NOT ACID NOR ALKALINE;

“   If   anything   he’ll   think   I’m   the   bitch.   ”   Erika   replied   with   a   small   shrug   as   she   looked   around   the   shop.   “   Like   I   said,   you’re   always   too   nice.   ”   It   still   surprised   her   that   someone   had   decided   to   open   up   a   weed   shop   in   small   and   quaint   Deer   Valley.   She   wasn’t   complaining,   though.   Any   business   that   kept   the   city   up   and   alive   during   off   season   was   good   for   her   and   she   would   do   whatever   it   took   to   keep   it   alive.   “   Glad   to   hear   it,   hun.   You’re   not   giving   your   boss   much   trouble,   are   you?   ”

“Thanks Rikki.” He smiled, receiving the coffee and aspirin with a lopsided smile as he looked up at the other. He knew Erika preferred Kiki or Erika but in his defense, her name was fun to dance with, come up with new and exciting ways to drag it out. It was their thing, kind of? He supposed, at least. She had never really stopped him, and he always loved when he was nicknamed. “God, I am like barely forty.” He deflected, waving his hand at her before downing the aspirin dry. It tasted terrible. “My bones aren't as old as yours, dep.”  

Being handed the coffee, a smile spread across his lips, having thought she had brought the cup for herself. His skin bristled where the kiss had been planted, soft, platonic, happy tingles where his old friend's lips had been. “Yeah, yeah. You have your vacations planned by the minutes.” He laughed, imagining the long detailed itineraries she probably sent out to everyone involved in relaxing. “Did I?” He looked mortified, and again, slightly proud of his behavior and shrugged, taking another sip of his coffee. “What can I say. I'm fine as hell.” He tilted his head in her direction, brows furrowing slightly, “What about you, Juliet? Any lovers on the horizon?” But Erika was quick, too quick, and Marcus nodded eagerly. “I am always hungry miss ma'am. Take pity on me.” 

“How   would   you   know   they’re   fine?”   The   brunette   questioned   him,   hands   flying   to   her   hips   as   she   cocked   her   head   to   the   side.   Erika   didn’t   know   if   having   grown   up   with   Marcus   was   as   nice   or   as   terrible   as   having   siblings   of   her   own,   but   there   was   no   denial   that   these   two   fought   as   if   they   shared   more   than   a   friendly   bond.   “   Have   you   ever   had   nails   this   fabulous?   ”   The   brunette   showed   him   her   nails.   “   No,   of   course   you   haven’t.   ”   With   that,   Erika   moved   her   hands   back   to   rest   on   her   hips,   and   yes,   even   though   he   was   right   and   they   had   remained   perfectly   fine,   she   would   take   any   and   all   opportunities   to   poke   fun   at   Marcus.   Especially   of   relatively   still   drunk   Marcus.   “   So   bitch,   please.   I   don’t   need   your   money.   I   could   use   some   consideration,   but   I   suppose   you   can’t   buy   these   at   the   school’s   cafeteria   or   something.   ”   Of   course   she   was   merely   teasing.   Her   tone   said   it   all.   Besides,   the   way   she   would   always   look   after   Marcus   like   a   younger   brother,   also   did.   Especially   when   she   brought   him   that   cup   of   coffee   and   the   aspirins. Her   eyes   rolled   as   she   sat   beside   him,   a   coffee   cup   clasped   in   her   hands   and   she   tucked   her   legs   under   herself.   “   Oh,   sweetheart.   You’re   forty   going   on   four   hundred   from   the   looks   of   it,   and   if   you   don’t   start   acting   your   age,   it’ll   be   difficult   to   handle   growing   old.   I   mean,   I   still   have   to   be   on   your   ass   to   have   you   eat   a   pathetic   salad   every   once   in   a   while.   ”   For   someone   who   didn’t   see   herself   as   a   mother   she   did   a   lot   of   taking   care   of   others   for   her   own   good.   Another   comment   by   him   made   her   turn   around   to   face   Marcus   face.   “   What’s   wrong   with   being   well-prepared?   And   no,   for   your   information,   I   only   email   them   the   plane   tickets   and   hotel   reservations.   ”   And   some   mild   suggestions   of   places   to   visit,   as   well   as   entrance   fee   prices   and   the   like.   People   were   allowed   to   join   her   or   not.   Most   didn’t,   but   that   was   okay.   Family   vacations   didn’t   always   mean   spending   every   minute   of   every   day   together,   did   it? Once   he’d   accepted   her   offer   to   eat,   Erika   smacked   on   his   chest   with   the   back   of   her   hand   and   got   up.   Being   called   Juliet   did   little   if   not   annoy   her,   so   she   flipped   Marcus   off   as   she   headed   to   the   kitchen   and   pulled   some   eggs   and   bacon   from   her   fridge.   “   I   was   having   fun   with   someone,   but   he   hadn’t   been   returning   my   phone   calls,   so   no.   Just   me,   myself   and   my   weird   relationship   with   Jude.   ”   Erika   started   the   fire.   Good,   she   needed   something   to   distract   herself   from   the   possible   questions   that   Marcus   might   throw   her   way.   “   Anyway,   didn’t   you   say   you’d   met   someone   nice?   What   ever   happened   to   them?   ”

