Hard knocks

[morevacant]

It's official. She's failed out of uni. Lydia Bennet, the thick sister of the bunch. The useless one. The disappointment.

Well, her mum won't be disappointed, once Lydia tells her about Cesare. She will quite understand that Lydia spent the time she should have been studying for her exams in Cesare's hotel making him happy. When Lydia tells her. Right now, Lydia doesn't dare: her mum is the biggest gossip and it will take two minutes for word of her and Cesare will be everywhere.

Lydia heads for her favourite haunt, a cosy Starbucks close by. She fancies an extra large double shotted caramel macchiato. What she actually gets is a small tea. Because she's broke. She's failed and she's broke.

Why is life so hard?

Comments

[morevacant]

"Well aren't you just charming?" Lydia grumbles, without looking up. When she's taken a sip of her tea, though, she does, and when she realises it's Wednesday, she shrugs.

"I'm having a bad day. I prefer being a bit happier though, really."

[outofthemanor]

"And what's caused your bad day? I'll arrange the circumstances more often," Wednesday sat herself in the seat near Lydia, sipping on her own coffee. It almost scalds her. She did like it when they got the temperature right first time.

[morevacant]

"That's not a very nice thing to say," Lydia sniffs, frowning at Wednesday over her mug. "I'd much rather you arranged happy things to happen."

[outofthemanor]

"What makes me happy is unlikely to make you happy," she said simply. "If I were to arrange happy things to happen, you would need to give a clearer definition of what makes the emotion for you."

[morevacant]

"Oh." Lydia's quiet, sipping her tea. "Flowers make me happy. Big, giant sunflowers. And caramel mochas and puppies and kittens." And a house and a job and not telling her dad she's failed everything.

[outofthemanor]

Sunflowers. Ugh. Horrifying. Perhaps a change of tracks.

"What's made you depressed?" Yes, that seems like the reasonable thing to ask.

[morevacant]

Well, that was abrupt.

"Oh, you know?" Lydia tries to smile and sound quite casual. "I'm officially stupid. I've failed uni, I'm gonna be kicked out of my flat and I can't tell my dad or he'll make me come home and my mum will marry me off to some distant cousin or someone equally horrifying." She sniffs, for effect.

[outofthemanor]

Hm.

Well, all of that sounds... irritating, more than anything. They weren't exactly close, but Lydia did try to be friendly. Even if Wednesday didn't like her particular style, she could appreciate the attempt. She sips at her coffee. Now, there were a few things that could be done here.

"How long? Until you are kicked out?"

[morevacant]

"A week at best." Lydia shakes her head. "I just don't know what I'm going to do, Wednesday. I can't go back home. I just can't."

[outofthemanor]

"You could become one of my tenants," Wednesday said simply. "There's property within the city in the Addams name that I have to check up on, and it would be far easier to just have people staying there to do it for me." She's ... pragmatic. "Nothing to the ... luxury you'd prefer, but clean, comfortable, and rent-free."

[morevacant]

What? Lydia's eyes widen. Is Wednesday saying what she thinks she's saying?

"Are you offering me a place to stay?" Lydia squeals, and gets up to throw her arms around Wednesday to show her thanks.

"Are you serious? Like, serious? Oh my God, this is amazing. This is like, half of my problems solved!"

[outofthemanor]

"I don't hug," it's said quickly, as she moves back in her seat to avoid the thrown arms. She straightens herself quickly, taking a drink of her (annoyingly cooling) coffee.

"I discussed the idea with Father - getting tenants - and rent-free seems fair enough considering the terrible conversation rates at the moment." Which basically means they're stupidly rich enough to be able to do this and it not dent their money.

[morevacant]

"Oh. Okay. Sorry." Lydia stands awkwardly for a minute, wondering how she can show her appreciation to Wednesday. She only half listens to Wednesday explaining why it's free: she doesn't care, as long as it is free. Then Lydia sits very quickly, and digs deep in her purse for some change.

"Hey - well, if no hug, at least let me buy you a slice of Millionaire Shortbread to say thanks."

[outofthemanor]

"Not to my tastes." She prefers darker chocolate at a push, and just shakes her head. "I'll make sure the water and electricity in on for your move in date," and make sure to remove the spiders nest. She's not sure Lydia would react well to them, even though they were harmless. She's trying to think of the other, basic things that her Father did for their rented properties - though it had been years since they had had a tenant in the cottage on the edge of the Addams Manor...

"But if that is one issue sorted, it gives you time to consider what to do for the rest." Another sip of her coffee. "What will you do for money?"

[morevacant]

Lydia just shrugs and puts her purse away. More money for her.

To Wednesday's question, she shrugs. "Nancy reckons I should get a job. She thinks I'll be good in a shop... I was thinking Harrods, perhaps. I like their gowns."

[outofthemanor]

"I would advise widening your net," Wednesday says. "Personally, I work in a small bookstore," she adds. "The work is simple and since my employer considers the store his own collection, there is less pressure to actually sell."

[morevacant]

Lydia wrinkles her nose. "That sounds rubbish. I don't want to spend my days with a load of dusty books."

[outofthemanor]

"I enjoy it." There could be an edge in Wednesday's tone. Frankly she couldn't see the appeal of working in someplace so... bright and ... cheerful as Harrods. Who would actually want that?

[morevacant]

"Yeah, well," Lydia raises her eyebrows. "You would." She means, just look at Wednesday. She's not exactly a picture of cheer, is she? She's such the opposite to the bubblegum pink Lydia.

[outofthemanor]

If Wednesday were that type of person, her eyebrow would raise at the tone she perceives in Lydia's voice. It was never a good idea, after all, to insult the person who was going to be giving you free room and board.

"I would," she agrees. "Next week, I'll text you the details for your new place."

[morevacant]

Lydia grins and nods. She sips her rapidly cooling tea.

"It is going to be so great. I'm going to get Nancy to help spruce it up a bit. I have a feeling it's gonna be..." She raises an eyebrow at Wednesday. "Gothic. And I am just not into that!"