Some Things Are Inexcusable

Writers: Clancey, Jelena
Date Posted: 28th March 2013

Characters: Sinla, Makarl
Description: Makarl comes home, all unsuspecting. What's new about that?
Location: Amber Hills Hold
Date: month 13, day 28 of Turn 6

"Sinla, children! Hullo! I am home from a very successful trip. My
patron loved the piece, of course, .and even paid me a bonus for the
timely fashion in which I finished the work. " The Master Jeweler came
into his cozy home, expected happy smiles and a hug from his wife, and
also expecting her to be pleased. She was always pleased when he
received a bonus, though, he had to admit that he had no idea what she
did with those extra marks.

He just handed them over, and things appeared. Nice things.

The absentminded jeweler was not absentminded about his Craft. But
most of the nuances of life escaped him.

So he had no clear idea that he had forgotten Sinla's birthingday.

Every turn, he produced a one-of-a-kind piece for his beautiful wife,
and marked it with the date, and the turns they'd been married. She
seemed to enjoy them. He had been working on a piece for her - they
took him many months - but he had lost track of the days and months in
the midst of a very busy time.

But he had not even remembered to leave a note or presents....

"Sinla? Love?"

Sinla was seated in her favourite chair, her eyes directed at a shirt
she was mending. The look on her face spelled no good and she ignored
her husband until she had finished her stitches. Only then did she
look up with a dead serious expression. "Hello husband."

She had come up with many a reason why she had heard nothing from him,
had received no note or present whatsoever on her birthingday. But the
obvious possibilty was, of course, that he had simply forgotten. And
she wouldn't take that from him.

Makarl wasn't that bright where it concerned his wife's moods.

He could, however, tell she was unhappy. She usually had at least a
smile for him when he came home.

He paused by Sinla and smiled again. "Hello wife. My trip was very
successful. I was even given a bonus.... " He paused when there
was no reaction right away. "How were things at home?"

He really had forgotten then, and was oblivious still. "How wonderful
for you," she replied coldly. "Things were quiet at home. I must say
my birthingday was a bit bland this turn."

He was mostly oblivious to everything except his work, but that
statement sunk home.

It took a few moments for him to respond, and even then, he sounded
dumbfounded.

"...birthingday..." He frowned and shook his head. "It can' t be...
I'm not finished with your present..." His frown deepened and the
cloudiness cleared briefly from his eyes.

"I forgot didn't I?" He said it almost as a statement, not asking,
and immediately went into apologetic mode. He had not finished her
present yet though....

"I'm so sorry Sinla! So sorry!" He sounded rather pathetic, almost
like a child apologizing for something he couldn't have stopped.

Sinla shook her head, his reaction only making things worse in her
eyes. Why had she ever married this idiot? Why had she given up her
life, her youth and all she could have done to be the wife of some...
some dim-witted child in a grown man's body? Clenching her fists she
looked up at him coldly. "I'm sure you are, Makarl."

The Master Jeweler flinched from her tone. He that never flinched
from a customer's requests, or comments if they thought _his_ work was
less than perfect.

He flinched, but then he recovered with a hint of annoyance.

"I said I was sorry. I work very hard to ... keep you... and our
children... in a fine style, and I get busy sometimes. And I've
never forgotten before, have I? I am very sorry. I have been
working on your present for at least two months.... so I didn't forget
_completely_..." He paused, his rebellion dying as soon as it had
begun. "Can I make it up to you, please? A nice dinner? A trip?
Anything...."

Sinla had looked at him, for a moment wondering about the small spark
of rebellion. He had had passion once, she was sure of it, how else
could she have chosen to marry him back then? But it died out like a
simmering candle before she could put her finger on it an she sighed.
"Whatever, Makarl, it's just a birthingday," she shrugged, annoyed
that he asked her to spell out what he should do to make it up. A real
man would know, wouldn't he? Daihmin always seemed to know what to
say... As her mind drifted to her new friend, she felt a small pang of
guilt and looked back at her husband, her expression softening for a
moment as she was torn between the plans she had forged when he as
away and the morals that had always guided her so well. This was the
bed she had made for herself, after all. "Let's forget about it."

He looked at her in consternation for a moment. He was clearly
conflicted. Abide by her wished to 'forget about it' or force the
issue and make it up to her whether she wanted it or not? His eyes
misted slightly as he recalled the first time he'd seen her, and how
he'd quite simply fallen flat out for her. But once married, he lost
track of how to really make her happy. At one time, he'd known.
They had several .... sometimes he forgot exactly how many ...
children. More than two anyway. That would not have happened by
itself...

He sighed finally and nodded. "I do have your present, as always.
I'll just finish it up and leave it. Perhaps you can wear it for
Turnover."

"I am very sorry Sinla. It was inexcusable." He added, touching her
hand very lightly, though he knew his touch... and his presence...
were decidedly unwelcome. He did sound sorry. He was at least, a
kind man. If not a very ... able... husband.

Perhaps he should have stayed away. "I'll just get to work, then."
he said, and that was his way of not continuing the discussion.

Sinla hesitated for a moment, hearing full well how sorry he was in
his voice. But some things were just inexusable, weren't they? He even
said so himself. So she stiffened her resolve. "Yes, you do that,
Makarl, I'll see you at dinner," came her cold reply. It would be a
while until she forgave him on this one.

He disappeared from view, into his work room, and tried to forget how
horrid that chill voice had been from his lovely wife.

Last updated on the April 1st 2013

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Some Things Are Inexcusable