different worlds —

"Hosted by a guy with deep pockets." She only knew of such because they'd had a few moments of real conversation in between the physical aspects of their friendship or whatever one wanted to call it. Though, since crossing that line last, the two hadn't spoken. "Besides, I overheard someone say that he's got a ton of fun stuff around this place and doesn't care for people to use it." What fun stuff that was, she'd yet to figure out, but who was better company than Jaiden to do it? "I'm sorry, are you really asking me to bet against you? What do you take me for, Jai? Fine. If you're that strapped on cash. Fifty bucks says you get caught."

She couldn't recall the last time she'd allowed herself an ounce of fun without worrying about one thing or another. Even in New York, she'd always had something on her mind that prevented her from letting loose. For awhile, it had been her guilt of leaving Boyd and Mattie and while that always lingered, more worry had stacked upon it until having fun felt impossible. "Someone's bossy tonight," she teased with a wicked grin, "I like it." It was the only surefire way she'd let loose at all, but in the company of Sara, she wasn't sure there were any other options. "If I have a hangover tomorrow, I'm calling you."

There was only a hint of surprise in her expression when Nadia spelled out the name that Maisie had already known for awhile, meeting the man in the pharmacy under less than ideal circumstances only for him to become a staple in her life soon after. She lent that day to fate, allowing her to be there to help him with his daughter in the way that he needed. The man's situation was so similar to the woman's across from her, Maisie would have been more surprised if the two didn't happen to be in the same exact situation together. And, as it turned out, it was exactly how she assumed. She nodded and instead of directly confirming, she asked, M-a-t-t-i-e is your daughter? I didn't want to assume, but your situations were so similar. Her admission came with a soft breath of relief from her lips. My parents. My older brother is deaf too, so they were already prepared by the time I came along, but they did everything they could to prepare themselves as hearing parents of a deaf kid. They always advocated for me. A lot like you and B-o-y-d are doing for M-a-t-t-i-e.

If Boyd had mentioned anything about their situation, the other wasn't allowing it to show on her features. Instead, her question left the paramedic nodding in response. It wasn't as if Boyd went around town spewing venom on her name and in the end, this was for Mattie. Everything she did, and certainly everything he did, was for the love of their daughter and a need to be there in every sense of the matter. It's okay. It's not a common situation. Right? As someone who hadn't been to the doctor's visits and the specialist, she had no clue how rare Mattie's case was or if it were more common than she'd imagined it to be. She swallowed down the lump in her throat and forced a faint smile of appreciation to her mouth. If only Boyd could hear someone comparing their efforts, she was certain the whole world would melt around them. I just want her to know it's going to be okay. That she doesn't have to do this alone.

Jamal grinned when Nadia finally noticed him, clearly having been in her own world beforehand. "I mean.. not the whole song." He shrugged, curious if that helped to soothe her embarrassment at all. "It all sounded good though. A free concert I didn't know I needed," he teased gently, giving Nadia a light clap. "Having a good day, I'm guessing?"

Horrified. That was the only word that came to mind when his hands came together in a round of tame applause. Not the whole song, but enough to make a playful call on her talent. "But enough," she countered, wide eyed as she attempted to swallow down the horrified feeling of embarrassment. "Next time I'll charge admission, so I guess you got lucky." If she couldn't melt into the ground beneath, she could play along as if her heart wasn't trying to beat out of her chest. "Actually, just a normal day. I like to keep myself entertained and singing is a little less weird and repeating jokes I've heard on the rig."

"I'm not being unreasonable. You both haven't done anything specific that made me thought there was something there. I just know that I felt like there was and could have sworn a few times when you guys were together." Whether it was a look, their laughter, the energy between them — she couldn't pinpoint. Waiting by the door, the brunette rolled her eyes and stepped back when she opened the door. "I'm not opposed to talking about things." But part of her felt like she wasn't getting everything. "You can start," she decided, wanting to know if Nadia had any issues on her side. It was as good a time and place as any.

Best friends. They were best friends and sure, they'd gotten a little too close for some people's comfort, but they'd never crossed that line, even before Amara had come along and had won his heart. "Then why didn't you ask? Instead of just assuming I was the asshole... you could have asked," she suggested weakly and in a tone that beared defeat. She'd never wanted to ruin the man's relationship, let alone his engagement. Had it hurt her? Sure, but it had confused her even more than that, but in the midst of it, ruining it had never crossed her mind.

"Honestly, no. With no collar and no microchip, there's really no way of knowing if he belongs to someone. He's certainly friendly enough to have been a pet, but that could also just be a coincidence." Emerson had seen enough friendly strays over the years who would fit right into a home environment, if they were lucky enough to be given the chance. The fact that the shelters were full didn't surprise Emerson at all, a small frown forming on the redhead's lips. There were always more animals in need of help than there were people able to provide it.

