Participants:
| Scene Title | A Simple Farewell Dinner |
|---|---|
| Synopsis | Coren cooks a feast to say farewell to Cassidy, who will be moving back into her apartment the next day. At least, that's the plan. |
| Date | May 19, 2009 |
Lower East Side - Casa de Shelby
Unlike Cassidy, Coren was able to get away from work ever so early, thanks to the fact that he was there not only all evening, after his brief time at Old Lucy's, but because he remained there all night and well into the day. Now, however, he is at his apartment doing what he rarely does but does well: Cooking. When Cassidy finally gets home, she'll be greeted by the lovely smell of prime rib au jus, steamed swiss chard, and roasted potatoes sauteed with garlic and chives. The modest dining/kitchen table is dressed formally with two wine glasses and a bottle of what he suspects is a Merlot. The bottle has apparently been through hell though, as the label is worn to the point of being completely illegible.
It's been a hell of a day for the young detective as she finally is able to drag herself home. When Coren had left she had been roped into helping with some report taking. Some reason it was a busy, must be a full moon or someone put something in the water. Whatever it was she was glad to get out of there. Inhaling deeply, Cassidy glances down the hall, as she shoves the key in the lock, looking for the source of the smell. "Damn… someone must having an Anniversary or something." So imagine her surprise when the door finally swings open to the rather domestic scene.
"What's the occasion?" Her tone a touch surprised. She turns to push the door shut and lock it again before heading to the kitchen. "Smells wonderful whatever it is."
At first, Coren does not hear Cassidy, tending to the prime rib as he is. Medium-rare goodness. The slab of beef is removed from the oven with mitts and set on one of the burners that is not presently on. Also pulled from the oven is the pan of roasted potatoes, shortly before Coren turns off the burner that was steaming the swiss chard. That pot is set onto the back burner. That's when he notices Cassidy's presence. "Oh, you're home," he says. Apparently, he didn't catch her question or comment.
Shrugging out over her trench coat, she drapes it over the couch, her shoulder holster shortly after. "I am home. Never pegged you the cooking type." She comments lightly, moving into the kitchen to look at what he's doing. " What's the occasion?" She asks with a little smirk. "Got a lady friend coming over?" She motions at the door, looking rather amused. "I could clear out if need me to."
"The occasion?" Coren asks. "Oh, no, no lady friend coming over. Come now, you know we're both married to our jobs. When do we have time to date?" He transfers the prime rib to a serving platter, which he cleans off with a cloth first. How long it was in his cupboard going unused could probably have been determined by the strata of dust that had collected on it. Then he starts to slice the roast into thick slices. "You're getting your apartment back tomorrow. I figured I'd cook you a last meal." He quirks a grin, "Just a going away dinner."
Hands held up in defense, Cassidy chuckles. "Hey, never know. I had to ask." She gives him a wink and watches him slice the roast. "You didn't have to do this, Coren." Something says that she's touched by the gesture even as she says. "A couple of donuts an a cup of coffee would've been just fine. This.." She motions to it all. "…is… Wow." She gives him a grin and rubs her hands together suddenly.
"Is there anything I can help with?" she asks as she moves past him to the sink.
"You could pour the wine." And of course, she'll know precisely how much wine to pour, just as Coren fills two plates with everything just right for each of them. He sets the plates down on the table and then brings two cloth napkins and finally some utensils. The use of butter knives suggests that the meat is tender enough to be cut with such a dull implement. As it happens, such is in fact the case.
"Alrighty, partner." Cassidy says brightly, washing up quickly. She grabs a towel an dries her hands as she eyes the bottle. A small shrug and she picks up the bottle and proceeds to open it like a pro, even though she's never touched a bottle. She carefully pours wine into each glass, something telling her when to stop. She sets the bottle carefully on the table and grins rather proud of herself for not spilling any. Inhaling deeply she sighs, reaching out to briefly grip his arm. "Coren… it smells great, thank you."
Coren nods, looking pleased. "Of course, you are quite welcome," he says, pulling a seat out for Cassidy. Once she's tucked away into the table, he takes a seat on his own side of the table. He raises his glass, apparently intent on making a toast. "To friends and good food. And of course, catching the bad guy." Yes, he seems quite pleased with having Mortimer in custody. There's something to be said for the small victories.
Looking very amused at his chivalry, Cassidy settles into her seat. "Thank you, sir." She pulls the napkin in her lap and picks up her glass when he does. "To the chef.. and yes… to small victories. May there be many more." She leans in to gently touch the rim of her glass to his, before taking a sip. She seems rather unaware where the thought had come from. She gives her bottom lip a bit of a lick. "Not bad." She pulls the glass back to sniff it before another sip.
