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Post by Emma Lawrence on Mar 3, 2010 18:27:38 GMT -5
Whether this meeting was called for or whether she'd just decided to come on her own accord was a mystery even as she walked through the door. Her mind had been set at ease for a long time now, even with the dying out of the demons, because she and Cian had finally come to some agreement as to what to do about children and their possible future production. It wasn't in the forefront of her mind, nor was it in the back. The thought simmered somewhere in the middle, resting peacefully until called upon. Right now was her time to be with a good friend. Waving to a few students that passed that she recognized, Emma went through the hallways, searching for Colette. She'd heard that the professor had recently been in some...emotional distress, so not only was she here to discuss her initial proposal, but to help a companion cope. Colette meant too much to her to be left in the dark. |
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Post by Colette on Mar 3, 2010 18:33:56 GMT -5
Why was it she could never keep away? Even on a leave of absence, she was coming here. The twins giggled in their stroller as she rolled towards the back door. God, it felt so good outside. She took in a breath, sliding the door open and sticking her head in. No sign of anyone. She pushed the twins through, sitting theme near the table, facing her as she went to the fridge, grabbing a water and their bottles. She tried to keep her mind off of it.. of everything. But it seemed so fresh.. so vivid, as if it had just happened. But it'd been almost two weeks. Two whole agonizing weeks. She sighed, popping a pan on the stove top full of water and sticking the bottles inside. " Yes, it's heating." She smiled over at her beautiful twins. " Mommy's gettin' it." She grinned, turning back and testing the water. |
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Post by Emma Lawrence on Mar 3, 2010 19:02:09 GMT -5
There it was. That familiarly warm voice, so inviting, and yet...so hurt. There was a distinct sort of pain in her voice and Emma intended to do something about soothing it. She hated seeing Colette distressed. When Colette was upset, everyone was. Following the croon of her sound, she poked her head into the room where it had originated from, trying on a smile to hopefully brighten her friend's spirits.
"Hey momma," she greeted her cheerfully, keeping her tone low, just in case. Taking steps forward, she knelt in front of the twins and made a few faces to entertain them. "Hello my beautiful couple. How are we today? Good? You being good for your momma?"
Chuckling at their amused responses, she touched both of their heads before standing upright to face Colette. On a more serious note, she prompted, "How are you holding up?"
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Post by Colette on Mar 3, 2010 19:10:32 GMT -5
"Hey momma,"
She knew that voice. A smile flashed on her face as her head turned to see Emma near the twins. "Hey back." She smirked, turning back to turn down the stove and test the bottles. "Hello my beautiful couple. How are we today? Good? You being good for your momma?" She grinned. "Riiiight." She chuckled loosely. "Good, funny." She commented back as she turned to face her, bottles in hand.
"How are you holding up?"
There it was, she knew it was coming. But still, there it was. The question that was on everyone's mind it seemed. "I'm.." She shrugged with a smile, pushing through it all. "I'm fine." She laughed softly, taking a seat at the table. "I'm good." She nodded, smiling softly. "How are you momma?" She threw back, holding up a bottle to Emma. "While you're here..?"
Eliza and Parker both perked up as their eyes landed on that bottle being held up in mid air. Like it was some kind of trophy to be won.
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Post by Emma Lawrence on Mar 3, 2010 19:16:45 GMT -5
At Colette's unconvinced reply, Emma had to laugh, shaking her head. "I'm sure they're behaving. Aren't you?" she doubled over to get slightly closer to the twins to coo at them again, touching Eliza's nose. Who could deny those little faces? In such syncopation, but two totally different people with totally different personalities. Her smile spread wider.
"How are you momma?"
Giving a shrug, she found a reply came easily. "Can't complain. Got a great husband, two wonderful kids. The world's not ending. And I'm here." At the offer, she perked up, eyes sparkling. "Yay!" she sang, taking the bottle graciously, scooping up Parker in her arms. Holding a baby was a joy all by itself.
