I Didn't Plan This

Participants:

delia_icon.gif griffin_icon.gif jaiden_icon.gif

Scene Title I Didn't Plan This
Synopsis What has the makings of the most romantic date of all time? Purely an accident.
Date September 26, 2010

The Corinthian — Rose Garden

The Rose Garden is both that as well as greenhouse, glass walls and rooftop ceiling off this little getaway from whatever weather happens to be uselessly battering at it. When the snow falls, it makes a flurry against the glass, an inverse snow dome, but right now it's clear, with a smoggy, starry night domed beyond. The outside courtyard that lies between its closed doors and the opened ones of the warm and bright hotel interior is empty of people save for those moving back and forth, a temporary and interstitial space.

It's warm in here, and smells of dirt and fragrant flowers, crowded with beds of roses, miniature explosions of colour and thorny stalks alike. Dense Indian Hawthorne hedges below the height of a knee create an artful and polite barrier between flowering displays and the gravel pathways, of which there are six coming together into a star-like pattern. The center of this starburst arrangement holds a small three-tiered fountain, bringing with it the scent and sound of trickling water. There are benches around the edges, wooden slats left naked of paint and new to look at, polished smooth.


The day has been warm and comfortable, bright and sunny out; the sun is on its way toward the horizon, now, and the sky is turning several lovely shades of color. It's been one of those beautiful Saturdays, and it's coming down to a beautiful end to a beautiful day.

The sunset is only enhanced by the magical feeling that only comes from such a garden as this one, the orange glow casting an even more mystical aura over the the plants.

Griffin is currently enjoying himself in the gardens, seated at one of the benches around the fountain. He's got a violin settled on his lap, and the soft twang of the strings can be heard drifting through the gardens as he tunes it, humming to himself as he does so.

It's been more than evident that Delia's been suffering from cabin fever. Adventurous forays into public, even more dangerous trips to gala events where there are certain to be cameras, sneaking out past curfew and trekking across the city, all these things leads to one conclusion: The poor girl needs to get out in a bad way.

Jaiden found the garden earlier and when Delia showed up at his place he insisted they go out. It is here that he leads her in, following behind her with his hands over his eyes. All to keep the place a surprise for exactly the right moment.

"Are we in a flower shop? I hear water… and music… I definitely smell flowers. Jaiden whe— " When he releases the blind, there's a gasp from the young woman as she gapes wide eyed at the scenery. "Oh.. my… This place… It's like… I didn't think anywhere like this existed…"

"Figured this place'd get that kind of reaction." Jaiden lowers his hands, the right one a little slower than the left, before stepping around to stand next to Delia, his left arm going around her waist lightly. "The music wasn't my doing…I think it's coming from over there, somewhere." He gestures in the direction of the violin-playing man, not seeing him just yet.

Griffin's posture straightens as he hears the commotion of others joining him in the garden, turning green eyes toward the entrance with raised brows. A small smile forms on his face as he hears that it is a couple, and he reaches into the case that is resting on the bench next to him, picking up the bow. Resin is run over the horsehair briefly, before he raises to his feet, lifting the violin to his shoulder, setting his chin on the chin rest.

After a moment of situating himself, rusty hands form the chords for a note. A few tests notes are played first, followed by a quick succession of notes. Then, there's silence as he ponders which song to play for the approaching pair.

Delia's arm winds its way around Jaiden's waist as they meander through the garden. Every once in a while she stops at a flower bed and examines the posies growing in it. Turning to look up at Jaiden, she gives him a little smile with a wrinkled nose and squints her eyes, "What's your favorite flower? Let me guess!" Her free hand raises to tap her index finger to her chin as she examines him. Still walking, they finally come into view of the violinist though the redhead hasn't noticed him yet. "African violet?"

"My knowledge of flowers is minimal at best, Del…" Jaiden walks with her, pausing at the beds as she takes a look at them, making a show to bend down and read the plaque to find out exactly what's in the flower bed. "I like pretty ones…apple blossoms, dogwoods, bluebonnets…natural wildflowers. Orchids are nice too, but I can't tell you any particular kind."

Smiling to the couple, Griffin raises the bow once more, poising it over the scene. Then he suddenly launches into the violin solo. While his hands are a bit rusty from years of misuse, it's like a bike: one never forgets. Expert fingers trail over the strings as he drags the bow across them, playing a Bach song. It's somber, yet simultaneously uplifting, and the rich tones of the violin echo through the garden. His slender form sways with the music that he creates, eyes closed.

"I wouldn't never have guess those ones, what about lilacs? I love those… so big and puffy but they're all so tin— y." Delia's voice halts and then after a moment of listening to the music, finishes her last word. As the quick notes fill the garden, her eyelids slide halfway closed, giving her a daydreaming expression. "This is a good song for bees…" she says quietly. Her eyes flits over the different flowers, following the path of an imaginary bee gathering pollen. "It's quick and very… " she pauses, trying to think of the right word. Her lower lip is caught between her teeth and she chews it for a moment before looking up at Jaiden again. "Buzzy."