when she was married and she could constantly split the responsibilities, she loved to sit at the end of the night with her book, wine, and just enjoy the quiet with her husband after their daughter went to sleep. peaceful, easy, calm. but the turn on her life had made things a lot more complicated, and she'd lost a lot of the time to do the hobbies she liked. she really needed to get back on that.

"i'm hanging in there," she admitted, letting her nails tap against the glass, the soft twinkling sound a nice accompaniment to the evening. she let her shoulders lift in a small shrug before she continued. "paisley's honestly been doing okay all things considered. i think she's looking forward to the summer. i've been working a lot more, trying to make sure the summer programs are all set. it's keeping me busy, keeping me out of the house as much as i can, especially during the work day, you know? but i mean, i've definitely been worse, so that's something, right?"

Ah,   yes,   the   good   old   ‘work   yourself   to   death   so   the   devil   doesn’t   know   you’re   alive   and   decides   to   haunt   you   with   your   worst   possible   memories’   maneuver.   Erika   knew   that   trick   very   well   as   she   had   been   basically   living   on   autopilot   for   the   last   two   years   or   so.   The   difference   was   that   she   hadn’t   put   on   her   big   girl   pants   and   decided   to   call   it   quits   with   Jude.   At   the   beginning   of   their   marriage,   when   love   was   young   and   burned   bright,   things   were   easier.   She   could   understand   the   coldness   in   him,   the   retreat   caused   by   old   scars   that   had   never   healed,   but   now,   almost   twenty   years   later,   the   young   politician   had   expected   things   to   be   different.   She   expected   her   husband   to   be   kinder,   warmer…   and   yet,   things   remained   the   same.  Worse,   even. Sure,   sex   was   still   great   between   them—and   selfishly   enough,   Erika   admitted   to   herself   more   often   than   not,   that   was   why   things   had   survived   between   them   throughout   the   years,   but   it   was   in   the   feelings   department   that   Jude   was   falling   short. Unfortunately. “   I   heard   children   are   awfully   resilient.   ”   Erika   didn’t   know   for   sure.   Children   had   never   really   been   in   hers   and   Jude’s   plans   so,   they   just   kept   pushing   it   off   until   it   was   brought   up   in   literally   every   family   reunion,   to   the   point   of   exhaustion.   The   older   woman   shook   her   head   as   she   reached   for   the   small   fork   and   used   it   to   place   a   sliver   of   carpaccio   on   a   small   toast.   “   I’m   sure   the   June   programs   are   perfect   as   they   are,   Georgina.   ”   The   politician   downed   the   meat   with   a   sip   of   her   wine   and   rested   her   hands   on   the   table,   fingers   linked   together.   “   You   know   what   you   need?   A   good   fuck.   ”   Erika   smirked,   leaning   forward   before   saying   those   last   words   to   avoid   people   eavesdropping   on   them   as   her   crude   words   would   have   exposed   Georgia’s   life   a   little   more.   “   Or,   maybe   just   a   late-night   in   with   a   recently-charged   vibrator.   ” She   added   casually,   before   returning   to   her   original   position,   resting   back   against   her   seat.   The   politician   had   collected   both   types   of   companions   these   last   two   years   that   she   had   been   back   in   town   and   those   had   always   been   Erika’s   saviors   on   stressful   nights.   “   Do   you   have   anyone   in   mind   or   the   last   one?   ”

