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| Family Matters | |
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| Participants | Lacey, Penny |
| Synopsis | The best thing about family is asking them for favours. |
| Location | Penny's Apartment - Store Top Lofts - Greenwich Village - Manhattan |
| Time | January 5, 2016 |
| Posted By | Penny |
It's a little late at night, but then, if one were to ask Lacey, she'd probably say that all the most important deals in politics were done with handshakes in the backs of dark rooms. This is possibly one of those deals. Her bodyguard, Guy Roland, stops right outside the door of the apartment in a holding pattern as she gently knocks. And then, while she waits… she takes a look at her reflection in her compact, and begins touching up her makeup.
From within, there's nothing for a moment, and then the sound of clicking heels crossing hardwood floor. They approach the door and there's the pause to look through the peephole before the locks begin clicking back into place. This might be a safer area than some, but it's still a wise investment to buy out the hardware store's selection of dead-bolts and chain-locks. Finally, this task done, the door finally opens and Penny offers her relative a friendly if somewhat guarded smile. "You made it. Excellent. Come in," she invites, with just a quick sidelong glance spared for the bodyguard. She'll go ahead and assume he's not for her sake.
The bodyguard doesn't follow her inside the apartment, so it's probably a safe assumption. She begins pulling off her gloves, and a rather elegant scarf as she claps her compact shut. "Penny, dear, I wish you would make an appointment with my doctor. He knows how to put the va in vavavavoom." She's got a somewhat throaty voice that comes out as more of a purr, but she's all business after her original volley, pulling out her smartphone and tapping on it,"So, Penny… what's the buzz… So what bleeding heart loonie do we need to embarass, blackmail, or bribe?" Of course, it's unlikely she would resort to ANY of those things (though not impossible). She just likes people to think she does.
The comment gets a wry smile, as if Penny isn't quite sure what to make of it but isn't really put out by it either. "I'm good, thanks." Once Lacey is inside, she shuts the door, and after a moment's consideration, opts to leave it unlocked, trusting in the burly bodyguard in the hall - or not wanting to make anyone nervous about getting between a bodyguard and his guardee. As Lacey goes on, things actually get a laugh from Penny. "Nothing quite so fun, I'm afraid. I just need to know which way Councilman Vinick is going to lean in Tuesday's vote. Though if he's leaning the wrong way, things could get more interesting." It's spoken more lightly than the rest, so it might be a joke. Or not. "Can I get you a drink?" she offers, switching easily from business to being hospitable.
Lacey continues tapping a text in to her smartphone… She should have it surgically attached and save time. At length, though, she nods,"If you have any tea… If not, then I'm fine… Well, Penny… Councilman Vinick isn't going to give you an answer you want. Buuuuut… If you want me to flip his vote, I'll send him a bottle of champagne and a card to let him know that that charming young fireman he met on that fishing trip is so looking forward to some… recreational time with him, soon. I swear, Councilman Vinick is so deep in the closet, he's finding Christmas presents." Shaking her head, she goes on,"We could always elevate if you want to send a message, though. Did we buy him? I can't remember. I'll have to check my notebook. It's really so very dishonest of a man to go and vote the wrong way when you go to all the trouble of buying a position for him." She does help herself to a seat, and sigh heavily. "Ugh. My blood pressure's up again. They're adjusting my dosages, which puts me in an absolutely terrible mood."
"Tea I can do. Green, grey, orange, or mint?" Penny offers, a little more 'earthy' than some of her family members. There are unconfirmed rumours that she might even be vegan, but of course that doesn't get talked about. She starts moving around to the kitchen island, putting the kettle to boil so she can get on that tea once she gets an order. There's a grimace as she learns the vote won't be swinging the way she wants - but the mood brightens again as underhanded politics get right in there to clean up that mess. "Well, thank God for deviants, I guess," she replies wryly and without thinking, as if it doesn't even occur to her that it might be offending to Lacey. "Right now, we just need the vote. Though it wouldn't hurt to have him in our pocket." The talk about dosages gets a somewhat uneasy look from Penny, who opts not to reply to that bit, asking instead, "You take sugar with your tea?"
Lacey pulls a notepad out of one pocket, and begins scribbling at it. It has a phone number write on it, and the words: 'Send the package.' written on it, which she gives to her cousin. "Green, please. It's good for the skin, you know, and counters foul breath." She herself almost manages to smother a wince at the term 'deviant', but lets it go without comment. She's sort of used to it. "I only do a little sugar. Don't want to get fat, you know. Anyway, the Fireman is perfectly straight. He's also perfectly in love with money, and perfectly for hire. The Councilman just happens to be a… deviant and a perfect idiot. Really, I consider it my civic duty to blackmail, coerce, and bribe idiots in politics. Without someone smart telling them what to do, they'd make a mess of… well, everything. Look what happened with Kennedy, God rest his soul." Shaking her head, she finally gets around to a tidbit,"Congressman Reddick is looking to get some of the family money. I let it be known that I have a 'source' in the Milthorpe family and that a few votes and some favorable appearances might fatten his warchest for his next campaign. Don't be surprised if one of you get a call." She lifts a shoulder, and then leans back slightly,"So how are things, Penny?"
