1963-06-20 - Meeting the Nanny...Finally!
Summary: Sousa finally meets the new nanny and conducts his own interview of sorts.
Related: http://marvel1963mush.wikidot.com/log:1963-06-05-a-new-nanny
Theme Song: None
sousa complexity 


Victoria Stackpoole has been working for Peggy Carter part time. Not that she -really- needs the money, at the end of the day, but it is something grounded and satisfying, and some of the side offers Peggy made her were too tempting to pass up. The hours have mostly been when the Carters are unavailable or called away, sometimes more depending on the situation in the Carter's work life, or so Victoria has been led to beleive. Mostly essentially just acting as a nanny; high-end babysitting, essentially, but with a more strict and detailed eye towards security given the unique nature of the Carter household. Victoria has found Mickey to be cute, but also precocious and a bit of a handful. Still, Peggy seems happy enough, thus far.

Its early evening, before either one of the Carters is supposed to be getting home, and Victoria has already fed Mickey and put her to bed. She's sitting at the kitchen table, reading a small digest of statistics from across the world. The kitchen is clean (she's a nanny, not a maid, but she dislikes dirt, and there's nothing worse then coming home to a messy kitchen) and she's otherwise just waiting for Peggy to get home. Or her husband, but she seems to have managed to miss meeting him, thus far.

*

It's been a rough couple of weeks, to be sure, and until recently, Peggy has been able to get home before Daniel. Tonight, after the events of the other day, however, that seems to have changed. Keys rattle at the door and the husband himself comes limping in. As it's past his daughter's bedtime, he tosses his keys in a bowl by the door and moves further inside.

He's dressed for work, in a suit and tie, and his briefcase is set inside the hall closet to stay out of a curious child's line of vision. He then limps into the kitchen to see what leftovers there might be but he does pause in the doorway upon seeing the nanny. "Huh. I'm guessing you're Miss Stackpoole. If you're not, we're going to have some big problems."

Closing her book and standing up, Victoria nods. "Yes, I'm Ms. Stackpoole." she replies. "You would be Mr. Carter then. Mickey's already in bed, and the kitchen is cleaned. Its a pleasure to finally get the chance to meet you." She extends her hand.

Sousa arches an eyebrow at the name he's given, "No. I'm Mr. Sousa." He limps in and glances about, "Thanks for getting Mickey all set." He then turns back and takes the offered hand briefly. "So, what's your story?" He has what Peggy told him, but that's Peggy's perceptions. Something to eat is nabbed from the fridge before he goes to sit down at the table, ready to listen.

*

Victoria pauses to consider, glancing over Sousa quickly as she does so. "Well, I received my Masters' degree in England, but not a Ph.D. I came over here looking to find admittance to a Ph.D program, and engage in some…recreational trade on the stock market. There's a bit more to it then that, but…" She shrugs. "To be frank, I'm mostly thinking over my options at this point, and the world. There are a lot of details to consider, and doing so properly takes time to think."

*

"Peggy told me all of that," Sousa points out. "That you're an ambitious, intelligent young woman, and my wife tends to see herself in such women." Not that it's a bad thing. It's a fact. He gestures for her to sit back down for the conversation, "Have you eaten? Feel free to grab something." But he goes back to his observation of her. "What's the 'bit more'? I'm guessing that being a nanny to a precocious five year old wasn't really in your plan."

*

"I have not." Victoria admits. "Thank you." She moves to prepare herself something simple. "No, to be honest, it was not. And I wasn't sure what to expect. But I started having doubts, and I saw the advertisement and I figured…it might be a good way to stay grounded, though I can understand how hard it might be to see why that would be a concern for me."

*

Sousa pauses and waits politely as the young woman fetches something to eat for herself. "To stay grounded. And not…what? Seek out that continued education? Play the stock market? Frankly, what you do with your own money is really none of my business," and after that, he's going to let that part of the subject drop. He'll even wait until she takes a few bites of food before continuing the conversation.

Or is it yet another interview?

*

Victoria shifts uncomfortably, while she finishes making herself a sandwhich. Its not the sort of thing she prefers to discuss this quickly. Its rather private. But on the other hand, Peggy has an idea of it - and her husband is clearly as intelligent as she is. Sighing, Victoria sets the sandwhich down, and silent looks over Sousa. She looks for every detail, every hint - every pattern. How shiny is wedding ring; is it more shiny on one side. How are his shoelaces tied, where is he dirty, what body language does he have, how has he been moving - is he moving with a limp, how does he comb his hair in the morning, the style of his clothes and where they likely came from.

