9873/Time For A Duet...

Time For A Duet...
Date of Scene:	01 November 2019
Location:	Club Evolution, Mutant Town
Synopsis:	Shannon learns some new music, and Sam and Alexis figure a bit out.
Cast of Characters:	Nightingale, Prismatic, Cannonball

---

Nightingale has posed:
     It was that odd time of day for the club, where the hustle and bustle of preparation for the evening's guests had largely died down, but there remained a few things yet to be done. One of those was, of course, the nominal 'sound test'. In this case, it was mostly an excuse for a by now familiar winged teen to be tickling the ivories on the stage, with the main room all but abandoned. She had, of course, left a note back home to let others know she had gone to visit her adopted big brother, so hopefully all was well.

     A familiar tune played, with its bittersweet nostalgia filling the small space near the stage. The musician's silky-smooth alto voice takes up the lyrics, singing strong and clear, unaware and for the moment uncaring of anyone who might be listening.

"A long long time ago
I can still remember how
That music used to make me smile
And I knew if I had my chance
That I could make those people dance
And maybe they'd be happy for a while

But February made me shiver
With every paper I'd deliver
Bad news on the doorstep
I couldn't take one more step

I can't remember if I cried
When I read about his widowed bride
Something touched me deep inside
The day the music died...."

Prismatic has posed:
    And coming into the club was a somewhat familiar face, coming in with a gigbag over her shoulder, not her violin. Her hair was pulled up, her beanie set on her head as she slipped in, looking about for Sam, on the off chance he was in to apologize for... things interrupting.

    .She had seen Shannon come up to the stage, the alto voice ringing and through the dimmed lights, and the dark-haired girl looked to the angelic singer, and gives a little bit of a grin.

    Luckily, the acoustic was already warmed up, and it was hardly a motion, familiar with the instrument that the roll of an acoustic guitar joined in the piano on stage, with Alexis Carr just taking a seat, cradling the guitar and making a few tiny pitch adjustments.

Nightingale has posed:
     For a moment, another instrument joining in with Shannon's playing doesn't quite register. For once, she's a little bit too lost in the music to even really care. Besides, it fit in so seamlessly with the song itself, that it was a lot easier to escape her notice. So, by the time she did, well--the show must go on, after all! Besides, who was there to care, really? Though her face goes flaming red, as she'd been caught out, she continues on, at least through the first chorus.

"So, Bye, bye Miss American Pie
Drove my Chevy to the levee but the levee was dry
And them good ole boys were drinking whiskey and rye
Singin' this'll be the day that I die
This'll be the day that I die...."

     There was no way Sam was going to let her live this down, if he ever caught wind of it. No, siree!

Prismatic has posed:
    Gentle strumming, and then it picks up in pace as Alexis nods her head along the beat of the music, the guitar picking up in tone, turning jaunty. The dark-haire dteen just jamming along with Shannon from her seat on the floor. "Keep it goin'!" she calls out.

Nightingale has posed:
     "Not one word to Sam! He'll be bugging me to come up here all the time!" Of course, if he came in here and found out on his own, well, then Shannon was in deep kimchi anyways! With the beat of the music picking up, it's so much for sitting down, the younger teen getting up to play, shaking it to the beat.

"Did you write the book of love
And do you have faith in God above
If the Bible tells you so?
Do you believe in rock and roll?
Can music save your mortal soul?
And can you teach me how to dance real slow?"

     The next verse has Shannon looking straight at Alexis, with something of a wry smile as she sings.

"Well, I know that you're in love with him
'Cause I saw you dancin' in the gym
You both kicked off your shoes
Man, I dig those rhythm and blues

I was a lonely teenage broncin' buck
With a pink carnation and a pickup truck
But I knew I was out of luck
The day the music died...."

Prismatic has posed:
    Everyone's apparently gotten a memo about Sam and Alexis. Ooch.

    Alexis seemed too engrossed, keeping up with Shannon as she played, fingers dancing over the strings of the guitar, but she caught that look from Shannon, and there was a bit of an eye roll, and the other girl begins to sing. Unlike Shannon's smokey alto, Alexis was a golden soprano, her voice ringing in harmony to the winged girl with an 'Ooooo' after the Blues, and joins in on the chorus

    "We were singin' 'Bye Bye Miss American Pie'
Drove my chevy to the levee, but the levee was dry!
An' Good Ol' Boys were drinkin' whiskey and rye singin'
'This'll be the day that I die~, this'll be the day that I die!"

