the first occasion

[deepest_magic]

The house just northeast of Forks proper is very big, quite abandoned, and really easy to just walk right in if you're of a mind to. There are signs that people have been camping in it while hiking, but currently it is unoccupied by visitors, squatters, or any animals larger than a squirrel. There's been a fair amount of furniture but fewer small possessions left behind: couch, piano, dining table, wardrobe, armchair, kingsized bed. It's in extremely variable states of repair.

Comments

[neverbeatme]

"And then if that spaghetti is well-behaved, we'll know the secret to making your dad good at cooking things!"

[sundayfish]

"Bit of a roundabout way to get them cooked. Sandwiches're fine."

[deepest_magic]

"And I can cook any things that need proper cooking and aren't fish."

[neverbeatme]

"But little tiny rafts," says Elizabeth. "And what about when you're not here? Is it all fish and sandwiches, all the time?"

[deepest_magic]

"He eats fish and sandwiches and microwave things and if I call him to remind him to buy them he'll eat apples, and he eats out sometimes or over with friends."

[neverbeatme]

"Well," she says to Charlie, "if you ever want me to put some spaghetti on little tiny rafts for you, just say."

[sundayfish]

"'M touched by the offer."

[neverbeatme]

She giggles some more.

[deepest_magic]

"Putting ingredients on rafts sounds like more fun than actually fishing."

[neverbeatme]

"Because putting ingredients on rafts sounds fun, or because you don't like fishing, or both?"

[deepest_magic]

"Mostly because I don't like fishing."

[sundayfish]

"Y'only tried it the once."

[deepest_magic]

"That was enough."

[neverbeatme]

"I've never tried it, so I don't know if I like it or not," says Elizabeth. "I like a lot of things that bore other people. Math. Literature. Maybe fishing is another one."

[deepest_magic]

"Literature's not boring, and at least math involves... doing things," says Bella.

[neverbeatme]

"Literature bores lots of people."

[deepest_magic]

"That's silly. It's stories. Fishing is sitting and being eaten by mosquitoes."

[neverbeatme]

She turns to Charlie. "What do you like about fishing?"

[sundayfish]

"Mm - it's quiet. Can be done just so - fiddly bits to do setting up, but once you've done them they're done. And then there's fish."

[neverbeatme]

"Hmm. Okay," she says. "I still don't know if I'd like it. But I might. The fish is definitely a plus."

[deepest_magic]

"I won't argue about that part." Bella takes seconds.

[neverbeatme]

Elizabeth contemplates the quantity of available fish, and then also takes seconds. Yum.

[deepest_magic]

"I made lemon bars yesterday and there are a bunch left for dessert," Bella says, when the fish has been put away into various stomachs and a little in the fridge under plastic wrap.

[neverbeatme]

"Ooh," says Elizabeth. "I'm glad I didn't quite have all the fish I possibly could."

[deepest_magic]

"I can't think of many cases where it would be a good reason to have all the fish you possibly could." Bella gets out lemon squares. They're already cut. She takes two to Charlie's one.