News for Clara

(Miranda's House... Early Evening...)

Clara: Miri, I still don't see why I can't just wear my old dress. I LIKE my old dress.


Miri: You're not a cleaning lady anymore, so you shouldn't be dressing like one.


Clara: Yeah... *sigh* Your sister put an end to that.


Miranda: Oh, she'll get hers. Just wait until Misha gets here. I think he's going to have some news for you.

Clara: Did he really just up and move out of her rental house? Just like that?


Miranda: Yep. Misha doesn't like to be told what to do, and when she said he couldn't have you cleaning the house anymore, that was that. Anyway, show me the new and improved Clara!

Clara: Okay...

Miranda: WOW! Clara you look GREAT! Like a little rodent entrepreneur!!


Clara: *sigh* Well, I don't know about that. I had to go today and tell that nice Mr. Pender that I didn't have any more money for the coffee shop and...

Miranda: Well THAT was a silly thing to do. Didn't I tell you to trust me?

Clara: Yeah, but I...

(knocking on door)


Miranda: Well, that'll be Misha with news for you, Ms. Business Owning Rodent. (Louder) Come in!


Misha: Good evening ladies! Clara, I have the most FABULOUS news!!!

*****

Ariel: AN INVESTOR?!?!?!?

Freya: Yes Ma'am. We were doing the routine surveilance on Clara, as you asked, and it came across the crystal ball just a minute ago. Misha seems to have found someone to invest in Clara's coffee shop.


Ariel: Oh... darn that fox... break my lease and then this? This will not do....


Ariel: Oh no... this will not do at ALL.


Ariel: Freya, would you be a dear and bring me my cell phone, darlin'.

Freya: Yes, ma'am. Of course.


Ariel: Seems I need to make a couple of phone calls.....

Baby Baby

Emi: (humming quietly)


Thorne: Well, hello there. It took me a bit to find you. How is she doing?


Emi: She's good. Playful and happy little thing. The Healers and the Wizards all gave her a clean bill of health, physically and magickally.

Emi: Sorry we were hard to find. I thought we should hide out in one of the lesser used rooms, you know... just in case she had something contagious or weird magick or something.

Thorne: The parlor was a wise choice, just in case. (smile) Fortunately, unnecessary, though it seems to have given you a quiet place to play.


Thorne: So, how are YOU doing? I wouldn't have imposed on you to take care of her, but Solstice already has her hands full with those other girls.

Emi: Oh, I'm doing fine! She's a very good baby, very sweet and pretty quiet. I don't want one, but if I had to have one, I hope it'd be all cute and nice like this little one.


Thorne: Hello there, baby girl. My name is Thorne.


Emi: Oh, are we being a shy baby, then? Awww... who's a shy baby? Hmmm?

Thorne: Ah yes, my charm works on women of all ages I'm afraid. (smile)


Thorne: So, any word on the pendant she was found with?


Emi: Nope, Theia hasn't been in here yet, but maybe she couldn't find us either. Though, you'd think an oracle would know... (laugh)

Thorne: (laughing)


Emi: Oh no, baby Dita... you can't have my camera. No you can't.... you come here you.


Emi: (singing) Who's my little whosit, who's my turtle dove, Deee-tah... that's who.

Baby: *giggles*

Thorne: Dita?

Emi: Sorry... I had to call her something. It's a Shakespeare thing... I just think it's pretty, since we don't know her real name or where she came from or anything.


Theia: Well, since Perdita means "lost" it does kind of suit her. I think it's a fine name.


Emi: Hey, Theia! Thanks. So can you tell us all about her?

Theia: No... but I can tell you a few things about the person who made this pendant for her.

Theia: Whoever they were, they didn't want it traced back to them. It went dormant the second she was found, and blank. Like it was never owned by anyone at all. That's pretty tough to do with an enchantement as strong as the one on this thing was.

Emi: What was it enchanted to do?


Theia: Exactly what it did - protect her until someone who could help her found her. And it was a strong enchantement. Baby Dita has a serious spell weaver in her family, whoever they are, this couldn't have been done by someone not directly related to her.

Thorne: So there's no way to tell where she came from, or who left her, or why?


Theia: I'm sad to say no, whoever it was who left her went to a lot of work to keep us from knowing just that. But they've left her an heirloom of sorts. The pendant is hers, dormant as it is it's all she has of her history. Poor thing.


Theia: Here, Emi.

Emi: Thanks. Look, Dita.... this is for you


Emi: It's pretty... is it a sunstone?

Theia: That would be my guess, yes. Pricey piece of jewelry, but it probably took a stone of that caliber to hold the spell. They weren't taking any chances, whoever they were.


Thorne: Theia, thank you for your help with this. And now, one more question... but not necessarily one you need to wear your Oracle cap for.

Theia: Okay.

Thorne: Off the top of your head, can you think of any couples in the Treehouse perhaps looking to adopt a baby like Dita?

Theia: Ah yes.... yes indeed. Though, you're thinking Seph and Marius, and I'm thinking Circe and Rowan. Ultimately all the same family, but still...


Thorne: Well, right as always, Theia. I'm happy to consider Circe and Rowan as well on your advisement. Shall we go discuss possibilities with them?

Theia: Yeah! Oh, Circe will just flip. She's going to be so excited. Bye Emi! Bye baby Dita!