Penny takes the paper, reading it over once cursorily before pinning it conveniently to the fridge with a flag magnet. "Thanks," she offers simply, but not ungraciously, as she returns to getting the tea. "Green it is." Whether she's busy preparing two cups of tea or simply chooses not to notice it, the wince is utterly ignored and she remains blissfully ignorant. "Hey, a straight fireman who loves money and has questionable morals. Sign me up," she jokes with a grin, turning to fetch the sugar bowl. Water is poured over the teabags and she sets one steeping cup in front of Lacey, along with the sugar. A nod is given to the mention of Kennedy, or perhaps agreeing about the idiots in politics. "Well, so long as there are people lining up to be puppets, I guess we'll always have puppet-masters," she speaks of these things as if they are good. Leaning against the counter, she considers the tidbit of information. "I'll make sure we've got the ringer on." A little smile is offered at that, before she shifts topics. "Oh, same old, same old, really. They keep me busy. You?"
Lacey frowns a little bit, then takes the cup. After inhaling it deeply for a few moments,"Mmmm. You do brew a good cup. Mmm. Yes. Me? Well… a whole lot of stuff you most patently do not want to hear about. Sometime this week, I'm seeking a doctor to fix this god-awful chin. I made an easy million on a company that manufactures nebulizers… And I was contemplating spending the evening with immoral fireman… but if you like, I still have the phone number." She simply shakes her head, then goes on,"How are you at throwing parties, cuz? It's been a while since I've attended one, and I'm thinking of putting some of my clients in touch with one another." What she leaves unsaid is that their family is the main reason for that.
At least when directly called upon it, Penny has the grace to offer an apologetic shrug. Though she's not exactly rushing in to insist that she does want to hear about it either. Less out of discomfort and more of a distinct personal preference to put a lightbulb in the trunk of the elephant in the room and pretend forcefully that it's merely a decorative lamp. "I could get you some recommendations, maybe," she offers in a reconciliatory gesture, her father being in the line of cosmetic surgery, rather than something as superficial as politics. "And you can keep the fireman. Dibs and all. And I was only joking anyway." Sort of. She straightens up, considering the matter of parties. "Might be a bit rusty, but I think I've still got the chops. What were you thinking? Black tie catered or something a little more off the radar?"
Lacey looks down her nose at Penny with a surprised and amused look, then says emphatically,"Thanks. I'll look into that. Anyway, it's a pack of lying, blackmailing politicians, half of which want to sleep with every woman in sight, and all who have dirty little secrets packed in their pockets like breadcrumbs for birds. Under the radar as possible with as much revelry. These sorts of parties are great for winning good graces, or collecting blackmail material when you can't do that. Dirty business, you know."
Penny merely shrugs again, still not wanting to dwell on these things. Picking up her tea, she sips it for a moment as she listens to Lacey paint such a vivid picture of the other sort of political party. "Revelry I can do," she decides, after considering for a moment. "Booze, women, poor life choices - I'll just have to think back to those frat parties of yore." Grinning, she takes another sip of her tea before setting it down. "As for under the radar, well, I like to think I'm good with that too. Let me see what I can set up."
Lacey lets it go. She always does. Truth be told, she likes to limit her time talking about them… if only because it reminds her of where she differs. "That's good. I know you're not hurting for money, cuz… But… I can certainly arrange to pay a fair rate. Give you some spending money to buy… whatever it is you buy or spend on a pet 'cause." She taps the side of her nose a moment later though, and winks,"Keep it a secret, but there's going to be a good ten or so pro-mutant politicians there that I think I can win over. I NEED this party." Why? She quite simply feels mutants draw attention away from the issues of people like her.
"Well, I do like my causes," Penny agrees with a sly grin, crossing her arms over her chest and taking up another lean against the counter. "Okay, give me a few days to brainstorm here and then we can talk details and guest list, how's that?" She definitely seems interested in this idea of winning over some pro-mutant types. "Anything worth doing is worth doing right." And she will throw herself wholly into something to pull it off, however inconsequential it might actually be.
Lacey nods to Penny, and rises. She retakes her scarf and her gloves, and immediately begins to pull them on as she steps for the door. "Sounds like an idea, cuz." Grinning like the cheshire cat, she pauses for one last assertion,"We get this, we both win. Besides, it'll be a fun party. You have any young charismatic types who really don't like 'them', invite them. And maybe invite your father. There are probably a hundred plus old fogeys there who would LOVE to look younger given half the chance. Until then, Pen?"
There's a slight hesitation as Penny weighs the pros and cons of dragging her father to this sort of thing. But there is a wisdom to it, so she gives a nod, as if to say she'll think about it. "I'll see what I can do." Straightening up, she trails after towards the door, whether to see her cousin out or to simply make sure it's locked securely behind her. "Yeah, until then. And let me know how it goes with the Councilman, hm?"
Lacey nods to her cousin,"I will. And remember… text what I wrote down to that number if you want a little bit of… effect, so to speak. A reminder to him, as it were." She streeeeeetches a little bit, apparently feeling the lateness of the hour, even as her bodyguard steps up to take his place a couple of yards behind her,"And… if you can… get you one of these. Those mutants… They get more violent everyday. I know the family and I don't see eye to eye… but I worry about everyone, you know?"
"I don't know. I think it'd be weird, someone following me around all the time," Penny muses as she eyes the bodyguard thoughtfully. "But you're right about those mutants. But, you know, I hold out hope we'll be able to do something about that soon. If people would just let us protect them already." She heaves a bit of a sigh, unable to get too worked up over a reality she's faced for years, but still frustrated that it continues to this day. "So yeah, maybe I will drop a quick text to that number. Never hurts to even the odds." A pause, and then added almost as an afterthought, "And, you know, look after yourself too and everything."
Lacey nods s lowly to the woman, and then gives a little wave,"People fear what they do not understand. This is… a truth of sorts. I've learned it well. And they don't understand that we're trying to protect them. But that's okay. That's why people like us exist in the first place." and with the soft clicking of heels, she's turned to go walking off. Probably to a waiting cab or limo. Irony lives in her words.