She has a mind like a razor, and its good with patterns and complexity. She can spot clues that others would miss, and piece together whole situations from the smallest of hints. She looks for things about Sousa that she shouldn't be able to tell by looking at him. Perhaps that will help her to explain in a way someone might understand.

*

Sousa's wedding ring is as worn as a man who wears it every day's ring would be. He's not left-handed, so he's not shot guns with the hand that wears the ring, but it might be worn some as it's the hand that uses the crutch. His shoelaces are tied and double-knotted so that they won't come untied easily which is necessary as one leg is prosthetic. He most definitely walks with a limp and with the use of a crutch who's frame goes up to his elbow. His hair is as neatly combed and pomaded as naturally curly hair can be; and it has a deep part on the left. He's not dirty and his clothes are of good quality and fit.

He wasn't chosen for the SSR for his ability to run a race. He was chosen for other reasons, one of which is his own talent for observation. While he may not have such extraordinary abilities, he's quite well-versed at reading body language and appearance himself. So, even as she observes him, he watches her right back. Waiting.

*

Observations: Victoria is neat. Obsessively so. And her clothes are expensive name brands - beyond what she should be able to afford, as a poor college student. Or a nanny. She has access to money, and an eye for details, but seems nervous. She probably doesn't actually -need- the job. Which does begger the question that Sousa was originally asking. (OOC: If thats not enough detail from observation, let me know.)

Victoria sighs, not getting much of use from Sousa from her power. "Listen, Mr. Sousa. I can tell you love your wife and daughter. I can tell you don't want me here. If you'd like to find another Nanny, you can have my resignation at any time. But at the end of the day, your daughter and your family are going to need someone who can spot things that are wrong before anyone else does. You will never get a real nanny in here who can handle…" She begins pointing to all of the hidden security cameras, "All of those, and the challenges that are likely to crop up. I might stand half a chance. Your other best bet, and it might be a better one, is to get one of your wife's agents and a full security detail. Mickey is a sweet girl. A handful, but a sweet girl. I'm no Mary Poppins. I can't tell you what to do, and I wouldn't presume to try."

*

"I never said I didn't want you here, Miss Stackpoole. I know full well that my wife has a weakness for young women who remind her of herself and you happen to be one of those. The fact that you're British sort of clinches that." He takes a bit of whatever food he grabbed earlier. "Thing is, I just want to know where you see yourself in a year. Two years." He leans back some in his seat, "Let me put it this way; Peggy told me you deduced what we did. Is your aim to join the organization?" Dark eyes watch the young woman for another moment, "I'm actually appreciative of the fact that you can spot things others can't. I guess I'm less certain of your focus."

He pauses a moment to take another bite, "Why did you leave that note for Peggy?"

*

Victoria considers for a moment. "She asked me to let her know if I spotted anything interesting, and I was hoping it would be useful." she replies. "I have no particular desire to join SHIELD. I may be willing to do work at night, when Mickey is asleep, on data analysis - but I'm not a secret agent. I don't have the temperment, or the stamina, or the personal courage, Mr. Sousa. I'm not that sort of person." She reluctantly takes a bite out of the sandwhich. "Let me ask you a question. If you could manipulate the stock market. The weather. If you could decide elections - what would you do?"

*

That answer actually seems to satisfy him. Sousa gives a simple nod and looks back to his hasty dinner but the question has him looking back up. "I wouldn't," comes the quick answer. "I wouldn't manipulate any of those. The stock market…I don't even pretend to understand it. It goes up and down and I'm not really sure why. Frankly, I find better odds betting on horses." He then offers, "The weather…is a byproduct of the moon, of the rotation around the earth, the position to the sun…not something to be messed with. Is it awful if it rains when I want it to be sunny? It's not the end of the world. It's horrible that lives are lost due to natural disasters, but one single person can't be everywhere at once. And elections…" He shakes his head, "There's a reason we made it a Democracy two hundred years ago."

