walk it out and talk it out

who: robyn and antoinette
where: little haven
when: late morning

Antoinette didn’t disagree with her sister often but when they did, she had learnt from experience that the best thing to do was put some distance between them until she calmed down; of the two of them she was the one more likely to say or do something then regret it later. Annaliese was going the gala, something Toni could see the point in, but when she had suggested that maybe Toni go with her, the trouble started. It was probably an over reaction but the thought of being in near proximity to the sort of crowd expected at the park made her skin crawl and she had kicked off.

Now she was out walking trying to clear her head, scuffing the toes of her boots against the sidewalk and not particularly caring where she went, the streets of Little Haven so familiar to her now that she could take any path and know where she was. Had she been looking where she was going then she might have seen the familiar face up ahead but instead she carried on oblivious.

Robyn was watching Antoinette, head tilted to the side slightly as the girl walked down the street. She wondered what she was thinking, scuffing her feet like that, scowl in place. She wasn’t on her stoop now, she was sitting on the back of park bench, with her feet on the part you sit on. “Wandering?” she asked as Antoinette passed. She wasn’t as keen about the twin, especially missing her other half, but they used to be part of their group. It was rude not to say hello. Or something.

Looking up at the familiar voice and seeing Robyn there, Toni stopped though her expression didn’t improve much. She hadn’t had much time for the fortune teller and her wishy-washy proclamations back when she and Anna had run with the gang but she could at least be interesting which had put her above the other girls. “Wandering,” she confirmed, shoving her hands into her pockets, figuring she could stand to be distracted for a little while.

Robyn leaned forward, hands hooked on the bench top, watching Antoinette. “You’re upset,” she observed, something obvious from the extra scuffing of the other girl’s feet. Everyone seemed to be upset as of late, and now that she was thinking about it, Antoinette was acting a lot like Miles did when he was upset. People were oddly similar that way.

“A bit yeah,” Toni confirmed with a shrug as she dropped herself gracelessly on the other end of the bench. She didn’t ask how the other girl had known as she was fairly certain her body language was speaking volumes, not to mention the ruined tops of her boots. “Walking helps.”

“Does it?” Robyn asked, head tilted to the side a little as she turned to watch Antoinette. That talking about being upset helped, that Robyn had heard and given the amount people spoke at her about their problems, she guessed it was likely true, but walking was not one she’d heard. “Interesting.”

“It helps me,” she clarified, folding her legs beneath her. “Creating distance, burning off energy, fresh air.” That was her best guess anyway, all she knew for sure was if she stayed indoors then she was liable to start yelling and throwing things, something she’d learnt through experience. “I don’t think it qualifies as interesting though.” She had very specific ideas o what constituted that and walking off a bad mood wasn’t one of them.

“I think so,” Robyn said, though it was interesting to her. Another thing to file away when dealing with clients. True to her nature she latched on to part of what Antoinette said. “Distance. Between what and what?”

Making a rude noise indicating her thoughts on what Robyn found interesting, as was true to her nature, Toni’s hands unconsciously started wringing where they sat at the younger girl’s question. “Between me and whatever has upset me,” she explained as if it were obvious. She wasn’t going to say it was Annaliese that had upset her. the two of them presented a united front to other people and that wasn’t going to stop because Anna was going out for the evening without her.

Robyn glanced back the way Toni had come, making a face then looking back at her. “How far did you get?” It didn’t quite register that what had upset her was her twin. The two seemed like two halves of a whole. It didn’t make sense that one would upset the other. That it was even possible.

Glancing back along the sidewalk as if trying to work it out, Toni just shrugged again. “Not that far I suppose but that’s not the important thing,” she explained. “I keep going until I’m not annoyed anymore or something else comes along and distracts me.” Possibly not the best system of working through a bad mood but it worked for her and was better than the alternatives.

Robyn’s eyes drifted in the direction Toni had been headed, then rolled to the other side. “Hopefully you do have to go far,” she said with a nod, but it wasn’t until after an almost too long pause. It seemed almost as if she hadn’t been paying attention, though she had, it was just slow for her to react sometimes.

