1756/Waiting For Acceptance Letters Sucks

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Waiting For Acceptance Letters Sucks
Date of Scene: 20 May 2020
Location: Stephanie Brown's Townhouse
Synopsis: Roberto meets Stephanie's mother. Steph's acceptance letter to Gotham U arrives.
Cast of Characters: Stephanie Brown, Roberto da Costa




Stephanie Brown has posed:
It turned out that the schedule of Stephanie's mother at the hospital, and that of Roberto, had open days intersecting now that schoolwork was through. And so Stephanie arranged to have Roberto come down to Gotham for the day so he could meet her mother.

She'd shown up at the HyperLoop station on her old beat up Yamaha, with an extra helmet for him. She'd dressed up just a little more than normal, as if she were the one meeting the other's parent or something. A tight hug at first spotting Roberto betrayed a little of Stephanie's nervousness. Which was further confirmed by how much she talked on the ride to the townhouse in a small apartment complex that she and her mother called home.

Arriving at it, Stephanie smiles to Roberto and takes a deep breath, then opens the door. "Mom, we're home," she calls softly. The two-story is a little neater than normal, no clutter about as Stephanie and her mother picked up a bit. The door opens up into a tiny entryway with the living room there, and stairs up. A woman comes walking in from the kitchen. "There you are," she says with a smile. Stephanie resembles her mother somewhat, and the woman has a gentle smile for Roberto. "Mom, this is Roberto. Roberto, my Mom," she introduces.

Roberto da Costa has posed:
Roberto came dressed for the ride, even if he didn't really need to, his powers offered more protection than the leather jacket he wore on the back of Stephanie's Yamaha but he had to admit the jacket looked cool. He returns the hug, noting how tightly Stephanie hugs him and returning it with some measure of the same tightness out of reassurance. All would be well.

As for his own nerves? Roberto was oddly calm. He'd heard so much about Mrs. Brown that he felt like he knew her, besides, parents were a breeze, in general, most of them liked him. It was a talent.

So walking in behind Stephanie, jacket thrown over his shoulder, he smiles to Mrs. Brown and extends a hand. "Hi, it's very nice to meet you, thanks for letting me visit your lovely home," he says putting on his best manners for Steph's sake.

Stephanie Brown has posed:
Stephanie's mother moves over to greet Roberto, glancing the Brazilian youth over. "Nice to meet you, Roberto. Crystal Brown," she tells him. "Please, come in. Would you two like something to drink?" she asks them.

Stephanie slips off her shoes and nods with her head towards the mat that's set out by the door for footwear. "Sure, maybe some juice?" she suggests, glancing to Roberto to see if that would work. Crystal Brown says, "So Stephanie said you go to a school up in Westchester?" as she starts to move for the kitchen.

She glances back towards Roberto. Stephanie is watching her expressions. Parents like Roberto. And Cyrstal Brown dislikes Stephanie's boyfriends as a general rule. Irresistible force and immovable object.

Roberto da Costa has posed:
Roberto takes the scrutiny in stride. Under the jacket he's wearing a simple black button down and slacks as well as a pair of black number 10 Jordans. "Something to drink would be great, it's warm out today," Not by Roberto's standards but it was something you say. "Juice would be great, and where can I hang up my coat?" he asks happy to do it himself rather than foisting it off on Steph or her mom.

"That's true, Mrs. Brown, Xavier's Institute, I just graduated last weekend but I'm planning to stay on at the school through summer into my time in Columbia, they let Alumni stay on the grounds and I really like the people there, I had a lot of good years there."

Stephanie Brown has posed:
Despite Roberto not wanting to foist it on Stephanie, she moves to take care of his coat anyway if he lets her. Crystal Brown continues the conversation, visible in the kitchen getting a pitcher of orange juice out of the fridge and some glasses from a cabinet. "Xavier's Institute? I don't think I've heard of it before," she says. "But Westchester is such a nice area."

She comes back in with the glasses of juice, passing them out. "Thanks Mom," Stephanie says when she gets hers. "And Roberto's looking at going to Columbia then in the fall," she says. "And I told you his mother is a professor at Gotham U, right?" she asks.

Crystal nods, appearing about to say something and then seeming to change it to something else, saying, "Yes, what was, anthropology or archeology or something like that?" she asks Roberto. "And what is it that you are thinking about studying?"

Roberto da Costa has posed:
"Thanks," Roberto says as Stephanie takes his jacket off his hands, kissing her cheek as he does.

Waiting outside the kitchen while Steph gets the juice, he nods to Mrs. Brown. "Archeology," he says of his mother's area of study. "Like Indiana Jones." he adds that last bit lightly. His mother /hates/ that comparison.

