildflowers. As an herb, it boosts the immune system. You can grow your own echinacea or buy echinacea online.
Bergamot is also known as beebalm. It blooms in many colors including white, lavender, and red. It's among the most herbivore-resistant herbs. Learn about growing bergamot or where to buy bergamot.
Pollination is the transfer of gametes from one plant to another in various methods, including animals. Pesticides are among the biggest threats to pollinators. It's better in Terramagne-America than in local-America, but still a concern. Specifically, we had better save the bees or their loss will wipe out enough of the food supply to pose a grave risk to human civilization.
When gardening, it is prudent to follow the safety precautions. Keep a first aid kit handy, and know first aid tips for farmers and gardeners. This one is marketed for loggers but generalizes well to other outdoor work.
A party monitor is someone -- usually a student, at college -- who is trained to provide social support and safety supervision on festive occasions. They're not very common in L-America, but considerably more so in T-America. They're also more popular in T-America due to putting more emphasis on developing positive things they can do for people instead of being viewed as nothing more than a wet blanket. Party monitors usually wear a t-shirt or other symbol identifying them when on duty. Explore advice on party safety for hosts and for guests.
A sandwich bar is a great way to feed people at a party. Summer salads include potato salad, berry salad, and other fruit salads.
Nonalcoholic mixed drinks are quite popular in T-America. Even people who like alcohol tend to alternate that with something nonalcoholic. Bars usually stock a wide variety of mixers and some NA celebratory beverages. Check out the Virgin Merry Mimosa and Pineapple-Ginger Cooler.
Alcoholic drinks come in various styles and strengths. Read about the college favorites.
The Ginger Bitch is a mixed drink made from pear nectar, perry, hard apple cider, ginger juice, and a dash of Jack Rudy Aromatic Bitters.
The Pain Ray is a mixed drink made from tonic water, vodka, blood orange syrup, and quite a lot of raw ginger juice. The glass is rimmed with capsaisin dipped in cayenne. It is popular with supervillains, but is slowly leaking out to the general public. You can make your own blood orange syrup or buy it.
Egg sandwiches are popular in summer. Check out this mouthwatering comoros. It's a good choice if you want some protein but not meat. Also, hard-boiled eggs stand up better to warm weather compared with other types.
Indecision can lead to anxiety, procrastination, and other major problems. Extreme cases may qualify as aboulomania -- lack of will. This is regrettably common among supervillains. Know how to deal with indecision.
Board games offer many benefits. Here are some of the best and worst. (People disagree over which is which.) Any avid gamer or party host should stock a good selection of the classics -- which are the ones people actually remember well enough to ask for by name -- as well as some hot new goodies. Try to offer a wide range of formats (cards, dice, boards, stacking blocks, etc.) and processes (i.e. strategy, storytelling, dexterity). Bonus if you can find at least one like Planetarium that plays well both in group and solitary modes. Also check out games recommended for adults and for families.
See the Launch Pad Target Game.
"Mrs. Barton's Boarding House" is a little bit drama, a little bit comedy, and a lot like a soap opera with less screwing around and other craziness. This new show is about the ups and downs of running a household made of very different people who aren't related but still share a lot of their lives.
See the front yard and the exterior of Mrs. Barton's Boarding House. The basement includes a bedroom, powder room, rec room with bar and kitchenette, theater room, and two utility/storage rooms. A single woman has the basement bedroom. Mrs. Barton owns the boarding house and lives in the InnKeeper Apartment on the first floor. A single handicapped man has the Dogwood Suite. Not visible on this floor plan, a ramp extends along the side of the Dogwood Porch. The first floor also includes a covered front porch, dining room, living room, butler's pantry, kitchen, and inkeeper office. The second floor includes five suites, a large central landing, and a laundry room shared by residents. A husband and wife share the Garden Room with their toddler son. Their tween daughter lives in the Little Garden Room. A husband and wife share the Magnolia room, with their two small children in the daybed with trundle. A single father has Rose Room 7 and his teen daughter has Rose Room 8.
