[Sodium_noir] Hell is Other People

[Eric]

Sinclair Mansion
1-3am
Mara, Christine, Sandra, Bradley
  
[Bradley]
Bradley took a quick moment before answering.  “Right now, I’m trying to bring jobs to Gotham, mostly with construction, but soon I think I’ll be branching out into the service industry.”  He turned his eyes to Lady Sinclair.  “Of course, we’ll also be making a sizeable contribution to Gotham’s annual Charity Drive this year.”
     
  [Mara]
Mara smiles and nods, but keeps her opinions to herself.  Construction jobs, though often short-lived, were living wage jobs.  Service sector ones barely put food on a family's table.  She recalls with displeasure that New York State had a slightly lower minimum wage than Washington.  But a higher cost of living.  How sad. 
     
  "That is most admirable."  Mara says, smiling.  "But the problem with annual Charity drives is that the need for assistance is year-round, not just at Thanksgiving and Christmas."  
  
[Sandra]
Sandra continues to scan the party, but unfortunately it wasn't looking good. There were enough black dresses and evening gowns to choke a horse at this gala event. She looked to Christine for guidance (and make sure she didn't bump into anyone), but it seemed like she was having about as much luck as she was.
  
[Christine]
As Sandra pauses, looking around, considering where to search next, Christine suddenly blurts,
  
"Oh, fuck this."
  
She grabs around in the pocket of the jacket Mitsuko loaned her, pulls out a cell phone. She presses a button with shaky fingers. 
  
"Wonders of modern technology," Christine mutters as she stands, phone to ear, waiting for Mara to pick up. 
  
[Sandra]
"Never leave home without it," she smiles. In her line of work, it was her lifeline. As Christine proceeds to dial, Sandra continues to scan the crowd looking for anyone that might be picking up their phone at the same time she was calling.
  
[Mara]
And then the electronic sounds of Nirvana begin to emanate from her purse.  Holding up a finger asking Bradley to wait, she looks at the screen.  It was the last person she'd expected to call.  But there it was on her screen.  Christine.  So what did she want? Only one way to find out.
  
"Hello Christine." Mara's voice is calm, showing no sign of fatigue despite the lateness of the hour. Fatigue would come later...with the approach of dawn.
  
[Christine]
"Mara? We need to talk," says Christine tensely. "Where the hell are you?"
  
Christine looks around, trying to fix her bearings. She and Sandra had managed a circuit of the vast ball room without seeing Mara. Now they are standing not far from one of the doors that lead out onto the floodlit gardens, directly opposite the sweeping staircase.
  
[Mara]
"I'm with Lady Sinclair."  She replies, looking around the room to attempt to get her bearings in the palatial mansion.  She attempts to describe the room she was in, telling her what landmarks were nearby.  She then uses her heightened senses to see past the doors of the room, to the rooms beyond, and describes them to Christine.  
 
  "Think you can find it?"  Mara asks.  "I'm sure Lady Sinclair would be delighted to see you again."
  
[Christine]
Christine grimaces. Yeah, she'd just love to meet Lady S again. A polite social shimmy around the hostess with the mostest while feeling and looking like a wrung out bar towel long past Happy-Hour? Fun. 
  
"Bitch," murmurs Christine, without heat. She sighs, "Still pissed at me, huh? I guess there's no point in asking you to make it easy for me, right?" All her boozy anger has fizzled out. She now just wants to deliver her message and get gone. "Okay then. Let's do this your way. I'll come. Got a friend in tow. That way you got someone to hold your coat and I got someone to hold mine. Ensures we don't end up catfighting in public. Peachy. See you in five." 
  
Christine snaps her phone shut. Sighs again. She turns to Sandra. 
   
  [Sandra]
  She turned to regard Christine. She cocked an 'oh really' type eyebrow at her disdained look. "Well then, judging from that look I assume you found out where she is."
   
  [Christine]
"She's with Lady Sinclair. Some kinda small drawing room? Whatever. It's this way," she gestures vaguely toward a door leading off the main ballroom. "Care to . . . ? I'd appreciate the support." Christine looks awkward, forlorn round the edges. "Please?" 
   
  [Sandra]
  "I'm here as long as you need me sweetie," she says with soft eyes and tone. "Besides," she says with an upbeat tone, "I haven't had a chance to rub elbows with the upper echelon of Gotham Society yet. Its always good to introduce oneself to prospective clientele."
   
  [Christine]
Christine proceeds carefully, now making a conscious effort to at least appear mostly together. Pale, jaw set, she threads her way along the route Mara described - as far as she can remember it anyhow. Slipping through a partly opened door, Christine does indeed spot Mara and Marguerite Sinclair; a couple of other people she doesn't immediately recognize. 
   
  [Sandra]
  'So that's the notorious Lady Sinclaire,' Sandra thinks to herself. 'Funny, somehow I envisioned her as being taller.' Sandra turns to Christine and gives a gentle nod of 'I'm right behind you' in silent support.
   
  [Christine]
  Christine glances up at Sandra. "Here goes nothin', " she mutters, begins to walk toward her former employer. 
  
[Sandra]
  Sandra waits a polite distance behind with her best socialite smile as she waits for Christine to make the first moves. She wanted to get a feel for the personalities she would be dealing with, quietly prayed that whatever was going on between her newfound charge and this Mara Ravenclaw would go smoothly.
   
  ~ Taggity Lady Sinclaire, Bradley, Mara, and Christine :-)
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