The worry and guilt that circled the cave of her chest was a heavy mix to stir on. "I've already called the shelters and told them, so hopefully they made a note? I left all of my contact information too in case someone shows up looking for a missing cat." She had given it her best shot to explain the feline before her, but she'd have to call them back with the updated information that it was in fact a male cat. With any luck, an owner would come running quickly, because the last thing she wanted was to keep someone's cat from them.

Thankfully, Nadia had picked up the slack in the music department, all credit granted towards her aunt Jessica who had expanded her musical horizons too many years ago to count. "Then I don't see a problem. We're clearly a threat." She glanced around and noted that a few lingering eyes had remained on their table. So far, they'd kept a steady hold with the first place team that didn't seem accustomed to losing much. "I don't know. Something tells me that anything is possible. Any other rounds you were hoping for?"

She was relieved that Nadia hadn't been as clueless as her in relation to the music round. "And we are definitely the most attractive team, so at least we've won that one," she grinned mischeviously. "My specialist subjects are gynocology, obstetrics and queer culture," she admitted, "so it's rather niche." Asher never really considered trivia to be something that she was good at, but she was having fun, and Nadia was good company. "What would your specialist subject be?"

As if looking to confirm, Nadia's head did a quick swivel around the room, only landing back on Asher after she could easily confirm her words as fact. "Oh, that's a fair point. You're carrying the team in looks, so you can afford to suck at a category or two." She washed down the teasing tone with a long drink from her draft beer. Might not have been her go-to choice, but something about the tall, chilled beer stein was much more fit for competition. "I've heard more niche subjects be named. We might be in luck after all." Brows lifted and bottom lip was tugged between her teeth. Her specialist subject? "I'd be good with anything law-related. Or Desperate Housewives. I never missed an episode and I've watched it twice. Maybe three times? I'd definitely have no problem mopping the floor with everyone on math too."

Dakota grinned at Nadia's playful jab and the light touch on his forearm. "Well, I try to stay humble, but bragging is just so much more fun, isn't it?" he quipped, enjoying their banter as always. He glanced toward the bar as well, noticing Thea's absence, but he was in no rush.

Mouth parted, but the only thing that rolled smoothly off her tongue was a quiet laugh. Truth was (and she'd never say it aloud), she much preferred this version of the man over any kind of humble-natured twist. "I don't know that really trying, but sure. I guess you're right. Bragging is fun, so I'm taking this moment to say... you must have really been looking forward to this if you got here early." Her tone was airy and teasing, but a part of her wanted to hear him confirm it. That he had been looking forward to it.

There wasn't much she knew about the woman who had reached out to her for help at the advice of one of Maisie's close friends, just that there was someone who needed help and she was always willing to lend a hand when needed, especially when it involved children. The situation, she imagined, was difficult on everyone involved, child and parents alike, and it was something she supposed her parents were lucky to have dealt with when her older brother was an infant and not after years of living in the world as a hearing individual. It gave them time, before their child was old enough to start asking questions, to learn what they needed to learn. Nadia's situation threw her into it unannounced and late in life, but Maisie was willing to make it a point to be there to provide the resources and support needed for the woman to be successful with her daughter. I know someone in a similar situation... I can tell he's feeling a little overwhelmed with it all. Are you keeping your head on straight? Maisie questioned, folding her one leg over the other as she leaned against the arm of the chair and glanced at Nadia with curiosity. It's okay to feel lost. It's a lot to digest.

All she'd been able to think about was the fact that sooner than later, Mattie was going to officially know that her mother was in town. Whether she wanted to make the jump to meet Nadia was another question, but if and when she opted to, at least the paramedic would be ready for it. Brows furrowed and a nervous smile slipped on her mouth as the other mentioned knowing a man in a similar situation. Was it possible that Boyd had also reached out? Seemed likely considering he was the kind of father that would do anything for his child. Really? Would it be someone named B-o-y-d? She mouthed the question, though the man's name came out whole rather than letter by letter in the way she signed. Even signing it made her heart ache in ways she couldn't have prepared for. What helped you feel supported?

"Hmm, I don't think you would see me much, I tend to work in the back office more then with the volunteers. You would probably see Atlas more then you would see me." Lucas explained. He would sometimes greet the volunteers on their first day, or when he crossed paths with them in the halls; but they didn't tend to be a group that he saw that often. "But, you would probably be paired with like a group of people, or at least one other person." It tended to lessen the amount of confusion or people complaining of boredom when they had at least one other person to talk with. "True, I can guarantee they will be cute and at the very least won't curse you out" Lucas grinned.

