#set 26

II: character A misunderstands something B said

“And because I’m a woman, you thought you’d ask my advice on choosing, did you?”

“What? No, that’s not—”

“It’s not my fault your circle of friends is so small, Martin. What about your sister? I’d have thought she’s the obvious choice. And she’s a mother herself, so it’s not as though she'll—”

“Carolyn! Can you just listen to me for one second? I’m not asking you to help choose the godmother! I’m asking if you’ll be the godmother!”

“…..Oh.”

“But I- I mean there’s no obligation, if you think it’s a stupid idea…”

IV: character A invites B to a sporting event

It wasn't a date, Arthur kept telling himself, so there was no reason to get all flustery about it. It was just a simple question... Martin would probably be busy anyway, or he wouldn't be interested. He didn't seem to care much about anything outside of planes, and this was definitely outside of planes.

(Arthur knew, because he'd tried it inside GERTI, and had received a lifetime ban from his mother.)

IV: characters build something together

Herc had been called to Fitton Farm to examine a calf with a crooked foreleg - but on his way to the cowshed, he couldn’t help but stop to see what the three farmhands were doing in the yard.

Arthur saw him looking, and waved him over. “Hi, Herc! We’re building a henhouse. What do you think?”

Thankfully, Herc was prevented from offering a verdict by Douglas’s correction: “We’re building a henhouse, Arthur. You’re building some kind of gothic hen castle.”

VII: character A encourages B to try something new

“Mama” was far behind her now - Aida’s next word, Martin felt sure, would be “Dada”. He’d even accept “Papa”, but for the purpose of their lesson today, he was concentrating on the ’D’ sound.

“Come on, little A! You can do it,” he said encouragingly. “Da-da-da-da, like this! Da-da-da-da…”

Just then, Douglas entered. He looked down at them, amused. “I hope I’m not interrupting anything.”

Martin was about to reply, when Aida opened her mouth and proclaimed, “Da.”

Promptly afterwards, she elaborated: “Da-dusss.”

I: character A searches for the perfect gift for B

Herc's birthday was approaching, and Carolyn was determined not to let it pass without suitably woolly fanfare.

But how to go about it? So many things were made of sheepskin, or could be printed with a sheep motif - too easy. Of course, ideally, she'd present him with a live sheep and be done with it, but if she did that for 57, how could she possibly top it when he turned 60?

...Goodness, had he really got her thinking that far ahead? How unsettling.

X: character A can’t get B to answer a question

“Arthur, have you finished the hoovering?” 

He didn’t answer her question, just tapped his nose mysteriously, and slipped past.

“I hope you have,” Carolyn called, “Because the passengers are due any minute now!” 

She addressed her pilots. “What’s got into him?” 

Martin immediately pointed at Douglas, who had the grace to look somewhat sheepish. 

“Sorry. I may have told him he’s something of an open book, and now he’s trying to prove me wrong by being as inscrutable as possible. About everything.”