courage and kindness.

the real answer was because no one wanted to watch a movie about the main couple’s relationship slowly crumbling apart like they always do, at least in kanga’s experience. perhaps there were a few films out there like that, but they certainly weren’t the kinds that she tended to watch with joey - far too depressing or dramatic for their little movie nights. but neither of those were explanations were what she wanted to tell her daughter, so instead she just lets out a soft chuckle. “i don’t know. maybe you should write one with your friends.” @joeeyroo

“so i have one of your christmas gifts early for you this year,” kanga starts as she comes back into the kitchen, a wrapped present in hand. “i was going to wait, but it makes the most sense to give it to you now...” that was more of a hint than she wanted to give but hopefully still wasn’t enough to spoil the gift. for underneath the wrapping paper was a personalized cook book with all of kanga’s cookie and holiday recipes hand written out for joey to have for future use - along with blank pages for the younger roo girl to add in her own as she grew. @joeeyroo

“Day two is when things usually get exciting, so we could use a nurse on the scene.” Cass replied with a tilted smile, and she busied herself by burying her mittened hands into her pockets. Best to keep all wandering things in line. Kanga’s agreement to go wine tasting widened her lips into a grin, and she let out a soft, high pitched squeal of excitement. “We’ll definitely find something you like! Red, white, or rosè?” She asked, instinct guiding her words to stumble out quicker and higher. From afar, it might’ve seemed like she’d been anticipating this moment to show off her abundance of wine knowledge. In her mind, she didn’t think any further than getting to spend a bit of time with the other woman. “I usually like sweets, but red wine and chocolate is practically eastern medicine.”

“I’ll be sure to make that argument to my boss. The best use of my time would be getting paid to sit around here and just wait for something to potentially happen,” she teases with a small laugh. It sounded like the dream work day, Kanga couldn’t deny that. And there was so validity to Cass’s point - it might actually be smart to have a few nurses or doctors at call during these events - but it was never anything the hospital would actually allow. “White is my preference but I don’t mind any of the others. Though nothing too… rich. Is that the right word? I don’t really know enough to properly describe it.” She always called it a deep wine, but the redhead was fairly certain that most definitely wasn’t a proper wine descriptor. Maybe she should try finding one of those wine tasting for dummies type books, so she didn’t look quite so foolish next time she had the opportunity to do something like this.

“You’re telling me.” It was clear that Kanga was only joking, but when Cass responded, it was with a seriousness that was impossible not to have. After all, if anyone would one day master cloning, it would without a doubt be her nephew. Well, if he had the motivation to. Her face rested into a passive smile, however, ignoring any such thoughts in favor of her company. A wave of sympathy flooded her at the statement; whenever she saw Kanga in passing, the woman was in a rush to or from work. Time wasn’t in surplus for anyone, these days. “One night… If you don’t have any plans, shall we make the most of it?” She asked, smile turning indulgent as she shifted her weight, adjusting her wide purse strap more centrally on her shoulder. “I’m thinking wine and whatever local cheese they came up with this year.” Last year it had been a goat cheese with dried cranberry, and it really only stood to keep people slightly sober at the wine bar. This year it was rumored to be a bit better, at least.

“Just one night. Though tomorrow I’m only on call, so perhaps I’ll get the chance to enjoy at least a bit of the second day before being dragged into work,” she answers with a small shrug, far used to the life of a nurse at this point. There were plenty of things about her job that Kanga would love to change, but there was nothing that could actually be done for that. The long and tough hours simply just a part of the package. “I’d love that. Perhaps this might even actually expand my wine palette for once.” For all Kanga had long since made a routine of having a glass of wine or two on most nights she was actually home, she was far from any type of expert - sticking to the same two or three different bottles in a rotation and rarely ever stepping out of that comfort zone. But a bit of wine tasting with Cass sounded like a good way to spend a few hours of the day.

Grinning she moved in closer beside her mother as she looked over every decoration that covered the tree. “Yeah! I’ve just been running around trying all the treats, and even survived ice skating for more then five minutes before I was kissing the ice. What about you? Enjoying yourself too?” 

Joey didn’t mind one single bit running to her mom through the crowd. Sure a few friends teased , and maybe someday she’d be pulling a special someone along - but Joey was never missing this moment with her mom. Ever. Taking her cocoa she scrunched up her nose. “You raised me better then to ditch traditions. Besides …. cocoa I didn’t have to pay for.” She teased with a large grin upon her face.

Cass had practically been dragged away from the stand, as she had to be every year. Having so much staff was new. Not needing the income from these events to stay afloat was new. Being able to go out, to focus on anything other than work… Well, it was almost too new to her, after so many years. She allowed herself another cup of hot cider from the produce stand, both to warm herself up a bit and to give her something to do, when the other woman approached her. The sight brought a warm smile to her face, and the accusation a quick laugh. “Oh, no no,” she was quick to assure, waving a mitten-covered hand to dispel the theory. “As smart as he is, he hasn’t quite mastered cloning yet.” Hopefully, yet wasn’t an important word in that statement. “He did take my ankle monitor off for the day, though! First time I’ve gone more than twenty feet from the cafe in years,” she joked.