Toni was used to Robyn eccentricities and rather than being put off by how long it took her to reply, she just huffed with amusement. “Yeah, let’s hope so.” They sat in silence for a little while, Toni unsure what to say and unwilling to move just yet so she did took her usual course of action and thinking of what Anna would do if she was here, did that. “How’s things with you Robyn? Adelaide and the others all okay?” she asked, twisting to look at the fortune teller.

Robyn was fine with the silence, humming to herself inside her head, which while to the outside person would seem she was sitting in contented silence, but instead she was more than amused. At the question she turned, not used to questions. There was a moment where she studied the other girl then shook her head. “All are okay. Adelaide especially.” Which made Robyn smile slightly. If Adelaide was happy, Robyn was happy. “And Anna?” she added, belatedly.

She may not have been a people person but it was still good to hear the old gang was doing well and she returned the smile, albeit with a small one. “Well that’s good,” she replied. It made sense that Anna would be asked after in return and while it made her smile disappear as fast as it had arrived, she was happy to talk about her sister. “She’s good. Thinking of auditioning for a play, I told her she should.”

Robyn nodded, in agreement that things were good. But the fact that Toni’s smile faded gave her pause. That never meant good things. “Is something wrong with Anna?” she asked, ignoring that Toni had just said she was good.

Eyes narrowing, Toni began to wring her hands more earnestly, so much so it could be seen even under the folds of her sweater. “I said she was good didn’t I?” she retorted, tossing her head slightly so she wouldn’t have to look at the other girl. She didn’t want to talk about things being wrong when she was already upset, especially when deep down she knew it was over something quite small.

There was a quiet moment before Robyn frowned. “Something is obviously wrong,” she pointed out, reaching out to touch her friend’s hands under her sweater. “I can see these things.”

Before Robyn’s hands could meet hers, Toni had jerked back sending her tumbling off the end of the bench and crashing to the sidewalk. “I said it was fine,” she shouted, voice raised now as she struggled to untangle herself and get to her feet. “Don’t pull your spooky stuff on me Robyn.” She didn’t believe the other girl could see the future but she knew she was perceptive, even it didn’t seem like it under the fanciful talk.

Robyn frowned when Antoinette fell over, leaning to make sure she was alright. “I wasn’t pulling anything spooky,” she said. “I was merely asking.” She waited a moment then moved to give Toni access to her space on the bench again. “You don’t have to tell me.”

Cheeks flushing with a mixture of anger and embarrassment that sat in stark contrast to the paleness of her skin, Toni finally made it back on to her feet. “You weren’t just asking,” she said defensively, brushing herself down. “You were doing that observing thing you do.” Which was a rich accusation coming from her even if it was true given how much time she and Anna spent doing exactly that. “And I know I don’t have to tell you.”

“Was I?” Robyn asked, though she was very aware that that was what she was doing. That was what she did. “It might help though. To talk about it. They say that helps.”

“What do they know?” Toni snapped, throwing her hands up in the air. “I don’t do talking except to Anna. Everyone else can go throw themselves off the boardwalk for all I care.” She was seriously regretting having stopped and spoken to Robyn now and was sorely tempted just to walk off, carry on like she had been before they crossed paths.

“I have no idea, but they tend to be right,” Robyn said, not ruffled at all by Toni’s mood or outburst. “She might be the one you talk to, but you aren’t talking to her now are you?” Her head tilted to the side, curious and patient look on her face.

“No I’m not! Well observed Robyn!” Toni was shouting now and drawing the attention of people walking by and in a fit of anger, picked up a piece of trash near her and threw it at the nearest gawker. “What are you looking at? Get lost!”

Robyn propped her elbows on her knees and watched her friend, chin propped up as well. Even as she yelled, Robyn was patient. “I will listen.” She said it plainly, waiting for the other girl to open her mouth.

The offer was enough to momentarily derail Toni and she looked over at the other girl, surprise evident on her face. “Why would you want to listen? You hate talking to one of us when the other isn’t there, you said.” It had actually been years ago she had said it but Toni didn’t forget things like that.