Osmia avosetta is a type of bee that builds nests out of flower petals. Watch them at work. If this is happening to your flowers ... plant more flowers just for the bees! I do that with caterpillars, since swallowtails love to munch on parsley and dill.
Offer a snack bar at a party.
Panic attacks and flashbacks are common results of traumatic stress such as rape. Understand how to get through a flashback or help someone else through it.
Sexual assault is a rampant problem in L-American, and less so in T-America but still present. One reason for the lower rate is that T-America teaches people to recognize the potential and step up instead of being a bystander. Here are some ways to intervene before anyone gets hurt. Yes, cockblocking a male friend who is hitting on a drunk chick may cost you that friend. Do you really want to hang out with guys like that? But do understand the pros and cons of intervening or ignoring it.
Know how to take care of a drunk person. Colleges in particular, and sometimes towns in general, customarily have a safe ride van with flat transport, to discourage drunk driving and make sure people have supervision while severely intoxicated.
How do you know he's a keeper? Consider the signs, even if you have doubts. While Mallory and Heron have a firmly platonic relationship, the contemplation of commitment to a zucchini is similar to that of deciding whether to get married.
technoshaman, jtthomas, and Anonymous on Dreamwidth. It also fills the "drunk girl / guy" square in my 11-1-16 card for the Fall Festival bingo. This poem has been sponsored by janetmiles. It belongs to the Mallory thread of the Polychrome Heroics series.Warning: This poem contains some intense topics. Highlight to read the warnings, some of which are spoilers. It includes confusion, indecision, college party hijinks, Whitney sneaking alcohol into a non-alcoholic event, binge-watching television, Whitney passing out drunk on the couch, reference to past alcohol misuse, reference to past rape, Mallory having a panic attack with awful flashbacks and other intrusive images, Heron calling the Student Health Center for Whitney, Mallory crying on Heron, and other angst. But there's a lot of fluff too. If these are sensitive issues for you, please consider your tastes and headspace before reading onward. However, this is a major plot point, so skipping it would leave a gap.
"To Protect the Most Vulnerable"
The more Mallory watched Heron,
the more she realized that he tended
to take care of everyone who let him.
He took care of other things, too,
like joining a group of students who
wanted to plant a pollinator garden in
a pocket park on the Urbanburg campus.
Curious (and bored), Mallory went along
and sat underneath a shady tree, staffing
the big cooler of sodas and bottled water
which she handed out to sweaty volunteers.
They cut through the turf, rolled it up,
and spread a truckload of compost.
Then they planted coneflowers,
penstemon, wild bergamot, and
other native prairie plants.
Heron gave safety tips, guided
teamwork, extracted splinters,
and patched up blisters.
"Why do you do all this stuff?"
she wondered as she passed
him a bottle of vanilla soda.
"Climate change is a moral issue,
and what affects the pollinators
affects us too," Heron said. "It's
our responsibility. It's up to us
to protect the most vulnerable,
so the Earth can support us."
"Huh," Mallory said, not really
understanding it, but willing
to humor him even so.
After the planting was done,
a dozen people followed them
home to the promised party that
Paige and Maisie had organized.
Everyone took turns using the hose
for a quick rinse in the yard before
trooping into the house and descending
on the food like a swarm of locusts.
It was simple stuff -- one big bowl of
potato salad, another of fruit salad with
berries and peaches, plus a long buffet
of bread and lunchmeat, cheese and
condiments, and fresh vegetables for
making all kinds of cold sandwiches.
Nobody wanted to look at hot food today.
Heron put on his Party Monitor t-shirt and
filled a punch bowl with virgin merry mimosas.
Mallory didn't have the heart to tell him
that Whitney had been sneaking sips
from a silver-chased hip flask that
was no more virgin than she was.
"What can I get you to drink?"
Heron asked her, leaning
against the kitchen counter.
"Well, I'd like to order a Pain Ray
or a Ginger Bitch, but that's not
happening," she said, crossing
her arms over her bulging belly.
