As Promised...

[Clairice-Sarah]

((ooc: hm, I'm just everywhere, aren't I...?))



Laurel hadn't contacted Monty right upon her return - in fact, swamped with work and reorganizing herself in Bridgeport had consumed more energy than she had anticipated. But, she had the afternoon and evening off today, so, she figured she'd try.

Of course, not sure if he would be upset with her not stopping by in so long, she did what she thought was best: she brought a peace offering. Laurel buzzed the number outside the apartment building, hoping he was home. Because otherwise, she had no idea where to find him.

"Um, it's Laurel," she said into the little speaker, hoping he was listening, or someone was, at least. Unless he had written down the wrong place, she was sure this was it.

[KB]

Monty jerked awake, sitting up with an alarmed expression as something in his house buzzed incessantly. Eyes the color of a Caribbean ocean narrowed in the darkness, trying to make out the cause of the sound when it stopped. He scrubbed her face, peeling of a jolly rancher as he did so, and swung his legs over the side of his couch, his bare feet disappearing into a small landfill of candy and junk food wrappers. His TV had a timer, so was switched off sometime during the wee hours of the morning, and now thanks to the heavy maroon curtains the apartment was dark and silent.

"Um, it's Laurel," a voice crackled from somewhere near his door, and he blinked as he realized that he did indeed have an access box that worked. Guess it had never been used before now.

He stood, shuffling through the small pile and dragging a few still-sticky wrappers on the hem of his tan corduroy pants as he went to the box in question. His thumb pressed the small black button below a circle marked "mic" and he responded in a slightly gravelly voice, "Hi, come on up."

His thumb left the black button to depress a larger red one, and he wondered vaguely if he should rush to clean or put on a shirt of something. When he just stayed by the door his decision was clear.

[Clairice-Sarah]

She smiled when she finally got a response. "Okay!" She opened the heavy front door and stepped inside, wondering vaguely if all apartment buildings had the same smell just past their front doors. As she climbed the stairs she pulled a small red box from her bag. Nothing fancy, of course, she wasn't sure Monty cared for bells and whistles.

She was sure, though, that the various cookies, truffles, and other little sweets would catch his interest better.

Laurel knocked on the door - at least, she was sure this was his door, maybe it was further down...? She dug in her pocket for the address paper just to double check. She didn't want an awkward moment with a neighbour.

[KB]

The door opened as she knocked, swinging open wide, and Monty started to greet her before he finally felt the wrappers on his pants and reached to peel them off with an annoyed muttering. When he balled the trash up and straightened he smiled at her. "Do I know you? It's been so long, I think my memory's acting up."

His smile widened into a grin as he moved past the teasing and motioned her inside, "How was the family get-together?"

[Clairice-Sarah]

She laughed a little at the sight of him covered in wrappers, and though she'd never seen him like that, it didn't surprise her. "I know! I'm sorry!" she apologized as she stepped inside. "That's why I brought you a reminder." She held out the box to him. "I made them last night so they're all fresh."

At the mention of her family she became just a little more chipper. "It was great. Tons of snow! I taught my nieces the best way to bury their dad in the snow. Of course, Liam got me back later but it was worth it." Laurel smiled fondly. "Anything exciting happen to you while I was out of town?"

Of course, this was Bridgeport so she was expecting that to be a negative.

[KB]

Monty chuckled, then looked interested suddenly in the red box as she indicated it and it's contents. "Really?" He asked, taking the gift and opening it. He brightened and looked back to her delightfully, "Thank you, Laurel."

He pulled out one of the treats as she informed him of her activities, munching on it while heading into the living room and cursing his lack earlier decision. He should've cleaned.

Sitting the box down and finishing his treat, he began to pick up the wrappers and bags that were scattered across his coffee table, floor, and couch. "Oh, nothing really eventful on my end. Went to the woods for a while, ate something that looked like a reptilian horse and gave me indigestion, found a place that sells nostalgia candy, and ordered a new package deal on my cable."

He disappeared into a small kitchen area, and dumped the trash into a container. Upon returning he gestured to the newly-cleaned couch, peeling a previously undiscovered candy piece from his abdomen as he said, "Please, sit. Would you like a drink?" He wagered he only had sodas and other sugary drinks, but his tap worked so at least she had that option too.

[Clairice-Sarah]

"You're welcome...I hope you like them." No one said no to Laurel's baking, though, so perhaps she could indulge in some ego by telling herself she didn't think he wouldn't.

Laurel wondered if how he didn't have cavities, and if he did, how did he deal with it? She decided maybe she wouldn't ask.

"A...reptilian horse?" She tried to imagine what that looked like. "I guess...don't eat another one?" She waited as he cleaned the mounds of candy wrappers out of the way. There was a diabetic somewhere who wanted justice, she was sure. "Ah. No, I'm good, thanks." She took a seat on the couch. Then she put two-and-two together: dark apartment, he wasn't really put together, had she come at a bad time - and made a small gasp.

"Oh...did I wake you? I'm sorry if I did, you said to just stop by." She put her hands up in apology.

