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who: @providencepeakstarters

Clara noticed the dog first, because the dog was beautiful and wolf-like, and she apparently noticed dogs before their humans. By the time she got closer to the other woman due to just the way she was walking, her eyes moved from the dogs' bright eyes to Kennedy's look of frustration. She'd been running a few errands that day and had a tote bag slung over her shoulder. ""A lighter? No, I don't. Not on me, at least." Clara explained, "A lighter? Nah, I prefer edibles," She murmured, and then her face brightened up. "Holy shit, wait," She rifled in her bag for a moment, navigating through each smaller bag that had random goods in it, a few groceries she needed, some things from the pet store, and some other stuff she needed. "I bought a new candle, and I have no idea how to change my lighter fluid so every single time I see a new candle lighter for sale I buy one." She admitted a grin on her face at the realization. She pulled a long candle lighter out of her bag after some rustling and handed it to the other woman, still in its package. "You're soo lucky I burnt my pasta and probably a little bit of my hair two nights ago and still can't get the smell out of my kitchen."

"If you're up for the challenge, I'd like that. Fair warning... it can be a dangerous game to play. Wine can be intense." Though, truth be told, wine was the last thing on her mind as they wandered down the hall, jumping from meeting space to space. It was a perfectly good layout for so many things. It was no wonder that people within the community talked so highly about the center. It was one thing to have the space for such things, but another to organize it all in a way that it worked. "I'm sure you've heard this a thousand times already... but this place is incredible. The way you're able to keep everything together and offer so much? I think I'd lose my mind if I were the one keeping this place up and running."

"Someone should've been there to tell me that in college when I'd just buy the cheapest wine in the entire store and end up with an insane hangover." Clara mused. "I'd consider myself a casual wine connoisseur, these days. I like to buy expensive bottles just because I can, but I'm no sommelier. I think I can take on dangerous, though." She smirked lightly, her mind wandering for a second as to what that could mean. She leaned back against her desk and shrugged her shoulders slightly, feeling her cheeks warm up just a tad at the compliment, which she hoped wasn't noticeable. "I can't take too much credit. It's been such an amazing organization for some time now, and I'm just started to slip into the role." She paused. "But the future definitely sounds bright, and it's a major honor to give the people of this town what I would've loved when I was younger." Resources, more experiences, and support, an ability to break out of the strict confines of what she was expected to do and learn more than what she felt she had to.

@clarawilmore - The Sweet Spot

She was pulling her wallet out of her purse slung around her shoulder when she heard a voice next to her, and she let it fall back shut, wallet in hand, as she turned to look at who was speaking. "Oh, hey! How are you?" That was another thing she could experience no matter where she lived: small talk with the people around her. Although in Providence Peak it was a little different because she actually had the chance to recognize who was speaking to her, and it was something she found she liked. DC was so busy and bustling and packed, she hardly ever recognized a soul when she went anywhere. "The bakery bug get you this morning too, huh?" She said softly, adjusting her shoulder so her bag fell more comfortably on her arm. There was something special about the hustle and bustle of a bakery in the morning, but she had to admit that the relative quiet of it compared to the chaos of a bigger city was absolutely comfortable. Maybe smaller towns were actually really charming. "You know, I always forget how indecisive I am until I get to a bakery. I want it all. Feels like a travesty that I can't have every single scone they offer."