“You overestimate my skills, Erika.” Barbie shook her head, casting a glance back at the dishes she had prepared. “But, if you wish to judge my food like I'm a contestant on a cooking show, who am I to deny the birthday gal?” A slight twinkle of that southern charm sprinkled into her voice at then end — masking her discomfort. She had never been on par with the elite chefs they were lucky enough to have in town. Barbie plucked up a plate and began piling food on for the other to eat — had Erika even enjoyed all the delights of her own party? Barbie was inclined to think not, but she batted away the motherly inclination just as she had with her own children and presented the plate to her friend. “Ah, it is coming along as best as it can.” She hummed, drumming her hand on the glass of lemonade she still held. Barbie was dealing with cold feet and nerves and the desire to just elope all at once. “You'll have to give me their card. I keep drifting between hiring someone local and just using the chefs at the w. But the allure of someone from denver also keeps calling to me.” 

Facing   Barbara’s   unparalleled   words   was   a   great   stroke   on   her   ego.   Fake   modesty   had   never   been   in   her   genes,   but   she   had   always   been   a   humble   person.   Compliments   were   taken   if   she   thought   she   deserved   them,   and   even   though   she   would   not   agree   with   the   blonde   woman   that   this   community   existed because   of   her,   she   could   agree   that   yes,   being   back   in   town   and   behind   some   decisions   regarding   it   had   made   her   proud.   Erika   would   give   Frances   a   few   more   years   before   snatching   Deer   Valley   from   his   hands   and   making   her   town   even   prouder   of   having   her   back.   Things   between   Jude   and   her   were   on   the   brink   of   falling   apart,   but   at   least,   her   career   couldn’t   say   the   same.   “   Modesty   isn’t   a   look   that   I   sport   often.   ”   Smiling,   Erika   tilted   her   plastic   cup   towards   the   hotel   owner,   then   brought   it   to   her   lips.   Her   teeth   nibbed   lightly   on   its   borders   as   she   looked   around.   This   party   had   only   been   possible   because   people   had   stepped   up   and   bought   her   idea.   Nothing   would   have   been   possible   without   them.   “   I   think   you’re   mistaking   it   for   honesty,   which,   I’ll   admit:   isn’t   something   we   often   connect   with   politicians,   right?   ”   A   soft   chuckle   escaped   her   lips   and   she   finally   sipped   on   her   lemonade.   It   didn’t   taste   perfect,   but   it   was   refreshing   enough. She   watched   as   Barbara   made   her   a   plate   and   almost   told   the   other   she   shouldn’t   have   to,   but   she   wasn’t   about   to   start   asking   not   to   be   spoiled.   Especially   not   on   her   birthday   of   all   days.   Erika   set   her   cup   of   lemonade   down   on   the   nearest   table   so   she   could   accept   one   fried   tomato   with   a   nod.   She   then   held   the   plate   when   it   was   given   to   her,   before   offering   it   to   her   current   companion   so   that   Barbie   could   have   some,   too.   “   You   know,   I’m   not   sure   if   you’re   planning   it   all   on   your   own   or   if   you’ve   hired   a   wedding   planner,   but   in   case   of   the   ladder,   maybe   you   could   let   them   make   that   decision   for   you.   ”   The   young   politician   suggested.   It   wasn’t   like   her   to   tell   people   how   to   plan   their   parties,   even   less,   their   own   wedding,   but   if   she’d   had   enough   money   back   then   to   hire   someone   great   for   her   own   party,   Erika   would   have   done   it   in   a   heartbeat.   “   But   yes,   of   course   I’ll   get   you   all   of   their   numbers.   Have   you   two   set   up   a   date   yet?   It   will   probably   be   one   of   those   events   the   whole   town   will   talk   about.   ”

