older than i look.

juliana shrugged. “ my mom says i can’t have chocolate. “ she announced, before grabbing one. “ good thing she’s not here, huh ?? “ she then replied, taking a bite out of the muffin. “ do you cook for a living ?? because this is a really good muffin !! “

for the last year elias had been her rock. since theo died pippa had felt like a shell of her former self, as everything she knew and loved had been ripped away from her in seconds. not just her husband, but her job, her home, her friends. they were gone, all ghosts of her former life. it was for the best, really. it would be hard to sleep in the same bed, walking the same halls, and talk to the same people. it would be a constant reminder of what had been taken from her, a reminder of the life she used to love. so she was almost relieved when elias offered to house her, to let her move in with him and damien. she had a chance to start a fresh or, rather, escape from her old one for a little while. and it was perfect, for a time, but she got bored. she started to feel like she was a burden to her family. and so she offered to work.

that’s how she ended up manning the flower shop alone one saturday night, allowing elias and damien some time alone. they deserved it after all they had done for her. besides, it’s not like she had anything better to do. the shop had been quiet, barely a footstep had been heard since mid-afternoon, but pippa didn’t mind so much. she lost herself in a book, allowing that world to swallow her up whole. it was the ringing of the bell that broke her concentration, forced her to look up from the pages. a smile broke out across her lips at the sight of the little girl who had visited the shop a couple time over the last few months. “hey, you!” she greeted, bending down to hug the girl. “what brings you all the way out here at this time of night?” her question was answered by the sound of her father’s voice. her head snapped up, as she hadn’t realised he was in the room. “oh, hi!” she straightened up, patting down her skirt. she felt nervous for some reason. she wanted to look presentable. “don’t apologise, she’s one of my favourite customers. i’m pippa, nice to meet you.”

in the seven year since he’d moved to stars hollow, aidan had primarily stuck to himself, he didn’t really have much of a choice. every morning, he was up at four to get a head start on the breads for the day, then he was back home at seven to wake pandora and get her to school, and then he was at work, he’d get her from school, and be at home or at the library with her until her bedtime. lather, rinse, repeat. lately, however, he’d been kept later and later at weston’s without any advanced notice. it was at times like this when he was grateful to live in a small town, where he was certain that his daughter would be safe if he was stuck at work for an extra half an hour or so. he knew that she had been spending her time at the flower shop, because she had told him, but he wasn’t sure what exactly was drawing her there –– he wasn’t really a nature kind of guy, and pandora’s mother hadn’t been either, so she had nowhere to get it from. he figured, upon finding out who she was spending her time with, that it was good for his daughter to have a female role model of some kind, as he had felt bad that he couldn’t provide that for her.

every saturday night, aidan and pandora would have dinner together. it was a tradition that he established when she was young, and hoped would continue throughout her lifetime. it was his way of teaching her what he knew ( in the kitchen, that is – what he considered his only sort of life skills ), and, of course, checking in with her. for some reason, pandora wanted to make the dinner “extra special”, and insisted that they go to town to get flowers – something about the recent snowfall and the change in weather. he was of the opinion that flowers were frivolous, and an extra expense not needed, and he tried explaining this to her. she would have none of it, and finally, he gave in. usually, pandora didn’t like to go to town, but for some reason she was really excited this time.

guess who’s back / back again / mary’s back / tell a friend

this time with my man aidan castillo && some basic facts for your viewing pleasure