2019-07-07 - High Enough?

It's almost closing time, the sun is setting outside and for once, it's not humid and sweltering outside. Genevieve stands at the doorway, being nosy as she watches people walk down the street, either toward home or where ever else people go at night in this strange town. She is sipping from an overly large mug of tea, ruthlessly drowned in milk.

It was certainly a rare night. Clear and cloudless skies? Warm weather? Erin was out walking instead of driving in it and for once, her overcoat was left home. Afoot, she looks bound towards Bud and Buds. It's not a place she frequented often, but the Addington had been there a time or three. Her clothing is expensive looking as are her cute shoes and she has the newest iPhone out that she texts on, her walk ceasing while she texts, then continuing on towards the shop. Catching sight of the lady in the door, she offers a smile. "Beautiful evening isn't it? Are you closed already?"

Genevieve steps back when Erin approaches, a wry smile curving her lips as she gestures her inside. "Not closed yet, and for once yes.. a fine evening. I'm loving it." Her accent is slight, something vaguely European. "Come on in, and let me know what I can get you." She lets the door close behind them, no more letting out the bought air, and walks behind the counter. She sets her tea cup down, and gives Erin her full attention, brushing her hair behind her ears. "You had the right idea, taking a walk, I was thinking of doing something similar a little later."

"You have quite a lot here. Impressive." Erin looks through the lotions and bath bombs and selects a few. "My parents are coming in this weekend for the week and I figured my mother could use some relaxing." A sly smile cuts her way. "And maybe a little less of how old her bones feel now a days. Hopefully I can get her enough to make a gift basket she can enjoy," Some lotions and other items are selected and brought to the counter. "Is there anything you would suggest?" Her phone chimes and she can't help but to glance at it. It makes her laugh then immediately sober a little. "You know," she says belatedly, "You are welcome to join me on a walk if you like. After you close, of course." She shoots out a quick text then looks back to Genevieve, trying to place the accent.

"I don't do anything halfway." Genevieve watches Erin as she starts selecting things, she helpfully holds out a woven basket in case she'll need it. "We have some tinctures, if she has any joint pain it will ease it a little bit. Once she gets out a bath and is incredibly relaxed." Her blue eyes shift toward the cooler on the counter. "We also have edibles if she likes chocolate covered cookies, or little tiny cherry gummies. That might get her too relaxed though." She picks up her tea, taking a sip as Erin answers her text, her laughter prompting a smile from Genevieve. "I would love a walk, I'm still learning my way around town. My last walk was through the cemetery, it's actually a lot less scary than I thought it might be." She leans against the glass case, meeting that look. "Genevieve Dupuis." She introduces herself, placing a hand on her collarbone. "I've seen you before, but you'll forgive me if I can't place you with a name."

"Much to my mothers benefit, I think." Erin looks at the different items then the food things on the counter. The edibles. "I think maybe toss in the chocolate covered cookies." Checking out the woven basket, she starts arranging things inside it to see how full it is so far. Another few bath balls are selected and soaps if there are any. "I'd like this basket too, if it's for sale." She leaves the things on the counter and draws out a credit card out of a zippered almost invisible pocket on her dress. "That's a beautiful name. I'm Erin Addington," which the credit card proves if she checks the name on it. In conversational tone, she continues in French. "I've gone parking out by the cemetery. It's a nice place on a clear night."

A small box is picked up, several selections of the chocolate dipped cookies arranged inside. Genevieve watches as Erin starts arranging things in the basket, the corners of her lips quirking into a smile. "I will include the basket in your purchase, it does look very nice." She pulls ribbon from beneath the counter, ties off the bakery box before she sets it next to the other purchases. "Thank you, Miss Addington. There are a few places in town with that name, and I've read about some of the history. It's a pleasure to meet you, Erin." She offers her hand after taking the credit card. Genevieve's eyebrows raise as Erin switches to French, and she responds in kind, her accent impeccable. "Parking by the cemetery? My my.. I'll have to suggest that to Eli, just to see how red he gets. He reads there, and didn't see why I found that slightly odd."

"Thank you, that really does look lovely. My mother will like it." With things selected, Erin will sign the slip without really looking at the cost then she'll shake her hand. "It's a genuine pleasure meeting you, Genevieve. I spent a lot of time learning different languages. I suspected French from your accent. Your name confirmed it." Her smile widens. "Take a blanket and a picnic and make a day of it. Or an evening. I don't think either one of you would regret it."

Genevieve picks up a ring of keys, locking the cases before she takes one last sip of her tea. "If she does enjoy the items, and wants some shipped to her, let me know. I do a special monthly care package service." She steps from behind the counter, glancing toward the door that leads up the stairs. She pulls her phone from her pocket and taps out a quick text. "My parents are from France, and are probably relocating back there at the end of the year, I always wanted to learn more languages, and then life got in the way." She looks thoughtful, gesturing toward the door. "Still up for that walk while we chat?" She picks up the basket, and holds out the smaller box for Erin to take. "I'll even carry this for you." She matches Erin's smile and quietly confides. "I think I might just do that, surprise him with a picnic and a blanket. We'll see about the time of day though, no matter how relaxed I might be, I still have Night of The Living Dead flashes in any cemetery."