So Toni remembered that. It was true, she didn’t like talking to one without the other, it felt like she was only getting half of the story. She frowned a little then shook her head. “I always listen. Even if it feels like half the story.” Usually that was all she got anyway.

The twin huffed and pulled her hands through her hair, barely wincing when it caught a knot, it was in bad need of a comb. “Anna’s going to the gala tonight and she asked if I wanted to go with her and I don’t want to go cause there’s gonna be all those people there and touching and talking and I don’t want to let her go by herself ‘cause she hates it when I’m not with her for too long but I just can’t do it.” The words came in a rush, her hands coming together once again to twirl around each other as she spoke until she got to the end of her little speech.

Robyn listened, making a face but the nodding. “Are you worried she’ll have a nice time without you?” That was what Robyn would be worried about, that it would be more fun without her than with.

“What?!” Toni replied, staring incredulously at her. “No, of course not. I worry about her being on her own. We’re a team, that’s what we do.”

“So why would she go without you?” Robyn posed, more just out of her own curiosity than anything else. It didn’t make sense, if they were a team, for one to go and one to decide to stay home.

“There’s gonna be lots of important folk there, we have to show our face to the right people,” Toni explained, calm enough now to sit back down. “And besides, that many of the city’s upper crust in one place, you’re bound to hear something interesting and we’ve got to make a living.” And it was amazing how little people noticed a pretty young woman listening in on their conversations; some of the twins biggest paychecks had been earned through gossip heard at some party or another.

Robyn considered that then nodded. “So she went to do work and not have fun and you are...upset about it?” That didn’t quite sound right.

“I’m upset that I can’t go with her and she should have known that but she asked me anyway, like she was hoping that I would go but I can’t.” And that was the crux of the matter, Toni was angry with herself more than anything, that she couldn’t be who her sister needed her to be.

Robyn nodded, thinking that made more sense. “You can’t?” she asked. That seemed odd, though Toni was, if nothing, odd.

Toni’s eyes narrowed. “No I can’t,” she said through gritted teeth. “I can’t play by their rules for that long around that many people. If I go then eventually I will say the wrong thing or someone will get too close and then...” She slapped her hands together for emphasis. “I don’t do crowds.”

“No, not like that you wouldn’t do well at all.” Robyn tilted her head again. “And that sounds like a poor outcome. Poor fortune.” She nodded slowly then propped her chin in her hands again. “So you’re here instead.”

“For now yes,” Toni replied, plucking at a loose thread on her sleeve. “I’ll walk for a bit, get something to eat for us both and go home and help Anna get ready because that’s how we do things. I’m not gonna stay mad and have her go out thinking that I’m upset with her.”

Robyn nodded again. “Good.” She paused looking back at Antoinette. “Do you feel better?” she asked more for her own purposes and understanding than anything else. “After talking?”

Toni pulled a face; admitting she may have been wrong and that other people might have a point about talking out their problems wasn’t something she cared to do in the privacy of her own head let alone aloud but begrudgingly she had to admit that she felt a little better having gotten things off her chest. “I guess so,” she said neutrally, not committing either way which was the closest she was going to say that Robyn had been right.

“Hmm,” Robyn hummed to herself. “Good to know.” It wasn’t real information, but it was still something to work with. Looking back at her friend she tried a smile. “I’m glad.”

The look that earned her from Toni wasn’t a particularly pleasant one but the nod that followed it was a genuine one. “Thanks for listening I guess,” she said, not quite meeting Robyn’s eyes but as close to it as she was likely to get.

Robyn shrugged one shoulder then nodded. “You’re welcome.” She didn’t mind helping. It was nice to help in a way that didn’t involve guesswork.

Toni stood back up and flexed her fingers a couple of times, the joints popping as she did so and looked down the street. “Figure I’ll finish that walk now,” she told the other girl, figuring she owed the other girl a good bye rather than just walking off.

“Good luck,” Robyn said with a nod, but didn’t make a move to shift from where she was on the bench. She was fine with the other girl going, there was no need to try and keep her there.

“Cheers,” she said and with a half-hearted attempt at a wave, Toni turned on her heels and headed off in her original direction though now at least, her toes were no longer being scuffed against the ground.