With a smile, Sanaii followed Audra into the room, letting the door close behind them. Before them, the room glowed with candles, and a grand display rested in the center left half of the room. So many glass shelves, all of them lined with so many different bakery goods. It smelled divine, and it all looked so very lovely! The glass sparkled and the wood of the cases was polished. A handful of people stood behind the counter in matching uniforms taking order slips from waiters who were bustling about, attending to guests.

The second half of the room was comprised of many little round tables, a third of which were occupied. The people there were sitting with books, enjoying delicious pie or croissants. Along the walls, bookcases that almost brushed the ceiling were lined, the shelves all filled. Beautiful antique ladders hooked onto a railing that ran in front of each, making access to the top shelves easier.

And in the center of the room, on a raised platform, a band was playing. Violins, cellos, violas, the whole works. It was beautiful and almost magical.

Sanaii led her to an open table, where very detailed menus were waiting.

"Have a seat," she said with a smile, pulling out a chair.

"This place, a friend of mine owns it. He wanted me to come, and when I saw you at the cafe, well, I thought you'd like to come too. My friend came into some money a while back and for all his life, he has loved three things. Good music, good books, and good dessert. So, when he finally had the money to do it, he bought this little place, fixed it up, and started his own bakery/book store. His idea was that you could read the books while you enjoy something delicious and sweet, and if you like the book, you could buy it. It's a nice little place to get away from life at. Here, you can just immerse yourself in a book and forget about your problems for a little while. They aren't technically open yet; he's having a little party before hand. The people here," she gestured around to the tables that were occupied, "are all close friends of his, or their guests. Tomorrow is the big opening night."

She opened her menu to glance the choices and looked up as one of the waiters arrived. She was a tall, fine-featured woman with black hair and beautiful ebony skin. She was wearing the same uniform as the others, although it was clear to see it had been fitted for her.

"Can I get you anything to drink?"

((Audra roll Perception: 10 1 7 5
Reroll Tens: 1 cancels out the 10
Successes: 1

Result: Audra does not take notice of anything.))

She smiled for him, knowing the feeling of storming out of somewhere in a huff all too well. Idly, the thought of asking him for a ride came to mind, but...they were pretending this was a movie, and her luck ran to psychological thrillers with nasty endings rather than romantic comedies. Even in her narrowed down, normal little world, the news still ran stories of women who had disappeared, never to be seen again. Or to be found weeks later in a few different garbage bags. She wasn't going to ask for a ride. Besides, waiting in the shelter for the bus would likely be -better- than walking the two blocks through the rain.

"Temper, temper, huh? It must've upset you pretty bad to send you off into this storm."

She wasn't going to outright say that no, she wanted him to stay. It was a little bit awkward, and felt a little bit like she would then sound tragically desperate. But she figured he would notice that she hadn't taken him up on the offer to tell him to go. Then again, the topic at hand was one that was likely awkward, possible to stir up negative feelings and negative reactions, and (so her assumptions ran) he wouldn't -want- to stay if the discussion started to revolve around something that -had- upset him enough to walk off out into the rain.

"I just got off work...I only work over there at the call centre, you know?" Oh, that was a great idea. He might be a mass murderer so she wouldn't ask him for a one-off ride in a rain storm, but she'd tell him where she worked instead. Clever girl, Morgan, she berated herself. Then again, a ride would take him to her doorstep. She sighed and shook her head, trying to clear out the mess of stupid thoughts she was thinking.

"I'm sorry...I'm not good at this whole movie leading lady bit...I'm a bit too normal and boring. But...I'm trying?"

"No, I am sure you think that I am some crazy man anyways. I mean, who would not? What with how I approached you, and all those horrible movies out about foreigners. Well . . . I must say that you are brave and kind by not turning me away. And either exceptionally confident in yourself or quite . . . well, for telling me your work place. I do not know if I would have done the same, but to each their own, no?"