"As for me, I'm going for my MBA, like my father, he got his at Columbia, before he went home to work for my grandfather."

Stephanie Brown has posed:
Stephanie's mother motions towards the couch. "Please, have a seat, Roberto," she says. "Your MBA. Stephanie mentioned there's a family business of some sort that you're likely to follow in?" Crystal Brown asks. She moves over to sit in a chair.

Stephanie moves over to take a seat on the couch, smiling to Roberto. "He's also a fantastic soccer player. I was thinking I could take him to the park down the street," Stephanie comments to her mother.

Her mother smiles and says, "Really? Do you play on a school team or anything? Stephanie's one of the better gymnasts on her high school team. Well, was. Graduated now," she says, smiling at her daughter after mentioning that fact.

Stephanie gives a wry laugh. "Yeah, graduated and not sure what I'm doing next, still." Crystal stirs a little bit in her seat, but doesn't say anything, having just asked Roberto questions.

Roberto da Costa has posed:
A family business of some sort, Roberto can't help but smile at that description of da Costa International, the 6th largest company in Brazil and 305th on the Fortune 500 list. "Something like that," Roberto allows. "But it's definitely expected I'll be following in my father's footsteps."

Her takes a seat next to Stephanie smiling at the mention of soccer. "Guilty," he says of his skills without any false modesty, "And I've heard that about Steph, but never been to a meet. Hopefully she'll compete at the college level so I can fix that," he says with a wink to Steph.

As to the team? "Sadly the school's too small for a proper team but I do like to try and keep up my skills."

Stephanie Brown has posed:
Crystal Brown tells Roberto, "Well, I'm sure there are plenty of leagues and pick up games at least. There sure are around here," she says. Stephanie nods in agreement and smiles over to Roberto. "Well, I don't know that I'm too likely to keep doing it in college. Coventry Community College doesn't have a team. And I still haven't heard anything back from Gotham yet," she says with a sigh.

Stephanie's mother stirs again. "That... isn't quite true, Stephanie," she says slowly. Crystal shifts her weight to pull something from her back pocket. A letter. She passes it over to Stephanie on the couch. Roberto will be able to see the envelope is stamped as coming from Gotham University Admissions Department.

Stephanie holds the letter staring at it. "Oh. Oh god," she says, sounding more worried than excited. She looks up and over to Roberto, and then over to her mother. "I... I don't think I can open it," she says, trying to push it back off on her mother. Crystal waves her hand. "Not me," she says. Stephanie casts the kind of frown at her mother than daughters give their mothers, then looks to Roberto. She tries to push the letter over to him. "You open it for me?" she asks.

Roberto da Costa has posed:
Roberto nods, "True. Might see if they have open tryouts for Columbia's team but I think with my commute it might be a bit much to put on my plate," he nods as Steph mentions her own lack of team prospects. "Shame," he says before the letter is produced and pressed into his hands.

"Wew," he says looking at the letter, and then finding some wood to knock on. "Just so I don't jinx anything." Then with no more preamble he opens the letter and reads.

Roberto doesn't play poker all that often but he's got a killer poker face, nothing shows as he reads the letter from top to bottom, seemingly immune to the building tension as he draws out the moment. Reaching the bottom, he sighs and holds it out to Steph. "Probably better if you read it," he tells her solemnly.

Stephanie Brown has posed:
Stephanie's heart climbs slowly ever upwards towards her throat as she watches Roberto reading the letter. When he hands it to her using that tone of voice, her heart falls back down again. Stephanie takes back the letter, while Crystal is eyeing Roberto with a curious gaze as if perhaps suspecting more than her daughter does.

Stephanie takes it, her expression glum as she starts reading it, her lips moving though not saying anything aloud. Then there's a moment she gives a start and clearly goes back to read something again. "I got in," she says, looking up and to her mother. "I got in!"

Stephanie hasn't gotten through the rest of it, but she looks back to Roberto, giving him a grinning shake of her head, and a little swat on his shoulder. "You..." she says before reading on.

"Oh! Oh my god! I got a scholarship, Mom! I got... it's two of them. One for tuition. And one is a grant... it should probably cover most of my other major expenses. Can maybe even get a place on campus or near it," she says, jumping up to her feet.

Crystal is on her feet already, moving to wrap her daughter in a tight hug. "Oh Stephanie, I'm so proud of you, I knew you could do it," she says. Stephanie turns her eyes to Roberto, reaching over to pull him into the group hug.

Roberto da Costa has posed:
Roberto does a good job of keeping in his smile until Stephanie realizes she's in then he grins broadly ear-to-ear before he's swatted on the arm and he laughs, "Couldn't help it," he says before she gets to the /really/ good part.

