Little Blue Strings

Litte Blue Snippets VI

"Can I help ya?" the man in the doorway asks.

Ezra stands there for a moment or so, blinking. This man is taller than Richard. He looks stronger. His eyes are darker- a mixture of ruddy forest green and brown. There are scars crisscrossing over his deeply tanned arms. His hair is wild and curly. The corner of his mouth is turned up in an eternal, easy-going smile. A light drawl dances through his words; it is an accent Ezra is sure he has heard before, but just cannot place where from.

"I... I'm looking for Richard...?" Ezra stutters, looking up at him.

"Oh. You must be that frien' a his he talks 'bout all the time. Ezra, right?"

Ezra accepts the hand offered to him and shakes it. The strong grip causes him to wince. Whoever he is, this man is definitely a farmer. Ezra should know- Uncle Thomas is the same way. Tanned, scarred, kind-looking and gentle-eyed.

"Yes... Ezra Thompson."

"Nice ta finally meet ya, Ezra Thompson. Call me Owen. 'M one a Richard's older brothers." He pauses for a second to lean back into the house. He appears to be looking around. "Wouldja like ta step inside for a minute 'r so? I'll fetch Richard for ya."

"Uh... Alright."

Ezra finds himself standing by the door as Owen disappears off to some corner of the house. A little unsure of what to do, he stands there, trying to avoid making awkward eye contact with the big, fluffy black cat that has just come into view.

He stiffens as the cat approaches, and winds through his legs. The animal purrs in content. Ezra has always been a bit wary around cats. They have always seemed to dislike him. He still has a scar on his ankle from the time a particularly nasty cat had sunk her claws into his flesh.

"He's comin'," Owen says, reentering the room. "He's jus' writin' somethin'."

Ezra only nods, trying to step away from the cat.

"Oh, c'mere, Maritina." Owen crouches down, and the cat immediately abandons Ezra's legs to hop into the other's arms. Owen lifts her, murmuring words into her ear. "Sorry 'bout that. She really won't bite ya, I promise."

Maritina purrs in Owen's arms, and rubs her face against his.

"Hello, Ezra!" Ezra hears Richard say. His friend is suddenly right behind Owen, seemingly having appeared from thin air.

There isn't much he can do to deter Richard from enveloping him in a tight bear hug, so he stands there a little awkwardly, wincing in the slightest as Richard unknowingly presses against a newer bruise.

"I've missed you. I feel as if I've been away for years, but it's only been a month!" exclaims Richard.

Maritina meows in Owen's arms, and Richard turns around with a slight frown.

"Didn't Mother tell you that Tina isn't allowed in the house?" Richard says to his brother.

Owen shrugs. "I s'pose, but I didn't wanna leave her out there. She's gonna have lil' bitty kittens any day now, ya know."

Richard sighs, and Owen loosely shrugs again before making his may past the two boys and out the door.

"He's got his own way of things," Richard says, staring briefly at the space that Owen previously occupied.

"And that's...your brother?"

"Unfortunately."

"Unfortunately? He seems rather nice..."

Richard snorts. "Nice? Well, perhaps, but he's just... Just... I don't know. He's too much of a dreamer. He used to live here, but he moved way down south to help one of his friends with their farm. All he used to do was paint. He never bothered to really talk to any of us, or to even try and socialize with other people. He never got anything done."