location: silverthorne neighborhood

featuring: meilin & erika

Erika   had   always   been   great   at   dealing   with   people.   More   like—dealing   with   adults.   Children,   plants   and   pets,   however?   A   natural   disaster,   the   woman   was.   So   when   Meilin   asked   about   the   plants,   the   younger   woman   let   out   an   exasperated   sigh,   puffing   her   cheeks   as   she   lowered   the   glass   of   white   wine   that   she   had   just   poured   to   herself   before   deciding   to   sit   by   the   porch   and   go   over   next   week’s   agenda.   “   Oh,   babygirl,   you’re   definitely   asking   the   wrong   woman   here.   ”   Erika   shook   her   head   and   approached   her   friend,   her   free   hand   reaching   out   to   touch   the   other’s   shoulder   with   gentleness   and   she   pressed   a   kiss   to   Meilin’s   cheek.   It   wasn’t   like   herself   to   leave   a   problem   unsolved,   so,   if   Meilin   was   going   to   drive   away   in   search   of   help,   she   might   as   well   tag   along   for   the   ride.   “   I   have   someone   to   tend   the   garden   for   me.   Someone   mama   knows   and   trusts,   so   there’s   that.   ”   Her   hand   rested   on   her   waist   while   the   other   still   cradled   the   wine   glass.   “   What   did   the   video   say?   Would   you   like   to   come   inside   and   show   me?   Two   heads   might   work   better   than   one.   ”

He kind of figured he had gotten too lucky thus far. It was a small town — much smaller than he’d like it to be sometimes. It could be a comfort and an ailment depending on the day, and well. Today it was an ailment. He’d been dodging an old flame — could she even be called that? — for a good while now, after their mess of a date had ended up with them in bed and the promise to follow up.

Aeri never had. Which, cool, he isn’t for everyone and he knew it was hard to take a guy like him seriously, but he’d kind of thought it could go somewhere. Or at the very least, aid him in the rebound he had so desperately needed. Marcus was pretty sure he must have had bad morning breath, or god, maybe he’d been a bad kisser? He’s waiting for his coffee order, sat in a table ridiculously close to her when he realized who it was. His face would flush red if not for his dark complexion.

He coughed uncomfortably, signaling his presence if she hadn’t yet noticed him, and said, “Aeri — right?” As if the name didn’t haunt him. “It’s been a minute — you look great. I love the hair.” His throat tightened in discomfort, but Marcus knew he needed to conquer his fear. Like, god, she was only five foot seven. He didn’t need to keep dodging her. “How have you been?” He gave her a tentative smile, the nerves evident in his gaze. Maybe she’d take pity on him and pretend she didn’t notice.

