The DINNER ~ Wheelsy AU

[noteasytobepink]

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.

Comments

[noteasytobepink]

"And it's best not to try to fight a mom?" she noted. Huh, well, since June was occupied it was obviously time for Clarice to lean across the table and steal a few of those last crumbs from his lips! Yep.

Tasty crumbs.

"We're sending a good chunk of the tarts home with you though if that's alright? We can't eat them all."

[no_andy_taylor]

The kiss was a good one, good enough that he was more preoccupied by it than getting embarrassed. Sitting back in his seat with a smug smile after Clarice ended it, Bill sipped his sweet tea and made no complaint about losing some of the tarts to his mom.

"We'll thank you, I'll take a few but if there's a bunch your best bet would be t'send 'em on to the station with Bill. I'm sure the deputies would be pleased."

[noteasytobepink]

[I may have fixed the notifs issue! Maybe.]

She far preferred he enjoy the kisses than be embarrassed by them, and she was happy to lean back on her end of the table with a cat and the canary look after the kiss as well! "Hmmm, they might...what do you think Bill, should I bring the tarts over to apologize for bossing around your deputies?"

[no_andy_taylor]

[ooc: woot!]

"I reckon they'd appreciate that," Bill replied. "Though y'ain't gotta apologize for nothin', those lazy guys needed the kick in the butt."

June chuckled, setting a dish in the rack.

"Don't suppose you're one of those 'lazy guys', hm, Bill?"

"'Course not."

[noteasytobepink]

[IT WORKED HAHAHAHAHA!]

"Well, they seemed a little miffed that someone without a badge was doing the kicking," Clarice explained easily. "And no, I'd never kick Bill." Taunt and hand feed yes, but not kick!

[no_andy_taylor]

[Excellent!]

"Oh, he can use a swift one every now an' again," June teased.

Bill just rolled his eyes good naturedly.

"They might've been bugged about it, but they still went t'work." And that's the important part.

[noteasytobepink]

"Everyone can," she shrugged happily. "Doesn't mean I'd want to kick him!" Maybe if he went crazy and was threatening the world or something but beyond that...

"And bugged is bad, hence tarts. That way next time I need to throw paperwork at their heads they grumble less!"

[no_andy_taylor]

"I appreciate that, Clarice. See, mom, she's nicer'n you are." He gave his mom a pointed look.

"She hasn't put up with you 'long as I have," June countered.

[noteasytobepink]

"Actually I'm just trying to restrain my violent tendencies!" she laughed cheerfully. "It's a hard slide once you start kicking your boyfriend you know?"

[no_andy_taylor]

June set the last clean dish in the rack, sparing a glance back at Clarice.

She was a quirky one, but cheerful enough.

"Well I suppose that's a good thing," she laughed, drying her hands.

[noteasytobepink]

"Yep!" she giggle.d "I'm terrifying if I get out of hand!" Honest!

June could...take that as she would really.

"Let get some of this packed up for you to take home; it'd be a shame not to share." Left overs was half the fun of cooking right? "Bill, do you remember where your storage stuff is in the kitchen?" POP QUIZ TIME!

[no_andy_taylor]

He actually knew the answer to this one!

"Yeah, bowls're in the cupboard an' the lids are in the drawer below."

He knows this because that's where he puts them when he's emptied them of whatever goodies someone gave him to eat.

[noteasytobepink]

And they were! Hah! "Score one for Bill!" She laughed, fetching things to pack food in. "Eventually he'll get enough points to trade in for valuable cash prizes or something..."

[no_andy_taylor]

June laughed and moved to help Clarice dish out the leftovers.

"I'll settle for anymore baked goods y'wanna be making me," Bill replied.

[noteasytobepink]

"Hmmm, that's a high level prize," she noted cheerfully. "I think you have enough for free coffee though?"

[no_andy_taylor]

"Hm, maybe I'll cash in later, then." He was pretty content right now with crunching ice from his tea.

[noteasytobepink]

"I'll keep track of your points then," she grinned and packed the last tart away for June. "I think the next prize level is a toothbrush!"

[no_andy_taylor]

"Wow," Bill deadpanned.