"I was just thinking that very thing," Coren says, shortly before taking a sip of his own wine. He too smells it and then takes another sip. "I don't think this is a Merlot…" He gives it a swirl and takes another sip. "No, it's a Cabernet Sauvignon. God knows what vineyard, though. I can attest it's at least a seven-year-old bottle, since it was one of the few things I insisted in taking in the divorce." He sets the wineglass down and begins to eat, mostly quiet. He's a quiet eater.
"Huh.." She says softly, giving the glass a thoughtful look. Obviously she knows nothing about that kinda thing. She takes another sip before setting it down carefully. She took begins to eat, silent for the moment, her mind going over the events of the past week, rolling over in her mind the changes she had seen in Mortimer. Of course, the toast help her think of this. Several bits in she glances at the man across the table. "I checked the apartment on my way home, it's good to go." She pauses for another bites before adding. "You know. I should be the one cooking for you for opening your home to me."
"That it is," Coren says as he cuts into his meat. It does indeed cut as easily as he expected it to. "After my behaviour, you deserve a break. I've pushed so many boundaries I shouldn't have." He takes a sip of wine. "And I don't like having gifts returned. Do keep that in mind should anything arise that leads to me giving you one."
"I'm sure I've pushed plenty of my own." Cassidy comments lightly, even though she knows she's still pushing, just not saying anything about it. She gives him chuckles. "Yes, I think that lesson has be ingrained in my skull. Though I really can't blame her. With her gift.. She has to appear neutral about things." She trails off at the end realizing she's probably said too much. "Sorry, Coren." She murmurs going back to foot, sticking another bite before she reinserts her foot.
"When did it become wrong to accept a gift from somebody who screwed up and is sorry?" Coren asks, finishing up the swiss chard on his plate before taking a larger drink of the wine and pouring himself another glass. "Is it so wrong to give a person a gift and to accept one? I can't say I've ever quite understood the whole rejecting a gift thing…." This coming from the profiler.
"I understand that Coren.. I do. I wouldn't want anything I give returned either." Cassidy sighs, spearing a another bit of potato. "But you are the lead detective on her case right? How would it look to you if you we on the outside looking in?" She sets her fork on the plate and picks up her wine. "I'm not saying the gesture is wrong. Far from it. It was sweet and said I'm sorry." She gives a small shrug. "That's me though." She points out before sipping from the glass.
"I'm afraid I don't subscribe to the whole professional distance-ism, so I wouldn't have too much an issue with a gift here or there. Besides, she sent me a basket of baked goods, as you might recall you had a scone from," Coren says with a slight grin before ravaging the last of his potatoes. "There's something to be said for professionalism, but I always find people respond more kindly when you appear to actually care and have emotions."
An image of her feeding Mortimer flashes for a moment in her mind, before she nods slowly. "You have a point, I'm just saying.. I think that's why she wanted to give it back." She finishes her swiss chard and shrugs. "I really don't have a problem with the whole gift thing. I guess it depends on the circumstances." She takes another sip of her wine. "I just… wouldn't hold it against her. It's just a case of different beliefs."
Saved by the bell. Or phone. The image that flashes through Cassidy's mind also threatens to impose upon Coren's, and may have succeeded if not for the sudden vibrating coming from his belt. "I'll tell her she can wait until her birthday if it bothers her that much," he says as he unclips the phone from his belt and flips it open. "Detective Shelby," he answers. "Hello?" He flips the phone shut after saying "Hello" again. "That's the third time this week," he thinks out loud as he clips the phone back to his belt and takes a sip of his wine. "Remind me to request a trace on my cell phone."
Staying quiet while he answers his phone, Cassidy finishes the food on her plate. She glances at him as he hangs up. "Third time? Really?" She settles back in her chair, glass in hand. "I'll try too remember. So much going on lately I'm amazed I can remember to sleep at night." She stifles a small yawn, food has a way of doing that. "So tomorrow I go back to my place," She seems a little subdued think about that. "And things get back to how they were." she looks down at he glass as she says that, swirling the contents gently. There is almost a touch of sadness to it. But then, in a way having some sort of life after work.. or a sense of one, has been enjoyable. "Now that we don't have that all to think about we'll be able to get back on track."
"Yes," Coren says, somewhat dismayed. "I think it happened once or twice earlier this month, too. Hence, going to have to see if we can track the number. If it's the same one, I want to know who has felt they need to phone me so frequently and not say anything." He finishes his meal and gently pushes the plate forward a bit. He, too, swirls the last of his wine in the glass, not quite drinking it, but planning to. The idea of coming home to any empty house and not expecting company to show up afterwards doesn't seem to appeal to him much, either.
