noteasytobepink | The DINNER ~ Wheelsy AU

The DINNER ~ Wheelsy AU

She'd been working two days, a day to get a handle on the simple art of flower arranging (complicated stuff would come later) and to start learning delivery routes. It had been nice to be moving again, doing something, anything, constructive and today...

...today she actually teleported back to Bill's house with an armload of groceries and flailed. "I'M RUNNING LATE! DID THE ROAST IN THE CROCKPOT TURN OUT...wait. YOU"RE NOT HOME ARE YOU?!"

It probably wasn't time for him to be home. Meep. Talking to an empty house and running late on starting the meal still! Right! Dough! Dough first, for bread and a sweet dough for tarts. Those needed to rise, then she could start peeling potatoes...

Right. She could do this. She flipped on the radio, tossed her floral shop hat on the counter and stared COOKING. Dancing and cooking but hey who didn't need music to cook well? "Knife!" she called out, years of habit having the warning go out amidst the music so no one got hit by the knife headed toward the sink.

She tended to throw things when she was cooking. Yep.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"It doesn't happen to be the end of the world," Clarice noted to those faces. Yep. Wow. Dating was obviously BIG DEAL here.

Oops.

"And yeah, that's not a rumor, it's truth. 'Bout...a week now? When did you get the flat Bill?"

There were many factors making this a big deal for June, beyond it being her only son. Part of it was Clarice was a mystery woman (a pink mystery woman), who Bill had literally found on the side of the road. June didn't know anything about her or her background, and the stabbing witness protection thing wasn't painting the best picture.

Then there was the fact that they were already living together.

And finally, there was Bill, and his history with women. Bill was a good man, a sweet man, who was as easy to walk over as a bridge. Like everyone else in Wheelsy June had heard about what happened with Starla, and now, no more than a month later, this.

Wary didn't come close to describing how June felt right now.

"A week?" She looked at Bill, who nodded to concur.

"'Bout. Last week we kinda had our first date." Kind of in that it started out as a simple night away from town, and ended with them falling down drunk, but his mom didn't need to know that part of it.

He smiles, trying to reassure his mom.

"We had a nice time. An' Clarice has been great since she got here."

Clarice set her utensils down and held her hands up in 'harmless' gesture for June. "I didn't come from a bad life, ma'am, but I didn't leave anyone behind when I had to go into hiding either. People were killed in front of me." And that was a damn good reason to be in hiding now, yes.

"I'm not cheating, I won't run Bill around, and more if he decides I'm the rebound after Starla, and he wants to move on after me? I'm okay with that. This is at his pace."

"Clarice, you ain't-- " Bill began to interject, but June quieted him by touching his elbow.

"I appreciate your honesty, an' you two bringin' me here tonight to tell me. 'Least, I'm assumin' you did." She gave Bill a glance, and he ducked his head, sheepish because he knew he beat around the bush quite a bit before it came out.

"Yeah, that was the general idea," she admitted. "I didn't know when a mom should be told, I grew up with my daddy so..." No need to go into Mr. Creed with her. No, none at all.

"And it'd be really dumb to lie to you about your son."

"So your daddy raised you." She wanted to ask where Clarice was from, but held back the question, not wanting to make the girl feel cornered with something she maybe couldn't answer. "I reckon he did a good job, if you're smart enough t'know that."

She gave Clarice a smile, then took in a breath, exhaling slowly.

"Well, it's an... interestin' thing that's happened here, but you're both grown an' it ain't somethin' I'm gonna speak against."

Bill had been holding his breath, and finally took one.

"We're fine, mom, really."

"Yes ma'am, he did." Because that was the safest response really. "I kind of like the dating admission from this end. Less growling and threats." She'd been worried a little alright?

Granted, she'd have known how to hold her own with a Creed-like response to 'I'm dating your son'.

"We're doing our best. Figuring out the dating thing as we go along really but yeah, we're doing alright."

June chuckled, and nodding understandingly. "My daddy was the same way."

Bill was relieved, this was actually going over pretty well. Smiling at Clarice, he reached over to put his hand over hers.

"I'm sorry 'bout the rumors. It's why we thought we outta tell you right away, try an' head them off."

June sipped her tea and waved off the apology.

"This town lives an' breathes gossip. I heard all the other ones Clarice mentioned, too. I'm glad t'find you aren't a ninja, or alien, or whatever else they been sayin'."

"From what I hear 'alien' has become a catch-all for weird in this town," Clarice chuckled and turned her hand over to lace her fingers in Bill's. "And I'm not a ninja. That takes formal training in Japan. I am athletic, and know self-defense and such but not dressing up in black and running across water." Nope.

Not her power.

"Oh did you hear the one where I'm a fairy princess?! I got that one when I walked past the school today..."

June smiled, and finally began to tuck into her food.