Heron curled just the corner of
his mouth. "Trust me to show you
something new?" he suggested.
"Sure," Mallory said. The man
was amazing in a kitchen.
Heron came back with not only
a tall tumbler but also a sandwich.
"One pineapple ginger cooler and
a comoros sandwich," he said.
Oh, right. She'd forgotten to eat.
The sandwich turned out to be
slices of tomato, cucumber, and
hard-boiled egg. It was different,
and interesting, and she decided
that she liked it. Meat was still iffy
sometimes, even if the nausea
had mostly gone away by now.
The cooler was downright incredible.
"Wow," said Mallory. "That has a kick."
She felt like her lips were on fire, which
was what a Ginger Bitch was supposed
to do, only without the alcohol.
Heron gave her that graceful,
head-and-shoulders bow she was
coming to adore. "Thank you."
Mallory wished that she
could decide what to do
with him, and with her life.
She had tried his exercise
of pretending that she was
going to keep the baby, or
give it up for adoption.
She had even talked with
Professor Bonneville and
Mr. Cummings, and she was
confident that if she handed off
her baby to them, they would
make fantastic dads, but
she still couldn't decide.
So Mallory did what she
usually did and pushed it out
of her mind, instead focusing on
Heron and the various guests.
They mingled then, because
the party was tuning up now that
most folks had found themselves
something to eat and drink.
Whitney was funny and full of gossip,
hanging all over some skinny dweeb
who kept talking about honeybees
and flower gardens and pesticide.
"He has fantastic fingers,"
Whitney stage-whispered to
Mallory, waggling her eyebrows.
Honeybee Dweeb blushed all over.
Mallory laughed along with Whitney
and then saw Paige struggling
to open the closet door.
The latch was well and truly jammed,
but a flick of energy got it loose.
Paige brought out a stack
of board games, and Maisie
(or more likely, Ham) started up
a yard game that involved bouncing
balls off a trampoline into a board with
target holes in several sizes.
Mallory played a few different games,
although the pregnancy wrecked
her balance enough to make
throwing things less accurate.
Heron moved with deliberate grace,
gladly joining any conversation or
other activity, but he wouldn't stay
for more than a few minutes before
moving on to check someone else.
Mallory watched him shoo people
away from parts of the house where
they weren't supposed to be going
and find other places for them to be.
He coaxed shy people out of corners
and found folks for them to talk to.
He mixed interesting drinks for people
who bitched about the lack of alcohol.
Mallory had no qualms about
ordering another pineapple cooler.
Whitney, who had stuck with
whatever hooch she had brought
in her hip flask, was starting to wobble.
As the evening wore on, some
of the boys starting doing
improbable party tricks.
Mallory watched without feeling
any compunction to join in the hijinks,
which was unusual for her, but she didn't
particularly want to be the reason Heron
had to break out the first aid kit. Again.
Paige popped open her laptop
and people crowded around it
to binge-watch some new show
called Mrs. Barton's Boarding House
that was all over the internet.
Mallory wandered over to watch
the first episode, which introduced
a bewildering number of characters,
some families and some singles.
"How many are there?" she asked.
"Thirteen," Paige said. "Mrs. Barton
and a dozen boarders. Don't worry, you'll
sort them out eventually. It helps that they
all have such different personalities."
Mallory had to admit that the big white house
was beautiful. Its hardwood floors and
hubbub of people and comedy-drama
reminded her of Maisie's house.
After the credits rolled, though, Mallory
went to help Heron in the kitchen, because
sitting still for too long made her stiffen up.
They put away the remains of the sandwich bar,
set the dishes in the sink, and wiped the table.
Then they set out a snack bar full of chex mix,
different dips for chips and vegetables,
fresh fruit, mixed nuts, and candy.
As they worked, the two of them
listened to Honeybee Dweeb talk about
bees that made nests out of flowers.
Once they finished the snack bar,
Mallory drifted back to the living room.
The house party was plenty of fun,
until Whitney passed out on the couch
and Mallory had a panic attack.
It was like being trapped in a dream.
