2019-06-11 - Catching up over Breakfast

A soft sigh escaped Dahlia as she sat at one of the two-seater tables near one of the windows in the Waffle Shoppe. She's barely been back in town for 48 hours and already remembered all the reasons she left in the first place. It was a shame her brothers weren't worth their weight in salt. Then she would be back home and not here. In this stupid town having to play nurse. Dahlia felt bad for feeling that way with all that her mother had done for her over the years but, she couldn't help it. Finally settling on an order of banana bread french toast with bacon and an unsweet tea, she offered the waitress a charming smile as the menue was handed back over. Her attire for today was a pair of black designer jeans and a navy blue, sleeveless silk button down. A pair of expensive looking sunglasses sitting atop her head.

Byron lives on coffee. The first meal of the day is usually coffee. Sometimes the second meal as well. Now it was nearing mid-afternoon and he feels he could actually use something to eat to go along with his next cup o' Joe. Thus, he pulls his Wraith up into the Waffle House parking lot. The weather has not cleared as of yet, so he's forced with his Rolls Royce brand umbrella in hand (hey, it comes with its own compartment in this car!) , he makes his way through the wet gravel and into the relative dryness of the establishment.

Dressed in a dark suit and tie ensemble, he has a heavy coat thrown over it all, giving him this cold day Professional look. Something that he seems to wear very well. And often. Tapping the excess water from his umbrella as he closes it once inside, he's heading towards the counter when he spots a somewhat familiar face at one of the window seats. "Dahlia? Byron Thorne." He introduces himself less she forgot. He's been back home for the past few years, so it's been a while. "Ran into you in Hollywood when I still lived in L.A. Back home for a visit?"

Dahlia was people watching out the window. She may have vaguely noticed Byron pulling up in that fancy car of his and then moved on to the next thing to catch her eye. So she is completely startled when Byron is suddenly talking to her. There's a little jump and everything before she quickly composed herself. "Mr. Thorne." An easy smile settles on her features, offering a hand to shake. "Of course, I remember. It's a pleasure to see you again, it has been a while." He had been a couple grades ahead of her in school so she had known him from school vaguely when they ran into each other in LA and she had still be scraping by as a waitress and trying to audition for any decent role that she heard about. "Something like that. I thought mom mentioned you were back in town." Likely in regards to him taking his mother out of the trailer park. A little shrug of her shoulders. "Something like that. An indefinite visit, as it were. How have you been?" Motioning for him to join her if he wished and thanking the waitress when her tea came.

Byron Thorne is a far different man from the boy he used to be growing up here. For the most part. His stay in L.A. was where he grew and took on this sense of style that came with the money he was rolling around in. And yet, he's back in Gray Harbor as well...

Settling himself down opposite her, when it's offered, he places the wet umbrella to lean against his booth, giving it time to dry off some. "Thanks. Oh right! I ran into your mother shortly after I returned to town." He won't hide the fact that his own mother lived in poverty during his absence. Heck, his family were living in near poverty before he even left for college. "I'd heard she sold the family home eventually and moved into the trailer park. So yeah. Of course, I came back." He has the means to do so now.

Turning to flag down a passing waitress, he puts in his order of coffee and a short stack of pancakes with bacon. Despite the expensive tailored suit and Italian shoes, he still had simple tastes. "I am the proud owner of the Bayside Apartments now." He mentions of those luxury apartments that have been around forever. "Being a landlord is not what it's cracked up to. Thank God that the previous owners kept the place upgraded throughout the years, but I still had to come in do additional renovation. But... I don't think any of that is of any interest right now." He says with a smile, "What about you? How's your mother doing?" If he'd heard, it doesn't come to mind just yet. "Indefinite, huh? Putting your acting dreams on hold?"