"I haven't, but that's a sweet."

Since things were going okay Bill set to his own plate, not shoveling like before, but still with a certain gusto.

"I think I have my Halloween costume planned," she agreed cheerfully. Totally fairy princess. Cartoony fairy, not actual Fae. Kids didn't need to see that. And, well, Bill was getting a serving of salad as a matter of course when Clarice next dished things.

He'd deal. There was even salad dressing for it!

June was just about to speak up about the lack of green on Bill's plate when Clarice took care of it for her. Smiling at Bill's surprised expression, June gave Clarice a nod of approval.

"That sounds like it'd be fun. Maybe you could even get this ol' fuddy duddy t'put on at least a hat or somethin'."

Bill was bathing the salad on his plate in dressing, and paused to glance over at her.

"Y'all aren't gonna start dressin' me up, now. Besides, I got a great costume. Plenty of folks dress up as a cop for Halloween."

"If it's your actual job, Bill, it's not costume." Clarice laughed easily. "How about some kind of historic cop? There has to be someone you look up to, and the uniform would be different enough to be dressing up right?"

"No," he answered simply, not going to be swayed.

"Oh, you. He used t'love dressin' up," June said. "I remember one year I made him this cute scarecrow outfit. He had a straw hat an' overalls an' he-- "

"Mom."

"That's alright," Clarice laughed. "I didn't get to dress up much as a kid so I guess I'm making up for lost time whenever I manage to catch Halloween." She wouldn't make Bill dress up if he didn't want to. after all, the point was fun right? And force did not equate to fun in her book.

"So I'll dress up and he'll look all embarrassed for me and we'll manage."

June t'sked at him. "Shame on you, makin' your new girlfriend go it alone."

"It ain't even close t'Halloween yet. Why you fussin' at me now?"

June just shook her head, but when she sipped her tea the glass hid a small smirk. It was a mother's right to tease and embarrass her son after all.

"Oh, I won't go it alone, he can be my police escort," she grinned even more and bopped Bill's foot under the table. "To somewhere. I'm sure there'll be a party somewhere."

Probably anyway!

"And you're fun to tease, your mom learned that first I bet. Try teasing her back!"

"There's a carnival," Bill said, suddenly brightening at the thought. "Got a midway, hayride, pumpkin patch, the whole deal. An' a barn dance after in the evenin'."

June nodded and smiled, though inwardly she wondered if this would last until the fall.

"Host a bake-off, too, if y'wanted to pit your wares against the other bakers here in town."

"I haven't been to many of those!" she admitted easily. "So yes, you can escort me to the carnival, officer." Snerk. Should be fun though?

And oh ye of little faith June. Ye of little faith.

"Are you suggesting I create a baking rivalry in the town when I've already upset people?"

Bill grinned when his hinted invitation was accepted. Sure it was a ways away, but it was still something to look forward to.

"No, I wasn't sayin' that," June replied. "Why, what's happened?"

She grimaced and pointed at Bill across the table, "Well, he's a prime catch you understand. Town hero, bachelor, a lot of girls had their hearts set on him and here I come and snag him. The young and eligible set have me on their hit lists."

Bill flinched back as if that finger point had connected with his chest. "My fault?"

June was wise enough to know there was plenty of interest around town in Bill, even if her son was unaware of a lot of it. He'd gone on with blinders on and one woman in his field for far too long, it had made him miss all the rest.

She gave Clarice a sympathetic smile, for having to deal with the situation with the other women, and Bill's obliviousness.

"Bake-off might actually help you with that. The young gals might take offense, but the old bittys love a good rivalry an' challenge. If you can impress them, you'll have some allies here in town."

Ones who would speak to the match with approval if they believed Clarice was a woman who could take care of the man.

"Bill's a favorite with the old birds, too, y'know."

"Well, my fault too," she admitted easily enough. "My bad luck to take an interest in the guy people want." Not that she was regretting it in the least though to be honest!

"And yeah, I might. I'll let Bill figure out what piece of my baking to enter though." Because she had no idea what was traditional so to speak. "And I get along so far with all the lovely old birds, I'm working at the flower shop now to help out while her daughter is away!"

"Hm, does it make it good luck that he was interested back?" Bill asked, hoping that was a consolation.

"I'm sure he'll be all sorts of happy t'taste test," June replied, bemused. "An' I'm glad t'hear you're helpin' out there. She's had a time of it managin' the place herself. I'm sure she appreciates you greatly."

"Yeah, that's the good luck," she admitted with a saucy wink. "Always a bit embarrassing to go after a guy who doesn't like you back..." And even more embarrassing if you slept with him after a night of drinking!

"I'll have to make small samples. Bite size taste testers." Because Bill did NOT need a whole house full of baked goods, right? Right. "And she seems happy so far? I have zero experience with flowers but I can deliver with the best of them!"

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