The Principal's Office

[tailor_made]

The door to the principal’s office is open at all hours, although you will only find Hester at the receptionist’s desk from 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. This is primarily where you can have private conversations with her. Though there’s an actual office in the back, it is always closed and locked.

Comments

[tailor_made]

[When he leaves she pulls her knees to her chest, a cozy yellow cocoon in her cozy little office. The quiet is...helping? She thinks. It reminds her how bone deep tired she is, that she really should eat some of the pie Salieri had brought even though she's not particularly hungry or drink some tea but it's easing the pain in her head and replacing it with a hazy fog of exhaustion.

While he's gone nobody comes knocking so Hester just settles in and waits for him to come back.]

[violentenvies]

[he'll return as swiftly, then, with a bowl of water and several small hand towels, which he carries over to the couch, pulling over a chair to sit beside her and rest that bowl in his lap. He takes the first towel, wringing it out]

Now, keep your eyes closed. This'll help block out some of the light. [he'll fold the towel in half, length-wise, and gently lay it over her eyes. It should feel nice and cool, and also block out that pesky light that she's dealing with]

[tailor_made]

[Hester hums in acknowledgement, letting him know she's still awake. The towel feels nice and near instantly she starts to relax.]

...you know, it's been a long time since someone fussed over me like this. Not since I was little. My- [She shifts a little, hugging the blanket under her chin.] My favorite foster dad. He used to do this for me too, when I get headaches.

[violentenvies]

[he'll take that second towel and dip it into the water, wringing it out before starting to brush it over her face where it's not covered by the other one]

Oh? He sounds like a kind man.

[tailor_made]

He was a single dad and I was his only foster kid so he was always extra sweet to me. [She's not falling asleep but this is, by far, the most relaxed she's felt and sounded in weeks.] ...I was really sad when he got sick and I had to go to a new placement. I think he was too.

[violentenvies]

That's unfortunate. I'm sorry for that. [he moves to wet down that cloth again, and keep just gently wiping her brow and cheeks and jaw with the cool cloth, attempting to cool her down] I'm sure he would've very much liked for you to stay with him.

[tailor_made]

He had a heart attack when I was fourteen. [She leans her head in the direction of his hand. She hasn't talked about him in...not really since she had to leave, actually. It hurt to think about, how she'd almost lost him to his health and then did have to lose him to the system.] He was okay in the end. He said he wanted to adopt me but...it never worked out.

[violentenvies]

Is...adoption out of that system difficult, then? [he shifts his hand as she leans into it, so he can press more of the towel against her face]

[tailor_made]

Mmmmm, mmhm. There's a lot of paperwork and the system doesn't really... [She frowns a little, struggling to find the word she wants to use again.] Lean toward single widowers and adoption. And after he got sick...they thought it'd be better if I went to live somewhere else.

[violentenvies]

...I'm so sorry, Hester. [Salieri's brow furrows] I...know what's it's like. To lose a father figure, especially one that isn't tied to you by blood, through any kind of circumstances. It's difficult.