Your muses are always with you.
by Winds-of-Dawn
~A large, spacious, and well-lit kitchen in an apartment building. A round dining table placed in the half of the kitchen away from the oven and the refrigerator. WoD is sitting at the table, sipping a cup of tea, and proof-reading something printed on regular, letter-sized, paper.~
WoD: (looks up to notice Blair sitting on other side of the table) Hi, Blair.
Blair: Hey.
WoD: (looks around with a slight frown) Where's Jim?
Blair: Sleeping. He's exhausted. You have him working full time.
WoD: Oh, yes. (pause) He's actually been a lot more cooperative than I expected.
Blair: You telling me? I thought he'll be kicking and screaming.
WoD: Well, maybe he finally got used to it.
Blair: (chuckles) Maybe. But then, it was his idea to come stay with you in the first place.
WoD: I've been meaning to ask you that. Why did you come?
Blair: Well, you called us, didn't you?
WoD: Maybe. But I didn't expect it to be so... (shrugs) Not like this.
Blair: Jim says he has a lot of affinity with you.
WoD: (scoffs) Do we even have to say it? Yup, Jim and I, we are built from the same mold, smelted in the same forge, cooked in the same pot...
Blair: And you both love me, very much.
WoD: Sure, but the question is, why do you love Jim? You could have anybody you want, you are easy to look at, have a charming personality, intelligent, sensitive...
Blair: Ah, but all that is on the outside.
WoD: And the inside?
Blair: Inside I need it all. Need somebody to see me and only me.
WoD: And Jim is like that?
Blair: (shrugs) Hey, you know Jim.
WoD: (lifts up her cup, and realizes it's empty) Tea?
Blair: Yeah, thanks.
(WoD gets up and puts kettle on the fire.)
WoD: You still haven't said why you came.
Blair: Because you called us.
WoD: Come on, it's not that simple. I first called you almost a year ago. You only showed up less than two months ago. And I don't have to mention to you all the people who call for muses, only to have them never show up, do I?
Blair: Well, then, because you were ready for us.
WoD: Was I?
Blair: You tell me.
(Kettle whistles. WoD turns off fire, gets cups, pours water, sets the cups on the table.)
Blair: Thanks.
WoD: I've enjoyed having you here, you know.
Blair: But you don't think we'll be here forever.
WoD: Will you? Stay forever?
Blair: We are a part of you, WoD. Nothing is ever going to take us away from you.
WoD: But things... change.
Blair: You know very well nothing stays the same, WoD.
WoD: And yet, everything stays the same, too.
Blair: Going mystical on me?
WoD: Well, you do it to Jim all the time.
Blair: (chuckles) You are right.
WoD: Have you seen my academic muse?
Blair: Mmm-hmmm.
WoD: How is she?
Blair: (shrugs) Well, you know.
WoD: She thinking of coming back?
Blair: Do you want her back?
WoD: I don't know. (pause) People misunderstand me, you know.
Blair: hm?
WoD: I mean, outwardly I'm a recluse. An introvert. Goes for months without going out, without seeing anybody.
Blair: Yeah?
WoD: Actually, I like people. I'll be running all around town, chatting up everybody in sight, if only...
Blair: If only you could speak.
WoD: Yeah. And if only my body wouldn't get so exhausted so easily.
Blair: You can speak, WoD.
WoD: Yeah, I know I can. It just takes so much effort. To speak. To hear.
Blair: You are talking now. To lots of people.
WoD: Yeah, thanks to the two of you.
Blair: Nah. (looks out the window) It's almost dawn.
WoD: A bunch of nightowls, aren't we?
Blair: Yeah. (stretches) Gotta go back. Jim gets cranky if he wakes up without me.
WoD: Tell me about it.
Blair: Thanks for the tea, WoD. (gets up, starts to leave, then turns back) You know, WoD, your muses are always with you, even if you don't see them.
WoD: Thanks, Blair. Good night.
Blair: More like good morning. Say hi to Aly and Trish for me when you see them.
WoD: And Marmoset's muses?
Blair: Yeah, them, too. Later. (leaves)
~WoD goes back to proof-reading her printout. In the doorway, unnoticed by WoD, a female figure, not clearly focused in the camera, watches. Gradually, more figures come into view: a Buddhist monk, a Catholic priest, several nuns, an elderly man and woman, a little girl, Jim and Blair, and more unidentified figures.~
Blair: We are always here, WoD, whether you see us or not.
~Fadeout~
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