February 11, 2018 – 7:09 PM
Last modified: February 11, 2018 – 7:14 PM by Baxter Keene.
Baxter Keene — Played by Bee
Hospital Gala - December 31st, 1887
Ever since he had been informed of his new position, Baxter felt as if he was just kind of floating. Though the director's slot had been vacant for a short while and there were several qualified candidates, Baxter hadn't even dreamed he'd be chosen over his peers. It was both humbling and exciting and though he hadn't thought he'd be the one promoted, Baxter was ready to rise to the challenge.
Apparently so was his sister.
Catherine, upon learning about his promotion had insisted they host something in his honor and Baxter had to beg and plead with her not to make it about him. He'd had to fabricate and implement an idea he'd planned on waiting to start until after he was more settled into the director slot right on the spot to get her to relent. So now, even though they were still having a gala hosted by the hospital and somewhat in his name, Baxter could instead shift the focus to the new fund he'd set up to support families who struggled to pay for their medical care. It wasn't a radically new idea, but he wanted to make it more readily available to accessible to those who really needed it and that started with drawing attention to it and fundraising for it! Fortunately, Catherine rather thought that was good for his image, so she took it and ran with it. She ran so far as to plan the entire party and he barely had to lift a finger.
He had however, made an instant effort, once the details were ironed out, to share the news with Mrs. Potter and to invite her to join him this evening. It made him nervous to think about it, but he was far too practiced it waiting, the promotion had vaulted him forward and he was going to try to keep the momentum going, both professionally and personally. The night was still young and he'd spoken with a great many people offering their congratulations, all the while keeping a look out for Odira as he went.
@'Odira potter'
Aldous Crouch
![[Image: 33xh0N.png]](https://*****.host/33xh0N.png)
I may never actually change this set by MJ
February 11, 2018 – 7:10 PM
Odira Keene — Played by Kayte
With the children safe abed under the watchful eye of their nanny, Odira Potter was free to take a rare evening out. Though seldom one for balls herself, that Mr. Keene had extended the invitation had meant she had little choice but to accept, for she would never deny her friend and so seldom was able to spend time with the busy gentleman. That he had now been promoted all but ensured she would never see him again—a bit of a dramatic declaration, she knew—which only added to the imperative.
Clad in a simple but well-constructed lavender ball gown, the tall brunette craned her neck to search for the gentleman of the hour, and her efforts were quickly rewarded. As quickly as her skirts would allow without looking like some sort of taffeta’ed gazelle, she moved across the floor until she was able to come to a halt at his side.
“I am hardly an expert on such things, but I must say your sister throws an excellent function,” Odira offered by way of greeting, smiling shyly at Mr. Keene. Promotion suited him, she thought, and for all he was not one for events such as this, he looked very dapper indeed. That, she thought wryly, was a pity for him—between his new position and his handsome appearance, doubtless half the debutantes present would be trying to sink their teeth into him tonight!
If I could marry Bee I would but I can't so I ship our characters instead.
February 11, 2018 – 7:14 PM
Baxter Keene — Played by Bee
Though Mrs. Potter had indeed said she'd attend this evening, Baxter was starting to wonder if something last minute had come up. Admittedly she should have been easy to find in a crowd, given her height which made him self-conscious but he couldn't help but to worry that perhaps she had been unable to attend after all. If that were the case, he would have been lying if he'd said he wasn't disappointed.
It wasn't as if he could hold it against her, nor did he truly know that she was unable to attend and perhaps it was just his anxiety talking, but he was slowly resigning himself to the fact that maybe he had missed her. It was still early in the evening after all, he was worrying about nothing. It was odd how a many who was now expected to run the hospital (which he felt confident about) could not seem to grasp any such confidence in social situations. The gala seemed to be going well and his sister, in all her infinite wisdom had reminded him to smile and make small talk, it made the hospital look good and him by extension.