Life had a way of taking what you thought would happen and turning it on it's head. Nari could never have predicted the circumstances that she was in now, her own vision of life's future something entirely different. "Yeah, I...can't say this was what I saw life turning out to be either. It um...yeah," she agreed before letting out a soft sigh. Everything that had happened was still raw, still hard to even find ways to talk about. Nari knew she'd never really taken the time to properly grieve, something that she kept telling herself she'd get around to. "I'm glad, though, that um...that this means something to you. It'll mean something to the boys too, it's...they don't have a lot of people that knew Jae and Ollie still around other than the family. They'd love stories or anything you want to share." Nari tried to pass on random tidbits about the two to the boys when she could, but the sting she felt every time she talked about them kept her from doing it as much as she probably should have. "God, I don't know how to raise them either, but we're figuring it out as we go. I think." Nari cringed just a bit before shrugging. She was doing the best that she could with what she had to give, she just hoped that it was enough to give them at least some semblance of the life that they were missing out on without their parents. Nari sat back to listen, letting Clara talk through some of what she was planning and working on with True Colors. Nari had been a time or two, though admittedly she wasn't completely up on what the place offered. "No, that's smart. If you come in and change everything all across the board, you might get a riot. It's probably good to take it slow, see what the dynamics are now and what could make the place better. I honestly don't know much about it, I wish I could give you some insight. It wasn't around when I was a kid and I lived in Denver for so long that I've just never really been in."

Clara was never good at talking about depressing things, especially not in this situation when the news was still a little foreign to her and something she absolutely was not expecting. How were you supposed to offer support and advice and make anything better when the worst had happened? She didn't really know. Instead, she took a long sip of coffee. "If it's any consolation, it seems like you're doing a really great job with what you were handed. A lot of people wouldn't." She had a list of memories in her mind that seemed to want to slip off her tongue, but she kept them buried - the relationship between Clara and the woman next to her and the 2 boys were still fresh, and she'd potentially pull them out later. She cast a glance out into the park, and then another one to Nari, "And if you need an ear, or a distraction, or anything... I'm around."

Some things never changed and others? Changed way too much to ever relearn them. She couldn't help but wonder which category Clara fell under. Would they end up making something of their relationship now that they were both in the same city — an acquaintanceship, a friendship, something more? Or would they find that they'd both changed too much to return to any semblance of what they once were and become strangers instead. You have a dog? What's their name? Maisie questioned curiously, genuinely interested in the little pieces of the woman that she'd missed after they split up. Had Clara always been a dog person and she just missed it? Would having a dog around have saved their relationship, made the nights less lonely for the other with Maisie stuck at work again and again? She knew that, in the end, it wasn't that simple. A dog wouldn't have saved their relationship anymore than a cat or a fish or a child would have. Maybe therapy would have helped, but they were about seven years too late for that option. They were always such terrors when we did that. I think they knew that you were a pushover. Maisie grinned toward the other, motioning for Clara to follow her away from the table where they'd been blocking the path of the other yoga-goers. Walking always helped keep her thoughts straight. Did you really just move here for the job? I know you said you did, but DC was your home for your entire life... it's hard to believe a job would pull you away from a city you loved. Even if Miles can be super convincing.

Harley, Clara spelled out the letters, nodding gently as she began to follow Maisie away from everyone else. They hadn't really had a private conversation like this in a while, so she wasn't really expecting it, but saying she wasn't enjoying it would've been a definite lie. His previous owner dumped him in a shelter parking lot, and I fostered him, and then he just never went back. He's such a little gremlin. Especially when Clara got back from her volunteer shifts at the endangered wolf center. It's not my fault they have those insanely expressive brown eyes that I've never been good at saying no to. It seemed like anyone with any relation to Maisie had those big brown eyes, and Clara was being honest - she'd never been able to say no to them.

The items on the tables in front of them were long since forgotten, her attention solely on Clara as other attendees walked around them and the space they were taking up. Maisie would have felt bad in any other situation, but she couldn't bring herself to pull away from the woman in front of her, even long enough to step out of the way, lest either of them take that opportunity for an easy escape from the conversation they were currently in. Venturing into their past was uncharted territory, risky even, yet there was something that drew her into the history that never felt like it got it's ending, more comparable to a cancelled tv show that felt like it was just getting good. She sucked in a breath and admitted, Usually I'm not. It's just me and Constellation, my cat, so work is really all I have, but the university is a lot less demanding than NASA so there's a bit more free time I have to fill up. There was a twinge of guilt, deep in her chest, for not making that change in her life when they were together. Would she had been willing to leave her career for something less busy, if Clara had asked that of her? Or was she so involved in her career at the time that she wouldn't even have considered? Was it their split that had given her the wake up call she needed? Usually, Maisie was good at answering questions about the unknown. Space was part of the unknown and she thrived answering questions about it, but when it came to the other, she found herself floundering for answers. Oh, you did? She wasn't surprised to hear that the other had seen her nephews, especially since she'd asked about it last time they spoke. I bet they loved seeing you. They've grown like weeds, especially in the last year, but it's nice to be a part of that.

