Gin Vickers is a dreamer (ginsoakeddreams) wrote in the_dome, @ 2013-07-25 14:35:00 |
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Entry tags: | 04-06-2017, gin, gin and lia, lia |
What Are The Chances
Who: Gin & Lia
Where: Hospital
When: Morning
Warnings: None
Gin breezed easily through the hospital, smiling sweetly to the nurses and doctors. She wasn't the one sick or wounded so they needn't have such dour expressions on their faces when they looked at her. The ones who smiled back made Gin feel a lot more at ease about why she was here in the first place. When she’d found out that Lia was here, the victim of one of the recent wolf attacks, she’s stopped painting immediately and got her ass to the hospital. She’d grabbed some pretty white gerbera daisies in green tissue paper from a cart on her way through the park and now she was peering in doors to find her friend’s familiar face.
Catching sight of an annoyed nurse exiting a room from which a man called out requesting a sponge bath, she asked the woman where Lia was, got directions, and swept quietly to Lia’s room. She peeked her head in the door before going in, not wanting to wake Lia if she was sleeping or interrupt if her husband was visiting.
Lia was awake, and sitting up in bed, her head resting in her hands that were currently covering her ears. She was glad Riley wasn't there, because she felt irritable from the lound noises, and the abundant smells and just... the strange restlessness she was feeling. Had been feeling since she first woke up in the hospital from her attack. The doctors couldn't quite explain why her senses seemed to be in overdrive, but no one seemed overly eager to do anything about it. Probably because they had no clue what to do.
Thankfully Lia's shoulder had begun healing so well, and rapidly, that she had been told that morning she could leave in a few hours, and Lia was eager to get home. Or to Riley's, she supposed, since she had promised to stay at the ranch until the wolf problem was resolved. She just wanted to see her daughter and get away from the sterile smell and sadness filling the halls.
The smell of flowers hit her nostrils before the door creaked open, and for a second, Lia thought Riley had returned. When she looked up, she saw Gin's face peeking in and Lia exhaled slowly before managing a smile. "Hey you. Come in."
Covered head to toe in paint because she'd not changed out of her smock or cleaned up before running straight to the hospital, Gin herself could smell the turpentine and earthy acrylic scent about her. She was grateful for it because she'd rather smell that than the cold, antiseptic smell that was "hospital smell." She was glad to see Lia awake and looking like she had some color in her cheeks. She'd been a little worried her friend might look like she was languishing away and that would've been no good. She slipped in, the tissue paper around her daisies crinkling as she set the flowers on the little bedisde table before taking a seat beside Lia.
"Oh, sugar, it's so good to see you sitting up and looking alive. I couldn't believe it when I heard what happened." Her brow was creased with worry as she took in her friend's state at a closer vantage point. She shook her head. "Thank God for Riley," she said in her gentle, airy voice. "I'll have to buy him a drink and say thank you for keeping my best girl alive."
The smell of paint and flowers made Lia's stomach churn uneasily, but she managed to keep from showing her discomfort. She appreciated the flowers, and she didn't want Gin to think she was ungrateful. Funny, the smell of acrylic had never bothered Lia before. The mention of Riley relaxed Lia some, and her smile came a little easier. "He was quick on his feet," Lia agreed. "I would have said it was his military training, but I think he's always been good at taking charge of things when he needed to. I'll be fine though. My shoulder's healing better than they expected, so I'm leaving here soon." Lia studied Gin's clothes before a soft laugh escaped her. "You were painting, weren't you?"
Gin grinned somewhat conspiratorially at Lia. "Ah! So you kinda like this Riley guy, huh?" she asked as though she wasn't fully aware that the man was Lia's husband. "I think I need to meet him at some point. Thank you for having him text and let me know where you were." She looked dreamily off for a moment, "Daniel was always like that too though. I swear the man could be in five places at once." She smiled and then returned her attention to Lia. "I was painting. Oh!" She looked down at herself and laughed. "Sorry, I dropped everything and just about ran all the way here."