Nightingale has posed:
     "Holy hell's bells, you are /good/! And you wonder why I don't bother with the stage... why would I, when there's musicians way more talented, like you?" Shannon chuckles, letting the last notes of the chorus trail off, stepping aside from the piano. Snapping her wings outwards, she sketches a brief bow, and hops off of the stage, as if someone had lit a fire under her feet.

Prismatic has posed:
    "Nonsense, Miss Lance." the soprano states, and she blushes awkwardly, and she looks down guilty at the guitar in question.

    "Different voices are best suited for different music, yours positively shines with a strength beneath it." she gives a smile, leaning back in her seat a moment, "I hadn't meant to stop you from singing or playing, my apologies, Miss Lance." she states with absolute sincerity and remorse.

Nightingale has posed:
     "Please, it's just Shannon. Unless you're talking to Sam, of course. Then it's pain in the...." Instead of saying the last word, she lets out a mischievious little giggle, a little bit of a twinkle in her pale blue eyes. "But that's my big brother for ya. Though lately, it's hard to get him to stop talking about you." Pulling over another chair to Alexis' table, she slides into it, folding her wings in tightly behind her.

Prismatic has posed:
    "Shannon, then." Alexis gives a small smile, adjusting her hold on the guitar as she strums thoughtfully against it, regarding the mischevious blue-eyed girl.

    "I.... I'm not sure why he would keep speaking of me. He knows so many simply amazing people -- yourself, Shannon, included in that list." Alexis states, though she's blushing a little bit. "I hardly know the gentleman, other than he is very kind, big-hearted and quite smart and good humoured." she wryly replies.

    "And that he helps manage a nightclub, has a fancy ride and is apparently a textbook southern gentleman." she jokes, "However, it appears certain friends of his may already be plotting out futures."

Nightingale has posed:
     Shannon just rolls her eyes, and laughs softly. "I can take a few good guesses as to who. Frankly, it's just good to see him happy." Eyebrows loft as she's included on the list of 'amazing' people, prompting a wry smile and slight shake of her head. "He's the amazing one. But what amazing people do you mean? And please leave me off that list, thank you very much. I've got a long way to go before even coming close to his level of sheer awesomeness. Or yours, for that matter. Music teacher, huh?"

     The younger woman smiles somewhat, canting her head to the side and observing Alexis' fingers as they dance over the neck of the guitar. A frown tugs the corners of her mouth downwards, and she twists her chair about so she can view it more from the perspective of the player. Though she tries to curl and hold her left hand as if she were holding an instrument, the lack of form makes it quite evident she's never played.

Prismatic has posed:
    "He kidnapped me off the street, practically, last night. From there, we met with Miss Pryde, who has done networking with the Van Dyne fashion house, and currently works in Stark Tower. Then we went to a party hosted by previously mentioned van Dyne, where he introduced me to Thor on a first-name basis, and mentioned he knew the hosts of the gathering. Which leads me to beleive that his work with the club, centered around mutants, and with a private school may be cover for the fact he's some sort of secret agent." the dark-haired woman states conspiritally, and then gives a smile as she draws her guitar up, and stands. She stoops a little in front of Shannon, fearlessly, and sits the guitar in her own hands.

    "Or he's simply a very fortunate individual who has earned his good karma with a lot of hard work."

Nightingale has posed:
     Shannon smiles somewhat, and inclines her head. "I had the good fortune to meet up with Thor once or twice. He's an incredibly kind-hearted, forgiving soul, at least in my rare dealings with him. I don't suppose the good Captain was at the party as well, was he?" Indeed, the bag that Shannon keeps tied to her belt, with its mysterious contents, seemed decorated with runes in a very eye-catching pattern, the leather worn but well-loved and cared for.

     But, before the young woman could say anything else, the guitar is plopped in her hands, and she has to scramble to keep it from crashing to the floor, cradling her arms protectively around the instrument. "Whoah, careful there! That was a close one!"

Prismatic has posed:
    The bag with the runes does catch the other girl's dark eyes, but her hands drop to make sure the guitar does *not* go crashing down to the floor. That would be an awful first lesson.

