just a touch of your love

The event in question was just acting out of spite to prove a highly respected lawyer wrong, which sounded unhinged to say out loud. Though, she supposed, she would be sharing the bottle with Foster, and spending time with him was always a celebration, as cheesy as it sounded, but too cheesy to admit to anyone else but herself. “Not really, I mean, Taylor Swift’s new album comes out tonight and it’s supposed to be angsty so red wine would go with that.” Rosé was a girl’s night drink and white wine was the drink equivalent to how it felt sitting al fresco in the sunshine. “Is it that regularly? Hmm.” She stared at the bottle again. “He does kinda look a bit fancy. Could draw a little top hat on him later to really seal the deal.”

carissa certainly wasn't the type to judge and if the other wanted to buy a bottle of wine to enjoy with the new pop album then she didn't see anything wrong with that. in fact, it was something she could see herself doing over a new book or a new episode of grey's anatomy. she, too, had her quirks. "i don't know. i'd say so." while she was financially comfortable, she wasn't rich by any means and so she wasn't sure what rich people enjoyed, if she were being honest. "that's like two monopoly game pieces in one. if that doesn't shout fancy, what does?"

closed starter for @carissacho at basic kneads

carissa wasn't one to say no to plans with any of her friends, even if the girl decided to bring her dog along. she brought her diet coke up to her lips and took a sip, attempting to bite back a smile as the other asked how her date went. "it went really well." she breathed out and tucked some of her hair behind her ear as she set her drink back down on the table. "actually, i'm going to be seeing him again soon. do you know mei's cousin, jacob? that's actually who she set me up with."

She would always appreciate her friends for not holding her early morning grumpiness against her. It wasn’t that she liked being grumpy…she just was. "I wouldn't leave you hanging like that—even if I would rather be in bed right now." She leaned back in her chair, pondering the question. "Work has been keeping me busy as usual. I’m covering a story from a few town over, and enjoying the change of pace." When her thoughts briefly drifted to her time in Syria, she pushed those memories aside—not wanting to dampen the mood. "Other than that, I've been trying to spend more time with Sara and Hanbin." Her nose scrunched as she thought about Hyunwoo, the bitterness she felt Sara was something she couldn’t push aside. “Hanbin’s dad is in town, too. So there’s that.”

carissa laughed, "you know," she started, smiling over at the girl, "i think that i'm going to have to talk you into getting up early and joining me for yoga one morning. i swear, it's the best way to start your day." she cooed encouragingly, a smile resting on her lips. she had no idea if the other going to join her or not but at least she put the invitation out there. "what kind of story is it? or do you have to wait to give me the details?" she asked before pausing to take a sip of the drink she'd ordered moments before. "well, good. at least you're getting some family time in," she paused, "you don't sound so excited about hanbin's dad though. what's the story with that?"

"Oh! I go all the time! It's absolutely the best," she chirped with a nod. It was one destination that Leila found herself on a yearly basis for her work and it was somewhere that she would always recommend for anyone that liked the beach. "Greece I've not been to before, though. I've seen pictures, though, and yeah, it looks pretty there." Generally Leila only ever travelled when it was for work, so Greece wasn't on her list of places to be any time soon, but the pictures definitely did make a case for it. "Mmm, I help design and build big puzzles for a TV show that films there. I've got a few different ones planned, so I get to go out there and help see the challenges get built, make sure they work right and all that. I've been doing it for a long time now, it's always fun to get out there for awhile."

carissa was certainly jealous of the other in front of her. "i don't really get to work outside of providence peak but i did get to plan a destination wedding once and it was in hawaii, which was amazing." she wasn't sure she'd ever get another opportunity like that but she kind of hoped that she would. "that sounds amazing, leila. i'm sure wherever you go will be something you'll remember forever, especially places like fiji. what other places have you been? i'm curious to know what kind of places you've been to so i can keep telling you how jealous i am." she replied with a soft giggle. "anyways, i bet you're amazing at it."