OH,  SHE  REMEMBERED  THAT  SMILE.  Except  it  was  on  a  different  angle,  either  on  top  or  under  her,  but  Aeri  remembered  that  smile  like  it  had  happened  yesterday  and  not  about  a  year  before.  Maybe  she  had  handled  it  poorly—actually,  scratch  that.  She had  handled  it  poorly,  but  with  her  heart  still  recovering  from  walking  around  empty-handed  after  freely  giving  her  heart  away  to  Josie  Velasquez,  no  one  could  blame  her  for  heading  straight  to  the  exit  when  opportunity  showed  itself.  Except,  this  guy  had  deserved  none  of  it.  He  had  been  nothing  but  nice,  sweet  and  a  damn  great  partner  in  bed  (hell,  she  couldn’t  remember  the  last  time  her  legs  shook  that  way  anymore),  so  he  deserved  a  better  hand  than  the  one  he  got  dealt  when  it  came  to  her. “  That’s  how  they  call  me.  ”  Aeri  allowed  herself  to  look  away  from  the  Kindle  screen,  finally  catching  a  glimpse  of  that  smile  that  had  her  smiling  back  several  times  that  night.  “  Oh.  ”  The  journalist  blinked  a  couple  of  times,  her  cheeks  flushing  red  as  she  sat  up  on  her  seat.  “  Marcus,  hi.  ”  Gosh,  she  sounded  stupid,  didn’t  she?  Like  a  high  schooler  after  being  greeted  by  the  school’s  most  popular  jock  or  something.  Her  hand  absentmindedly  reached  up,  fingertips  touching  the  end  of  her  short  strands  as  Aeri  chuckled  softly.  As  if  it  would  make  the  nervousness  dissipate.  “  Right…  My  hair  was  still  long  when  we…  ”  Hooked  up?  Fucked?  Had  that  mindblowing  one-night  stand?  “  Met.  ”  She  nodded  yet  again.  “Thank  you.  ”  Jesus,  what  was  going  on?  Why  was  she  feeling  so  embarrassed?  Why  was  it  so  hard  to  have  a  normal  conversation  with  him? “  I’ve  been  okay.  Mostly  working  and  keeping  my  head  above  water,  I  guess.  ”  She  wasn’t  going  to  start  talking  about  the  problems  she’d  been  having  with  this  lead  that  she’d  been  chasing.  Not  to  someone  she  didn’t  really  know  anyways.  “  You  look  nice,  too.  I  mean,  kind  of  hard  to  look  bad  when  you  got  that  smile  to  flash  around,  isn’t  it?  ”  His  name  was  called,  announcing  that  his  coffee  was  ready,  and  before  he  could  get  away  and  start  avoiding  her  (which  made  her  start  avoiding  him  right  back),  Aeri  stood  up  and  cut  his  path.  “  Hey,  listen…  I…  you  know,  sorry  for  getting  all  weird  all  those  months  ago.  Would  you  like  to  sit  down?  ”

AERI   WATCHED   DALLAS   FOR   A   MOMENT.   It   was   not   that   the   young   journalist   thought   that   he   wouldn’t   be   responsible   enough   to   be   a   parent.   She   didn’t   even   have   much   knowledge   on   the   topic   either,   but   it   just   made   her   think   about   how   people   younger   than   her   were   having   kids   left   and   right,   or   getting   married   or   both.   That   small   pang   of   loneliness   hit   her   right   in   the   stomach   again.   “   Wow…   sad   tears   or   happy   tears?   ”   The   brunette   asked,   wondering   how   it   was   for   the   comedian.   Dallas   had   always   given   her   the   impression   that   he   didn’t   take   things   seriously,   but   now,   as   he   shared   some   light   on   his   personal   life,   Aeri   couldn’t   help   but   wonder   how   it   was   like.   “   Kiara,   huh?   And   are   you   and   the   mother   on   good   terms?   ”

She wondered if he believed that she had made it big in new-york city? Perhaps it was the belief that people had to be a big shot to be able to survive in a city that was so expensive— and for a lot of people it was the case— except Amara was working multiple jobs in order to pay her bills. Sure, she would return to new-york and file the papers there and have her lawyers figure out the rest but she didn't know how complex things would get. Whether or not she would need to return because there was an issue or they would need to discuss certain things. When she'd left, whatever belongings still remained had been left behind with the idea that Dante could keep them but she didn't know the logistics and whether she'd forgotten something they may have owned together in the past. "I'll figure it out, don't worry about it." Amara would stay in town and make it work. She was nothing if not resilient. Plus she'd already found a job serving food so she could continue with that for the next few weeks and ensure that her bills were paid. It wasn't like there was much to spend her money on in this town.

