Before The Beginning

Chapter 4: "You Too?"

Begin!

~Karen's POV

"You seem to be in a strangely good mood today."

"I am? Oh, I must have not realized..."

Sammie rolled her eyes at me behind her glasses and casually continued flipping through the pages of her magazine. I didn't notice if I was acting different. I was still thinking about that charming gentleman I met the other day. Something drew me to him as if it were fate. Bea likes to say that I'm something of a hopeless romantic. Hell, when her brother Isaac started dating our friend Josephine, and eventually married her, I called them "Jossac" as their ship name. Yes, I'm that kind of friend.

"So what's his name?"

I blinked, "Huh?"

"The name of the guy you were just thinking of."

"Sammie I-"

"Honey, I don't give a shit about timing, you met someone I want to know what happened. Don't worry about offending me," She chuckled.

I opened my mouth to protest, but she gave me a "don't bother denying it" look. I sighed in defeat, "Quinten Quagmire..."

She thought for a moment. "Tall, good-looking, neat black hair, wide green eyes?"

"Yeah that's him," I replied.

"I've seen him around." Sammie smiled, "He's usually hangs around Bertrand Baudelaire. They're close friends."

Well that was quite obvious. They looked to me like people who had known each other a long time. "Do you know him well?"

"I heard he worked in engineering, and his family owns a fortune of sapphires, but that's it. If you want more you're going to have to charm him up directly."

"Sammie!"

She shrugged, "Just being honest."

It was now my turn to roll my eyes. I glanced at the clock wondering when Bea would get here. She's usually never late.

"What's taking Bea so long?"

"She was out for a job last night. Don't worry she'll come around soon enough."

"Isn't your boy usually around here at this hour, or is he on a job?" I tried to hide the fact that I knew Sammie was perfectly capable of being alone for a few hours, regardless of how protective her son was of her.

"Fernald had to get up early to do some work with his mentor. And don't you worry about me; I've been through this before, and I'm nowhere near the point of not being able to take care of myself yet."

Damn it, she saw right through me! I smiled, "You're right, and who did he get as his mentor anyway?"

"Captain Widdershins."

I've met the captain before; he was a giddy weirdo, but he was a good guy who could be trusted. "Does Fernald say he's weird, like other people do?"

"Yes, but I haven't met him yet so I wouldn't know. But I'm sure I will eventually. Lots of apprentices have their mentor meet their parents, if they're able, if anything so we know our kids are in capable hands."

"Not everyone gets a perfect mentor," I said, "But I don't think you'll have any trouble from John."

Sammie nodded in agreement and dropped her gaze back to her magazine. Upon which, the door opened and Bea came in smiling at us.

"I had a very interesting job last night..." She said.

"Oh? Please enlighten us..." I replied jokingly.