2019-11-16 - Plan to Fail

After participating in a mad Harry Potter dreamscape as imagined by an 8-year old, one does tend to need a pick-me-up. Is it the best idea to go get caffeinated when one should probably be going to sleep instead? Apparently Ciprian doesn't care whether it's a good idea or not, because that's what he's doing. In contract to his usual wear, he's in jeans and a Harvard hoodie that looks like it's seen better days -- or perhaps like he's had it since college. He gets into place in line, sticking his hands into its pockets as he waits.

After that, no way was Erin going to be able to go to bed and sleep. It was always weird coming back from those. From being in the dreams to back to reality. Dressed, not in a school girl uniform, but in a simple dress, she has on an overcoat when she steps inside Espresso Yourself. She leans against the doorframe and perhaps for the first time she searches out faces instead of going directly to the counter. It's at the counter she sees a famliar face. A face she'd just seen in a dream. She had to approach, so she does, directly to him. With a light brush, she touches his arm, eyes already seeking his, to see if he had been there or if it was all her.

Ciprian seems to be somewhat in his own world as he moves through the line -- it's the sort of thing that someone can do when they're not paying attention, because of muscle memory. He's been here enough times to know exactly how many steps it will take to get to the front, exactly where he should stand each time he moves up. He hasn't seen anyone yet, mostly because he's not looking around, but when he feels the touch on his arm he startles a little bit, turning that way quickly as though he's ready to go into fight or flight. When he sees who it is, though, he relaxes, and a little smile settles onto his face. "Hey," he says. "Some night, huh?" While the words are somewhat ambiguous, the tone is not.

The line wasn't really as important as the person in the line and Erin watches for his reaction. The smile is a relief and his words offer reassurance. So much that she visibly relaxes, exhaling on a sigh. "Some night. I have to say I wasn't wrong, you made the uniform look nice." Pocketing her car keys in her coat pocket, she gives him a tentative smile. "It's good to see you again. It has been some night. So, anything new with you?" Was it new to him? Maybe that's what she is asking.

It is an odd hour to go to a coffee shop, but that clearly isn't going to stop Beth Lawson from acquiring a hot drink. She is dressed in professional attire despite the late hour. Dark somber pantsuit in a respectable cut, makeup in place, and long dark hair neatly done up in a twist. On closer examination one might notice the gentle smudging of her eyeliner and the stray wisps of hair that have escaped from the updo. She was hard at work, it shows subtly on her person, and now she's not. She passes through the door and gets into line without much thought.

Despite everything, Ciprian has to let out a little chuckle at the compliment. "Thanks," he says. "I've never taken one of those quizzes about which House you are, but I guess if I'd've had to guess, I would have guessed Ravenclaw." As for what's new with him, he continues, "Nothing much, besides ending up in...whatever that was." So yes, likely that was new to him. "You?" The same tacit question, bigger than just that one word.

His attention is caught by Beth's entrance -- whether it's her slightly incongruous attire, or just the phenomenon of everyone needing to look at a door when it opens. "Late meeting?" he asks. He may know something about that.

"I was surprised but not that surprised." Her words are a little vague, holding a wealth of meaning without saying much at all. Something she has experienced before. Likely several times. A lopsided smile is given as her eyes lift to meet his. "Could I buy your coffee for you? The only cost will be letting me join you at the table, if you're not adverse."

While looking at him, Erin notices his attention shift behind her and she glances back as well. "Good evening," she offers with a warm and friendly smile. "Joining the rest of the late night coffee crew. We have to stick together in these things," she teases, and thereby invites the both of them to sit with her at a table once they order.

There are so many things an Undertaker could say to such a question. Beth settles on smiling in a slightly wry manner. "Yeah. You could say that." She turns her head slightly to favor Erin with a small but friendly smile. "Evening. Yes, it's that time where we all stagger out for something to replace actual sleep." When she gets to the counter after Ciprian and Erin she orders a pre-made sandwich and a hot tea before she makes her way towards the table once she is invited. "Beth Lawson." She says by way of introduction.

"I see." It must be enough for him to understand, because Ciprian doesn't try to clarify, just nods. The offer, however, gets a little wider smile. "You don't need to buy my coffee to get an invite," he assures her. "My table's not very exclusive, and in any case I'd be happy to have you join me."

His smile widens as Erin extends the invitation to Beth, and he turns toward her again, nodding once. "I remember," he says. "I interviewed you for that case a while back, didn't I? The hit and run? Nice to see you in happier circumstances."