*

Victoria looks Daniel up and down. "Mr. Sousa, I'm a genius." she says, simply. "Not the sort of genius who invents things, but I'm a genius nevertheless. I'm good with patterns, with analysis, with…complex things." She nods at Daniel. "With someone basically honest, and simple, and straightforward, whatever your profession…" She shrugs. "I'm not good with simple things. And I don't mean that in a bad way. But if you show me someone with something to hide, someone cheating on their wife and caught in a web of lies, I'll know." She's silent. She takes another bite of her sandwich.

"Mr. Sousa, I understand the stock market. The weather. Politics. With enough time, I could become one of the richest people on the planet. I could crash the economy of nations. But I studied mathematics, and I was born during the second Great War - the war you fought in, I believe. I don't think the world suffers because it has a lack of smart geniuses who want to tell it what to do. I think the world suffers because of that. And my intellect, therefore, makes me a danger. My mind…craves more, Mr. Sousa. It craves things I can easily give it. But, as I have no desire to be an unstable madwoman, I have exiled myself…to simple things. Like being a nanny." Another pause.

"I'm sorry. As I said, if you wish me to leave, I can."

*

Sousa clears his throat at her pause in the explanation. "I have half a mind to introduce you to Stark just to watch the fireworks." Is that a hint of a smile then? "I appreciate your honesty and actually hearing that from you and not from someone else," that seemed to be a good thing. Hearing second-hand, even from his wife, isn't always the best way for him to get to know a person. "The thought that you're 'exiling yourself' seems a pretty dour outlook though. Not that I'm telling you to make yourself unstable. Do you have any other activities you do that can at least give yourself some sort of mental satisfaction?" His tone is softer, actually more concerned than interrogating now.

*

"Oh, I never said I wasn't keeping active." Victoria counters, pointing to the book she was reading at the start of this. "As I said, I'm considering the world. The millions of variables. I'm observing it. I made some money from the stock market, enough I think to ensure I could do what I want, and to teach me…" She pauses. "Some lessons. And now…I'm watching. I'd like to do more. And I'm no…lie back passivitist." She didn't mean pacifist. "But, as you said, sometimes having power isn't enough to justify why it should be done. Those with intellect have a duty to be responsible, not merely arrogant."

*

Her answer gets another nod. He almost wants to introduce her to Stark now to see if the arrogant man might actually learn something from the younger woman. "Well, good to know." The dinner is finished up and he gets to his feet. "Mickey walks all over Peggy and me. It's nice to have someone in her life who actually stands up to her." There's an actual smile as he grabs his crutch to limp over to the sink to eventually wash the plate and utensils.

It seems that she passed whatever interview he was conducting.

*

Finishing her sandwhich, Victoria takes the plate to the sink. "Thank you, Mr. Sousa." she replies. "Though, I can wash that for you. You have a very active workday. I don't mind getting it." Actually, she rather can't help herself. She hates a mess. Besides, its just good manngers.

*

Sousa hesitates for a moment before he steps aside and lets Victoria take the plate. "Thanks. It's actually a lot more sitting than one might think," he offers, the smirk still sort of there. "You probably do more running around than I do, chasing after Mickey. Is she behaving for you? I know she's stubborn. She gets that from both of us, I think."

*

"Well, there are times when she doesn't." Victoria agrees. "I was walking her with your wife the other day, when…there was a disturbance." A pause. "I'm sure you heard about that. I was trying to take her inside, and she realized that the disturbance was Captain America, and she…tried to escape. Into traffic. I had to cause a traffic jam, and pick her up and…well, almost drag her into a building. She…actually put up a surprising fight for a munchkin her age. But it was very dangerous. I felt bad, of course, but…it was for her own safety. Other then that, she's not usually bad. Just very…willful. So I've been trying to be firm."

*

Sousa's smile fades, "I heard. She wanted to help her mother. Thanks for bringing her to safety. I know that she's willful and I hope that'll serve her well in the future. For now, I think we suffer more for it." It's almost amusing. Almost, but not quite. "She needs some firmness…we're not pushovers either, but she needs to know that she won't always get her way." He makes sure to stay out of the way, "She's been told that if she behaves, she'll get a reward when Peggy gets back. It includes behaving for you and not just me."

*

Victoria smiles. "We'll see if that actually entices her. I'll be sure to remind her if she starts putting up a fuss."

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