2019-08-31 - Fuckin Feelings, Man.

Joey radiates trouble. The bruise, ink, and stubble don't help a bit. The fact that he carries himself at all times like he's ready to throw down for the dirt he's standing on doesn't either. The words to the receptionist are hesitant as he looks almost anywhere but them until the end, "Have an appointment to talk to teh Doc. Umm... business thing not a, um... not... business referral not a personal one."

Minerva had reopened business despite her own doctor telling her she should pack up and leave town. It doesn't mean that the woman is in bad spirits though. She is opening her door to allow her last patient out and there's a look up when her receptionist is asking Joey things. "Mister Kelly. Come on in." she waves to him. The receptionist looks relieved that Minerva knows him.

Joey murmurs a quiet "Thanks" to the receptionist and heads on back taking care with the door. Does he look nervous to be in here? Yeah, he's uncomfortable, but his eyes lock on hers... well her one. Easier! He nods to the chair and sits when he's told yeah park, stay a while.

"I called like a week ago but the office was closed." He chews on the inside of his cheek and studies his former classmate quietly and it might be on that virtue alone he's setting foot into any clinic for any reason. He offers, "Ya look good. Healthy.... thanks for seein me, Min."

"Yeah...we closed due to a few things. Had a situation the other night that sort of made me realize that I might not live for too long so I'm going to continue to help people before that happens." Minerva chuckles as she closes the door. Then she has a seat behind her desk. "Thanks for that. And it's no trouble seeing you. What's going on?" she asks him as she gives a bit of a curious look.

Joey watches and stays fucking quiet all the while. His eyes squint slightly; green, bright, kinda pissed. "Yeeeeeeah." There''s some ire and doubt there. His jaw tightens and he adjusts his posture in the chair and relaxes. "Yeah one of the gals comes into the gym said somethin similar. Scared as hell... kept apologizing." Thumb rubs at a calloused knuckle and arches an eyebrow, "Didn't like seeing that shit with my ma, ya know?" Looking her over his brow furrows asking, dead serious, "Someone comin after you? Live people, dead people? Like ... you...wanna talk about it?" Becuase when he told people growing up the ghost of his mom is haunting them he got in a few fights defending his word. Some people, though, took a lot less convincing.

Minerva gives a look to Joey and there's a curious quirk of her brow, "Which gal?" she asks. "And no, no one is after me." she tells him. And really they weren't. "Alexander contacted me, asked me for information on a certain occult related thing that he wanted to do. I told him I was already planning something and we decided to do it together. He invited Miss Reede to the seance as well." she tells him. "And holy shit, it worked. William Gohl was sitting in my apartment and talking. And then Alexander decided to do something, like connect with William...and all hell broke lose." she frowns. "William slit his throat and I've still got stains in the hardwood upstairs. But there's nothing like watching your friend being opened up and bleeding to death." she shakes her head. "Just wish I knew how to stop the guy from killing more people." she admits.

Then she sighs, "Sorry, that was a large weight to push off." she frowns.

Joey murmurs, with a snort, "Erin Addington if you can believe it." Because Addingtons generally as a rule don't travel as far over as Elm. When she mentions Alexander his attention returns. By the end he's sitting up, "Yeah that's the guy!" He's not expressive over a lot, but there are times. She mentions the hardwood upstairs and the door gets a glance and back to min. Half serious and half joking he offers, "You want me to ask Ma to yell at em? She is super good at that shit."

Quiet he asks not sure how or if it's his plae, "Hey, yoooou still got my number right?" Not that it's one that gets used. He sighs trying to let his lead brick of a brain chew through that. He leaves the conversation quiet and the offer out there eyeing her.

"Oh, Erin, yes. Her relatives were murdered by the guy that slit Alexander's throat. He's trying to beat his murder score from when he was alive." Minerva states with a grimace. "I just...I don't want to lose any of my friends or any innocent people." she admits. "Alexander is in the hospital still. I think they're going to let me know when he's out, his girl, Isabella has been with him. She's really nice." she smiles to that. "Or I think it's his girlfriend. I'm just glad she kept calm the other night." she breathes out. Then there's a chuckle, "No, your mom doesn't need to yell at them. I don't think they meant to get into things." she tells him.