Turning to find himself something to drink for a quick respite from small talk when a familiar voice sounded to his left. A relieved smile broke out across his features as he turned to Odira with a nod. "I fear if she hears you say that, I will have to endure more of these than I can handle." Catherine had plans and Baxter was not sure he'd be able to get away with saying no. "I'm so glad you could make it." He added, nervous to admit it. "You look lovely." It was also nice to have a familiar face around to which he did not immediately become their boss. He also felt a bit silly now, worried over nothing of course.
I may never actually change this set by MJ
February 11, 2018 – 7:22 PM
Last modified: February 11, 2018 – 7:22 PM by Odira Keene.
Odira Keene — Played by Kayte
About to point out that attending more of ‘these’ would force him to leave the hospital now and again, Odira found herself instead blushing at the compliment. As a rather solitary widow and librarian in spite of her young age, the brunette had few opportunities to ‘dress up’ for functions and their like, finding large groups to be draining since her return to society two years prior. With no lady’s maid employed to assist her, she’d had to make do with a combination of fashion plates and the opinions of friends to see her appropriately attired and done up for the evening, and was pleased that her efforts had not been in vain, even if she found the attention rather embarrassing.
“I could hardly miss your big night, Mr. Keene! And you look rather dashing yourself—leaving the hospital from time to time plainly agrees with you,” Odira teased in response, though her words were entirely in earnest. “I shouldn’t worry too much about your sister, for it is all the other socialites of society that will be hunting you down for this function and those going forward, I would imagine.”
If I could marry Bee I would but I can't so I ship our characters instead.
February 11, 2018 – 7:25 PM
Baxter Keene — Played by Bee
"Well, I am so very pleased you could make it." Baxter added with a little nod. He meant it too. This promotion, while a surprise, actually meant he would likely spend less time at the hospital, or rather that he could if he wanted to. Being in an overseeing position left him lots of room to delegate. Running the hospital itself was meetings and paperwork, of course, but it truly lacked the runaround of being a healer or even a department head.
"We'll see about that." He would no doubt be putting in just as much time as he had before for a while yet. Old habits die hard and all that. Baxter nearly blanched at Odira's comment concerning young socialites. For all his mentions in Witch Weekly, Baxter had never truly considered himself a desirable bachelor, despite their reviews of him. Maybe on paper he looked good, but there was a difference in reality. Not to mention, if he were being honest with himself, he only had interest in one young socialite, specifically the one before him and he was hoping by her blush earlier, that perhaps that feeling might be reciprocated.
Clearing his throat, he tried to make light of it. "Now if that isn't a reason in and of itself to stay at the hospital, I fear I am clearly not the best in such situations." Though he had yet to reach his fortieth birthday, Baxter was starting to feel old at this rate and all the young ladies in the room only made him feel even older. He highly doubted that any young debutante would seriously be considering.
I may never actually change this set by MJ
February 11, 2018 – 7:34 PM
Odira Keene — Played by Kayte
That he might be kept from the talons of women like Calliope was a pleasant notion, but not at the expense of their time together, nor of his well-being. Mr. Keene was far too apt to spend all his time working; Odira was quite certain that it wasn’t altogether healthy for him. It was good, she thought, that her sister insisted on thrusting him so publicly, for all that the wizard was uncomfortable with it.
“But then I should want for your company,” Odira reminded him wryly, “unless you wish some sort of grave injury upon me, in which case I must question your suitability to your new post! Really, though, Mr. Keene, it is nice to see you enjoying life outside of the hospital’s walls. You mustn’t let it consume you so!”
Her smile was mild, but encouraging.
If I could marry Bee I would but I can't so I ship our characters instead.
February 12, 2018 – 1:43 AM
Baxter Keene — Played by Bee
Baxter cast a quick look over the crowd before him before looking back at Odira as she spoke. Were he a younger version of himself he wouldn't have been quite so flustered by her sentiments, but Bax had long ago learned to not jump to conclusions. He was very careful with his own words, almost frustratingly so, though he wished he could be more casual about what he was thinking and simply come up with a witty, flirtatious retort. Nowadays, Odira seemed to be ever so at ease when she spoke that Baxter had to admire that about her.
