Clara Arquette

"As if I would ever turn down such an offer. In fact, I'm surprised we haven't collaborated on it before. I should certainly have paid you to create something for me."

"He's more than welcome to join us if he really wants," Elena shrugged with a smile. "But it'd be great to have an all-girls night too. Just let me know what you want to do and if you can even come around at all," she added, not wanting there to be any pressure on the invitation.

"I think I need an all girls night as much as he needs a boys night so I won't necessarily be encouraging that. I hope you don't think terribly of me for that." Clara said with a little smile at the confession. "But I'll definitely keep you informed."

"I am not looking forward to that stage." Clara said with a soft whine because the idea of having a teenager on her hands who wouldn't listen and was... well perhaps a little too much like her was already daunting. "Understand she may move in with you at that point." The blonde joked lightly.

"Sometimes, but it's mostly when it gets dangerous here, and then I remember I don't think running to France escapes that," he said. "Plus, I like it here, we made a good life here. We have our careers, our family. You have Frank, I have Octavia here. The rest of our friends. Maybe we should try traveling back to France more in the coming years, maybe some places in America you've never been to."

"I'd take this danger over being around our parents any time." She was after all, concerned more about the influence they could have over their daughter if they were in closer quarters. "I will do anything I can to protect us from the rest of the danger, you know that." It was one of the things that kept her going in her line of work, knowing that she could do something. "But yes, I wouldn't want to leave them behind."

"A playdate is a brilliant idea," she beamed passionately at the suggestion. "And it'll give us a good excuse to get together too. You're more than welcome to come over for a dinner. I'd love to have you and your daughter over."

"It would be nice for all of us to have a bit more social interaction." When Elena suggested dinner, Clara looked at her. "Are you sure about that? Obviously, I'll have to check in with Kai as I do know he likes to spend as much time as he can when he's home with Florence but maybe it's a good excuse to get him out and having a guys night too if I can."

"I really don't but I appreciate your confidence in my abilities." Clara spoke with a laugh. Motherhood was anything but easy but she wouldn't have changed it for the world. "An Octavia original? Now I'm feeling extremely bland in comparison."

"Very much so. It may sound dramatic, but I don't know what I'd do without him," Rosa admitted. When the blonde spoke about her reality, she found herself wondering if she'd ever have all of that. She began to wonder if it was what she wanted. It had taken her a moment to realize she was drifting off into her thoughts before she blinked herself back into the space. "Absolutely valid. Your family is lucky to have you."

"That really is a special type of relationship." Clara said with a smile on her lips. She knew of people in her life she felt similarly about. There was a far off look that appeared to be echoed on the girls features too for a moment before she came back to reality. "You seem like you have a lot going on in your head. I know they are lucky to have them but equally, I wouldn't be who I am without their support either."

"I'm just playing it safe," he insisted in good humor. "Are you really going to hold that against me?" When she suggested they check out what else was on offer he nodded. "Of course. Let's have a look around."

"And when has anyone ever gained anything by playing it safe." Clara couldn't help but point out. "I'm also terrible for holding onto grudges don't you know. So yes, I am going to hold that against you." Clara confirmed though she was laughing at the idea of it. They both knew she would never be able to have a bad word to say about Frank if it came down to being serious.

Kai nodded lightly in response to Clara's advice. "Yeah, I'd like that," Kai replied. "Sometimes being away from them makes me forget how they can be. Then makes me upset that they're the reason I left France and home, and then I can't imagine how you feel being so far away from America too."

"It's why we moved away from them in the first place, because we wanted to forget what living under them was like and be able to carve out our own life together. I wouldn't say it's a bad thing that you've managed to put it to the back of your mind for a time." She pointed out softly. "Is moving back to France something you've thought about?" At the mention of America, Clara gave a little wave of her hand. "I'm settled here. I have my friends and my family. That's all I ever needed. I think surely you have figured out by now, that I would move anywhere you asked, as long as it was with you."

"I hope you know that if you make her rebellious, I will be making you look after her. A bit like you break it you buy it but auntie style." Clara warned her with a laugh, fully expecting that in the future their daughter would go through stages of hating them and probably want to stay with Octavia until she pulled her head out of her ass. Clara was under no illusions of how trying that time would be but she also welcomed the opportunity. "With you and me in the family, I fully expect it."

"I suppose that's just a mother's curse," she laughed lightly when Clara admitted to not getting the sleep she used to. "I didn't realize how much of a luxury it was until I had a kid," Elena admitted in good humor. "If you ever need a list of faithful babysitters, let me know. Sometimes I do hire people who aren't close friends or family because I feel bad taking advantage of their kindness."

"I may take you up on that. I feel like at some point we may have to expand our horizons whether we want to or not." And at least Clara could be reassured that Elena had always been someone that she could rely on to give good advice in the past. She didn't see how this would be any different. "We should also set up a play date soon."

"I sure can be," Frank considered. "There's a voice in the back of my mind telling me to remain on standby as the designated driver type but I suppose there's nothing wrong with having some fun. I'd say we've both deserved it."

"Good to know. Not that I couldn't manage it but my abilities aren't what they used to be." And she was well aware she could end up shit faced, which in actual fact, wasn't something she wanted. "Yes, we've both been working hard in and out of work. Plus you've really looked like you could do with it recently."

❄️ - our muses get some fresh air from the celebrations together ( @claraarquette )

"As if I would ever allow him to do that." Clara pointed out, though she knew that Octavia was teasing her right now of course. Still she gave a little, playful curtesy at the compliment. "Why thank you, I do try. Even when I have a child demanding I pick her up for every step of the process." She was sure that normally the baby wanted Kai more than her but the one time when she wanted to get ready to go out, Florence was choosing her. "You're looking as fashionable as ever yourself."

"No judgment from me. I've been considering doing the same thing," Elena admitted with a chuckle. "Funny how things change though, isn't it?" she considered when Clara mentioned being good at this in the past. "I used to love staying out until the sun came up. That does not happen all that much anymore. Have we gotten boring? That's a massive fear of mine."

"I still love my heels but I don't get to use ones of this height as much these days." She missed it in a way but she wouldn't change how her life had turned out for anything. "I don't know. Please don't put thoughts like that in my mind. I think that these days I really have to be ready for it. I don't get the sleep I used to so it only happens when a lot of very specific things come together."