lionheart.

"You must get enough of them that you learn how to care for them before an infection can set in." Amara said when the vet turned around to face her. After many google researches, she read that it was far more dangerous to be bit or scratched by a cat than it was a dog. When she approached with a bottle, Amara extended her hand which revealed many scratches and nodded her understanding. "it's already burning so I can't anticipate it getting any worse." At least she hoped it didn't but she'd deal if it meant avoiding an infection.

"That's fair." Sara granted with a nod. They were both good people... they deserved to know if there was still love left between them. "You guys deserve the truth, and that is something that no one except yourselves can grant each other." There were times where healing was a painful process, but Sara could only hope that, for both Amara's and Omar's sakes, there was still something there worth being saved.

She knew that Sara was right and that no matter how hard this conversation was going to be, it needed to be had. It could have been something they did a lot sooner, without a trip to a warm destination, but perhaps the change of scenery would be the perfect location for things to go smoother than they would in the home they once shared. "I'm just hoping that whatever way this discussion goes, we don't ruin the trip altogether."

Most days, Foster couldn't be fucked with cooking for himself, and The Lunch Box had become an easy and regular go-to. He was waiting in line when he felt a tap on his shoulder, turning around to find a familiar face. He wasn't sure if he ever got her name or if he'd just forgotten it, so he settled for an awkward kind of smile hoping it wouldn't come up. "No, no don't worry about it," he assured her. "It's not often I give good advice, so... Did you end up going on the trip?"

Amara couldn't help but give him a thankful smile when he assured her that providing her with some advice had made up for her interrupting whatever plans he had at the mall. "It was good advice because you made me think. I did return the dress." Which had saved her a lot of money and likely wouldn't have helped much with her relationship. "I did and it went okay. I think we got a lot of closure and I think that dress would have just muddied the waters a little bit by giving some mixed signals."

"Yeah, we do have our own places but we mostly stay at Thea's," he explained. He had most of his stuff there anyway these days, considering how hesitant she was to stay at his despite it being a much larger space. "My plan is Christmas morning at home. Something intimate and personal without an audience."

"Christmas morning is a great idea." Though she began to wonder what it would be like each morning. "As long as you're okay with sharing that special day with friends and family before the wedding." Especially if they decided to wait a few years before going down the aisle. However, if they planned on getting married as soon as they could, then their engagement date wouldn't mean as much as their wedding anniversary. "Do you think you'd want to wait to get married or start to plan immediately."

"It's a practiced skill." Emerson chuckled, a lopsided smile on their features. Even the tamest of house-cats sometimes hated the vet and got super violent at anyone who tried to come near them. So needing to sedate a cat for vet work wasn't at all unusual. "A lot of cats freak out at the vet and need sedation before we can get a look at them." The redhead cringed slightly when the woman pulled up her sleeves to show the wounds. "Hey, would you let me put some disinfectant on that while the sedation kicks in?" @amaraobi

It felt like night and day when it came to the cat. The shot had calmed it and Amara elt like she could take a deep breath now because it seemed like it was a lot calmer. "Especially cats who haven't been in a house or a cage before." The animal was wild and lived outside, which Amara had considered letting him continue to do until she noticed the nasty infection. "Oh, sure. It burns but I was just going to handle it at home. Probably best I let a professional handle it."

Location: Farmers Market Cap: 5

The girl leaned towards the child who fell to help him but paused when the man quickly ran over and picked him up. She observed them both for a moment until she was certain that the young child knew who the man was. It would have been the same reaction she had with any other kid with an adult. All due to hearing horror stories and working in an hospital that had security for these very reasons.

"Look... I'm not the best person to be asking these things, nor to be taking relationship advice from, but..." The brunette chewed on her bottom lip for a moment, before continuing. "If it's crystal clear that you won't work out, then maybe the best thing you do to each other is to let the other go." Sara knew well that sometimes, love just wasn't enough to keep a relationship alive. She knew that holding onto a feeling, whether it was one-sided or not, sometimes, it was a path to destruction, and she knew a thing or two about self destruction and how it could end up eating one alive.