When he took the papers and placed them on the hood of the car to sign without so much as glancing at the documents, her gaze fixed on him for any signs of sorrow or sadness. She didn't know why she'd hoped to see a flash of something. Or why she felt gutted when there weren't any sign of anything other than a blank canvas. He'd signed them so easily. As easily as she'd signed them, she supposed. Just when she felt herself coming down from the disappointment, the sudden touch had her reeling in a way she hadn't anticipated. Her heart leapt, stomach dropped, and her heart felt like it would explode in her chest cavity. He smelt the same way and she hated that it was the first thought that came to mind. Despite knowing that she wasn't that girl who was madly in love with him all those years ago, she knew her body still recognized him and memorized the moments they'd shared. Her mouth parted, unsure how to even speak despite the thousands of questions and comments that came to mind. "I...." She cleared her throat, dipped her head in the hopes it would hide the slight flush she could feel rise upon her cheeks.

"That's it?" She heard herself say with mild insult. "I mean, I came all this way to get you to sign these papers and you do it without even glancing at them. I could be asking for half of your income or house." She was certain that wouldn't exactly be allowed but there could be some obscure demand in there. "You're just sending me back on my way." The cringe on her expression was from a slight hint of shame at her own words because she knew what he would say. That she had been the one to leave and how little problem she had doing that. She'd set herself up for it.

"I'm going to stick around town because I found a job and I just want to make sure this gets done right." God, she hated that it could perhaps make it seem like she was staying for other reasons. He'd made it clear that this could have all been done through their respective lawyers but she'd gone out of her way to show up in person.

"So, I'll maybe see you around." He could tell her to take care again then, and she'd do the same.

DANTE  DREW  IN  A  BREATH.  It  didn’t  use  to  be  this  hard  talking  to  Amara  and  yet,  here  he  was,  pinching  the  bridge  of  his  nose  in  annoyance  because  he  would  much  rather  do  this  some  other  place  at  some  other  time,  but  Dante  didn’t  want  to  feel  like  he  was  (once  again)  holding  her  back  from  living  the  life  that  she  had  always  wanted  and  deserved  to  live.  If  anything,  one  could  say  that  the  professor  would  have  given  Amara  the  world  if  he  could,  but  from  the  looks  of  it,  that  was  yet  another  thing  that  he  had  failed  to  accomplish.  A  sigh  escaped  his  lips  as  he  opened  his  eyes  and  his  gaze  found  hers.  God,  where  had  he  gone  wrong?  Why  couldn’t  he  see  that  even  though  they  were  so  much  alike,  their  biggest  difference  would  be  the  one  to  tear  them  apart? “  What  do  you  want  from  me,  Amara?  ”  He  asked  in  a  breath.  Yes,  Dante  knew  exactly  where  they  were  and  how  much  it  would  cost  him  to  stand  there  and  talk  to  his  ex-wife  in  the  middle  of  the  parking  lot.  “  You  asked  me  to  sign  the  papers,  I  signed  the  papers.  Figured  you  were  in  a  hurry  to  get  the  fuck  out  of  here,  like  you’ve  always  wanted  to.  ”  Leaning  back  against  the  car’s  door,  it  almost  felt  like  the  weight  of  having  that  conversation  was  starting  to  crush  him.  Right  now,  standing  under  the  moonlight,  it  almost  broke  his  heart  all  over  again  to  watch  her  and  see  her  this  beautiful.  Dante  had  to  make  a  mental  note  not  to  ask  any  questions  about  her  life  outside  of  Deer  Valley.  The  less  he  knew,  the  better.  “  I  don’t  know,  something  tells  me  that  if  I’d  asked  some  days  to  read  the  files,  you’d  probably  find  an  excuse  to  belittle  me,  wouldn’t  you?  ”  Hadn’t  she  done  so  when  he  asked  her  to  wait  a  few  days  before  submitting  the  papers?  “  Feels  like  I  can’t  win  when  it  comes  to  this.  Us.  ” Not  that  there  had  been  any  ‘us’  for  the  last  six  years,  but  Dante  wasn’t  going  to  stumble  onto  his  own  words  and  correct  himself.  Whatever  was  said,  he  would  keep  his  words  and  not  change  them.  “  You’re  what?  ”  The  professor  blinked  a  couple  of  times,  then  pushed  himself  away  from  where  he’d  been  leaning  against  after  the  younger  woman  mentioned  staying  in  town  because  she’d  gotten  a  job.