Emma obliged to the yearning in his eyes and slipped the tip of the bottle into his mouth. He sucked on it gleefully, obviously enjoying his meal. "You're too cute, boy," she said, rubbing noses with him, hoping to provoke a milky smile. "Look like your momma."
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Post by Colette on Mar 3, 2010 19:25:50 GMT -5
"Can't complain. Got a great husband, two wonderful kids. The world's not ending. And I'm here." At the offer, she perked up, eyes sparkling. "Yay!"
Colette laughed gently, taking Eliza into her arms as Parker let out a squeel of joy, his tiny hands clasping over the bottle and starring up at Emma. His smile grew as her nose rubbed his. She was a lot like his momma in that way.
Colette rocked gently, placing the bottle in Eliza's mouth, smiling down at her. "True." She said finally, softly.
"You're too cute, boy," she said, rubbing noses with him, hoping to provoke a milky smile. "Look like your momma."
Colette looked up, smiling. "It's very weird. Laura looks so much like Charles, yet carries so many aspects of myself. Parker is my twin, and Eliza.." She looked down at her baby girl and smiled, touching her nose as she rocked. "She's a daddy's girl, huh?"
Looking up, she tilted her head. "So I now what brought me here.. can't seem to stay away.." She laughed easily. "But what brought you here?"
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Post by Emma Lawrence on Mar 3, 2010 19:33:05 GMT -5
""It's very weird. Laura looks so much like Charles, yet carries so many aspects of myself. Parker is my twin, and Eliza... She's a daddy's girl, huh?"
Grinning up at her, she nodded. "Mo's the same way. Looks like her daddy and is his princess." She wasn't sure what to say about Oliver. He had traits of both her and Sai, but she couldn't really say who he acted like. He was himself. He had the temper of Sai, that was for sure, but the lightheartedness she knew she'd carried as a child. She only hoped that didn't fade.
"So I now what brought me here.. can't seem to stay away.." She laughed easily. "But what brought you here?"
Somehow the laugh seemed forced, but just as easy. Couldn't stay away. She knew very well why, and was on the fence about bringing it up. It wasn't clear if Colette was ready to talk about it. When and if she was, she had to assure her that she'd be there to listen.
Reacting, finally, to her question, she met eyes with her. "Well," she began, the mechanics of her mind working on how to word this, "I know Dolce needs a professor." That should have been enough already to clue Colette in. "I've been juggling with the idea of applying for the position."
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Post by Colette on Mar 3, 2010 19:39:19 GMT -5
"Mo's the same way. Looks like her daddy and is his princess."
Colette smiled sincerely. "That's cause she's his first, and a daughter.. of course she's his princess." She ginned, looking back down to Eliza a moment as Eliza's hand covered over Colette's finger.
"I know Dolce needs a professor." That should have been enough already to clue Colette in. "I've been juggling with the idea of applying for the position."
She perked up hearing it. "Really?" Her smile widened. "So have you come to some kind of conclusion?" She asked. "Or do you do what I do?" She asked, raising her brows and knitting them together. "Make a list of pros and cons and.. try to figure it out then."
She was still working on that. The pros and cons. Not just for working here.. but for everything that seemed to surround her.
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Post by Emma Lawrence on Mar 3, 2010 19:43:11 GMT -5
Underneath her enthusiasm for trying to figure out if this was the right path for her, Emma worried that she might be putting too much pressure on Colette at the wrong time. After all, she was dealing with her own massive problems. But she pressed forward with it, so she figured it wouldn't hurt. If she hadn't wanted to talk about it, she would have said so. She was sure of that. You could always count on Colette to be straightforward; to dish the truth, whether you wanted to hear it or not. That was just the way it was with the head professor.
Mouth shifting off to the side, Emma gave a half-hearted shrug. "I haven't come to anything solid. It was just an idea a few weeks ago. I haven't thought very far into it. I hoped you might be able to help." Pros and cons might be a little subjective. She wanted it to be totally right; fitting. Maybe that was asking too much, but she wanted to get as close as she could. A decision that wouldn't jeopardize her time at home with her kids, but also wouldn't give up on any other dream she might have.