    "I beleive, while I was there, he was fetching drinks for Cleopatra." Alexis comments with a slight smile, "I did not mee ttheir acquaintence, and as I was in a mask, theeey probably would not know me. Which is fine." she comments breezily, and with an old familiarity, she gently takes Shannon's hand, guides it into position about the neck of the instrument, and reaches for the other to place at the strings.

    "Miss Pryde's Beau, I beleive, went as Captain America."

Nightingale has posed:
     Shannon tries not to laugh, and fails, miserably. "Oh gawd, Ms. Pryde's beau, dressed as the Captain? Imagine if the real one saw that... or did he? That would be something else. Maybe his brother from another mother?"

     With her eyes still dancing with mirth, and her hand shaking slightly from the same, it's a bit of a trick at first to place her fingers on the strings correctly, with just the right arch to them.

     But once she 'gets' it, her eyes light right up, in the 'ah-ha' moment treasured by teachers. "Hey... that feels a little bit like holding a flute. Kind of a similar curl to the fingers, just coming at the strings from beneath the neck, instead of over the keys of a flute." She cants her head, leaving each string open, and hearing its tone by itself. "E... A... D... G... B... and back up to E... huh. So, what's an A minor chord look like on this?"

Prismatic has posed:
    "I would imagine the real one would have been appreciative. I'm not sure if you got to see Sam dressed as Spider-Man, but he was--" moderately skin tight costume, on Sam. The dark-haired girl gets a sort of distant look to her face. "... rather dashing."

    She clears her throat, and awkwardly attempts to get back on track.

    "Ah, so you play the flute as well as sing and play piano? Any other secret talents?" she inquires, reaching up and placing Shannon's fingers along the fretboard of the guitar's neck gently, the callouses on her fingertips plainly felt. "Perhaps a particularly delicious blueberry cobbler?"

Nightingale has posed:
     Shannon laughs and grins wide. "I think the word you're looking for is 'devilishly handsome'. Can't tell you how many times that smile of his has lightened my day." She chuckles to herself, her smile shifting to more of a rueful one. "Have to admit, I was crushing on him pretty hard once upon a time. But he saw me more like a little sister. So that's how it turned out to be. And you're right, he was and /is/ a gentleman. Cried my eyes out, right where you're sitting now. But instead of gaining a beau, I wound up with something even better. I wound up with family."

     As Alexis helps her place her fingers correctly for the A minor chord, she nods, a bit of a sheepish smile appearing on her face. "Piano, flute, and I love composing music as well. Though most of that's on my laptop. And... sum'beach, he squealed about my cooking, too?! SAMUEL ZACHARY GUTHRIE, YOU ARE SOOOO TOAST!" Her face goes bright red, and she ducks her head, concentrating on the chord. At first she lightly strums it, but then tries to start picking the strings in a gently rolling triplet pattern.

"There is a house in New Orleans
They call the rising sun
It's been the ruin of many a poor boy
And god, I know I'm one...."

     A slightly frustrated sigh escapes her as she fumbles with the guitar, trying to figure out the chord changes. "This is going to take a LOT of practice."

Prismatic has posed:
    "He is a very attractive man, I will give him, you, Andea... look, yes, he's very handsome, and quite frankly have no idea what his fascination is with --" she trails off, catching herself, and she gives a gentle smile to Shannon. "That speaks volumes to his character." she ereplies gently, and she laughs. "Oh, no, no, Shannon, I guessed that. Please, don't be cross with him!" she states, and smiles, and gives a little smile, and draws her fingers up to the right chord, and then she purses her lips. Then looks up to the stage, and motions with her head.

    "C'mon, you carry the guitar, I'll grab you a chair." she states, and stands, simply grabbing the chair she was sitting in and walking up to the stge!

Nightingale has posed:
     "Have no idea what his fascination is with... what?" Shannon's eyebrows loft as she gets up, cradling the guitar en route to the stage. Climbing up the short distance to the stage, she curls her hand around the neck of the guitar, holding it down by her side while she reaches down with her other hand to help Alexis up. "And I sure hope you don't mean I'll be playing guitar for this? I can barely manage an A minor chord."

Prismatic has posed:
    "Hm, then maybe not House of the Rising Sun... though admittedly my repetoire of classic rock is somewhat... lacking." she gives a soft hmm, accepfting the hand up to the stage, and she sets the chair near the ivories, and considers.

