(no subject)

[very_sharpe]

Thomas is... excited. He's nervous, but it's a good kind of nervous. When he gets dressed that morning, he thinks about something that might be flattering and still casual. Biffy pointed out that most of what he wears is flattering, but still. He chooses a green button down, because the color will reflect in his eyes, and a pair of dark blue jeans. The sleeves end up rolled up to his elbows because he knows it's warm outside, rather warmer than he's used to but he doesn't mind.

He waits, because he feels like he ought, until about lunch time. Then he calls Edith.

"Hello, Edith? I was wondering if you would come to look at something with me. I could come pick you up, if you like."

Thomas doesn't have a car, but he could meet her at her building and walk with her, it wouldn't be a trouble.

Comments

[very_sharpe]

"I can't either," he admits, his smile brightening. "Do you think people will come?" Edith had seen the odds and ends he'd made in his attic workshop. This would certainly be a nicer place to make them - even the work room in the back had plenty of sun from a skylight.

[ghostsarereal]

"I can't imagine why they wouldn't," Edith says earnestly, one shoulder lifting in a slight shrug. "Really, I'm sure you'll do wonderfully. I'm not sure I've seen any other places like this will be." Perhaps in some ways, they're products of their time, the both of them, but more than a hundred years in their future, she can see how that might be used to their advantage. People are bound to walk in out of curiosity alone, and buy something because they haven't seen anything like it anywhere else. It's more advantageous than if he were just one of many.

[very_sharpe]

"I rather hope so. I'm wondering if I should hire on a person or two to help me in the shop. I don't have a lot of proper retail experience, do I?"

He laughs, a bit self-deprecating.

"This feels very new but I want it to work."

[ghostsarereal]

"You could always see how it goes at first," Edith suggests, "and then if you find you could use the help, look into hiring. Someone to stay up front with the customers while you're working in the back, maybe." There's no sense in planning too far ahead just yet, at least as far as she can tell, but it's also easy to imagine this place doing well enough to warrant needing an extra set of hands around.

[very_sharpe]

"I think I might at least need that, if I get popular enough to need stock." Thomas has also been thinking he could take custom orders - it sounds like a good challenge, working with people directly to create something. The idea excites him very much.

"I should thank you," he says. "This wouldn't be real without you."

[ghostsarereal]

"Without me?" Edith echoes, an amused laugh rising up in her throat. "I didn't even know you'd done any of this until today. There's nothing to thank me for." The whole prospect is thrilling, though, and even with a ways to go, she can't wait to see what this place is like once it's open.

[very_sharpe]

"You made it seem possible. I mean, back when-- back in Allerdale. Even before that. You made me want another life. Something better. Something I made myself. And you liked my little tinker toys."

He remembers how special it felt to have her in his attic, even if the place had been dismal. He'd like sharing things with her, showing her the things that made him happy.

[ghostsarereal]

"Of course I did," Edith says, as if that should only stand to reason. She knows it's more complicated than that, that there's more at play, but for her, it's always been that simple. Ever since she first saw his demonstration for her father, she was impressed with what he could do, and the same was just as true of the toys in his workshop. "People here will, too. I'm sure of it."