→ cheers! closed for @carissacho

carissa was an avid wine drinker. in fact, she picked up at least one bottle a week and not to drink of her own but she usually bought it to enjoy with a friend or whatever else seemed right. she decided on getting out of her comfort zone this time around and decided on buying something different or at least, that had been her goal when she heard the other's voice chime in beside her. "fancy?" she asked, glancing between the two bottles. "is it for the taste or an event? sometimes, fancy wine doesn't always taste better." she informed the other but then again, that isn't what she asked. she wanted to know which one of them seemed more fance, "but, if you want my opinion, i'd go with the duck. i think rich people eat duck regularly, right?"

Leila hoped that the date went well for Carissa and was rooting for the hot air balloon ride to be a big bonding moment for her and her date. "Definitely a bonding moment, probably. They go pretty high up and it's not like...I mean, they work good, but the technology is real basic." There were, in her mind, so many things that could go wrong with such a rudimentary set-up, but she supposed they'd worked for enough years at that point that it probably wasn't too concerning. "Me, though, nothing really. Busy with work stuff! I travel out to Fiji in a few weeks to work on some stuff, so that's kind of fun!"

carissa wasn't going to make something work that wouldn't work but she had high hopes for the date regardless and all of her friends seemed pretty encouraging. "what? fiji? i'm so jealous. that's like top five on my potential honeymoon list. you'll have to tell me how it is or have you already been before? you know, my dream vacation, honeymoon or not, is greece. i've heard it's beautiful and i'd love nothing more than to go," she paused and looked up at the waitress as she approached their table just long enough to give her the proper attention so that the two could order their food. once both of them had ordered, she gave her attention back to leila, "what are you going to work on?"

Mei was excited for Carissa to have a date with Jacob. Jacob had been one of those people who was always on her side. He had helped her through medical school, to opening her practice now. She really wouldn't be where she was now if it hadn't been for him. Carissa had become friends during the planning of her wedding. Mei was really thankful to have people in her life like them. After she had cut out her parents in a way she had to start over with her own family so having good people who surrounded her made her feel so loved. Mei smiled at her asking how she was doing pregnancy wise because honestly it had been an emotional roller coaster for her. " Better well kind of. I still get waves of nauseousness but I can finally keep more down which is nice. I know the kids are really excited, and that's what I am most excited about when the baby comes. "

carissa was thankful that the girl was trying to look out for her, especially since she seemed to have the worst luck when it came to involving romance in her own life. "i'm glad things seem to be going better. i'm still so excited for you guys. i already know you're a great mom and it can only go up from here." she smiled and nudged her gently. carissa was always the type to cheer her friends on. "i've heard that it only gets better the more the pregnancy goes on. i don't know how true that is but i just hope that it doesn't get worse. you know, for your sake and every other pregnant woman around."

"i can't remember the name of any of them but who knows? maybe i did. i was an emmett girl. i didn't even go for any of the main characters. does that mean i'm totally lame?" the conversation seemed to have shifted into a more serious one. carissa had heard this speech before or at least a similar one but she had been so sure that she wouldn't hear the same thing coming out of zeynep's mouth. she didn't really know how to face her now. she didn't want to act as though she couldn't just be friends with the other but she was admittedly a little hurt that the other didn't even want to try and maybe a little bit of space was exactly what she needed. she sat up and tucked some of her hair behind her ear, "i understand." she couldn't hate her for it but she did feel as though she needed to get away, "but i think maybe i should go." she added and pushed herself up from her seat. "i'll text you later, okay?" how much later, she wasn't sure. she just needed time to get over the fact that she thought it was something that it wasn't.

