2022-03-11 - Word Around Town

Oh look. It's snowing again.

Some of that snow follows Una Irving in, scattering about her wool scarf and coat, and through her reddish hair. It makes a mess of Espresso Yourself's floor, too, that some lucky schmuck will get to clean up, over and over again, throughout the morning.

That's not Una's problem, though: it's just after lunch, and she's in search of (more) caffeine, and likely a quiet(ish) spot to set up for an hour or two. She joins the line in front of the counter idly consider the baked goods on offer, though by her expression, she's non-commital on the subject of their acceptability.

"Girl, why you gotta track crap into my café?"

Oh, look, it's Ariadne behind the counter in the standard apron of Espresso Yourself. Today's weather meant a turtleneck in navy-blue and black jeans, sneakers on her feet, and a grin for Una while milk is frothed and foamed. Her deeply-auburn hair is sleekly done up in a braid down her back today.

"You're lucky I like you. We just got another shipment of praline syrup in. Ravn is screwed," she adds to her fellow redhead with a chortle. It's not Ariadne at the register, another of her associates instead. The barista with the golden-hazel eyes glances towards the door again when the bell jingles and chimes in a friendly way, "Welcome in." Nothing like the smell of fresh coffee and cheery words to stave off the cold.

White snowflakes dot the short dark strands of hair on Jayde's head and the black peacoat that she has wrapped around self. Stepping just inside the cafe, the normal reaction occurs as she feels the warmth of the room, shaking her shoulder and letting some of the snowflakes fall to the floor. Ariadne's words cause a moment of pause in Jayde's steps before she realizes that she's not directing it to her, but to someone else that just entered before her. Glancing at the mess below her black ankle boots that she now seems to have to walk over.

Walk over it she does, towards the counter to get in line for the much desired hot and caffeinated beverages.

An equally befuddled expression flits across the face of a teenage girl who is similarly leaving unwanted wet foot prints. She's a tall, skinny thing with straight blonde hair -- the kind that will be described as willowy in a few years but as of yet, Vicky Barrett has only managed reedy. And yet, in spite of her young age, her very turning up is enough to prompt a wince from the barista on the register; similarly, a couple of patrons at the back table suddenly get very busy with their newspaper and laptop respectively.

It's anyone's guess what about a sixteen-year-old would prompt that kind of response. All she does, after all, is raise a bemittened hand in a wave and say, brightly, "Hi!" before getting in line behind Jayde.

"Because it's crapping down outside," this is the technical term, don't fight Una on it, "and I'm not sure there's anyone who can get it to-- I don't know. Fall into neat little piles and interrupt nothing else." The shorter redhead wrinkles her nose, apparently dissatisfied with this reply but equally not incline to chase down something better. Words are hard, you guys.

"Ravn is fucked," is truer than Una actually knows yet. "And have I mentioned that you're my bestest friend in the whole wide world, Ariadne?" Her associate, too, because it's to her that she adds, "Just black coffee, please. And... a bagel? I think they look okay."

It's after she's handed over her cash and is waiting for change that she glances over her shoulder, giving a quick and cheerful smile towards Jayde and Vicky.

A friendly wave towards Jayde after she's arrived and Vicky after her in turn. It must be the pre-lunch rush, that little blip before noon. Ariadne gives Una a cheeky grin.

"Aw, bestest friend? Gawsh. What on earth do I have to do now that I've been given that accolade?" she replies to her fellow redhead before walking briefly down to the end of the counter to deliver the latte she'd been finishing off. "I heard that order, no worries," she assures her coworker. It was an easy order as it stands. Who can mess up black coffee around here?

Looking at you, Della the Day Manager, ye of the teeth-rotting syrups and mounds of whipped cream.

Jayde grins and flicks her eyes back and forth between Ariadne and Una, Because anyone that requires a 'you're my best friend' kinda question usually comes with needing something. It might have been something she'd tried a time or two herself. Stepping up in the line as it moves and glancing at the pastry choices, the coffee was an easy decision.

The movement behind her gets a glance over her shoulder, seeing Vicky steps up behind her a smile of greeting offered to the young girl, "Hey." and towards the counter, she looks again. When it comes to her turn, she'll place her order, "Latte." Pause as she again glances at the pastry case, debating for another second before adding, "and a coffee cake, please."