Erin places her own drink order, a large to-go cup with half french vanilla cappuccino and half hot chocolate. It was pretty late so she lingers over deciding on a sandwich. "Want to share a sandwich?" Not wanting a whole one herself, she asks Ciprian, and pulls out a credit card to slide to the barista so he can place his coffee order also. She definitely doesn't mind paying. It seemed the two knew each other and she gives her own name into the mix, for Beth's sake. "I'm Erin, it's a pleasure to meet you."

"Oh right." Beth says, and her brow furrows ever so slightly. "I'm sorry I couldn't have been of more help. I'm not really trained as a medical examiner." She seems to remember something else because she gives Ciprian a slightly mortified look, as if just remembering it, before she adds, "And I'm real sorry my grandpa tried selling you a funeral pre-plan afterwards. He had just gone to a conference with my dad and was real keen about the idea." She unwraps her sandwich, but doesn't take a bite just yet. "It's nice to meet you, Erin."

The offer of half a sandwich seems to be just what the doctor ordered, and Ciprian nods gratefully. "Thanks," he says, "that sounds great." He turns to order the coffee, just a medium-sized cup of dark roast, black. No going back to sleep tonight for him, it seems. He turns back to the other two, gesturing a little vaguely when Beth apologizes with a shake of his head. "Don't worry about it," he says. He might have said more, too, but her next words stop him, and he actually lets out a laugh. It's small, but it's genuine. "I totally forgot about that," he says, and he turns back to Erin. "He tried to upsell me on the coffin, too. That's just good business sense."

Erin orders then pays and collects the tray so they can walk the very short distance to the table. The tray goes onto the table and she gracefully slides into one of the chairs. "It's a pleasure to meet you too, Beth. Have you lived in town long?" Erin is a lifer, her entire life she's been here. Instead of unwrapping the sandwich, Erin cuts it in half with a plastic knife and slides Ciprian half of it. There's laughter that follows about the coffin and she looks genuinely amused. "I think I like your grandpa already. He sounds so fun."

Beth's eyes widen a little bit in mortification, and she smiles sheepishly. "I'm sure he said something like Son people don't plan to fail. They fail to plan." She rubs a hand over her face before shaking her head. To Erin she says, "My entire life. I own Lawson Funeral Home." She laughs at Erin's comment regarding her grandpa. "Well the old guy is enthusiastic about his business. Are you from town?"

"Thanks," Ciprian says with a smile for Erin, pulling the sandwich closer. His coffee comes just then, too, and he takes it, settling in and leaning back against the chair as he takes a sip. "Actually, I think that's exactly what he said. But I couldn't really argue with it. What can you do except put a down payment on a really nice coffin?" He is seated with Erin and Beth, and they are chatting companionably despite the late hour.

You know who's NOT from town? /This/ guy! Tyrone rolls into Espresso Yourself and heads up to the counter. He stretches and cracks his neck, shoulders then hands and waits for someone to come take his order. If anyone's paying attention to him, he's ordering a fruit smoothie. And then he moves to the side a little to wait, folding his arms on the counter and putting his head down. ... is somebody tired?

"You mean you did? You put a down payment on a coffin?" Erin smiles between Beth and Ciprian. "Your Grandfather is quite a salesman too it sounds like. Just send him my way when he wants to get rid of the ocean front property in Arizona." Just a little light teasing, she unwraps her half of her sandwich and lifts it for a bite. A nod to Ciprian when he offers the thanks. "I'm not sure I've ever had a sandwich from here, but they're really good." She smiles to Beth. "All my life. I'm Erin Addington." Maybe the last name helps a little. When the door opens, she glances over and she lifts a hand of greeting for Tyrone, a familiar face from Kelly's Gym.

"Oh goodness. Did you get the cherry or the cedar?" Beth wonders before she says incredulously, "Ought to bring him out of retirement. He'd probably make me some money." She laughs a little at Erin's comment before she takes a bite of her own sandwich. Her eyes widen in comprehension at the mention of the last name, but she finishes chewing before she speaks. "I'd say I think I went to high school with some of your cousins, but I think everyone has." She also glances to Tyrone curiously, but her gaze doesn't linger overly long.

"Oh, I did. To hear him talk about it, there really wasn't a choice." Ciprian's face is relatively neutral, though there's a hint of a smile in his eyes that makes it unclear if he's really serious. He does get a little more so, though, when he continues, "To be fair, it's the sort of thing you plan for when you have a kid." Who Erin, of course, has met. "Cedar," he adds as his gaze shifts from Erin to Beth. "I like the smell." He looks over to Tyrone, too, and there's a nod of greeting -- whether or not the other man sees it in his tired state -- before he turns back to the other two.

