(1941-07-30) I Have Come For Your Leftovers
Details for I Have Come For Your Leftovers
Summary: After a Pub Crawl with His Boys(tm) Gavin arrive at his In-Law's Fish & Chip Shop with a large appetite.
Date: July 31st, 1941
Location: Hind's Fish and Chips
Related: -
Characters
GavinKatie

It is a summer night. The weather is cool and raining.


Hind's Fish & Chips is still considered a fledgling business by many, having only been opened twenty years ago, but it's become a popular mainstay in Waterloo. The shop front is an eye-catching, bright yellow, with large windows that open the shop up for natural light as well as giving passers by a view into the tidy interior. In fair weather the door is propped open, allowing the scent of fried fish and sweet puddings to waft temptingly out. There are only three tables, as most orders are for take away, but they are well polished and gleaming, each ringed by four wooden chairs. Cream coloured walls lend a brightness to the small restaurant that is needed, for lack of artificial light, and are bare but for one picture of King George. The floor is plain black and white tiles.

The service counter is at the back of the shop, one end dominated by a brand new metal cash register. Behind the counter is a window into the kitchen, where orders are placed when complete. Near to the service counter is an easeled chalkboard, where each day's offerings are listed. While they always include fish, sides and desserts, the selections vary depending on what is available that day. Everything is hand made by the family, and the fish is fresh every morning from a local fishmonger. The batter for the fried fish is lightly seasoned, adding to the flavour rather than detracting from the fish itself, the chips are twice-fried to be crunchy on the outside and fluffy inside, and the mushy peas are suitably mushy.


Nearing closing time on Saturday, Katie is in the dining room of the chippy, leaning lightly on a broom as she stands talking to an elderly couple who stop by for dinner regularly. There's a smile on her face as she says, "No, it's never a problem, don't give it a thought. I'm sure yeh'll have a lovely time an' I'll see to it that little Augie gets food and water." "Thank you, dear," says the woman, looking pleased. "I'm happy t'help, Missus Wash." Katie backs up a step, "I'll leave yeh t'finish in peace."

Gavin returns a flirty little wave of the wiggly fingers back to Mrs. Wash who spies him coming in. "Bonnie as the Summer Dew." He compliments the elderly woman. "That's a crackin' new hat sir." Mr. Wash is also not safe from the in good spirits scotsman. "And ye, the gingersnap of my dreams!" He hurries his steps to scoop up his wife for a twirling hug. The vapors off of him tell-tale why he's in good spirits. Scotch and Cigarettes a thick scent on him. Must have been pub crawling with the boys. "Goddess of the Fish n' Chips. Would you bless your lowly worshiper with a basket?"

Katie laughs, the broom dropping to the floor as her arms go around Gavin's neck. "Hallo, my Monkey." The compliments have Mrs. Wash blushing like a schoolgirl and Mr. Wash tutting proudly as he brushes a speck that doesn't exist from the smart fedora's peak on the table beside them. Regaining her feet, Katie's nose twitches at the familiar signs of his goings on before his arrival. One hand cups his face softly, and she grins. "Since yeh've asked so nicely." But before she can turn, the door to the kitchen flaps open and Mary bustles in. "Is that our Gavin then?" she asks, although she can see him perfectly well. She steps up without reservation, giving him a kiss on the cheek. As quick as her daughter to catch the signs, she teases lightly as she steps back, "And I do believe you've brought an appetite."

Gavin kisses the air when his mother in law kisses his cheek in a return of the affection. "Aye, the usual basket of left-overs for the day would be brilliant. Starving. Wasting away right before your very eyes. Only doing what I can do to make sure nothing goes to waste, ken?" He gives a big grin, drunk and goofy." Then he playfully warns, "Simon and the boys may be along." He is uncertain if they'll make it to Waterloo in their continuation of the pub crawl.

Mary swats lightly at Gavin with a dishtowel deftly plucked from the pocket of her apron. "Poor boy, so very noble." As her mother and husband banter, Katie bends to retrieve the broom. The Washes are beginning to gather themselves up, finishing the last few bites of their meal. "It'll be lovely to see them if they find their way," she says airily as she turns, more expecting them to get waylaid in a pub. Katie rubs her hand lightly on Gavin's arm, "Have a seat, love." She leaves him to it for a moment, leaning the broom against the wall, then moving to check on the Washes. He has hat in hand, the other reaching to help his wife to her feet. "We're fine, Katie," he says before she can even ask. "Another wonderful meal, give our regards to your father." Katie nods, "Aye, I will do. If yeh drop the key during the week, I'll make sure t'check on Augie." They both offer warm goodbyes to Gavin on their way out; once past the threshold Mr. Wash puts his hat on his head, then gives it a light tug to set it at a somewhat rakish angle.

Gavin removes his uniform jacket and make sure his cap isn't going to fall out of the pocket when he hangs it on the back of the chair. A fond farewell is given to the elderly couple. When Mr. Wash gets his hat on just right Gavin sets to an appreciative applause. "Perfect and dashing. Spot on!" Sitting at his usual table he fiddles with the napkin and plays about with the condiments on the table. It's a typical Gavin thing to do while he waits for his food. "Relationship goals right there. Taking care of their cat/dog? Going on Holiday?"