'Hm, from the way she keeps twitching and looking uncomfortable . . . the pauses in her speech. She regrets telling me her workplace. She knows that was a bad idea. She did not tell me to leave, but did not invite me to stay either. Smart girl. I wonder why she slipped with the job? I doubt it was my "charm". Perhaps a lapse in judgment. Either way, she shows street smarts. From a glance, hell even a stare she strikes me as average. But there is no fat under her chin and her forearms show slight definition. She is thin but keeps in shape, possibly a kickboxing or cycling hobby.'

He glanced up at the thundering from the sky, watching the rain patter down, slightly gentler, onto the translucent rooftop. Once more he looked down to her again. He almost looked like he was checking her out, and admiring what he saw. Not in an open, obvious way, but subtly. He had quickly built her up with his eyes and smiled.

'No, I do not believe she could be one of my . . .'

Pass times?

'Hobbies.'

Play thing?

'Experiments.'

Orgasms?

'...no. Maybe I want a challenge. Maybe taking one that had a chance of fighting back . . .'

NO! Do not take that risk, that is how you get caught!

'<chuckle> now now, it was only in jest . . .'

It was a dream; it had to be a dream. Audra had fallen asleep in the cafe and everything from the storm onward was a dream. This place was too beautiful, too perfect to be anything else.

Sanaii led her to a table near the center of the room, the perfect place for observing the wonderful combination of bakery, antique bookstore, and supper club. She gladly took the seat she was offered and glanced over the menu as Sanaii spoke.

Audra listened to the explanation of their location attentively. "Its...genius. The whole concept I mean...I know people who would kill to own a place this...fantastic." She replied, her eyes never staying in the same place for more than a moment. "A place like this shouldn't be so hidden..."

She looked at the menu again, each item sounded more delicious than the one before it. How could she decide? The waitress arrived at their table, a statuesque woman whom Audra had to really look up to see her face.

"Oh...um...I'd like a cup of tea please."

"Well, if you're a crazy man and follow me to where I work...there'll be lots of witnesses. It's not the sort of job where you stay late." She laughed brightly, seeing it all as a joke and a mildly clever way of going about their conversation. "Dumb would be asking for a ride. Let's get into a small enclosed space with a stranger, that's under his control where it goes, and give the address to where I live all by myself. Yeah, no problems with that one."

Although she had just slipped again--she revealed she lived alone--it was also a very timid way of fishing out information. At least, it worked in her mind. If he laughed off the joke and kept talking with her here at the bus stop, it might be worth giving him her phone number. But if he pushed the issue about getting her in the car with him now that the thought (and her refusal and reasons for it) had been raised, it would establish him as a creep.

"But we were all foreigners once. And besides. It's never the foreigner. It's always the unassuming upper middle class white side-character that nobody expects. Cause if it was the foreigner, then the director gets slammed for being a racist."

She smiled sheepishly, shaking her head. "Sorry...now I've just made it awkward.... We seem to keep doing this, starting a nice conversation and then finding it going strangely. Should we give it another go?"

She looked into his eyes with a genuine smile playing across her face. If she was frustrated with anyone, it was with herself. She wanted to keep talking to this elegant and handsome stranger that had asked her to pretend life was a movie for him. Because maybe, just maybe, maybe her luck would change this time.

And if not....well, at least she'd have a new idea for a story.

"If you insist. However, I am unsure how exactly to continue making it awkward. I do however have a proposition for you."

He had smiled right back at her, and for that period of time no thought entered his mind. Just a feeling of being all right, which was rare for him. But the moment passed as blood rushed to his face, coloring it a shade of crimson.

"Oh no, I just made it awkward again, did not I? Ha, oh well. What I meant by proposition was that I ask you to coffee sometime. For instance if you are not busy, maybe now? I realize that you are just getting off of work and waiting for the bus, but I do believe that store right over there is indeed a restaurant. A place full of people, witnesses if you will, to prevent any ill wishes that I may or may not have for you."

He could not help but chuckle at this. Creed found it insanely funny to be joking about something he normally took so seriously.

'A wolf in Sheeps clothing.'

