Silver was a little sweeter with some liquor in her.
Well, maybe not sweeter, but a bit softer for sure. She ceased to glare and pout and settled instead on a hazy but amused expression.
She took two more shots but turned down a fifth. Hancock wasn't sure if that was because she felt the need to babysit the rest of them, she didn't feel comfortable getting drunk with a ghoul nearby, or simply because of her apparently sensitive stomach.
Hancock also wasn't sure he gave a damn. As long as someone else was buying, he was drinking. In his defense, to would take him twice as much alcohol as the others to feel even half as buzzed. And he certainly didn't know when he would be able to afford his next high out on the road.
After the vodka was finished off Paulette went to the counter and purchased a bottle of wine, which she was generous enough to share. Even Silver sipped a glass.
"Wine really isn't my thing." Hancock admitted. "Takes too long to get you soused proper, and it's so damn aromatic and fruity. If you ask me, a proper drink should hit you like a good kick to the gut. It should burn a bit ya know? But it emdoes/em make me feel a might classy. This vault ain't half bad. One of the better maintained ones, that's for sure."
Paulette swirled her wine in her glass. "Have you seen a lot of vaults then John?"
"Seen a few. None of them were inhabited...at least not by vault dwellers anyways."
"Yeah well, there aren't many left these days, are there?"
"Nah, I 'sppose not. So how do you like it here?"
"It's kind of nice...having a place that's safe and warm and dry. Some place my folks can relax. It's been a bit of an adjustment though," Paulette disclosed.
"Yeah?"
"Silver hates it here."
Silver made a shifty non-committal gesture. "I don't sleep well here, that's all. I wish you wouldn't bring it up Paulie…"
"Relax Sil, it's called having a conversation. Normal people do it all the time," Paulette quipped.
Silver smiled and raised her glass a bit. "Point taken."
"Hey," Hancock addressed her with a grin, "what d'ya know…you've got good teeth too."
Silver laughed and began to pour herself more wine when there was a bit of commotion at the other end of the room.
It was faint and difficult to comprehend but there was shouting, followed by the tapping of little feet rushing across metal flooring.
Shoving her way between two cafeteria patrons was a little girl. She had big eyes and curly auburn hair tied up in pig tails with pink ribbons.
Hancock smiled to himself. Actual ribbons. Vault life really was something else.
"Mama! Mama you're back!" the little girl shouted running up to Paulette and hugging on to her side.
Paulette's face was a mixture of shock and delight. "Francine Jo what are you doing out of bed at this hour?" she asked as she squeezed the child close.
Lane ruffled her hair. "Hey there Frannie Jo!"
The little girl snuggled into Paulette's lap. "I heard one of the other people say you were home and I came to see you! I missed you mama."
"I missed you too Frannie, but you shouldn't have left the room this late at night. Don't do it again ok? You'll worry your father sick."
"Ok mama. Mama guess what!"
"What baby child?" Paulette asked, sounding exhausted as well as pleased.
"I saw a baby radstag today! Did you see him? Was he still outside?"
Paulette beamed down at her daughter with unfathomable love. "No sweetie, I didn't see him, but maybe we can look for him tomorrow together. How does that sound?"
"Ok mama!"
Silver slammed the table and glared at Paulette and the child.
Hancock jumped back slightly in surprise. He couldn't believe what he was seeing.
"Hey you little blighter." Silver snarled, staring the girl down. "What do you think you're doing here?"
The girl giggled and leapt from her mother's lap into Silver's open arms. "Aunie Sil! I missed you too!"
Silver laughed and hugged the child. "Sure you did, you little monster. So how is my favorite niece?"
Hancock breathed in relief and smiled a bit. It had only been a game. He was glad to know that Silver wasn't so cold as to treat a child that way in any serious capacity.
"Aunnie Sil, I'm your emonly/em niece!" Frannie giggled.
"So? That makes you my favorite doesn't it? Were you good while we were gone?"