Lia smiled, trying not to acknowledge the mild guilt she felt at having Riley again when Gin had lost her husband. Despite her past mistakes, Lia knew she was lucky. It didn't seem fair that she had selfishly left Riley and by some miracle, had him back in her life again when Gin had lost her husband completely. But that was something to think about later. Not now. "You didn't have to do that," Lia admonished lightly, still smiling at the sight of Gin's paint splattered clothes. "But I'm glad you did. It's nice to have company. I've been going nuts in this place when Riley isn't here. I'm going to be staying at his ranch for a few days, so you can always come by and meet him then, if you want."
Gin thought of Daniel often, wrote conversations to him in her journal, and imagined she saw him periodically throughout the dome even though he'd never set foot inside. She missed him but she didn't ache for him. Time and relationships with other people had dulled any pain she'd felt. The only reason she still held on to him at all was he was sort of the voice of reason in her mind telling her not to be so damned impulsive when it could be dangerous. Not that she always listened.
"Oh my, moving in together already. Don't you move fast!" she said with a giggle. "No, but sugar, I'm glad things are going so well for you with him. You deserve to have a little love in your life. And listen to me yapping about romance when you're in here!"
"I like it when you yap," Lia protested before releasing a short laugh. "It's better than hearing a bunch of medical nonsense." Or listening to others crying. Which she heard often up and down the halls since being admitted. "And we're not moving in together. I just promised I would stay until the wolf problems was taken care of. I can't uproot Sophia, especially when she doesn't even know Riley is her dad yet. And I don't think he and I are ready for cohabitation." Lia reached up to rub absently at her sore shoulder before smiling at Gin. "Tell me about your painting. Is it going to be fabulous?"
Gin nodded. "You must since you keep letting me come around and bend your ear. And thank you!" she said with a laugh and patted Lia's hand lightly. "It's good to know I'm more interesting than hospital speak." She began to slowly relax from the driving need that had brought her here and leaned back against the back of her chair. "No, you can't do that to the sweet little munchkin. She's really thriving right now. It's good she's so young though. Probably she'd adjust pretty well once you're ready to tell her." Not that she knew children well, having had none of her own. But she imagined that it would be less upsetting to a child who didn't know any better yet to find out her dad was around after never having met him before.
"Oh my painting. Well, it's a commissioned nude." She raised her brows slightly with appreciation. "Guy wants 'a tactile representation of his battle scars' to hang on his wall. The reason it'll be fabulous is that the man is absolutely gorgeous. So sad he's not into women. They can’t all be perfect, I guess." She sighed her disappointment dramatically.
Lia had no idea when she would tell Sophia who Riley was. She told herself once Sophia and Riley spent more time together, then she would know. But right now, it seemed to be too much, too soon. One thing at a time. Though somehow Lia knew Sophia would be ecstatic about Riley being her father. The man owned horses, and gave her cookies. Lia could only imagine the puppy dog eyes Sophia would use on Riley to get the things she wanted. And for some reason, that thought about warmed her. “A commissioned nude,” Lia repeated slowly, unable to help but be amused by Gin’s reaction. “So you get a gorgeous man to lay around naked for you? A man with battle scars, no less. I think I may be jealous if you, Gin. Do I get to sneak a peek before you give it away?”
"Of course you do! Let me just say though, you may need a glass of wine." She nodded matter-of-factly. "Ol' Battle Scars is quite the specimen. I could probably look at those abs for ... well, forever. I've done some sketches obviously so maybe I'll use him for inspiration for another piece. A privately owned piece." She giggled at her own naughtiness, the sound melting away into another sigh.
"I'm sure your husband has his own scars though. Not a man I know came through without at least one. Hell, I have my own. You know. And now you-" she said, her hand fluttering in indication of Lia's injuries. "Does Sophia know what's happening with you?"
Lia arched a brow at that, having not really considered the fact that Riley may have his own scars. She knew he had emotional ones. Who didn't? But physical ones? She supposed she should have known. He had been in combat, and then fought zombies. It was just, Lia hadn't seen him naked since finding him here in the dome. Or even partially naked. Although now that she was thinking about it, she was curious. And it was probably best to stop thinking about it before she got hot and bothered with her friend sitting there keeping her company.
