New Job

== Revised text ==
Date/Timing: 5 January 2019
Setting: Griet & Pietr's home; Koffiefontein, FS, South Africa
.
Griet's mobile buzzes twenty-one-thirty.
She turns from preparing a shopping list to the laptop, taps her fingertips on the kitchen table.
The computer chimes happily.
She accepts the video connection.
Pietr waves, blows a kiss. ::::I love you!::::
Griet blows a kiss of her own. ::I love you, too!::
::::How are the babies?::::
::Sleeping like angels. Elize pedaled all the way to Poppie and Nonnie's house and Izzy figured out how to draw a circle on his own.::
::::Had fun?::::
Griet nods—yawns.
Pietr deflates. ::::Running you ragged.::::
Griet waves it away.
Pietr grimaces. ::::Wish I could help.::::
::You /are helping and you'll make up for this when they're teenagers,:: she reassures.
::::You're evil.:::: Pietr pouts.
::You love me for it.::
He huffs. ::::There are other reasons, you know.::::
::Of course.:: She grins.
Pietr does, too.
::You might be getting a new job?:: she ventures. ::Jaeger pilot?::
Pietr chews his lip and nods.
::How—?::
He grins sheepishly, signals for a moment, aims the webcam at a young redhead sleeping on the couch.
The bulldog at the kid's feet snorts—jerks awake, yawns mightily, settles back down.
Pietr reappears.
::Because of him?::
Pietr nods. ::::Chuck. He needs a copilot and the Marshal thinks I can do it.::::
Griet frowns. ::Isn't he a little young for a solider?::
Pietr ducks his head. ::::Kinda?::::
::How old /is he?::
::::Fifteen.::::
::Fif—!:: Griet blinks rapidly, then her mouth hardens. ::He really /is a kid!::
::::I know, Honeybee. That's why I want to help him.::::
::You already /have children!::
Pietr runs a hand through his hair, then takes a deep breath, squares himself up. ::::Rangers make twice what I do now. Two years as a pilot will let us save /so much more.::::
Griet slouches. ::Dandelion ....::
::::I know, I know.:::: Pietr's hands flutter in frustration.::::But we really need the money and Chuck really needs me.:::: He smiles faintly. ::::And I'm really good at winning fights.::::
She raises an eyebrow. ::You've never fought a monster, Pietr.::
::::The giant Russian was close?::::
Griet snorks. ::Very funny.:: Tucks a stray lock of hair behind her ear. ::Isn't being a pilot dangerous?::
::::They get banged around a bit.:::: He shrugs. ::::It's really not too different from what I've been doing, except they get to wear armour and there aren't monsters every day.::::
::Unless you're in Russia.::
Pietr laughs. ::::Except in Russia.::::
Category:Ficlet
Category:Koffiefontein (setting)
Category:Conversations via video
Category:Griet
Category:Griet (ficlet)
Category:Pietr
Category:Pietr (ficlet)
Category:Chuck H
Category:Chuck H (ficlet)
Category:Chuck H (description)
Category:Elize (mention)
Category:Izzy (mention)
Category:Nguyen (mention)
Category:Aleksis (mention)
Category:Skeleton Key
Category:Ficlets with comments
Category:Val (mention)
Category:Rianne (mention)
Category:Ficlets with tweaks
Category:Ficlets with images