That slight discomfort had settled on his shoulders again, so Jacob tried shaking it off by stretching up his back and shifting his shoulders a little. He appreciated her, though. Actually, this was the first time he had spoken this openly about his depression to someone who wasn't Sage, Elliot or Maya. Even his mother didn't get to see this side of him, because he knew how much Harper Lee would worry and the woman was far too old to keep on worrying this much. "Thank you, Carissa." He told her as he looked deep into her dark hues, allowing himself to get lost in those deep pools for a moment. "I appreciate it." Even if her words hadn't really been welcomed in his ears. "Although... I think I'm far too attracted to you for us to be just friends."

carissa wanted to be there for him if he was willing to let her in but she wasn't going to push it and so, due to his discomfort she allowed her arm to rest around his waist in an affectionate manner instead of a comforting one. she gave him a single nod, "you're welcome." she liked to be there for the people in her life, even if she never thought of being there emotionally for someone she was just sleeping with. though, it seemed that they weren't just sleeping with each other anymore. at least, for right now. she had no idea how things were going to end up. she giggled softly at his words, "oh yeah? i guess i'm too attracted to you too." and she hoped that this date wouldn't thrown off what they had if it didn't end up working out. despite her craving for a relationship, she liked the attention jacob gave her and his company.

For the large part of her life, Leila hadn't thought about it, but that was something that had started to shift the more she got out into the world rather than staying locked away in her workshop. She wasn't quite nearing forty yet, but thirty had come and gone and she was still as green as it got when it came to romance. "Forty isn't so old," she pointed out with a reassuring smile. "You'll find someone when you least expect it. That's what they always say, right? Finds you when you're not looking or whatever." It sounded like a familiar turn of phrase, anyway. "That sounds great, though! That's something fun and even if they're scared, like, you can get through it together. Which like, that's probably good."

forty wasn't old but it wasn't all that young either and she had just assumed that at this point in her life she would have what she always dreamed about - that being marriage and a family. she knew that she was probably worrying too much about it though and that leila was right. things would happen when they least expected it. "i think it does sound like something that could be interesting. throw us both into something that could be a bit of a bonding moment. anyways, enough about me. tell me what you've been up to."

It was true that Mei knew Carissa well enough at this point. The two had met when they were planning her and her wife's wedding. The most magical day of their lives besides the day their kids were born. Carissa and Mei stayed in touch and eventually became friends, the rest was history. " You're right. " Mei said she listened to Carissa go on about her practice, something she was so grateful to have. She was grateful for how everything had fallen so perfectly in place in her life, including this baby. " Things always work out for the best in the end. " She gave Carissa a hopeful smile hoping her date with Jake worked out well.

carissa certainly had high hopes for the date mei was setting her on but that was only because mei knew her as well as she did. she figured that the other would know exactly what she was looking for in a partner. "i think you're right. maybe i'm just overthinking things." she lifted her shoulders up in a shrug. "anyways, enough about that. how have you been feeling? you know, with the pregnancy and all?"

As he felt her arms move around him, Jacob couldn't help but feel slightly uncomfortable about it. Was she pitying him? Did she think it was one of those situations where a hug would help? And then... just as quickly as the discomfort arrived in his chest, it dissipated through his body. He liked it, actually. He liked that he was being embraced in his weakness, that his vulnerability was being welcomed instead of pushed aside, and more than that, he liked that Carissa wasn't afraid of holding him like that in public, despite them having done exchanges like these so much in the past, either in his or her places. "What's that for, hm?" He asked, his voice as smooth and as gentle as a whisper as he returned the hug, by wrapping his arm around her shoulders and then kissing the side of her head. "Is that for me?"

the last thing that carissa wanted was for the man to feel pitied. she wanted jacob to be able to lean on her when he felt like he was having a hard time. carissa hoped that he didn't take it in the wrong way. she glanced up at him as he spoke, "i just wanted you to know that i'm here for you whenever you need it. even if we decide that we're only meant to be friends." a big part of her didn't want that though. she enjoyed jacob's company and the fact that mei set them up had to mean something right? "of course it's for you."