ArchivedLogs:Mele Kalikimaka

Mele Kalikimaka
Dramatis Personae Jack, NPC-Sergio's Mom
In Absentia	2015-12-25 “Are you Jewish? I can’t tell because you’re invisible.”
Location <XS> Computer Lab
All modernism in contrast to the old-world elegance of most of the mansion, this room has been dragged into the twenty-first century wholeheartedly. Rows of top-of-the-line computers provide internet access to any students who lack their own in their rooms, and sleek tablets give the mansion's artists a place to practice their digital art when the art studio does not suffice. Whether knuckling down to pull an all-nighter on a research paper or simply killing time browsing, students can be found in here at all hours in front of the glows of the screens. Even if he weren't grounded, Jack would probably still be inside today. Christmas hasn't been a big thing for him in awhile. Before his mutation kicked in it was presents, church, and then being left to his own devices until dinner. On the streets, he could get a free warm meal from whatever shelter or kitchen wouldn't kick him out for being a mutant bit for the most part he just tried not to be cold. So once he's done a few things in the morning with some friends, the invisible teen's found his way to the computer lab. Taking up his usual spot near the back, he's in jeans, some newer looking sneakers, and a light weight blue hoodie at the moment. Headphones in his ears...though it would just look like they're floating inside his hood at the moment...he's idly browsing through a few sites. He's not looking for anything specific, just looking to kill time and distract himself. A video chat request whirrs up into the center of the screen, blinking and chirping repeatedly. The spitting image of what a Real Housewife ought to look like, Mrs. Kaluhiokalani is all drawn-on eyebrows, heavy makeup, and tight, shiny clothes. A new golden necklace hangs down into her ample collagen-enhanced cleavage, presumably from opening gifts earlier in the morning. Only appropriate for Christmas get-togethers, her cocktail dress is forest-green with fluffy white trim. "Hiiii, ku'uipo! It's me, here! Bothering you, again!" The tan older woman draws out her greeting flamboyantly, "Mele Kalikimaka! Merry Christmas, sweetheart!" She hugs inward, bringing two clasped hands under her chin as if to give her late son's best friend a hug through the many barriers that separate them. Her nails are done, but her wedding ring is gone. "Your teachers told me that you're allowed to speak English again! That's good! I can quit taking Sign Language lessons." Trying to coax up a laugh, she doesn't even seem to be able to manage one through her own sadness. Her painted lips curve into a goofy, lopsided smile. The request is a surprise to Jack, the invisible teen wondering who would want to talk to him. When he answers the request and adjusts the camera to make sure it points at him even if all it sees is clothing, he's surprised again. Sure he's talked to Sergio's family before but he thought they'd be busy today. A small, unseen smile curls his lips and the empty hood nods. "Merry Christmas, ma'am," he replies. "I think the lessons might still be mandatory around here even if we can speak again." “I don’t know how you can learn it so easily, you all are so much smarter than I am,” Mrs. Kaluhiokalani’s eyebrows raise up into her forehead pointedly, “How are you holding up, Jackie?” She tilts her head, causing her sparkly earrings to swing back and forth. “I was thinking about you and just had to call! /Quarantined for Christmas!/” The woman blinks theatrically, then leans in to whisper, “Are you Jewish? I can’t tell because you’re invisible.” Good ol’ politically correct holiday family time! Looks like cleaning up this mess it Jack’s job, now. "I don't know if it was easy. I was doing a lot of studying to make sure I could learn it," Jack replies. He rubs the back of his neck when called Jackie and shrugs a bit. "I'm...holding up I guess. Still working on the how," he says with a nod. The big reaction and the whisper make him pause and give a little laugh. "Ah...no, ma'am. I'm not...really anything religion-wise." Sergio's mom gives a heaved sigh at that information, leaning back to a normal distance from the computer screen once more, "Me, either. Not really, anyway." Gently removing a strand of hair from her field of vision, she considers before speaking, "I can't even imagine living through what is happening out there. After everything all of you kids are already dealing with." Her long, fake lashes blink away some mistiness, "I called to check on