Who: Lily & Judy What: Random Run In When: Sometime in September Where: Baxter’s Rating: Low Status: Complete!
If there was one thing Judy loved, it was coffee. Alright, she loved a lot of things, but coffee was definitely Top 5. It didn’t help that being in the department made her pretty reliant on that and...donuts. She couldn’t believe the stereotype was true and felt a bit guilty giving in to it.
But here she was at Baxter’s, her favorite discovery since moving to the OC. She had been a bit skeptical at first, especially with the glittery latte’s, but it soon became a staple in her day. Even when she had days off, she’d stop in for her morning brew. It was where she found herself this morning, a more relaxed day then she had had in awhile. After the latest attacks, she felt like some time off was needed. Instead of her usual days off, she took an extra two and felt like she had all the time in the world.
She stared out the window, thinking of all the things she could do that day. I still have that book to start, oh and that Netflix show V was telling me about! I should probably call mom and pop, they’ve probably been worried. She couldn’t help but make a face, knowing that that call could last a while. She didn’t realize that while she was daydreaming about her day, it looked like she was staring at someone...and now making faces at them.
***
Lily didn’t have to be in to the park for a few more hours since Ariel wasn’t supposed to be seen until that afternoon and she was sending up a silent thanks to whatever power had put her in for Ariel and not Merida that day. She wasn’t looking forward to the hot material of that costume in weather like this, even if Merida was still her favorite princess to portray. Both at the park and in her side job. That fabric just didn’t breathe.
She’d managed to grab a seat near the window, enough light streaming through over her shoulders to light up her book so that she didn’t have to worry about glare or anything like that. She’d lifted her head up as one of the workers came by to clear away her empty pastry plate, giving them a friendly smile as she thanked them and then noticed the woman sitting facing her from another table, staring at her and making strange faces.
She looked almost familiar somehow and Lily was trying to place her. It wasn’t someone she’d seen at the park. Maybe just from around this area? No. Lily didn’t pay that much attention when she was in here - she would place her order and then find a table to sit and read at. Or sit and play on her phone. She frowned a little bit, trying to figure it out before deciding to just go over there and ask the other woman what was going on. She grabbed her drink and went over to the other woman’s table. “Excuse me - is there a problem?”
*** To say that Judy was embarrassed was an understatement. She saw Lily stand up and started wondering until she realized she was coming over to her table. She realized that the faces she had been making could have seemed like she was making them at this woman. She blushed, standing up as she made her way over.
“I’m so so sorry! I wasn’t making faces at you, I was reacting to what I was thinking about doing!” As she said it out loud, she realized how lame that was. She winced a bit, trying to give the girl a smile.
“Sorry. Um...can I get ya a cookie or something for the misunderstanding?”
***
Lily couldn’t help but smile at the other woman’s explanation, realizing that was exactly the way she’d have sounded if their positions had been reversed. “I’m glad to hear that it wasn’t something I’d done without realizing! Or remembering. I meet all kinds of people at my job and it’s not always a positive run in. I was half afraid you were some kids mum or aunt who thought I’d been hitting on the father.” It didn’t even shock her anymore how many women believed the men in their lives who claimed she’d been hitting on them at the child’s party even when the man had been making his advances right in front of them. People never wanted to believe the worst of their loved ones and she knew it.
“I’ll pass on the cookie but maybe I could sit with you to finish my drink? I think I’m about to lose my table.” She said, after a quick glance over her shoulder showed a pair if girls heading for the table with her things at it and shoving them to the side as they took a seat. She looked back at the young woman in front of her, waiting for the okay to sit down and intrude on her time alone before going to get her things. If the other woman wasn’t okay with it she’d go but she really wasn’t ready to leave the Bakery yet.
