Re: Of Course It Hurts (Judy/Saya)

[Ozu Saya]

[Estate]

That's true, Kyo said. I'm glad you've had a quick recovery.

Yeah, I think Bajorans age about the same as humans. Now that we're not under the Occupation, our life expectancy is much higher, with many living into their early hundreds. It was rare for anyone to make it much past seventy during, though there were exceptions.

My hundred and five-year-old great-grandmother once protected her farm from an entire squad of Cardassian soldiers by herself. Kyo grinned fiercely. She died before I was born, but my grandfather loved to tell stories about her. She protected the farm and took in orphans, smuggled food to the Resistance. I wish I'd known her. She made it to a hundred and seventeen. His tone was admiring.

[Judith Eastman]

[Estate]

"That's very impressive," Judy answered. "My family doesn't really have that kind of story, since we're all pretty white-collar, but we have some. My great-grandfather, who lived to 139, once met Kirk. Well, he didn't just meet him - he cross-examined him."
Judy smiled. There was a proud tradition of lawyers and statesmen on both sides of her family, and this one was no exception.

"His daughter, my grandma, is still alive and walking, mind you. She's 118, and we only forced her to retire last year, after 75 years on the bench."
The bench in question obviously referred to the judiciary, not to basketball. A supercentenarian Jewish woman wasn't very likely to excel in the latter.

[Ozu Saya]

[Estate]

Wow, Kyo said with wide eyes. To both of them. You know, I've heard an awful lot about this Kirk, and seen his statutes and such. People seem to either love him or hate him.

So your family has a tradition of working in legal fields? What led you to sciences and Starfleet instead?

[Judith Eastman]

[Estate]

"My heart wasn't really in the law," Judy answered. "At first, I sorta looked into journalism, but then I found the beauty of words and languages. I've tried the business world, too, but that just wasn't much fun."

She had another skewer, then continued.
"Starfleet was more of a way out after the divorce. I needed a change of pace, and there it was."

[Ozu Saya]

[Estate]

I guess I understand that. My heart wasn't in wine-making. I showed talent on the tivara early, and my parents encouraged it. They were never too set on me taking over. There's enough other family involved for the business to stay with the Domens.

Kyo finished his rice and lentils and spooned up a little more for himself, adding another kebab on top. We're not keeping you from your sons or parents, are we? Your mother seemed happy to have you staying with them.

[Judith Eastman]

[Estate]

"I need some time away from my family. I was with them for almost a week, now I'm ready for a little time away," Judy answered.
"They'll probably want to have a proper Shabbat dinner tomorrow. Perhaps we can have them here. Saya can hide out on the second or third floor if she's not up to dealing with them."

It was just a thought, not a fully-formed idea, but it was one worth exploring.

[Ozu Saya]

[Estate]

Well, I don't know what a Shabbat dinner is, but it's your island and your family, so if you want to have them here, that's definitely your prerogative. You know I'm easygoing. I'm fine with whatever you want to do. Kyo shrugged.

Hopefully, Saya will be herself by tomorrow. Though I know she's not a people person at the best of times. Better give her plenty of warning if you decide to have the family over.

[Judith Eastman]

[Estate]

"It's the traditional Friday evening meal, before the traditional day of rest on Saturday, called Shabbat in the religious discourse," Judy explained. "I will definitely run it by Saya, and if she's not up to it, I'll just go and join the family in the city."

Of course, there was only one city that someone like Judy would refer to as "the city" - New York.
"They're family, but you two are guests. It's my job to make sure you're as comfortable as can be."

[Ozu Saya]

[Estate]

But family's family, Kyo retorted humorously. He stretched his long arms over his head and then leaned back in his chair, folding hands over his still completely flat stomach.

That was delicious. Why don't you let me do the cleanup? It won't take me long. Then we can set up wherever to play some music. Do you think we should stay out of the music room for now, so as not to be obnoxious in our attempt to lure Saya out?

[Judith Eastman]

[Estate]

"We can set up on the second floor, on the balcony," Judy offered. "It's not that cold if we get coats, and I can wheel out an amp for one of my electric guitars. She'll hear us, but we'll look totally innocent."

Judy fully expected a comment about the stairs, and she had an answer to it.
"Don't worry, there's a chairlift on the railing," she reassured Kyo. "I'm not the first invalid to visit Eastman Island."

[Ozu Saya]

[Estate]

That sounds fine, as long as it's not windy out. Woodwinds, in the wind, not a good combination. Kyo grinned and rose, gathering their plates.

When he'd returned from the kitchen, he added, I know you can make your way up there, but will you at least let me get the instruments up there?

[Judith Eastman]

[Estate]

"Fine," Judy conceded. "I'll wheel out my strat and my amp in a bit."

She made her way back to her bedroom, where she decided to try pants one last time. Finally, after a week of trying, she managed to get into a pair of slacks. The pants in question where a rather energetic yellow pair, with a matching blazer, which she paired with a lavender button-up.
As much as Judy had enjoyed the dresses, she really did feel like herself in a pantsuit.

She wheeled out her amp and electric guitar, using their cart as a crutch, and stopped at the bottom of the staircase.
"Mission accomplished," she uttered with a smile as she took the chairlift up and then walked, unaided, to the second-floor sitting room.

[Ozu Saya]

[Estate]

Kyo rinsed and stacked the dishes to clean later, then retrieved his instruments from the front entry. Putting the bassoon across his back and the tivara case in one hand, he retrieved the amplifier and guitar from the bottom of the stairs and began making his way carefully to the second floor. He took one step at a time, making sure he was stable before taking another step, the bassoon, guitar and amp throwing his balance far to the back.

Once he attained the top of the staircase, Kyo paused for a moment, looking either way down the long hall that led to the ends of the house, then started hesitantly toward the left since it was closer to where Saya was on the first floor, calling quietly, Judy? Where are you?

[Judith Eastman]

[Estate]

Judy heard Kyo call out from across the house.
"I'm over here!" she called back, as she realized that she was on the wrong side of the house.

"Yeah, I'll come over," she conceded to herself, and then made her way back out. She was fairly slow, but steady, surprisingly good for someone who'd just ditched her cane.

[Ozu Saya]

[Estate]

Kyo stopped when he heard Judy's voice coming from behind him and was about to turn and head that way when she came out of a room at the end of the hall and walked slowly toward him.

He waited for her to come alongside and then pass him, saying, Lead the way. This is an insanely massive house. I might get lost.