She couldn't think, couldn't move,
couldn't do anything but stand there
staring at the helpless girl sitting
on the couch like a broken doll.
Mallory recalled everything
that had happened to her
at the New Year's party.
Someone dropped a blanket
over Whitney, but that didn't
bring Mallory out of her reverie,
and Whitney didn't wake up either.
Heron came by and leaned over
Whitney, trying to shake her awake.
Mallory's head played awful memories
of people leaning over her, which
blurred into images of Whitney
being fucked on the cushions.
Mixed in with those were
memories of Heron and how
he'd reacted to finding a drunk guy
in his bed that time, which made
Mallory wonder if he'd freak out too.
But none of that happened.
Instead, Heron pressed his fingers
against Whitney's throat and frowned.
Patting her down, he found
the flask, sniffed it, and muttered,
"Rum. Well, that's just wonderful."
He lowered her carefully onto the couch,
straightening her body so that she lay on
her left side with her head propped up.
Then he pulled out his phone and
called Student Health Services.
Mallory tried to pull herself together,
because she hated being this vulnerable
at a party, but she couldn't get a grip.
By the time the drunk escort
showed up to scoop Whitney
into their safe transport van,
Mallory had started to shake.
Naturally Heron noticed that too.
"Are you okay?" he asked, one hand
resting feather-light on her shoulder.
"No," she managed to say.
"Okay, let's take this upstairs,"
he said. He asked Paige to keep
an eye on the rest of the party, and
then steered Mallory up the steps.
"Fuck," she whispered, leaning
against the wall on the landing.
"If you're worried about Whitney,
she'll be fine," Heron said. "She
just had a little too much to drink.
The escorts will take care of her."
"I know," Mallory said, gulping,
trying to swallow the lump in
her throat. "I know, it's just,
I can't help remembering ..."
Heron waited for her to finish,
and when she didn't, he said,
"... a time when things didn't
turn out as well as this?"
"Yeah," Mallory said. Her eyes
squeezed shut, remembering again
what had happened to her, but now
imagining how different it would have
been if Heron had been there. "I wish
that I had met you sooner."
"I wish that too," he said gently.
"But if it weren't for --" She waved
a hand over her belly. "-- then we
never would have met at all."
"Maybe so, but I like to think
that we might have met under
better circumstances," he said.
Mallory didn't know about
that, but she did know
something else. Finally.
"I decided," she said.
"I want you in my life.
I want you in my baby's life.
Forever, if we don't drive you away."
"Wow," Heron said. "That's fantastic.
I'm so glad to hear that. What made up
your mind? I know you've been struggling
with this decision for a while now."
"I watched you," Mallory said.
I saw you with, with Whitney and
what you did, what you didn't do,
it was, I don't know. Amazing."
"I'm trained as a Party Monitor,
and in first aid," Heron said. "I was
just following the safety steps, Mallory,
I did what anyone would have done."
She burst into tears.
Heron leaned into her,
gently pressing her between
him and the wall, providing
much-needed support.
"Okay, I guess that wasn't
what you needed to hear.
I'm sorry," he said.
When the tears finally dried up,
Mallory tried to explain it to him.
"When I saw you with her, you
were so gentle, so careful," she said.
"Whitney was completely vulnerable,
and you didn't take advantage of her,
you took care of her. And no, that's not
what anyone would have done,
because they didn't."
"I am so sorry to hear that,"
he murmured, his breath warm
against her hair. "I wish that I
could have been there for you
when you were vulnerable."
"I wish that too. I want it,
now that I've seen it -- I want
you, Heron," Mallory whispered.
"Iwantyou Iwantyou Iwantyou."
"Okay," he said. "You have me.
I'm yours. I've got you, Mallory.
We're really doing this."
She was shaking again,
but Heron had her,
so it was okay.
* * *
Notes:
Whitney Inglesby -- She has fair skin, brown eyes, and light brown hair just past her shoulders that she styles in a variety of ways. She attends Urbanburg University. Although not a great college student, she does know a lot about pop culture and enjoys group projects. Whitney is pretty and popular, but she has an alcohol problem. People know her as that drunk girl who pukes at the party or passes out in the yard.
