Scene - Lesson Learned: Part 2 - Ren

Henri smiled.

"Hush, baby. We won't be telling anyone, and we only want to help you."

He brushed hair from her face. "S'okay sweetheart. Happens ta tha best of us. More worried about ya than anythin'."

"I'm okay." She was trying to convince someone, and it likely wasn't James or Henry.

Henrietta smiled. For the moment, she'd pretend that everything actually was okay.

"Why don't we make Jim make us breakfast, and I'll either cut your hair or braid it up, your choice."

He didn't look happy to let her go. But he sat up. Brushed hair out of her face. "I've got just tha thing." He kissed Ren's forehead. "Let me get that started." Rose from the bed in one smooth motion.

Her fingers slid across his chest as he got up. She flopped back down on the pillows, allowing her to stare up at the ceiling.

"Breakfast sounds nice. Thank you, Jim."

She was still trying to decide about her hair.

He grinned. Then slipped out of the room. They could hear his footsteps down the hall. He whistled for the dogs who came bounding out of the room with him. The sounds of a sliding door opening were heard.

She moved so that she wasn't crowding Ren, but didn't leave the bed yet.

"Well, love, I think it's time we decided what to do with your beautiful hair. I can teach you ways of keeping it long, but still not allowing it's length to be used against you."

"I'd like to learn." She said softly.

She smiled and scooted out of the bed, then held a hand out for the girl.

"Then come learn from mama Brujah, for she has much to teach you."

She spoke in a tone that suggested she was both serious, and ever so slightly making a joke to keep the mood light.

Ren took her hand and scooted out of the bed, still clad in a pair of pajamas that were far too large for her. IT only heightened the effect of her being young and fragile as she yanked the legs up as much as she could to keep from tripping over them. Not that she was prone to tripping.

Henri chuckled and knelt down to roll the legs up so that she didn't have to yank them.

"You want to get dressed before I teach you all I know about hair?"

She made a short hunt of the bedroom, and came up with her clothes.

"Found them."

She handed them over with a smile, then turned to peruse the DVD collection, giving Ren the semblance of privacy while not leaving the room.

It didn't take her long to change back to her own clothing. She even neatly folded his and set it on the chair before she started making the bed.

"I'm dressed."

Soon the smell of cooking bacon reached the bedroom. Along with the soft voice of Jim as he seemed to be practicing singing.


('Singing': 5 successes)

She turned and smiled.

"Why don't we go down to the kitchen and watch Jim cook while I work on your hair?"

She finished up with the bed.

"Sure." She offered the woman a tense smile, it warmed a little when she heard Jim singing.

Henri nodded, tucking Ren's hand into her elbow and guiding the girl to the kitchen. She smiled and the large Brujah as they entered the kitchen.

"I take everything I said last night back. The next time we watch Disney, you can feel free to sing along."

He looked over from where he sliced fruit that he was adding to a large bowl. "Told ya I sing just fine."

"Can I help with anything?" She asked softly.

He turned. Had an apron tied around his hips and everything. He shook his head. Flipped bacon. "I got it. Thank ya though sweetheart."

Henri pulled out a chair and pointed down at it.

"Ren, you sit here. Jim, you got a normal brush and some hair ties around here some place?"

He laughed. "Bathroom mama. Under tha sink. Box in there. Got some of Griselda's old stuff there."

"There's some in my..." She fell silent. She hadn't even had a chance to grab her phone when she'd been hauled out of her office. Her bag, her laptop...everything was still there.