Some things never change, I guess. Clara said casting a glance over at a body of natural body scrub for a moment. That's slightly comforting. In her mind, after 7 years, Maisie was just how she remembered her being. She knew that Maisie could very well be an entirely different sort of person given the extended time between their relationship and now, but it was hard to conceptualize Maisie as anything different than how she knew her. Yeah, tell me about it. She nodded gently. They don't tell you how lonely it is to move away from the city you've been in for 40 years. Really, Clara was doing fine, but it was an adjustment going from DC to a place where she didn't know all but one family and had to start fresh with everyone else. She quirked up the corners of her lips. If I didn't have a dog, I think I'd go crazy. I started fostering pretty soon after we broke up. I haven't been totally alone in years. Not sure what that says about me. Another nod and Clara continued, Yeah. I still kind of think they just nodded along and probably have no idea who the weird lady was talking to their aunt, but I should probably take it for what it is. There were so many memories, Clara was grateful at least that she'd always have them. A wistful smile appeared on her face. All the planetarium visits and nights we got to babysit them and play house for a weekend so they could have alone time while we were visiting.. She let out a breath and let her mind wander a moment longer. Everything's so different now than the last time I was here. But at least that's one little part I can try and get back, you know?

Relief flooded her system upon realizing she wasn't alone. While she had no doubt that some of the people in the small crowd had actually shown up for the class, there were plenty of others that had stopped after the word goat. "Honestly, they can chew on whatever they want. I just want to spend a little time with them. If that means I have to pretend to be interested in the class, well, wouldn't be the first time I've had to fake something," she practically purred with amusement, her excitement at an all time high as she waited for the quiet thuds of hooves to fill the spaces around them. As if on command, her simple wish was granted and baby goats walked and even playfully jumped all around. "Makes me feel like I could handle having all of them at my place. I think my dog would probably love it too."

She let out a grin and then let it turn into a smirk, her hands resting on her thighs as she stretched them out in front of her. "That makes me feel very lucky that I've never been with a man in my life. Unless my mind's just in the gutter because it very well might be." It absolutely was, she blamed it on the slowly brightening sky, the crisp air, or the fact that there were goats around them, it all put her in a sociable mood. Her eyes narrowed on a few of the goats, and she watched as they moved around the fenced-off area where they were all arriving for yoga. She knew getting there early was a good idea. "Yeah? My dog would hate it. And I think the goats might hate it too since I don't exactly have any yard space for them." She'd have to have grass, right? A yard? "I'm just imagining myself walking a harem of goats around to all the parks."

"Lucky me. I promise I'll never forget it," she teased, bottom lip caught between her teeth as she attempted to stifle a laugh. She wasn't much of a white wine person, but at the end of a long day, she'd drink anything that was offered to her. Tonight, she was putting aside corked bottles and opting for another approach. One that wouldn't leave her hitting snooze in the morning on her couch before realizing she had a lot to make up for from the night before. "Well, maybe you just haven't had the right kind of red. If you ever get a break from this place and want a decent bottle, I've got an entire collection waiting to be uncorked." Some were parting gifts from New York, others were from her aunt and newly acquainted business partners. Either way, she had more than enough to share.

"It's pretty likely that I haven't. It only makes sense that an experienced red wine connoisseur like yourself should show me the ropes." Clara mused, turning after walking forward so her front was facing Nadia, walking backward as she led her down the hall again. "Anything you could think of, really. Skills, or support groups." Clara smiled, craning her head to think as she walked slowly down the row of doors. "Languages, hobbies.. that sort of thing." She could think of all kinds of classes and resources she'd love to make a thing if they weren't already, but that required resources; people who could teach them and were knowledgeable. She had to know those people, first. Which is what she was trying to do - who cared if it was also with a really gorgeous woman? Clara sure didn't mind.