    "All right, tihs is pretty simple, And if you find you can't find the right chord -- don't worry. Mistakes are learning opportunities, and we cannot learn if we do not 'do'." she gives a smile, and positions Shannon's hands, gently guiding her through some chords. Purposefully out of order for what she was thinking.

    "my grandmother is an amazing lady, and has lived all her life with music and song. She taught me piano as a young child this way."

Nightingale has posed:
     "No, no, 'House of the Rising Sun' is fine, just have to find the chords. Heck, it's a major reason I'd even want to play the guitar... I -love- that song." Shannon rolls her eyes and chuckles. "Someone wise reminded me that maybe we're in a time where mistakes can be a little bit bigger than tripping over our own feet on the sidewalk, but we've got folks we can count on to pick us back up again. Or something to that effect." Though she had wanted one song, she shrugs, and sets herself to learning this new one, fumbling some of the chords--especially the barred ones, with her somewhat shorter fingers--but mostly managing well enough.

     Shannon's voice takes on a more somber note, though, hearing about Alexis' grandmother. Her words are barely above a soft murmur, her fingers pausing on the strings for a moment. "My grandmother passed on six years ago yesterday, on Halloween."

Prismatic has posed:
    "I'm sorry, Shannon." Alexis replies gently, placing her hand momentarily over the younger teen's hand.

     "I can go House of the Rising Sun, just slightly different. You'll want this one... this one... and this one... it's really notable song, since the chords are very clear. Although, some time, I'd like to try you on some Ella Fitzgerald classics." she gives a slight smile there, "... or maybe Eartha Kitt." she suggests, before she sits down at the piano again, and gives a look over to Shannon.

    "So, House, or do you want to tempt fate?"

Cannonball has posed:
Samuel Guthrie comes walking into the club, and it is a big place, so it might not be totally obvious he is here at first. Seeing the two ladies on the stage he will keep quiet and move towards one of the more shadowed areas so he can watch quietly and maybe not be noticed for a bit.

Nightingale has posed:
     "Maybe we can go with 'House of the Rising Sun' for now. Maybe try a little Louis Armstrong or Ella Fitzgerald another time." Shannon's brows furrow as she runs through the chords one more time, hoping and praying she doesn't fumble too terribly. That F chord was a bit of a trial for her, but she manages it. Satisfied that she's about as ready as she'll be for the moment, a nod is given to Alexis, and she starts in with the opening chords. They're fumbled just a little bit, it's fairly clear this isn't a familiar instrument to her, but she's trying anyways.

"There is a house in New Orleans
They call the rising sun
It's been the ruin of many a poor girl
And God, I know I'm one"

     Hey, got to keep the gender appropriate for the performers, right?

"Well, my mother was a tailor
She sewed my new blue jeans
My father was a gamblin' man
Way down in New Orleans...."

Prismatic has posed:
    Sam's appearance wasn't noticed by the girl at the keys, and Alexis listens as the winged girl, playing on Alexis's guitar, made her way through the chords. She gives a verse for her to be comfortable with the chords themselves, working herself through, and then Alexis turns, and on the piano she begins to run her fingers up and down the keys, providing the bass line for the song, following where the organ would be playing, ehr feet working the pedal beneath as her soprano joins in with the lyrics.

    "Now the only thing a Gambler needs,
    Is a suitcase -- and a trunk
    And the only time he is Satisfied
    Is when he's on a drug."
    And then Shannon gets to hear the improvisation of the organ in the bridge, played on a bluesy piano key, longing, sorrowful, mourning.

Cannonball has posed:
Samuel Guthrie smiles and leans against the wall arms crossed he is smiling as he watches. The young man nods his head both to the music, and the two seem to be getting along. he hmms and wishes he had thought to start recording them at the beginign

Nightingale has posed:
Shannon's voice, normally silky smooth, has taken on more of a husky, haunting sort of quality, for the next verse. Surprisingly enough, she moves from a basic triplet pattern on the chords, beginning to sound more like the classic recording.

"Oh now, mother, tell your children
Not to do what I have done
Not to spend your lives in sin and misery
In the House of the Rising Sun...."

     There's a slight pause as her voice trails off, and she nods towards Alexis, indicating for the two to take up the next verse and the final chorus together. Somehow, somewhere, their voices blend well together, with Alexis' light, golden soprano a perfect foil to Shannon's lower, softer alto.

