Farrington-Gores: A miniature wingman

'Come in, Nalini. How are you?'

'Not too bad thank you, yourself?'

'I'm okay too. Amused by Vincent's classmates.'

'Oh yes? Not more fart pranks?'

'No. One of them made a clay penis.'

'...Huh, I don't remember that being on the curriculum when my daughter was at school.'

'No, I don't think it is. And then my nephew - Julius, who you heard about - apparently squashed it flat.'

'Oh Jesus. Sounds like a lot of fun. Is arts and crafts normally that interesting for the kids here?'

'Vincent's only ever brought home nice things, but his friends are a terrible influence.'

'Oh good, at least you can rely on your son to never bring back model genitalia!'

'There's me for that. Well, I never made a dick, but I drew them on everything. Does that count?'

'No.'

'...That's great?'

'I grew out of it. Just about. Hi. You've gotta be Nalini, right?'

'Yes, that's right. Heath?'

'Yup.'

'Your reputation must precede you.'

'Well, he doesn't look like an alien so presumably he's not Charon, so unless I'm forgetting anyone else in your household, that just leaves Heath. I took an educated guess.'

'Hey, I could easily be an alien. So watch your butt. Shit, sorry, I'm meant to be making a good impression.'

'Ellis will tell you off if you're not careful.'

'........At least I'm female.'

'You're safe around here, then.'

'Hello Vincent.'

'Hello.'

'How are you?'

'Okay. Hey, guess what?'

'What?'

'Dad fancies you!'

'V-Vin!'

'Erm. I - um, you - you probably misunderstood?'

'No, I didn't. He told Stanley.'

'Oh.'

'I-I'm really sorry.'

'I-It's okay. Erm. Kids say the funniest things...?'

'They do.'

'It's true though.'

'C'mon Vin, I don't think this is helping.'

'Oh, don't you like him?'

'I - I didn't mean - I didn't say - um. Um...'

'Oh, I just remembered, I saw some butterflies in the garden earlier. Do you want to go see if they're still there?'

'Ooh, yes!'

'Let's go then.'

'I'm really, really sorry, Nalini...'

'I-It's okay. ...Kids really do think of some weird things.'

'I hope that wasn't too horrible a thought for you.'

'N-No, of course not. It, um, it was just unexpected...!'

'You're right there. Just coming out with that...'

'Think nothing of it. I'm - I'm sure he just got the wrong end of the stick. I understand.'

'Well...'

'...Well what...?'

'He, um, he might have heard something...'

'Oh, right...'

'So, just forget about it. I-it's nothing. Sorry, I don't want to make you feel awkward.'

'N-No, it's okay. Really.'

'Thank you. I... understand if you want to go home.'

'No. I just...I'm trying to say...'

'...You'd think five centuries is a plenty ample time to figure out how to fucking talk.'

'What is it...?'

'...Oh, fuck it.'

'...Erm. Sorry, w-was that too forward of me...?'

'No! Holy shit...'

'Oh thank God! I thought I'd fucked up then...!'

'Not at all! Wow... c-could you try that again...?'

'I'd love to.'

'I... didn't expect that.'

'Me neither. I mean, I know you said something of the sort outside the bistro, but I just convinced myself that you were being polite...'

'No, I really do like you.'

'I really like you too...'

'I know it wasn't all that long ago that we met, but... you're very nice.'

'Thank you. So are you. If I'm honest, I've liked you since we first met.'

'Oh, thank you! So... d-do you want to go out some time? On a date..?'

'I'd love to.'

'Great. Wow. I haven't done that in a long time.'

'I never have. Not proper dates.'

'Really? Alright, then we can do whatever you like.'