Participants:
| Scene Title | The Envelope Please |
|---|---|
| Synopsis | A lunch date turns into a reason to celebrate. |
| Date | July 29, 2009 |
Central Park has been, and remains, a key attraction in New York City, both for tourists and local residents. Though slightly smaller, approximately 100 acres at its southern end scarred by and still recovering from the explosion, the vast northern regions of the park remain intact.
An array of paths and tracks wind their way through stands of trees and swathes of grass, frequented by joggers, bikers, dog-walkers, and horsemen alike. Flowerbeds, tended gardens, and sheltered conservatories provide a wide array of colorful plants; the sheer size of the park, along with a designated wildlife sanctuary add a wide variety of fauna to the park's visitor list. Several ponds and lakes, as well as the massive Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir, break up the expanses of green and growing things. There are roads, for those who prefer to drive through; numerous playgrounds for children dot the landscape.
Many are the people who come to the Park - painters, birdwatchers, musicians, and rock climbers. Others come for the shows; the New York Shakespeare Festival at the Delacorte Theater, the annual outdoor concert of the New York Philharmonic on the Great Lawn, the summer performances of the Metropolitan Opera, and many other smaller performing groups besides. They come to ice-skate on the rink, to ride on the Central Park Carousel, to view the many, many statues scattered about the park.
Some of the southern end of the park remains buried beneath rubble. Some of it still looks worn and torn, struggling to come back from the edge of destruction despite everything the crews of landscapers can do. The Wollman Rink has not been rebuilt; the Central Park Wildlife Center remains very much a work in progress, but is not wholly a loss. Someday, this portion of Central Park just might be restored fully to its prior state.
A hot Summer day in Central Park, but Colby's come prepared to make up not only for the sweltering heat, but also all the time she's had to stay a work. A navy blue blanket is stretched out across the grace beneath the shade of a large tree. A picnic basket - Yes, a basket, not a cooler. She's gone all out - sits at the edge of the blanket-marked little plot of land, filled with a few goodies which include a bottle of red wine. It wasn't often she herself drank the stuff, but it wasn't right to bring a brewskie.
The Latina sits at the edge of the blanket, her knees propped up and with her arms folded over the crest of her bent leg. She watches the path nearby, clearing her gaze of a few dark locks from time to time, as she looks for the approach of her wife. She loved the way her face lit up when she was pleasantly surprised.
Ariel is running late. Seems to be the pattern of her life as of late. With the rise of evolved vs. non-evolved sentiments running through the city, she's having to turn away patients who could use her help. She's actually been considering looking for a partner for her small practice so perhaps they could help twice as many. For now, she hurries down the sidewalk, though still cheerful even knowing she's late. Colby and herself have grown accustomed to each other's lateness and rarely does it spark anything serious between them. It's an unwritten understanding, a result of each of their occupations.
As she rounds the corner and takes the sidewalk into the park, she finally spots her spouse. There's a sudden catch of her breath when she sees what Colby has put together for their time together at lunch. Eyes meet, as she gives a smile to her beloved and finally moves towards her to join her on the blanket. A kiss is given, a long lingering one, before she finally says, "This is unexpected. Don't ask me why, but it's definitely you." She wonders if Colby knows how her heart flutters when she sees her. "It's beautiful."
Colby shifts, but find a kiss before she can unfold and stand to greet her lover. Instead she lifts a hand, forming a soft cradle against Ariel's cheek as she pulls away. She smiles and curls her fingers, drawing the bridge of her knuckles gently to the underside of Ariel's chin. "You're beautiful," she offers, as if this explained all she had to say about the little luncheon picnic. With a last dip forward to steal a kiss, Colby tips back, propping up on one elbow as she dips her hand into the basket and begins to pull out a few tupperware dishes. She hands over a helping of pasta salad with a fork and a smile. "I thought we could use it. Anyway, como estas, mi amor?" By now she knew Ariel was accustomed to her little slips of Spanglish.
Settling back on the blanket, Ariel watches as Colby begins to unload the basket. "Just been very busy. You know how it's been. One right after the other. There's just so many and I can't help them all. I'm thinking I might have to expand the practice." More work. So much more work.
Ariel accepts the pasta and takes a bite, smiling. Made just the way she likes it. It's those little things that amazes her about Colby, who remembers the little details. "What about you?" She refrains from asking if she's keeping safe, because they both know the dangers of Colby's job. "Everything going okay at work?" she does ask.
"Expand the practice?" If Colby's surprised, she doesn't show it. She simply cocks her head to the side, lofting a brow behind a few choppy strands of dark hair. "I just have one question - Is that something you feel is required of you? Because it's not. You've done more than most people. Or, something you want to do?" She smiles. Her fingers dance along the back of Ariel's own before she plucks up her own fork and stabs a few bites. "Work's fine," she adds. Her tone says much more, however - things are rough, but if she says there 'fine' then it's not something to worry about just yet.