Dahlia hadn't changed too much since school. The clothing was a little more expensive and her language a bit more polished but her smile still didn't quite reach her eyes and there was something about her that just seemed to have a touch of an edge. Lingering on the very fringes of her being. She listened quietly and closely as Byron spoke. "The apartments, really? That's fairly impressive. I'll bet you've done a fantastic job with it. I'll have to take a look sometime." A few strands of hair get brushed back behind her ear.

When the conversation switches to her, Dahlia falls quiet for another moment as she weighs how exactly to answer. "I've been doing just fine. I've had a few parts here and there in some indie films. Some extra parts and stunt doubling." Not the whole truth, but not a lie either. "Mom isn't doing well and my brothers are all off living their lives halfway across the country. So, here I am." Because she lived closest so she got to deal with it. "But she went in to remission once so we're staying hopeful that she will go into remission again." That light smile remaining. "Something like that." To her 'acting dreams'. "I was thinking of perhaps offering lessons or something while I'm in town. To bring in a little extra money."

"I thought I'd bring in a little income with tenants while I'm back in town. Wealthy tenants at that." Byron will say regrading the Apartments. "I've set myself back some with the renovation, but eventually," He hopes, "I'll be making a profit from this investment. That's all that it is. People keep asking me what the real estate market is like and as this is my first foray into it, I don't have much of an answer on that front."

The cup of coffee comes first, being set down before him. Only once the waitress departs, he says, giving her a good look-over, "Either way, you look great. We all did some growing up in California. Life just feels so much faster there and without family or friends," He lifts his shoulders, "It really was sink or swim." He does quickly tack on, "Sorry to hear about your mother, but I'm glad that she's doing fine right now. I'll make the time to check in on her in a day or two. If neither of you mind."

When he'd met her, she was just getting started with acting, so it's interesting to hear about the parts she's played in that industry. "You've been a stunt double too? In what movies? Maybe I'd seen some of them? But, that's really impressive. I mean, I lived there for a time and had even considered going into acting myself, but..." There's this smile on his lips when he shakes his head, "Business was more my speed. I give you credit though. For sticking it out that long. As for offering acting lessons, that could be somewhat lucrative. And I like the idea of giving our youth something to work towards. To fulfill their dreams."

"You always did have a mind for making money. All good things come in time, so long as you keep tenants you'll make your investment back easily. It might be some kind of interesting. Too many numbers for me though." Dahlia laughed. The laugh had a light and airy sort of quality to it. With his coffee, comes her fancy french toast and Dahlia is reminded of how hungry she is. A fork is picked up and a small bite taken. "Mmm..." swallowing, "So good. I'm glad this place is here." A soft little aside spoke.

"Thanks, you're looking good too. It's an entirely different world out there. Even just being back here a few days it feels like a different life almost." Dahlia looks a little surprised when he mentions he'd check in on her mother, but finally nodded. "I...think that would be okay. She'd probably appreciate having other company besides me. Even if it's just for a few minutes or something. Just call me before you plan to stop in. Just so I can make sure she's feeling up to it."

There's a fleeting, odd little look that passed over her features when he asked about the movies, which is quickly followed up by her taking another bite of french toast to stall for time. "Nothing you've heard of, I'm sure." Is said after she swallowed the bite. "Very like, small time films. The type that are lucky to make it to a film festival and never see the big screen." The vague answer is left precisely that way as she slides into agreeing about the acting lessons. "It could be fun I thnk. And help keep me sharp too. You know what they say, use it or lose it."

Byron's brows lift with this compliment given to his way around obtaining money. "I didn't have too much of a choice at the time. So I took all the jobs that I could get. Under-the-table work due to being underaged, setting up my own little lemonade and Girl Scout Cookie knock-off businesses. If you have the right recipe and a decent baker, it comes out the same." He says of those cookies. "That said, as you'll come to find out, many people never make it out of Gray Harbor." He then quickly adds, "It doesn't mean that they haven't become successful in their own right."

