find gainful employment

[mrmage]

The following day, Sadde goes to town at a reasonable time to buy a tiny cactus with some of the proceeds from his terribly tedious job, and sneaks it into the bag with his clothing he brings to Isabella's room. It is inside a cute little box, which he offers Isabella the following morning when she wakes up, saying, "Happy three-month anniversary!"

Comments

[msmage]

"And... kinda changing subject, there's another thing."

[alicornucopia]

"What?"

[msmage]

"I looked it up in a bunch of books and such, and, uh, therapists apparently have enough leeway to break confidentiality if they so much as suspect abuse and 'abuse' isn't defined anywhere so it's like, pretty much a generally applicable excuse."

[alicornucopia]

"Told you."

[msmage]

She sighs and nods. "You did. I'm sorry."

[alicornucopia]

Shrug.

[msmage]

Q: How do you help someone who doesn't want to be helped?

A: You don't.

"Anyway, how are you? You look like you lost weight."

[alicornucopia]

"Oh. I'm not on a diet or anything, I dunno."

[msmage]

"Huh. And are you doing anything for your birthday?"

[alicornucopia]

"Not really. My moms sent me a card."

[msmage]

"Mason not taking you to dinner or something? Maybe some cake?"

[alicornucopia]

"...I don't think I ever told him when my birthday is."

[msmage]

"Oh. Well, you should. Maybe he'll buy you something nice."

[alicornucopia]

"Maybe," says Jackson.

[msmage]

"Hmm, would you like a tiny cactus?"

[alicornucopia]

"What would I do with a tiny cactus?"

[msmage]

"I dunno. It's small and cute. Guessing that's a no. Hmmm, you're hard to buy gifts to. Perhaps I could buy you a book, wink wink nudge nudge."

[alicornucopia]

"...what are you saying wink wink nudge nudge about."

[msmage]

"I like reading books and am trying to get you to like reading books, too. Come on, didn't you get the reference, I made this same joke like three months ago."

[alicornucopia]

"I don't remember jokes you made three months ago," says Jackson, bewildered. "Anyway, I don't think I have a rule about where I can get books?"

[msmage]

"Good, then. Do you have any genres you prefer or should I just go wild? And fiction or non?"

[alicornucopia]

Shrug.

[msmage]

"Hmm, alright, gonna get you one fiction and one non, then."

[alicornucopia]

"...okay. You really don't have to, you know."

[msmage]

"You said that already. Do you mean to say you don't want me to? You can say that instead, and I won't."