Qualities: Good (+2) Limber, Good (+2) Pop Culture, Good (+2) Popular, Good (+2) Pretty
Poor (-2) That Drunk Girl
See a collage of Whitney, her with some friends, and passed out on the couch.
* * *
"Climate change is a moral issue. Investing in and extracting fossil fuels is a moral issue. In all the world’s great spiritual traditions we find common ground in our compassionate defence of climate justice. Caring for the Earth is our shared responsibility. It is up to us, as spiritual leaders, to raise our voice, to protect the most vulnerable, and to protect our precious home and all species who share it with us."
-- Sister True Dedication, Plum Village International Community of Engaged Buddhists - April 17, 2016
This poem happens on Saturday, July 12, when Mallory is 27 weeks pregnant.
A pocket park is a small green space, usually under 5 acres. Read about pocket park design.
Native plants help pollinators. Follow the steps for certification. To attract butterflies and hummingbirds, choose plants suited to your region. Browse plants suited to the Midwest and other areas.
This is how the Urbanburg pollinator garden will look in full bloom. The plants featured below are the ones I was pretty sure of identifying in the picture.
Penstemon is a prairie wildflower that blooms in late spring to summer, most often with white to pink flowers. Read about how to grow penstemon and where to buy penstemon.
Echinacea is a daisylike flower with white to purple petals. It's one of the most popular wildflowers. As an herb, it boosts the immune system. You can grow your own echinacea or buy echinacea online.
Bergamot is also known as beebalm. It blooms in many colors including white, lavender, and red. It's among the most herbivore-resistant herbs. Learn about growing bergamot or where to buy bergamot.
Pollination is the transfer of gametes from one plant to another in various methods, including animals. Pesticides are among the biggest threats to pollinators. It's better in Terramagne-America than in local-America, but still a concern. Specifically, we had better save the bees or their loss will wipe out enough of the food supply to pose a grave risk to human civilization.
When gardening, it is prudent to follow the safety precautions. Keep a first aid kit handy, and know first aid tips for farmers and gardeners. This one is marketed for loggers but generalizes well to other outdoor work.
A party monitor is someone -- usually a student, at college -- who is trained to provide social support and safety supervision on festive occasions. They're not very common in L-America, but considerably more so in T-America. They're also more popular in T-America due to putting more emphasis on developing positive things they can do for people instead of being viewed as nothing more than a wet blanket. Party monitors usually wear a t-shirt or other symbol identifying them when on duty. Explore advice on party safety for hosts and for guests.
A sandwich bar is a great way to feed people at a party. Summer salads include potato salad, berry salad, and other fruit salads.
Nonalcoholic mixed drinks are quite popular in T-America. Even people who like alcohol tend to alternate that with something nonalcoholic. Bars usually stock a wide variety of mixers and some NA celebratory beverages. Check out the Virgin Merry Mimosa and Pineapple-Ginger Cooler.
Alcoholic drinks come in various styles and strengths. Read about the college favorites.
The Ginger Bitch is a mixed drink made from pear nectar, perry, hard apple cider, ginger juice, and a dash of Jack Rudy Aromatic Bitters.
The Pain Ray is a mixed drink made from tonic water, vodka, blood orange syrup, and quite a lot of raw ginger juice. The glass is rimmed with capsaisin dipped in cayenne. It is popular with supervillains, but is slowly leaking out to the general public. You can make your own blood orange syrup or buy it.
Egg sandwiches are popular in summer. Check out this mouthwatering comoros. It's a good choice if you want some protein but not meat. Also, hard-boiled eggs stand up better to warm weather compared with other types.
Indecision can lead to anxiety, procrastination, and other major problems. Extreme cases may qualify as aboulomania -- lack of will. This is regrettably common among supervillains. Know how to deal with indecision.