"Yup," Frannie insisted with a confident nod.
"Did you find anything cool from the excavation site?" Silver mock whispered with a wink.
"Oh!" gasped the child, who leapt from Silver's lap. "I'll be right back!" she shouted as she scurried off.
There was a slight hush over the table for a few moments.
"So it's Francine is it?" Hancock inquired, leaning in closer to Paulette. "You didn't mention you had a kid."
Paulette shrugged and chuckled a bit. "You didn't ask."
"Yeah well, ok I didn't. So how old is the little rug rat?"
"She'll be six in a few weeks."
"They're cute at that age."
Paulette nodded and sipped her wine. "Yeah, they are. I don't suppose you have any children, do you? Silver told me you're one of the few ghouls around here that isn't pre-war, so I suppose it's possible…"
Hancock shook his head. "Nah, at least, none that I know about. I don't mind 'em though."
"That's a bit of a shame. I could see you with a few nippers of your own," Paulette acknowledged.
"Me? Nah. I'm not the type to be tied down like that."
Silver nodded knowingly. "Have to be free to roam…"
"Exactly."
"Still," Paulette protested, "you seem like you would have been a good father. Minus the chems perhaps…"
Hancock laughed and nearly spilled his last few sips of wine.
Shortly after, Frannie returned with what she had been looking for and eagerly awaited her aunt's attention.
"Aunnie Sil, look'it!" she cried holding up what appeared to be a shiny polished piece of mirelurk shell. Something akin to mother of pearl.
Silver lit up with pride. "Oh wow Frannie, that's really pretty. Be sure to take special care of that ok?"
"I found a thing for you too aunnie Sil," the child informed her with a grin. She was hiding something behind her back.
"For me? What could it be I wonder?"
"You gotta close your eyes to get your surprise!" Frannie sing-songed.
Silver giggled and did as she was told, holding out her palms expectantly. Frannie withdrew her hidden hand and in it sat a pink hued pearl almost the size of her tiny fist. Hancock had never seen anything quite like it, pre-war or post. Silver's hand gave to the weight of the pearl as he child laid it in her palm. She opened her eyes in shock.
"Oh Frannie," she gasped. She delicately rolled the soft gemstone about on her palm. "It's beautiful…are you sure you don't want to keep it sweetheart? It's very pretty and very valuable."
"Well…it is round and shiny, like all your other shiny things. I think I was supposed to find it for you."
Silver was clearly touched by the child's selflessness and she hugged and kissed and tickled her relentlessly.
"You're such a good kid. I'll bet I have a box of Fancy Lad's just for you in my pack. Why don't you and your mom go and find them?"
"Mama, mama, let's go!" the little girl cried, jumping up and down.
"Just a moment sweetie, mommy has to pay her bill. You sit here you got it?"
"Got it!"
Paulette raised her eyebrows and held out her hand expectantly. Lane pouted and handed over a fistful of caps. He seemed to be in good spirits all the same.
Paulette and Silver both rose and walked to the counter. Lane was shortly called aside by one of the other merchants inquiring about a shipment of mutfruit, and Frannie and Hancock were left at the table alone.
For a while she was content tapping her little fingers on the table. When she tired of that she began to swing her feet back and forth, letting them thump against the table legs. It took a while for her to notice Hancock at all. Then she looked up with a bit of surprise and spoke.
"Hey!" she said boisterously, pointing at Hancock. "I know what's wrong with your face!"
She wasn't scared or being mean spirited about it, she was just nosey, like any other kid.
"That so? What would that be?" Hancock asked with amusement.
"You're a ghoul!" You're a mutant, but you're still a people like me and mama and Lane."
"Hey that's right kid. You're pretty sharp huh? You learn all that in school did ya?"
The child shook her head. "Naw, my mama told me. She's really smart, she knows everything! She says I'm not supposed to stare at you. Cause it's rude."
"You can stare at me if you want, I don't mind kid."