Her smile slipped a touch at the question, and Lia shook her head quickly. "No. I mean, not the truth. I don't want to tell her an animal attacked me, because I don't want her to be afraid of them. She thinks I'm sick. She'll probably forget all about it once I tell her she gets to spend the night at Riley's." Lia paused and then glanced toward the door to make sure no one was hanging around. "Can I tell you something, though? I don't know if I'll have a scar. I mean, I might, but it's healed so quickly. I lost a lot of blood, but I'm feeling okay." She lifted her arm up over her head, something she wouldn't have been able to do the night she was attacked, or even the day after. "It's crazy. I think I'm going insane."
That made sense to Gin. She wouldn't want the little munchkin to be scared of animals either. It was touchy, raising it a kid in this place, it seemed. She'd watched Lia do it and marveled at the woman's sheer fortitude. Gin couldn't have done it. It might've been a nice thing to have had a miniature version of herself around, but she could never see herself settling down enough to sacrifice the way Lia had for Sophia. Not to mention she was far too selfish and impulsive to be responsible for anyone but herself.
Gin looked confused and canted her head to the side, noticing irrelevantly that she had a streak of flesh colored paint in her red hair. "Are you sure it wasn't just that it felt worse than it actually was?" She put a hand to her chest and glanced heavenward then back to Lia. "I mean, it was terrifying. It had to be if I was scared just hearing about it. But..." She frowned then, her voice trailing off. She was out of her depth here. "Oh but sugar, I don't think you're going insane! I'll be the first one to do that, thank you."
The sacrifices Lia had made had been necessary. She had been so young when she had Sophia, and then left with her, and Lia had been forced to grow up faster than most. Occasionally she gave into bouts of selfishness and immaturity, but Lia tried her hardest not to let her flaws affect her daughter. And now she was hoping she could keep them from pushing Riley away as well.
"I don't know. Maybe." Lia lowered her arm with a frown. Maybe Gin was right. Maybe she just remembered it differently. It had been traumatic and a lot of it was hazy in her memory. She sighed and then smiled at Gun. "You're probably right. Maybe I just got really lucky. At least I get to leave today. And I fully expect you to go insane first," she teased. "You're the artsy one here. Aren't you supposed to chop your ear off in a fit of artistic rage?"
Gin watched Lia, a thoughtful look twisting her mouth slightly. "I'd say you got very lucky. We all did. You're still here!" She leaned forward and gave the other woman the tiniest of half hugs, avoiding her injured shoulder. "What would I do without you to remind me there's life outside my studio and to wear shoes when I go out to find it?" She pouted briefly at that thought then dispelled it with a shake of her head.
"Oh, ear removal is so déclassé," she said with a dismissive wave of her hand. "These days one paints nudes of gay men to exhibit sexual frustration and mental illness." Another giggle.
She was right, because they were all lucky to be in the dome in the first place. Lia just had to try and forgot the knowledge that not everyone who got attacked by wolves hadn't made it. Grinning, Lia returned Gin's hug, thankful for her enthusiasm. It was nice to have someone in her life who was always looking for the bright side in everything. "You don't always have to wear shoes! Only when it's cold or raining. You have cute feet, so I approve of the occasional barefooting." Laughing, Lia rested back against her pillow. "Maybe find a gorgeous straight man to paint nude. Then you can roll around in your paints when you finish and have mad, passionate, colorful sex."
"Well, Eatzy's usually doesn't appreciate barefoot guests. And you should've seen Patrick O'Reilly's face when I walked into the pub one night in my fuzzy bunny slippers." Gin's face brightened, her eyes widening. "I like the way your mind works, sugar. Sure you wouldn't want to join me instead?" She chuckled. She knew the answer to that. They'd had that conversation long ago and usually she never brought it up, but every once in a while she liked to tease. Just a little. But nobody could fault her for having tried originally, right? Lia was gorgeous. Who wouldn't want to roll around with her? "Hey, do you need anything? Coffee, wine, medical marijuana? You should make sure to take home some latex gloves from the box on that counter by the door. Never know when those might come in handy."