"Would you make an exception to come work with yours truly? What if I specially requested you?" She had nothing against Atlas, but she much preferred the company of Lucas. That, and the whole point was getting to catch up with him a bit more than she already had, while giving back to an important piece of Providence Peak. "What I'm hearing is that my dream day of working with you just can't happen? That's a big shame, really, but I suppose I'll be okay with it," she teased. At least if she were making some kind of difference, at the end of the day, nothing else had to matter. "At least in any way that I can understand. You can't convince me that when they're howling, they aren't speaking their minds. It can't always be nice."

closed starter for @nadiamorgan || location: lunch box

Anyone that had known her in New York had known a different version of Nadia than those in Providence Peak. For example, she'd never quite opened up to Teresa about her daughter, but the woman had helped guide her out of the field of law and into a career far more rewarding. "Oh, I'm keeping a decent schedule, you know, trying to cut back on all those double shifts. I mean, who needs sleep anyway," she teased as she settled into a seat at the table. Even when she wasn't working, sleep was the last thing on her mind. Lately, the only thing she could think of was how Mattie had taken the news of her being back. "I'm the best of friends though, right? Friendliest face in this whole damn town," she joked in a teasing tone. "How've you been? Other than looking gorgeous as ever?"

"I don't think that I need to explain or give examples." Maybe part of it was her jealousy but she could feel the attraction between the two of them and even though Omar was free to do as he pleased, it had rubbed her wrong that it happened right after they'd broken up. Though she had to admit she'd felt it before as well. While she went to the bathroom, Amara played her words and wondered if maybe something had happened and a line had been crossed. Confusion ate at her as she washed her hands and stepped out, allowing her to go. However, she knew she'd circle back when she came out. "About that apology?" She found herself saying towards the door.

"Fine, but I think you're being kind of unreasonable. If you can't help me understand, I can't help you do the same." Her tone was far from icy, but the firm hold in her pitch was unwavering. Sure, she wanted to ease the other's worries, but she couldn't even do that if Amara wasn't willing to open up about it. Thankfully, the departure left Nadia contemplating leaving. If she did, at least they'd have a chance at avoiding the brewing argument that was soon to come. "I'm working on it," she assured with a shrug of her shoulders. She paused at the bathroom door, gaze shifting between the bathroom and the woman. "I'm serious, by the way. About wanting to talk about things."

In all honesty, she hadn't expected Jaiden to say yes. If she'd known that he would of sputtered out an agreement, she probably wouldn't have asked. In an attempt to not fully show the regret coursing through her veins, she opted to make the most of it and hoped that he could too. After all, she'd done crazier things since returning to the city. "It's a house party. Relax. It can be fun." At least, she hoped it would be fun. Her gaze caught a bottle of overly expensive booze before shifting up to the taller male with a grin. "Doesn't look like cheap beer after all, Lee. That bottle over there? It's mad expensive whiskey. I only know because my old boss used to keep it in his office for show. Let's try and have fun, yeah? PLease?"

Emerson's smile only grew when the other woman signed back at her, while slowing down her barrage of questions. "No, don't be sorry." It was clear the other woman was worried about the cat she'd found, and Emerson understood that. "Well he's a little bit skinny, I can feel that. But not dangerously so. And he'd definitely not feral." Though some strays were still super friendly, just lacking in a home.

It sounded as if things were off to a decent start, but she knew nothing about being a pet parent, let alone what a healthy exam was supposed to look like. However, she did watch in awe as the redhead gently brushed a hand down the cat's back, which just so happened to trigger another round of purring that pulled a smile to her mouth. She hoped that whoever was missing this guy would get him back, but for a moment, she entertained the thought of keeping him if no one showed up.

Music had never been Asher's strength. She enjoyed listening to it, and could sing along to a few key songs but she was useless when it came to remembering artist's names and song titles. She raised an eyebrow at the other, laughing softly, "oh, I am in it to win it," she agreed. Trivia wasn't exactly Asher's thing but it was fun nonetheless, even better when they were winning. "Though I probably shouldn't have banked on there being a science round," she admitted.

Thankfully, Nadia had picked up the slack in the music department, all credit granted towards her aunt Jessica who had expanded her musical horizons too many years ago to count. "Then I don't see a problem. We're clearly a threat." She glanced around and noted that a few lingering eyes had remained on their table. So far, they'd kept a steady hold with the first place team that didn't seem accustomed to losing much. "I don't know. Something tells me that anything is possible. Any other rounds you were hoping for?"

She admired the woman's ability to balance the art of motherhood and adulthood. It wasn't for everyone, but for once, it made Nadia realize just how badly she wanted it to be for her. "Care to share a little bit of that enthusiasm? Some of us weren't born with the natural talent," she teased with her bottom lip tucked between her teeth. She needed a good night out and after rattling off her drink order, she knew that it was the very thing she'd been getting in the other's company.