"Black coffee," Vicky requests. "And a bagel for me. Can I pay extra for praline syrup? I want to order ten shots for any cup of coffee my boss orders this week. Hey, have any of you seen Denny today? He was supposed to come in and fix the bathroom but then that social worker came in he's afraid of and he ran out the back door."

This is normal for Vicky Barrett, judging from the look she gets from the barista manning the register.

"Oh, are the bagels vegan? I can only eat them if they're vegan. Do you keep them separate from the carnist bagels? Remember, margarine doesn't have to be vegan, it depends on the bees." Normal. For Vicky Barrett.

"Nothing but deliver me my coffee as ordered," promises Una, hand on heart! That may or may not be the whole truth, because the way she idles near Ariadne's end of the counter suggests she's not in an immediate rush to move off, even though she's been given her bagel, now, and her coffee can't be too far off.

While she's waiting, though, there's time for an idle glance back at those others in the queue. "The coffee cake's okay," she tells Jayde. "Decent choice. The cookies are, to my mind, a little dry... but we won't say that too loud-- wait, what?"

That must be the moment she's registered Vicky and what she's ordered. Her eyes narrow, just slightly. "Ten shots might be... over-kill," she suggests, aiming for 'mild' and still ending up far north of 'oh wtf no'.

"Black coffee, latte, black coffee," Ariadne chimes in her customer service voice, sweet without being too sweet. There's a fine art there, she can assure you. "You got the pastries, Russ?" The associate nods and begins plating up the requested bites. Russ pauses though at Vicky's questions. He gives Ariadne one of those looks signaling all but HELP.

The barista lifts her brows, glancing between Una and Jayde and then over at Vicky. "Well...given that's tampering with someone else's coffee, we legally can't allow that kind of thing here," she starts off patiently, giving Vicky a sympathetic little smile nonetheless. "I'm sorry your boss deserves something like that. As for the bagels? That'd be a great question for Della, our day manager. She's in charge of the ordering, ultimately, and would know the source of the pastries."

Una is given a glance. "Also, cookie hater." Dry cookies. Pfft. A glance to Jayde. "I promise, the cookies aren't awful."

"Thanks for the tip." Jayde tells Una after she's offered her cash to pay, "Do they bake them here in the house? Or do that have a bakery I should avoid? I'm not too big on sweets anyway, but I skipped breakfast this morning and need something to hold me over to lunch."

Moving out of the way of the line so that Vicky can order, raises a single manicured brow at her question. "When in dont... " she murmurs to her. Glancing at the Bariestas and their sudden stumbling for the answer.

"Dont you have to say that because you work here?" Jayde asks Ariadne about the cookies.

Vicky makes a face. "Why does Della get all the fun? My boss loves coffee, and he doesn't even buy sustainable. My parents think it builds character to work at the diner. I hate it. It's bad enough I have to sort all the veggies in mum's shop, now I also have to wash dishes."

"They're sustainable," Ross the barista inserts. "And you know they are, because you ask every week."

"Well, you might change your supplier," Vicky huffs. "And besides, sustainable isn't good enough. You could -- "

The look from the barrista at the register could kill. He's probably had to ask either Della the Day Manager or the actual coffee shop owner, Eleanor Roen, permission to deploy that kind of look.

Vicky sighs and pays for her coffee and her bagel. "Well, it'd be healthier if it was proper vegan." Still, she must at least consider the bagel worthy of consumption given that she paid for it and probably doesn't intend to throw it at anyone.

"I'm not a cookie hater," Una promises Jayde. "Whatever Ariadne says. I'm a cookie connoisseur. They're fine, here, just... they could be so much more than fine." There's no guarantee this is even true. It probably isn't!

Answering the other woman's questions about the provenance of the cookies might be on Una's radar, except there's VIcky and she is one distracting teen.

Dryly, "I know some dry bread and water you can have. Though... I can't promise where the flour came from. Who knows."

She's teasing. Mostly.

Jayde's question makes the barista on the other side of the counter laugh in honest amusement. "Yes and no. Una is, as she says, a cookie connoisseur. Her snickerdoodles are to die for. However, nobody's going to die eating a cookie from here."

Except you, her silent look at Vicky seems to say. It's of a lesser grade of LASER SET TO KILL than Russ, but definitely still set to stun.