June accepted the leftovers packed for her, and her look of readiness got Bill up out of his chair.

"It was a lovely dinner, Clarice, thank you very much," June said, leaning in to give Clarice a hug.

[noteasytobepink]

"Hey, you'd be surprised what some people will do for a good toothbrush!" Clarice teased. Or mostly teased.

Yeaaaaah.

"Thank you for coming June, I know we kind of called last minute." Three days warning wasn't much!

[no_andy_taylor]

"I was happy for the invite," June replied, waving off the apology.

Turning to Bill, she gave him a smile. He began to lift his arms to give her a hug, and she held out the containers of leftovers to him instead. She threw him a smile and retrieved her purse.

"I'll walk you out," Bill said, taking the containers. He threw Clarice a bemused look, then followed after his mom.

"Have a good evenin', Clarice. I'll see you Sunday," June called as she headed for the front door.

[noteasytobepink]

Uh-oh...was that a good sign or a bad sign? She didn't know! Still, she grinned and saw them to the door. "Yes, Sunday! Talk to you later!"

Time to nervously continue packing up leftovers? Yep.

[no_andy_taylor]

June opened the passenger door for him, and Bill stooped to load in the leftovers. Rising, he brushed his hands off and grabbed the corner of the door to close it.

"Bill, do you know what you're doin'?"

Bill paused, then glanced at the food he just set down and jerked a thumb over his shoulder.

"Want me t'put it in the trunk, instead?"

"Bill."

Bill tried to hold onto his smile, but June wasn't returning it and finally his slipped off.

"Mom... "

"She seems like a nice girl," June said, looking up at Bill as he fiddled with the weather stripping on the door. "But, how much do you really know about her?"

Bill held up his hand, gesturing at the house. "A lot. I mean, quite a bit at least. She's been livin' here a month, it ain't like we haven't been talkin' an' gettin' to know each other."

June shook her head gently and lifted her hand, resting it on his chest to quiet him as she heard the defensive notes raising his voice.

"Okay, y'talked, an' you been livin' together. I'm not gonna ask about any of the rest." She'd give him his privacy there, but she wasn't stupid. "I just want t'make sure you aren't rushin' into anything."

"'Course not. I-- "

"Bill, just-- just lemme finish." June gave him a firm look, and he reluctantly closed his mouth.

"I'm not speakin' against you two, or tryin' t'change your mind," she continued. "But Bill, you've had your heart broke half a hundred times already, an' this last time with Starla just happened."

Bill's eyes cut away, and June reached up to stroke his cheek, turning him to face her again.

"I'm sorry, Bill. I'm sorry y'had that happen to you. It shouldnt've. That woman has no idea what she's passin' up. But I know you're still hurtin' from that, an' I worry that this might just be your way of tryin' to cover that."

Bill frowned at that, brow furrowing as he looked down at her.

"Y'think I'm just... usin' her?"

"Or, maybe it's her takin' advantage of you."

Bill's jaw tightened, but June didn't waver, keeping her composure calm, and tone even.

"Or, maybe this is what you want it t'be. I hope for that, Bill, I really do. But if it's not, one of you is gonna get hurt, an' it won't be fair at all to the other."

Bill looked towards the house, the weight of his mother's words settling. Stepping way from the car, he closed the door. June stepped closer to hug him, and he kept his eyes down as he returned it.

"I just want you t'be careful, that's all."

"Okay." He nodded, and she broke off and was soon driving away.

Heading back up to the house, Bill closed and locked the door and headed for the kitchen.

"Y'need any help?" he asked, glancing around.

[noteasytobepink]

Clarice tucked the last of the tarts away and hitched herself up to sit on the counter, so of course the answer was..."Nah, I got it Bill. She had stuff to say didn't she?" Of course June did.

[no_andy_taylor]

"We talked for a bit."

He crossed the kitchen to stand across from her, leaning against a chair back and looking at her sitting on the counter. The sight and thought that accompanied it made him smile.

"They don't have too many chairs in the worlds where you been to, do they?"

[noteasytobepink]

"She's worried huh?" Clarice couldn't blame her really. That was something parents of any gender were suppose to do...right?

"And no, not really. Not for people on the move anyway."