original_clone (original_clone) wrote in valarlogs, @ 2016-09-19 19:10:00 |
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Entry tags: | !complete, neal cassidy (baelfire), sarah manning |
Who: Sarah and Neal
When: September
Where: Best food ever and plans
What: Local cafe
Rating/Warnings: Low/None
Status: Complete
There was a cafe tucked away in sleepy, dusty Trabuco Canyon that Neal definitely didn’t tell everyone about - it was a hidden gem for sure, and when you walked in you got that ‘locals only’ vibe. In fact, the restaurant could be easily missed as you were embarking on a beautiful drive with perhaps the family - however, it was within walking distance from the Outreach Center and when Neal was lucky enough to catch Sarah on a day when she was at the ranch meeting up with a few of the kids, he asked if she wanted to head to the treasure of a cafe to grab some lunch. She wouldn’t regret it, trust him.
The outside resembled an old, rustic saloon and the interior was more of the same - mixed with some ‘grandma’s house’ elements, photos of John Wayne and desert paintings, but damn, the food was homecooked and delicious. Bathrooms were even clean in this place too, gotta love it.
He had a menu, though he didn’t really need one. The burgers were top notch, so were the breakfasts. “Things are going okay?” he asked, as the homemade salsa was delivered with chips - that was always a good start to the meal. “You keep coming back, so I guess the hellions haven’t scared you off yet,” Neal grinned. Checking up with those who were employed at the ranch and volunteered was important to him - he liked to make sure people were comfortable.
Sarah enjoyed her work at the ranch, it was exactly the kind of place she’d wanted to support when she’d gone to the government with her outreach proposal. She’d wanted to be able to offer help and a listening ear to any kid who needed it. And the work done at the ranch was incredible, she truly respected Neal and everybody who worked there.
When she’d been invited to have lunch with Neal she accepted, after all she couldn’t turn down trying out a new place which was supposed to be that good. It looked pretty good, the set up was cute and it had a home cooked meal sense about it.
“Things are going great and the kids are good kids, just a little rough around the edges” she smiled, she wasn’t going to share details but she wanted to reassure Neal she wasn’t hanging around for no reason.
Well, yeah, Neal would definitely say they were rough around the edges - that was actually a generous description, considering they were mini-felons (committed adult crimes, tried as minors - he was familiar with that whole song and dance, because it had been him once upon a time). Some of them, anyway. But he was pleased that Sarah seemed to be making connections, and reaching that rather distrustful crew. It always took some time for them to open up but above all else, the kids at the ranch were just looking for someone to actually give a shit for once.
“Glad to hear it,” he said and, crunch, right into a chip. When the waitress came by for updates he ordered a sweet tea and a burger (with a fried egg on top, let’s go with extra cholesterol today, it was a special day), then focused his attention on Sarah. “Actually, being that I have an almost-three-month-old now, and we’re looking into daycare options at the ranch? That sort of spurned another discussion with Emma. Are you open to hearing about the new program we want to set up?” Maybe she’d decide to help out - Neal would ask Splendid too, but since Sarah was here he’d see if she was up for it. If she wanted to potentially take on some extra work.
Considering Sarah herself had once been a rough around the edges petty criminal back home it wasn’t really surprising she’d been able to reach some of them. They were good kids, just needed a different path mostly. And to actually feel like they were being listened to. That was more important than people assumed.
Sarah placed her own order for a burger, without an egg but with extra cheese before smiling at Neal. “I am always open to hearing new ideas” she told him, “So come on, don’t keep me in suspense” she added with a grin, encouraging him to share. She was excited, she had a feeling it would be something she’d want to be involved in. The ranch was an incredible place with incredible people and she was lucky to be part of it.
Neal laughed a little, popping another chip with a dollop of salsa into his mouth. Better not overdo it on these or he’d be staring longingly at part of the beautiful burger he was too full to eat, but anyway. “Well, it was really Emma’s idea,” he started - and was eager to give his brilliant fiancee credit where credit was due.
It was also possible he was a bit biased, but hey. She was the love of his life and the mother of his children. No wonder Neal thought she was the bee’s knees - and she truly did come up with good ideas.
“We were thinking of revamping the mission statement?” he said. “Expanding, kind of. Offering a place not just for troubled youth, but we’d have a special program for teenage mothers too - counseling, housing, job training and parenting skills, childcare. Things like that. To help them get back on their feet again. It’s kind of personal to Emma, really close to her heart.” For the both of them, really, both her and Neal.
Sarah tried a chip too and then wished she hadn’t, they were really good and she wasn’t sure she could stop now she’d started.