Laughing again, Lia could feel her cheeks flush slightly. She had no romantic leanings toward women at all, but if she did? Well, Gin was gorgeous herself. She always teased that she would need plenty of vodka, and then they could see, but it was always a running joke between them. "Just flirt with Justin at Eatzy's and I bet he would forget the look of your bare toes on his clean floor," Lia countered. Her cheeks were starting to get sore from smiling so much, but Gin had that effect on her. Honestly, thinking about it now, she couldn't wait to introduce her to Riley just to see how he would react to the other woman. "Okay, now I'm afraid to ask why I would need latex gloves. The wine and medical marijuana, I may be okay with." Lia winked at her before sighing. "I've only gotten high twice in my life, did I ever tell you that?" Once at a high school party, so many years ago. Something she had never told Riley. And once at a work party just after she had moved to the States. It wasn't something Lia missed doing, but she remembered it had been fun.
The running joke ran itself out of the room as Gin let it drop. She knew better than to tease long because the last thing she ever would want is for the joke to make Lia uncomfortable. Because these days it was just a joke. She'd gotten to know the other woman to a point where she respected her and knew any sort of funny business would ruin the dynamic she treasured. She tapped her chin with one finger, thinking. "Justin. Justin… Hm. I wonder if I've met him. What's he look like? A man who appreciates bare toes on a clean floor is a gem."
Gin shrugged. "Who knows about the gloves. I've heard so many people say it though so I thought I'd pass it on. I guess you could use them when cleaning to avoid having gook on them." She hadn't been very serious about the medical marijuana. She wasn't one for drugs herself. She had other vices. When Lia mentioned getting high, she sputtered a chuckle. "No, you did not tell me you're not just the straight-laced mama as you seem!" She sat forward again with interest. "What else have you done that I wouldn't expect?"
Lia parted her lips in mock offense. "I'm so not straight laced at all! I mean... maybe as a mother, sure, but I have to be. I can have fun. I'm only twenty five," she pointed out, as if needing to remind herself that as well. And it showed that her mind immediately went to latex gloves and something naughty. Maybe it was the six years of celibacy. But mentioning that to Gin might only help the assumption that Lia was 'straight laced'. "I've been skinny dipping," Lia said after wracking her brain for something as fun as smoking a joint. "In broad daylight. Does that count?"
Gin giggled and shifted in her chair. “Umkay,” she said and nodded. “You’re a lot more mature than most of us mid-twenty-somethings. No, that’s not the right word. You’re... sophisticated,” she amended. “And a damn good mother. Wish I’d gotten to know mine better. She was probably just as amazing.” As always, memories that might have been sad for other people seemed not to register the same way with Gin. She took the good she got from the people she had lost and simply felt grateful to have had them in her life at all. Sure she missed them but she didn’t pine. “I think that only counts if you did it in a fountain in the middle of a town. Drugs, breaking and entering, sex in public. That’s kind of what I meant. Not that I’m promoting any of that. But that’s what would shock me!”
"I like sophisticated," Lia murmured, more pleased to hear that than mature. Mature made her feel boring and Lia didn't want to believe she had become boring. Gin's compliments made her smile, however. Lia never went one day without doubting her abilities as a mother, so maybe it was nice every now and then for someone to tell she wasn't a complete failure.
"Sex in public? Well,I've done that," she said proudly. Sort of. She and Riley had been plenty adventurous when they were teenagers, and even after getting married. The hayloft was one of their favorite places, and even if it wasn't exactly public, there had always been the excitement of potentially getting caught. "I can't say I'm guilty of breaking and entering though. But I'm young, give me time." Lia grinned at Gin. "Come on, there's nothing crazy that you've done in your past? There has to be something."
Gin would've extolled Lia's mothering far and beyond what she'd already said. Her aunt had had very little idea what to do with imaginative, careless Gin. It hadn't been an unhappy existence but she couldn't help thinking a mother, someone like Lia, would've understood better how to love and fulfill her.
Gin's left eyebrow lifted very slowly, arching as her mouth pursed. She could barely contain her enthusiasm. "No. Way." Her voice was hardly above a whisper and she looked around as though government spies might be listening in. "Now you tell me why it takes a near death experience for you to spill vital info like that?"