"Wow. Whoever's playing that must have multiple fingers or something. I've seen guitar players play that quickly, but on violin?" Jaiden shakes his head in wonder, having been forced to practice violin when he was but a lad for a terrible six weeks before the violin accidentally was thrown into a threshing machine. "It sounds like something that might be played over a car chase in a movie….but buzzy I can see." Jaiden gives Delia a squeeze around the waist and deftly spins and bows, offering a hand. "Shall we dance?"

Griffin smiles at the remarks he hears, continuing the rather swift song as the pair come into view. And he isn't even doing his special trick right now, where he plays two violins at once. Still, he continues the song, swaying in time; he never was one to allow much of anything to interrupt him while in the middle of playing a song, whether it be on piano, violin, or guitar.

God, he needs a music studio.

Spinning quickly, Delia ends it ecarte. The hand that's up in the air comes down as she spins back to him, clasping his hand with one of hers and placing a light hand on his other shoulder. Her feet glide over the gravel making smooth crunches at even intervals. Where her singing is certainly lacking, her footwork isn't. She's actually very good. "You won't get hurt again spinning me around?" The playful comments is coupled with a smile and the twinkle in her bright blue eyes. She doesn't have much doubt in his constitution though, considering that she's touching the shoulder.

"I've been good for the past few days. No lifting, wearing the sling, taking my meds on a schedule. I'm golden. Just don't ask me to lift you into my arms or something!" Jaiden laughs, almost skipping nimbly along as she moves, his steps matching hers. The dance isn't really choreographed, but it is nice.

A small smile forms on Griffin's face, his green eyes raising toward the pair as they dance along to his music. It brings back memories, for sure, but it also makes him happy, to be able to assist in making an already good date into a better one. The song continues for a few more minutes, his fingers nimbly working over the strings, before he draws the final note of the song out, pulling the bow away from the strings with a soft smile on his face.

The dance ends with a gracious yet demure bow of the head from Delia to Jaiden. When she looks up at him again, she's blushing profusely and trying to stop the smile from appearing on her lips by biting down on her lower one. Curling in close to the large man, she turns to face the musician and claps her hands softly in ovation.

"Thank you, that was really pretty," she intones shyly. "Do you play for the New York Philharmonic?" To the question is a rather honest one, considering to the layman's ear, the musician is more than good enough to solo.

At the end of the dance a wink is passed from the man to the woman before they straighten. Jaiden claps respectfully, enthusiastically, the sound echoing off of the glass walls of this place before he lets his hands fall.

"quite lovely there, Mate. You've got a good ear for music or have put in a bloody enormous amount of practice to sound as good as you do. You come here and play for the plants often?" Jaiden smiles, conversational.

A pleasant smile is offered to Delia's remark, Griffin offers a small, gracious bow. "Thank you, both of you." He laughs sofly. "No ma'am, I do not play for the Philharmonic. I've simply always enjoyed music, and I went to college for music." He chuckles softly, lowering the violin from his shoulder and carefully placing it back into its case. "This is my first time playing for the plants, though I may make this a regular place."

The blush is still across her cheeks as the young woman nods once in understanding. "Ooohh.. Do you play only classical or do you play other kinds of music too?" Thinking the open violin case a cue, she digs around in her pocket to find a lone dollar bill. Possibly her last one. She doesn't unfold it before she reaches down to place it into the felt lined lid. "It's.. not that much, not enough to thank you properly for the song. But it's all I have." She explains sheepishly.

The man's not a busker - Jaiden can tell that much by the location he chose to do his playing. Not many people wander through the gardens and the traffic he'd get would not be enough to pay his rent if a month were sixty days long. "ah, Del.." Jaiden tries to stop her but the dollar is already fluttering into his case, the man chuckling softly. "Consider it a better tip than 'take music lessons' or some of the other tripe people tell you when you sing for your supper on the street." Jaiden offers a hand. "Th' name's Jaiden. Pleased t' meet you, mate."

The man offers a faint smile to Delia as she places the dollar bill in his case, chuckling softly and waving a hand toward the pair. "Oh, it's alright. I do my singing for supper during the day, and I do fairly well." He probably could get a place for what he makes when he plays outdoors, but then…destitution is comforting. He doesn't look homeless, by any means. Not with the casual suit he wears, black pants combined with a black button-up dress shirt, a vest that matches the pants, and a white tie. He's cleanly shaved, as well, and the Moab scar almost gleams against his throat.

As Jaiden offers forth the hand, Griffin takes it, offering a firm handshake. "Griffin. Pleasure to meet you." He glances toward Delia, a warm smile on his face as he offers his hand toward the woman. "And who is this beautiful, kind-hearted woman on your arm?" Griffin offers an apologetic look, hoping that Jaiden won't object to the gentlemanly greeting he's about to give; it's nothing personal. Should Delia take his hand, he raises it, planting a small kiss on her knuckles.

