Participants:
| Scene Title | Discussion Over Dessert |
|---|---|
| Synopsis | Colby treads a delicate topic with Ariel over dessert at Mrs. Hadley's. |
| Date | July 1, 2009 |
Piece of Cake Bakery
The door to the bakery shifts upon its hinges, letting in the mid-afternoon air to let it mingle with the warm scents of the bakery. Colby holds open the door, a light hand pressing to the small of Ariel's back to escort the way. "She was asking about you last time I came through," the Undercover offers with a slight chuckle before allowing the door to shut and pulling up her shades to perch the glasses atop her noggin.
Stepping in at Colby's prodding, Ariel turns and smiles to her escort. "Was she? That's sweet. I hope she has those brownies I like so well. The ones with the mint." she steps into the store and inhales the warmth sweetness of the pastries baking and on display. She reaches up and brushes her red bangs from her eyes as she reaches down and her hand seeks that of her love, wanting to feel the strong fingers entwined with hers.
It's the jangle of the bells above the door that bring Mrs. Hadley bustling out of the kitchen. She has an apron on, and more than a little cinnamon and flour splashed liberally across it. "Hello, and welcome to the… oh, hello dears!" The automatically chanted greeting is cut short by the sight of familiar faces. "You two just take a moment to look at the display, I'll be right out!" And with that, she's bobbling into the back again, wiping her hands on the apron as she goes.
"I'm sure she will," Colby replies, giving to her lover's affectionate demand and entwining that strong grip within her wife's slender fingers. The officer's tan features brighten with a soft chuckle as the sight of the elderly woman bustling out to great them. "Take your time," she calls back as she leads Ariel forward to the display. "So, how has work been, honey?" Colby's chocolate gaze manages to browse the baked treats for only a second before her attention is pulled back undeniably towards the woman at her side.
As Mrs. Hadley slips into the back, Ariel leans into her wife a little and touches her nose to the woman's cheek. "There's definitely been an increase in ability users coming to see me. Feeling like perhaps they just don't have a firm grasp on what they can do and they are starting to feel like they don't have control." It's about as vague as the counseler can get without breaking the rules of confidentiality, a line she treads very carefully. With her and her patients, it's all about trust. She never reveals anything she shouldn't to her spouse, despite the temptation to. That doesn't mean she doesn't offer more vague references. "How's work been today?" she asks Colby as she looks through the glass at all the wonderful treats. Having just finished lunch together, she's in the mood for something sweet.
Now clean of most of the mess, Mrs. Hadley bobbles right back out again. "Look at you!" The delight in her voice is unhidden. "Holding hands like a pair of newlyweds, so sweet." She claps, a single sharp sound. "What is it we're having today? Something with a bit of coffee and chocolate for you…" that to Colby. "And something… hmm." A longer moment is stolen to consider Ariel. Finally she nods, "Something with some weight to it for you. Am I right?" The guessing game has long been her favorite.
For a moment all the practiced strength, the aura of an officer, the mechanic, the protector, simply melt away at the nuzzling affections from the sweet woman. Colby's features light up with an internal glow of happiness - it is plain to see why and just how greatly the Latina loves her wife. She turns around and tucks her head to nibble at Ariel's shoulder before straightening herself once more. "Good, good. Finished up the last of that paperwork. They should be throwing me on a new case here shortly. Ariel? There is something I wanted to ask you at lunch, but-…" And here comes sweet Mrs. Hadley. Colby sighs, her shoulders sinking as the weight of her query is dismissed for yet a while longer. She offers a firm nod and an ever charming smile. "Nwelyweds. Yeah, this one gives me a run for my money. Keeps me on my toes." She winks aside to Ariel. "That sounds delicious." She gives Ariel's hand a comforting squeeze.
The squeeze is returned as the indecisive redhead looks at all the goodies. She glances up at Mrs. Hadley and grins. "Well, I seem to have been bless with decent motabolism. I've a feeling it'll come back to haunt me soon enough, so I'm taking advantage while I can." she gives the older woman a wink before she looks down and her eyes light up as she trails her finger down the glass to point to the tray of brownies that sit there. "I'll take a mint one. Or, should I have two?" she looks thoughtful as Ariel turns to look at Colby, an impish grin on her face.
"I'm biased," Mrs. Hadley informs with a wry twist of her lips. "So I'll stay out of that decision. But I will say that you're both far too thin." Her opinion rendered, she gestures at the closest little table. "You two girls go have a seat, I'll bring them out for you. Just try not to get so busy staring into each other's eyes that you forget and let the chocolate go stale," she adds, amusement quite clear. The display doors sliding is a low-pitched squeal when she bends down to start pulling out the desserts, wax-paper in-hand.
As if Colby could deny Ariel anything. The Latina rolls her eyes with a honey-smooth chuckle on her alto tones. "Splurge. You've earned it." She reaches up and pinches the tip of Ariel's nose when the woman turns to look at her, waggling her brows as Mrs. Hadley's words reach her. "God, we're that couple aren't we." She grins, certainly finding no harm in being that couple. With a little nudge of her head and a playful wiggle of her fingers, she moves off to the indicated table with a quick "Thank you," towards the shop's keeper. She pulls out the chair for Ariel before taking her own.
Used to having Colby slide her chair out for her, Ariel sits and assists in scooting back under the small table as she watches her wife move to the other side and sit across from her. She automatically places her hand in the center of the table, knowing her love's hand will join her shortly. "Thank you, Mrs. Hadley. How about one for now, and one for later? I think that's a suitable compromise. And you won't have to roll me home." she looks from one to the other, teasing being proud at her decision. Her brown eyes move to Colby's as she raises her eyebrows just a tad, "Will you be late tonight?"