Board games offer many benefits. Here are some of the best and worst. (People disagree over which is which.) Any avid gamer or party host should stock a good selection of the classics -- which are the ones people actually remember well enough to ask for by name -- as well as some hot new goodies. Try to offer a wide range of formats (cards, dice, boards, stacking blocks, etc.) and processes (i.e. strategy, storytelling, dexterity). Bonus if you can find at least one like Planetarium that plays well both in group and solitary modes. Also check out games recommended for adults and for families.
See the Launch Pad Target Game.
"Mrs. Barton's Boarding House" is a little bit drama, a little bit comedy, and a lot like a soap opera with less screwing around and other craziness. This new show is about the ups and downs of running a household made of very different people who aren't related but still share a lot of their lives.
See the front yard and the exterior of Mrs. Barton's Boarding House. The basement includes a bedroom, powder room, rec room with bar and kitchenette, theater room, and two utility/storage rooms. A single woman has the basement bedroom. Mrs. Barton owns the boarding house and lives in the InnKeeper Apartment on the first floor. A single handicapped man has the Dogwood Suite. Not visible on this floor plan, a ramp extends along the side of the Dogwood Porch. The first floor also includes a covered front porch, dining room, living room, butler's pantry, kitchen, and inkeeper office. The second floor includes five suites, a large central landing, and a laundry room shared by residents. A husband and wife share the Garden Room with their toddler son. Their tween daughter lives in the Little Garden Room. A husband and wife share the Magnolia room, with their two small children in the daybed with trundle. A single father has Rose Room 7 and his teen daughter has Rose Room 8.
Osmia avosetta is a type of bee that builds nests out of flower petals. Watch them at work. If this is happening to your flowers ... plant more flowers just for the bees! I do that with caterpillars, since swallowtails love to munch on parsley and dill.
Offer a snack bar at a party.
Panic attacks and flashbacks are common results of traumatic stress such as rape. Understand how to get through a flashback or help someone else through it.
Sexual assault is a rampant problem in L-American, and less so in T-America but still present. One reason for the lower rate is that T-America teaches people to recognize the potential and step up instead of being a bystander. Here are some ways to intervene before anyone gets hurt. Yes, cockblocking a male friend who is hitting on a drunk chick may cost you that friend. Do you really want to hang out with guys like that? But do understand the pros and cons of intervening or ignoring it.
Know how to take care of a drunk person. Colleges in particular, and sometimes towns in general, customarily have a safe ride van with flat transport, to discourage drunk driving and make sure people have supervision while severely intoxicated.
How do you know he's a keeper? Consider the signs, even if you have doubts. While Mallory and Heron have a firmly platonic relationship, the contemplation of commitment to a zucchini is similar to that of deciding whether to get married.
(no subject)
Date: 2017-10-20 10:44 am (UTC)Fixed!
Date: 2017-10-20 04:48 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2017-10-20 06:26 pm (UTC)Coming back for the party monitor links. Somebody found Emotional First Aid courses (though they're being called Mental Health First Aid) in the community catalogue and signed up for both - one is focused on problems specific to adolescents. I'll make a note to check around for party monitor certifications, since those topics would seem to overlap.
>> "Mrs. Barton's Boarding House" <<
If that were aired here I could see it focusing on the drama of having to deal with different people. I think I like the T-America take on it more. :/ I have enough drama and social politics in my life. It would be *fantastic* to find shows that focus on how people can work with each other's differences instead of butting heads.
- S.S.
(no subject)
Date: 2017-10-20 11:24 pm (UTC)The drinks look yummy. Well, except for the capsaisin on the pain ray--that would be a bit much for me, so I'd substitute Tabasco.
SO GLAD to see this!
Date: 2017-10-21 12:08 am (UTC)I also had a bit of a jolt when I realized that Mallory's at the stage of her pregnancy when I was born-- extremely premature, right at the limit of viability for that decade-- and it puts her indecision in a whole different light, since just a touch more stress could have put her into labor the same night.
Heron is definitely his father's son, with his own focus and favorite ways to take care of others. However, now that Mallory's made a decision, the planning and backup planning that he learned from his mother is going to kick in a little more.
