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It was a hungry Friday. That was about the only good thing that Jada had to say about it thus far, and as far as complimentary phrases went ‘hungry’ was probably damning with no praise. She’d had an early morning conference call with her father and the Board, desperately needed a new accountant, and probably needed a new Personal Assistant as well. Breakfast had been coffee picked up from a gas station across from her building downtown, and a granola bar; frankly, lunch wasn’t looking to be much better. At least- it wasn’t… until she saw it. A shimmering sign. Advertising cookies. Sweets that the dark-haired woman had heard not a single negative thing about- one review had, in fact, said that they were basically Ambrosia. Nectar of the Gods. Another had called it a religious experience, and multiple reviews of the ‘Starlight’ cookies said they were ‘Out of this World’.

Cookies were not, admittedly, the lunch of champions. Nor was milk her beverage of choice. But she could always dump the milk into a huge cup of coffee, right? Not that coffee was the lunch of champions either, especially when it had also been breakfast. There were, however, sacrifices that must be made every so often in order to keep her money flowing like water. Her stomach had been through a lot worse than a day of rot-gut coffee and pure sugar, and it wasn’t like she was getting much full-body modeling work, so indulging in some pure sugar on a painful day was the least of her problems. Besides- wasn’t that why she exercised? She could make up for it tomorrow, take the kids out to that organic breakfast place down the street and get some protein and something healthy. So, after a moment of thought, the woman turned on one overpriced stiletto heel and made her way back to join the very short queue at the cookie shop, bright red purse swinging at her side.

Pulling out her phone, Jada took the opportunity to ignore the world around her and poke around on social media, catching up on some photos of Zora’s ‘grand European adventure’ and a few of the kitten rehab ladies she followed. Of course, being on social media meant that Jada had to take a picture of the quaint little cookie shop itself for sharing; if they had cookies as delicious as everyone else insisted, maybe she would even come back for some more? They would probably be a hit with the family, as everyone in the household had a terrible sweet tooth. She was positioning her phone for another quick selfie to post up, when someone in the background of her potential photo caught her eye, and the woman shut down her camera, spinning around.

“Genevieve!” She hadn’t seen the other woman in quite a while, and she lifted a hand, waving frantically. Jada hoped she wouldn’t have to get out of the line to go and collect the other woman, and so she ignored the ugly glare from the person standing behind her as she took a deep inhale and bellowed out with her ‘Mommy Voice’- “Genevieve! Hi!”

Her calling out to the other woman was rewarded by the way Genevieve's face seemed to almost brighten, and the fashionable girl clicked her way over to Jada, who welcomed her hug with joy. "I'm sorry I sort of dropped off the face of the earth," Jada said into the other woman's hair, knowing the joke wouldn't be missed by the other senshi, "life kind of called and everything else was taking back seats." Work was a pain, and raising three kids wasn't exactly a part-time job, even when one had help. Sometimes time flew by, and the next thing one knew it was about 2 years later...

When she allowed her friend to release the hug, she pulled Genevieve forward with her in line, her arm sliding through the brunette's. They were, now, members of the same dining party, and the grumpy people behind her could choke on their complaints. "I'm sorry to hear she moved out." Jada's brow furrowed and she bit her lip- that disappearance seemed so unlike the Christa that Jada knew, but she could worry about that later. Squeezing Genevieve's arm, Jada said, "And I'm sorry I've been so busy. I should have texted or something, just to keep in better touch. Hope had started school, and I've been traveling back and forth to NYC working with Daddy on things."

She felt terrible, thinking that the other woman had felt alone- what a bad friend she'd been! "I'm only a text away though," she chided gently, patting her friend on the arm, "You shouldn't have thought you wouldn't have heard from me again. I've had the same phone number since I was 15, and it isn't going to be changing any time soon. When I'm being a bad friend, you call me out on it. You still have my number saved, right?" Jada would certainly make sure Genevieve did before they left- two years without so much as a text? Jada was going to count herself lucky she'd not gotten the cold shoulder!

As they neared the counter, Jada cheerfully told the cashier, "Three orders of the Starlight cookies and one Moonlight milk, please." nodding to Genevieve she added, "And whatever my friend is having."

She was hungry, okay?

