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 Posted: Sat May 23, 2009 1:47 pm
Lorey looked at Raquel while she made coffee. There were bandages and bruises, a sad look in her eye that never seemed to leave... and yet she seemed to pay it no mind, as if this as just a part of her life.
"Yes, it is," she said absently. "He's a dream. I'm not sure when we're getting married, but we will. Just have to work a few things out first. But..." And here is where her voice became faltering. "How are you?"
Damian looked very carefully at Richard. This was the man who had swept Lorey up and healed her wounds, not even imagining he would be healed in return. Perhaps that was why they were so happy, because their beginnings were so... perfect.
He and Raquel were nothing like that.
"That is... good to hear. Truly," he said, sounding distracted. His heart was wrestling with him over asking a certain question, to ask more specifically for help. Raquel needed it, he needed it. So, for her sake, Damian's silver eyes looked at Richard so deeply that they demanded rather than requested.
"What do you do to make Lorey so elated?"
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Posted: Sat May 23, 2009 2:04 pm
Raquel looked at her, questioningly at first, but then realized what she meant. She blinked a few times, shrugging slightly. "I-...I'm fine." She said with a small voice, holding her arms a little. She didn't want Lorey to know that she may or may not be pregnant, even if she did figure out she had been assaulted sexually the previous night or so. "Just a little sore. But nothing I can't handle or heal on my own..." That was a lie. She needed Damian to heal her. She hated that. She didn't want to be so reliant on him, but it was all that seemed to keep her going anymore.
Her gaze dropped as she furrowed her brow, before looking up to Lorey, giving her a thankful smile, and looking at her with deep, conflicted eyes. "I wanted to thank you, by the way, for the other night. Helping me like you did. I- ...I really appreciate it." She said softly, nodding a little. She didn't feel she deserved Lorey's kindness sometimes. She had almost been the cause of Richards death by bringing Sveriana into their home, as well as all the lies she had kept from them. But Lorey still treated her with kindness, and gingerly cared for her when she was beaten and bruised.
Richard was taken aback, more by Damian's demeanor and look than the question itself. "You tell me." He laughed slightly to himself, distantly, as he rubbed the back of his neck. He seemed to think a minute, breaking eye contact with Damian for only a moment, before answering. "I...honestly don't know." He said truthfully as he shook his head. "All I know... is that I love her. I love my Lorey. I love seeing her happy..Why I make her happy, I don't know...That's something you should ask her." He added with a wink, knowing it wasn't exactly what Damian was looking for.
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- Pocket Full of Ashes - Crew
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Posted: Sat May 23, 2009 2:12 pm
Without prying into anything more, Lorey went forward and caught Raquel in a hug.
"We're... friends, remember?" she said quietly. "And if you need anything, we're all here for you."
Lorey awkwardly pulled back a bit to give her a smile. There were quite a few things that they hadn't settled and probably were never going to, but the hug was meant as a sign of peace regardless.
Apparently things couldn't work out in a formula like he planned...
Damian leaned back his head so that his eyes were looking at the leaves of the trees. Dancing sunlight, fresh air... he should have been happy, but wasn't.
"Richard, I cannot tell you why Raquel loves me, but I do know that I love her... and yet nothing stays, everything ends broken... And I do try to put the pieces back together, but it is as if she is not meant to be whole. I keep finding new horrors, and it seems as if I have caused one of them without meaning to..."
He wouldn't go further into it, but he needed a friend. Someone who wasn't a woman.
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Posted: Sat May 23, 2009 2:25 pm
Raquel was surprised by the hug, but hugged Lorey back, with all the feeling she could muster without crying a little. When she pulled back, Raquel offered a smile, wiping the mist from her eyes. She bit her lip, nodding understanding as she looked to see if the coffee was done. "Thank you...Lorey I mean it. And I'm here for you guys too." She smiled, tilting her head as she turned to look at the menu. Lorey had surprisingly gave her something she didn't know she needed. A friend. Damian was her love, but she did like the idea of having a 'friend' as well. Lorey had offered her support and care despite if Raquel felt she deserved it or not. Lorey probably wouldn't know to what extent she had just helped but it was alright.
