"Exactly! Even If You Miss, You Land Among The Stars! My Dad Said That Once." Beaming At The Girl, She

"Exactly! Even if you miss, you land among the stars! My dad said that once." Beaming at the girl, she couldn't help but think that the truth for Annie. She was so capable and intelligent she would succeed at anything she wanted to do. "And my ears?!" She laughed at Annie’s thoughts of being adorned by bracelets everywhere. A silly sight but a sight that made her heart burst with joy. It meant that someone cared about her. It reminded her of an old song she knew once. "No one prettier than you though." A finger tapped the end of the girls nose.

She bit her bottom lip as Annie looked it over, happy that she liked it. "Sort of, this is where that tradition comes from. It's a very old sign of commitment to someone. A promise." It was the best she could surmise it to, because while it had come to play a big part in marriages, it didn't technically mean any of that. It was more symbolic than anything. "Yes and no. The colors I chose because one is my favorite and the other reminds me of your uncle eyes. But they also mean, love, courage, luck, health, longevity, strength. Most of all, its my way of saying that to me, your tio is my one."

She wrapped her arms around the girl and lifted her up for a proper hug. "Thank you sobrinita." After a moment, she placed her back on the bed. "Now lets pack this up before he see's it." A devious smile on her face as they packed it up together and she wrapped the hoodie around it so it looked like it was just folded up for packing.

As they finished some more packing, Wally and Dolly made their presence known. "Yeah, babe." She called out, zipping up her bag. "You hear that, we're babysitting when we get back. So think up what you would like to do when we get back. Do you wanna take the rest of the cookies back home with you to share with your moms?"

"I'm sure I'm ready to go." Mentally she began to make sure that she hadn't forgotten anything, and then declared. "I just got to grab my toothbrush and hairbrush and I'll be set." Jittery nerves began to fill her, excited for what was to come. "Are you ready?"

Her eyes lit up thinking of their small little set up at an art gallery. "That's a big dream. I like it. Shoot for the stars and further! We can make a whole business out of it. Lucky you have two arms and two feet and two ears because we can fill you up like a canvas. Only you're prettier."

"Always. I love surprises especially if I know them before someone else." She gasped as she put her hands over her mouth to keep her from squealing. "The rope is very pretty. I like the colors. Does each color mean something? So is this like a tied rope like the ones that bind two people in marriage at churches?" She had no idea what that was like but she'd seen pictures of pretty veils and trains on dresses and white string that were around two people at an altar. "Is that what handfasting is?" Curiosity circled in her light eyes that she couldn't help but wonder if these were the same thing.

Annie's eyes hadn'tbugged out as wide as they were and pulled all her focus on the intricate rope on the bed. She got quiet for a long moment paying close attention to the intricacy of it. A small smile spread across tiny features as she nodded softly. The tiny tot became a little overwhelmed with emotion as she cleared her throat and gently trace fingers over it not wanting to ruin it. "It's so pretty." She finally spoke, happy tears pricking her eyes. Her facial expression asked if she was joking. "I think he'll love it. He won't expect it that's for sure," she giggled finding that sometimes he could become clueless. Didnt happen often but when it did it was because he didn't expect it. "You'll surprise him like really, really surprise him. I get two of my favorite people forever. I love that for me." She got down from the bed and made sure the pretty thing was still in tact and went to hug Liz's waist, pressing her head against her back. As if she needed any more confirmation. This hug Annie hoped would let her know she belonged. Like she had always belonged. "You want to be with him for a long time. I am so happy. Two deserve happiness."

As Wally finished packing two suitcases he went into the kitchen and grabbed a baggy for snacks. One thing he didn't travel without was snacks. Airport food was fine but with his deathly food allergies he was always one to be extra careful and vigilant. That done he went down the hall to turn off the lights and texted his sisters to warn them he'd bring Annie back tonight before their flight. They'd take over babysitting duties when they came back. Another thing checked off he put some towels away and turned off the light inside the outside closet and padded down to their bedroom. "Hey babe, has Annie finished helping you? I told her moms I'd bring her back before we left. I also kind of promised we'd take babysitting duties for her and her baby brother when we came back." Wally sped talked as he made a pit stop in their bathroom to get toothbrushes and the mouthwash. Then finally reached their bedroom door before Dolly stopped him mid way in the door wanting to be let in first. He chuckled and softly rubbed her ears. Dolly for her part barked to let Liz know she was coming.

