[color=f7941d]CELESTE BROWN[/color] - Sandy Coves Inn - Early Afternoon

“Yes, Rook is Super Mutant. Rook is Rook as well. Brandy is good person, Rook thinks she is one of the nicest people he had ever met.” Rook gave a nod, as through that was the ending of that range of fact. “Rook is building a wall, needs help to build it, but Rook also has questions for you. They are important ones.”

It was almost as though his voice was entering her ears from a room, down the hall, with the door closed.  "Important questions...for me?" she parroted, dumbly.

Rook took a moment to look around the room, but then frowned. “No matter. Does lady know if there are stairs to the roof of this place? Does lady want wall built so wall is against building, or away from building? Would lady mind having a gate near her door as well, so people pass by here first if they arrive on other road?”

"Please, it's Celeste," she offered a small don't-eat-me smile in response.  "Honestly, I'm not sure if there's access to the roof.  That'd be a better question for Archie.  He's the Mr. Handy robot who's lived here for over two hundred years, an' all.  As for a wall...uhh..."

Archie descended the last few stairs into the foyer.  "I couldn't help overhearing --"

"Better late than never," Celeste muttered, in an uncharacteristic show of bitterness.

"If this is to be a tactical, perimeter wall, it likely makes sense to establish it away from the building, hmm?  That way the unsightly riff raff can't attempt to use our windows as points of entry."

Celeste looked between Rook and Archie.  She shrugged, and sighed.  "Well, Archie, I'll assume you know more about security and shall I leave you to it, then?  I [i]do[/i] have a guest waiting on me, after all."  She couldn't help but smile to herself at the thought of returning to Adam.  "Archie, he was asking about the roof.  Know anything about that?"

"Indeed I do, Manager Celeste!  Please, follow me," the robot instructed, turning and going back up the stairs from whence it came.

Celeste scurried back into the kitchen, carefully placed a warm scone onto a small yellow plate with an unfortunate chip on the edge, filled up a mug of coffee, and expertly carried both without spilling a single drop or crumb into the dining room.  Adam sat, waiting with the patience of a saint.  "Miss Celeste," he greeted her.  She smiled, placing the snack and drink in front of him.  He gestured at the chair opposite, and her heart nearly leapt out of her throat.  She perched herself down, happily.

"Ma'am, I need to be upfront. I...I think I know where this is heading and....I can't let it get there," was the next thing he said.

It was as though a bubble had popped.  Celeste blinked.  "I...oh," she replied, meekly.

Adam appeared to glance at the scone, but otherwise showed no interest in it.  He spent the next several moments telling her, gently, about the pain and loss he had endured, the scars it left, and went so far as to pull out an old photograph.  All she could do was listen quietly, and respectfully -- and if anything, it made her feel sympathy for him, above all.

"...I didn't want Jack to have that life.  He deserved better."  Adam stood up, a quiet hand asking for his picture back. Celeste placed it gently back into his hand.  "I've never been with a woman since. Not as some sort of penance, but I never wanted to let another woman in my heart like that, to risk losing them like that again." He rolled the picture into its film case and tucked it in an inner jacket pocket. He bent in and gave her a slow and gentle kiss on the cheek, "If I stay in town a while and we spend a little more time together, maybe I'll finally get over my wife's death." 

She flushed, feeling happy, almost giddy.  Celeste reached up and touched the place on her cheek where he'd kissed her.  Her thoughts were interrupted by Adam choking on the coffee. "I....I shoulda.....ugh....drank it hot...." 

"Oh, my goodness!"  Celeste sprung from her seat, grabbing a nearby napkin and immediately dabbing his chin.  "Are you alright?"

Her question was answered by a chuckle.  He looked back and smiled, "Goodbye....Celeste."

Celeste stood, moonstruck for a moment.  She smiled and raised her hand to wave.

"Oh right!" He threw a small pouch to Celeste, that she fumbled and nearly dropped.  She stared at it for a full minute, genuinely confused as to what he had even given her.  She plopped back down in her chair and opened it, dumping its contents onto the table.  Several caps fell out, and a piece of paper.

"115 for the goods. 50 for being the worst. first date. ever. Come by my place on the coast. Look for the seaside shed with the big white boat and the Brahmin, I'll treat you to the better one you deserved," she read out loud, slowly, emphasizing every word.

"A better wha -- [i]OH!![/i]"  Her heart soared, clutching the note to her chest, completely elated.  "He likes me, he likes me, he likes me," she giggled to herself.  Celeste spent several moments feeling high on life while she tidied up the leftover dishes.  She stared at the remaining scones, wondering what to do with them.  On a whim, she loaded them all up onto a large plate and brought them to the front desk to treat her guests as they arrived.

Her ears pricked up at what sounded like several gunshots outside, and close enough to make her feel scared.  Celeste gasped, wondering if she should peek out the doors.  Archie appeared at the bottom of the stairs into the foyer once more.  

"Manager Celeste, did you hear that?"

"I-I did, Archie.  What should we do?"

"No need to do anything, manager.  Allow me to investigate."

Celeste swept a stray curl off her forehead.  "Oh, be careful, Archie!  You just check it out and come right back, you hear me?"

"Back in a jiffy!" the robot replied, before exiting the inn.