"I've got one foot on the platform
The other one on the train
I'm goin' back to New Orleans
To wear that ball and chain...."

Prismatic has posed:
    Alexis gives a nod to Shannon, having kept an eye on her in case of struggling with the guitar, and she gives a grin, singing the harmony, complimenting the alto tone, a soft overlay, her fingers making the piano notes ripple against mournful notes from the guitar, and as she reaches the end of the verse, she fades the piano out, decrescendo to a soft tone, as if pulling farther away, letting Shannon's guitar playing come through nice and clear.

Cannonball has posed:
Samuel Guthrie smiles and waits till the song is finished and then he is applauding "Very nice ladies, very nice." He says as he lifts his voice and steps out of the shadows heading to where the ladies are at on the stage.

Nightingale has posed:
Shannon looks like a deer caught in the headlights as she lets the notes from the guitar fall silent, or perhaps like a child with their hand caught in the cookie jar. "Samuel Zachary Guthrie, don't you scare me like that!!!" Uh-oh! All three names! Her face goes flame red, and she is quick to scoot off of the chair, holding the guitar back out to Alexis. Her wings fold about herself like a cocoon, the young mutant going all stage-shy the moment she realizes there had been an attentive audience. Even if it was her adoptive older brother.

Prismatic has posed:
    "That's the second time tonight you've been in trouble with the middle name." Alexis gives a small smile, though she is also embarrassed, and she gives a huff as she accepts the guitar back, and she makes a couble of adjustments, fiddling with the tuning pegs before she gives a quick strum against it.

    "In all honesty, Shannon, that was amazing for a first time."

Cannonball has posed:
Samuel Guthrie 's brow raises a bit as he says "The second time?" He will walk over and steps up on stage and says "You both did really well, and I think I Shannon Marie Lance trying to get me in trouble or trying to call me out on something?" He grins using her full name back at her. It is good to have access to students records.

Nightingale has posed:
     "Kiss mah wing feathers, Sam." Giggling, Shannon hops off of the stage to pull her adoptive big brother in for a fierce bear hug. She whispers something briefly to him, then thumbs her way back towards the stage. "That one had me playing 'House of the Rising Sun' in one lesson. And I swear blue I've never picked up a guitar in my life. Might have to save up for one now." With an impish grin at Alexis, she winks at Sam. "You done did find yourself a good one there, big brother. 'When the king loves music, little is wrong in the kingdom.' Or something like that."

Prismatic has posed:
"Ha. Neither of you know my middle name." Alexis states, picking up her guitar and drawing herself to the side of the stage, where she plops down and has a seat, watching Shannon embrace Samuel, and she purses her lips a moment in amusement, glancing to Sam.

    "So, apparently we're a hot ticket item between your friends, and I haphazardly guessed Shannon is an amazing cook, which resulted in the discovery of your middle name." she gives a wry smile to the two. "Shannon has a natural knack for music."

Cannonball has posed:
Samuel Guthrie hugs Shannon and grins nodding to her, and says "Both of you have some amazing skills.' He tells both of them, and says "Yea, she is a good cook, does in the top 10 apple brown betties that Ah have, and she is doing decent on trying to capture my ma's chicken." He will tell them "So you two been having fun Ah hope, sounded like it to me."

Nightingale has posed:
     "Pffft. Still working on the apple brown betty. The acid test will be if I ever get to serve it to ma Guthrie when she comes up this way, and maybe my mac 'n cheese, too. I suppose I could probably convince Doug to taste-test my efforts in the process." Shannon chuckles, slipping out of the hug to head on towards the door, ruffling her wings in a saucy, playful sort of way. "Yeah, we were, actually, but if I don't get back home soon, that mac 'n cheese won't cook itself. You two 'kids' stay out of trouble, don't do anything I wouldn't do, and don't name it after me if you do!" Laughing and waving at them both, she slips out of the club and wings her way into the night, heading for home.

Prismatic has posed:
    "Don't name it after --" Alexis begins, and she presses her lips together as she raises her eyebrows, and then looks to Sam. "Cheeky, isn't she?" she questions him, and she slides off the stage to retreive her gig bag.

    "I happened to be on the way by from a guitar appointment, thought I would stop in and thank you again for a wonderful night." she gives a little smile as she begins to set away her guitar.