you but also to let you know we've discussed it - Sergio's father and I-" Her fingers search her thin, naked fingers for her ring, "-well, I wanted to know what your plans were. For your future." She gulps, blinking harder in an attempt to not ruin her mascara, "We have money saved for college. ...I just, think that it's what he would have wanted." Mrs. Kaluhiokalani brings up a hand to fan at her eyes, "I'm sorry I- If you wanted to go, I wanted you to know that I'm-/we're/ going to be there to help you." Jack makes a little amused noise and nods again. "There's lots of people that way. Here too," he says, leaning back as well. His shoulders tense a little though and his gaze flicks away. "It's...probably better to imagine nicer things," he says quietly. He looks up looking as confused as empty clothes can when Sergio's mother begins speaking again. When she reveals what she and Mr. Kaluhiokalani were talking about and makes that offer, he almost falls off his chair. Eyes wide and jaw dropped...not that anyone can tell...he stares for a long few moments. "I...oh man...I..." he trails off, trying to get words to work. "I...thank you, ma'am...I don't know about the future though," he eventually says. "I mean...finding a college that will even take me...and I haven't thought about," he lets out a breath, lifting a hand to scrub down his face which ends up more like an empty sleeve gesturing at an empty hood. "Well...before I ended up here, I didn't think much about anything related to schooling or the future..." “Stop calling me ma’am, it makes me feel fat and old,” The woman on the other end of the video-chat holds up her palm, “If you say that you want to go to college, Jack. ...we will figure it out. And we will find a place that will take you, together.” Her affirmation seems to have calmed her away from tears, at least. Nodding as much to herself as to Jack, she gulps, “And as soon as the quarantine is lifted, we’ll send you your presents.” Her head bobs playfully in another tilt that causes her earrings to bounce. She offers a mischievous smile. "Ah...Lo Siento," Jack murmurs, rubbing the back of his neck again. "It's a habit," he admits. Something drilled into him back before his mutation kicked in. "I...I'll think about it. The college thing," he eventually adds with a nod. There's a matching gulp from the invisible teen as he tries to process this news. He wonders if maybe he passed out at the keyboard and is having a strange dream for a moment. "Wait...presents?" he asks, hood tilting to the side quizzically. Nope, he wasn't expecting any gifts. "It's Christmas!" Mrs. Kaluhiokalani raises both hands, shrugging. She looks this way and that, as if to get confirmation from the empty home-office she's in, "Of course, we got you presents." The woman's easy smile isn't so different from her son's, and it spreads over her entire face. "Listen, I'm supposed to be helping in the kitchen so I should go back downstairs but-" She stares into the screen sincerely, "Please, if you ever need to talk. I will always drop everything. I'm a mom," again, she looks around helplessly for comedic effect as if looking for a way out, "It's my job." "Huh," Jack lets out a breath, glancing around as well. There's a few other students in other parts of the room but no one paying attention to him. "Um...thank you. You didn't have to..." he trails off, smiling even if it can't be seen. He can't help but notice that familiar smile and it brings a little pang of sadness. He shakes it off though, nodding. "I will, Mrs. Kaluhiokalani," he says. "Thank you...and Merry Christmas." "Merry Christmas," Sergio's mother answers, leaning in to plant a fat kiss on the tiny camera of her home computer, "Be strong, ku'uipo. This too shall pass." Leaning back, she flaps a childish wave and sighs before she disconnects. The chat screen goes dark. Jack blinks a few times and snickers as the camera is kissed, shaking his head. He can imagine how the camera will need a quick cleaning and readjusting after that. As the chat goes dark, Jack lets out a breath and leans back. Eventually he closes the window and starts packing stuff up. On the other side, in sunny Hawai’i, Mrs. Kaluhiokalani sits in her chair for a long time. She stares at the blank screen, then her hands. Eventually, her attention drifts to the small wall-mounted picture just above the family computer of her dead son. Plucking it off of the nail, she holds it to her chest as she wobbles over to the nearby pull-out futon, where she curls up around it. Yes, she’s supposed to help in the kitchen. No, nobody actually expects her to.