Generation 02, Chapter 12: Blame it on the Hormones

The next morning, I try to sleep in until at least 8:00 but at 7:15 I'm wide awake and actually excited to start another cooking lesson with Rina.  I decide to spend my Saturday morning perusing the Gainsboro website.  There's a rumor that when you're fired, they delete everything you were ever associate with and make it seem like you never existed.  Which obviously can't be true.  It's not like they'd delete-

Oh. My. God.

They didn't.

Anger and annoyance and frustration build up inside of me.  I look through articles about deals that I know I was part of and my name isn't there. Someone has literally taken all the time to go through everything and has deleted my name.  The rumors are true.

I quickly close the browser window and head over to Champ's house.  Hopefully I can just forget about it.  I shouldn't care.  It shouldn't bother me.

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Rina greets me at the door.

"Calla!  Hello!  Come in, come in.  We're going to make pie today."

"Splendid," I saw unexcitedly.  My mind is preoccupied with the events of this morning, despite my optimism of thinking I'd be able to forget.  I was a good lawyer.

"Something wrong, sweetie?  You look startled."

"No, I'm fine," I lie.

Rina teaches me how to mix the ingredients for the pie crust and filling.  Now we are forming the crust to fit the pie plate.

"What's the point?  I mean, what am I doing?  All I'm doing is making a pie that's just going to get eaten.  There's no point to it."

"Most food is like that, as well as life itself," Rina points out gently.

"You're right, it is," I saw, trying to figure out why the hell I'm trying to argue with Rina.  What's wrong with me today?  I'm like a rebellious teenager.

"That's enough, now we wait."

"Wait?  For what?" I demand.

"For the pie to bake," Rina responds calmly as she pours in the filling.

"Oh."

We walk outside so Rina can feed the chickens.

"I'm sorry, I can't do this.  Any of this."

"What do you mean, Calla?"

"It's a waste of time.  All of this is.  I should be doing something productive.  Something more constructive and important."

"Calla, please don't leave.  I know you've been through a... trauma.  And I know it has affected you but please, you're being rash.  Just stay.  Wait for the pie," Rina says patiently.

"You don't understand.  My life is... I don't know what I'm doing.  My life is a dead end right now.  I need to find answers.  I need to find out who I really am because honestly, I have no idea right now.  And sitting here is doing absolutely nothing for me."

"Calla, stop," Rina commands.  "Sometimes life is filled with unknowns and sometimes you're not meant to know them.  Now let's go peel some vegetables for lunch.

I sigh.  Despite my irritable and irrational mood I follow her instruction.  She's right.  Somehow her steady and firm voice has calmed me down.  I wipe away tears that were forming on my cheeks.  As we walk back into the house, I think about how much she reminds me of my mother.  I make a mental note to call mom later.  She always seemed to know what to do whenever I was afraid or angry.

"Close your eyes, Calla," Rina says to me as she returns from the kitchen.  It has been an hour since my "episode" and I've calmed down considerably.

I hear the soft clink of a tin hit the table.  I open my eyes and see a warm pumpkin pie in front of me an the lovely scent fills my nostrils.  I started to cry again, the tears flowing quietly down my cheeks.

I hear a male voice.  "Mmm, smells good."  Champ has come out of no where.  My growling stomach tells me it's lunch time and he must be on his break.

"I'll leave you two along," Rina says respectively, heading outside.

"I can't believe I was able to accomplish this.  It's been a hard day," I say while I stand up and wipe my face.

"Yeah, mom told me.  All that mixing.  And waiting?"

"I'm not the most patient person.  I have to have things as quick as possible," I explain.

"As quick as possible," Champ repeats.  I take a step forward and look into his eyes.  They're bright and shining and looking warmly into my own confused blue ones.

My breath is racing and my body is practically curving in towards his.  I grab him and pull his mouth toward mine.  He's a bit shocked at first but quickly recovers.

We kiss deeply and passionately.  I am absolutely oblivious to nothing but Champagne.  Myrtle could be there taking pictures and shouting and I wouldn't even noticed.

"What, that was-" Champ starts to say.  "Well, I, er, have to get back to the bar.  It's low on staff at the moment."