Then there's a soft smile, "Yes, I have your number still. I should probably use it more than I do." she tells him. "And have you been alright lately? Anything going on that you need help with?" she asks.

Joey nods slowly. For as much as he has a raging hate-on for the world losing family punches a hole through him. Too damn close to home. A faint smile becomes a small grin with a chuckle. "She's just been floating around the house trying to make us move all the damn furniture. I'm sure she'd love something to do if you change your mind." You know because that's normal?!?

His eyebrows arch and he admits, "Maaaaybe ya should." The open offer stands without being pushed. Fingers rubs at his forehead remembering there's a scrape there. He checks his fingers and every fine. "I'm ... I'm alright I guess. Just working through some stuff. Nothing like," His hand waves to where there is nebulously a blood puddle, "that. Kinda pissed off seeing all these people who didn't do nothing afraid sooooo, I thought of that woman's shelter project off the highway and then I thought of you-" he pauses waving his hand, "not like that but I was thinking of something you said once before an wanted to put together like self-defense classes. For women, ya know, for free. Thought I'd reach out to you and see if you wanted to go cause if, just if, someone's having like an at home problem they might like to know they have someone they can talk to...if you're interested or have the time. I just... it's kinda bullshit." Says the guy that collects debts for Felix fucking Monaghan.

Minerva gives a smile to that, "I will give you a call first thing if I change my mind. I know if I lost my mom I'd be beside myself." she admits. "But I'm glad she's still around." she adds. Then she settles back and listens to him, her eye curious as he does. "This place has always been a cesspool and the people that aren't like us don't see it. It's sometimes amazingly frustrating and the influx of new folks has made me want to have a sign made that tells them to run." she sighs. "Like this guy I wanted to ask out. I'm so weird he literally bolted halfway through dinner." she chuckles. "But it works out. Seems he's got a girl now." she shrugs. The mention of self defense makes her smile, "I'd show up to that, yep. I tend to fry people that are threatening me, but I need to do some mundane training so that sounds like a good thing." she tells him. "Did you want help getting the word out on it?" she asks him.

Joey gives a small groan of Mmmm in agreement. Running away is usually advised. Her story of the dinner gets an eye twinge, "Darlin, if they can't hang they are Dion you a favor. Sorry to hear he wasted your fucking time though. That's... shitty."

The nod happens with emphasis. Yes that's precisely what he was aiming for. "Yeah I figure talking you you specifically you might run into people to recommend it to. LIke... I seen it come up more than I'd like. Aaaaaand I mighta had a...small talk about manners with a couple a guys." Big air quotes on talk. Shaking his head he looks to Min with a look that fills in all the blanks. "I don't like reinforcing the idea they can't take care of their own shit. Sometimes a talk's gotta happen buuuuut that ain't any sort of long term solution. Ya know? So yeah." it's hard to phrase because it's not a habit he's generally in but here he is reaching out, "We can't stop everything, but sometimes I think we can. I'd like the help so they at least got some options so they don't have to live like my cousin Jenny or Ma."

"Eh, I just think he was thinking I was wanting to change him or something, but, doesn't matter now. He's a real sweet guy, but he's probably happier not mucking about with me." Minerva chuckles. "Kinda used to guys skipping out. Or dying." she shakes her head.

Anyways! "I know a few people that I could talk to. A few of my kids that I see are in homes that honestly could use the woman knowing a bit more defense." she frowns at that. She couldn't kill real people. It would get her locked up. "Sometimes people need a push to do something. Sometimes they don't realize that they can defend themselves or they've been so beat down that they just forget that they're stronger than that." she admits. "So yeah, I'm totally for self defense and things. I think it's a wonderful idea." she smiles to that. "I could make up fliers or something if you need?" she offers.

Joey arches an eyebrow and nods, "Kinda used to getting slapped or having a gal try to charge me so I get it." Weird commiseration but the sympathy is there. The struggle is real. As for Joey? Well he went away for three years for aggravated assault. The jury's out on where he may draw the line, but it is sure the hell before this domestic violence BS.