"So what sounds good for dessert?" She asked, looking over her shoulder cheerfully.
Richard was leaning back as well, having a terrible urge to light a cigarette up. He had been without for a few days now, and it was really getting to him. His nerves were a little on edge every now and again, but he was feeling...healthier, without the little white sticks. "You know...That might just be it." Richard offered, keeping his gaze up.
"Maybe..she doesn't want you to put her together. She's not ready to be whole..." He wasn't sure if that made sense or not, but he kept going with it. "Maybe, you just gotta back off and let her pretend everything's alright sometimes. Maybe that's just how she deals with things. She's done it her whole life, so who are you to change it?" He asked, not trying to be rude or insulting.
"Let her handle things in her own way. And if she breaks down, step in then. Just...Just be there..." He said softly, as the sun was getting lower and lower in the sky, everything getting redder and darker. The automatic lights came on, making the garden round them light up a bit.
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- Pocket Full of Ashes - Crew
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Posted: Sat May 23, 2009 2:35 pm
((must go take showerrr))
"Oh gosh... hm." Lorey looked at the kitchen's menu. There seemed to be everything because Damian kept everything so well stocked behind the scenes. She had never been so impressed with anyone's kitchen before.
"Tiramisu? I've never had it... but I've always, always wanted to try it."
She flashed a smile before scooting over to see what Raquel might want. "We can worry about the boys later."
"But that's not how you solve problems. That is ignoring them, and that never helps anything."
Damian rubbed his eyes as he always did when agitated. But, Richard was helping, and it was appreciated, even if it was frustrating as hell.
"I've always been here. And she has made progress, but not in everything... How did Lorey change since you've met her? Besides growing healthier. I can see that"
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Posted: Sat May 23, 2009 2:57 pm
Raquel shrugged, tapping her chin curiously. "I'm in the mood for... Hm..." A piece of partially chocolate mouse cheese cake caught her eye. She taped the screen, a devilish little smile on her face. "I'm splurging. Chocolate sounds amazing right now." She laughed, trying to figure out what the guys would want.
"She's never known any other way. Laying the problem out to look out scares her..." He offered till Damian asked about Lorey.
He sighed, smiling a little. "She's...happier?" He laughed, stating the obvious. "Stronger...in a lot of ways...more trusting. Secure. She feels safe I believe. Loved...cared for...I don't know Damian. She just has a sparkle of life that has just exploded from when I first met her."
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- Pocket Full of Ashes - Crew
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Posted: Sat May 23, 2009 3:09 pm
While the women ooh and aaahed over the selection, Damian just wished they could return. Coffee would wake him up, and maybe force him to have more energy in the conversation. He'd been rather quiet.
"Is that just with you or with the rest of the world? She may act differently when she works..."
Damian hadn't paid her a visit or anything while she was working, for fear of distracting her. Maybe Lorey was still the quiet, grudgingly frightened thing he'd seen working at the Ball Room. Or, maybe not.
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Posted: Sat May 23, 2009 3:15 pm
"No..." Richard said distantly, with a smile. "She loves what she does now. No menial labor, no one screaming or abusing her... She's happy from what I hear." He added looking over his shoulder when he head the sound of clinking glasses.
Raquel was carrying four matching coffee cups, and a fancy looking thermas of coffee all on a tray, as Lorey carried out the food. Raquel placed out the cups, pouring Coffee into each before helping Lorey with the food. "Enjoy love..." She said softly to Damian, kissing his neck as she got his plate. They had gotten Damian a slice of strawberry cheesecake, and Richard some form of coffee cake or biscotti. Raquel wasn't really sure what it was since she wasn't used to such things. At least Lorey had heard of some of the deserts on the menu. Raquel was simply familiar with Ice cream, and a few cakes from when she worked part time at the cafe.
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- Pocket Full of Ashes - Crew
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Posted: Sat May 23, 2009 3:20 pm
"How did you know?" Damian loved cheesecake, especially when it was cold and lovely, topped with strawberries as it was. "Thank you..." Raquel got her own kiss on the lips when she was seated and with free hands so nothing would spill.
Lorey sat down with her tiramisu and gave Richard his coffee cake along with a soft kiss on his ear.
