lunch with "Papa" [Hector]

[georgie]

outfit

Meg Giry had the day off from dance rehearsals for the spring production of Romeo and Juliet at the ballet company she worked for. Playing the title role of Juliet meant that the little blonde French ballerina was rehearsing each and every day, all day. She loved to dance and everyday was just like it was back at the Opera, which she was totally use to, but she was glad to have a break. It was well deserved. She worked very hard. Even on her day off though, she showed up at the studio to rehearse. "What are you doing here, Miss Giry?" the director said, "This is your day off. Go have fun." She left the studio and went back to her apartment. Dance was fun for her. She didn't know why the director didn't realize that. He'd worked with her enough.

Things were so busy for her. Heathcliffe was always busy with things for his band so she never saw him, Ponyboy had school, Sodapop...well, she had no idea where he was and Alice Ayers was no where to be found, having left the company, thankfully. She hadn't even seen her "Papa". He wasn't her real father. Pierre Giry had died shortly after she was born. She never knew him. Her Papa for all intents and purposes, in word, if not in blood, was Hector Tormei. She missed her Papa dreadfully since she hadn't seen him for weeks. The ballet kept her awfully busy and apparently, from what she heard on the news, her Papa was running for mayor of the city. She was so proud of her Papa.

Knowing how busy he was, Meg was very surprised to get a call from her Papa, Hector, just as she got in her apartment, still in her dance clothes. He had asked her to meet him at a cafe for lunch. Of course she said yes. She was very excited to see her Papa. After exchanging her dance clothes for a creme colored tee shirt, pink skirt, black leggings and pink flats, she pulled her blonde hair, which she had straightened that day, into a braid going down the left side of her head. She pulled on her coat and purse and made her way to the cafe. It was open seating so Meg found a nice table and sat down, after putting her coat on the back of her chair, and waited for her Papa.

[MAYOR HECTOR "HADES" TORMEI]

Hector's day had been exhausting and he had spent the morning counting down until he could take a few hours off to spend lunch with Meg. That dear girl he had met by accident in an empty theater had somehow managed to worm her way into Hector's life. He had never been one to feel paternal towards anyone, let alone a wide-eyed ballerina. But somehow, between laundering money and some minor arms dealing, Hector had become Meg's Papa. Which meant stealing away to have lnch with her, which was no real issue. It gave him a chance to get away from campaigning and his more dubious work.

But, on the other hand, he had to play the part of father and he had no idea how to do that. He has a piss poor role model in his father and Hector would rather turn himself in than beat that poor girl. She had enough trouble at the ballet, she needed his support. And Hector was willing to offer it.

Still dressed in a campaign manager approved suit (navy blue with a light blue shirt and a red tie. Patriotic to the extreme) Hector made his way to Meg's choice of restaurant. It was more casual than he was used to but it was pleasant departure from routine. He entered the dinning room, smiling pleasantly at the hostess as he passed. It was easy to spot Meg, her blond curls shining.

"Hello dear," Hector bent at the waist, kissed Meg's crown, and sat down across from her. "Sorry I'm a bit late, I was caught up in work and couldn't get away as soon as I had planned,"

[georgie]

Rehearsals seemed to never end for Meg Giry. She loved ballet, it was her life, but days off were welcomed when they happened. Meg was almost not use to wearing normal clothes. Leotards, tights, rehearsal skirts and pointe shoes were her norm. Not that she minded. She was use to them after sixteen years but she was fine with it. She just adored the costumes she got to wear for the ballet but they were very heavy. She had to get use to them, she knew, but it seem that the costumes for Juliet were SO much heavier than the ones for Clara. She would deal, of course, because ballet was her life.

Her life. She didn't have much of one outside the ballet but she did have her lunches and times with her Papa and Soda was back in her life. Sodapop Curtis. She really liked him. But because of their schedules, they hadn't seen much of each other recently...but she always had hope she'd see him more.

A smile spread across the ballerina's pretty face when she saw him come in, dressed in his smart blue suit and red tie. She knew he saw her because he headed right for her. "Hello dear," She grinned as he kissed the top of her head. "Hello Papa." she said, her French accent brushing her words. "Sorry I'm a bit late, I was caught up in work and couldn't get away as soon as I had planned," "That is all right." she told him, "I just got her a little while ago myself. Campaining keeping you busy?" She knew he was running for mayor and she couldn't be prouder of her Papa.

[MAYOR HECTOR "HADES" TORMEI]

"Campaigning and running the shop," Hector shrugged off his suit jacket and folded it neatly over the back of the chair. A waitress brought a menu for Meg and Hector, setting the folded red leather in front of each of them before taking their drink orders and skipping off to fill them. Hector flipped open the menu and began perusing the choices. He hadn't been to this particular establishment and was interested in what was offered. He saw a sol fillet with a salad of micro greens and a warm vinegrette and decided on that quite quickly.

"How have rehersals been?" Hector looked back at his surrogate daughter. He knew that life in theater was brutal. She didn't appear to be too haggard but knew that appearances weren't everything. Hector kept a careful eye on Meg, looking for anything that might be wrong. "Is there anything I can do to help?" Perhaps Meg might need extra money or a chance to get away. If need be, she could borrow his yacht to get away from the city for a few hours, even overnight if necessary. Hector chided himself for overreacting when there was no reason to even worry. Meg hadn't said anything to give him an idea that something was bothering her or that her work schedule was too difficult. He was just jumping to the worst possible conclusion as usual.