she'd gotten so deep into her own thoughts in this case that she almost didn't hear dante approach at all, only brought back to earth when she felt the arm over her shoulder. she stiffened for just a moment before relaxing into it. this was safe, this was okay. this couldn't hurt her.

"if you're getting news from my ten year old, you might want to look into some better sources," georgia said with a small teasing smirk. "that child is a gossip, she gets it entirely from my mother, take what she says with a grain of salt." not that it was exactly a lie, she had been overworking herself just a hair, but it was all worth it! with the summer sessions coming up, and prep for holiday shows coming faster than she'd know it, she'd been taking more time to get work done in the studio rather than at home. did that shift have anything to do with the fact that her ex husband still worked for her family? maybe, but that wasn't the point.

she didn't respond to his instructions with more than a nod, not wanting to protest or tell him how this wouldn't work and people would catch on. not if she didn't want to draw anymore attention than she already had this year. so instead she cleared her throat, putting on a gentle smile as she leaned into him just slightly.

"just the three," she confirmed, as naturally as she could, her eyes turning up to him for a moment. "i don't know- i don't want to overdo it. paisley's on kind of a vegetable strike this week."

HIS  ARM  REMAINED  ON  HER  SHOULDERS  AS  DANTE  GUIDED  GEORGIA  THROUGH  THE  MARKET.  The  young  professor  knew  exactly  what  he  was  doing  and  he  was  more  than  glad  to  have  people’s  attention  so  that  his  little  plan  could  work.  Nothing  said  ‘scandal’  in  a  town  like  this  as  walking  aimlessly  with  your  arms  around  someone  that  was  cherished  in  Deer  Valley.  Paisley’s  grades  were  something  he’d  been  keeping  an  eye  out  for  because  researches  showered  that  children  whose  parents  had  been  going  through  a  divorce  or  had  recently  gone  through  one,  tended  to  present  a  sudden  drop  in  their  grades  and  performance  in  school. ❝  How  about  we  make  some  broccoli  muffins?  ❞  He  suggested  —  and  man  if  his  stomach   growled  at  the  thought.  ❝  Apparently,  tricking  your  brain  into  thinking  you’re  not  eating  vegetables  is  the  best  way  to  actually  have  them  or  something.  ❞  He  hadn’t  been  the  most  healthy  person  around.  That  only  changed  after  his  relationship  with  Amara  had  crashed  and  burned.  Granted,  Dante  wasn’t  going  to  blame  her  for  yet  this  another  thing,  he  indeed  only  started  paying  attention  to  what  he  ate  when  he  found  himself  all  alone  in  the  house  they  used  to  share.  Dante  stopped  in  front  of  the  greens  stand  and  smiled  at  the  vendor.  ❝  Hey  Bruce,  we’ll  take  some  of  your  broccoli  and  tomatoes,  alright?  ❞  He  said  to  the  other  man,  then  turned  his  head  to  kiss  the  side  of  Georgia’s  head.  Finally,  the  professor  moved  his  arm  away  from  her  shoulders  so  he  could  grab  some  fresh  produce  and  place  it  on  the  vendor’s  scale.  ❝  You  want  some  help  with  yours,  baby?  ❞

still, she sat, letting a soft smile rest on her face as she took in the words being spoken by her older friend. she did have a point; the shift in personality that georgia was displaying had to have been jarring to anyone that had known her long enough. the woman that always had a warm smile on her face and a willingness to join any conversation thrown at her was suddenly more reserved, the light in her eyes drained just enough. her mother may have only noticed it slightly, but she had friends in her life, just like erika, that knew before georgia said a word. she was good at keeping the mask up around town and with her parents' friends, but never with her friends.

she let out a reluctant sigh, leaning back in her chair. with logic like that, how could she say no?

