Amour

Upstairs in the workroom, Lydia was busy at, well, work. She had crafted a considerable amount of dolls lately, and was organizing a few in some bins to set out downstairs. She figured it was time she gave it a shot at selling them. They came in a plethora of design and dress, and she even started to make animal dolls as well, such as bears, or mice, or anything she could get to look cute or somewhat silly. After they had been sorted out, Lydia sat down and got to work at writing down prices on tags to affix to each bin.

It was then that the door opened without so much as a knock and the bounciest and blondest of The Stitch employees jaunted inside. "Fire! Here ya are. I've been lookin' for ya." Carley started towards Lydia, something rolled up in her hand, but was immediately sidetracked by a bin of dolls. "Oh! That's cute!" She plucked one of the little bears wearing a silly plaid green dress. "I didn't know you were makin' these..."

"I have been for a while." Lydia smiled a little. "I only just now decided to really start selling them. So what did you need me for?" She set pen down and adjusted the hem of her dress - entirely too fancy for work, since she was still playing the part of Griffith's doll.

"I think they'll sell just fine." Carley gave a nod before hesitantly setting the doll back into the bin. She'd have to do some pilfering and begging later. For now though, she was an elf on a mission! With a grin on her face, she approached Lydia and unrolled the paper in her hand - which turned out to be The Oracle. "You should take a look at this. Someone wrote ya somethin' and I think it'll make you feel better. I know you don't read this anymore, but you should see it." She set the paper on the table in front of Lydia and over the tags she had been working on.

"Feel better? Since when was I feeling 'bad'?" It was near mumbled as Lydia's gaze shifted to the paper. Immediately she recognized just what it was. Valentines. She wasn't sure whether to frown or cry or sigh or haul off and punch Carley in the face. "...this is what you wanted me to see?" Her nose crinkled, just a little.

"Yah-huh! Well, not all of it, but someone wrote ya somethin' nice! Read it!" Carley was grinning ear to ear as she rolled on the balls of her feet. "I usually hate this crap, 'cuz it's so pointless, but I just wanted to show you yer valentine."

It was then that Lydia did in fact, sigh and roll her eyes. She refrained from the frowning and crying and punching, for now at least. Pulling the paper closer lips pursed as she glanced over it, then started reading the first thing with her name on it that caught her eye.

"To Lydia: Oh my green haired lovely you tease and you delight, perhaps one day I will know if the grass is as green on the southern side of the.. pasture.. what? Robert?" Glaring to the little elf, Lydia's expression was otherwise confusement. "What is this? You thought I'd-"

"Oh! Oops!" Carley made a face and laughed a little before leaning forward. "That's not what I wanted ya to read! This one!" Pointpoint.

The green haired elf was more than skeptical at this point, but after a long suffering sigh she turned her gaze to where Carley had pointed and started to read yet again. "Lydia - We may not be the same person, we may not agree on everything, but in the end I know you'll be there, and so I'll be there for you. This is a day for love, and I love you like a heart sister... even if we aren't as close as we've always been. You're beautiful, graceful.. refined, special, smart, and brave... You are a rarity in this city. Never change... Erin.."

Still all smiles, Carley rolled a bit more on the balls of her feet before turning to face Lydia, smile fading as she noted her expression. "Fire? Ya don't look too happy...? I thought you'd like to see that..."

"Mm? Oh, no!" Lydia shook her head vehemently then smiled to the little blonde. "This was great, thanks for showing me. Really. I wouldn't have seen it otherwise..." She nodded before letting her gaze trail back to the paper and the words Erin had put out there for her, contemplating them. Her smile broadened a touch and it even showed in her eyes.

A Gift

Once upon a time Carley used to love to go to work at The Stitch. There was always an ever present bounce in her step- a skip in the way she would walk there. She always looked forward to seeing her friends there. She adored Ivy, even when the woman was stern with her and didn't hold back in lecture or advice. Truthfully it was one of the things Carley adored her for. Everyone needed a good kick in the butt every now and then- she was no different, even if she tried not to let on to such. Erin was always fun and outgoing, and in a way, not entirely unlike herself. Erin was someone she could confide things to without fear of judgment. And Lydia? Polar opposites at times, but like a magnet still drawn to one another. Well, back then at least. Now? It felt as if they had all slipped from her, and all she was left with were the memories of the past.

Maybe it was a part of aging and growing up slowly. Others around her changed and evolved before her very eyes while she remained static. Everyone else was changing and moving on, and Carley was just feeling so left behind. Or maybe that was the problem? When things were good, she wanted them to stay that way. If she had a way to freeze time the night she and Glenn were at the glen watching the fireworks and and fireflies, she'd likely have done it. It'd have been rather childish too, trying to desperately to cling to that one good moment in time and miss out on other moments. Moments like heartache and anguish are inevitable for sure, but the good makes it all worth enduring. So long as there is good...

The scent of apple blossoms pervaded Carley's thoughts as she approached The Stitch. A lovely smell to be sure, even if she was never all that gungho over flowers or perfumes- though it smelled awfully natural and light to be a perfume. There was no possible source in sight that Carley could see, but her attention soon refocused itself on something else- a basket left in front of The Stitch's door.

That in itself wasn't an odd thing. Perhaps someone had left one of the girls a gift? Carley picked up the basket to look it over, finding the contents appealing but hardly of a romantic nature. Fruits? It was a very nice assortment at least... She thought maybe Bane had left it for Lydia, or Glenn left it for her, or maybe Erin or Ivy had a suitor? Or maybe even Griffith or Lola or Lirssa? There was no tag that should could see on the basket though, so there was no way she could know.

Still, there was something about the gift that made Carley smile, even not knowing the 'gifter' or the intended recipient. She held it close as she took her keys out to unlock the building, then ventured inside and set it up on the counter so everyone could enjoy it.