Breaking bread

[mid_nite_green]

Dough flops onto a flat, floured surface and Tara kneads the sticky mass. The last 18 months have started fading a little. Not fading exactly. Tara's memory is perfect, but there is something about getting distance and new memories that's just as soothing as baking. With Corrine back, the world feels more...organized. Dinner can be made for someone - multiple someones again. She's sorely lacked that focus - that target.

But can it really be what it was?

The dough flops down hard on the parchment paper again.

Comments

[amityville_sweetheart]

"Geez, vying for the bouquet much?" Corrine's only kind of joking. Tara had always been a little pushy about Corrine and Sand achieving happiness. Corrine couldn't blame her; the girl's scorecard probably desperately needed a "1" in the win column. Still, being shoved into matrimonial bliss is probably not the best idea.

"I was dead, and he came for me. If that doesn't say true love--" She shrugs. "The date, the flowers, the dress, the guest list... there is time for discussion on all of those things once he's rested, healed, and I've had time to properly thank him and get my head on straight. C'mon, it's been years now. I don't think you have to worry about us getting our heads turned by anyone else; either of us."

[mid_nite_green]

"Pttt, no." She's completely sincere on that score. More importantly, she knows these two.

"Eh, probably not. I just get the sense he just...done."

[amityville_sweetheart]

"I kinda was under the impression he'd decided that before he asked me," Corrine says. She'd certainly decided when she said "yes." That was all the assurance she needed. She goes digging in the fridge for bottled water and yogurt. The bottled water nearly hits her in the head, and for half a second, she misses the entity. It wouldn't nearly have gotten clocked by a bottle of water.

"Greg-- the first boyfriend-- was a junkie. He was nice enough to take me in, and I was drunk most of the time anyway, so I thought 'well, maybe there's hope for both of us together.' He kind of held a job, he didn't beat me, and he spent more time sober than not. None of that lasted long and we broke up after three months to the tune of me stabbing him so he didn't break my neck.

"Then there was Caleb; everything Greg was not and more than I thought I deserved at the time. Everything was great unless it wasn't, and eventually we settled into this pattern of-- well, to be honest, 'fuck and lecture' with a side of 'yell until the problems go away.' I didn't so much break up with him as leave the JSA, move back to Kenton, and change my number. The last hurrah went up the night I drunkenly threw myself at him and instead he put me to bed with some 'have some eggs and get some help' thrown in the next morning.

"Trevor was..." She double-checks the doorway outside the kitchen. "A fun distraction, but a distraction none the less, and he didn't deserve that. Half the time I didn't know whether I wanted to sleep with him, deck him, or just go get drunk. Or maybe all of the above; it was like that.

"After all that, if I passed up on the most honest, down-to-earth, kind, honorable, loyal, beautiful man I have ever met, I'd be insane. And there'd probably be like some amulet or spores or other whackiness involved, because that's always how it goes. But I am not insane. I mean, how many girls out there get proof that their love transcends death?"

[mid_nite_green]

"First mission I got? It was getting Troia back to life. First thing out of Arsenal's mouth upon seeing her was asking her on a date. Sand's that kind of believer, but thank God he isn't that..." She frowns. "Got a word for that? I'm blanking on a good pick."

[amityville_sweetheart]

"Impatient? Blunt? Abrasive?" Maybe that's just Corrine. 'Dinner and a movie' is not the first question a girl wants to hear when she's just been dead, but then again, the only thing she knows of Troia and Arsenal was how adorable they were together and with the various kids at the Outsiders party.

"Still, the count seems to be 'incredibly frickin' rare.' Nope, I hit the lottery. Besides, Caleb spawned and married before any of us. I think we all lose points for that one."

[mid_nite_green]

"I was moving toward 'crazy.' I like your list better. More descriptive."


"No, the world gains a few points. Caleb needs something to do, or he finds things to do, and that demon blood or his dumbass parents gave him a penalty against finding outlets for his restlessness that don't involve him becoming a pincushion."

[amityville_sweetheart]

"But I think any of us would've recommended golfing over spawning, but there it is. He's happy. We're happy. Everybody's happy."

Corrine gets her on tip of the nose with some flour. "And you worry too much. You'll have time to do plenty of that while you're helping me plan my enormous, flowery, hero wedding."

[mid_nite_green]

Tara has to laugh, and she throws her arms around her friend. "Damn, lady. You have no idea how good it is to have you back."

[amityville_sweetheart]

"I'm awesome. It's a fact. I think it's the 98% glittery magicstuffs," she quips and returns the hug.

She breaks the embrace and claps her hands together excitedly. "Soooooo, how much do you know about the superhero 'ex' history, oh gracious one who will maybe pretty pretty please save me from the drama of bad seating charts?"

[mid_nite_green]

She winces. "Do you remember one of the reasons the Outsiders looked like a good idea? Don't sit Ollie by Doc. If you don't call Dinah about the flowers, she'll be pissed. Other than that, I've been out of the gossip mill for a while." She shrugs. "We all really kind of dropped out. Well...maybe not Chimp. He'd know everybody's business."

[amityville_sweetheart]

"Duly noted," Corrine replies with wide eyes and a thumbs up. "I wouldn't dream of doing any of this without Chimp's organizational expertise. And Sand knows literally everyone and their brother. Anyone he doesn't-- well, we have someone on island with friendly relations to."

Then she has a thought. "Do you think Batman would show up? I wonder how well Sand knows Batman. That'd be weird... Batman at my wedding." She shrugs. "Anyway, I was thinking that I don't have anyone to give me away, and it'd be kind of weird if it was Caleb. And I'm not sure how his wife would take it. Or Sand. Or Amelia. Oh, merciful kittens, do I have to invite Amelia?"

[mid_nite_green]

"Does Batman take a break, ever?" Tara shrugs. "I know he's human, but that guy makes me look laid back. Amelia is a question of will it be more drama or less to invite her."

"How about Chimp? He's pretty much that cranky-ass grandfather type."

[amityville_sweetheart]

"I've only met him a few times, and never really like--" Corrine uses her sleeves like 'Batman' and 'Merlynne' puppets. "'I am the Bat.' 'ZOMG HI SCARY MAN.' Just, like, 'Hey, look, Batman's over there!'"

She drops the puppet show. "As for Amelia, I can't think of any reason to invite her, and the drama I foresee is great, so... yeah, I'm gonna hope it doesn't come up. And Chimp is a great idea. If it wasn't for his help at Kenton, and calling you guys together again this time, I might not be here two times over. He's earned it as part of my family."