Esmeralda made a face. "Well, I don't think my coffee is bad, but I do have cream and sugar. I take lots of both myself." She wrinkled her nose. "I don't like the taste of coffee much."
"I'd rather have chocolate milk myself, but this is good coffee, Es," raising her cup. "And just what I needed to warm me up. Man, it's nasty out there today. Saphira wasn't kidding."
"Do I wanna ask how you got so wet?"
"Um... no. I don't want a lecture."
Esmeralda raised her eyebrow. "That bad, hmm?"
"Let's just say that as a lawyer, I recognize the importance of keeping my own counsel in certain circumstances."
Esmeralda just smirked and shook her head, then stepped closer to the stove. She ladled some soup into two bowls, setting one in front of Brianna and putting the other at the place beside her. Then she took the bread and sliced it quickly and efficiently, causing Brianna's eyebrows to jerk into her hairline in surprise. "What?" Esmeralda asked in confusion at the expression on Brianna's face. She set the bread between them and grabbed the small plate of butter from the fridge. She poured herself a glass of milk and topped off Brianna's coffee, then took her seat.
Brianna shook her head. "Nothing. I didn't realize you had been a waitress as well as a custodian."
Esmeralda chuckled. "Not me. I've just learned a few tricks from Saphira over the years."
"She must be a great teacher then. I don't think a machine could have made it any more even," Brianna commented as she picked up a slice of bread and buttered it.
"Oh, that...." Esmeralda laughed. "I learned that when I was younger," not going into specifics. "Thank you for braving the weather to come visit today. You didn't have to."
"I know," Brianna agreed, moaning when the taste of the soup hit her tongue. "But it was either throw myself on your kindness or eat Fig Newtons for lunch."
Esmeralda snorted. "You have GOT to go shopping, Brianna."
"I know, I know. I'll pick up a few things on the way home - I just didn't see any sense in stocking up right before going home for a few days."
"Are you looking forward to it?" Esmeralda asked curiously since Brianna's voice was devoid of emotion.
"Mostly, yes. At some point, it'll give me a chance to see a few people and catch up with my friends. I have a small circle of female friends who I try to get together with once a month or so. We have dinner and go to a movie or show; or we do something outdoorsy - you know... hiking or spelunking or diving. I've really missed that since I've been here. You can't know how thankful I've been for yours and Saphira's presence in my life here."
"I'll bet. I know how it feels to be stuck inside for weeks on end with only yourself for company."
"Well, I have managed a short phone call to each of my friends at some point and they've returned the courtesy, but it just isn't the same as being there together in person, you know?"
"Yeah... I do know. Miss anyone special?" biting her lip when Brianna's head snapped up in surprise. "C'mon, Brianna - you're a beautiful, intelligent, successful woman. Those are attractive qualities to everyone. Do you mean to sit there and tell me that no one else has noticed that? That Charisma is the only person to hold a special place in your heart?"
"Charisma is the only person to hold THAT special place in my heart - it's why nothing else has ever really worked out. But there have been one or two women who were important to me in their own way, and yes, they are part of my inner circle, so to speak. We all parted on good terms and chose to remain friends." Brianna frowned hard. "Why the sudden curiosity?"
Esmeralda bit her lip. "In many ways, you remind me of myself. But in one very important thing, you seem to be much like my Saphira. She isolates herself sometimes, and I think - whether you intended to or not - you've let yourself become somewhat isolated here."
Brianna reached over and squeezed Esmeralda's hand with a smile. "Don't you ever go changing, Es. You remind me very much of Kay. She was my first lover," she continued, reading the question clearly in Esmeralda's eyes.
"I remind you of your first lover?" Esmeralda's eyes grew wide. Brianna laughed.
"Not in the way you think, Es. Physically, you and Kay are very different, but in here," pointing to Esmeralda's head, "and here," pointing to her heart, "you are very much alike. You draw people to you with your caring and genuine concern. There's something about both of you that makes people believe in you... trust you to keep them safe." She chuckled. "Don't be embarrassed, Es... it's a good thing. The world could use more people like you two in it - it would be a much better place."
Esmeralda ducked her head to hide the red flush she could feel creeping up her neck. "I don't know if that's all true, Brianna, but I'm flattered you think so." She took a deep breath. "So what happened between you and Kay, if you don't mind me asking?"
"Charisma, more than anything else. I was still young and hurting over losing her from my life and Kay was my rebound relationship." Brianna sighed. "We wouldn't have worked in the long run anyway for several reasons," she confessed. "But part of me will always love Kay. She was my first and she taught me a lot - not just about the ways of love and lust, but about life itself."
"Who broke it off?"
"It was mutual. I couldn't stop dreaming of Charisma and she was falling in love with a man."
"Really?"
Brianna smiled. "Yeah, Kay is truly a bisexual woman - she's enjoyed good relationships with both sexes. And he's a wonderful guy - good husband, great father. Lee and I are actually good friends. Kay deserved someone who could love her like Lee does and she's totally devoted to him. They have a lovely family together, and they include me as often as I can join them."
"And she knows about Charisma?"
Brianna nodded. "Aside from those immediately involved, including you and Saphira, she's the only one who knows the whole truth. Apparently I talk in my sleep. It's how she learned about Charisma in the first place, and I wasn't going to lie to her when she asked."
"I would like to meet her," Esmeralda said spontaneously, then bit her lip. Brianna smiled.
"I'll see what I can do. She earned the Tagherty seal of approval," she added wiggling her eyebrows. Before Esmeralda could comment, Brianna's phone buzzed. She glanced at the screen. "It's Charisma," she relayed with a frown. "Let me take this real quick."
"Go on," Esmeralda instructed, shooing her off. "Go to the living room. I'll join you as soon as I clean up in here." Brianna nodded as she clicked the phone on and raised it to her ear on her way out the kitchen door. She was back before Esmeralda had the dishes done. "Problem?" Esmeralda asked over her shoulder as she caught a glimpse of the expression on Brianna's face.
"Hmm?" Brianna replied, shaking her head to clear it. "Oh... no, not really. Charisma called to cancel tomorrow. It seems Kent came home from the theatre earlier than expected, and they've decided to spend the extra time at the Tagherty homestead."
"And how do you feel about that?"
"Relieved," Brianna admitted instantly. "I mean, part of me really wants to see those pictures... to know what Charisma sees when she looks at them." She picked up a towel and started drying as Esmeralda turned to wipe the table and counters down. "The other part of me isn't sure I'm ready for that."
Esmeralda nodded. "What about Kent?"
Brianna bit her lip thoughtfully, her drying slowing to almost nil as she reflected on Esmeralda's question. Her hands picked up speed again as she brought her eyes back to meet Esmeralda's. "If I am completely honest, I'd like to hate him. After all, he is my rival and he has what I want most in the world... a love and a home with Charisma. That being said - I really don't know him beyond the fact that he is Charisma's husband and Adam's father. And if he makes her happy and takes care of his son, well... it's kind of hard to fault that."