Who: Helena & Rose What: Random Meetings! When: Mid January Where: Department store Rating: Low Status: Complete!
At least Helena didn’t have to be out in the field uncovering remains today. So as it was, she was out doing some shopping before she needed to pick Christina up from school. She still needed to go to the grocery store, but that was to be done with Christina. After all, she knew her daughter would have some input on things she wanted. Plus it was one of the things they did together.
Currently she was in a store looking for some things. She was still in need of a few furniture pieces to round out some of the rooms in her house, but those could wait. She had the essentials she needed. So clothing and anything else that caught her eye to work for Christina was what she was going for.
Rounding a corner, she nearly ran into someone. Thankfully she had good reflexes and stopped just short of running into her.
“Oh! I’m so sorry!” She apologized. “I should learn to not take corners so tightly.”
Rose had been hiding out at home, not wanting to go out with all the crime that had been happening all around Orange County. She found herself going a little bit crazy though, just lounging around at home with Wolf. As much as she loved her little kitten, she could only play with him so much before she needed to find a new activity. John had recently suggested that they go out, maybe just the restaurant down the street, but something to cure their cabin fever. Rose was excited with the idea and decided it would be a good excuse to go out and get something new to wear. She figured it was safer to shop during the day and made sure to go out early in the day.
She had been heading into the store, wondering what kind of clothes she should let herself splurge on when she rounded the corner to find someone there already.
“Oops! I’m sorry!” Rose took a step back and smiled, showing no harm meant. When she heard the accent on the other gal, her smile grew. “I think us Brits are just use to running into each other over here! You’re alright?”
It was certainly something to hear a familiar accent. Though there seemed to be quite a few Brits gathering here in Orange County. Briefly, Helena wondered just how odd this place was. Dreams of another life, gifts from said dreams, and a seemingly large British population. However, the thought slid out of her mind and she smiled warmly.
“I would have to agree! Is this some secret subconscious plot of ours to take back the colonies?” Helena said jokingly with a laugh. “I’m fine, no harm done! Are you alright?”
It was, after all, polite to ask after a near collision. Helena at least hadn’t been carrying anything that was breakable. She had a couple items of clothing hooked over one arm, clothing that was obviously for a child.
Rose couldn’t help but laughed, but nodded her head in agreement. “I think you may be on to something! I joined this social network recently and feel like I always saw a welcoming post of someone who had just moved from overseas!” Rose studied the face a little more, tilting her head just slightly. “Actually...are you on there? Sorry, but your face looks so familiar!” It was the one thing she appreciated about the site; it almost made a sort of solidarity to meet someone you recognized from online!
“Oh, I’m fine! Just a little startled I think. No worse for wear though!”
When she mentioned the social network, that piqued Helena’s interest. She tilted her head slightly, also taking in the other woman’s appearance. Her face seemed relatively familiar, like she’d seen it on that network. Though she wouldn’t be surprised if she was off on that estimation, she was still trying to get her bearings on that thing after all.
“I am! I’m Helena Wells, just moved here from Germany, actually.” She held her free hand out in greeting. “Now that you mention it, you do look familiar as well.” Might as well assume they were talking about the same thing!
“Pleasure to meet you Helena! I’m Rose!” She grinned, taking Helena’s offered hand and shaking it. “Wait...I know you! I mean, not that we’ve met before and I actually haven’t commented on anything you’ve posted, but you’re a friend of John! John Smith. He’s my flatmate!” John actually held Helena in very high regard. She hadn’t heard too much, other than when he came home and proudly said that one of his best mates was in town. As much as Rose had a jealous streak, she was eager to meet other important people in John’s life.
“I think we need to get you a basket,” she said with a grin, glancing at the clothes Helena had already picked up. “Would you like some help?”
Shaking Rose’s hand, her brows lifted curiously at the statement until she explained she was John’s flatmate. “Ah! John, yes, he’s a good friend of mine. Met him back at university, seems like ages ago now.” She chuckled. “Though it’s been a few years since I last saw him.” Life seemed to enjoy throwing her and John together at unexpected times, but sometimes that’s how life worked.
“Oh! Yes, that might be a good idea. I hadn’t known what I would be getting, if anything, while here.” She laughed. “Thank you, I appreciate it. Sometimes I can be a bit overboard with purchasing things for my daughter.”
“Well it’s very nice to meet you! Any friend of John’s is a friend of mine!” She glanced around, trying to see if there was a cart or something they could use as a basket. She spied on a little ways off and nodded her head towards it, walking to grab it.
“It’s strange how people are just popping up! He had two of his cousins come here as well, no notice at all! What are the chances?” She grabbed the cart and turned it around so Helena could put her clothes in it. “Aw, you have a daughter? How old?”