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Post by Colette on Mar 3, 2010 19:57:13 GMT -5
"I haven't come to anything solid. It was just an idea a few weeks ago. I haven't thought very far into it. I hoped you might be able to help."
She thought about it a moment, taking the bottle from Eliza as she clearly objected. Colette hushed her, moving her to her shoulder and patting her back to get a burp out of her. "Well, I can tell you this." She started off.
"There's ups and there's downs about any job. But no job is more stressful than this. Though... there are certain rewards." She smiled, laying a kiss to Eliza's cheek after she burped. "For one, you work from the mansion. Which means more time with your kids and family."
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Post by Emma Lawrence on Mar 3, 2010 20:08:27 GMT -5
That was definitely something she'd been looking for when she considered this job. Then there was the doubt that she'd even get the job, but that was something different to deal with altogether. "But I think..." Her voice fizzled out, like a fire slowly running out of wood to feed on.
"I think I would want those challenges," she concluded solidly with a curt nod to boot. "Being mutant is something that's really shaped me as a person, you know? And I want to have the opportunity to effect other kids in the way that I was; give them the amazing experience at these schools that I got. Especially if they're struggling."
Emma peeked down at the suckling boy in her arms. "And the time with my family is the ultimate plus."
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Post by Colette on Mar 3, 2010 20:40:46 GMT -5
"I think I would want those challenges," she concluded solidly with a curt nod to boot. "Being mutant is something that's really shaped me as a person, you know? And I want to have the opportunity to effect other kids in the way that I was; give them the amazing experience at these schools that I got. Especially if they're struggling."
Colette smiled genuinely at Emma. It wasn't that long ago when she thought the same thing. Now look how far she'd fallen. It was horrible, not knowing what path to take next. "I see." She said softly, rocking Eliza in her arms as she suckled at the formula.
"And the time with my family is the ultimate plus."
She gave nod, smiling down at her daughter. "It's a great job, Emma. And the students at Volce.. they'd be honored to have you." She said softly. "Just make sure that you're sure, and that Cian agrees, and is behind you one hundred percent."
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Post by Emma Lawrence on Mar 3, 2010 20:48:35 GMT -5
But did she want all of that responsibility? Now came the second thoughts, the worries, the stress. Not that her decision with Cian to research the possibility of having more children was a burden on her, but would it become one when they actually started to pursue it, if she got this job? And what about singing? How could she just drop singing?
Biting her lip, she nodded a few times. "Right, of course. I have to talk with him still." Emma didn't suspect a problem with Cian's agreeing, because it was a supportive guy like that. He wanted to be there with her, and vice versa. They'd get through it no matter what.
"That's just it. I don't know if I'm sure yet. That would mean sacrificing one dream to pick up another. I don't know which one I want more."
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Post by Colette on Mar 3, 2010 20:55:38 GMT -5
"Right, of course. I have to talk with him still. That's just it. I don't know if I'm sure yet. That would mean sacrificing one dream to pick up another. I don't know which one I want more."
She nodded softly, watching as Parker tried to grasp her shirt with his fingers. She shook her head, smiling. "I understand, I do." She dropped her head a bit. "I use to love painting, once I decided to do this." She said, looking around. "I never had the time to paint. Sacrificing one thing for another..." She shook her head. "Never makes you happy, really. I wish I could help you. Wish I could say, choose singing. Or, choose being a professor."
Her mouth slanted slightly, chewing on the inside of her cheek as she thought. "But I can't." She shrugged, smiling. "Wish I could, though Em."
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Post by Emma Lawrence on Mar 3, 2010 21:00:45 GMT -5
With this opportunity in front of her, what could she say? choose? do? There was no absolute right thing to do. It was up to her. Did she want to dump her love of singing for her love of people? Or did she want to just visit the schools and go with her singing, something she used to express herself? Looking down at Parker eased her mind considerably. Just the innocence of a worry-free baby calmed her.
