That pretty much killed the conversation right there, and they drove on in near-silence except for the purr of the Bentley's engine. Melissa certainly didn't want to ask anything more, seriously or jokingly, and in fact gathered Stephanie up a little closer. So close the teenager could probably hear the pound of her heart.
Her little girl had killed something. Indirectly, maybe. Or deliberately? It was hard to tell without more context, and Melissa didn't want it. Just knowing that Stephanie had led something ... sort-of living ... knowingly into its death was horrible enough. Right now, all she wanted to do was to hold her daughter, remind herself that at least they knew now, and try to convince herself it would be okay.
It helped when Gabe began to hum. He wasn't even looking anyone's way; he was just staring out the window, one hand cupping his chin and the other resting on Stephanie's foot braced up against his side. There were almost words in the hum, a vibration that Melissa almost fancied she could feel in the Bentley's rumble.
It was soothing. Soothing and beautiful. So soothing that Melissa almost felt her eyelids drooping, and only didn't let them because of the sudden realisation that magic was probably being worked here. Calming magic. She actually didn't mind, and was startled when the Bentley pulled to a quiet halt against the curb. Melissa looked up and saw the Waxworks Museum. "Is this the right place?"
"You'd be surprised what's under the least obvious places," Gabe said with a smile. "Hang on, let me get the door for you."
Melissa had no issues with that. She kissed Stephanie's head and waited for Gabe to come around and open the door, and then let Stephanie get out first.
no subject
Her little girl had killed something. Indirectly, maybe. Or deliberately? It was hard to tell without more context, and Melissa didn't want it. Just knowing that Stephanie had led something ... sort-of living ... knowingly into its death was horrible enough. Right now, all she wanted to do was to hold her daughter, remind herself that at least they knew now, and try to convince herself it would be okay.
It helped when Gabe began to hum. He wasn't even looking anyone's way; he was just staring out the window, one hand cupping his chin and the other resting on Stephanie's foot braced up against his side. There were almost words in the hum, a vibration that Melissa almost fancied she could feel in the Bentley's rumble.
It was soothing. Soothing and beautiful. So soothing that Melissa almost felt her eyelids drooping, and only didn't let them because of the sudden realisation that magic was probably being worked here. Calming magic. She actually didn't mind, and was startled when the Bentley pulled to a quiet halt against the curb. Melissa looked up and saw the Waxworks Museum. "Is this the right place?"
"You'd be surprised what's under the least obvious places," Gabe said with a smile. "Hang on, let me get the door for you."
Melissa had no issues with that. She kissed Stephanie's head and waited for Gabe to come around and open the door, and then let Stephanie get out first.