The fact that he’d been able to help the other person begin to smile was a win in Spencer’s book. He didn’t know the woman, hadn’t met her before this moment, but it always felt good to help brighten someone’s day. Especially in such a simple way. It really hadn’t taken any effort on his part, and it was a shame that there were a lot of people who couldn’t see how easy it was to just be kind. “People are a hell of a lot less kind and gentle in Detroit too. So I feel you there. How long did you live in DC?” Spencer questioned, curious about this person he’d just randomly started talking to in a store. He chuckled at the mention of feeling a little old and nodded. “That’s fair. But I think everyone should be entitled to whatever art makes them happy. You enjoying Taylor Swift isn’t hurting anybody. And if I’m being honest…I like her stuff too.” He said, whispering the end of his sentence like it was some sort of secret. “If you’re not going to find something for yourself in this store, where do you think you’re going to look next? What do you think you want to wear? Dress? Cool shirt?” Spencer wasn’t a fashion expert, in the slightest, but maybe just talking about it would help something spring to mind for the other. “Without a doubt my parents would have been distraught if my sisters had worn anything like this when they were younger. I always got the easier end of the deal because it’s not like people think twice if I’m not wearing a shirt.”

"Born and raised. I even went to college there." Clara admitted. "And then stayed there after college, and settled down there after that.. so, forty years?" Her eyes got a little squintier as she talked, as she tried not to think too much about what she had just said. "Makes me wonder what I have in common or not in common with the people who've lived here for their entire lives." She moved her hands to her side as she resigned from finding anything in the store she was in. "I think more people should think like you. Thank you for stopping me from wearing something way out of my comfort zone just to fit in with today's youth." An image of her wearing short shorts and the tiniest crop top appeared in her mind then and she laughed out loud, shaking her head when she was done. "While I do enjoy a good cropped shirt now and again, I think you just saved my sanity." She tapped her chin in thought at his question then, "Cool shirt and neutral shorts always kind of seem like the go-to, personally." And considering the concert wasn't immediately happening and cool shirts and neutral shirts were easy to find, she let herself relax a bit. "I'm glad you're aware of your privilege." Clara teased. "There's nothing like having to wear a shirt outside when it's hot and humid."

Shared sunrises weren't new to them, something she couldn't say about her and any of the other people in attendance, but the memories of shared sunrises were ones better left faded, afraid to find herself falling back into memories of other shared moments with Clara if she dared think about them. Instead, she appreciated the moment for what it was, a shared sunrise activity between two acquaintances, maybe coworkers, possibly friends? As much as she wanted to bury her head in her pillow and ignore the fact that the woman was now permanently in Providence Peak, Maisie couldn't, so she'd have to allow them to be something at some point, even if that was just two people with a shared history who said hi to each other on the street every so often. Oh definitely insane, I agree with the goats on that. There weren't many people who thought sunrise yoga was a good idea, some may even call them insane for wanting to be awake before the sun for physical activity. I think I keep missing you at True Colors... not intentionally. Her hands lingered, mind working in overdrive to come up with words that weren't 'want to watch another sunrise together?' or 'let's do this again'. Keeping their distance was for the best, it was part of why Maisie had left Washington DC after all. Thank you, but I feel like a sweaty mess and probably smell like the goats. You look nice too, always have under a good sunrise.

