watercolors

“You’re making this weirder than it has to be.”

“Um, no, I’m pretty sure you’re the one that made it weird.”

“Oh, no. Don’t apologize. Completely true and warranted compliments are always welcome. As long as you’re not going to make a comment on how my ass looks in these pants you can stay.” She said with as chuckle.

Zoe chuckled.  “I mean I could make that comment if you’d rather,” she teased her.  Shaking her head, Zoe smiled.  “But no, I’ve wanted to get into yoga but haven’t had the time.”

The father continued progressing down the aisle, his eyes flitting over the different boxes. “Lasagna works. Though now that I think about it, I think he just likes the meat that comes with pasta,” Chase mused with a small laugh as he thought about the last time they had lasagna, Matthew was more insistent on scraping up the meat and sauce between the long strips of pasta. “I’ve tried ravioli too, but he doesn’t like that as much.”

“Hmm,” Zoe murmured.  “I have a recipe for a taco mac ‘n cheese too.  Is he one of those kids that doesn’t like all his food touching?  I’ve been dealing with that with Owen a little bit.”  Thankfully her son was so young still she could usually satisfy him quick.

“Yay or nay to learning how to flair bartend?” Ryan waged an eyebrow, grinning. He’d gotten pulled into YouTube videos and had someone found himself in a bartending playlist. “I mean, I’ve already got a few tricks down, but. It’d be a pretty cool party trick, no?”

Zoe smirked.  “Yay.  It’s always a yay.  Besides, if you’ve got all the fancy bartending tricks that will make you that much more attractive to the drunk party girls.”

Turning to look at his son, Chase couldn’t help but smile fondly as the little boy bounced a little on the balls of his feet at the sound of pasta. “Seems like we’re eating pasta for dinner too,” he chuckled. “Mac and cheese is probably his favorite though. But spaghetti with big meatballs too. Mmm… what else… There’s this beef noodle soup that he likes at this Chinese restaurant we go to every month, but mainly cause the meat’s soft enough for him to bite into.”

“Hmm,” Zoe started.  “Well I have a couple different kid friendly recipes.  My favorite is the homemade mac ‘n cheese I make but I’ve got a couple ideas.  Does he like lasagna?”

“Move along.” Grace said as she shifted poses on her yoga mat, which was set up in the middle of town square. It was a beautiful day outside and she’d actually had some time to get in a quick workout, so she wasn’t going to pass up the opportunity to enjoy the sun. “There’s nothing to see here.”

Zoe smiled softly when she saw the woman doing yoga.  “I was just admiring your technique,” she told her playfully.  “Sorry.”

           “—- okay, okay, okay! I’ll let you in on a secret.” Fingers drummed the frosted sides of her glass as she surveyed her mind for a fact that wouldn’t fall short of anything shock-worthy. Matilda VanHala had led a pretty sheltered existence - which she assumed wasn’t to the taste of others. Those who thrived on the fury and the fast-paced nature that life as a supernatural might offer. “I’ve—- never been to a movie theatre.” The words left her tongue as though she spoke a foreign tongue in a critical society - a look of self-questioning visible on her features. “At twenty three years old. Crazy, no?”

“Wait, what?”  Zoe couldn’t believe what she was hearing.  “How have you never actually been to a movie theater?  That seems criminal.  Did your parents not love you as a child?”  Zoe was half joking.  Sure, her son hadn’t been to a movie theater yet, but he was nearly two.  He didn’t need to go to the movies.

Pippa pointed a finger at herself. “Topographically challenged,” she admitted. “Clinical and uncurable.” She wheeled her head left and right before asking. “And church street is where?”

Zoe’s nose scrunched up, not completely sure if she bought the story she was being told.  “It’s about six blocks from here,” Zoe informed her.  “You’ll want to take a right at the next stoplight and keep going until you find it.”

The father smiled a bit at the idea of Owen wandering away. It was adorable in its own sense, but he could understand Zoe’s concern. It was something he wouldn’t have to face with Matthew, though it was perhaps both a good and a bad thing; after all, he had his own string of concerns with his child.

Chase appreciated how seamlessly the woman spoke with his son, without being deterred by how shy he was. Matthew himself seemed to feel a bit comfortable, peeking his head out behind his father’s leg. “Maybe a new pasta dish. Trying to come up with something more than fettuccine alfredo and spaghetti,” Chase chuckled awkwardly, scratching at his head.

She smiled a little wider when Matthew poked his head out.  While she didn’t care either way if the child liked her, she did hope he would eventually come out of his shell.  Still, her attention focused on the boy’s father while he spoke.  “Pasta dish I can do.  What does the little man like to eat?  I probably make more pasta than is healthy since it’s so easy.”

“So hypothetically speaking,” Pippa took a sip from her iced coffee, “for a friend. A, let’s say, directionally challenged friend.” She sifted from one foot to the other, self-consciously. “Where would town maps be sold?“

“I’m not sure,” Zoe admitted.  “I mean, I haven’t really needed one since moving here.  It’s small enough and GPS on my phone works miracles.”  Laughing, she shrugged.  “Maybe you could get one on Church Street?”

