Rabbit Hole Carnival: Meanings

“I would like it on record.” Cel said, dropping a note. “That the single reason I'm even giving this note to you is so I have the answer only you say.”

“What’s on note?” Joshua asked.

“Should we be asking?” Cody said.

A question Renee answered by tearing the note up. “So daddy finished his drink idea, anyone wanna try it?”

“I’ll take one.” Susie replied. 

“Me too.” Cody said.

“Just get one for the four of us already.” Joshua said.

Cel just nodded, and they let Renee go behind the counter to work before she sighed as she came back. “Okay what is it?”

“Jojo, and Cody here seem pretty insistent that you should at least read the note.” Cel replied. “Me and Susie think you made your choice a long time ago. Is the gist anyways,”

“Such a typical divide.” Renee said. “Cel, repaired the note?” Renee watched as she did, and before she even finished. “Renee. I love you, and I’m sorry. You’re right, and I was wrong that night. Please come back, and let's work this out together. Signed Mike”

“Yeah.” Susie replied. “Pretty much exactly what it says. Which means it’s just kind of a pattern, huh?”

“There’s no kind of about it.” Nick replied, as he walked in. “it’s the way he is, and the way he has been for a while now. I got the same notes many times, and it sounds like it was fine to just never give them to you?”

“More than fine, daddy.” Renee replied. “Had quite enough of him and his patterns.”

“Any pointers on how patterns might shape up going forward?” Cel asked.

“Just don’t give his notes.” Renee replied. “Tell about them if you really need to, but he trying to fix things that are long past broke, and they are not coming back. If that scares him, he should thought about that.”

“Why doesn’t that apply to me?” Joshua asked.

“Jojo did you ever once? One time, think  to say that I wasn’t worth the time of day?” Renee said. “Yes you implied plenty of times, and tried to mean it.”

“But I was still there, and there’s still the matter of when and why I changed.” Jojo said. “It was a lot of rough years, and… as you implied many times I thought somewhere in you was the answer.”

“And emotions are hard, and I get that, I do.” Renee said. “But there’s a difference in a cry for help, and just straight shouting to my mom that I wasn’t worth keeping.”

“Wait, what?” Susie replied.

“Is that why Nick made this?” Cody asked.

“Something in finally talking about that inspired his solution, to a degree, but no.” Renee replied. “Daddy made this out of his own desire to welcome me to this bar, and watching me make so many drinks.”

“And if that answer changes he’ll own up to it.” Cel replied. “As would the two of you, which having met Mike once is a massive difference”

“You do all remember the jokes of one redhead bringing in another don’t you?” Renee asked. “You didn’t think there was a reason for that?”

“How did it go, Pen?” Cel said. “He said something that left quite an impression on me.”

“When did you get good enough to have friends over? Go hang out at the arcade or something.” Renee replied. “Something like that. I remember us doing so, and it was a far better time than we would have had at mine house. That, and the words I wanna show you something.”

“I would have at least bothered to be clever with my insults,” Joshua replied. “I trusted you enough to do that."

“No, Jojo. You did bother to be clever with your insults, because you did trust me enough.” Renee said. “And that’s more of a difference than you may ever know. Much like still being around and still finding a home.”

“And here you two are fixing so much, yet so much of your world is broken.” Susie replied. “You wonder why I trust you two with tea.”