She lifted her chin and her eyes slid sideways, cataloging. "I got drunk for the first time at 16. It was pretty easy because my aunt and uncle owned a bar. But I guess kids do that all the time. Um. My freshman year of college I showed up at the apartment of one of my profs wearing nothing but a trench coat..."
“I never thought about it much to tell you about it,” Lia explained, choking back the urge to laugh again. It was easy to forget she had almost died when she was having such a silly conversation. But it was the best kind of distraction from the entire situation, and she was more than grateful for Gin’s company. As Gin spoke, Lia’s lips parted and her eyes widened and she sat up quickly, ignoring the painful protest of her shoulder at the abrupt movement. “You did not! Did you? What did he do?” That was not something she expected to hear from Gin, but she now had Lia’s complete attention.
Gin shrugged with a pleasant smile. "Well, you've made my day with it now so I guess that's what counts. We need a girls' night soon, by the way. It's been a bit." For having run out of the house in fear, she had considerably calmed down and was enjoying this visit immensely.
"He totally turned me down." She pouted. "Not that I could blame him. He was one of those 'good guys,' you know? He was more concerned with my well-being over what might happen than he was about his own job. Ah well." She smiled dreamily, remembering the man's shockingly pale blue eyes beneath black hair. "Anyway, you've never done anything like that?"
Lia groaned at that particular answer and her shoulders slumped slightly. "We need to come up with a more scandalous outcome to that story," Lia said with a soft sigh. "Like, he wanted you so badly that he took you up against the wall and didn't even have the patience to take the coat off first." Yes, that answer was much more satisfying. Lia felt as if she needed to live vicariously through someone else's sex life at the moment.
Smiling at Gin, Lia shook her head. "Never showed up at anyone's doorstep with only a trench coat on, although now you've got me thinking. Wonder if I can find a trench coat somewhere," she mused before refocusing on Gin. "Riley's the only man I've ever slept with. It never occurred to me to do something like that. I might have given him a heart attack if I had. I can't believe you had the courage to do that and possibly face rejection though. Maybe you'll get another chance to try it again, huh?"
Gin giggled. "More scandalous? Well, reality is always a lot less tame than what I dream up. I've had plenty of scandal -- just not necessarily the sexual kind. That might be fun. I really like your ending much better! Wow. It's been a while for you, has it?" She asked the last question in a more rhetorical, amused way. She was enjoying getting to see this side of her friend.
Her eyes widened again, full of excitement. "Oh! I saw just the thing come in to Encore the other day. I think it might be still in the back room in a bin to be sorted through but I can bring it to you. Gratis, of course. If you want it. I think you gotta find a way to blow your own mind a little. Shake it up some." She nodded matter-of-factly. "Rejection never really bothered me so much I guess. I'm always a little in love with a lot of people so I just move on to the next one."
“I want to hear about this scandal then,” Lia told her. “Maybe when we’re able to go out on a night, just the two of us. Get rip roaring drunk and let go of all the secrets, huh?” After the past week or so that Lia had, getting drunk and forgetting her worries for a while sounded really damn tempting. Then she grinned and felt her cheeks flush slightly before she nodded. “Hey, I’ll take anything you’ve got. I haven’t been able to shake anything up in a long, long time.” And yes, it had been awhile for her, unfortunately. And that had been about to change before she was attacked by that damn wolf. Settling back against her pillows again, Lia studied Gin, her mischievous shifting into a softer smile. “I think if you gave yourself a little bit of time, you might fall in love with one person for more than a little while. You’re probably leaving broken hearts all over Delphi.”
"You are on for that," Gin answered. "I think that would be just what the doctor ordered. Not that I have a million secrets but the company will be fantastic so you let me know when you're up for it. And I'll bring the item of clothing to rock your world." She tapped the back of Lia's hand gently with her fingertips as though that set it in stone.