Katie's gone to the counter to put the broom in the cupboard, talking to Gavin from there. "They're such sweet old things. I'm going to look in on their cat while they're away for three days to the countryside. Missus has a sister there, and they haven't visited since before." Before what is fairly obvious just by looking out the door at the rubble still cluttering up many streets. "Stiff upper lip and all that, they wouldn't dare go out of town during the worst of it." Katie tries to remain optimistic that the worst is over and the war will be won any day. "Would yeh like tea or coffee?"

Gavin murrs out a pleasant, "That's nice." Before he rubs at his face in his hands with his elbows on the table. It's only a half-joke when he answers, "Both. Turned into a light weight, ye ken? Spoiled me and distracted me and now here I am, tapping out early and neeing tea and coffee both to get my pep back."

Katie fills a cup with coffee, then puts a pot of tea with another cup on a tray with it. Hefting it easily to carry across to him, she smirks, "Odd that. I've never seemed to find yeh lackin' in pep." She sets cups and pot out before Gavin, setting the tray on an empty table close at hand.

Gavin laughs and when she's within reach and without hot beverages in hand he reaches with a monster's rarr to pull her onto his lap and give her cheek a kiss and then a pretend chewing at her neck. But the drunk loses that brand of pep quickly and he just rests. Settling his chin down on her shoulder and tilting his head against hers. "I should find time to sneak along with ye. It's been a while since we enjoyed someone elses flat…" Innuendo as thick as his lushy brogue.

Katie's giggle comes with the pull and she plops into his lap, squirming a bit as his 5 o'clock shadow scratching lightly at her skin, then resting her head against his. Her fingers skim through his hair, smoothing it back. "Naughty boy," she chides, then adds, "I'll leave the door unlocked for yeh, just mind yeh don't let Augie out."

Gavin yawns and then nuzzles back down into her hair and shoulder. "I know my way around a pussy…cat. Dinnae worry. You sure there's nothing I can do to help out tonight?" He might be politely declined most of the time he offers to help out around the business. But that doesn't stop him from offering. Wanting only to show that he's invested in the Family Business too and wants to learn.

There's a rumbling voice to answer the question, "You'd be helping by eating this." Despite their being married, Katie still slips from Gavin's lap like a guilty young girl. She steps around behind him, hands light on his shoulders as Daniel laughs, putting the heaped plate down. "Exactly," Katie agrees, letting her hands knead for a moment. Then she leans, and stage whispers, "An' yer in no shape t'be drivin' a broom." There's a quick peck to his cheek.

Gavin straightens up himself where he sits with quickly vacated lap. "Ahmm, sir. Yes sir." One of the hands on his shoulders are reached for and gently squeezed. "I think I would surprise you. The things you learn in the army when it comes to multi-tasking. Am I right sir?" With a big smile he tries as bast as he can to one handedls construct his 'sushi roll' out of the restaurants excess at this point in the night.

Katie delicately pulls her hands away, freeing up both of Gavin's for him to continue construction unhampered. "You are, but you do enough without being put to work here as well," Daniel says. He sits down with Gavin, claiming Katie's as yet untouched cup of tea with no protest from his daughter. She eases away to let them talk, going into the kitchen to help Mary. "How are things on base?" Daniel asks, his eyes curious on Gavin.

Gavin picks up his sweetly delivered drink and takes a gulp to wash his first large bite down. "They are as good as can be expected sir." He knocks on the wooden table before continuing. "Seems like the worst of the bobmings have passed, so we're mostly working on clean up and defusing." The next bite is a smaller on so he can more easily continue the conversations. "Feels like this work won't be done til ye have a grandchild on your lap for the last time we have this talk."

Daniel nods understandingly, taking a sip of tea himself. "It will end, son. It is more pleasant, without the constant bombs raining down on us." A bit of an exaggeration, to be sure, but the difference is still marked, and an understatement in the same thought. The elder man sighs and pushes to his feet, reaching to give Gavin a light clap on the shoulder. "You know, if you ate it slower you might actually taste it." He smirks, the quirk of lips so much like Katie's, and ambles back into the kitchen. Gavin is left in peace to eat for a few minutes, before Katie returns, reaching back to loosen the knot of her apron. "Everything alright then, Monkey?" she asks of his meal and his well being.

Gavin chuckles and cleans his mouth with his napkin. "Yes sir. Sorry sir. Mess Hall Habits." At least he no longer has one arm on the table protectively wrapped around his place setting like he once did. "Delicious as always." Of course a few minutes is all he really needs to finish his basket. That's him taking it slow too. "Grand Duck. Let me take this back into the kitchen for a wash up and then I'll take ye home?" He stands up and begins to pile and organize his dirty dishes for a quick lift and wash up as promised.

There's no protest to the offer of help this time, but Katie can't resist noting, "Yeh do realize that Mum would sooner hobble yeh than t'let yeh near the washtub, don't yeh darlin' mine?" Her amusement is clear, and she gives her apron a shake before folding it over her arm. "I'll get my things." Accompanying him back to the kitchen there is the expected protest and victory for Mary over the dishes, and Katie gets her purse from a drawer in the back. "Our Jen's in on Monday then," Mary reminds Katie, "So I'll see you again on Tuesday. Give us a ring, love." There are kisses for each, a handshake from Daniel for Gavin and a hug for Katie before the pair are released on their way for the evening.

Unless otherwise stated, the content of this page is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 License