"I should probably talk this over with Cian some more." He would be a help, she was positive. Then again, he might either sway her one way of the other, or not have any opinion at all and just say that it was up to her, like he usually would. She had a feeling it would be the latter. "I'm not sure he'll really care what I choose, but he's got to know either way."
She lifted her eyes pensively. "How did you choose?"
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Post by Colette on Mar 3, 2010 21:15:11 GMT -5
"I should probably talk this over with Cian some more. I'm not sure he'll really care what I choose, but he's got to know either way."
She nodded. "You probably should." She chuckled softly. "And I think he would care." Colette threw back at her with a smile. "You're choosing between two things you love. I mean, you do love being here in the mansion right?" She asked gently.
"How did you choose?"
She took in a deep breath, thinking back. "I had a long talk with me mom, and with Charles, with some of my artistic friends.. everyone said that it was up to me." She laughed, shaking her head. "Just like I'm sitting here telling you." She smiled as Eliza let out a tiny laugh.
Colette grinned down at her daughter. Even through this, her kids brought out a true smile from her. "I actually stopped listening to what my mind said, and listened to what my heart wanted." She told her. "I wanted to help.. and I don't regret making that decision." She nodded easily.
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Post by Emma Lawrence on Mar 3, 2010 21:46:05 GMT -5
Though she saw her smile, she took the question as real as it came, not wanting to offend her. "Of course I love it here. I love it at all of the mansions. They're like second homes." Especially Rosewood, but that was only because she'd grown up and had a baby there. Shaking her head, she let it hang, eyes still cast over Parker. He flashed her a toothless grin, eyes nearly disappearing in his baby cheeks.
"Well," she replied inside a hefty breath, "my heart's conflicted. I don't know what to choose or which one I want more." Singing would never leave her, but neither would the yearning to help fellow mutants; children. She didn't know which she was better at; which she would be more satisfied with. Would singing or being a professor fulfill her more?
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Post by Colette on Mar 3, 2010 22:03:20 GMT -5
"Of course I love it here. I love it at all of the mansions. They're like second homes."
That's what she thought. There was something deep inside of her that knew Emma felt that way, and was proud in that fact. She smiled, shifting Eliza to the other side before finally resting her on her shoulder as she rocked softly. "I figured." She smiled. "Kinda hard not too, huh?"
"Well," she replied inside a hefty breath, "my heart's conflicted. I don't know what to choose or which one I want more."
She couldn't reach over and comfort her, so all she could do was offer a soft smile. "It'll take time, Em." She said softly, tilting her head to the side as her bangs fell in her face. "It took months for me to make that decision. So don't beat yourself up over it. Take your time, and.." She sighed, leaning back to ease pressure on her back. "You're more than welcome to... get a feel for the waters at Dolce, so to speak, that is; if you want too."
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Post by Emma Lawrence on Mar 3, 2010 22:18:59 GMT -5
Suddenly very alert of the offer, Emma picked her head up and eyed Colette as if she'd been lying to her. Arching a brow, she responded with a mumbled, "What do you mean?" Get a feel? Did that mean...live there? For a few days? There was a rise in her expectations and she wanted to see where this led her. It would be nice to try both out and see which one satisfied her. Each did, but in a different way. She wanted to see which way she liked.
[[sorry, S&S, having trouble tonight...]]
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Post by Colette on Mar 3, 2010 22:22:21 GMT -5
"What do you mean?"
She laughed, hearing that slight change in Emma's voice. "Well there's different ways of doing it. No one has applied for the job.." She smiled, shrugging slightly as Eliza snored softly. Colette smirked, laying a kiss to Eliza's cheek. "You could help during the days, or if you really want to get a feel for it.. move in for a few nights."
"And hey." She spoke up. "I'm here, even when I'm not, I'm here." She chuckled lightly.
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