When the conversation moved to their semi-shared location, Clara was grateful - it made her feel a little more comfortable. Not that Maisie ever made her feel uncomfortable, per se, but how it felt to be around her after such a depressing breakup and quite a few years wasn't really the most comfortable feeling. It was a weird conglomeration of sadness and excitement and yearning and anger that she preferred to work through when she wasn't surrounded by other people and a now very bright blue sky. That's okay, you don't have to acknowledge me, anyways. I'm just glad you're giving yourself time to do things besides work. A part of her was angry Maisie clearly wasn't working herself crazy anymore and had time to do other things these days - something she wouldn't bare to do 6 years ago, and why couldn't she spend some more time with her when it mattered, back then - but she blew out a breath to not focus on that fact. You pull it off well. Maisie's words made her pause for a moment, her hands freezing mid-air as her mind immediately wandered to very old times and very good memories of coffee cups and baggy sweatshirts in the cool DC morning..it prompted her to scan her brain almost visibly anxiously for their next shared but not really shared safe topic of conversation. I saw the boys not too long ago. It was hard to describe how it all made her feel, but she did her best to be honest about it. Seeing them after all of these years was kind of.. painful and weird, but also really really nice. They're so old now. And doing really well, it seems, considering everything.

If there was anything that Nari hoped for with her nephews it was that the boys had plenty of fond memories of their parents to remember them by. It would never be an easy thing to grapple with over the course of their lives, but with enough people around that knew her sister and brother-in-law, at least they would have people to share those memories with. Clara was one of those people and even if the boys didn't completely remember her, she was still someone that could pass on a small piece of their parents for them to grasp on to. "They're good kids. Drive me nuts a lot of the time, but...they're good," she hummed back with a nod. They'd both inherited a lot of their parents, the kindness and generosity was something she saw in them all of the time. Nari wouldn't have put it past the boys to have just picked up on the fact that it would make a difference to Clara that they remembered them, whether it was true or not. "Ice cream shop. It's been in the family since...hell, generations at this point. My sister took it over eventually and that's what her and my brother-in-law did together." Even if it wasn't her passion, Nari still loved the shop. It was just a part of the family that she hoped to keep going. She would never want to take it on herself, but if she could get it to pass on to one of the boys to keep the legacy going, she would. Her head bobbed a bit as Clara talked through some of her own family history, a lot of it things that she'd never known about the other woman. "It doesn't sound dumb at all, though. I'm sure it'll make a big difference around here, someone to actually put some love into the place. Do you have any big plans for it yet?"

"I always used to imagine they'd be in my life forever. And I'd see them on holidays and family gatherings and we could take them to the planetarium for the rest of our combined lives." She admitted suddenly, her cheeks warming slightly in embarrassment at just how different it all had worked out. "That clearly didn't happen, so this all means a lot to me." She admitted, closing her mouth as she squinted into the sun to think. And then maybe in her now reimagined renderings of their future, she'd meet Nari, and they'd be friends, and the two boys would still have their parents, and everything would be good and nobody would be without the people they wanted. "I know I'll probably keep saying that, but they were a really big part of the happiest times of my life. Even if back then they could barely throw a ball or catch it." Time was a weird concept. "I'd have no idea how to raise boys. I'd have no idea how to raise a girl, actually." She paused. "Oh yeah, I remember going there, way back when." She was curious if it was still in operation, but she wasn't about to risk the whole conversation for a curiosity that could've been depressing. "I have ideas that haven't really turned into plans." She laughed, "I'm trying to take it seriously, but also not turn it into something it's not. It's a delicate balance." She was used to working at organizations with a large amount of staff, not sitting at the top of a small building in a small town with a message that meant more direct changes to people she was still getting to know. "I don't want to take it over and change it too much when it's meant the same thing to the community for years." A lazy smile fell onto her features. "I'd love to know what the community wants from a place like that before I dive too deep. I'm thinking of handing out a survey, or something. It's weird to admit I don't have anything concrete, but, baby steps, right?"