"Don't worry, I don't take long," I say seductively.  I want him.  I want him now.

"I really don't have long.  Only six minutes."

"Six minutes is plenty of time for me," I whisper, leaning into him.  He supports me with his arms but doesn't make any further movements.

"We take things slower around here...," he says awkwardly.  We part and my face gets really hot.

I finally come to my senses.  "Oh right, sorry.  Uh, see you later.  I guess.  Will you be around tomorrow?"

"I should be.  So, I might possibly see you.  Tomorrow."

I laugh for the first time today.  "I guess."

"It was nice... seeing you today."

"You too."

"Talk to you later, Calla."

"Bye."

Goodness that was embarrassing.  What is with me today?

Generation 02, Chapter 11: The Nerve of Some People

Friday comes sooner than I realize and fortunately this week has gone by pretty well.  I've only spent about §200 on a vase that I crack while dusting and a toilet seat I somehow managed to break.  Also, there was an incident this morning...

Fir had a bunch of lawyers over and they were going over some contracts of some sort.  I had to serve the men coffee and while doing so, I casually caught a glimpse at the documents. They weren't good.  I knew that if Fir agreed to them, he'd gain nothing.  Acting quickly, I accidentally-on-purpose spilled the coffee I was serving all over the table.

It was worth the scolding I received from Myrtle.

"I know you don't understand but a lot of money was being exchanged there, Calla.  You have such a simple life.  So carefree...," Myrtle carried on for a full twenty minutes.  I wanted to retort, "I'm a lawyer! I understand that stuff better than you or any of those 'lawyers' do!" but I managed to restrain myself.

Fortunately, she's in a much better mood now.  I'm waiting by the front door for Champ to arrive to take us on our date.

"So... you're going out with Champagne?" Myrtle asks me.

"Mmmmhmm," I say.

"Is that what you're wearing?  I have a lovely piece of jewelry that would look great with that."

To my utter horror, she pulls out this jade snake arm band thingy from a drawer in the dining room and puts it on me.

"Thank you, Mrs. Dhaval.  Er... you're too kind," I managed to say.  I have to find a way to get this thing off without her noticing.

Mr. Dhaval comes walking in, mindlessly asking, "What's 17.5% of 7000?"

Before I can think, I reply, "1225."

Oh shit.

"By golly, she's right.  How did you do that?" Mr. Dhaval asks in astonishment.

"Uh.. I've always been... good with numbers.  It's really no big deal," I attempt to dismiss the topic.

"No big deal?  Calla, do you realize you could strive for something higher?  You can become more than just a housekeeper if you keep your head at it and throw in some hard work."

"Um, right," I say.  If only they knew.

Fortunately, Champ walks in looking smartly dressed.  His usual disheveled hair is slicked down and parted.

"What's this about being a mathematical genius?" He asks quizzically.

"Never mind, let's go," I say hurriedly and quickly drop the snake arm band into the drawer it came from (luckily Myrtle doesn't see me) and pull Champ outside.

"So what was that about?" Champ asks again once we're outside.  The air is fresh and I can see the stars start to come out, a rare sight in the city.

"It was nothing.  I'm just good at solving large mathematical equations in my head.  It's not big deal."

"Ah, it must be very convenient though, no?"

"I suppose.  But I'd much rather be able to work magic in the kitchen like your mom.  You sound like you had a really happy childhood."

"It was pretty happy.  Dad was actually alive then and there was rarely any fighting.  How about your parents?"

"They were pretty happy too," I reply.  Changing the topic I ask where we're going.

"To a local bar," is Champ's reply.

"Cool, I haven't been to a bar for a really long time."  Actually never.  But I don't say that.

"So, are you going to tell me your story?" Champ asks.

"I'm sorry?  My story?"

"Your life.  Before you came here."

"Okay, well, it's kind of boring.  And it's... it's hard to talk about.  Not to mention very long and did I say it was boring?"

"We have all the time in the world," Champ replies, waving his arm in a long gesture.

"Well, okay.  I left from my relationship, hopped on a train, and ended up here, I guess."

"That's it?"

"Pretty much."

"Oh," he looks down.  I can tell he's contemplating on what to say next.

"Is that the bar?" I ask, looking down at a small little stone building, relieved to change the subject.