Taking a look at what she'd ordered, he just has to say, "That smells amazing. What did you order?" He's even looking through the menu once more to see if he can match picture to the actual item. "I usually come here for coffee. Sometimes pancakes or a waffle. I tend to skip over some of this fancier fare and now I'm regretting it." Having enough of his searching, he closes the menu once more and sets it back down. "Right. Do you have your same number still?" He's not sure whether she has his, so he reaches into his interior suit jacket pocket to take out a thing container in which he keeps his business cards." Placing one onto the table, he pushes it over towards Dahlia with with his fingertips, once his leather driving gloves are removed.

"Obscure or not, you know that people will be interested." Byron says with a broad grin. "If you have any copies on hand, maybe we can get a few friends gathered," They probably don't share the same friends, but then most kids in town used to hang out at Tobin's mother's house. "Maybe we can call it an evening and celebrate your artistic works. If not," He doesn't want to put her on the spot, though that smile remains, "There's always Netflix."

"We all do what we have to do." Dahlia agreed. She hadn't been so adventuerous is trying to make a few bucks. Often just resorting to lifting someone's wallet or taking money from her mother's purse. Her brothers were no strangers to the men in blue either. At least in their younger days. "I think I remember the Girl Scout Cookie thing. Those were pretty great." Another smile given and she nudges the plate over towards him. "Try it! It's fantastic. Not sure if it's a staple or just a special...banana bread french toast. And I do, but I'll make sure I still have your number." Dahlia accepted the business card, examining it a moment before taking a sip of tea.

This sip of tea was damn near almost spit right back out as his suggestion of getting some friends together to watch a film or two that she was in. Which results in a coughing fit that she just barely manages to get under control. "Oh god." She choked out, drawing in a breath. Cheeks flushes, from the coughing maybe. "S-sorry." Another breath. Slowly, in and out. Trying to pull herself back together. "I really don't think we'd want to do that...Netflix and c-and hanging out sounds like it would be much more enjoyable for everyone..."

"Undercutting the Girl Scouts in their own game /was/ pretty great wasn't it. And on top of that, the cookies we didn't sell, we just ate." Byron seems pretty pleased about that business venture of his. Seeing the plate full of deliciousness pushed his way, he unwraps his utensils from its napkin binding, before cutting into this french toast with a fork. "French toast made with banana bread? That's what I was smelling. Bananas." He lifts the fork up for a taste. "That... that is delightful. I'll need to remember to order it the next time I'm here."

Then the waitress comes and drops over his very basic pancake short stack with a three strips of bacon. "This isn't going to be a delicious as yours, but it'll have to do. I'm usually just here for the coffee anyway." He says again.

When she starts to cough, he rises from his seat, reaching an arm across the table towards her, "Are you okay?" It even looks as if he might join her on her side and start patting her on the back. But no, things are fine. "You startled me there." He says, cautious eyes still watching her, but there's a semi-smile on his lips as he resettles himself down. Then there's a quirk of a brow, intrigued by her response, "Alright, I won't force you to do it. But if you want to gather a group and sit back for Netflix, I'm game." He takes a casual sip of coffee, when he says, "I'll even be kind and not IMDB you if you'd like." He's joking, for the most part, making light of her reluctance to show them her work.

"Pretty sure the Girl Scouts weren't too thrilled about it though." Dahlia gave him a grin then. "Defiitely keep your eye out for it." She agreed as he ate the bite of french toast. "But the maple syrup will brighten them up!" The pancakes surely. Then the coughing fit was happening.

Once it was under control, Dahlia gave Byron a sheepish smile. "I'm fine. Truly. It just went down the wrong pipe." She assured him, taking another sip of tea as if to reset. No coughing this time! "We'll see. But it would definitely be happening at your place, not mine." She shifted a bit, pulling her phone out of her back pocket as it went off. A small frown gracing her lips. Peeking back up at Byron thre was a touch of amusement. "Ever the gentleman Mr. Thorne. Unfortunately, I need to get going. Mom needs to me to pick up her medicine. It was lovely to see you though and I'm sure I'll see you around."