Maisie nodded, solemnly, even though she knew the other was teasing her, the sight of the woman in front of her was enough to distract her from any sort of smile or polite chuckle that would have fallen from her lips otherwise. She'd always been an open book with Clara. Eternally distracted, she joked, finally finding the motive in her to crack a small smile, her attention no longer on the goods being offered and only on the woman in front of her. It was a flaw of hers, something everyone in her life had once poked fun at, always walking around with her head up in the stars, they'd say. It was probably why she couldn't survive the day without ten cups of coffee and a run first, to focus her attention. She probably shouldn't have skipped the coffee that morning. Sunrise goat yoga, Maisie pointed out, emphasizing the sunrise with a flourished movement in the direction of the sun behind them. I'm sure a bunch of people in the tree pose is a lot more confusing for the goats.

I forgot how beautiful the sunrise is here. Clara admitted, glancing up at the sky around them, how it had seemed to practically open up on itself in hues of orange and pink not too long ago. How still everything still seemed to be. She could appreciate a good sunrise anywhere like most people - but they were always a little more congested back in DC, full of more people and horns and smog. And she'd know, because she used to watch them with the woman standing next to her every once in a while, focusing more on Maisie's reaction than the colors and clouds that seemed to light up the entire sky. A hand went to scratch the back of her neck, and she let out a slight sigh at the memory. She was grateful when the conversation moved back to the goats - perhaps it was a little easier to discuss things that weren't as dreamy or romantic when things with Maisie just weren't dreamy or romantic anymore. She forced a smile on her face, They probably think we're absolutely insane. Sure are cute though. She cleared her throat as she thought of what to sign next. As nervous as seeing Maisie made her feel, she never wanted the moments to end, much to her dismay. Besides sunrise goat yoga, what've you been up to? Haven't seen you in a while. Been a few weeks. She cast her glance anywhere else for a moment, and that ended up being the goats who were now back in their pen. You look great.

location — lind dairy farm, goat yoga

Clara had just put her wattle bottle onto the corner of her mat and was sitting cross-legged on top of it when she heard a voice next to her, and she smiled gently over at the person next to her as she listened. "I used to do hot yoga once a week back when I lived up north, but there definitely weren't any goats. Although the poor things probably wouldn't make it too long in the heat. Lord knows I barely ever felt like I would," She chuckled, recalling how hot yet addicting it was to sweat it out. Now she was doing yoga on a dairy farm in Colorado. With goats. Things really changed. "I don't know how I'm gonna focus on the poses when I just wanna focus on the bleating little babies. I wouldn't even mind if they chewed my jacket up." She admitted. Sure, it would be gross and maybe not the best for the goats, but would absolutely be cute. "Believe me, I don't think anyone ever would say too much. Not when there are literal baby goats around. Kind of hard to be a jackass when you're staring at that." She pointed to a small goat that was milling around nearby.

— clara wilmore sunrise goat yoga, lind dairy farm. sunday.

Goat yoga was something she had never gotten to do before, and she did a lot of yoga in DC. Something about it always made her feel refreshed and calm.. and paired with the view of the sunrise and the company of literal goats, Clara was feeling quite content as she made her way over from the smoothie stands to where everyone else was, by the smattering of tables with goods for sale and things to browse. Clara had more than enough money that she didn't really feel like spending, but if she could support a family-owned farm, she would. Even if it was for healthy snacks she'd probably just throw in her pantry and not touch for weeks. Her hand was brushing over a stack of wellness shots to glare at the ginger in the ingredients list when she felt another body bump into hers, and she turned a bit to face whoever it was. An apology or an 'Are you okay' was bubbling up out of her mouth when she was suddenly standing inches away from a freckly face she used to wake up to every morning, and her mouth immediately shut. If it was more because of the fact that she'd have to sign or because her heart was thudding in her chest at the feeling of Maisie's smaller hand on her arm, she couldn't tell you. She let out a breath she didn't think she was holding and then nodded once. Yeah, that's never been your strong suit. Clara signed once she felt her body relax, a small smile forming on her lips to prove that she was attempting to merely tease the other woman. It's okay. I was probably a little too preoccupied with squinting at the back of these bottles. I think I need glasses. She paused and jerked her thumb in the direction of the tiny bottles, and then let her hands fall to her sides for just a moment. So.. goat yoga, huh? That's a thing.