"Nah," she said with a dismissive wave of her hand. "Most of them have no clue whatsoever that I love 'em." Which was true. She was kind of a serial crusher. One small aspect of a person could trigger it and she was off in lala land dreaming about them, doodling sketches of them to paint, or being inspired to design some new object in honor of whatever it was that attracted her to them. It was very infrequent she even made it known to someone she was attracted. Not for fear of rejection but because relationships were sticky things and it seemed more often than not, that was what people were looking for. "I'm not sure I'm interested in being in love."
Lia was more interested in rocking Riley’s world than her own, which probably wasn’t the healthiest train of thought seeing as they still had a world of issues to deal with, but she couldn’t help it. She was still young and her dry spell had stretched into six years. Not to mention Riley still got her blood pumping, and even when she was frustrated or even angry with him, she wanted him. Tilting her head thoughtfully, Lia studied Gin, wondering how some guy hadn’t come along to sweep her off her feet yet. Gin was gorgeous, and outgoing and so much fun. Maybe Riley had a friend Lia could nudge her way.
“I don’t think love cares whether or not you’re interested,” Lia said after a moment. “What do they say...? It always finds you when you’re not looking?”
"They say that? That's dangerous," she replied, eyes big with mock fear. "I guess I better go looking then since I've been not looking for just long enough that it might catch up with me. Where does one go looking though? Justin at Eatzy's?" She giggled, feeling almost like she was back in high school, trying to figure out with her best girlfriends which one of the football team was the cutest and who they wanted to invite them to prom.
"Really though, sugar, I think I'd rather leave love to you and Riley. I have nude gay men to paint and treasures to find and convert and places to go barefoot to. My life is just too busy for love." She'd been in love more than once, including Daniel, and she tended to put her foot into it somehow and run them off or be unavailable once too often. She'd rather safe herself and anyone else the trouble of falling in love when it probably wouldn't work.
"Don't mock," Lia protested, though her eyes were shimmering with humor. "Make fun all you want, but when you do fall in love, and hard, I'm not going to be a good friend, because all I'm going to want to do is say I told you so. So be prepared for that."
Rubbing her stomach absently, Lia wondered if he could hide the flowers in the tiny bathroom off her room once Gin left. The smell was starting to get to her again, even though the flowers themselves were lovely. "And you know, you can do all those things with a man. Well, maybe not the painting of nude, gay men, but the treasures, and barefoot adventures... all those things could be more fun with someone beside you." Pausing, Lia bit the inside of her lip before she exhaled and wrinkled her nose. "Oh my god, I've become completely annoying, haven't I? I had girlfriends like this in the past, trying to set me up, pushing relationships on me when I never wanted one. Now I'm doing it to you. Just tell me to shut it. I'm sorry, Gin."
When Lia mentioned she'd say she told Gin so, Gin scowled playfully. "You wouldn't dare," she said, attempting to sound menacing but failing spectacularly into a giggle.
"Oh, no. I have no problem doing any of that with someone at my side. Even painting nude, gay men because if he or she can't be okay with that, they can't possibly like me." She wasn't considering the feelings of the nude person because that person didn't factor into the equation for her at the moment. "I only don't want the complication of being responsible to fulfill someone else's idea of what I ought to be doing. If I want to paint until midnight instead of going on a date, love complicates that. No love, no expectations to live up to. See? And you can set me up all you like, Lia. You don't have to apologize at all! Just make sure they know they can't ever say the L word!"
Lia shrugged softly. “Maybe you just haven’t met the right person. Maybe there’s someone out there who won’t care that you want to paint until midnight, or go barefoot, or wear fuzzy bunny slippers. It’s always better to find someone who has hobbies of their own, who doesn’t feel the need to be attached to your hip twenty four seven. You need time to miss one another to make it work.” Expectations were a scary thing, Lia could agree with that. Thankfully she and Riley didn’t seem to be pressing any onto one another just yet. “I’ll set you up, but I can’t promise you won’t eventually hear the L word. It’s your own fault for being so lovable,” Lia teased.
"Oh I agree, yes. One does need to miss one's partner in crime a little. Makes it so much sweeter when you're finally together. At least, in theory. Daniel never came home so I don't know for sure." She sighed dreamily because thoughts of Daniel always made her feel happy and nostalgic even if he had never come home. They'd had the best marriage before then and those were the feelings she chose to remember. "And I've never dated someone who wasn't within walking distance practically since then."
