10826/Dinner at the Bromfields

Dinner at the Bromfields
Date of Scene:	22 January 2020
Location:	Bromfield Foster Home, Brooklyn, NY
Synopsis:	Queen Mera joins Mary Batson and family for dinner.
Cast of Characters:	Mary Marvel, Aquawoman

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Mary Marvel has posed:
Mr. and Mrs. Bromfield are working in the kitchen. Mrs. Bromfield is cooking up a storm, Mr. Bromfield is cutting the greens for the salad, and Mary is setting the table. She has to keep herself from visibly vibrating with anticipation.
The email had come seemingly out of the blue...the deep blue sea, apparently. The email has given a day and asked about availability. Mary had responded with a good time for dinner and then danced around the house like a celebrity was coming over for dinner.

But it wasn't a celebrity. It was someone MUCH COOLER!

Aquawoman has posed:
One someone, at least. Though Arthur was //supposed// to come, something came up, as things do. But Mera was determined to follow through on her promise and come to dinner. Maybe she'd even get a chance to learn something about normal people here. Ones who haven't known Arthur his entire life.

Unlike her trip to the department store, she's managed to find herself something that isn't armor to wear. Plain black jeans and a loose-fitting blue silk blouse fit right in with the people outside as she comes up to the door with a small, covered basket in hand, giving the door a curious look before she knocks.

Mary Marvel has posed:
The door opens two seconds after the first knock. Maybe even one.
Mary is looking into Mera's face and her eyes are starry with amazement. "Oh, WOW! You made it! Come on in!" She opens the door wide for Mera to see the interior.

The small foyer opens into the living room. A couch and a recliner are parked facing a TV, a rather cheap 40-inch TV. There are a couple of game consoles as well, but they look a little shopworn. Actually, "shopworn" seems to describe the entire house. Hardwood floors, faded wallpaper, older furniture. Not quite in the realm of "shabby," as the place is clean, the surfaces gleam.
There is also a warmth in this place. It is seen in Mary's face, in the face of the younger girl standing near the couch, and in the somewhat-elderly couple in the kitchen. But they greet the unknown with a smile instead of a frown.

Aquawoman has posed:
"I said that I would," Mera says with a small smile, stepping inside and offering over the basket. "Arthur informed me that it's traditional to bring something to share when going to dinner. He assured me that this was the very best apple pie he knew of. So if that's a lie, it's his fault." Despite the fact that her voice sounds serious, there's a glimmer of humor in her eyes, an upward twitch of her lips. Blaming the king is a worthwhile luxury.

"Hello," she calls over to the others with a polite smile. "Thank you very much for inviting me into your home."

Mary Marvel has posed:
The foster parents walks over, then bow slightly. "Welcome to our home, Your Highness. The pleasure is ours, I assure you," Mr. Bromfield says formally.
The younger girl, darker-skinned than Mary and most likely African-American, curtseys. Mary says with a smile, "May I present Darla Dudley, Lady Mera."

Aquawoman has posed:
"Oh, please," Mera says quickly, stepping forward to wave off bows and curtseys. "We are in your home, there's no need for all of that. A pleasure to meet you, Darla," she smiles to the younger girl, holding out a hand. "Please, you can all call me Mera. Otherwise I imagine the night will be much more longer and difficult with everyone trying to follow an imagined set of rules," she adds, rueful.

Mary Marvel has posed:
Darla looks at Mera with awe. "You're so pretty. Mary said you were, because you're a queen."
Mary smiles warmly. "I'm sure she puts on her armor one leg at a time like everyone else."
Darla nods, but she is still spellbound. Mrs. Bromfield puts in, "We made...something fancy. Chicken en croute. It's like a pastry, but it has chicken in it. We wanted to...make something that wasn't the usual."
Mr. Bromfield chuckles. "Read 'high-volume to feed six mouths for three days.' We're also having a tossed salad, and homemade strawberry ice cream for dessert. That should go wonderfully with the pie." She reaches out to take the pie, with a telltale note of reverence.