She looked into his eyes, lost for the moment in the brief moment that seemed to make the heartbeat's length of time drag on as though it had been several minutes just looking into his eyes. Was that...what people felt like in the movies when the violins swelled? Supposedly their hearts stopped for a moment as well.

It felt positively dreadful.

A new book. A humour piece. A collection of short stories, each showing a 'movie moment' under the harsh glare of real life rather than the soft focus of a movie set. Oh, this could be brilliant. Maybe even...through that series of shorts, she could expand on the relationship between two characters, rather than random new ones for each scene. Oh, she could write the book -that- way, only tie it in all together at the end, with an epilogue that speaks not of happily ever after, but happily realistic...

Oh like heck that would sell.

But since when was she worried about what would sell over what she wanted to write? She pressed her eyes shut and nodded, trying to shut off the thunderous whirl of thoughts.

"Coffee sounds like a great idea." She opened her eyes again and smiled a bit more relaxedly. "Lead on, MacDuff."

"A Pumpkin Spice and Chocolate Drizzle cappuccino, please."

With a smile and a nod, the waitress wrote down their drinks and hurried off to place them at the counter, where they would be taken care of promptly. In the meantime, the girl still seemed to be enchanted.

Sanaii chuckled, practically seeing waves of glee coming off Audra's face. She had done well in bringing her here; she looked as if she had stepped into heaven. And for many people, this was the closest place on earth. She closed her eyes, just letting her other senses run free for a moment.

The gentle murmur of voices in the background blended with the music, flowing in and out as if it were a part of the symphony. She could smell everything in the bakery, the scent of bodies, of rain, of the candles flickering slowly, burning down, the melted wax. It all combined and gave her a strange sense of peace. Here, she felt safe. But then, she knew why. Here, she knew people. She was familiar. It wasn't the safety of numbers so much as the safety of familiarity. Audra, on the other hand, only had Sanaii to associate herself with. Silently, Sanaii wondered if the girl was feeling out of place, or if the majesty of the place was still overwhelming her. She decided to take the opportunity to look over the menu with her.

"So, see anything you like?" she inquired with a knowing chuckle. Even at the barest glance, she knew the menu had more delicious things than she could ever hope to digest in one sitting, so chances were, the girl had found plenty.

"Don't be afraid to try things either. Some of the best foods have the most peculiar names."

Having already decided on what she wanted, she folded her menu and waited for the waitress to return. There would be a chance to try some of the things, then no doubt the man of the hour would appear and welcome them all. She was really looking forward to the night; he had worked so hard for this and at last, his dreams were coming true. Nothing brought her greater pleasure than to see someone achieve something they had wished for and worked so hard to accomplish.

As the waitress finished taking their order Audra eased into her seat, taking stock of her surroundings once more. The music occasionally floated from the general hum of the background, a few notes reaching Audra's ear before fading again into the sea of voices and clinking dishes.

She looked across the table to Sanaii; while she had seemed comfortable enough in the cafe here she seemed genuinely at peace. The comfort radiated off of her, and seemed to smooth away any fears Audra may have had.

I can understand if that’s how she feels...this place is more sanctuary than dining spot. The flickering candles and rows of bookshelves brought to mind scenes of monasteries on rocky cliffs. if monasteries had pastries and string quartets that is...

Sanaii's voice brought Audra out of her thought. "Oh...well I haven't really looked too carefully." She skimmed the menu again, trying to cover up the fact she had been spacing out. "The profiteroles sound divine though... The pear torte as well..." The menu was simply too long for Audra to decide on a few meager samples.

"Do you have any suggestions?"

"Hmm . . . and here I had thought I could keep up with the American references. I must have missed this one."

He chuckled softly, but began walking towards the door across the street. Stopping next to the traffic light, Creed pressed the button to signal the cross walk, and as it changed he crossed.The rain seemed to lighten up a little, as if it dropped plastic bee-bees upon them, instead of full sized bullets.

'Now that is a reference I do know, Murphy.'

Reaching for the door handle he pulled it open and waited for her to walk through, saying:

"I have never been to this place before, but I think from the smell alone we picked a good one."

