Allison Bennett

Cage did his absolute best to keep a smile at bay as Finley was told to put the pads on, knowing that it was every kid's worst nightmare. How many times had Cage been told by his own dad as a kid to put his helmet on before he could go out on his bike? Or lectured about wearing a life vest when they took the boat down to the lake to do some fishing? It had always gotten under his skin back then… but now, he understood it. He had been the same way with Colton when he was younger, had worried and fretted and bought brand new everything to keep him safe and protected. "He can take it home, too," Cage said with a nod towards the bag, "if he wants to practice in the driveway or anything. I know you'd feel better if he was suited up."

Alli knew that Cage and Colton wouldn't let something happen to Finley, but it helped ease her worry if she was there to supervise his first time on the board. "Are you sure? I can grab him one at the store if he's going to keep trying. It's not a big deal." She smiled at Cage and looked back at the boys. "You can't blame a mom for worrying." Finley was all she had, and she would do anything to keep him safe. Even if it meant he had to wear a lot of safety equipment whenever he wanted to try something new.

Finley reminded him of Colton. Young, ambitious, eager. It wasn't to say that his son wasn't still that way sometimes, but he was going into his senior year of high school, dating, thinking about jobs and college and the future… and there was a part of him that was beyond grateful that he still wanted to go hang out at the skate park. Even more grateful that he had someone like Finley to do it with.

"Thank you." She said and took a seat beside Cage as the boys started to go through the bag. "All the pads, at least for today, Fin." It was her son's turn to roll his eyes, but she watched as he picked up a pair of knee pads and sit on the concrete to put them on. Maybe she was being too much, but she didn't want to see something happen to when he was learning. She'd back off and let him have his fun when she knew that he wasn't going to send the board flying out from under him.

"Always have." Dominic chuckled lightly, his shoulders lifting in a very nonchalant shrug. "Can't pretend," he added simply. If there was one thing he liked to be, it was prepared. Nodding at her words, he let his smile soften a little, gaze drifting down toward his hands and then back to the dogs again. There was no real way of knowing that he was right until they got to that point, every young man was different, but hope was important all the same. "I'll keep my fingers well and truly crossed for you both," he said. "Oh God, no, don't apologise... it's fine. It really is fine." At the end of the day, even when he'd been married to Candice, it hadn't really even felt that way. The way they'd chosen to keep things fairly casual meant it had never felt like a proper marriage should —- or so he assumed what it should have felt like. Having that constant sense of freedom made things a little weird. "She's still a big part of my life, co-parenting and all, so it would make sense why you'd assume. I'll probably mention her a lot." Plus, she was a good friend, always had been. More of a friend than a wife in the end, really. But he was happy to move on again, amusing thoughts of cats taking over. "I think it's unlikely, but stranger things have happened," he mused softly. "Mouse? I like that. Kid has good taste." He chuckled softly. "Not the entire time, but quite a bit." He shrugged it off. "My own choice." He'd wanted to do it, it had been his trial run so to speak, so he wasn't about to rope any of the other staff into working all day. "Oh... sure." He nodded, and then held out his phone for her to take, a bright smile now crossing his features. "You wouldn't have picked that pink dress? Really? I loved that pink dress!" No word of a lie either, he had loved that dress, she'd looked absolutely stunning in it. He was sure when he had got home again, he'd informed his mom that she'd looked transplendent. A word he'd never used before, and a word he was sure he'd never used again since.

"I think it'd be weird if you didn't." Alli couldn't remember the last time she had smiled so much. It wasn't that she wasn't a happy person, but she always put on a happy front even if she was feeling anything but that. She wanted him to be right about what he said about Fin. She never wanted to be the overprotective mother that she was, but it had been hard to step back since everything that happened. "Please do. I think we're both going to need it once his birthday comes this fall."

Rarely did Jason go anywhere these days without Ghost at his side. Having adopted the husky mix on a whim during one of the pet adoption events, he found himself going very quickly from a 'I don't need a pet' kind of person to the exact type of person who had his with him everywhere, who spoiled her rotten, who people came to expect seeing him with a leash and a big white dog. Thankfully, there were people like Alli, with her own love of animals, who didn't really mind. "Hey, Lucky," he greeted the dog with a warm smile when he recognized the canine, first, before turning his attention to the human not far behind. "So far, so good. Perfect weather for it right now," and it really was. Jason was back in his element of spending more time outside than in.

"It really is. Best weather to make the most of being outside." Fin had even surprised her by waking up earlier than he had the last few days. Maybe that meant some of the late night gaming sessions with his friends would start to end now that the excitement of being out of school was no longer new. She could only hope. "Hello sweet girl." She smiled as she looked down at Ghost and then back up to her owner.