Following suit, Delia grips Griffin's hand right after Jaiden has let it loose. She begins to smile as she shakes his hand but it wanes a little as hers is lifted to the stranger's lips. Immediately, Delia's hair isn't the only thing that's bright red, her face has turned an even deeper shade of crimson. When her hand is released, her lips twitch into a rather awkward grin as she glances from the musician to Jaiden. "Uhm… Delia," she answers simply, pausing for only a breath before adding quickly. "Pleased to meet you."

A bit of old-style charm in the middle of the new world. Jaiden doesn't seem to mind the kiss to Delia's hand in the least - after all, he's the one with her arm around her waist, squeezing her lightly as if to say 'dont worry, it's okay.' "As she said, this is Delia, a close friend of mine at the very least, a girlfriend more than likely."

Once the kiss to her knuckles is delivered, Griffin smiles warmly, straightening up. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Miss Delia. My apologies. I'm compelled to greet women the proper way, as the ladies that they are." The smile he offers the pair is best described as gentle. "To answer your earlier question, Miss Delia, I don't only play classical, no. I play jazz, rock…if it takes an instrument, I can typically manage to play it." He chuckles. "Though my skills lie more in composing and conducting, admittedly." Doesn't stop him from playing any instrument he can get his hands on.

Green eyes turn toward Jaiden. "You two remind me of the way I was with my wife." Strange, he wears no wedding ring. "So, I should hope that she is your girlfriend." A small, knowing smile is offered to Jaiden.

With her blush now faded, Delia's lips purse and twist to the side as Jaiden defines their relationship so eloquently to the stranger. She glances up at the Australian with raised eyebrows and then cracks a smile before looking back at Griffin. "I'm hoping girlfriend, but I didn't want to push my luck." Her aside carries a hint of laughter with it, whether she's actually joking or not is something her beau will have to determine for himself.

When Griffin makes his observation, she reaches behind her head to rub at the back of her neck. Her smile falters as she catches the words and she angles her chin a little, looking at him. "Was? Did… " She almost doesn't want to ask. "… I'm sorry."

That's a road Jaiden really doesn't want to tread down. Getting a stranger to open up about his dead? divorced? wife really doesn't bode well for pleasant conversation. He coughs softly and gives Delia a little squeeze. "We'll talk about it back at the apartment over dinner and bad movies."

The man smiles warmly, raising a hand and shaking his head. "Don't be. It isn't your fault." He doesn't say more than that, the small smile getting just a little tighter. "In any case, how long have you two been seeing each other? Shall I play more for you?" He raises the violin in suggestion, brows raised.

This time Delia answers for the two of them, "A few weeks, uhm.. maybe almost a month?" She shrugs and glances up at Jaiden for guidance on her answer. Her arm winds around his waist as an impish grin spreads across her face and she squints. Turning back at Griffin, the grin turns to a crooked smile and she lifts her shoulders again, this time much higher than before. "I…" she doesn't know what to say. "Sure? I mean.. if you don't mind."

"At least that long." Jaiden responds after a moment, turning his attention to the violin player. "We only met a few months ago and, well, things happened, and voila, here we are in a garden being serenaded by a man with a violin." Jaiden looks down to Delia with a smirk. "I didn't plan this, I hope you know"

Griffin smiles warmly, nodding to the pair. "He really didn't plan this, Miss Delia. I confess that the moment I heard a young couple coming into the gardens, I rushed through my tuning so I could play a song." He chuckles, raising the violin to his chin and brandishing the bow. Briefly, he smiles to the pair, before the horse hair is touched to the strings, and the violin cries out its song from the skilled fingertips of its owner.

With the way the young woman is smiling up at the Australian, she may or may not believe that he didn't plan it. Of course her girlier instincts take over; romantic setting, music, the man of her dreams (literally), all in one place? If he didn't plan it, it must be some sort of cosmic sign. From the exterior all that's offered is a small shrug and that crooked smile.

As the music starts up again, Delia leans her head against Jaiden's good shoulder and listens. Wrapping both of her arms around the Australian's waist, her body angles toward him, her head rubbing against that shoulder in a semi nuzzle. "I don't know what would be better, if you planned it or pure accident."

"Well, let's just say I planned it and chalk it up to me being thoughtful and having more money than I know what to do with, to hire a musician to meet us in a garden at a pre-arranged time." Jaiden's arm curls around Delia, holding close, watching the man play his violin. Just enjoying the solitude and silence, only broken by the music.

With a smile, Griffin puts on a rather pleasant show for the pair. He's decided to stop talking to them, finding himself to be far too depressing, and thus refusing to ruin the couple's evening with his whining over a wife who has been in the ground for over ten years now. It is thus that he continues to play for the pair for as long as they will stay to listen, with only brief breaks in the music as he determines which songs to play. Best to play the part of a hired musician, in this case.


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