Roberto is still smiling when he's invited to join the hug, ooh, chancy proposition, but he figures he'll risk it standing and moving to join the hug, with most of the hug action being sent Steph's way in case Mrs. Brown objects!

Stephanie Brown has posed:
Stephanie's mother doesn't seem to mind, though Steph is definitely the one on the hugging end from Roberto. "Oh god, I'd... I didn't think..." Stephanie rambles. "I mean, even if I got in, Mom I know you said, but it's SO expensive and..."

Crystal Brown shoos Stephanie's words away. "We'd have made it work. But you did so well, it won't be a problem now. And I'll be able to help you out then with anything the scholarships don't cover." She asks for the letter, letting go of Stephanie to read it herself.

Stephanie turns back to Roberto, wrapping both arms around him and hugging him tight. "I'm just... wow," Stephanie says, taking a second to fan her face. "I'm glad you were here for this too," she says. Crystal peeks up from the letter, glancing between her daughter and the Brazilian boy.

"Roberto," Crystal says, "Will you be able to make it for Stephanie's graduation party? We'll have volleyball and a pig roast. There's a swimming pool too. Here at the apartment complex," she says. "I know it would mean a lot to Stephanie if you can make it."

Roberto da Costa has posed:
Roberto hugs Steph both in the group hug and when it's over and her mother is reading the letter. "Knew you could do it, Steph," he tells her kissing Steph's cheek. "Glad I was here for this too, it's a big moment, all of us should celebrate," he suggests reaching out for Steph's hand to give it a squeeze when the hug's over.

He looks over and grins when invited to the party. "Wouldn't miss it, my mom would like to come too if that's alright," he says.

Stephanie Brown has posed:
Stephanie holds Roberto's hand, squeezing it back and smile at him. "You had more faith in me than I did," she says with a soft laugh, still quite overjoyed at the unexpectedly good news.

Crystal smiles to Roberto and says, "I would love to have her here. It would be nice to meet her," Crystal says. She smiles and looks back down at the letter. "I may have to take this into work to show people, Stephanie," she says with a mother's pride. Which of course makes Stephanie blush. "Aw, Mom, you don't need to do that," she says.

Crystal waves a hand, ruling out it not happening. She sets the letter down on the coffee table and then looks back to Stephanie and Roberto standing together as they are. "It's been a long time since Stephanie has brought someone home I approved of-"

Stephanie mutters under her breath, "As if that ever happened!"

Crystal hears her and casts a look at Stephanie, though it's somewhat light-hearted. "I can see how much you mean to her, Roberto. Just be gentle with my baby girl, ok?"

Roberto da Costa has posed:
"What are boyfriends for?" Roberto asks about having faith in her a he squeezes her hand.

At the bit about having his mother join them at the party he nods, "She's looking forward to coming by," he says before adding in a conspiratorial tone. "Totally take it into work, you've earned some bragging rights, Mrs. Brown," he flashes a smirk at Stephanie. "Sorry babe, she's in the right."

He kisses Steph's cheek to make up for his horrible betrayal. He grins at being told he's pretty much the first boy Mrs. Brown has approved of. "Thank you, Mrs. Brown I promise to live up to your trust there and I will definitely be gentle with her," a beat. "As long as that doesn't mean we can't go rock climbing and other adventure dates," he says knowing that's not what she meant. "But seriously, you can count on me, I am not going to hurt Steph," he looks to Stephanie then. "She's too important."

Stephanie Brown has posed:
Crystal lets out a forlorn sigh. "Like anything would keep her from clambering up a pole, building, or whatever else was at hand. At least you might be there to catch her and stop her from breaking her fool neck,' Crystal says.

Stephanie just gives a wry grin and leans her head over against Roberto's shoulder. "Thanks Mom. For everything," she tells her, and then lets go of Roberto to go over and hug her mother.

Crystal kisses her head and says, "I'm proud of you, Stephanie. I know I haven't told you that enough in your life. But I am. Very proud of you." Stephanie hugs her mom tight and then pull away, turning to keep the glistening in her eyes from being spotted before she can rub it away. "Thanks Mom," she says. "I'm going to go show Roberto my gymnastics trophies." Crystal nods and says, "Go ahead. I'm going to go over and check on the arrangements for the party. Nice meeting you, Roberto."

Roberto da Costa has posed:
"I'll do my best, but she's quick," Roberto says with a grin about Steph. "Hard to keep up with."

He puts his arm around Steph when she leans against him, giving her a squeeze before she goes to see her mom.

"Very nice to meet you too, Mrs. Brown," he says earnestly before offering Steph his hand. "Want to lead the way?"