"Really?"
Hancock laughed. "Sure, what do I care?"
The little girl laughed and met his gaze. No fear in her eyes.
"Hey d'you know what? Your eyes are black. My aunnie Sil has black eyes too. Some of the ways."
"Right again."
"But aunnie Sil isn't a ghoul. She has a pretty nose and pretty hair. Don't you think she is pretty?"
Hancock pondered this for a moment. He looked over, as casually as he could, and studied Silver.
Her nose was petite; he supposed that constituted as pretty. And she did have a nice full head of hair, white or otherwise.
Hancock felt himself grinning. Never-minding her scars and her unusual coloring, he had to admit, she had a nice body.
A nice ass, pert and firm, revealed in detail by her jumpsuit. Her shoulders were narrow but clearly strong. Her chest was her most femininely endowed feature, though not pressed into the suit as tightly as her lower half. Round, perky, a decent handful there.
Hancock gave himself a shake and felt heat rushing up the back of his neck. Even he knew when he was behaving overtly lecherous.
"Yeah, sure, she's pretty. Must run in the family," he teased her.
She giggled bashfully.
Paulette and Silver had settled their bill and had meandered closer to the table where Hancock and Francine sat waiting, but had stopped to apparently chat privately.
"I think aunnie Sil should marry Lane. Lane is big and strong and smart. He always protects my mommy and aunnie Sil…he's funny and he is good at stories. I think he would make aunnie Sil happy like my daddy makes my mommy happy."
"Well, he's a looker, that's for sure," Hancock mumbled. "Hey kid, how close are they? Your aunt and Lane I mean. They spend a lot of time together?"
"Sure, lots, Lane is family."
"Right…"
"But aunnie Sil says she can't marry Lane. I heard her tell my mom. I think it's cause she's a mutant too. I heard mommy say so."
"She's a what now?" Hancock asked, utterly confused.
Paulette was close enough that this perked her ears. She snapped to attention and rushed to the table.
"Francine Jo Donahue! What did I tell you about saying that?" Paulette asked sternly.
"But…" Francine began to argue.
"Not another word. Lane, would you please take her back?"
"Sure thing boss," he answered. He scooped up the little girl, who whooped with laughter, and exited the room.
"I'm sorry Sil…you know kids, they'll say any damn thing."
"You mean they'll repeat anything…"
"Silver…"
"It's ok Paulie, I know she doesn't mean any harm. She's just a brat kid, probably gets it from her mother," Silver joked.
"Ah! Hey now!" Paulette protested, but found herself laughing.
"You'd better go and see your husband. And get that kid of yours the hell to bed."
"Yeah, you're right."
"Tell Jax I say hello. Feel free to tell him what a pain in my ass you were this trip too."
Paulette mock glared at Silver then picked up her pack and kissed Silver's forehead. The sort of goodbye sisters could so easily share.
Then Hancock and Silver were alone. She looked him over warily, then almost appraisingly.
"Hey, I hate to break it to you, but I'm not on the menu," Hancock attempted to inform her with a straight face.
Silver's eyes widened and she looked as if she might slap him purely from the surprise of what he had said.
Hancock lost his composure completely and bent over the table with laughter.
Silver's cheeks flushed slightly. "You're an ass."
"Man, that face of yours, talk about priceless."
"Shut up. Come on let's go."
"Where we off to?" Hancock asked, genuinely curious.
"My room," she answered, snatching up her things. She was clearly flustered by the situation.
It was Hancock's turn to be flustered. "Oh I-uh…Yeah ok, but-"
"Your shoulder. It's been a few days. I'd like to check it."
"Oh, I see," Hancock acknowledged and then waited a beat. "You want another peek at the goods, don't you?"
Silver kicked Hancock in the shin.
"Ow! Hey!" he whined.
"You can shut up and follow me, or you can go die of gangrene for all I care."
"Alright, alright…lead the way then."