Getting to the door of the brownstone is easy; getting through the mob of hugs and hands is a little harder.  Adam moves the bags to porch where your bother-in-law grabs them.  He says goodbye and promises to check in tomorrow.

The first to mob you is the kids, with your sister close behind.  There is a little relief on her face now that you are in the house.  "How was the flight?  Mom?  Dad?"

Dichlan waves to Adam. "Thank you."

She gives the kids a hug, sending them off after Daniel to check if there is indeed a bag of sweets in her backpack for them. She then hugs Hannah, glad to finally being here.
"The flight was alright. Just a bit long", she says with a smile. "Mom sends hugs and kisses. Dad wants to know when we all come over to visit them." Dichlan grins.
Their dad doesn't really like flying, so he usually invites everyone at least once a year to a big family gathering. Including aunts and uncles (his siblings) from all over the world.

"How are you?"

She smiles, "Things are good.  Nothing worth complaining about.  I'm glad you are here.  We have things planned."  She smiles more.  "The kids want you to see them swim."

***

Things are quiet and the talk is light.  It has been a while and with that comes the updates, the kids silly jokes and the eventually a dinner that started on time, but with too many hands, finished late.

When the kids are being put to bed, Hannah sits you down.  "How are you doing?  How did Mom and Dad react?  They didn't want to talk about it and I'm afraid I understand even less."

Cathrin has a lot of fun during the afternoon and evening, even playing a few games with the kids.

Once Hannah sits her down, however, her good mood is gone almost in an instant.
"Mom and Dad aren't happy with me leaving Hamburg", she says and shrugs, "but... I don't want to be there anymore. Not now, not anytime soon." Cathrin puts a strand of hair back behind her ear, touching the scar underneath while doing so almost absentmindedly.
In a quiet voice Cathrin continues: "There won't be any show of the band ever again. There was an accident. And now Lisa and Korbinian are dead. The others... still not recovered fully. I had more luck than everyone else." Cathrin grinds her teeth, trying to force back the tears that threaten to well up.
"So, in a way, I am fine. But I'm not."

Hannah doesn't say anything.  She only listens.  Daniel, done with the kids, floats quietly through.  He doesn't linger.

The house is quiet as if listening.

"Do you know that there was actually someone who stated that I should consider myself fortunate? Because I survived?" She laughs, but there is no humor in it at all.
"You knew Korbinian. He loved music, he loved life. I still can't believe he is no more." Cathrin takes a deep breath. "Verdammte Scheiße! I couldn't even go to his and Lisas funeral."



OOC: I'm fine. Cathrin's not, though ;)

Hannah only listens and holds your hand.  She is crying with you.

When things calm a little, "What did they say caused it?  I have not been told much."

Cathrin shrugs. "Some issue with the stage structure no one had noticed? I think. Someone tried to explain. But I didn't really understand, it sounded more like a really complicated mathematical equation."

"I guess it takes one screw and some wind...."  She seems to be thinking out loud.

"Everything will be OK.  We'll talk to Mom & Dad in a few days.  You can stay here as long as you like.  Daniel has a room ready for you and the kids will love you to be here, since you're not a parent."  She smiles.
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:14, Wed 26 May 2021.

Cathrin shrugs, not really wanting to think about that topic any further. At least not today.

She gives Hannah a hug. "That's so nice. Thank you. I just hope I'll not annoy you. There's this idea for a song..." She grins. There had been a time back home when they both were playing an instrument and trying to create a new song. Playing the same few notes over and over again for practice. There is still part of one of this attempts still in Cathrins mind.

"Speaking of music... did Jacob get the drum kit he wanted for his birthday?" Cathrin remembers that this had been a topic at the family gathering last year and that Hannah hadn't liked the idea overly much. Mostly because of the noise.

"Oh he got a drum kit...an electric one...with headphones."  She laughs.