It took her a moment to even realize what it was he didn't understand, but she smiled and followed along beside him nonetheless. "MacDuff...it's Shakespeare. From Macbeth. I'm...too much of an over-educated fuss..."

She had spent most of her childhood reading, absorbing every bit of information and written language, trying to get a feel for how a story was written and what made a popular story popular. Sometimes, she thought it had been a waste.

She actually blushed a little bit when he held the door open for her, smiling nervously and stepping inside. How nice it would be if things like this happened every day... Another story...storybook scenarios happening to real people again, another chapter or short story in her big collection of one-offs....

It would never work. And it would be far, far too obvious to him that she had based the story around a chance encounter with him. How utterly tacky and presumptuous it would be of her!

She looked at her menu a moment, running a slender finger down the page in search of a good suggestion for the lady. So many things, so many delicious choices. It was so hard to pin down one. But one popped out at her and made her mouth water just at the name of it.

"Their Dulce de Leche. It sounds divine. But then, chocolate and caramel? My two greatest weaknesses," she said with a wink. The waitress had arrived with a smile, carrying their drinks on a ornate silver tray. She barely had time to glimpse the detail work before her attention was pulled away by the warm beverage that had been placed before her. The scents of pumpkin wafted up to her and she was miles away, back in her grandmother's kitchen as she baked her almost-famous pumpkin pie. The kitchen filled with the scents of spice and lilac flowers. The cheerful purple and white blossoms brightening the tables and windows. A late summer breeze making the curtains flutter. An afternoon sun dancing through the crystals that hung in each of the four corners; north, south, east, west. And her grandmother's humming, a song whose words were lost to the years.

It took her a moment, but she was back in reality, inhaling the delicious scents around her, listening to the amiable conversations that rippled through the room. It must have been the waitress's rich voice that brought her back.

"Are you ladies ready to order, or shall I give you a few moments to decide?"

Sanaii folded her menu and glanced at Audra, smiling.

"Do you need a moment? Take your time, there's no rush. And don't worry about price. Just choose whatever tempts your taste buds. I promise, whatever you choose will not disappoint."

She watched as Sanaii scanned the menu, her finger sliding over delicacies before stopping near the middle of the menu. She smiled and suggested to Audra the Dulce de Leche. a good suggestion indeed! Audra thought to herself, smiling as the waitress returned with their drinks.

Wrapping her hands around the delicate cup, Audra let the warmth of the tea seep into her hands, driving away the stiffness and cold. The waitress also set down a small sugar bowl and a tiny pitcher of cream which Audra moved towards as soon as her hands were thoroughly warmed. It's all so wonderful and adorable...you don't think it's drugged do you? She asked herself as she stirred a spoonful of sugar into the fragrant drink. If it is poisoned or drugged I should be able to taste if its off...but then again what if it's tasteless?

She looked over to Sanaii, who seemed to be off in her own world, a small smile played across her companions face. Whatever she was thinking about, it was good. Setting the teaspoon aside Audra once again wrapped her hands around the cup, partially stalling, but mostly because her hands were cold again.

The waitress asked for their order, and Sanaii quietly asked her if she needed a moment to decide. Audra smiled softly. "Oh no, I think I will take you up on your suggestion and have the Dulce de Leche please."

"Ah, the famous Shakespeare. I never have understood why his writings are so impressive. Yes, they were great stories but, why read them? They were meant to be plays anyway. Ah, here is a table."

Creed slid into his seat, and inhaled deeply of the great aroma of pastry and coffee. The place was small, intimate, but lovely. It was decorated in fall colors, and cornucopias lay across many a table. Only two people worked in the store at the moment, a small mousy teen aged girl and a pleasantly plump gentleman in his late thirties. She took orders while he baked and made the drinks.

The atmosphere was much like ones home, the fire in the brick oven keeping the store warm as rain drizzled on lazily outside, the soft murmuring of the customers. Creed enjoyed the place very much, and it was a place he usually reserved for private time with a book. He had never actually brought someone here before.

"So, may I buy you a drink?"