She smiled at the way Neal spoke, that was how it should be. Sadly not everybody had that kind of feeling towards the mother of their children, not that Sarah wanted Kira’s father in the picture. He was a loser who had been a huge mistake, she was more than happy with her life how it was now.
“I think that’s a wonderful idea, it’s such a good cause too” Sarah said, “I’ll help in anyway I can” she added, after all she had personal experience in such areas herself. She just didn’t tend to share it with the world.
“That would be great,” Neal exhaled a sigh of relief, because he definitely couldn’t do this on his own - but he had Emma, they’d dig in together, and also get other great people to help them realize this new vision they had for the ranch. “She was - I mean, when she had Henry, it was rough. We were both young and we didn’t even know each other.”
That was probably an understatement - he and Emma hadn’t been acquainted for more than that initial night together, just throwing caution to the wind and doing something rebellious. Neal could probably count on a single hand the number of one-night stands he had in his life. This instance was just clearly the most important.
He took a sip of tea, swirling the straw in the ice-cold mixture. “But if she had access to a program like what we’re envisioning, I don’t know, maybe she wouldn’t have had to give him up for adoption.”
“I understand, I mean, I was pregnant before Kira but I was too young and felt trapped. A place like you’re talking about would have been a godsend and if I can help just one girl feel safe and make a good informed decision then everything is worth it” Sarah told him.
It was something even more amazing to be a part of than the ranch and that was already doing some incredible work. It was exciting and the sort of thing Sarah would hope to see everywhere.
Neal hadn’t known this, actually - that Sarah had been pregnant before Kira, that is. “I can’t even imagine what that must have been like for you,” he shook his head, and to be alone during a tough time like what she’d just described? It was really kind of heartbreaking. And clearly part of the reason he was all for a woman’s right to choose - why should old fat men get to decide what they could or could not do with their bodies? When they couldn’t even begin to put themselves in a pregnant woman’s shoes?
Hell, he was even surprised he hadn’t passed out when he was there during Niko’s birth.
“Your story could definitely reach a lot of girls though. Knowing they have someone to relate to, I think that’s important.”
Sarah didn’t tell just anybody, even now only a handful of people knew but she trusted Neal and it was something he should know about her since he was setting up something so important. “Pretty shit” she shrugged, “But other people had it worse” She wasn’t the sort to bitch and moan about how hard she’d had it when she was younger.
How she lived her life was up to her and nobody else, why should she blame anybody else for her choices? But helping give others the strength and knowledge to make those choices for themselves was what Sarah wanted to do.
“It really is. It’s so easy to just talk at them but if you’ve been through it, or something similar I think they listen more. You truly understand which gains respect, mostly”
“Yeah. exactly,” Neal completely agreed. On his end, he’d been in some shit, and he had firsthand experience with a few things - crime, being abandoned, the shitty foster care system in this country. That helped him develop a rapport with the kids. But teenage pregnancy? Not so much. “That’s why I’m glad you’re around, and Splendid’s around too. There are just some things that only girls, overall, understand in a way that guys can’t.”
Gender differences were a thing, and he wasn’t going to pretend like he could connect with a young mother the same way a fellow woman could. Waste of time. “I can keep you updated as we work on implementing the program? If you know anyone in your field who teaches parenting skills, for example, I’m open to networking.”
There were definitely areas where gender helped you relate, it couldn’t really be denied. Equality was a good thing but it would never be 100% because there were differences between the genders and people needed to realise that was okay. Experience counted for a lot more sometimes, and being too politically correct wouldn’t help people.
“I absolutely agree, and vice versa too. It’s just the way it is and most likely always will be” Sarah agreed before nodding, “I have a couple of people in mind, once I’ve spoken to them I’ll send them your way” Doing what she did brought Sarah into contact with a wide range of people and she would send whoever she could Neal’s way to help get the project started. “And please do keep me updated, I’m willing to help out all along the way”
“Sounds great. You’ll be one of our key players,” Neal grinned. ‘Right now, we’re sort of mapping it all out - figuring out what we want to offer and, ultimately, budgeting for it too.” But he was decent with numbers and the business side of things - working for Regina as her assistant, at one point when he had that as a part-time job, really got him a lot of practice with things like Excel formulas.
He’d also have to go over things with the guy who actually owned the ranch. Logan. Neal just ran it, was all. But he had a feeling that the idea would be well-received. Wolverine had a squishy heart there somewhere beneath the grunting.
Their food arrived then, the waitress stopping by to drop off plates. Oh, bless this burger. “Well, dig in,” Neal rubbed his hands together. “And here’s to a successful program launch.”