Who: Maes Hughes maes & Riza Hawkeye the_hawks_eye What: Dinner! When: Early October [Backdated] Where: The Hughes Home Rating/Warnings: Low/None Status: Closed/Completed GDoc
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Gracia hadn't returned yet from her trip to see her family, though Maes double checked with her to ensure that it was fine for him to invite Riza over for dinner. She'd just laughed at his silliness, and told him to go ahead, but that they were all to get together for dinner sometime soon so she could meet the lovely woman that fixed bouquets for him.
Maes was grateful for Gracia, and of course he agreed. He asked Riza if she would be free to come over for dinner with him and Elicia. Once everything was settled, Maes set about pulling out another meal that Gracia had graciously prepared for himself and Elicia and popped it into the oven.
The chicken and rice casserole took a little over an hour to bake, which gave Maes plenty of time to get together a few side dishes. "Now, what do we do when someone knocks at the door?" Maes prompted Elicia around the time that Riza was supposed to arrive.
She pursed her lips in thought, "We ask who it is, and then open the door only if you or mommy is there."
Maes tapped the end of her nose, "That's my girl."
It was about that time that a knock did come at the door, and Elicia was off like a shot toward it. Maes sighed, and hurried after her.
"Who is it?" She called, though Maes was slightly certain that he knew who was on the other side.
Riza liked Maes a lot, he was a good customer and had become a friend. One who she also knew from her dreams though they had yet to have that conversation. Riza tended to leave that to others to bring up as she wasn’t sure who dreamed and who didn’t.
She’d brought a bouquet she’d prepared herself with her for when Gracia returned and a smaller bouquet for young Elicia too. Knocking on the door she smiled when she heard the little voice, “Riza Hawkeye, I’ve come for dinner. If that’s still okay” she called back.
Elicia glanced up at Maes, and waited for him to nod in approval. "Yes!" She called right before she opened the door wide.
Maes chuckled, and shook his head at his daughter. She was a delight. "Good evening, Riza. This is Elicia." He motioned to his daughter whose eyes were now transfixed on the flowers Riza held.
Instead of waiting for introductions, Elicia pointed at them. "Is one of those for me?" She asked, and Maes's shoulders slumped. "We're still working on a few things." He chuckled, and gave a nod of his head, "Come on in, make yourself comfortable."
Riza chuckled as Maes’ little girl opened the door, “Hello Elicia, you are obviously a smart girl” she said before presenting the flowers to her, “These are indeed for you, I hope you like them”
She smiled at Maes as she entered the house, “Thank you” she said, “I brought these for when Gracia comes home, I thought she might like them” she explained the other bouquet. “How have you been?” she asked.
Elicia squealed with delight, and the took the flowers from Riza. "Thank you!" She ran off toward her bedroom, and Maes knew she had her little vase. He wasn't concerned about Elicia getting the flowers into the vase, or even water into it. She'd done it a few times before, and if she needed help she wasn't shy about asking for it.
"Of course," Maes gave Riza a small inclination of his head, "I'm sure she'll love them." He began to move toward the kitchen, but he continued to talk. "She told me to let you know that all of us are going to get together once she's back. I told her I'd let you know." He chuckled softly, and pulled a vase out from underneath the kitchen sink. After filling it up with water he added the plant food to it, and then placed the bouquet into it. "I've been alright. After that whole -- mess that happened recently, I'm better than ever really."
Riza was delighted by how much Elicia loved the flowers, young people so often preferred video games and the like to living things but obviously Maes was instilling good things in his daughter. Just as she hoped to do with Ed and Al.
“Oh that would be lovely” Riza said following him to the kitchen, “I do hope she is alright. A family visit you said?” she recalled him telling her when he’d explained it would just be himself and Elicia. “I hate to say it but you do rather get used to the mess that happens in this county, it’s somewhat of a regular occurrence”
Maes thought it would be fun himself, having Riza and maybe the boys over once Gracia was back. "Oh she's fine." Maes replied, his smile wide as he nodded, "She'd had it planned for a few weeks, her sister was visiting their mother and she hasn't seen her in a while. I would've went with her, but I figured the girls could use some sister time." He didn't have any siblings of his own, but he knew how much Gracia's family meant to her.