While the cases are locked Erin taps out another text or two then reaches for the box. "Thank you. I'll tell her that too, she may take you up on it. Or I may, as a monthly gift to her. I don't see my parents much, I've always remained with my grandmother, but I'm happy with it this way." Walking to the door, she'll step outside when Genevieve is ready to as well, waiting for her to lock up. There's a deep breath taken of the evening air. "This weather, I just can't get over it." Her walk will lead them back towards the town proper and likely nearer to the Bay area, the wind blowing off the water offering a cooler breeze. "Understandable. Especially in this town. Are you upset your parents will be moving further away?" Then a follow up question. "Is Eli your love interest?"

The door is locked, the keyring clipped to her belt loop. "I get a lot of different little novelty items in, and I love making up things for people. Personalizing them." Genevieve falls into step with Erin, tilting her head back to take a deep breath of the cool evening air. "I've gotten used to the rain here, and I love the rain, but goodness sometimes it doesn't quit." She gives Erin a look, trying not to grin at her mention of weird in the town, but a soft laugh does escape her. "It varies each day. I'll miss them, but they're in Georgia right now so I don't get to see them now anyway. It also gives me a reason to go to France to visit, and even if I haven't been there yet, I've always wanted to go." Her cheeks get pink at the mention of Eli and love, but she does nod at Erin. "It's still very new, but yes, he's moved in. He's lived around here all his life, but from what I understand most people don't know him well. He's a tiny bit introverted." Understatement.

"Personalized items. That's interesting, I'll keep that in mind. Do you have any sort of motorcycle keyring you could get a name engraved on or something?" Unsure if she meant that much personalization. There's a look up towards the sky and her expression softens. "I love the rain. I especially love the wild storms, so untamed and crazy. They are incredible. I love to watch them come in over the water from my balcony." She grins and totally throws in a brag in there. "While in my hot tub." Totally sounding like a snob were it not for the grin that makes her well aware of how she sounds. "A trip to Paris or anywhere in France, really, would be as good a reason for an excuse as any." Another smile at the mention of her guy moving in. "I think my man is too independent to ever join up on living together. He's got his friends and all in the trailer park. I've got mine and my family near the bay. But we work, the way we are. I've just not told my parents about him yet."

"Motorcycle keyring? I don't know of any, but I bet I can find them. I think you can find anything in Seattle if you try hard enough." Genevieve tilts her head to the side, her eyes on Erin. "I bet the view is amazing. I was looking into apartments near the bay, but I couldn't pass up the deal I got on my entire building." She giggles when the hot tub is mentioned, pressing her lips together to stop the mirth. "My Mère wants me to come with them, but something has pulled me here and I want to explore it. Now that I own real estate, I'm committed." She takes a deep breath, a fond smile on her lips. "Eli and I fell in together pretty quickly, and we both enjoy being together so it made sense for him to move in. He's keeping his place for a while, just in case we decide this isn't going to work out. I mean.. I haven't told my parents what kind of business that I've opened. I've told them that Eli is around often, but they don't know that he's moved in. I think my mother would faint." She exhales slowly and tilts her head, her eyes on Erin's face. "Do you think they would disapprove? I mean, I know my parents wouldn't, and I'm not sure why I don't tell them, but ..even if they do, you're an adult. Right?"

"I may look around for one of the keyrings. I go to Seattle really, really often. As soon as my car is out of the shop from getting reupholstered I'll be going back again." Erin smiles as she considers, "It sounds like love at first sight for you two. With me, we sort of flirted back and forth awhile before getting together. Even then we spent several nights together before actually doing anything." With a nod, she glances back the way they came before giving a shrug. "I know you'd like Paris, but you're right. You have a full life here now, may as well stay and see where it leads. It's more complicated for me. It's not really my parents I'm afraid to tell. It's my grandmother. I really don't want her to disown me or write me out of her life. She pays for my apartment and all. I'm not sure how she'd feel about me dating Geoff, but really, I think it's not her business, so I don't tell her. I mean, I've not met his family either so that's fair right?"

"I don't know about love at first sight, but it was absolutely stuck after first date. We took a drive to Seattle and .. I was done in." Genevieve grins over at Erin, taking a deep breath before she clutches her hands at her chest. "He speaks French to me, and he takes care of me. It's.. he's a gem." Her cheeks are still pink when talk turns to doing things, and she doesn't comment, focusing on the conversation shift. "Oooh yes, mmm. You would have to change your whole life, I would imagine, if she wrote you out of her life." She's making a lot of assumptions about Erin before it's confirmed when she mentions that her Grandmother pays for her apartment. "You're right though, what you do with your personal life isn't her business, and if you both are okay with how things are. Why change it? Eventually I'll have to tell my parents about my living situation and what I settled down to do here, because they're going to want to visit and they'll notice Eli is in the apartment.." She wrinkles her nose and lets out a laugh. "I'm gonna hold off for a little longer though."