Cannonball has posed:
Samuel Guthrie smiles a bit and says "Yea, she can be, when Ah took her in as a little sister she went with it full force and then some." He grins and walks over to offer her help off the stage. "Ah am glad you enjoyed it, Ah figured it might be a fun night out. Ah don't hit the high society things like that very often at all.

Prismatic has posed:
    "She's happy that you're happy." Alexis replies quietly, and she gives a small pause, and she looks up to Sam a moment.

    "This... this is real, isn't it?" she asks quietly, "You're not just having some sport?"

    Her dark eyes soften a moment, looking to Sam quietly. "You're friends with celebrities and royalty and I'm... just a street musician."

Cannonball has posed:
Samuel Guthrie will take her hands in his and says "Ah think your nice and smart and want to get to know you better. Ah am just a southern guy who grew up in a mining town and has been lucky made some good friends and gotten lucky." He tells her "Ah aint saying want to take you and get hitched in the morning, but Ah aint looking for a one night stand thing either. Ah want to get to know you, spend time with you and see if we have have what it takes for a long term thing. If we do it is great, if not Ah think we at least so far have seen we got what it takes for friends and maybe more.

Prismatic has posed:
    Alexis takes a deep breath as Sam takes her hands, and her fingers -- calloused, with rosin under her fingernais -- curl against his palms. She feels her heart pound in her chest, and her ears begin to turn a little blue around the very edges, expecting the worst -- but the color fades. She gives a releived sounding release of breath and murmurs something that might be a 'oh, thank God' before she blushes.

    "I really do enjoy your company as well. Charming, polite, and goodness the... ah... unitard costume was very form fitting." she blushes a deeper color then.

    "I'd like to think perhaps we can develop this to something more."

Cannonball has posed:
Samuel Guthrie smirks a bit and does blush a bit and says "Well Ah have to say you looked pretty good in yours as well. Ah would be trying to talk ya into going down to the beach probably if it was not November." He grins a bit at this, and says "And your lovely when your blushing." He says to her

Prismatic has posed:
    "Well, it's November, I suppose that means I have, what, seven, eight months to get my 'beach bod'." she considers a moment, attempting to ignore the fact that she's blushing even more now, and she gives a huff of a breath, "Yes, well... so do you." she replies gently, and takes up her gig bag.

    "Well, I should get going home... I'd mostly stopped in to say thank you again, got a little carried away with Miss La-- with Shannon." she corrects, and she gives a small smile over to Sam. "We'll have to consider the circumstances of our next rendezvous most carefully, since it seems Andrea, Kitty and Shannon are plotting our demise."

Cannonball has posed:
Samuel Guthrie 's brow raises a bit and says "Plotting out demise?" He asks her a bit to this and says "Well could always find an indoor pool somewhere Ah am sure." He teases a bit with her.. "Ah am glad you stopped in, it is good seeing you, and do find myself hoping to run into you." He admits.

Prismatic has posed:
    "I'm certain one of the YMCA's has one, if you're really intent on seeing me wearing something skin-tight so soon after Halloween." Alexis states with a lilt to her voice, but she shoulders her bag, and slides her hands into the pockets of her sweatshirt as she looks up to Sam.

    "Maybe for Christmas, I'll give you my address." she offers as a joke, since she has been rather secretive about just where she lives in Bushwick, but she smiles, and shrugs her shoulders. "Or a fancy hat. Not that I'd be able to see it up there." she smiles, turning to walk towards the exit of the club.

Cannonball has posed:
Samuel Guthrie smirks a bit and says "Well, I am willing to let you see when ever you want to." He mentions of the hat. He will take a moment to enjoy the view as she is heading away "What do you have planned for tomorrow he will ask her, before she is gone.

Prismatic has posed:
    "I'm booked for a violin accompaniment at a restaurant in the Bronx. Little French place, should be interesting. I'll see if I can't score myself escargot." she gives a grin, walking backwards a moment as she regards Sam.

    "Sunday might be free, though."

Cannonball has posed:
Samuel Guthrie smiles a bit and says "Well lets see what we can get into Sunday, I will see what is up." He hmms and has ate some odd things but still first thought is why snails, but he smiles to her.

Prismatic has posed:
    Because they taste like butter and herby garlic.

    "Have a good night, Sam, be safe!" she calls back, and before she gets engrossed, again, she slips back out to the night.