Una's black coffee arrives and then Vicky's shortly after, given both were simple as can be. She returns to the metal frothing container to continue working at Jayde's latte. "I'm sure Della wouldn't mind a list of suppliers if you want to give me one. Nobody minds eating healthier around here," she adds diplomatically, including Una and Jayde in her sweep of eyes. "First time in?" she then asks of Jayde in particular, not certain if she's recognizing the other woman's face or not.

"Maybe a should take some baking classes and forego my flower shop." Jayde is joking, the tone and her smile say as much and its said toward Una, "If its for the greater good for better cookies for all." Stepping to the side, her hands find their way into the peacoat pocket, having not bothered to unbutton it even though she is indoors now.

A single nod is given to Ariadne when she turns her attention back to the barista, "First time in a while." informing here, "It's been a couple of years since I've been in. Just moved back into town." Just to see if the connection makes any sense, people do change over the years, she adds in "I was..." pause, shake of her head, "I am Susan Ryans granddaughter?" If they recognized the name, they would also know she passed a few months back.

Even Gray Harbor has eighteen thousand people, and even Vicky Barrett does not know everyone (though a surprising amount of those eighteen thousand know Vicky Barrett, at least well enough to mentally tune out whenever she starts to open her mouth). Jayde's comment goes over her head; Vicky did not know Mrs Ryan.

She does not flinch under those hard stares from the baristas, either. She just shrugs and says, "You old people all think there's like, a back-up planet for you to move to when you've used up this one."

And then she saunters to the table by the window to enjoy her coffee and try to sniff the bagel carefully in order to tell if it meets her standards. Maybe that bagel really did grow up free range somewhere, because after a few moments she does start eating.

"Die, no," says Una, deliberately exaggerating the whole thing."But...no, seriously, I'm sure they're fine."

The redhead flashes Ariadne a bright smile in thanks for her coffee, abandoning her (as yet untouched) bagel to wrap both hands around the delicious elixir. Clearly, however, she has no intention of wandering off just yet, nevermind that Ariadne is working.

"Oh, I make enough cookies to share," she tells Jayde. "But flowers? That's less my thing. Sorry to hear about your grandma?" The implication, at least, is picked up.

She does not further engage Vicky. Who would?!

Russ seems relieved to have Vicky depart for her table. Ariadne nods understanding at him and tilts her head to encourage him to go work at something else for a bit. She'll man the register for the moment. Folks can be patient for their coffee. She glances up between Una and Jayde; Vicky gets another thoughtful look. So that is the Vicky mentioned by Ravn way back when. The reputation is true enough!

"I'm unfortunately a total newcomer to the city," she shares with Jayde, smiling with apology in the expression nonetheless. "My sympathies for your loss though, hon, that's rough. Flowers aren't my thing either, though. I'm great with succulents and cacti. Anything else requiring daily watering? I'm a total space-case." Finishing up the latte, she then hands it across the counter to Jayde and moves to wash her hands off in the sink.

Oh, well. That was ok. "She was sweet. And thanks." Those thanks were towards both the women that offered their sympathies in any case. Walking over to pick up her coffee when it becomes ready, picking it up and letting it warm her hand while the other hand reaches out to take the coffee cake. "Not everyone has a green thumb. This is why florists have a job, they can arrange something beautiful for you when you cant grow them yourself. Flowers have a way of making people happy in their own way just by looking at them." A little passionate about what she does it would seem.

Stepping away from the counter she moves over to the condiment stand, where she'll add some sprinkles of cinnamon and coco powder to the top of foam that covers her coffee.

Vicky Barrett does everyone the favour of being quiet for at least a few minutes. She skims something on her phone in the fashion of teenagers everywhere: Draped on her chair as if her body contains not a single bone, looking entirely lost the world, and yet alert. "Flowers are murder. Do you know how many bees are poisoned and die from the pesticides used in flower farming?"

"Vicky," warns Russ. It will not be the first time the teenager has been politely, but firmly, asked to leave the coffee shop. Last time, she was handing out flyers protesting the use of loudspeakers on local whale cruise boats taking hopeful tourists out to spot migrating pods of humpbacks. Apparently, loud rock music does a thing or two to their sonar.

"I have a faerie ring, in lieu of a green thumb," says Una, cheerfully. That comes after Vicky's remark, as if Una is deliberately trying to make up for the teen.