"okay, fine," she said with a small chuckle, only pausing to sit up and point a finger towards erika. "but only because you always pick the best wine, and i'm kid free this weekend."

ERIKA  WAVED  HER  HAND  IN  THE  AIR.  There  was  always  room  for  some  random  spoiling  actions  from  her,  after  all,  she  loved  when  people  did  the  same  for  her,  too.  Her  ex-partner  used  to  be  great  at  it,  back  when  they  were  happily  married  and  would  do  just  about  anything  for  one  another.  She  couldn’t  recall  when  things  had  changed  between  them,  but  now  that  they  had,  it  was  hard  not  to  look  back  to  what  she  once  had  without  feeling  a  bit  lost.  “  Oh,  please.  As  if  this  was  a  lot  to  begin  with.  ”  The  deputy  mayor  smiled.  It  was  a  relief  to  see  Georgina  out  of  the  house,  that’s  for  sure.  Even  if  the  older  woman  had  to  practically  beg  for  the  other  to  join  her  that  early  evening. “  Can’t  say  I’m  the  biggest  wine  connoisseur  in  town,  but  I  try  my  best.  ”  An  amusing  chuckle  escaped  her  lips  and  thankfully,  it  was  around  the  same  time  that  the  wine  she  had  ordered,  alongside  the  carpaccio,  arrived  at  their  table,  which  made  Erika  smile  at  the  waiter  and  thank  him.  Once  she  had  tried  and  accepted  the  wine,  the  waiter  poured  some  in  her  glass  then  in  Georgia’s  before  stepping  away.  “  Should  we  make  a  toast  to  you  being  out  and  child-free?  ”  Hopefully,  evenings  like  that  would  be  more  frequent  in  both  women’s  lives.  God  only  knew  how  much  Kiki  could  use  the  distraction,  too.

THE  CHUCKLE  ESCAPED  HIS  LIPS  IN  A  BREATH.  Dante  might  not  have  been  the  one  in  charge  of  his  family’s  ranch,  but  he’d  be  damned  if  he  didn’t  wish  for  it  to  be  successful—which  meant  hiring  the  best  in  the  country  in  their  jobs.  ❝  Should  I  be  here  for  another  reason?  ❞  He  asked,  cocking  his  head  to  the  side.  Keeping  an  eye  on  his  students’  progress  was  something  he’d  made  sure  that  he  would  do,  so,  despite  the  initial  joke  about  taking  Lacey  to  his  family’s  ranch,  Dante  didn’t  think  there  was  another  reason  to  be  there.  ❝  I  mean,  I  would  have  called  and  scheduled  an  appointment  to  talk  about  my  student,  but  I  don’t  believe  I  have  your  number?  Or  that  you  have  an  office.  ❞

IF  ONLY  ERIKA  HAD  THAT  TYPE  OF  MENTALITY  MOST  OF  THE  TIME.  She  didn’t  see  why  people  would  go  around  being  little  shits  to  people  who  were  offering  them  a  service,  but  then  again,  she  had  been  dealing  with  white  men  and  politicians  in  general  for  most  of  her  life,  so  it  figures  she  had  developed  a  thicker  skin.  ❝  I’m  afraid  I’m  not  as  evolved  as  you.  ❞  She  told  the  younger  bud  tender.  ❝  Glad  to  see  things  are  alright.  Is  business  okay?  ❞