[KB]

"Oh I do," Monty assured her, picking up the red box as he sat beside her and taking out another sweet. He nodded, agreeing as he made a face. "I know, I'll make sure to steer clear if I see another."

It was a mystery even to Monty how he managed to stay healthy and cavity free, especially since he'd always been that way and hadn't though a thing about it. However it did make him a particularly wired individual.

His eyes had turned a very light silver color by the time she'd come to her revelation, and his brows rose curiously, "Don't apologize, I needed to get up anyway. You came at an opportune moment, with the exception of my cleanliness." He gestured to his floor, then licked a finger and removed some random splotches of stickiness across his torso and arms.

[Clairice-Sarah]

Laurel smiled, not really sure how to comment as he went about removing candy remains on himself. "I'll have to remember not to tell my nieces about my friend that loves sweets," she teased, "Or they'll never eat anything nutritious again."

She shrugged as he gestured to the floor. "It happens. You saw my apartment, it wasn't the most orderly either." She snapped her fingers, remembering something. "Oh speaking of my nieces, I have new photos!" Laurel took her wallet out of her purse and pulled out two small photographs. The first was a full family photo - herself, parents, brother and nieces dressed nicely and posed for the photo. The second was of the three girls alone, all dressed in similar styled red-velvet holiday dresses.

"Aren't they cute?" She pointed to the youngest one. "Nicole has long hair now. It was so short the last time I saw her. She's starting to talk a little, too."

[KB]

Monty scoffed, "Well I highly doubt your nieces would go so far, and sweets are on the nutritional pyramid so it's not exactly a bad thing.." He was always an advocate for sugary things, whether that was good or bad.

He looked rather enthusiastic when she mentioned photos, and scooted closer to get a good look at the pictures. His mouth pulled wide into a grin, "They're adorable. I hope they didn't get in the snow with those outfits?" He inquired with a raised brow, not knowing how rambunctious they were. Although, where he was concerned, he'd dirty any and all of his clothing were it for a fun activity.

[Clairice-Sarah]

"No, no...are you kidding, Liam would be so mad." She shook her head. "I have some on my computer I can show you sometime. They have snowsuits. Don't worry, we wouldn't let them out to play outside in nice clothes. Besides that, we all figured out threatening my going back to Bridgeport is always incentive enough for them to bundle, anyway."

Yep, Laurel was the favourite aunt and she was proud of it! Of course, Jocelyn's sister wasn't much contest. "But maybe they just didn't want to miss out on the baking."

She caught his grin and smiled. "You like kids? I guess they're kind of hard to dislike, under the age of twelve anyway." Laurel worked with a few teenagers - one of them her boss' daughter - and she couldn't say she appreciated their work ethic very much.

[KB]

"The way you're talking I can't tell who has who wrapped around their finger," Monty teased, glancing from the picture to Laurel. He shook his head, looking offended momentarily before explaining, "Er, no, of course not. I just.. Don't.. Mind them as much. Since they're little and all."

He could tell his excuse was crap, so he just looked down into the box of treats and was awkward for a moment before glancing up and clearing his throat.

"Um, so do you have any plans today?"

[Clairice-Sarah]

Laurel pursed her lips in something of a half-smile. "I don't believe you," she told him, eyeing him warily. "You said they were cute."

She watched him as he tried to end the awkward moment, and let the topic drop.

"Today? No, not at all. Finally a day off." She sighed happily. "That's why I stopped by. What about you?" She had no idea what he did for work, or really what he did at all in his spare time. Except eat.

[KB]

Monty fumbled for a minute as she called his bluff, then straightened and ignored the remark. She couldn't prove a thing. He instead grinned and rose. "Well, I was going to make a little money and head to the woods, if you'd care to join me." She could even possibly help him with the money-making part.

He nodded, as if making up his mind for the both of them. "Yeah, that works. Let me get on some suitable clothing and we can go do that." It was a nice enough day, perhaps enough people would be out and about. The man continued gauging the success for today as he disappeared into his room and changed into what he often referred to (to himself; he had no one else to refer to it to) as his performance clothing.

Soon he emerged in a loose chartreuse top with dark green detailing around the wrists and low V neckline, and dark brown jeans. His hair was up in a loose bun with strands hanging astray here and there, and he slid into a pair of sandals as he put on the tam he typically wore. The smear of jolly rancher was gone from his face, as he'd gotten rid of all the candy while he was in there, and all in all he looked ready. With the exception of not being bundled up.

[Clairice-Sarah]

"Uh, sure. Where do you work?" she asked as he left to change. When he came out in his...well she wouldn't call it fancy but it wasn't really regular daywear either...clothes, her face scrunched up, puzzled. "What do you do exactly?"

Perhaps being a hermit wasn't the best way to stay in-the-know of things that went on in the city.

"Won't you get...frostbite, in sandals?" Yes, Laurel had lots of questions. She was certain Monty made it clear that he hated the cold and the winter, so what on earth was it that he was doing that he would wear sandals out?