The only thing he got in response to her distance was a shrug as she anxiously held onto the throw pillow waiting to know if the character would make it out of this alive or add to the body count. "Being hunted isn’t horror enough?" Her voice was small as she waited, proverbially, on the edge of her seat. When she had sat down for a break from baking and agreed to watch a movie with him, this was definitely not what she thought he would put on. Now though she found herself needing to know how this ended.

Hearing the titles of the other movies, she glanced at him for a moment with a quizzical look on her face before returning back to the screen. "Research? This is supposed to help with some sort of research? What? How to write fantastical teleporting killers?" It felt ridiculous that this movie could help in any way in anything.

"I don’t even know how this is supposed to help you." Letting go of the pillow, her arms came up behind her to hold him, her eyes never leaving the screen. "You’re running around from the perspective of the victim the entire time. And obviously, there’s more than one killer in this, the logistics don’t add up. Even if one of them is an Olympic runner, covering that distance and the way things get cleaned up before anyone else shows up, shows that it’s more to an one person. It also goes to show that the person doing this knows the victim personally, they know everywhere they are going to be, they know the in and outs of the house, it only comes from someone personally knowing you or someone who has been watching you for months. And if you don't realize someone has been watching you for months...." She trailed off.

It infuriated her that the people also seemed to choose the very obvious dangerous choices on purpose as well, what was the point of this all? "I love you too," she stretched and leaned her neck backward to look up at him and give his chin a small kiss. "And don't forget it."

With a small sigh, she chuckled. "Well, the mini lemon bundt cakes are probably cool enough to ice now, but there is also something else I made for you that I am seriously debating not giving you now that I had to sit through that." Standing up, she stretched before making her way over to the kitchen. "You can help me ice the lemon cakes while I decide about it."

Wally chuckled softly as he got pillow smacked. "To be fair, technicalities, you didn't ask what we were watching." He situated the pillow back and sighed dramatically when she moved away, all the way to the other side of the sofa. "Now, you're too far away." Letting out a sigh he focused back on the television. "This is a dumb movie and don't really know why it classified as horror. They used that incredibly loosely." Wally was not one for the horror hoopla but this was also an assignment which he thought was fucking stupid but supposed this is what he got when he dared stand up to his boss. Turned out they frowned upon ones who dared to ask questions when things didn't add up.

"At least this isn't Saw or Final Destination." Those movies freaked him out the most. Something about mundane things taking you out were not his kind of movies. "We can watch something else. I think I got half of my research covered for the case anyway." Getting into the mind of a killer wasn't really his idea of fun but it was part of his assignment. He got up and walked behind the sofa to drape himself over her and pressed his chin on top of hers and whispered . "I love you. None of these idiots would stand a chance with you. My girl is the toughest woman in the planet." He lifted his chin off her head and looked over at the kitchen. "You think those treats I saw you baking earlier are ready?"

( here )

alright you lovely people, I will be scarce here for a while. ground breaking is finally happening at the new clinic and I will be pulling double/triple duty for the next couple of weeks as it opens and gets up and running. And as you all know weekends are usually busy running around with my family as we figure out our weird schedules and dynamics. I will try my best to queue things instead of outright posting them, but I'm not making any promises. I will be available on mobile to chat/plot/shoot the shit, because my sanity is going to need it so don't be shy. 'til then, i will be running on café de olla and pure spite.

Yes and no from a penguin who knows you can be great! 

"Silver linings." Mayaken repeated to himself. He recalled the phrase but just hadn't heard it enough to really catch the meaning of it. "I think you look amazing!" And he was being honest. The sweat just looked like stars lighting up his body in this lighting, he'd look like he'd fallen from the night sky itself.

Pulling up his phone, he adjusted the angle just right until he captured the singer in just the right light. "Just do what comes natural," he said not looking up from his screen to make sure that he didn't mess up the view he wanted. "If that's what you want to do." A smile came to his face, it was just so natural to joke around with Michael and he didn't want this night to end. This photo would be proof that he had left the house and his comfort zone for a night with an amazing person.

Counting Michael down, he took the picture on one and smiled at it before turned the screen for Michael to see.

"I mean, the stars are nice. I just like to but a happier spin on things. Silver linings, you know?" Michael shooks his head a little.

The question surprised him, eyebrows raised. "A pic of me? Sure....? I'm sure I look like a sweaty mess though, but if you really want to...." He trailed off into a chuckle. "But you better let me see it, okay??"

"What do you want me to do? Pose like one of those french girls?" He asked jokingly.