She settled in the chair, smoothing out her clothes a little bit nervously. She leaned over so that her hair hung over the floor, and shamelessly twisted out at least -some- of the drenching mess that had soaked through her hair. She took in the sights and the smells, closing her eyes for a moment and just drinking it all in like the atmosphere itself was a drug.

Yes, a cafe like this could be the source of many magical adventures, with the baker being the only one in on what was going on... Slipping magical potions into the pastries and drawing talismans on the bottoms of the cups...

Potions to do what?

Talismans of what sort?

She opened her eyes again and sighed softly, realizing that once -again- the story had dried up before she'd even begun. She'd lost hope long ago, and that was perhaps -why- the stories never came any more. Or she lost them before she even tried to write them. It was so -common- for her to come up with story ideas and run out of inspiration faster than she could drink a cup of coffee...

Why was it -bothering- her again?

She smiled absently for Creed, a bit obviously caught up in her own thinkings and imaginings rather than paying her full attention to him.

"You make it sound like we're on a date... I don't...think I even got your name past 'the charming, uncertain gentleman'. My name's Morgan. Treat me to your name before you treat me to coffee?"

She could have smacked herself in the forehead for how overly thought out that sounded, but as a writer she was prone to using some flowery expressions. Usually ones she'd thought of for scenes in her books that never got written.

Sanaii watched as the waitress wrote down the young woman's order and then looked her way, her lips curled into a friendly smile. The woman had a very nice face, now that she had a moment to notice. She was well suited for a waitress. Her features were soft, but lovely, with almond shaped eyes the color of melted chocolate, a small, rounded nose, full lips, and perfectly straight, white teeth. It was the kind of face that made people feel welcomed. The way she held herself as well, a tell-tale sign that she knew this kind of business, said that she was at ease in it. Perhaps she had a lot of experience as a waitress. But then, she would not have been hired, were it otherwise.

Sanaii set her menu down, knowing the waitress would not take them from the table until they were quite finished trying what caught their fancy. For an event like this, it was encouraged to try as many new things as you pleased, with the goal of finding something you liked that would bring you back. Of course, if the bakery did not do it, then the library/bookstore aspect would certainly bring you back, to lounge in the comfortable chairs and listen to the soothing music.

"Please make that two, thank you," she said to the expectant woman with a smile in Audra's direction. She watched her stir in a spoonful of sugar and wondered absently what kind of tea they had brought her. Most likely the House Special. As the woman wrote down her choice, she smiled and inclined her head, moving quickly towards the bakery and thus, passing out of Sanaii's line of sight. Her attention was focused more on her drink now; the delicious scents were ensnaring her senses once again. She took a long drink, savoring the taste as it moved smoothly over her tastebuds, before letting it warm her throat and stomach.

As her eyes once again began wandering, she caught sight of a door, at the edge of the book cases. She wondered where it might lead, and let her eyes sweep the rest of the room. There were several comfortable chairs scattered closer to the bookcases. Small tables, seating two or three people, speckled this half of the room, a couple of feet away from the more comfortable seating that she had just noticed. Two or three larger tables, accommodating up to ten people, breached the smatterings of smaller four and five seaters that took up the bulk of the space.

In the left half of the room the bakery section gleamed, a sparkling display of rich mahogany wood and polished glass that made a backwards "C" around a large, rectangular opening in the wall. Waiters and waitresses bustled up to the counters to deliver their orders, which the employees took and transferred to the next room, via the window-like opening that joined the two. Doors flanked the bakery counters, but they were still. The baked goods were being passed out the opening instead, on large trays, by the bakers to the bakery employees, and then from them to the servers. A small, waist-high swinging door gave passage from behind the bakery counters to the rest of the room.

The middle of the room was occupied space; a decent sized band was playing music that would soothe the patrons and not distract from any books they might be reading. The group was well played; they had no need for a conductor and all seemed to be playing in perfect harmony with each other. Clearly they had played together before. Sanaii wondered where they had come from and if they were local. A young man with dusty blond hair, playing violin, was particularly attractive and caught her eyes with both of his light blue ones. His smile was very charming. She quickly looked away though, not wanting to be distracted from her company.

