Comparing Notes

Who: Marian and Maddy
Where: On the streets
When: late afternoon

Marian had made a list of excuses in her head, most predominate being that Roy was back from the war, to go and see her brother. None of them made her walk to the old bank any easier, or the stairs up to his vault an easier climb. All her stress about it was for nothing, since his vault was abandoned, empty and untouched. She looked around a little, admiring his collections of small things before leaving, turning herself in the direction of the garage he worked at sometimes, hoping to find him there.

There was quite a bit on her mind as she walked, concerns about how her brother would react if he was at work and she just showed up, what it might mean for both of them now that Roy was back, what it meant for Roy now that he was back from the war and a multitude of other things that kept the normal smile off her face as she walked, hands shoved in her coat pockets against the weather.

Maddy had waited around Nighthawk's for almost an hour before deciding to just go ahead and talk to the manager on duty about a job. After some hesitation, she went ahead and gave the man Marian's name as recommendation before leaving, unsure of what to do next. On any other day, she'd go tell a certain someone that she'd gotten out of the Kitten and was going to try work at the diner, but he had effectively cut her out of her life and she wondered if a few days was enough for it to cool down. And if that didn't work out, well, she had a box of things to get together for Dodge's little apartment. Her fingers itched to make the place comfortable and home-y for him, and really, if he hadn't been keeping himself from picking her lock, she might just have gone in and done it already. Dodge was respecting her space though and she would of course do the same.

Marian was lost in her own thoughts but the shock of blond hair up ahead caught her attention and before she realized what she was doing she was hurrying to catch up with Doll Girl. "DG!" she called, a little breathless as she fell into step just a few paces behind the other girl.

Maddy looked over her shoulder in surprise. She hadn't been expecting that but a relieved smile spread on her face as Marian came over. "Hey, Marian. I was looking for you earlier." DG... that's right. Marian didn't know her by Maddy. Something she'd correct today.

That had Marian missing a step in surprise. "You were looking for me? Why? Is everything okay?" she asked, regaining her steps and moving so she was next to DG. For an instant she wondered if it had to do with her brother, if this girl knew why his place looked like no one had been around in days, but she didn't want to jump to conclusions. He was fine. He was always fine.

"Besides the fact that your brother was a total jerk to me? Well, I'm going by Maddy now -- My real name is Madeline and I decided that I was tired of being Doll Girl -- but I applied over at Nighthawk's and wanted to use you as a reference, and I didn't want to do so without asking you, but you didn't come in so I put your name down anyway and I hope that's okay." She'd put her old boss at the Kitten too, even though she'd only worked there for a little while.

"He was a jerk to you? How so?" Marian asked, still not able to find her usual smile and little lines of concern tugged at the corners of her mouth. That didn't really sound like her brother, but he'd been pretty mean to her as well. She'd deserved it though, she'd been horrible to him. "You want to work at Nighthawk's? I'm sure it's fine you put me down, I don't know how much help that'll get you, getting a job there. I had to beg for mine." She felt her cheeks warm a little and she found herself ducking behind her hair to hide it.

"Well the Kitten let me go because of the Drake fire and me being underage," Maddy shrugged and gave Marian a warmer, encouraging smile. "Marian, you're the hardest worker I know. I'm sure they'll take your opinion into account." As for her brother... "I was pretty much told that I was a horrible friend and that I didn't care about him and all these other things that were mean." True, yes, but Maddy wasn't someone who was consciously self-centered and selfish. She didn't set out to be that way and she cared deeply about her friends. She just tended to be self-absorbed at times. She was working against that.

"I don't know if they will, but for your sake I hope so. I know what it's like to need a job." That need had brought out the worst in her. "He told you that? He told me the same thing, only the worst sister ever." Marian sighed a little, that worried look, that wasn't quite a frown back. "Have you seen him recently?" she asked, not sure what fighting with Maddy and fighting with Marian might mean.

"About four days or so ago. I know I'm not the best friend in the world. I know I do stupid things and I know I'm selfish at times but it doesn't mean I don't care about him." Maddy was frowning now too and she stopped walking to lean against the low wall over a little community garden, brushing wrinkles out of her nice blue dress. "Like he pretty much said I picked Dodge over him and I didn't care and just..." she trailed off and looked at her gloves, tugging on the cuffs. Those horrible feelings were coming back no matter how happy she was trying to make herself feel. It still hurt.