Amara wanted to know the opinion of someone else because her own emotions and broken heart clouded what was smartest and best for her. A war between her heart and her head. "I don't know that it's that simple right now. I guess the whole trip is a means to figure out if there's still something there beyond the pain and hurt that we've caused each other." The broken trust was a big issue for both of them and they'd need to figure out if it could be rectified it after everything. Maybe that was the first step she needed to take.

"Oh, I must have misunderstood. I thought you both had your own places." Amara imagined that maybe they could have picked which house they stayed at but that would be difficult given the back and forth and having to drag belongings at each others house. "Do you know how you're going to do it? In your home or do some big gesture?"

“Never give up. Pitches get easier with practice,” he reassured her with a light chuckle, knowing fully well how he spent most of his days doing pitches disguised as legal representation. “We live at her apartment mostly. I spent some days at mine but most of the time I’m at her place. And, well… I might be proposing very soon.”

"That's a big step. Congratulations!" Amara was slightly surprised that they weren't living together and he was already deciding that they were ready to move in. "Do you plan on moving in together then? I know some people are starting this whole new trend where they keep their own place or rooms and it seems to work for them."

"Sleeping with someone while we're on a trip together." Certainly she wouldn't be so rude to flaunt it in his face or invite someone into the room they shared. "Would it be insensitive to go to someone's room even if it's clear that we won't work out. Don't you think I should at least wait until we're back here?" Especially since they had seats next to each other on the plane ride back which would only be awkward. "No, you're right. I deserve to get clothes and dress hot for myself, even if it isn't in paradise but just for a summer here."

The gifts he'd already mailed to his family in Texas had been a mix of things he thought they'd love, along with an envelope with a check encased of money he'd been putting aside for them for nearly a year. It was half an apology for failing to visit like he'd promised, half an unspoken debt he felt he still owed from his departure at eighteen. All the tattoo artist could hope for was that they cashed the check without an argument to be had.

Amara didn't have many people to purchase gifts for. The majority were for her sister and some for the friends she'd made in town, a few for some coworkers, and the elderly neighbour who was on her own. Ever since she was single, it made purchasing gifts both easier and less fun. Nevertheless, she was on the hunt for a few last minute items for her sister to be included in the gift basket she made each year.

who: Wren Montgomery & open where: Frontier Foods @providencepeakstarters

Amara leaned upon the counter with the items that she was going to eat today. It was a bad habit of hers since her sister had moved out. Without someone to cook for, she didn't keep much in her refrigerator and often found herself going day by day with whatever she could find at the store. She grabbed her wallet and opened it to see if she had any paper bills, and when she found none, she pulled out her card instead.

Amara was looking at the comics for the special someone that her sister was dating. No one she'd met in person but heard a lot about from her little sister who seemed to have fallen head over heels. It felt like a simple gift until she came into the comic lab and felt more out of place than ever before. "I'm not entirely sure. I can't speak much for toddlers but you seem to know a lot about comic books, do you think you can help me?" Part of her wondered if he worked here but she wasn't certain if maybe he was just arriving or leaving work which was why he wasn't dressed in the typical uniform. "My sister's boyfriend loves the classic comics but I have no idea what to get beyond that."

"That's usually the case. The disinhibition whilst drunk makes for some questionable actions more often than not." Be it erratic behavior, making a fool of one's self, or just a terrible decision in general. "Anyone in your circle that you could convince to do that?" Occasions did crop out unexpectedly though, so the other didn't need to give up so easily either. "A year and a half. We've known each other for years though."

Amara thought about it for a second and then shrugged. "Not without a bit of a pitch and I'll have to work on that." She said with a laugh before placing her hands on her hips as he spoke about his relationship. "That's a good amount of time to be with someone. Have you moved in with each other yet or taken a bigger step?" She didn't spot a ring on his finger but it didn't mean that he wasn't engaged or perhaps had a child with his partner.

She watched the cat in case a paw got another lucky shot at her arm or the veterinarian's arm. The stinging from her skin had yet to subside and she wasn't willing to add more to that. "Easier than I thought it would be. I wish I had one of those shots when I was at home." Amara said once she knew that the woman was paying attention to her. "I had a bit of a spar with the animal and barely came out of it alive." She emphasized by pulling up her sleeves to reveal many of the scratches she'd endured.