Ariel knows that particular 'fine'. She knows enough that she doesn't need to ask any further. Perhaps tonight, they can find some time to themselves. She eats at her pasta salad and considers Colby's question. "I suppose it's a combination of both. I love to help, but I don't think I can stretch myself any thinner. I'd have to take on a partner." she mentions as she picks more at her salad. "I'd have to find someone I was comfortable with, so I'm not entirely sure that'll happen any time soon. Maybe I'll put a few feelers out."
Colby smiles and nods. "I'm sure you'll find someone to snag the bait," she offers. For a moment she watches her wife, thinking back on their original move to NYC. "Remember when we opened your office?" she inquires with a bit of a chuckle. She shifts her weight to place a quick peck to the far corner of Ariel's brow. "You've come a long way. You've helped a lot of people. I'm proud of you."
She pulls back, and after another brief glance to take in her wife's visage, she turns to the basket. A quick gesture towards the bottle of wine. "Can't drink on the lunch break, so it's just a promise for some more personal time when we get home." She winks in a theatrically devious sort of way and digs into the basket further. She pulls out a massive peach Danish and two bottles of water.
Ariel's eyes soften at the gesture and meaning of the wine, and perhaps even a slight reddening of the cheeks. She smiles to her love and nods. "I think we could both use it tonight." she murmurs softly as she accepts the danish and the bottle of water, letting her hand linger on her wife's hand for a moment. "I hope you know how very much I appreciate you. You've always been so thoughtful."
Ariel has always let the fleeting thought pass of how dangerous Colby's job is and how one night she could get that call. Officers are getting killed in the line of duty rather frequently in the city and the thought of being with her.. it causes her heart to pound mercilessly inside her chest. She tries to catch Colby's eyes and in just barely a whisper, "I love you."
Colby pauses, struck by the sincerity and understanding that seems to transcend words alone and link the two. Ariel's little whisper catches a tight knot in Colby's throat and has her reaching out to loop both of her arms around her wife, tugging her nearer in a strong, protective, supportive grip - and, yet, still there is some desperation in the cradling…
"Stop that." She knew what Ariel was thinking. It'd been on her mind a lot lately, as well. What was wrong with the city of late? She strokes her fingers through Ariel's curls and tips her head to rest the tip of their noses to one another. "Nothing's going to come between us. I swear it. We haven't gotten this far for nothing. I'm being careful. You're being careful. We love each other. That's all it takes." She leans back some and meets Ariel's gaze with questioning and encouragement alike.
Of course, Colby's right and Ariel knows it. They've taken precautions, as much as they could considering what their occupations are. She then recalls she brought something, and reaches into her back pocket and pulls out a folded envelope. "This came today."
She hands the envelope over to Colby. The return address is the adoption agency they've been talking to. "I didn't want to open it without you. I want to share the news with you, good or bad, whether or not they're going to let us adopt." she explains. Apparently, she's not going open it herself, wanting her wife to open it.
Colby's smile is still shaky - the realization that the overhanging verdict of their future family is held within that little envelope does not help. She lofts a brow and looks between Ariel and the tiny white fold within her fingertips. "Wow," she mumbles before pinching up the envelope. She wedges her finger into the edge and stops, just long enough to turn and steal a kiss. "For luck," she comments.
With that there's the quick sound of ripping and rustling paper as she unfolds the letter and holds it at an angle for both women to read it simultaneously. Colby's eyes grow wider, and still she only makes it to the third or fourth line before her grin is turned to Ariel.
There has been some concern from Ariel. The reality of the situation has been weighing on her mind as of late. The fact that her and Colby as of the same-sex, the fact that Colby has a high-risk job. These are all factors that could easily sway any adoption agency to turn them down. As the envelope tears and the paper is removed, she watches intently as Colby's eyes scan over the document within.
Ariel's heart begins to pound hard as she waits and as the Latina's lips curl up into a grin, Ariel gives sigh of relief and leaps across the blanket to wrap her arms around Colby's neck and hug her fiercly. "Really? It's true?"
Colby's laugh is the brightest it's been of late as she catches her pouncing little wife and rolls back, the sheets of paper rustling in her hand as she dances her fingers and nods her head rapidly. "They're going to give us a baby! Silly people," she teases as she nips at the tip of Ariel's nose. With that she rolls her over, taking on a more cuddling position to enjoy the little beams of the Summer Sun that filter through the overhead canopy and warm their shady little territory.
It was a pleasant moment, far from the worries of work that would be creeping in as soon as their lunch break rolled to a close. "Start thinking of a name," she offers with a smile.
Ariel just clings to her wife and holds her as she emits several happy giggles and just soaks in the moment. She pulls back after a few moments, when Colby mentions picking a name and she gazes lovingly into her spouse's eyes. "A name. I think we can do that." She reaches up to stroke her wife's cheek gently. "We did it." she whispers softly, letting her face move in to gently press her lips against Colby's. She'll be giddy the rest of the afternoon, and tonight's personal time will be quite personal after this news.