Score! The soft laugh from her friend brought a bright, open smile to the older woman's face, and her eyes crinkled with warmth as she listened to Genevieve speak. "If you're staying out of the red, then you're fine. You could always try and look for consultant work, just to get your foot in the door, or look for additional work outside of the direct industry- Admin assistants, or a design company, or try and branch out into something like weddings or corporate events if you don't already?" Jada pursed her lips thoughtfully. "We'll have to get together and discuss where you're involved sometime- I may have some people I can introduce you to."

Her brow furrowed as Genevieve seemed more and more downcast as she looked- between Christa leaving, and her parents being out of town, it made Jada feel terrible. She had rather left the other senshi out in the cold, hadn't she? Well. That would need to change. Pulling out her phone, Jada quickly tapped herself a weekly reminder to text Gene; if things started to slip her mind, she would get a reminder to not be a trash friend! "It's reasonable to be upset, especially if you didn't have any warning that she was planning on leaving." It seemed so unlike the other woman, and Jada's lips pursed as she wondered what could have...

"Yes. I'm positive it is on me." Money was hardly an issue for her, after all, and buying an old friend something to further sweeten up their day was one of the best possible ways to spend it. Jada passed over her black card, and reached out to snag a Sapphire star charm, waving it at Genevieve. "Grab one of these too. They're popping up everywhere. Volunteers and local businesses are giving them out and they're so cute."

She signed her receipt and stepped over to wait for the cookies to be bagged and the milk to be poured, eyes brightening. "I will be happy to tell you everything you can bear to know once we sit down," Jada agreed with a laugh, "I even have pictures. Hope is turning 6 in less than a month and I'm not ready. They grow up so fast."

"The thought with the admin side of things was more exposure to other clients and how the process works rather than long-term adminning. A design company could do the same thing." Genevieve had a point, however, about the 'other side' of things. "When I worked it got difficult sometimes with the night life. But at the time I was working in an office, it didn't really impact much of my side work because they had more flexible hours. I suppose the harder part would be lack of good workers comp in the side gig." Jada collected the cookies from the cashier and one of the milks.

She led her friend over towards one of the shaded tables, plopping herself down on a bench and turning sideways, silently encouraging the other woman to sit on the same side as her. "I still go 'home' quite a lot. Not that I have much of a choice." The first time she had stayed away from Scylla too long and she had started feeling so terrible... "If she's gone home at least we know she's safe." there wasn't much else to be said. They would have known if Christa had been killed.

"Sometimes I don't understand them growing quickly either. It just feels like I was graduating high school a couple of years ago, and yet time has been a runaway train and everything consolidates and next thing you know you think you're still going to be throwing a party for a newborn, but you blink and she's an eight-year-old who wants to be a Princess, but you blink again and now she's eleven, and you don't know where the little Princess has gone because she's needing a training bra, and already talking about her friends going to high school. But it's only been a few weeks, maybe a few months, of the workday grind."

Jada smiled at the other senshi, eyes bright and warm. "You should come over for dinner this weekend, then. It is summer, so we won't have to worry about late nights or homework. Hope and the twins all have birthdays in July, so they can tell you all about their party plans."

Jada's face was expressive, a litany of thoughts crossing her face from Valid to We don't ALWAYS wind up vanishing. "I was a cat." she muttered to Genevieve. "One year. At Thanksgiving. I got turned into a cat and lost my job and almost got evicted from the place I was staying while I tried to rebel against my parents." Their 'night life' had taken her 'day life' from bad to worse, so she could certainly... empathize... with Genevieve's concerns over it. "Sometimes the hardest things are worth it, though. Not for everyone, and I've had to figure out where I'm willing to bend."

Thoughtfully, Jada took a bite of a cookie, considering what she knew of their mutual friend. "She's like me," Jada said at last, referring to her own Transcension, "She's... not as bad off, at home. Besides, it isn't like Christa doesn't know how to come back and go to a grocery store." a small smile was given to the other senshi. "Could just be that we haven't seen her because she needs her space."

Her face brightened at the idea of having someone she could regularly go on patrol with, eyes almost glowing. "We can do that! The cooking thing, and the night adventures. I won't cook, because I am apparently a food assassin, but I can reheat like a champ. Giulia and Hope are both excellent chefs-to-be, however, and would probably get a kick out of joining you in a kitchen while Aidan and I taste-test." she leaned forward, lips widening and eyes almost... sparkling. Possibly with something other than delight.