Re: SO GLAD to see this!
Date: 2017-10-21 01:17 am (UTC)Yeah, me, too. It's been almost but not quite a year, so I didn't remember this... but, yeah. Needed the whole making of decisions and the saying of yes and and and... very much echoing what's going on between my ears and in my world...
Thank you!
Date: 2017-10-21 01:54 am (UTC)Yeah, they've really come a long way. \o/
>> The drinks look yummy. Well, except for the capsaisin on the pain ray--that would be a bit much for me, so I'd substitute Tabasco. <<
*laugh* The original is a supervillain drink. Probably a lot of normal people substitute something else like tabasco!
(no subject)
Date: 2017-10-21 01:59 am (UTC)memories of Heron and how
he'd reacted to finding a drunk guy
in his bed that time<<
Wait, what? Did I miss something? Not that wouldn’t make any reasonable person freak out!
>>"I know, it's just,
I can't help remembering ..."
Heron waited for her to finish,
and when she didn't, he said,
"... a time when things didn't
turn out as well as this?"<<
Has Mallory ever actually told Heron how this baby was conceived?
I’m glad she’s finally made her decision, and that she’s made the decision that she has. Heron will be such an amazing dad. And Graham and Elizabeth will be incredible grandparents - though Mallory will likely find them rather overwhelming for awhile!
Thoughts
Date: 2017-10-21 02:23 am (UTC)It's from a story by Dialecticdreamer written a while back, but it may not have been posted. You could ask her. I suck at remembering what's visible to the public or not.
>> Not that wouldn’t make any reasonable person freak out! <<
It was worse for Heron due to unrelated exhaustion and all-too-related past personal experiences. 0_o But this is an example of how well he can handle stuff when he's well rested and on the ball.
>> Has Mallory ever actually told Heron how this baby was conceived? <<
I don't think that she's told anyone about it in any real detail. Hinted around the edges, maybe.
But you've got a college girl who is pregnant with no boyfriend in sight, visibly unhappy and conflicted about the pregnancy, with erratic sleep and very twedgy about physical contact. It doesn't take a genius to add that up and suspect that the pregnancy may not have been her idea in the first place. Heron has enough training to have a pretty good guess that Mallory has been sexually assaulted in the past, and so do several of his relatives.
>> I’m glad she’s finally made her decision, and that she’s made the decision that she has. <<
Yay!
>> Heron will be such an amazing dad. And Graham and Elizabeth will be incredible grandparents <<
I think so too.
>> though Mallory will likely find them rather overwhelming for awhile! <<
She already has. They are trying to hold back enough so they don't scare her away.
Thoughts
Date: 2017-10-21 02:40 am (UTC)Yay! The ones I see most often around here are scarlet or lavender, but it actually blooms in red, pink, lavender, purple, almost blue, white, and a yellowish off-white. Bees prefer the cooler shades, butterflies and hummingbirds go for the red. Even though it's not really ideal in shape for them, the butterflies will try anyway.
>> If that were aired here I could see it focusing on the drama of having to deal with different people.<<
Yyyyyeah.
>> I think I like the T-America take on it more. :/ I have enough drama and social politics in my life. <<
Me too.
>> It would be *fantastic* to find shows that focus on how people can work with each other's differences instead of butting heads. <<
I agree. I have found a few here, but not many. Captain Planet had a real emphasis on teamwork and getting along when all four kids were from different cultures. But most shows nowadays are just really contentious and full of broken relationships. I assume that most people just don't remember what a healthy community even looks like. >_<
Once I realized what awesome television T-America has, I started writing down descriptions, and when someone's got the telly on, I slip in a mention of it. :D
Re: SO GLAD to see this!
Date: 2017-10-21 03:35 am (UTC)Yay! :D
>> I also had a bit of a jolt when I realized that Mallory's at the stage of her pregnancy when I was born-- extremely premature, right at the limit of viability for that decade <<
Yikes.
