[Open] Semester Pickup

"Abigail's" familiar BMW pulled up at the appointed time.

She exited her vehicle, dressed casual. Well for her. Cream denim pants paired worn with a silver leather jacket and navy top. White sneakers and a slim brown clutch in her right hand completed the image of comfortable chic as the hidden dragon settled her meter.

Entering Vesta, Ivory took off her dark aviator sunglasses and looked around. It took her a moment to find her boy. His look was different, but Ivory didn't hate it.

"Hey!" she said, approaching for a hug. If Anthony reciprocated she would hug him a little tighter than usual. A glance moved to the poorly knitted cap, as Ivory's brows raised lightly in interest and a smirk hit her lips. "Coffee first?"

Approaching the bar, Ivory would easily eye a selection that peaked her interest. Vesta Coffee had a few interesting specialties. And Ivory was intrigued by one of them. Fishing out one of her cards as her turn came around, she offered the barista a smile.

"I'll take a Macadamia-Almond Latte, please," Ivory requested as she thumbed to Anthony, "I got his too."

Anthony may be out of the house, but he was still Ivory's kid... and now he was a college kid. Had to help him with the aesthetic somehow. As for the barista? She got a nice tip.

The drinks in hand Ivory is more than happy to find a place to seat herself, choosing a small table.

"Hmm?" she offers as Anthony seems to get slightly defensive, "Oh! Nothing. It's a good look, actually. A friend make it for you?"

She settles in, turning of her cellphone's volume and tucking it away in her jacket. This was about being with Anthony, the rest could wait. Then Ivory raises her mug, taking in that first sip. An expression of pleased surprise hit her face for a moment as she drank.

"Fuck that's good," she says, keeping her voice low enough so as not to disturb the other patrons.

A smile hits Ivory's features as Amthony seemed to settle back in, granting a glimpse of himself more in line with old memories.

"Serena, huh?" she said, "Just a friend or...?"

A mischievous glint hit the dragon's eyes, her eyebrows raising with some interest.

Then came the mention of a vice president and a team...

"The Student Union, right? How's that going? I remember you saying you were doing stuff with them," she mentioned. Then came Anthony's own questions.

"The party was good. An old friend put it together so... it was nice to reconnect," Ivory answered, there wasn't a reason to overly explain, "Other than that? Getting the properties set up with property management, paperwork, boring adult shit?"

The last words were said with a slight smile.

Ivory's look softened at the final utterance, her eyes resting on Anthony's features for a long moment. Leaning in, Ivory would extend her free hand, patting Anthony's forearm as her expression offered reassurance.

"Not yet," she answered, retracting her hand from his arm. Might be too cool for that now. The thought was an amusing one, but now was not a time for jokes. "but I am getting out of the house. I have the time now."

I'm remembering my promise, kiddo.

Ivory smiles as Anthony speaks of Serena, eyes glancing briefly to the jumping hand.

Some interest?

Then comes the statement regarding his want to contribute. Ivory's smile widened. She was proud of Anthony and it showed in her face.

"I'm happy to hear that," she offers, her tone encouraging, "What have you been doing? Any specific, uh, projects? Or initiatives?"

Some interest colored her face. Ivory was never a politician herself, but that didn't mean she had no interest in politics.

A glimmer of concern hits her face as Anthony frowns, but its swiftly replaced with faint surprise as he speaks of Evelyn.

"Mhmm," she answered, "You remember her?"

"Oh, I see. To provide more accessibility for more students or...?" she asked. It was a noble goal and Ivory thought it was sweet for Anthony to consider.

As Anthony averted his gaze, the glimmer of concern returned.

"She was," she answered, "She visited often remember? And we visited her."

Ivory's hand ventured forward for a moment towards Anthony's, before she hesitated and pulled it back. She doubted he would welcome the touch. It was clear he was struggling with something.

"Anthony..." she said, a gentle motherly tone entering her voice, "Do you remember the talk your dad and I had with you? About love?"

She hoped the gentle prod would be enough, but somehow she knew it would not be. Anthony was surrounded by other people now, most of whom were unlikely to think as Ivory and Pendragon did. And it was clear he may have grown uncomfortable with the idea of his parents' polyamory.

"If she seemed nosey, its probably because she wanted to get to know you," she mused.

A look of interest glimmers across Ivory's features as Anthony relays Wendy's thoughts.

"Sounds like a smart girl," she says, "I think it has less to do with virtue signaling and more about subscribing to a detrimental system that uses students as a system of profit."

Then a shrug.

"Something you'll find is that it's easier for people to stick by old systems rather than acknowledging their faults and working to fix them," she offered, laying a simple lesson down, "Most people don't like being uncomfortable, you know?"

The issue wasn't one that Ivory or Anthony needed to worry about in regards to Anthony's education, but it was important to the Fairest to show that she understood Anthony's interest and why he was becoming more passionate about things. Plus, maybe it would encourage Anthony to keep his friendship with Wendy. She sounded like a good influence.

Back to the subject of Evelyn, Ivory digested what her son said, nodding slowly as he spoke.

"I see... I can understand why it can come off that way," she says, "Evelyn has her own way of going through life. She has a strong interest in people and that curiosity can sometimes be... forward I think? Or do you think something else is going on?"

At the final questions of who Evelyn was to her, Ivory.

"Evelyn is someone I trust and love, she was with your father too," she says, affirming the romantic connection between Evelyn, Pendragon, and herself, "She is not a replacement for him."

"You know that I value how you feel, right?" she asks, "How long has this been bothering you, Anthony?"

2 successes in Wits + Empathy to get a read on Anthony

stray rolled 4 dice and got 2 successes. 10(8) 1 5 3

Ivory remains invested, looking to Anthony as he speaks and reading his face.

Then came her revelation of Anthony's true feelings... and a reminder of her own words.

Something you'll find is that it's easier for people to stick by old systems rather than acknowledging their faults and working to fix them.

This time, the hand moved forward without hesitation, grasping Anthony's and giving it a squeeze. Her expression is almost apologetic, but determined, even if it did bear a hint of guilt.

"I will never let that happen," she says, "You are too important to me, okay?"

Ivory was confident Evelyn cared for Anthony. The agreement had long been to keep it clear that Pendragon and Ivory were his guardians, but maybe it was time to change that. In order for them to work, Anthony needed to know she cared about him too. Polyamorous or not, her lovers were joining a family unit and they needed to understand that... or move on. Expecting them to become a den of mothers and fathers was ridiculous, but if they were willing to love her, but not at least acknowledge and get to know her son, was it really a relationship of trust? Was it a relationship at all?

She and Evelyn would talk. They needed to. Because this fault was on Ivory and she needed to fix it. And it would help to have Evelyn's support in setting things straight.

"I mean it," she affirms, "I love you, kid."