Gin giggled at Lia's insistence that she find love. "Can I ask? Why is it so important to you that I find love?" She cocked her head to the side, eyeing her friend curiously. What was her motivation behind trying to convince Gin that she could find it when Gin was telling her she didn't even want it? There was no judgment or annoyance in her eyes, she simply wanted to understand where this was all coming from. "I am rather lovable though, aren't I?" she asked, preening playfully.
Lia hadn’t known Daniel, but it still hurt a little to hear Gin talk about him that way. It didn’t seem to be too painful for Gin, but Lia could only imagine what it felt like to truly lose someone you loved. To know they were gone and not coming back. Rather than dwelling on it, Lia gave Gin a small smile. “It’s not so important to me, Gin. I don’t mean to sound like I’m pushing things on you that you don’t want. I’m just saying... don’t be so opposed to it if it happens. Maybe I have become that annoying friend that has something that makes her happy, so she feels like everyone else needs it too. I don’t mean to be.”
Gin shook her head emphatically, paint streaked hair swishing about her cheeks. "Do not apologize, Lia. I'm so happy for you and Riley! What an amazing life you two have had and will have, I’m sure! I mean, what are the odds of two Australians in an estranged marriage finding each other again, after years apart and one zombie apocalypse later, here in the US, in the same dome? That's like an epic movie or something. No wonder you want everyone else around you to have it. It's so romantic." She put her hand to her heart and sighed, smiling at the wonder of Lia’s situation. "Besides, you could never be annoying. Which is why I love ya so much."
Lia arched a brow, but she didn't want to tell Gin it had been anything but romantic so hard. It had been jarring, and overwhelming and hard. She and Riley had so many issues to work through, but Lia also knew that she was incredibly lucky to have him, and Sophia, when so many people were alone. It felt wrong to tell Gin the truth about her romance when Gin had lost her husband, so Lia resisted. "I can't really say it's a coincidence," Lia admitted, "given the circumstances. But I'm afraid to say it was meant to happen. It feels too good to be true, like I have to wait for the other shoe to drop." Yawning softly, Lia pulled her blanket up her body a bit. She was exhausted but it was impossible to sleep when there was so much noise outside in the halls. "I promise when we go out for a girl's night, I won't jabber on about love. We'll just get rip roaring drunk and flirt with every man in the bar instead. How's that?"
She shook her head as though doing so could dispel any negativity Lia felt about the situation. "It was meant to happen, sugar. There's no way the fates didn't intervene here because how many Australians do you think are in these domes? Let alone separated star-crossed lovers?" She smiled, her look a bit far away as the romance of it swept over her again. She giggled though to hear Lia yawn and then reiterate going out to get rip roaring drunk. "You have got yourself a date!" she chirped and stood up, feeling energized and ready to start painting again. "On that note, I am going to let you get some rest and take myself home to do some more work." She leaned over to peck a kiss to Lia's cheek. "You call me if you need anything, okay?"
“Star crossed lovers,” Lia mumbled, refusing to believe in something like that. Besides, wasn’t star crossed a bad thing? She should have paid more attention in school, because she was pretty sure Romeo and Juliet were star crossed. Lia smiled tiredly and nodded as Gin kissed her cheek. “Promise. And try to keep that nude painting as long as you can so I get a peek at it before you give it away.” Despite the noise, and smells, Lia thought trying to take a nap before heading home would be a good idea. Sophia was always so full of energy, and Lia knew she would need it if she planned to keep up. “Thanks for coming to see me, Gin.”
Gin nodded, affirming her star crossed lovers statement. "Exactly." At least, that's what it seemed like to her. She wouldn't have said they were as star crossed as Romeo and Juliet. She didn't figure Riley and Lia ever would end their lives over each other. That was kind of a stupid move for anyone in her opinion. "Promise," she echoed with a grin and, for the fun of it, rhetorically added in a whisper, "What would your husband think?" She patted the flowers to remind Lia they were there. "You're welcome, sugar!" she said airily and breezed toward the door. She smiled once more at her friend before leaving.