>> and it puts her indecision in a whole different light, since just a touch more stress could have put her into labor the same night. <<
Wow, I hadn't even thought of that. I think it would've been much more likely to happen if she had not found Maisie, Heron, and other supportive folks.
>> Heron is definitely his father's son, with his own focus and favorite ways to take care of others. <<
So very true. :D I think Heron is adorable.
>> However, now that Mallory's made a decision, the planning and backup planning that he learned from his mother is going to kick in a little more. <<
Yep. He'll still have to nerf it a bit to avoid spooking Mallory, who just has no context for that level of support. But it will help to work on things a little at a time, like the basket of baby things in the basement or the binder of planning worksheets.
Re: SO GLAD to see this!
Date: 2017-10-21 05:10 am (UTC)True. Mallory is in no way prepared for that, but it's okay. I think the Finns will be good for her anyway.
>> Yeah, me, too. It's been almost but not quite a year, so I didn't remember this... but, yeah.<<
Sorry about the delay.
>> Needed the whole making of decisions and the saying of yes and and and... <<
I felt that it was important for Mallory to make a decision after all the time she's spent either acting on impulse or dithering endlessly. Had she been left to her own devices, she might not have made a decision until after the baby was born. But Heron and the others have been helping Mallory work through little steps for months, and I think that set the stage for what happens here. \o/
>> very much echoing what's going on between my ears and in my world... <<
Yay! I'm glad that resonated with you.
Re: SO GLAD to see this!
Date: 2017-10-21 05:54 am (UTC)Re: SO GLAD to see this!
Date: 2017-10-21 06:15 am (UTC)That's good.
>> and especially this weekend, where I'm amongst several hundred filkers, many of whom are `ohana,<<
Feel free to pass it around if you find anyone you think would enjoy my writing.
>> makes it have more impact. There's that timing again. :) <<
The universe does love synchronicity.
Re: SO GLAD to see this!
Date: 2017-10-21 06:18 am (UTC)Re: SO GLAD to see this!
Date: 2017-10-21 06:23 am (UTC)Re: SO GLAD to see this!
Date: 2017-10-21 06:25 am (UTC)Re: SO GLAD to see this!
Date: 2017-10-21 08:15 am (UTC)That's true.
>> like making a list of the furniture/baby accessories they'll need, and figuring out which will work best for their situation. <<
They'll need to talk about what they want, but a simple way to handle a lot of this is: "Traditionally the grandparents buy the bedroom set." Since Maze is giving them the master bedroom with ensuite bath, there's probably room to cram in a crib and changing table.
I like the Stella Athena set, which includes a convertible crib and a changer that converts to a dresser.
>> (Like a stroller that holds the infant car seat, to cut down on the number of big items taking up closet space.) <<
That's also a good idea.
Re: SO GLAD to see this!
Date: 2017-10-22 04:33 am (UTC)I don't usually like dark or even midtone colors on the walls, but that tan is a wonderful balance for the white furniture!
Now, just mix pastels and a light gray among all of the soft furnishings and it will look less like a staged set and more like a baby's playground!
Re: SO GLAD to see this!
Date: 2017-10-22 06:29 am (UTC)Yay! I tend to favor white or light tones for baby furniture, and soft curves. Sometimes I like darker colors and straight lines for boys. I rarely go for frilly things, or overly gendered things, unless it's already clear that the baby leans that way. Curves have the advantage of being safer than sharp corners.
>> I don't usually like dark or even midtone colors on the walls, but that tan is a wonderful balance for the white furniture! <<
Yeah, white furniture benefits from a darker background. I like wood paneling myself, but probably not for a nursery unless very light. Our public bathroom actually has white paneling on one wall.
>> Now, just mix pastels and a light gray among all of the soft furnishings and it will look less like a staged set and more like a baby's playground! <<
I tend to favor pastels over gray. Okay, yes, gray is nongendered but I'm not a fan of drab colors in nurseries. Babies need high contrast to focus on.
(no subject)
Date: 2019-04-30 11:47 pm (UTC)Well ...
Date: 2019-05-01 04:38 am (UTC)