Thorne: Farewell.

Emi: Bye you guys...


Emi: It's pretty, hu Dita? All warm and orange, like the sun. Someone loved you very much to leave you this, baby girl... and I love you a bunch, and I think Thorne and Theia are about to find you some more people who are going to love you too. So you're found, and safe and loved just like the baby in the play! Isn't that wonderful?

Dita: *giggle*

About Clara's Coffee Shoppe

*********************
Miranda: It's sure a heap of books, Vee.

Devika: I KNOW! Isn't it great! The book drive for the refugees went better than I could've EVER imagined!


Miranda: Uh, do they even LIKE to read?

Devika: Of course! Who doesn't like to read?

Miranda: Vee, well...

(knock on door)

Devika: Oh! It's Ariel.

Miranda: And it was such a nice day.


Devika: You're still not speaking to her, then?


Miranda: I have nothing to say to her. And if she asks, I'm not here.

Devika: Oh, Miri.

(knocking at door again)


Devika: Hang on, Ariel! I'm coming!


Devika: Hi, Miss Ariel! What can I do for you?


Ariel: Why hello Vee, tell me, is that Clara around?

Devika: Yep, she's upstairs vacuuming.

Ariel: Excellent... I have a little proposition for her...


Devika: (in next room) Come on in, just straight up those stairs...

Miranda: (to self) A proposition? That can't be good. And Clara is such a sweetie. Oh man, Miri... Do not get involved... Do not get involved...

Miranda: (to self) Do not get involved... do not.... oh... someone donated a copy of Robin Hood... I love this book.


Miranda: What a great story... brave hearted warrior helping the poor and downtrodden saving them from the devious plans of the wicked wealthy royalty.... aww man *sigh* I'm getting involved...


(vacuum noises)

Ariel: Oh Claaaara.

Clara: (turning off vacuum) Oh, hi Ariel! How are you?

Ariel: Just lovely, sugar. Aren't YOU working hard?

Clara: Well it's a big house and all...

Ariel: Yes, yes, it's really coming together... let's you and me have a little sitdown chat a minute, shall we, sugarpie?


Devika: Hu, what do you make of that? "A Proposition?"

Miranda: It's Ariel. No matter what it is, it can't be good...


Ariel: So I hear you're having that nice C. Pender build you a coffee shop, sweetie. Is that true?

Clara: Oh yes! He's doing a great job too! I am so excited.

Ariel: I've also heard you're having some funding problems, darlin'. Not making enough cleaning houses, hu?

Clara: Well, it's tough, but I'm putting the money together. I clean Devika's house, and Mr. Misha's house, and also that big Seaview owned by those nice sisters too. So it'll be okay. It'll just take time, and hard work...

Ariel: But wouldn't it be easier if you didn't have to worry about it? I own most of the businesses in the Treehouse, sweetie. What if _I_ paid Mr. Pender to build the coffee shop, I owned it, and you could run it for me! It would be just LIKE yours... only without all that working your fingers to the bone part.


Clara: Thank you for your very kind offer, Ariel. But see... if I let you do that, it wouldn't be MINE, it would just be another place I worked for. And I want to own my very own business, be my own boss.

Ariel: But your brother, Lon, works for me. He can tell you it isn't so bad. I'm a great boss, if I do say so myself, dumplin'. Pay's good and....


Clara: It isn't about bad bosses. I'm sure you're a lovely boss, it's just, it's what I've always dreamed of, and what I've always wanted. So thank you for the offer, Ariel, but no thank you.


Ariel: *sigh* Very well then, sugar. If that's your decision, that's your decision.


Ariel: Don't say I didn't try to help you, though. It can be awfully tough getting together the money for your own business, all on your own.


Ariel: Especially when you don't have anyone to clean for.

Clara: What? What do you mean?


Ariel: (grabbing vacuum) I mean that Devika can do her own vacuuming from now on. Misha lives in MY rental house, and he doesn't need a cleaning lady.

Clara: But! You can't do this!!!


Ariel: And those nice sisters who own the Seaview are some of my closest friends... if I tell them they no longer need your services, well...

Clara: But.... I....

Ariel: It's for your own good, sugar. Not everyone is cut out to be a business owner. You just let me know when you're ready to reconsider my offer, okay? Bye now, darlin'!


Ariel: Devika, you are going to have to do your own housecleaning from now on, dumplin'. I have informed that Clara that we will no longer be needing her services.

Devila: But ...

Ariel: No "buts" sweetie. Bye bye, now! (leaves)


Devika: Hu. Well what do you make of that? We no longer need Clara's services? I wonder what on earth happened?

Ariel: Clara must not have liked her "proposition."


Both: CLARA!


Clara: (sobbing hysterically)

Devika: Oh! Oh Clara!!


Clara: Oh Vee! She's destroyed it! She's destroyed it all! No one will hire me to clean for them anymore because of Ariel! And it's because SHE wants to own the coffee shop! OH! My dream of having my own business is OVER! Over before I even got a chance to start! *sobbing again*

Devika: Oh Clara, that's horrid! It'll be okay...


Miranda: Hmmm.... your dream might not be as over as you think, Clara... Vee is right... it'll be all right. You've got Robin Hood on your side.

Clara and Devika: What?

Miranda: Yeah... hmmmm.