Of course, she's already recognised that Jayde, well, shines, but it's a statement that could easily be passed off as nonsense all the same.

"I'm Una," she adds to the new-old-comer.

"Hey Ariadne..." Maybe it's time for that favour she was buttering up towards, earlier. "Have you heard anything about what happened downtown? I heard there was an explosion." And baristas are like hairdressers, presumably: they hear everything!

"Not everybody uses pesticides," Ariadne notes towards the teenager in an excruciatingly patient tone nonetheless holding an echo of Russ's warning.

She then returns her attention to Jayde and Una, though the latter steals it firmly. A curious frown and she nods, taking a moment to ask Jayde, "What's the fanciest species you've got in your shop then? I love a nice bouquet of roses or lilies myself. Little bit of honeysuckle in there, mmm."

To Una, she reports with the subtext of 'you're asking for a reason and I want to know why': "Something about a gas leak in the B...er. Bauer Building, right. I have a feeling more info's going to leak in as the day and week goes by." Her lips are still thinned in concern. "Anything I need to know?"

Looking over her shoulder at Una "Jayde Ryan." The last name might have been a given considering she just mentioned her Grandmother in passing, but juuuuust in case she adds it in anyway. A smile comes easily onto her face and its bright at the introduction. "Nice to meet you." She'd usually offer a hand but they were full with coffee and cake.

"I don't use pesticides." Just to be clear on that, Vicky or anyone else that might be interested to know. "It makes the flowers lose some of their sweet-smelling aromas. " As far as her shop goes, there is a pause just so she can sip at her coffee for the first time. "I dont have one just yet. I have to make an appointment wit the bank to try and get a business loan. I'm hoping I can find a place and get the loan in the next 30-60 days."

"The Bauer Building," Vicky supplies helpfully when Ariadne falters -- and entirely oblivious to the various subtle and less subtle looks shot her way. "There was a gas explosion earlier today. An entire floor blew out."

Pause.

And then, in the best of I should be looking for my tinfoil hat now kind of voice, "Or so they say."

Vicky, after all, shines too.

Poor Jayde. Una really did mean to be a good neighbour, welcoming the other woman (back) to town. But...

"The Bauer building!?" Her voice has a hint of the hysterical in it. Certainly, it has risen above normal speaking volume.

"That's where Perdita lives, and where Ava has her clinic. That's where... a lot of people..." She shoots Vicky a glance, because yeah, that's not a difficult conclusion to reach.

So much for her coffee and bagel.

"I hope you do," Ariadne wishes of Jayde's efforts honestly. "I'll be a regular. There's something about a nice bouquet of flowers on the kitchen counter to come home to and sniff." She looks wistful about it while she washes the milk foaming jug out in the sink.

Well, until Vicky confirms local gossip and Una reacts.

Wide hazel eyes zero in on Una. "Shit, seriously?"

(TXT to Ava) Una : wtf wtf. I just heard the Bauer building blew up?! Are you okay?!!?!!

A dimple forms on Jaydes face as she already gets a regular customer. Oh to have regular customers! The idea was so exciting to her.

That excitement was short-lived when the local news about an explosion. "An explosion! Dear God, was anyone badly hurt or killed?" she asks with her mouth gaping open wide. There had been sirens she'd heard, but having been so knew no one local was really talking to her about the latest things going on, and she hadnt picked up a newspaper in she couldnt remember how long.

"The doctor's clinic blew up," Vicky supplies helpfully -- and from the expression on her face, she genuinely does want to help. Vicky Barrett is a lot of things, and she certainly tends to solicit groans from the adults around her, but she is not one to take pleasure in someone else's misfortune (in fact, she is so much not this that she is a card carrying member of twelve different grassroot activism organisations). "I heard no one died."

Instead of offering an answer, Una has pulled out her phone in order to type furiously. "I'm sure it's fine," she says, as she types. "Ava's a healer, so she'll... make sure people are okay. So that's fine, righ--"

Oh, Vicky. Una's eyes shoot upwards to stare at the teen. "Ava. The clinic." My job.

More furious typing ensues.

(TXT to Una) Ava : I am okay. Very angry. Sprained ankle. Ravn is in the hospital, but I've already taken care of him, he should be okay by the morning. Discharge by this afternoon. He'll be a little sore but missed most of the actual pain by being unconscious, thankfully.