“It’s nice to meet you as well!” Helena did always like meeting new people. She just seemed to be meeting a lot more new people since she’d moved to Orange County. Seeing the nod, Helena saw the cart and headed over to it with Rose.
“Really? That is rather strange, I have to say. Though I suppose he’s happy to have some family here as well. Moving so far away from family can be hard sometimes.” Helena set the clothes down in the cart with a thankful smile. “She’s eight, and growing up far too quickly if you ask me.”
“All I can say is I hope my mum isn’t the next person to come over. My friends dad recently came and it made me wonder if my mum was gonna be the next to show up. Don’t get me wrong, I love her to death, but I moved here for a reason. It’s better on our relationship that I don’t live in the same flat as she does.” Rose never noticed the funny coincidence whenever she talked about her mum; she always said the same thing, how she moved away from her for a reason, yet she always talked about her. Deep down, she really did miss her.
Rose was impressed as Helena didn’t look like she would have a daughter of that age. “Eight years old? Almost to those double digits! I remember I was excited when I hit that.” She smiled, looking down at the clothes she had chosen for her. “How is she doing with the move? That’s a pretty big one for a youngster!”
“I understand that sentiment completely. There comes a point when we don’t need to have our parents looking over our shoulders each day.” Of course, Helena did miss her parents, mostly her father. But she also had her own life. She’d needed their support when she’d suddenly found herself pregnant and single, but now that she was back on track with her life, she needed to be on her own.
Helena’s looks were a bit deceiving given she wasn’t that far off of being 40. “Oh believe me, she’s counting the days until she turns ten. Anytime I say she’s eight and she hears it, she corrects me. Such as now she would say she’s eight and three-quarters.” Helena chuckled. “She’s doing alright. It is rough, but she’s moved with me before. We moved from London to Hamburg, Germany two years ago. That and I may have promised I’d take her to Disneyland. She misses London and being around my family, but she’s already making some friends at school, so I think she’s doing alright.” Helena did keep a close eye on that.
Rose’s eyes grew a little wide in agreement, nodding her head. “My mum was definitely like that. I know she was just trying to be protective, but it almost got too much.” She gave a small shrug, pushing their cart towards the women’s shopping area, almost absent mindedly. She hadn’t meant to take charge and move their conversation, it just felt natural that they would now go shopping together!
She grinned as they entered the ladies department, looking over at Helena. “It’s so funny how we try to be older when we’re younger and it completely flips as we grow up!” Well, maybe in some aspect. When she mentioned Disneyland, Rose couldn’t help but laugh. “We should plan a trip! John and I have annual passes there now, we would love to go with you guys if you were down!” It was easy to speak for John since he seemed to always be down for a new adventure, especially with friends. “And I hope she’s doing fine. I only moved when I came out here, I don’t know any troubles of moving so much. I’m guessing at that age, this move was rather big for her?”
“So was my mother, at least until I was pregnant with Christina and suddenly single. Then we managed to have a better relationship.” It wasn’t entirely surprising that her mother had stopped pressing certain issues once she’d gotten pregnant. It was partly because of the grandchild that was on its way and partly because Helena had been devastated by her longterm boyfriend leaving her so suddenly. She also didn’t mind heading towards the women’s department and just walked along with Rose.
Helena laughed a bit. “It certainly is. I’d be happy if I could just remain the age I currently am.” Though with the mention of taking a trip to Disneyland with Rose and John, Helena couldn’t help but to grin. “I would love that, and I think Christina would love it as well. Just prepare yourself for being dragged around by an eight year old. She isn’t shy about doing such a thing.” Such was how some children tended to be when they got excited. “It certain was a big move. Going from England to Germany when she was six wasn’t so difficult, family could still easily visit us and vice versa as my job allowed. But moving to America is a bit harder. I know she misses our family, so I’m trying my best to make things as easy for her as possible. Luckily she is an out-going girl, so she certainly has been able to make some friends at school.”
Rose smiled, shaking her head to show she didn’t mind. “Oh, I’m sure John and I will love it! Plus with the three of us, we can take turns being dragged around!” She grinned, thinking about how going to Disneyland with a kid would be a completely different experience. She could only imagine what the park was like in a child’s eyes and she was determined to make it happen. “I’m guessing weekends are best for you to go?”
As they walked around the department, Rose would breakaway whenever she thought she would see a cute dress or outfit. “Yeah, I could even see the move from England to Germany being a bigger jump, but coming across the pond.” She gave Helena a knowing look. “Good to hear that she’s an outgoing type though! Definitely helps make the move a little less intense. Plus, when family does come to visit, it makes it all the more special!” Rose had talked to her mum a couple of times, but hadn’t had the heart to ask her out yet. Part of her was afraid she would actually stay and part of her was afraid she would ask her to stay.