The throwing stage

"Hello."

"Oh. Hello."

"My name is Nalini Faux. I'm looking for Ellis Farrington...?"

"Yes, you're in the right place. I'm Edward, his uncle. Come in."

"Ah. Nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you too. He's just through here."

"Thank you. Sorry I'm a bit late; I'm still getting used to where everything is."

"It's okay. How long have you been here now?"

"Hi."

"Hello. Aww, I'm going to assume that this is Nix. Um, not that long, only a few weeks now. How long have you and your family been here?"

"I've been here about twenty years now. It seems like forever!"

"About ten years for me? Not as long as the others."

"Ah. She's cute. You have just the two, correct?"

"That's right. And you've just got a daughter?"

"Yes, that's right. She's called Zaryn."

"And how old is she? Oh, sit down, sorry. Can I get you anything?"

"Thirty."

"And I'm fine, thank you. I don't eat, and rarely drink."

"Ah, okay. I've got a son. He's six."

"What's his name?"

"Vincent. You look a bit young to have a thirty-year-old. Erm, no offence."

"None taken. I'm actually far over five hundred years old."

"Wow!"

"Of course, I should have thought, with you being a vampire."

"Well for all you know, I could have been turned last week. It's hard to accurately guess a vampire's age."

"It was only a few weeks ago for me. Well, more like a few months now. So how are you finding Sunset Valley so far?"

"It's not so bad. Although the stares I've been attracting are testing my patience a lot, I have to admit."

"I know what you mean, Nalini. They're not really used to it around here."

"Yeah. I mean, Charon still gets weird looks sometimes."

"I did get that impression. Quite honestly I'm used to being gawped at by slack-jawed idiots, but it still never fails to pi- to irritate me."

"Me too."

"I'm sorry. It's never pleasant."

"N-no, it's not. Still. The people here are very nice on the whole. So was there any particular reason you moved?"

"A fresh start away from my ex-husband, if I'm honest."

"Oh, sorry."

"It's as good a reason as any?"

'It's fine. I was bound to be asked eventually, it's not an issue."

"Well, in that case, I hope you enjoy it here."

"Thank you. I'm sure I will."

*whoosh*

"Nix!"

"Oh God. Now there's a stage I don't miss."

"She's going through a throwing stage. Especially to Heath. She also keeps grabbing his nose."

"God, Zaryn was a little devil as a toddler, she really was. I'd be trying to work and suddenly this little baby hauls herself up onto my desk and actually snatches my phone clean out of my hands."

"Kids, eh? Who'd have them?"

"Only the insane?"

"You're not wrong, Nalini. I guess we're all crazy then. And then they make you crazier."

"Whoa! I suppose you want a feed, huh?"

"...That's something else I don't miss."

"I'll just take her off, won't be long."

"Not to worry."

"Fortunately, I never had that problem."

"Fortunate indeed. So... Tell me about yourself."

"Well... I work at the school, as the counsellor. I'm a single dad, just to one."

"Do you enjoy it? The work, that is. It already sounds as though you enjoy being a father."

"Oh, I definitely enjoy that. He's my world. As for the work, it's good. Sometimes a bit depressing... but fulfilling."

"That's something. I quite enjoy mine as well. It's satisfying to apprehend some nasty piece of shit, especially if they've been evading capture for a while."

"It sounds like it. It's a shame there are so many criminals who get away with everything."

"It is. At my last station, I got myself the ever so charming nickname of "the rottweiler" for refusing to let things go. Although from what I hear, it's going to be difficult to continue to do so over here."

"At least that's a good thing? Yes, I'm afraid things here are more corrupt..."

"I'm glad it was given for my determination rather than the more common reason for calling a woman a dog."

"Oh God, you're right. I hope the job will be okay, even if it'll be worse than your last one. It's just people with certain...privileges who can avoid punishment."

"It's not been so bad thus far. Granted, I haven't been there all that long, but I suppose it still could've been worse."

"Glad to hear it. Ellis seems to find it okay anyway. And he gets to work sociable hours so he can spend time with Nix."

"Ah, good. ...She's a cute little thing."

"Aww, she is. Have you met an alien before?"

"No, I must admit I haven't. I saw the odd spaceship flying overhead, but that's about it."

"Mm. I hadn't met one until Charon. That was a bit of a surprise! So what can you tell me about yourself?"

"There isn't really much to tell that I haven't already said, actually. Divorced cop, old as shit and a mother of one. Not overly sociable and a little awkward which is made even more awkward by fact that it's no doubt obvious as all hell. I enjoy reading and working out, too."

"Oh, I like reading as well. Not so much the working out!"

"Each to their own. I find it almost therapeutic in a way."

"Dad! I need your help!"

"Oh, that's Vincent calling. I'd better see what he wants."

"Okay. It was nice to meet you."

"It was nice you meet you too! See you later."