Greetings? What greetings? Tyrone doesn't move when his drink is set next to him. Then the nice lady at the counter gives him a little nudge and he starts, sitting back up suddenly. "Oh! Sorry. Uh ... thanks," he tells her, claiming his drink from the counter. Then, he turns and starts looking for a place to park, and /that's/ when he notices Erin. And others. "Oh, hey, Erin. I didn't see you there," he says, smiling as he rolls that way. "Do you mind if I join you?" he asks, stopping next to an unoccupied seat at the table and looking around at the other patrons to make sure his presence isn't discouraged.

"Trust me, I probably would have too if faced with the same circumstances. If I didn't already have a place in the family plot out there. If I had a closer family," like a husband or a child or something, likely, "Then I'd probably get a plot with them instead of my family." However all that worked, Erin wasn't sure. She smiles at the mention of a kid, unable to hide the delight that flashes in her eyes. "I can see your point." There's a sip taken from her cup and she sighs in contentment. "I think almost everyone went to school with one cousin or another. We're scattered around thickly." She grins at the thought though and is wearing that same smile as Tyrone approaches. "Oh of course, I don't mind at all. Tyrone, this is Beth and Ciprian. You've met Minerva haven't you? Ciprian is her brother." There's a note of affection in her voice, and a modicum of respect as she mentions the other woman's name.

"Well-" Beth begins, and she hesitates a moment before she continues, "It is important even if you don't have kids because often what happens is people have no idea what you want." She then adds, "But it's late and noone wants to hear about their impending mortality at this hour." That said she has another bite of her sandwich and follows it up with another. She washes it down with tea before she says in agreement with Erin, "Its a big family." Tyrone earns a polite smile when he comes over and she is introduced. "Good evening."

Tyrone's movement toward them has Ciprian looking that way, and the question gets a shake of the head and a welcoming gesture. "Of course not," he says, "please." He takes a sip of coffee then, studying those seated with him from above the top, before Erin's words have a little smile touching his face again. "I'm sure you will one of these days," he says. "That is, if you want. Nothing wrong with not getting married." Is there a touch of bitterness there? If there is, it's very faint, and quickly dispelled.

Instead, he turns back to Tyrone when he's introduced. "Hi, Tyrone. Nice to meet you. Like Beth said, we were talking about funerals, but we could probably do with something more uplifting."

Setting his drink on the table, Tyrone smiles at Erin. "Heya. Hey. Hey," he repeats as he pulls up to the table and sets his drink on tope of it. "Nice to meet you folks," he finishes as he reaches down and locks his wide intro delivery. He smiles across at Erin. "How have you been? It's been a while."

"My guess is when I am no longer here, I won't particularly care what coffin I have. What I do have interest in is maybe a couple of songs I'd like played that somehow seem to sort of resemble parts of my life." Dropping the subject there, Erin glances over and tilts her head a little. "Maybe, I've never really thought that far ahead." Perhaps she catches that look and the contents of it, but she offers a reassuring smile in exchange without saying anything about it. Instead, she takes another bite of her sandwich and busies herself with that until Tyrone asks her a direct question. "I am doing great, thank you. How are you liking your membership at the gym? I haven't seen you around there lately."

Beth seems content to let funeral arrangement plans drop, and instead focuses on finishing her sandwich while she listens to the discussion around her. She glances between Ciprian and Erin when he mentions marriage or rather lack of marriage, but adds no commentary. The last bite of her sandwich is taken, and she begins standing up with an apologetic look on her face. "Nice running into you again. And meeting both of you." She snags her cup of tea in it's to go cup, and throws her sandwich wrapper in the trash. "Have a good night!"

"Good," Ciprian replies to Erin. "You're still young. Don't rush it." Though he seems to realize that that particular conversation might not be all that much of a step up from funeral arrangements, and so he leaves it there, and instead turns to Beth as she starts to take her leave. "It was," he says, and he smiles, lifting a hand to her. "Have a good night -- I hope to see you again soon." He takes another sip from his cup then, and after that has a bite of sandwich, allowing Tyrone to answer Erin's question.

"Funny, I was gonna say the same thing. I haven't seen /you/ around, either," Tyrone responds to Erin, smirking. "And yeah, I was super sick for a little while and have just started getting back into the swing of things, so I haven't been out as much as I should. That'll change, though." He takes a long drink from his smoothie and then nods at Beth as she stands. "Well, it was nice to sorta meet you, anyway. Have a good night!" he tells her. "So ... why are we all in a coffee shop at this hour? I didn't interrupt a secret Mystery Machine meeting or anything, did I?"

Erin realizes Beth was leaving and she offers a smile. "It was a pleasure to meet you, I hope our paths cross again soon." A last smile to Beth before she gives Ciprian an amused look. "I'm not rushing it at all.. Far from it." With a look to Tyrone, she shakes her head, "I've finished my schooling and deciding where I'm going with it. So I've been at the Gym less and less and working at the doctor's office more. I may apply at the Emergency department at the hospital." She glances at Ciprian when he asks why they were at the coffee shop this late. "Mostly, I guess, I've slept enough for now and Ciprian and I recently went on an excursion we were talking about earlier." Vague! So vague!