(TXT to Ava) Una : RAVN? wtf? WHAT HAPPENED?!

(TXT to Ava) Una : And... can I do anything? Do you need anything? Cookies?!

"...well, thank fuck for little mercies," mutters Ariadne as she begins moving again. She'd gone still, metal container dripping over the sink, looking between all involved in this conversation. Her eyes fall to Una at her phone and quickly flick to Jayde, with Vicky last and lingeringly.

"Let me know what you figure out?" This to Una in particular. The barista has heard the phone ping once or twice; there's a live body on the other end of it. Sighing, she dries off the container and sets it aside. Jayde is given a buoying smile. "So are flowers your jam or is there another reason to be a florist? I'm technically a marine biologist," she shares. "Ariadne," she also adds just in case her work name tag wasn't caught just yet.

Everything seems to slow down for Jayde as everyone seems to speed up around her. Lots of commotion understandably for the town, especially when there were people they knew involved. There were names flying about and mentioned, she was trying to think back on if she'd recognized any of them... but she wasn't quite sure.

Happily, the distraction from all that comes when Ariadne starts to talk about Flowers again, leaving Una to her texting and moving closer to the counter again. "Anything that grows really. I studied Biology and Botany in college. I learned to make a potion from herbs like they did way back when they didn't have too many doctors about. " Something Ariadne says has her tilting her head, "Marine Biologist by night and Barista by day?"

(TXT to Una) Ava : Trying to rework his nervous system. Should have been able to easily do it. But something stopped me. Like, actively stopped me. When I tried again... Well. You heard what happened, I guess. He got tossed really bad in the explosion. Cookies, yes. Please. Might have to push back your start date at work, too.

"I wish Gray Harbor had a science station," Vicky muses. "Marine biologist sounds so much more exciting than barista. We could have, did you know that the bay is home to several species of cryptid that aren't known from anywhere else in the USA?"

The girl flushes slightly. "I mean, I know that's not what marine biology is, but it could be interesting to get down there in the Bay and see if they are real. There's this guy at the community centre who is always going on about mermaids and sirens, and if they're there -- I mean, you should be able to find them, right?"

"Ravn's hurt," puts in Una, clearly not paying attention to the conversation going on around her. Marine biologist what? "But he's going to be okay. Released from the hospital today."

Sorry, Jayde. She's not deliberately trying to speak over the top of you... probably. Vicky, either, but she's probably less sorry about that.

Dark eyes lift from her phone to eye Ariadne. "It... um sounds like something really went down. With the Veil. They did something they shouldn't have, maybe?"

(TXT to Ava) Una : wtf wtf wtf. I want the whole story, when you've time. Cookies, definitely. Don't worry about start date. Let me know what I can do to help. You've got my axe, etc, etc.

"More like barista until moving fees are figured out and I'm all settled and then maybe I go looking for mermaids as a marine biologist." Ariadne lifts her brows and tilts her head back and forth thoughtfully before descending out of sight to rummage around the cupboards beneath one of the grinders. New filter needed.

However, it doesn't stop her from hearing Una's explanation. Up pops the barista's head again like a startled prairie dog. "Holy shit. Um. Okay, uh. Casserole. He needs a casserole. Or a good pot of goulash. I can do goulash, yes, I'll ask my mom for the recipe." With that, Ariadne excuses herself to the break room to do some quick texting of her own. Her mom makes the best goulash anyways, y'know.

(TXT to Una) Ava : Whatever you do, don't tell him he had two sets of elbows for a bit. He probably won't remember that part. It was bad, whatever it was. But something is messing with my abilities. Maybe not just mine. I don't know. I need to talk to other folks with a power level like mine. Aidan. I need to talk to Aidan. Do you have his number?

(TXT to Ava) Una : wtf. Poor Ravn. Okay that's serious. I don't. I can knock on the door see if he's home? Or you can steal Ravn's phone. Hello kitty case, can't miss it.

There was a lot going on and it was obviously distressing. Whether you knew the people or not, the idea of an explosion and people being hurt was terrifying and saddening. "If I can do anything..." offering it to Una since she seems to be the one with all the information. "I'll be happy to help."

The Veil. Una had just said, The Veil. Something stirred inside Jayde, there was a nervousness and confusion and familiarity all mixed into one at the term. Something registered in her mind.