“Thank you,” Chase said carefully. “Owen is as well. I don’t think there’s any harm in saying hello to people though,” the father pointed out, giving the other small boy a friendly wave. He didn’t want to be pessimistic about it, but part of him felt that given everything that happened in Matthew’s life so far, it was an uphill battle to get his son to even speak strangers.

The tall man glanced down again at the trembling boy. “…I don’t think he’s happy regardless of you being here or not. Guess going shopping with Daddy isn’t very fun, is it?” Chase said lightly before reaching down to pat Matthew’s head. “I wouldn’t mind a shopping buddy for today. I figure you might teach me some secret recipe anyhow.”

Zoe nodded.  “You’ve got a good point.  I just know Owen is the type to wander away if I let him out of the cart.”  She didn’t want something like that to happen, so she had to keep a close watch on her son no matter what happened.

Her gaze flitted between the father and son, a small smile on her lips.  “It’s okay, Matthew, I don’t really like shopping either,” she told the little boy.  Returning her focus to his father, she grinned.  “Well what sort of recipes are you hoping to uncover?”

Chase couldn’t help but smile as Owen waved at the two of them. Matthew, on the other hand, only curled up in himself even more, his eyes still wide. He did a curt nod towards Zoe in agreement, but Chase figured that was as much interaction as was possible from his son. “Matthew…” the dark-haired man said carefully. “Zoe’s talking to you. Remember what we said about talking with people? No hiding behind Daddy…” he murmured, gently pushing his son out from his hiding spot. The small child protested a little, his head tucked down out of nervousness as he mumbled out a soft greeting. 

The father scratched at his head awkwardly before giving Zoe a weak smile. “Sorry… I, uh… I’m not too good at this sort of stuff. He used to be a lot more outgoing. We both were,” he offered as a small apology. “I’ll let you… continue shopping though.”

“He honestly is precious though,” Zoe reassured him.  “It’s probably good.  Owen is a little too friendly I worry about him with strangers when he gets a little older,” she admitted.  Hopefully it won’t be a problem, but you could never really know with children.  “And he might grow out of the shyness.”

Shrugging her shoulder slightly, she flashed him a smile.  “Oh okay.  You weren’t holding me up or anything.  I should let you get back to things though.  I doubt he will be happy if you keep talking to me.”

“Yeah, it’s really not fun.” He chuckled. “Celebrating I suppose. I got a job here, putting down roots, so on and so forth.” He shrugged, he was here for his siblings and not for any other reason really. If there had been no danger posed by the Clave he wouldn’t be here, but he was trying to make the best of it. “And yourself, what brings you here?”

“Oh that’s exciting,” she told him sincerely.  “Putting down roots is a big step if you aren’t used to it.”  When she was younger she hadn’t really been used to it, but since having her son that had to change.  “Nothing special.  It’s just a chance to have a night off.  Have a little fun.”

Glancing over at Matthew still cowering behind him, Chase only smiled warmly before replying, “Five years old. And yours?” The father patted his son on the head, trying to usher the small child to step forwards. “Want to say hi, Matthew? It’s polite to do so.” But the young boy refused, shaking his head quickly and roughly against Chase’s leg.

“He’ll be two next month,” Zoe told him with a smile.  Owen looked over at the boy and his dad, waving his hand and babbling to them.  She looked to the little boy then.  “Well, it’s nice to meet you anyway, Matthew.  I’m Zoe and that’s Owen.  Five is a good age.  You’re turning into a big boy.”

Relieved to see that it was another parent with a child, it always helped when the other person could understand where he was coming from. “Thanks,” he said with a tight smile before quickly picking out some Honey Nut Cheerios. “You have a very cute son,” Chase murmured as he placed the cereal in his cart, Matthew still peeking out from his leg at Zoe with a wonder in his eyes.

Zoe smiled when he complimented her son.  “Thank you,” she murmured.  “So do you.  How old is yours?” she asked before she reached for the cereal she’d been looking for.

“Good, because it would be really awkward if you refused it.” He chuckled. It had been a position he’d been in before, and it had completely thrown him for a loop.  “Noah. It’s a pleasure to meet you Zoe.” With that he raised his glass to her as a kind of cheers. 

“I can only imagine,” she replied.  Thankfully she hadn’t run into that problem.  Still, she turned on the barstool to fully focus her attention on him.  She mirrored his action, lifting her glass.  “The pleasure is all mine, Noah,” she told him.  “What brings you out tonight?”

Chase was reaching for a box of cereal, debating on whether or not he should get yet another brand of sugary treats or switching to something else instead. He knew what Matthew’s favorite was, but the man didn’t want to spoil his son too much. In the midst of his decision process, he was surprised by his son clasping to his right leg tightly, adjusting so that he was hiding behind Chase’s leg. “Matthew?” Chase murmured, glancing down before turning to see what his son was hiding from. The father adjusted himself so that he was facing the other person, protecting his shy son behind his leg.

“Sorry. He’s a bit shy. Are we in your way?”

Running errands with a nearly two year old was not always an easy feat.  Thankfully Owen was currently occupied in the cart by holding the bananas.  He couldn’t eat it or hurt it, so Zoe figured there was no harm in it.  She’d rounded a corner with her cart when she saw the father and son.  She smiled softly.  “Oh it’s alright.  I get it.  This one can get pretty shy too,” she reassured him.  "But no, take your time.  I’m in no rush.”