Dominic had to laugh at that, a gentle and soft laugh that escaped as he shook his head in amusement. "Better get working on those specials then," he mused. It was a stupid comment really, the specials board changed at the very least once a week. If there was one thing that he loved to do, it was to keep things fresh at the restaurant. For him, it was just one of the ways to make sure that people kept coming back, knowing that they would always have something new to try. The smile on his face was now a very easy one. It had taken a couple of minutes, but a familiarity was beginning to wash over him as they talked, the sense of safety he'd always had when it came to Alli. "I'll do my best," he answered. "Although I'm sure he'll come back to you as he gets older again. A boy always needs his mom. I should know." Same with his grandma, talking from experience. When things went wrong, he would always search out one or the other. At her words, he cringed very slightly, and couldn't help but find himself correcting her, the words "ex-wife" slipping from his mouth only a moment later. Was it necessary to correct her that quickly? Probably not, but it had felt almost instinctual. "But yeah, you're probably right there," he said with a slight raise of his brow. "I think I was probably trying to avoid having anything to do with it, for... reasons." That didn't need repeating again. "Okay, I guess I can work with that. It might actually grow on me eventually. Nacho did, after all." Laughter escaped him and he reached out in front of him, hands coming to rest on the fence there. "Worse things than a cheese theme. Just about anyway." He nodded, a slight incline of his head. "This year it definitely is," he told her. "We're trying to get out to a few more events with the food truck we used at the Spring Fling. See how it goes." At her question, he quickly pulled out his phone. "I think I have it..." commented Dom, scrolling casually through his list of contacts. "You might have to give it to me just in case, though." He smiled at her words about when she was younger, gaze shifting back to her face, taking in her expression for a few moments. "We can wish we did things differently when we were younger," he admitted with a shrug.

"Something tells me you've got one or two up your sleeve." She laughed and let her eyes wander back to the dogs that were playing in front of them. If there was a list or a little book somewhere with ideas, it wouldn't surprise her. She'd been tempted by the offerings more than a few times, and she would be lying if she didn't admit she felt excited about the possibility of getting to enjoy his food once again.

WHO: cage & @allisonbennett

When Finley has asked if he could hang out at the park with Colton, Allison had excitedly agreed. It would get him out of the house, and she could make some time to deal with the chores that had piled up over the last week. But when she asked for more information, she knew that clutter in the attic would have to wait a little longer. The skate park made her nervous. As far as she knew, Finley had never even stepped onto a skateboard, and it sounded like the perfect way to end his field hockey career before it even got started. "And you're sure that Colton said they have an extra helmet for you?" Her son sighed and looked at her. "I'm just trying to keep you safe."

"I hope so," Dominic responded, an easy smile crossing his features. He had no idea if she meant it or not, but honestly, he did want to get to know her again. He wanted to shake off the awkwardness that seemed to be lingering around their conversation. The only way they were going to be able to do that was to try and move forward, to talk and spend time together. If they didn't, it was unlikely to go anywhere. "A lot happens as you get older." He had to agree with a laugh, nodding his head in response. "I have heard rumours of what they can be like," he chuckled. Obviously, his own kids hadn't reached that point yet and were still a few years off, but he'd heard enough from friends. He thanked her for the compliment, and then quickly chimed in with a response regarding the kitten. "We have one lined up, hopefully, but I'll definitely keep that in mind in case something happens," he said. "Thank you." A part of him was hoping the whole thing would just disappear somehow, but unfortunately, once Cat had set her mind on something, that was it, there was no going back whatsoever. "Nacho was the only cat I could stand," he answered with a chuckle, "But maybe that is because he was out in the barn." There was less chance of the cat being all over you that way. "Cheddar, huh? There's kind of a theme going on here," he mused very gently. Another nod and for a moment, he glanced over to the dogs, just wanting to keep an eye on Rusty more than anything. "If I ever have any time, I'll try and do that." Although he was sure, right now, finding time to volunteer would be nigh on impossible. "Okay, sure, I'll give you a call over there. Set something up." Well, that was definitely an 'I'll see you again' even if it was only to check the dogs over. "I believe you," he responded with a smile. "Wouldn't dare insinuate. Gotta love a picky eater."

Alli smiled, nodding as he replied. "The next time you have a special that I can't refuse then." She would need to make time to visit. The excuses to avoid the Overlook had ran dry months ago, and finally she had a reason to give in and let her curiosity see what it was all about. Dom had never been a bad cook, but she could only imagine how good the food was after studying in Boston. She should have made time to try to go visit him when they were still in contact, but there was always a reason to avoid it. It seemed so silly looking back now, but she had never been the type to put what she wanted to do above someone else.