"I expect we will have some time to try a few things," she began, no trace of a blush on her cheeks, "...and then Nicolas should make his grand appearance. You'll like him, he is such a sweet man. What do you think of the place so far?"

((Audra roll Perception: 10 4 2 5
Reroll Tens: 3
Successes: 1

Result: Audra notices her tea has a hint of honey in it. She cannot discern any more information about the drink at the moment.

Sanaii roll Perception: 9 4 10 3 10
Reroll Tens: 4 9
Successes: 4

Result: Sanaii takes notice of several things she had not, previously.))

Audra took the delicate teacup to her lips and took a cautionary sip. It was black tea, that she could discern simply by looking, but the somewhat cloying sweetness of honey lingered on her tongue making it difficult to tell exactly which type she was drinking. Though somewhat overly sweet, Audra could not discern anything unusual about her drink. Maybe I'm just being paranoid... She took another, healthier sip of the drink it's warmth permeate her.

But, it simply is too good to be true! Nothing like this exists without a catch! Perhaps it's a good catch though? Oh who has ever heard of a good catch?! Audra's thoughts kept going back to the sense of anxiety, no matter how small still lingering in the pit of her stomach. She looked across the table to Sanaii, who seemed to be having a most wonderful time exploring the whole of the space with her eyes. Sanaii seems like an open person, if something was afoot I'd be able to tell...I think. Audra heaved an internal sigh and took another sip of her tea, her attention piquing when Sanaii spoke.

"Nicolas, that's the owner correct? Will he be making a speech or something?" Audra asked half innocently. When this owner shows up I'll know for sure if this is legit or not. I know it!

"Ah yes, my name. It is Creed. Lovely to meet you, and the pleasure is all mine. Hm, how many other romantic-comedies can I throw into this? Maybe I can spill my coffee onto the floor on accident, and then you fall into my arms? No, too obvious . . . how about trying the old stupid pick-up lines that work because they are stupid? No no no, you are too smart for anything of that style. Ah, well then I guess none of my tricks will work upon you. What ever shall I do?"

He kept a straight face the whole time, only changing his expression to fearful wonder to express how hopeless the situation was. But a moment later his eyes lit up, the proverbial lightbulb flashing above his head.

"Yes! It might work! Now, to prepare myself."

He stood, straightened his leather jacket and smoothed his hair out. Then sitting once more he looked her deeply in the eyes and said:

"May I buy you a drink?"

She watched Creed for several moments, laughing brightly and nodding encouragingly. Whatever he was going on about, spoofing romantic comedies, it all sounded good to her. He was funny, as well. She smiled cheerily, gesturing towards the seat as he sat down in an over-dramatic way.

"Please, please, Mister Creed. Sit down and make yourself comfortable. I'm honoured to have your company." She giggled at herself, playing along as best she could and as best she felt she could manage without being too over the top.

"A drink would be lovely, a long conversation would be better. So drinks and a conversation and I believe you may put me straight to heaven."

She was feeling less awkward now, a bit better about being herself. Over the top flowery expressions and all. She was starting to really like him. Who knew that chance encounters in the rain really -did- lead to long and wonderful conversations, friendship, and more?

Maybe the world wasn't as clear cut and 'normal' as she thought...

She chuckled slightly, unable to help herself, before replying to Audra's curiosity.

"I expect he might make a small speech, but he's never been one for flowery words and rambling on. He rather be in the thick of a crowd rather than at the forefront, in the spotlight. He'll probably thank everyone for coming and explain the business a little, and then mingle amongst us. You can meet him yourself, as a matter of fact, since I know he'll want to speak with me. I have some news I am supposed to relay to him that he's been waiting for."

Her eyes swept the room again and caught sight of their waitress coming back to them. She smelled the food before she saw it and a dreamy expression crossed her face as she inhaled the scents of what could possibly be heaven on earth. Ambrosia! Oh, and how delicious it looked as the woman set down the plates. She could barely contain her glee, but she managed a polite, "Thank you," before she picked up her fork and cut small bites out. It was hard not to just dig in, but etiquette decreed that she not make a mess of herself and embarrass her company.

