fiery_ring | Reception

Reception

The reception takes place in the Big Top, which is more than large enough to accommodate the crowd. Outside, a large hog roast is taking place, with food and drinks aplenty.

It's a good time for Carlotta to catch up with her friends from school, most of whom she hasn't seen since the start of the war. A few of them have married in that time and brought husbands, some are in work or still at university. A petite, pretty woman, Alison, has brought a daughter of about two; finally a distraction from an incessant need to worry what her hair looks like. A tall, strapping woman, Mirabel, is sporting a burn scar on her face; rumour has it, she has been serving in combat.

The circus folk mingle among the guests, bringing food and occasionally breaking out into acrobatics. At the front of the tent, Fred the Bouncer sits with Wolf, his large guard dog.

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Demeter smiles but its slow to make its way to her eyes as she hugs Tommy, "Have you found someone to be your home, Tommy? I never would have thought that was your way."

Kate is a woman who could set him on the ground but Kate has her own complications.

Demeter's hug is naturally warm like sunshine, and Tommy returns it with sincerity.

"What d'you mean-- oh, you mean Kate?" he chuckles, shaking his head a bit sheepishly. "No, no, we're just--"

What were they 'just'?

"Friends."

An easy, mid-tempo song is playing. Tommy isn't exactly a dancing kind of guy, but the impulse strikes him.

"Um. Wanna dance?"

Smooooth.

At his confusion, she laughs and moves into his arms, "I'd love that."

He grins, and with her hand in his and his free arm around her waist, they move onto the dance floor. He may be a little stiff but he's not without rhythm. Demeter's grace makes up for a lot.

"So, how've you been? I've been wanting to see you again at the bar for the longest time but I guess we just kept missing each other."

"Not too bad, its wonderful to see Carlotta. Yes, time is strange but I'm usually home with my daughter, I don't want to miss too much time with her,"

He knows how his body moves and that helps a great deal.

When she mentions her daughter, his eyes to briefly flick downward with a shade of ruefulness, and he nods in understanding. "Yeah, I know what you mean..."

"Families are complicated but wonderful as this wedding shows."

He breathes a chuckle. "This was an...interesting wedding. I've never been to a wedding at a circus before. I've been to weddings that turned into circuses, but not one with a actual acrobats and a monkey in a tiny suit, unless you count that one time my Uncle Teddy did a somersault down the stairs after drinking too much champagne, and my Aunt Peg dressed her chihuahua in a tux and made it the ring bearer, 'cept that the damn thing ate the rings, and so we had to wait an hour so that it could-- well, y'know. Anyways. Yeah. Families. Definitely complicated."

"Better than a war. My family keeps having them start at weddings. I prefer this."

"Heh, sounds epic. Kate knows Carlotta better than I do, but she seems like a nice girl who really doesn't deserve a war to break out. I mean, jeez, an actual world war just ended here, didn't it?"

"It did, her world's history isn't quite the same as everyone else's, close but different. Yes, my family likes to be epic, it can get messy. Carlotta's wonderful and she's carrying a lot on her shoulders."

"Yeah, I met her husband just before the ceremony. He was a little hungover, but I think he made it through the wedding okay. I know he was in the war, so, y'know, can't really blame him if he's going through a rough time right now, but Carlotta's good for putting up with that."

"They haven't had an easy journey together but they're finding their way."

"Good to know." He exhales a rough sigh. "Wish I could say the same for myself. Got the hard journey down pat, it's the finding a way part that's got me stumped."

"Its hard for everyone, Tommy, that's just part of life," She gives him a hug as the song ends.

From anyone else in Tommy's life a statement like that would be dripping with either cynicism or exasperation, but from her it's just the plain truth.

"Yeah. I suppose it is." He hugs her back.

"Thanks for the dance," he then says with a lopsided smile. "Glad I didn't step on your feet."

"You know how to move, Tommy, dancing just requires a different way of doing it. Now go dance with Kate and give her a hug for me."

He laughs; she has a point.

"Alright, I will. Enjoy the rest of the party. And next time I see you at the bar, your drink's on me."

Giving her a little wave, he moves off into the crowd.

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