Aquawoman has posed:
"Thank you, Darla," Mera laughs softly. "But it's mostly because living in the sea keeps me hydrated." She winks at the girl before she straightens to the others. Was that...a joke? It seems she //does// have a sense of humor.

"I'm sure everything will be wonderful," she assures the Bromfield's. "And I do appreciate the invitation. Mary was very helpful when I needed to find something for New Years Eve. I wish that I could adequately express to the rest of Atlantis that such people are here on the surface."

Mary Marvel has posed:
Mr. Bromfield smiles wryly. "Well...I was taught that each generation needs to teach the one to come about civility, right and wrong, morality..."
Mrs. Bromfield smiles wryly, then the oven beeps and she moves quickly to the kitchen.
"...There are good people and bad people. But some thing you have to do great things that everyone can see. But it's the small things no one notices, that really matter." He smiles thoughtfully. "Stopping a supervillain may be tough, but not berating the poor cashier on her first day because she miscounted your change is no less important."

Aquawoman has posed:
"Far more important, I think," Mera agrees. "If you can't be decent to each other, then what are you saving from some supervillain anyhow?" She reaches a hand for Mary's shoulder, then leans in for a brief, slightly awkward hug if the girl will allow it. "I am grateful that Mary learned from both of you," she smiles warmly to the Bromfield's before looking to the others.

"Please, there's no need to stand on ceremony around me," she says with a shooing gesture. "Tell me about yourselves. Tell me about your family, how you all came together here."

Mary Marvel has posed:
Mary hugs Mera. She's more of a glomper, hugging the woman tightly. Mr. Bromfield smiles. "Well, we're foster parents. We take in kids who needs parents. In addition to Mary and Darla, there's Billy...that's Mary's brother...and Freddy."
Darla said, her voice a little sober, "My parents went to prison. They did something bad."
Mary lets go of Mera, looks to Darla, then says with a solemn look, "My parents did bad stuff, but they never went to prison."
"Mary..." Mrs. Bromfield said with a note of caution.
Mary sighs. "Sorry. I'll help with the food." Mary went to the kitchen, and Darla seems to just gaze at Mera with that same look of awe.
"Kids...need stability and structure in their lives. If their parents can't provide it...or won't...that's where we come in. We give them love, understanding, but also structure, rules, and support."

Aquawoman has posed:
"My entire people are..." Mera crouches near Darla, offering a faint, rueful smile. "Well. You could say I grew up in a prison. My people expected me to do something very bad, actually. But I made a different choice, thanks to seeing some others who inspired me. Sometimes people do things for reasons that could be better. But at least we've all got a choice about who we want to be, yes?"

Looking over at Mary, she tilts her head as though confiding in the girl. "I think you could do far worse than following Mary's example. I think," she continues, looking around herself once more, "You could do far worse in many ways. This home is full of love. I can feel it."

Mary Marvel has posed:
Mr. Bromfield smiles. "Nina and I...we couldn't have kids. But we found another way. We aren't perfect. But we are honest with all of them. We admit when we're wrong. They respect us more, because of that. No double standards here..."
"Food's ready!" Mary calls.
Mr. Bromfield chuckles. "All right. We say grace before the meal. If you don't follow that, then I hope you don't mind a moment of silence."

Aquawoman has posed:
"I'm afraid I don't know any graces, but I am happy to participate," Mera assures, straightening to join the others at the table. "I see why Mary was so willing to help someone who had about as much of a clue as a child," she says with a flash of a smile. Once she's seated, she looks over the food with curious, open features. One might get the sense that she hasn't really done this often.

Mary Marvel has posed:
Mr. Bromfield nods, then tilts his head forward. Nina and the children follow suit. "Bless us, o Lord, for these Thy gifts from Thy bounty, through Christ our Lord. Amen."
Mary and Darla smile. "Amen!"
And with that, the food is served. Chicken en croute looks like some kind of pastry roll, like a cinnamon roll. But Mary cuts into it, revealing thinly-sliced chicken in a type of filling that is like some kind of herb-infused cheese, giving it a smooth, slightly herbal flavor. The chicken is perfectly cooked through, the flaking pastry adding warmth and an almost delicate texture. The salad is romaine lettuce and cabbage, tossed with Italian dressing. The drinks are water (pure, no odd taste like tap water, so definitely filtered), as well as soda for the kids.
"I hope the food isn't too different," Mrs. Bromfield said almost apologetically. "I figured it might be a little odd to prepare seafood for someone's who's likely had it all her life."