"Yep."

"Why are all the people standing out there?"

"The owner is late."

"That's okay, I don't mind waiting."

I stop walking but Champ continues to walk around to the back of the building and produces a pair of keys.  Either he's breaking in or....

"Oh my God, you own a bar?"

"It's a family business," he explains casually.

"You never mentioned that!  That's so cool!" I exclaim.

We walk in and I have a great time meeting up with Champ's friends who help him run the bar.  We sing karaoke, play pool, talk, and drink.

When I think the night can't possibly get any better, I noticed a sign on the wall.

"No Lawyers."

"Uh, what's that?" I ask Champ.

"I don't serve lawyers."

He what?!  Hmmm, I suppose now would a be a horribly awkward time to tell him I'm a lawyer.

I finally persuade Champ that it's okay if he leaves my side to go play pool with his friends.  It gives me a changes to investigate this interesting sign.  I sit down next to one of his best friends, Antares Aven, whom I've gotten to know most throughout the night, and politely ask him about the sign.

"He's kidding right?" I ask jokingly.

Antares shakes his head.  "No, I believe he's serious about it.  He ha-strongly dislikes lawyers.  They're the ones that he believe caused his father's heart attack.  At least, indirectly."

"What happened?" I ask incredulously.

"Well, his father started dealing with these lawyers for this land deal and it apparently caused him extreme stress so much so that he had a heart attack shortly before the deal could be done.  Then, on the day of Champ's father's funeral, one of the lawyers came into the bar and Champ punched him."

My eyes widen.  "That's dreadful!"

I'm completely shocked.  If I told him I was a lawyer, would he punch me?  No, he wouldn't do that.  But he could break up us.

"I'm back," Champ announces, his hand gently resting on my shoulder.  I cover up the fact that I'm panicking about this whole lawyer-hating business.

"Ready to go?" he asks me.

"Sure!"

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We walk out into the night and I look up and gaze at the stars again.  I was never able to see them in the city very well and I cannot believe what I was missing out on.

"I love this place.  Everyone is so kind to each other.  No one in the city is like that.  It's horrible.  They'd rather rob you of your possessions than play a game of darts with you," I explain.  "This place reminds me a lot of the town where I grew up."

"Well, we did win the most heartwarming village award last year," Champ laughs.
We continue to walk quietly along the road to, presumably, the Dhaval's house.

Champ's hand gently brushes against mine.  I flinch and my heart jumps.  He waits a few seconds before grabbing it again, and this time he doesn't let go.  His firm grasp tells me that his hands are rough and calloused.  They've endured so much more than my own soft hands.

"C'mon, I want to show you something," Champ leads.  He pulls me over to a large hill and we climb up it.  We stand hand in hand at the very top and I gasp at the view of the beautiful town.  I turn to Champ who turns his head towards me.

We stand there in silence for a good ten minutes before turning back down and walking to the Dhaval's drive.

Champ let's go of my hand.  It's really dark outside but I can see him smiling at me as he slowly wraps his arms around my waist.

I hold onto him as well and we pull closer to each other.

He bends his head down and I gaze up at him.

We both start to lean in....

"Just kiss her already!" Myrtle's high-pitched voice screeches and causes both Champ and I to jump apart.

"Dont stop!  Just pretend like I'm not here, ya know?"

That woman!  I do not want to have my first kiss with Champ in front of her!

Champ and I both stand there with our arms at our sides.

"Should we give her what she wants or let her stand there in frustration?" Champ finally speaks.

"I thin she deserves a bit of frustration, I saw coyly.

"Me too."

"I had a really nice though.  Thank you, Champ."

"No problem.  I had a nice night too."

"So, uh, see you tomorrow.  At your mom's house, I mean."

"Okay, awesome.  See you at nine, Calla."

He touches my hand briefly and then we part.  I'm still furious with Myrtle for ruining my romantic evening. But at least I'll be able to see Champ tomorrow.

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NOTE

Okay, so I'm elated that I was able to get this post out.  It's been so long and I really apologize for that.  I took these pictures way back in March (as well as the pictures for the next two and a half posts.  O_O

I hope you enjoyed it!  Thank you for being so patient with me.