As the first bite crossed her tongue, she let out a contented sigh. Her taste buds delighted in the flavors, the delicate mix of chocolate and caramel, the texture. Ambrosia indeed. And what really brought a smile to her face was the fact that she knew every dish hereafter would be just as delicious.

"Mmm, Nicolas really does know his desserts, I must say," she said after swallowing the savory bite down. She was distracted with the food before her and therefore did not notice the gentle hand touch her shoulder until a smooth voice sounded behind her.

"I'm quite glad to hear that, Sanaii."

A gentleman standing at an even height of six feet, dressed in a very fine slate gray tux, was standing behind Sanaii, smiling softly. He had gentle auburn eyes and hair the color of rich, overturned earth that fell around his face in soft waves that barely brushed his jawline. His features were gentle, as if his face was made to smile, and his face was marked with laugh lines that betrayed his age only slightly. He couldn't have been more than thirty-five years old.

"Nicolas!"

Sanaii drew herself out of her seat, which he pulled out for her, and kissed both his cheeks, a gesture he mirrored.

"You're a bit early, aren't you? I wasn't expecting you for another twenty minutes, at least."

He shrugged slightly, a charming smile still lingering on his lips.

"I got anxious, I suppose. I was never very good at waiting. Better to get the worst of it over with soon."

His eyes left her face briefly and landed on Audra's, his smile warming.

"And who is your lovely guest?"

"Excuse my poor manners. This is Miss Audra, a perfectly darling young woman I met at a cafe this evening," she said with a gesture for her guest to rise and meet the man for herself. An encouraging smile graced her lips as she waited for the young woman's response.

She nodded as Sanaii described the owner of the establishment. From the description he seemed a good sort, if anything an excellent businessman. As Audra was putting her thoughts in order, hoping to keep at bay the dreadful silence that would creep into conversation the waitress returned, the smells of the deserts preceding her.

I may have just died... Audra thought, as the plate was set in front of her. "Thank you very much!" She was sure to thank the waitress before becoming absorbed in the piece of perfection before her.

Following Sanaii's move, Audra took a small bite letting it linger in her mouth. Her eyes shut tight and her shoulders slowly made their way up to her ears; a tiny squeal of joy coming from her closed mouth. This is the best thing I've ever had! She thought, also musing that perhaps she would be saying the same thing multiple times this evening.

The sound of a man's voice brought her out of her revelry. Standing behind Sanaii was a rather tall gentleman in grey. Audra could feel her face reddening again as Sanaii and the man began to speak. Was this the owner?

The conversation quickly turned towards her, and Sanaii motioned for her to stand. Audra quickly set the fork down and rose to her feet. "I...I'm Audra Martin and...and it's a pleasure to meet you!"

"Put you in heaven? I do hope not, dying at such a young age and all."

He glanced down to his hand and hid it beneath the table, and then realized his faux pas: He had ruined the magic by mentioning death.

"I am so sorry, I did not mean to bring . . . that up. How rude of me. Uh, well, let me buy you your drink, I will be back in just a moment. They have a delicious peppermint Mocha here that you should try."

With that said Creed stood and walked to the counter to order the drinks. While ordering his thoughts wandered.

'I should not be out here right now. I should be at home sterilizing my basement after the last . . . fling. But no, I am out here flirting with some girl that should not be around one such as myself. Hell, I could even be deciphering those runes I found the other day. Those were what? Egyptian? No. Native American? Indian? Hoodoo? Oh! They were Aztec. Yes.'

He had ordered two mugs of the peppermint Mocha, and was now bringing them back. His eyes looked past the window as he sat down, but he set the mug right in front of her and blew gently onto his own. After a moment they focused on her again and he blushed.

"Sorry, just thinking about work. I do have a lot to catch up on."