"I would never wish anything of the sort," He said with a flash of a smile, though the tone was sincere. "Though should you be in want of my company, you need only ask." Preferably, he would rather not share her company with the rest of Hogsmeade if he had a choice, but he wasn't sure that was quite acceptable yet. "I could be persuaded to leave the hospital more often under the right circumstances." He added with a wider smile, a bight more lightness to his words, though they were entirely true.
I may never actually change this set by MJ
February 18, 2018 – 12:43 PM
Odira Keene — Played by Kayte
She would not make herself an imposition, a fact that saw the pair in their current predicament. Mr. Keene might have been a bachelor in the traditional sense, but had been married to his work for as long as Odira had known him (again). While she often wished to see much more of him, the widow did not feel right trying to pry him away from the hospital—bar occasionally and then only, she insisted, for his own health!
"And what circumstances," Odira asked, "might those be, Mr. Keene? Clearly large social gatherings are one such affair, though I suspect you had little say in the matter once your sister became involved." For herself, Odira was quite happy that her more outgoing sisters were underaged or disliked her; Loretta had no inclination to drag her to large social functions.
If I could marry Bee I would but I can't so I ship our characters instead.
February 19, 2018 – 7:31 PM
Baxter Keene — Played by Bee
Bax shuffled his feet a little and tried not to fidget. Sometimes he wished he still had the social confidence of his youth. That was eons ago however, when there was far less pressure on him to focus and to do his job and everything else that went along with it. Now he ran an entire hospital, socializing was not exactly first thing on his list of things to do!
Nevertheless, he could very easily be persuaded into just about anything that wasn't a large social function like this; he was much better in small groups, or even one-on-one. "I'm sure Catherine will have some dinner parties in mind, which are frankly preferable to this." Anything with less than ten people was where Baxter was comfortable, even if he knew that Catherine had every intention of inviting her less-than-married friends to some of them.
"I rather enjoyed our picnic last spring." Though he had been constantly worrying if somebody was being nosy about it, everything had turned out alright in the end, even with the gnomes. "I prefer to socialize on the smaller or individual scale." There that was the gist of it really.
I may never actually change this set by MJ
February 21, 2018 – 2:58 PM
Odira Keene — Played by Kayte
She tried to ignore the fluttering sensation in her belly at the mention of their picnic. It had been an intimate affair, almost familial in nature with Mr. Keene, the nanny, and the children. A glimpse at what could be, if Mr. Keene were ever to be inclined towards her. Well, what could be sans gnome, at least.
“On that, I feel, we are of one mind!” Odira agreed heartily. She could not help but shake the feeling of being something of a sideshow since her return, though if Elsie and Loretta were to be believed—and she had no reason to doubt them!—Odira had never been much for large functions in the first place. “I confess, had this evening been in honour of any other hospital director, I would have been much more inclined to stay at home tonight.”
If I could marry Bee I would but I can't so I ship our characters instead.
March 19, 2018 – 11:46 PM
Odira Keene — Played by Kayte
His comment elicited a melodic, genuine laugh from the witch—not at all like the feigned giggles that the more vapid young women of society preferred to emit around eligible gentlemen. Of course, to Odira, Mr. Keene was not a large trout to be landed; whatever her feelings towards him, he was a wonderful man in his own right and would not be stuffed and placed upon her mantelpiece. Stuffed with food, perhaps, if his sister forced him to spend too much time in society, but that much was, at least, to be expected.
“Perhaps sending your sister to act as a spy of sorts might buy you some time?” Odira suggested. “That is, bid her to go out into society and pick up new and inventive hosting tips to employ on your—that is, on the hospital’s behalf,” she corrected herself quickly, smiling apologetically at the slip. Though she had met the healer’s sister, it was only a passing acquaintance; such a relationship, however, was more than enough to reassure the witch that Mr. Keene’s sister relished the opportunity to force the reclusive hospital director to be less…reclusive.
“It is entirely a self-serving suggestion, though, for I should feel very much obliged to rescue you at any such functions to come, even if only for a few moments.”
If I could marry Bee I would but I can't so I ship our characters instead.