Shaking his head, Maes let out a long sigh and pulled his glasses from his face. He wiped the lenses off with the tail of his shirt, "I don't know that I really want to get used to it. I just," he shook his head again, "never thought anything like that would happen to me." It had been a jarring experience for Maes that's for sure. "Dinner is ready, and on the table." He motioned toward the dining room, "Elicia!" He called for her, and smiled as he heard her coming to where they were.
"Yes, daddy?"
"Time for dinner." He stated, and she all but skipped to the table, and he hauled her up into her booster seat so she could reach the table. "Gracia was kind enough to leave us plenty of meals for while she was gone."
“I am sorry it did” Riza said, because Maes was a nice guy and her friend and she always hoped that her friends would be left alone when the craziness happened. She followed Maes as he led the way to the dining room.
“That is very good of her. I think I’d have to do the same with Ed and Al, I don’t think I’d trust them to make anything other than cereal on their own” Not that Ed ate cereal with his aversion to milk.
Maes lifted a shoulder, "It was over soon enough." Though Gracia had been pretty freaked out about the whole thing, and he couldn't blame her to be honest. Maes himself had been freaked out about it.
He chuckled, "Hey now, I can cook a few things." He teased although Elicia immediately spoke up.
"He burned the toast this morning." She kicked her little legs underneath the table, and Maes frowned.
"I -- okay, I did burn the toast this morning." He laughed, shaking his head before he pulled out Riza's chair, "And you probably should do that for them if you leave them on their own, or bring them over here."
Riza chuckled as the little girl told on Maes, “I’m not sure the boys would actually try even making toast, if they did I may not have a house left when they’ve finished”
“I’m hoping never to have to leave them alone but I will definitely keep that in mind, thank you”
Nodding, Maes moved around to his own seat and sat before starting to make Elicia a plate. "Of course, Gracia would love it, to be honest, and so would I." The offer would always be there in the event that Riza needed to go anywhere, the boys would always be welcome there. "So," he finished making Elicia's plate and began making his own, "how's the shop doing?" He asked, glancing over at her with a small smile.
“Thank you” she said honestly, she was glad to have such good friends as the Hughes family, “Oh the shop is doing well. It’s quiet at the moment but then it usually is this time of year. December does well then it’s quiet again until February. I’m used to the ups and downs of it all now” It had worried her to begin with but her standing orders with colleges, hospitals and the like kept her ticking over nicely.
Maes gave a nod in her direction and then took a bite of his food. He sincerely hoped that if she ever needed their help that she would ask for it in the future. Maes could see that, he was sure that she was doing fine and with Christmas coming up? He could easily see her getting a lot of work around that time of year. Maes knew that Gracia wanted a nice centerpiece for Thanksgiving to take to her mother's home, so he'd be ordering one of those at least. "I think most places that deal with retail of any sort are dead after Christmas. Except for returns." He gave a small sideways tip of his head, "But I can imagine how crazy it gets for you in February." Maes was fairly certain that crazy was an understatement.
Riza would definitely ask for help if she needed it, she appreciated the offer from the Hughes family. It was nice to know she had support. “Thankfully not many people return flowers although I did have someone bring an arrangement back because they’d started dying, I explained that cut flowers tended to do that” she grinned recalling the conversation. “February is beyond chaotic. I’ll be roping both boys in to help me next year, because I’ve pulled twenty hour shifts in the past getting hold of certain flowers and ensuring all deliveries go out on time as well as the general running of the store”
Maes's brows furrowed slightly, "Really? Someone tried to -- well that doesn't surprise me to be honest." People were strange creatures as it was, but that was just taking it a little too far in his opinion. He would've assumed that most people would've known that they would die, some quicker than others, but that was the beauty of fresh flowers. You could always buy more. "I'd offer to come help, but I'm afraid that I wouldn't be much use in arrangements. Now if you need someone to help with deliveries? I could possibly do that." He offered Riza a smile and a slight nod of his head, "Since no one needs to work that many hours, but I can understand the commitment."
Maes had put in his fair share of hours at the base, and while he'd been out on tour. Still, that didn't mean that he'd wish that on anyone. "I'm glad you came over, Riza." He was still smiling over at her, sincerely thankful to have dinner with a good friend.
“Thank you, I am glad to have you and your family as friends” Riza told him with a smile, “I will have to have you all over to my place soon, though I apologise in advance for Edward” she laughed before they continued eating and chatting.