Casseroles were a good idea. Goulash too. People always seem to need food when they were recovering they couldn't very well make it themself. "I can make some things too, if people need food. "

Vicky Barrett actually looks worried a moment. This was news to her too -- she heard about the explosion and of course the Friendzone social network is lighting up with all the usual gossip and conspiracy theories. She did not think she would know anyone who was involved.

And she's a little pressed there because she's actually not a fan of the man who apparently got injured. Nothing personal; she just doesn't like animal abusers very much. "I'm sorry," she volunteers after a moment. "I hope no one else got hurt. I saw the windows were blown out when I walked by earlier. I hope it's not too bad for Miss Leontes. She is very nice and she only wears faux fur."

Ariadne's departure leaves Una in a little more awkward of a position. Her phone's still buzzing, and she's still busy replying, but equally-- one of those stray glances up has resulted in her gaze zeroing in upon Jayde. "I'm sorry," she says, apparently genuine. "I'm usually much less... distracted. A better welcome-wagon. Ava's a doctor. She's re-establishing her clinic, but it sounds like that's going to have to be put off. Things got..." She hesitates. "A bit much?"

She gives Vicky a more wary glance. "I hope it's not either," she agrees. "I'm sure everyone is going to be okay. And the building... that can be fixed, too, I think. No one deserves this kind of... situation."

(TXT to Una) Ava : Somehow it seems less invasive to check his records and see if Aidan is his emergency contact than to try to go through his phone. Plus, I bet it's got a pass code. Let me hobble to a nurse's station and see if they'll let me borrow it for a moment.

(TXT to Ava) Una : That's... probably fair.

"No apologies needed." Jayde tells Una when the sorry comes her way. A warm smile is returned in her understanding of the situation. For someone that was still in the planning stages of a business, she already had business cards made up. Reaching into her coat pocket, she walks over and offers the card to Una. "If I can do anything or you need anything, please call or text me anytime."

Further explanation about who Ava is makes a little more sense, nodding slowly. "and surely a friend of yours." she can tell be her reaction to everything and the texting. "Do you need a ride somewhere? I can take you if you're not comfortable getting there on your own."

"It's... Not unusual here." Vicky picks at her bagel, and looks uncomfortable. "People do things that maybe it would be better to not do. My mom always says, don't poke a sleeping bear. There are some big bears in the woods around here."

(TXT to Una) Ava : Okay, I got his number. I'm texting him now. Do you want to meet up at the hospital and we can make Ravn feel super cheesy when he wakes up?

Una shoots a glance at Vicky. It's not that the teen is wrong, per se, but...

Much easier, then, to accept that business card from Jayde, and to give her a quirky little half smile. "Thank you," she says. "She's my future boss. And Ravn, the one who got hurt? He lives next door. I'm not used to things happening to people I know. Would you-- I feel really bad asking, even if you did offer." She's picked up her coffee, perhaps more as something to do with her hands, now that the card has been tucked away carefully. "I walked here. I'm only on Oak. If you're heading anywhere near that way?"

Beat. "I have cookies to deliver."

(TXT to Ava) Una : Oh good. On my way! Soon.

"Don't even." Jayde laughs softly, "I did offer and so you shouldn't feel bad about anything." She moves her head a gesture, "Whenever you're ready. My car is just outside. The only plans I had today were to unpack, and that I am desperatly looking to find a distraction from." The warm smile she offers was meant to be comforting as Una gets up and ready to go.

Jayde moves towards the door, waiting there until Una will meet her there. "Make sure they arent dry." a small joke for the cookies.

Poor Russ. Left alone with Vicky Barrett.

Maybe today will be the day Vicky finally earns herself a from Espresso Yourself. Or at least another ten day 'cooling down' period. It's hard, being a teenager and a genuine idealist, in a town where hope exists to be crushed or ridiculed.

Give her ten years and she'll probably lead the fight against the dark. For now, though? She's going to eat her bagel and try to not feel about feeling bad.

Una's coffee is too hot to take more than a few quick sips of, and her bagel? She's forgotten that altogether. Jayde's smile is warm enough to earn one in reply. "Welcome to Gray Harbor," she laughs, ruefully. "Welcome-- back? Anyway. I promise it's not always this dramatic, but..."

Sometimes it is.

"My cookies," she adds, as she follows Jayde out into the snowy afternoon, "are never dry."