While she works, Mrs. Hadley hums. This is only a problem because she couldn't carry a tune in the proverbial bucket: it's a random scatter of notes. Still and so, she pops the brownie into the microwave and carefully slices up the tiramisu, until she finally has a pair of small plastic plates and a dessert on each. They're brought out and set down in front of the two women, off to the side a bit to avoid interfering with held-hands. "There we are! And I'll have the other brownie for you when you go." A patpatpat lands on Ariel's shoulder (she's closest) before the old woman bobbles back towards the counter.
Colby's hands find Ariel's as expecting, fingertips drawing lazy spirals on the insides of her palms. The officer works her lower lip beneath the bridge of her teeth in a thoughtful moment before shaking her head in a determined manner. "You know what? I'll tell 'em I've got a hot date. When's the last time I came home at a decent hour?" She grins, rather pleased with her own spur of the moment decision, and glance up to Mrs. Hadley as she delivers the treats. "What would we do without you, Mrs. Hadley?"
As Ariel looks at her brown, inhaling the scent really. It smells so good that she looks almost blissful just letting it linger on the table beneath her nose. She opens her eyes and looks at Colby and letting a curious expression flicker across her face. "What was it you wanted to talk about, Col?" She pulls a corner of the brownie from the rest and pops it into her mouth, letting it melt there for a moment before she swallows it. Her hand never leaves that of her love, as she feels the finger drawing lightly against her palm.
"Turn into little sticks and waste away eating carrots and cottage cheese all the time," is Mrs. Hadley estimation of the future ahead of the pair. She shakes her head in despair over that very same future and sighs her disapproval. Once she's behind the counter again, she sets about puttering and cleaning, making sure everything is neat and tidy both in display and work-area.
Colby's only reply to Mrs. Hadley disapproving horoscope is warm chuckle. She sets to cutting off a bite of her tiramisu, but fails to bring the morsel to her lips as her lover reminds her of the topic set on her mind for the past few days. "Well, I was thinking… Your practice is going well, my job seems rather secure…" Awkwardness is rather cute on the usually macho Latina, in truth. Her fingers offer a little squeeze as she takes a deep breath. "What do you think about adopting?" Her dark gaze flickers up to those familiarly beautiful features of her wife, a dark brow lofting in curiosity.
"I've always wanted a cat." comes the soft reply, as Ariel glances over at her lover. She knows to what her wife is referring, and her eyes show that she knows, but the cute response slips out before she can stop it. Her lips curl up into a softer smile as she gives Colby's hand a squeeze. Reddish eyebrows fall down into a solemn location, giving a look of peace as the topic is approached. It's not an entirely new topic between then. They've had similar discussions, though entirely different options. Another piece of brownie is picked up and placed onto her tongue as it disappears into her mouth. As she swallows it, she smiles to her beloved. "You know I've always wanted a child. Do you think it's the right time now? With your work, and my practice.. do we really have time to raise a child? I'm not saying we can't, but we need to think about these things, right?"
Colby's laughter is abrupt, shattering through her tensions with a hearty sound. The sound fades like a passing echo, though, as the topic takes an easy turn back to serious. The undercover uses her lover's thoughtful silence to take a bite of her desert, gratefully letting the sweet flavors ease the moment's tension to some small degree. "I'd be irresponsible not to think about those things," she agrees with a subtle nod. "Then again - I think if Angelina and Brad Pitt can handle six-some-odd kids with their careers, we can give one child all the love and attention he or she deserves with ours."
The brownie begins to disappear almost magically as Ariel watches her love as they speak. Her fingers play lightly against Colby's hand as she keeps her eyes fastened on those of the one she loves. "I think it's a wonderful idea. And I think you knew I'd say that too." They know each other well enough, this is probably a true statement. Her brownie gone, Ariel pushes her plate to the side of the table and reaches up an brushes another loose strand of her hair out of her face. "Do you want to make an appointment to talk to someone, or would you prefer that I do?"
Colby sits up straighter, the weight of her worries vanish completely under her lover's bright agreement. "I'll leave the smart talking to you," she replies. "Call and make an appointment as soon as you'd like." With that she dismisses the rest of her desert completely, hoping up from her seat and stealing Ariel from her own, picking her wife up in a great hug. "We're going to be mommies," she says with a little wrinkle in her nose, placing a quick kiss to Ariel's lips.
It's the hug that draws Mrs. Hadley's attention. She blinks a few times, then leans across the counter to call out, "Now what is all that about? What did I tell you two about getting frisky in my bakery?" The question is colored with too much laughter to be true upset though.
The squeal that comes from the counselor is most indeed rather girlish as she is picked up out of her seat. "Colby.." the last name does not make it past her lips as she is kissed and immediately melts into her lovers arms. Her hands rest on Colby's shoulders as she is hugged fiercly. At Mrs. Hadley's works, she turns towards the woman and grins. "No frisky here, m'am." she winks and gives Colby a much longer kiss. "Now, put me down before Mrs. Hadley tosses us out on our ears." she laughs.
Colby's grin almost reaches from ear to ear as she sets Ariel back on her feet, unwilling to release one slender arm still hooking gently around the small of her wife's waist. "We're going to be mommies," she says again, this time directing the adorably strange and happy statement in Mrs. Hadley's direction. "I gotta go tell the guys," she remarks with a chortle, digging out her wallet and stepping away from Ariel for the first time since their arrival to pay for their deserts at the counter.