She hadn't noticed that what Creed had said could be considered a bit inappropriate--Morgan's sense of humour could be a little bit warped at times perhaps. Maybe that was why she actually enjoyed being a telemarketer most of the time. Maybe there -was- something seriously wrong with her. She wondered on why she had gotten on the thought tangent of herself being twisted, and only by working backwards did she consciously arrive at the original idea.

Creed's awkward apology also helped her come to the conclusion, because it wasn't a direction she would have thought of her thoughts taking. Now there was a tangled mess in her head, and when the cup of mocha was set down in front of her she jumped a little bit. She smiled for Creed, not wanting to spook him off with her jerky reactions.

Now where had -that- thought come from? Past experience, most likely. She took a little bit to warm up to strangers in person, but once she got going, she could be quite a character. She tried to make herself into someone important and special, and only came off as a self-centred boor at times. It was perhaps the reason she was good on the phones--she was able to do that and be that without feeling bad.

But it also meant that she was aware of it and aware of herself doing it. Right now, the last thing she wanted was to put Creed off by acting like an idiot. Especially when he had probably pegged her for the shy type. She was a mess of contradictions, and at least, thankfully, she -knew- it.

"It's all right," she insisted when he apologised for being distracted. She didn't mind--half the time she was off in her own world and her own thoughts anyway. "What sort of work do you do?"

The man politely bowed at the waist, connecting gazes with the young woman. She was not spectacular in any way noticeable by the eye, but that was not to say she wasn't pretty. The way her pale skin contrasted with the dark of her eyes and hair was attractive, and he liked the sharp cut of her hair. His smile warmed his entire face.

"Miss Audra Martin, what a pleasure."

He looked back to Sanaii with a grin and nodded, gesturing for them both to sit.

"Yes, she must be rather remarkable in some way to catch your interest. You don't impress easily."

The young woman chuckled and took her seat, taking her cup in hand and sipping from it, letting the beverage warm her to her toes.

"Ah...yes. Well, as you say, I have an eye for these things. So then, are you going to make the grand speech, or should I expect you hiding about in the shadows until they forget about you?" she asked with a mischievous glint in her sharp green eyes.

"Don't tempt me, Sanaii. I would very much like to skip the thing altogether. But I expect the rest of my guests wouldn't let me off so easily. Besides, now that they've seen me, there is no hiding, I suppose."

He winked cheerfully at Audra before taking Sanaii's hand and kissing it briefly. He repeated the gesture with Audra before bowing to them both.

"I suppose it's time to face the music, as they say. Ladies, I bid you adieu. And try the angel food cake. It is, if I may so, absolutely heavenly."

With another warm smile, he turned from their table and into the crowd, occasionally stopping to speak with a guest or waving at someone.

"Well, I expect we'll be hearing him stumble over his words in a few moments. Until then, shall we return to our desserts? I always feel awkward eating when someone is speaking."

Audra felt both flattered and nervous as the man before her bowed and smiled at her. This was the owner of this fine establishment and she didn't want to do anything to potentially upset him. Just mirror Sanaii and you should be fine. she said to herself, retaking her seat as her companion did.

She felt slightly out of place as the two seemingly old friends began to make small talk, mostly about her. She tried to move to her attention elsewhere, listening to the chatter of the table next to her, or looking at the flickering light against the wall. But, it was difficult not to listen in. What do they mean by 'impress'? What did I do? Audra thought as the two continued to chat.

Their conversation quickly moved to the owner’s upcoming speech. He winked at Audra, and for a moment she felt as though she had been let in on some sort of secret, what though she didn't yet know. The man's overall presence seemed to reflect the shop, calming, friendly, and somewhat otherworldly. You don’t think…no if Sanaii isn’t one then…maybe…

Her thoughts were derailed as the owner gently took her hand, brushing his lips against it's back; A gesture straight from a Regency novel. Audra thought for a moment she would pass out from all the blood rushing to flood her cheeks. The sound of Sanaii's voice grounded her, and Audra was happy to hear the suggestion to return to eating.

"Yes, I suppose we could nibble a bit before he begins..."