***
Judy had just been in the middle of opening her mouth to ask what it was she did when she was reminded she hadn’t even thought of proper etiquette to ask her to sit with her. “Please!” she said with a grin, gesturing wildly at the table. She took a seat herself, wrapping her hands around her cup as she looked over at her new companion. “I’m Judy by the way!” She held her hand out to shake. “Sorry again about that...I was thinking about what to do on my day off and figured it’d be best to call and update the parental unit. But that conversation usually goes on for longer than I’d like it, so I was steeling myself for it.” She smiled, raising the cup to take a sip.
“So what is it you do that would make other women think you’re hitting on their husbands?”
***
Lily went over to her table to grab her things, making a soft comment to the young women about grabbing her things since apparently it was too much to hope that she could step away for a moment to chat with someone without a pair who hadn’t even ordered declaring her table abandoned. And then asking them to pass her her purse before they decided it was abandoned too and started going through it or throwing it away. Maybe she was being a bitch but she didn’t really regret it at all as she made her way back over to the other woman’s table and sat down. “I’m Lily. Pleasure.” She gave her a friendly smile as she shook her hand.
“I know that feeling very well. Right now my parents and I are at the facebook messaging stage because some of our recent conversations haven’t gone too well.” She said with a shrug. “I’m a friend of the Disney princesses during the week - I spend most of my time with Ariel and Merida. On weekends I accompany those same two princesses to birthday parties.” There were children around and she was always mindful to not shatter that fantasy but most adults that she’d come across seemed to understand what those words meant when applied to the parks characters.
***
Judy was impressed Lily had told the girls off as she had done. A lot of people tended to avoid the confrontation, but Lily seemed to let them know exactly how she felt about it. Judy couldn’t help but smile in her cup as she raised it to her lips to take a sip.
“It’s nice to meet you Lily.”
It took her a moment to take in what she was saying until it hit her. Was she saying she was those characters? She tilted her head, realizing it had to be that. It must have been coincidence that she had red hair as well! “Sounds like a pretty cool job!” she said, wondering if she was pretending to be on stage or if there was a reason why she was talking in the way she was. She glanced around, wondering if she was doing it for the children in case they overheard. Aw, that was sweet.
“Disney by day, party by night?”
***
Lily smiled at her as Judy obviously clicked in on what she meant. “It’s definitely different. Not at all what I planned when I moved here for University but I enjoy it. I get to spend my time at Disney with royalty - what could be better?” Lily asked. Well - material that breathed for Merida but that was a minor complaint really. They gave her regular breaks in the AC when it was hot out, especially on the days she played the Celtic princess but that didn’t keep her from getting hot in that costume.
She laughed softly. “More or less. Most of the parties I go to seem to be on weekends thankfully, leaving my nights free to spend with my friends. What about you? What do you do for a living?”
***
“What was it you were planning after school?” Judy had noticed her accent and wondered what had brought Lily over to California. Judy had always wanted to travel overseas, but the move to California was a big enough change for her for now. Especially around this area.
“Sounds like you’ve been able to make it work pretty well!” Judy grinned over the edge of her cup, taking a rather big sip of her coffee to help jump start her. “I’m a cop,” she said, sitting up a bit straighter. It still brought her a lot of joy to announce it. “I work with the Irvine department. Always wanted to be a cop. You know, to help the community, protect the people.” Not that a lot of people saw it that way nowadays. Cops were starting to get a pretty bad rap and Judy was trying everything in her power to show that good cops were still out there, doing their job as they were suppose to.
***
“I had this thought of going on to medical school and becoming a doctor but that’s not cheap and I need to pay off some student loans before I can even think seriously about that.” Lily knew she’d probably be a bit closer to paying those off if she wasn’t buying new costumes for her weekend jobs but she couldn’t help it. She had to replace the old cheap ones that were falling apart and the good quality ones that would last were expensive and while she played the same two princesses at the park she couldn’t use the costumes from there. She wasn’t allowed to bring them home because they were Disney property. So she bought her own. And maybe they weren’t exactly 100% accurate to the movies they were pretty close. Especially the more expensive ones she’d started getting.