Aquawoman has posed:
"It's perfectly different," Mera assures, giving everything a thorough and fascinated examination as it reaches her plate. "I suspect that even had you prepared seafood it would have been very different from how we eat it in Atlantis," she points out, laughing softly. "I'd much rather experience something of yours instead. This looks like it must have taken some skill to prepare. Chicken, you said."

She pauses, head tilting. "Chicken is the...tubby round bird, yes?"

Mary Marvel has posed:
Mary snickers.
"Mary, be nice," Mrs. Bromfield admonished gently.
"No, no...that's PERFECT. Yep. Calling them Tubby Round Birds from now on." Mary snickers. "I suppose...yeah, there's a lot you may not know about. I swear, we're not making fun."
Darla nods quickly. "Really. We just never saw them...like that."
"Mary told us something about where you come from," Mr. Bromfield said. "Atlantis...Atlanteans....it's all so exotic and amazing, you must understand. But after all the stuff humanity does to the oceans, I figure you have a pretty understandably dim view of us."

Aquawoman has posed:
Mera doesn't seem offended by the laughter, instead chuckling along. "No, no. No need to apologize. They are, though," she nods once, certain. "Tubby and round. Which is reasonable, since they seem to be for food. Birds are certainly one thing we don't see much of in Atlantis."

At Mr. Bromfield's comment, she pauses for a moment, considering her words. "Atlantis is...a proud kingdom," she finally says. "And in truth, I think most of Atlantean attitudes toward the surface are less a function of anything that's actually been done and more a function of custom and ignorance."

Mary Marvel has posed:
Mr. Bromfield nods. "Well...closed systems can be opened. I hope we're helping with that, in our own small way by having Atlantean royalty join us for dinner."
Mrs. Bromfield smiles. "I hope you like the food. I like to think I'm a decent cook."
"You're a great cook, mom," Darla says immediately.
"What she said," Mary chimes in immediately.
Mrs. Bromfield smiles softly. "Well, Lady Mera, I think that, should you ever want to visit, you'll always have a place at the table in this house."

Aquawoman has posed:
"Arthur is very dedicated to bringing Atlantis and the surface world closer together," Mera nods, taking a few bites of everything. If she dislikes it, it certainly doesn't show on her features. But she does seem to enjoy it.

"This is delicious," she assures Mrs. Bromfield, smile warm. "And I would be grateful for any meal here. Perhaps one day we can return the favor, or at least bring something traditionally Atlantean to share."

Mary Marvel has posed:
Mrs. Bromfield looks enchanted by the idea. "That sounds WONDERFUL. Now, finish up your meal. Only those who finish their meals should get dessert!"
Five minutes later, and soft strawberry ice cream apparently goes very well with apple pie.
Mr. Bromfield says with a tired smile, "If I eat any more, you'll have to ROLL me to bed."
Mary and Darla are eating with gusto, but Mary occasionally glances at Mera, looking hopeful that she likes dessert as much as she liked dinner.

Aquawoman has posed:
There are no complaints from Mera. Indeed, as they eat, she has questions for everyone, taking a genuine interest in the answers. "This has been incredible," she says as she eats her last bite, leaning back in her chair with a hand over her stomach. "I don't think I could eat another bite. I suspect if I were to go directly back to Atlantis I might just...sink there."

Mary Marvel has posed:
Mr. Bromfield chuckles. "Well, why don't we just sit and digest? We could watch a movie."
Mary suddenly gives Mera a playful look. "What say we play a fairytale written by humans about another redhead that comes from the ocean?"
Darla groans. "Not THE LITTLE MERMAID..."