Cassidy suddenly finishes her wine in a gulp and gets to her feet, declaring. "You cooked.. I'll do dishes." She doesn't wait for an answer before grabbing up plates. Her mood having soured a touch as the thoughts. It's hard to have one's life disrupted by change.. and that change not be so bad. It's hard to go back to the familiar. She carries the plates to the sink and starts prepping to wash. "Probably just a telemarketers computer.." She tries to make the comment light.
"Wouldn't be a shocker there," Coren replies, having no problem with letting Cassidy do the dishes. He does, however, help to pack up the leftovers into the fridge, because it is most likely just he who will be eating them. He tops up the wine glasses and settles onto the couch with his. "Don't be afraid to let the dishes air dry," he says, "Tends to be more thorough than a towel, anyway."
Cassidy turns to give her partner a soapy salute. "Yes, sir." Before plunging back into scrubbing. "Oh.. Before I forget." She says she she puts some elbow grease into scrubbing one of the pans. "I have a key for you. There is an envelope in one of my coat pockets if you want to get it before I forget again." She rubs at her forehead with the back of her hand as she moves on to another dish.
"Oh, got your new locks already?" he asks, getting up from his chair. He sets his glass on the table and makes his way to Cassidy's coat to rummage through the pockets, finding the envelope with the key rather quickly. The key is taken with him as he grabs his glass again, sets it on the floor next to his chair, and sits down. There, he works the key onto his keyring before picking his glass up again and sipping more wine.
As he rummages, a small blue envelope drops to rest on the couch, Coren's name written in Cassidy's hand writing. Over at the sink, She states brightly. "Yup. And supposedly these are suppose to be tamper proof.. Not that I think they would deter Mortimer. He's got some ability that lets him see how things work.. or something thing that." How she knew that is anyone's guess, but she suddenly pauses. "I meant to ask.. Do you have the book. 'My Definitive Study of the Psychedelic Mind' by Doctor Joseph Jack?" The books she had learned from Mortimer his father wrote about him.
Coren is in the midst of leaning back into his chair when the blue envelope catches his eye. It goes clash quite a bit with the black couch, however worn it might be. "Joseph Jack? Yes, I believe I do," Coren replies, taking the two or three paces from his chair to the bookshelf and scanning quickly over the titles on the bottom shelf. Sure enough, it's there, worn as a textbook can be. He pulls it from the shelf, dusts it off, and brings it to the kitchen, swiping the envelope on his way. When he drops the textbook on the table, he holds up the envelope, "What's this?"
"Oh good. Mind if I take it with me? It was mentioned to me. And…" She trails off at the question and pauses in washing to look back at him. "What is whaa… Oh that." She turns away so that he doesn't see her grimaced look. She starts scrubbing again and shrugs a bit. "It's a thank you card I was going to leave tomorrow." She says sheepishly.
"By all means. I've read it enough times," Coren says, taking the card with him back to the chair with his wine. He opens it. "A thank you card? You shouldn't have. As I've said many times, thanks are not necessary. It's been a pleasure, and it was the only thing I could really do — I couldn't take the case, after all."
Cassidy doesn't watch him walk away, she takes her time on the last pan, trying to hide her embarrassment as she hears him open the card. When he opens it he find himself looking at a thank you card. The front is a simple floral decoration and the words Thank You on it. The inside is nothing but Cassidy's writing.
Coren,
I couldn't just leave your home without leaving a little something to say thank you. We've only been partner's less then a month and you without hesitation opened your home to me. I can't say that I'm sorry for it. Working in this profession, we fall into this rut and forgot that there is more than death, lies, and bad guys and get so buried under paperwork that you forget that there are people that do care what happens to you.
So I wanted to say thank you. For being there, for caring… and reminding me there is more then the job.
I couldn't have asked for a better partner.
Sincerely,
Cassidy
Cassidy shuts off the water about then, dishes done. She grabs a towel, turns leaning against the sink to watch her partner while she dries her hands.
There's a smile on Coren's lips as he reads the card. After a minute or so, he closes it and gets up with his wine glass, which he brings over to Cassidy to make another toast. "To remembering that there is more than just death, lies, and bad guys," he says with a smile.
Cassidy can't help to echo his smile as she tossed the towel on the counter and reaches for her wine glass. "And To the brass.. for finally getting it right and giving me a really good, decent partner." She's definitely going to miss the evenings is what she's thinking as she touches her glass to his making them tink softly.
"That's right," Coren says with a bit of a laugh before touching glasses and taking a drink. "Just don't burn yourself out on me. I don't want to get stuck with anyone else."