See, better fliers is something he actually lacks. Both eyebrows go up and he considers, "Yeah. Shit yeah that'd be bad ass." There's a pause though jaw tightening, "Can't always use fire or shuffle your feet on the carpet." Any other week, any other, the man's a fucking rock where under pressure becomes harder and colder.

Scientific Fun Fact: The harder something is the easier it can break under the right frequency.

Kelly falls silent for a prolonged moment.. Quick as dam viper both hands come up and slam into the tops of the chair arms but hold immediately balling into tight fists getting hands and self under tight control. Still silence...and a sniff. Taking a sharp-deep breath his hands open in what passes for apology and there's emotion on his face that looks like it's literally surprising the hell out of him to be there at all. "Shit..." Another deep breath becomes a sigh and his hands cover his face and wipe it dry as quick as the moment passes but the truth is out there and the rock has a fissure in it. "I'm so fucking tired of people not doing dumb shit getting hunted like fucking rabbits. I'm tired of putting more friends in the goddamn ground." His eyes close tightly and gently his fingers hang in the air with a pause trying to be very mindful of where he is. "It's not... your fault. It's not. This town... it's shit and it's always been shit. That ain't ever gonna change but.... I really don't like the idea of this asshole hurting you." His teeth grind slightly and he mutters, "Don't like you being fucking scared. Shit it fucking scaring me. It's... It's all fucked up."

"I can see about getting those printed up then." Minerva tells him. Then there's the slamming of fists and the woman flinches at the suddeness of it. "Joey, I know exactly why you're upset and I hate that we have to go through this, but we have to stay calm and somewhat put together or others around us will fall apart." she tells him. Then she's standing up and heading around to offer the man a hand, "We'll be fine. This town is not going to get the better of us forever." she tells him quietly. "You've got Jaime and the kids to think of. We're going to fight this." she admits.

"I'm trying to not be scared, but we've had a lot of our friends, old classmates and others being hurt. It's stressful. It's toll taking." she nods to that. "It's alright to be scared. It's not a weakness. It means we're human still." she states.

Violence begetting violence makes sense. The rest of this? It's weird and Joey is not particularly a fan of surprises or seeing more of their childhood picked apart. Looking up he's tired; tired of the shit just like her and everyone else paying attention. He takes the hand carefully and gives it a squeeze. "Yeah. Yeah I know. It's just... been a log week. First that, then I had to fight the old kitchen table, this..."

His free hand pats the back of hers and adds objectively with a sense of balance returning to the room slowly, "We can be scared, what we can't do is sit still." He considers his other thought on the matter tapping his molars together chewing on a thought. "And we can't fucking do it alone cause... ya know... it's a lot of shit to sort though. Just..." Looking up there's a small squint of a plea bargain, "Call me? I mean you're a friend right? And a doctor? Help me lower my damn blood pressure over not being able to so anything by ... doing... or... fucking something. Even if it's standing by to douse you with a fire extinguisher."

"Tables?" Minerva looks a bit quizzical at that. Then she squeezes his hand a little. "We won't sit still, we won't live if we do. It's like tripping in horror movies." she admits. Trying to use humor to liven the mood. Then she gives a soft nod of her head, "I promise I'll call before I do anything stupid or dangerous. Thank you for being worried." she tells him with a smile. "Come on, I'll walk you out. Connie's already gone so I'll lock up behind you." she offers with a smile.

Joey levels with her with dry humor, "And I trust you not to pull that dumb white girl bullshit and run up the fucking stairs." As for fighting a table he flaps a hand, "Eh, sometimes shit gets possessed, you know how it is. It just wanted to go back in the dining room I guess. Who the fuck knows." Said as if it is another Thursday. If you grow up and never leave Gray Harbor? Well... you either never get used to things, or ya do. At the thanks? Eh, there's a wink of No problem. "Sounds good. Hey... was good catching up even if it ain't great news. And... I appreciate you helping out with this. You do some good shit here. I know shit's fucked up right now but... hang onto that." He makes his way out and pauses glancing over his shoulder, "And by all means come by the gym if you need to hit something. Sometimes, eh, it's good to get that shit out."