Ciprian lets Erin answer Tyrone's question, but to be fair, he's eating! And drinking! So, clearly he can't answer questions. He nods at her words, and once he's set down the cup he adds, "Yeah. I've got another half hour or so before I have to get back to relieve the babysitter. I shouldn't take too much advantage of the late nights." He leans back, reaching up to rub a hand over his face, even though he doesn't look particularly tired.

OoOo. Excursions? Babysitters? Tyrone looks between Erin and Ciprian and then smirks. "I'm sorry, am I interrupting something? I can totally let you two have some privacy, if you want. Babysitters are expensive and not always available at a moment's notice," he offers. Never let Tyrone stand in the way of romance! ... or in any way, considering.

Erin does answer it but apparently in a fashion that lends credence to clandestine activities. While she looks amused at the way it came out, she gives a reassuring shake of her head. "Dreams. It was a dream, actually. And we were in the same one then happened to meet up here. It's more like great minds think alike and need to get out at times like this." A nod is given to Ciprian, "I do hope I get to babysit at some point soon. You can come over and approve or disapprove of my house first. I'm considering a dog but someone's trying to talk me into one that doesn't shed and doesn't affect allergies. I think I'm leaning in that direction also."

Tyrone's comment has Ciprian looking that way, and he honestly looks a little confused for a second or two...before he gets it, and he shakes his head quickly, looking from him to Erin and back again. She does a very good job of explaining it, though, and so he gestures toward her with a nod. "I'd be happy to have you. Ashira's begging for a dog, as you saw the other day, so I'm sure she'd love that."

"A dog that doesn't shed is barely a dog. You're missing out on like, half the experience," Tyrone offers. Then he quirks his eyebrow a little. "And ... we're talking capital d dream here, right? Otherwise, I'm just going to keep making jokes about you two. ... in fact, I can't promise I won't, anyway, but still."

Erin furrows her brow at Tyrone, "I think a non-shedding dog would suit me best." Not letting him change her mind about it. Though the talk about making jokes about the two of them has her lifting her chin marginally. "Why joke about it?" The question is asked deadpan. "Is it so far off base to think that myself or Mr. Kosimar would be interested in dating one another?" Okay, so Tyrone pushed a button for the Addington and she likely just embarrassed herself further. "Please do stop by with Ashira anytime." Removing a card from her clutch she slides it over to him. It has only her name, address and phone number on it. "I should be getting home and preparing for a drive I have to take to Portland later." It's only a couple hours so not so bad. "Call or text, Ciprian, if you'd like to talk any more about the dream." A smile offered to him then a slightly stiffer one to Tyrone. "A pleasure seeing you again, Tyrone. Take care."

Ciprian nods at the 'capital D' reference from Tyrone -- he can probably figure out what that means -- and he reaches for his cup again. However, that's before Erin answers. His eyes widen, and he looks as though he's surprised into silence for the moment. Must not be that great a lawyer if he can't think better on his feet, but maybe this is a special case. He collects himself a moment later as she passes him the card, and he just takes it, saying, "Thank you. Have a good night." Whether he'd like to say more or not, he's leaving it at that for now.

Tyrone blinks at the response he gets from Erin, surprised. He then pushes back from the table and raises his hands. "Easy, tiger. I wasn't making jokes because I didn't think you'd date him. This is exactly the second time I've spoken to you in all my life, so I got no clue what kinda guys you date. So go ahead and put the claws away. I'll just leave you be," he says, snagging his cup before he turns and heads for a different table.

Tyrone also adds a belated, "My bad," to his partial apology.

Now she has guilt! "I'm sorry Tyrone. I'm not trying to date anyone." And so Erin gives a tentative and embarrassed smile to Ciprian also. "I apologize. To both of you. It's been a really long day. If you both will excuse me, I should probably get home and maybe try to sleep a few more hours before my day starts. Thank you both for the company." A lopsided smile is given before she collects her clutch and heads out to her car in the parking lot.

Ciprian now looks a whole lot like he has absolutely no idea what just happened. He has enough presence of mind, however, to say, "Don't worry about it, it's not a big deal. I'll see you soon."

He takes another sip of coffee, suddenly alone at the table, before he stands up, too. "Nice to meet you," he says to Tyrone, which sounds a little bit like the verbal equivalent of trying to put the toothpaste back in the tube. But at least he sounds sincere! That's something. Possibly. "Have a good night."