Marian slowed to a stop, listening to Maddy's description of what happened. It was all too similar to what he'd said to her as well. Four days? Four days was a long time. It had been even longer since Marian had seen him. That was not good at all. "Have you heard anything about him Maddy? Like where he might be? His place doesn't..." The panic was there, rising up in her a little and Marian sat hard on the low wall.

"I was thinking about going over there today but wasn't sure yet," Maddy said slowly. She didn't have to have two working ears to know that Marian was worried and that had Maddy getting worried too. "So he's not home? Is he at work maybe?" He wasn't just going to up and leave, was he? That wasn't... that wasn't him, right?

"I just came from his place. He wasn't there. It didn't really look like anyone had been there, but you know how he is. It's not like he takes up much space." Marian forced herself to breath, dragging her hand through her hair and not looking at Maddy. She couldn't look at Maddy, not if she wanted to keep it together. "I was going to try work. That was the next stop."

That didn't sound like something he'd do. Right? Maddy was having a difficult time remembering little things about him and it as starting to frustrate her. "He might have just gone to ground. Found a new place to hang out. Or some girl. Or other family?" Maddy was trying to find logical reasons that weren't 'he's gone off and done himself in', and she thought of that because, well, she'd been at that brink herself.

"A girl?" Marian asked a little surprise. She thought Maddy was the girl. She couldn't really remember why, but that made sense to her. Maybe that was why he'd been so upset about her choosing Dodge. "He might have gone to other family, but that doesn't seem right either. Do you know anyone else I could ask? Someone would know? Dodge maybe?"

"I don't know, maybe? He never mentioned anything though." Maddy shrugged and she allowed her face to shutter and fall at the mention of Dodge knowing. "Dodge died," she said quietly.

"I thought you were..." Marian made a vague half gesture towards Maddy, but didn't elaborate. The news about Dodge had her mouth falling open a little, looking at Maddy with wide eyes. "He did? Oh...Oh that's horrible." Even if it did happen from time to time, Marian knew enough about Dodge to know that everyone knew him. That must have been hard on people.

"Thought I was what?" Maddy asked, not really sure what Marian meant. While she was normally good at pulling out tears, a hollowed out look seemed to do just fine.

"The girl..." Marian ventured, giving Maddy a sympathetic look. She knew that the girl was close to Dodge, but she didn't expect her to cry. Street kids weren't criers, and from what Marian understood of her own misfortune, there was only so long that someone could be mourned. Everyone's ticket came up eventually. Mortality was something the poor was familiar with.

Her and Roy? Maddy shook her head. "No, I don't think he ever saw me that way anyway." She sighed some. It wasn't some wistful sigh or anything, just tired. "Me and Dodge and the two of them hated one another which was frustrating. Dodge was always more vocal about it though. Your brother just sort of... gave me this look when I'd get upset over it." It hadn't been easy at all being caught in the middle of all of it. "I can stop by his work and poke my head around. I know some people who might know where he might be." Dodge might be able to point her in the direction of a contact and there was Corey too. Nothing went on in the tunnels while she was one watch and she had some medicine to give to the other girl anyway.

"Oh," Marian flushed a little, not sure where she'd gotten the idea from, but finding out she'd been completely wrong was a little embarrassing. "Can you ask? That would be great. I don't think he'd want me just showing up at work anyway. Let me know if you hear something?"

Maddy nodded. "Of course. I'm sure he's around somewhere." She tried to be positive about it but the way he was the other day didn't have her feeling very hopeful.

Marian couldn't find her normal smile, but the mask was back in place, long gone was the frown. "I'm sure he's fine, just avoiding or something." She gave a little nod then found her footing, standing again on strong legs. Her brother was fine, he had to be fine. "Thanks Maddy. Good luck with the job. I hope you get it." This time she did find a small smile which she gave Maddy.

"Definitely sounds like him," Maddy agreed, pleased to see the smile on Marian's face. It meant she could hide her own anxiety. "And I hope so too. Need a good fit! Oh! And I almost forgot -- your cousin, Roy? He was at the diner when I was there. Seemed to be looking for you." She didn't mention their talk or the awkwardness that came towards the end of their conversation. She still wondered if she'd said or done something wrong.

"He did?" Marian asked, a little surprised, but her smile was a little truer this time. Roy was looking for her, which was a good thing. It meant he wanted to be around, wanted to have something to do with their family, no matter the state he'd come back to find them in. "That's good. He just got home from the war," Marian explained. "I should get going though. I'll see you soon though okay? Let me know if you hear anything."

"I will!" Maddy gave her a little way and pushed off the wall. "Have a good day at work."