[ Listen, there's nothing romantic about this simple, desperate attempt to stay upright. This hug is necessary for survival. She might have knocked him over and they'd be back at square negative one, pile driving one another into the mud. Think about that. But it is pretty darn funny. His smile prompts one of her own, and he doesn't have to say much else before she's cracking up herself. ]

Depends on what it adds to the story, [ she pulls back now that she's balanced, still holding onto his shoulders as she glances around behind her. ] I'm Beverly. You go around handsomely picking a lot of girls out of the mud?

[ Joking entirely. After all, she's no girl, and he's just a boy. A handsome boy, as advertised, but she could probably be his mother. Anyway, it's still raining like hell, and her shoe's still back there somewhere, but more importantly her glance down reveals that all the feet still on the ground are rapidly disappearing into it like it's made of Hollywood quicksand. ]

Hey—we're gonna be up to our necks if we don't keep moving, [ she blurts, biting the bullet and setting her bare foot down to step back. Just as well, because the foot she'd been balancing all her weight on has been suckered right in. ] Come on.

[ Shifting her hands again, she makes to pull him forward once he tries to move. Maybe they can keep the mood alive and squelchy tango their way out of this. ]