"I wasn't sure, but I thought this might be nice..."
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Posted: Sat May 23, 2009 3:25 pm
Raquel smiled as she kissed him back, letting her hand reach up for his face. "Lucky guess." She smiled, as she turned to attend to her own coffee. As usual, she added just a bit of cream and sugar to sweeten it up and to simply kill the bitterness she disliked about black coffee. She then turned to her cheesecake, taking a small bite off the end, her face lighting up but turning red as she closed her eyes and smiled. She hadn't had something this good in ages, if ever really. She took another, slightly bigger bite, trying to hide how in awe she was at it. "Mm, do you want a taste?" She offered Damian, holding a little forkfull to him, as if wanting to share how simply amazing it was to her.
Richard smiled gratefully. He didn't like overly rich foods, ecspecially sweets. This suited him more than fine. "I love it." He beamed, taking his coffee black as usual.
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- Pocket Full of Ashes - Crew
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Posted: Sat May 23, 2009 3:31 pm
"Of course." Damian took what was on the fork and told himself to savor it. This was what Raquel tasted, this was what made her cherish being at the table... or at least, part of it was. His rich foods were boring, but exciting to her... Damian truly needed to open his eyes a bit more to what he had been taking for granted.
"Good... now, you try this." He took a cool piece of strawberry cheesecake upon his fork and offered it to her in return.
Lorey sat down and ate her fluffy coffee dessert like it was a slice of heaven, like the feathery bed she had but for her tongue. It was beautiful.
"I don't think I've ever had something quite as good," she said dreamily.
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Posted: Sat May 23, 2009 3:45 pm
Raquel took a sip of coffee to wash out the chocolate before indulging herself in strawberry. She blinked blankly, her face turning red again. as she smiled mostly to herself, enjoying the way it tickled her tongue. She seemed lost in her dream world a moment, before smiling to Damian. "Delicious..." She breathed quietly, her eyes glittering excitedly.
Richard looked to Lorey with an amused smile, he reached to put his arm around her, now knowing her weakness. He would have to surprise her with one of his own home cooked deserts his grandmother used to bake with him. She'd love that. Richard had had coffee cake before, so it wasn't much of a surprise, besides how moist and fresh it was. He thoroughly enjoyed it himself.
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- Pocket Full of Ashes - Crew
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Posted: Sun May 24, 2009 11:20 am
Lorey took a spoonful of her dessert, and following suit, offered it to Richard. Since he enjoyed his coffee so black, she thought he might enjoy the coffee taste of the tiramisu, along with the chocolate.
As she did so, Lorey realized that they almost resembled something like a family, sitting there in a circle around a meal they had made almost all by themselves. She'd never had a group of people who were consistently there, or people who truly cared about her. She was always a passing face, the poor pretty slumgirl who should have had better, but who no one wanted to take the time with to actually make it so.
Lorey smiled, happy with what she had, and yet feeling like she should give something back for what she was given.
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Posted: Sun May 24, 2009 12:13 pm
Richard raised an eyebrow, smiling a little as he took the taste of Lorey's choice. He was surprised, it was very good indeed. "That's amazing. Good choice love..." He said, giving her a slight squeeze before offering her his. "It's not as sweet, so I don't know if you'll like it." He offered a little sheepishly and a charming smile.
Raquel was feeling sleepy, resting her head on Damian's shoulder. She looked around at everyone at the table, following the same line of thought as Lorey. This was ...lovely. A group of friends who care about each other. Just like a normal family. Things were relatively calm an they were all relatively happy. Well Richard and Lorey were inexplicably happy, but still...
It was all so perfect.
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- Pocket Full of Ashes - Crew
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Posted: Sun May 24, 2009 12:29 pm
She did try Richard's cake, and smiled. It was sort of like him: sweet and reminded her of a home, with a quiet sort of niceness without being dull.
Lorey laughed at herself inwardly; all the reading was making her think like that.
Dinner went on for a few more minutes with more laughter and light-hearted conversation until the sun was set and the bugs started coming out. A mosquito bit Lorey, making her jump and smack herself where the creature had been.
"Darn bugs... let's head inside now? Raquel looks like she's just about ready to pass out anyhow."
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