Despite feeling like strangers, no one could be in this town, no matter how long you went without speaking. So it was no surprise whatsoever when she mentioned Overlook by name. They'd had friends in common since they were kids and with her having never moved away, she would have seen them a lot more frequently than he ever did. News got around whether you wanted it to or not, and it wasn't as though he'd been keeping anything about the restaurant or his move back home on the down low. "You should stop by," was his first response. "There will always be space for you." And he truly meant that. It didn't really matter to him how busy it was; he'd always find a spot for her somewhere, even if that meant squeezing her in at the bar. He'd be privileged to cook for her. It had been an awful long time since he'd been able to do that. In their school days he'd still been learning anyway, he was hardly Gordon Ramsey at the age of seventeen. "But I know exactly what you mean. Life always does seem to get in the way somehow." A gentle chuckle escaped at his question. "Two," he responded. "Catarina and Ayden." The specifics of his adoption of Ayden didn't matter right now and, of course, he considered him very much his own flesh and blood at this point. "They certainly do. Cat's been keeping us on our toes in her desperation for a kitten just lately." Another laugh. "That's, uh... yeah. Not a fan of cats." He shook his head then, and added, "You probably remember that." Rusty certainly wasn't the only one in his house, but he hadn't really wanted to tell his daughter that was the reason he wouldn't have it at his house. "Volunteering? Where are you volunteering?" He couldn't help but be curious about that. It wasn't surprising, though, it was the type of thing she was signing up for all the while when they were teenagers. If Alli could help, then she would. He remembered it well. "I'll definitely drop in with them," he answered. "They're due their boosters before long anyhow." Not that he felt like he needed an excuse, not now that they were actually communicating again. At the mention of Lucky, he cast a glance toward him, his smile brightening. "Really does want to be everyone's friend, huh? Or just hunting for food?"

"I'll try to make some time for it." And she meant it, but she also didn't know where she'd get the time from. Would it be better to go during the dinner rush when it was certain to be busy and they wouldn't have to deal with whatever this was? Or would he think it was rude if it looked like she was attempting to avoid him? She wasn't trying to, but the awkwardness made her want to crawl away. How was it that a man who at one point she felt knew her better than she knew herself could feel like a stranger?

WHO: jason & @allisonbennett

The text had been a nice surprise when she received the notification on her watch. She needed a good reason to get out of the garden and take a break for a little bit. There was only so much fencing she could fuss over before she would regret it tomorrow. She pulled her gloves off and tossed them into the wheelbarrow beside the patch of dirt and headed back to the house to grab something for the two of them to drink.

Dom's attention quickly went to the dogs when he heard yapping, tearing his gaze away from Allison, even though he was sure that if he hadn't been interrupted, it could have turned quite uncomfortable. Seeing her now and having the actual time to take her in, to see how much she'd changed over the years ( or not, as the case truly was ), it was mesmerising in a way. "Just a little..." he murmured softly. It didn't take long at all to switch into monotonous small talk, the usual questions: How have you been? What have you been up to? Well, maybe not the second one, they both knew exactly what they'd been up to until they'd reached a point where they'd decided it wasn't quite right to continue keeping in touch as they were. Things had sort of faded after that. It was strange really, how she could feel like a stranger in this moment, despite how incredibly close they'd once been. "I've been good," he answered her. "The restaurant keeps me busy. And when that isn't keeping me busy, the kids are." That was about the long and short of it. "How about you?" he added after a moment, looking back at her for a moment, a very small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. At the mention of the dogs, however, he knocked himself out of it again, and then pointed across the dog park. "The two red ones. Rusty and Marmalade."

She couldn't quite recall just how long it had been since she'd really spoken to Dominic. It had felt so natural to keep up with each other over the years until it just wasn't. They both had lives that were completely separate from the one they had together all those years ago. But she couldn't deny she had thought about reaching out once or twice over the years. There was always a small fear stopping her. What if he had changed his number, or worse, what if he didn't want to speak to her at all?

As a general rule, Dominic took the dogs down to the coast for their daily walk, enjoying the escape away from town. But someone had casually mentioned the dog park to him yesterday and so he'd decided to drop by for a change of scenery for them. So far, they seemed to be enjoying it, running around and playing with the other pups in the park. He'd set himself up near the fence, spent a while contemplating whether to take a seat on one of the benches, but then given up and just leant against the barrier in front of him while Rusty ran circles around someone's chihuahua. It was nothing unusual really, the dog was a menace to society at the best of times. He was debating whether it was worth leaving and stop bothering everyone when a golden retriever suddenly appeared at his feet, clearly on a mission to befriend everyone. That was when he heard the familiar voice and, as he glanced up, his suspicions were confirmed. Allison Bennett. he'd seen her around town several times since his return ( of course he had ), but up until now, they hadn't really found any reason —- or the time —- to stop and actually chat. "Hi," he responded lightly, adding the not at all original, "It's been a while."

Allison held his gaze for a few more seconds before finally pulling away and watching the dogs start to play together. She laughed lightly and pushed a few strands of hair out of her face. "Yeah, yeah, it has been, hasn't it?" She hadn't been purposefully trying to avoid running into Dom, but she couldn't say she had made time to stop into his restaurant either.