"I can't wait to see it." Jada's nod was firm as she took a drink of her milk, and accepted the cookie pressed into her hand. "My own 'home' may be constantly entertaining, but sometimes you need a new view." She pulled out her cell phone, flipping through to her calendar. "Tuesday nights are still family dinner nights, so I'm not free until late on those nights, but I'm much more flexible than I used to be with the other nights. And the summer camps should be starting soon, so my days will have some extra flexibility."

The senshi of the Kraken wasn't quite certain how to bring up the fact that her family was all well aware of her night life now, thanks to a certain chibi senshi. So... she didn't.

Jada nodded to the other woman, acknowledging that point; always, ALWAYS things that couldn't be predicted. "I've been lucky," she admitted, "Back when the worst was happening to me, it was easy to explain away. I was rebellious. I sought trouble, and danger. Wrong place, wrong time. People looked at me and saw a teenage girl who was too spoiled to possibly be involved in any of her own misfortune. But things still happened to me even after I left Destiny City, and I realized that it wasn't just... my gifts causing misfortune. Bad things happen everywhere, anytime, to anyone."

She dropped her chin to her fist, listening to Genevieve speak. "I can't wait to see it, then, when you invite me." She'd never actually seen Nephthys, though they'd talked about it, and that needed resolution. "I don't mind gothic. I bet we could have one hell of a time with a Ouija board, though that could also be the WORST idea."

Lips quirking in a smile, Jada added, "Well, let me know when you want to come over. I'll introduce you to the terrible trio: Giulia, Aidan, and Hope. We have a cat, too, but he's getting on in years and grumpier than ever. And occasionally Hope's father and uncle come by with extended family. Nieces, Nephews, Cousins." the drama around the details was... well. Complicated.

She was getting ready to take another bite of her own cookies, delighted with the entire conversation, when something... caught her eye. "Geeeeeeeeeeenevieve?" she drew out the other woman's name, hesitantly. "Let me see your eyes, please." Her own were starting to shimmer, but of course Jada couldn't see that.

All she could see was a slightly glowing sparkle, she thought, in the depths of her companion's eyes.

"A Halloween party would be fantastic," Jada said with a sigh, "I hope there's something fun this year. A few years ago I tried to help Giulia throw a masquerade with hay rides at the mansion; it was fun. Lots of leftovers. But the ambiance just wasn't quite right. I'm sure a place like yours could pull off a fantastic event." There had to be ways to bring extra people to homeworlds, right? The Zodiacs and the Surrounding had passports- surely there had been such a thing for quick and efficient travel for senshi, especially those who considered themselves under command of the White Moon.

"Nothing wrong with having multiple cats if you can support and care for them all." Jada's tone was firm. "I would probably have a lot more if it weren't for Hope and the twins; they are all begging for a dog again, though. I'm not sure how Catstor will take it. He's ruled the roost for over a decade now."

Beaming, Jada nodded her head. "I can't wait. It will be so nice to have an ally against the tyranny of my siblings and child. Whatever they offer you to join in on teasing me, I'll double it."

Glancing around, there didn't seem to be anyone else having a similar 'issue' in the area, but if they both were... chewing on her lip, Jada shoved the last of her cookies in her mouth. "I sense shenanigans afoot, my friend. Delicious shenanigans, but shenanigans."

"I'm sure something could be thought of! There's all kinds of experienced people around." Genevieve's voice was low and so Jada lowered hers as well, even though the words themselves were innocent. "Some of our friends outside of town-" Jada drew a quick circle in the air to symbolize the Surrounding- "Have special keys for access. I'm sure our tech gurus could think of something to match."

Jada beamed at Nephthys as the other woman said she would always side with her, reaching out to squeeze her hand. "I suppose I'll give them a pass this time for being 'magically delicious'," Jada said with a grin, "though thankfully much tastier than Lucky Charms."

She began to clean up her tray, tucking her leftover cookies into her Birkin for the kids. So long as she herself had no ill effects, she imagined Giulia, Aidan, and Hope would all get a kick out of them.

"That sounds great," Jada said with a pleased note to her voice, "Giulia's 11 this year and I've quite forgotten what I liked as an 11 year old girl. I could use the help with shopping."

Her phone went off, and Jada glanced down, seeing a 15-minute warning. "Ugh," she sighed, "I'm interviewing for a new accountant, so I need to be back at the office in 15 minutes. And my eyes are like THIS." closing them, Jada sighed. "Guess I'm wearing sunglasses. I can blame a migraine, right?"