“Well, I’m sure it’s only a matter of time,” she teases with a light chuckle. Kanga didn’t actually know much about the boy - only seeing him in passing when he worked a shift at the cafe or sat at one of the tables studying, but that was more than enough to know he had so much potential in him for greatness. If anyone could actually figure out cloning, she wouldn’t be surprised if it was Hiro. “Funny you say that because Joey did the same for me. My chain to the hospital has been cut for once. I’m sure they’ll retie it in the morning, but for now I’m going to enjoy this freedom.” The joke followed along with Cass’s original one, but it held a lot of truth to it as well - this was the first winter festival in years where Kanga hasn’t been either working a full shift in the hospital or on call, just waiting to be brought in.

Evelyn loved her friends, she truly did. She loved their spunk and their energy, their unrelenting bond to each other, the way just one look could make everyone smile or burst into laughter. The feeling was electrifying, but it also zapped her of energy at the same time. Even from the time she was a little girl, Evelyn often found refuge with the adults, usually sitting on park benches in silence or telling soft stories about what she learned at school that day. Tonight? Well, she took quiet steps into the living room in hopes of not bothering anybody. 

“I’m alright, Ms. Roo,” The words slipped from Evelyn easily as she took small, quiet steps over, taking the blanket with a small smile as she sat down in silence. It was like an immediate flashback to being a kid. She could practically hear the squeals and yells of her friends running across the playground pretending to be pirates or royalty or astronauts. Evelyn suddenly felt her mind rewind what was going on, seeing the bookmark slip into the book, she realized that she probably interrupted some much needed quiet time and she stood up swiftly, “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to interrupt you. I can go back if you’d like me to. I’m sorry.”

“Just Kanga’s fine, darling,” she reminds the younger girl, despite the fact that she knew Evelyn likely wasn’t going to ever call her by just her first name. Kanga has known the girl for over fifteen years now and she’s never broken the habit of calling her Ms. Roo. It was sweet and never actually bothered her, but she wanted Evelyn to know that the formality wasn’t absolutely needed anymore. She was ready to settle into a conversation when suddenly the brunette was standing. “Oh no, dear, it’s okay. Sit back down. You aren’t bothering me at all.” Spending time with any of Joey’s friends was never a bother in Kanga’s opinion, but especially not Evelyn. She loved the girl as if she were a second daughter and would never turn her away, not even if she truly was busy.

“Three more?” It was incredible to Genevieve that anyone could stand to be in the hospital for hours on end, let alone have to take care of people. She couldn’t think of anything less appealing to her. It seemed unlikely that this nurse would continue to check in on that particular patient but if she did, Gen had to make sure she wasn’t anywhere near them and not to be suspicious about it. A fun little challenge. The elevator dinged as it arrived and she gracefully entered, standing close to her companion but not turning around to face the front as everyone else was. The discomfort in their faces was immediate and quite entertaining to her. “What’s your area of expertise?”

“So long as things go smoothly. If not I may be asked to stay longer for a case or two,” she explains a bit further - not that the woman likely cared about her work schedule. As the elevator opened and Kanga stepped inside, she instinctively moved around to face the front only to be surprised when in doing so she found herself face to face with the woman. It was strange, but she smiled at her regardless. “I’m technically a pediatric nurse, but they have me float wherever needed.”

Kanga hadn’t expected them to come down for awhile - not until one of them got hungry and they all decided to raid the fridge or ask her if they could order food - but it’s also not a surprise to hear soft footsteps making their way into the living room. Just as she thought, it’s Evelyn coming to sit down on the couch with her, likely needing some kind of break from the rest of the group. Placing her bookmark into her novel, she smiles over at the younger girl and removes the top blanket to hold it out in offering. “Hello, dear. How are you doing tonight?” @evelyneeyore​

“There is?” She’d been relying on it and Genevieve had never been or heard of a hospital that didn’t have a cafeteria on the grounds somewhere. “That would be lovely, thank you.” Making a show of ruffling through her purse, Genevieve grabbed her wallet before leaving it tucked away under the chair with her jacket draped over the arm of it. Neither the jacket nor the purse were Genevieves. Instead they held the identification of another person she needed to deal with. Once this man was dead, all that would be left to attach Genevieve to him was nothing other than the wrong identity held in this bag. With a smile, she joined the nurse and followed her into the hall. “Have you been on shift long?”

Standing in the doorway as she waited for the woman to be ready, Kanga thought nothing of the show she was putting on. None of it seemed out of the ordinary as far as she was concerned, but then again nothing in this entire interaction had. It was both a testament to how great of an actress Genevieve was as well as just how naturally trusting Kanga herself was too. “Not too long. Only a handful of hours,” she answers with a smile of her own as she leads the woman down the hall and to the elevator at the end of it. Pushing the down button, she turned to look at the visitor as they waited for it to arrive. “I only have about three more left, so long as everything keeps going smoothly around here.”

“I don’t really know - that’s not something I ever thought about. I suppose I’d like to be early autumn. Where it’s just starting to get a little bit chilly, but not too cold. And the leaves are changing colors and everything starts to feel warm and cozy. That’s the type of person I aim to be - someone who brings comfort and warmth to others.”