“I bet you wanting to be a cop probably scared the hell out of your parents. Do they live out here?”
*** Judy thought that was a great career choice for someone, but knew what that was like to try and go to school for that. “At least you’re still pursuing it, right?” She smiled, knowing it was always good to take a break. She was fortunate that her parents were able to help her through the training academy, despite their hesitations.
She smiled when Lily brought them up, nodding her head. “They definitely didn’t like the idea,” she admitted. “They live in Kansas, where I’m from. A very small town and very small minded. They wanted me to stay around, take over the farm like they have been doing.” She loved her family to death, but it wasn’t the life she was meant to have. She had tried to explain it to them over nights and nights of arguments and tears. They had finally been able to see her side eventually, one she could be forever thankful for. “I miss them, but I think this is definitely where I’m meant to be! You know?”
***
“I am. I’m going to be moving in with my best friend next month so that should help with getting the loans paid off a bit more.” Lily had to admit, even if just to herself, that Andromeda’s offer was a life saver. Moving in to the second bedroom at her place would help her free up some money because Rom’s parents covered the rent. And the fact she wasn’t going to have to eat every meal out or fixed in a microwave would help too. “Get me back on the track to medical school a little more. Because I think it will let me help people more than Disney does.” She said quietly as a group of kids walked past their table and she waved at one of the little girls with a smile.
“I know what you mean. My parents never will understand why I chose to move here for University and then stay instead of moving back in with them and going to the local school. But I just didn’t feel that was the best plan for me. If I’d gone home I’d have ended up as a secretary or something like that which isn’t what I ever imagined for myself.” What had they expected though? She’d gone away to boarding school at 11 so she wasn’t used to living with them anymore. Visits were about the longest she could handle.
*** “Having roommates DEFINITELY helps,” Judy nodded in agreement. She liked having her own little space, but she could see the benefits to having someone there. Especially with all the crazy that seemed to be going on! “But I’m glad you were able to find someone! Best friends tend to make things better too.” Although it could also be a bad thing, but Judy thought it would be best to focus on the positives of this. Besides, she didn’t know their relationship, maybe it would work out!
She couldn’t help but smile when Lily waved at some kids and gave her a shrug. “I dunno, Disney seems to help all people. I mean, in terms of a good escape from real life.” And they needed it. “Not that I’m saying Disney is more important than a medical profession! But I get the magic behind it.”
She finished off her coffee, pushing the empty cup towards the edge of the table. “At least you’re able to fulfill your dream and do what you want,” she said with a smile. That was always the most important! That someone was happy and felt like they could do what they wanted.
“Sorry again about earlier.” Judy felt like her couch was calling and it couldn’t wait any longer. “But at least it turned into a nice conversation! It’s rare that strangers will have a cup with you and talk! Everyone’s usually on their phones all the time!”
***
“Andromeda is one of the few people I trust in my life. She’s been there since we were 11,” Lily said, finishing her drink. She and Rom had shared a dorm room at school and it had gone pretty well. Here they’d have even more space and if things did get messy or uncomfortable - they could retreat to their separate rooms to calm down.
“I get what you mean - it’s a different kind of helping.” She said as she started to gather her things up as her phone vibrated but she didn’t look at it other than to doublecheck it was actually hers and not her imagining it. That had happened before but this time she didn’t recognize the number. “It’s alright. It was nice talking with you. A nice break from my book but I think that someone is trying very hard to get my attention.” She said with a laugh as her phone went off again. “Maybe we’ll run into each other again sometime.”
***
Almost on cue, it seemed Lily’s phone demanded her attention as much as it did from anyone else. Judy smiled and nodded her head, giving her a bit of a wave as she moved to leave. “Yeah, hopefully under good circumstances! Stay safe out there.” It sounded a bit motherly to say as she watched Lily walk out, but who knew with this area! Judy pulled out her own phone, standing up and stretching. Right, where was she? Oh yeah, she had a lot to catch up on on Netflix…