Quote Originally Posted by InTheMachine View Post
November 8th
Providence
“Me too,” Emi replies to Mary. “I’ll have to see if John can teleport us up for dinner sometime soon. Like I told Kate and Joe, I’ve greatly enjoyed the last 20 or so hours. I look forward to more conversations with all of you.”

Hi, Emi replies. Her eyes reveal that she seems almost overjoyed at how the morning is going, and the acceptance that she’s getting from John’s family.
I told you they’d lo-like. That they’d like you, too, John projects. How could they help themselves? Of course, I have probably missed half of what they have been plotting and planning. I’ve been kept suspiciously occupied at several moments.

There’s one in particular that I was quite happy to be occupied with, though.

“I know I don’t have to ask whether I should keep John’s test last night quiet from everyone but Jefferey,” Stephen observed with a too cool for the room air as entered, “but how long do you want me to struggle to maintain plausible deniability? My guess is that rumors of who we played for will have made their way around La Salle at least once by second period.”

“Which means you can expect a call from Sister Anna Marie before noon,” Joe observed slightly nervously to Mary.

“Our great aunt,” Kate noted respectfully to Emi, “and one of the higher ranking nuns in Providence.”

She’s rumored to be a mystic, John added with similar respect. Since my visit to the British Museum, I’ve been a lot less skeptical of that claim.

“Probably so,” Mary observed with a similar level of respect as she turned to Emi. “My great aunt has a formidable presence, my dear, and will want to know whether the stories are true. She will, however, remain discrete when I tell her the stories are true.”

She’s formidable in the same way your father is, John added.

“I hope she won’t disapprove of me,” John confessed.

“Her favorite grand-nephew?” Stephen joked, although the way he tightened his uniform tie hinted that he was having difficulty maintaining his cool. “If she could accept your not going to seminary, she can accept that you’re dating.”

“That’s not what he means, Stephen,” Joe observed. “Church Law is somewhat cloudy on its interpretations around your older brother’s line of work.”

“She loves you, John,” Kate reminded him. “And as intimidating as she can be, that won’t change.”

“The worst that will happen is that she will pray for you,” Mary reminded him firmly. “She’s a good and giving woman.”

“I know,” he conceded, “but you won’t be the one she looks at with disapproval.”

“She looked at me that way until Father Mangan pronounced your mother and I man and wife,” Joe quipped, trying to lighten the mood.”And you can rest assured she had more solid theological ground to base her concerns and disapproval of me at that time.”

“Joe,” Mary began in a warning tone—although John’s half smile reassured her some.

“She’ll be thrilled to meet you,” Mary assured Emi before turning to John, “and no less happy to see you than she has ever been. But Stephen’s immediate question stands: How long would you like us to keep things quiet? I’ve already brushed off a couple questions at work before today. If everyone did not assume John was in London, they would be certain that the two of you have been seen together.”

“Here you go, ladies,” Joe said as he handed plates of pancakes to Emi and Kate. “Plausible deniability will be the best we can probably manage after today. Do you two have a plan for when deniability is no longer plausible?”