"As long as he makes you happy then it can't be bad." Erin laughs a little at her own openness in regards to everything. "It sounds like he's a great guy and great for you. Happiness is hard to find sometimes." As they continue to walk she just enjoys the area and the whole evening. "You should take as long as you want before telling your parents though, even if he does sound like a gem." The smile comes easily and she looks down at the package she is carrying. "My mother is coming in this weekend with my father, so I guess it's a good thing he's not moved in with me. That he turned me down on that particular request."

"Happiness is rare, so I'll keep a hold of him." Genevieve's eyes meet Erin's and she laughs with the other woman, leaning in to bump her gently with a shoulder. "We've managed to just spill open and connect really quickly. Not that I mind, you're fun to talk to, Erin." She coughs and gazes down at the package, her eyebrows raised slightly. "Are you upset that he turned you down? Goodness.." She considers for a few minutes and then exhales out softly. "Can you imagine what you might have had to do, or the hoops you'd have to have jumped through if he was living with you?" She rests a hand on her chest, and grins. "Would you have just surprised your family with him, or shuffled him to a hotel or something? Might want to think about that if he does say yes one day."

There's soft laughter in response to the shoulder check and she bumps back lightly. "I could use a good friend, if you're open to it. I don't normally find myself opening up much to anyone. You are fun to talk to as well." They get closer to the Bayside Apartment building and she tips her head back to look at it. "I live up there on the fifth floor." Indicating one of the buildings. "I'm not upset that he turned me down. I thought about it afterwards and I'm relieved. It's a big step, it really is, and I like having the privacy of my own home to go to when I'm tired and don't really feel like company. More than I thought." There's a quick shake of her head and she smiles. "I'd have bit the bullet and told the family about him. He saved me from that. He does have his friends at the park that need him. He watches over them and he was right to decline. I have no regrets.

"I'm open to it, I was actually afraid I wouldn't make many friends here, I have my introvert moments as well." Genevieve glances up at the building, her eyes a little wide. "I don't know if I could have lived there, it's so pretty though." The wind kicks up and she has to brush her hair out of her face, laughing at it. "It's a huge step. Sometimes I worry that I jumped into it too quick with Eli, but then we talk and I spend time with him and it doesn't feel wrong." She swings the basket gently in her hands, her lips pursed slightly. "I didn't think about any of those things when he started moving his things in. I mostly thought, oh goodie.. more books to read!" She winces and looks abashed for a moment. "I mean, I was also.. yaay , someone to cuddle with at night too.. the books weren't the biggest draw, but they were a contender. Oh boy. Perhaps one day we can all get together or something, I keep trying to drag Eli out to be social, and he takes it well."

"I do too. I know what you mean about getting the guys out. Beer and television and Geoff is happy. Or maybe just hanging out with his bestie Easton." Erin smiles at that. "I've never seen two closer men, really." Erin cradles the box against her, "I hope you never have anything to regret either. Maybe he's that one for you. Your person. I think everyone has that one person just for them." It may sound foolish but Erin seems to believe it, really. "So he has a great book collection. Mine has these great movies. Maybe we can get all together sometime, make an evening out of it."

Genevieve holds out the basket for Erin, fishing her phone out of her back pocket. "Until then though, phone number, so we can get together to talk about boys and whatever else we can come up with. Or just share memes. I saw one earlier, it was hilarious." She taps in a new contact, names it Erin Addington, and gazes over her phone with an expectant look on her face. "I have beer at home, but no television, strangely enough Eli and I don't watch it." Mention of Eli being her person makes her smile, she probably agrees, but obviously she can't voice that yet.

After reaching for the basket, Erin holds it with the box and recites her phone number to Genevieve. "That would be fun, all of it. Girl talk sounds fun. Just text me and I will have your number too then and be able to get in touch with you." There's another look towards the building and she sighs. "I do have more prep to do before the parents get into town. It was so nice meeting you. Maybe you should go to a movie together or something sometime if you don't do television. It's kind of fun totally ignoring the movie and kissing to it instead," With a soft laugh, she turns to go towards the building before turning back. "If you would," she sounds more serious now. "Please text me and let me know you made it home safe. Would you?"

"I will, it was nice meeting you again.." Genevieve turns to start her walk home, looking more carefree than she has any right to. Maybe the strangeness in town hasn't completely beaten her down yet. She turns briefly to wave again at Erin and then her pace picks up, her eyes on her phone.