It was hot. It was humid. Riley was relatively certain that the weather gods were having fun with her. She'd begged them for so long for an end to winter that they'd decided to throw summer at her in the worst way. She'd decided to seek refuge on the porch of the Red Dragon, sitting in the swing with her name carved into the arm, sipping a bubbly lemonade and trying to pretend it was snowing or something.
Hot and humid was certainly what it was. So hot and humid that Mataya had foregone the planned jeans, and decided on shorts and a tank in the hopes of staying cool. She jogged lightly down the street, her eyes glancing to the Red Dragon on her way past. And who should she see but one Riley O'Rourke? A smile broke out across her face as she jogged backwards, lifting a hand in a wave. "Moving in here, are you?"
She gave 'Taya a lazy smile. "Until that creepy Communist fixes the A/C in the loft, yeah."
Mataya laughed, stepping up onto the porch with a smile. "Mind if I join you? It's a bit warm." Her grin widened at the understatement.
"Please do," Riley said and scootched sideways, making room for 'Taya on the swing.
Letting out a sigh of relief, 'Taya lowered herself onto the swing, flapping her flat hand next to her cheek as though the resultant air flow might cool her down. "How've you been? I haven't seen much of you since you got the Minister's job."
Riley snorted and sipped her lemonade. "Sometimes I think that was the worst decision I could ever have made. I'm spending 12, 13 hours a day in the office, doing the work of four people. It sucks."
Wincing, 'Taya glanced at her companion, seeing the signs of weariness as well as the heat on her. "You're doing good things, though," she pointed out with a smile. "And people know your heart is in the right place."
A brow arched, but Riley said nothing in response to that. "So, how have you been? Haven't seen much of you around, either."
"Oh, I've been okay." 'Taya shrugged lightly, stretching her arms up. "Been spending some time with Max, patching things over. And I had to visit my mother." She grimaced comically. "The woman never changes. But I haven't been neglecting my students, I promise. Brownies' honour." Up came her hand in the familiar salute.
Riley grinned. "Speaking of students, I have a proposal for you, if you're interested?"
"Been married once, wasn't any good at it," Mataya answered automatically, then burst out laughing. "Sorry, force of habit." She turned her sunny smile onto Riley, twisting in the seat to face her friend. "Shoot. I'll get my question out of the way after."
"Hell, I can't even get past the engagement part." Riley sighed softly and shook her head. "Anyway ... I've had to drop all but my yoga class, which I may have to drop as well. I just don't have the time to dedicate to the studios anymore, and I'm afraid of letting things slip too far. I need someone to take over the business end of things. Interested?"
There was a pause, and a blink, as 'Taya considered what she'd just heard. "You need a manager," she clarified the request thoughtfully, mentally going over her own commitments. "I can do that, certainly. I don't really have anything else on at the moment. What about your ballet classes?"
"Yep, that's exactly what I need. A manager." Riley grinned and chuckled. "And so does the Studio. I've already given over the ballet classes to someone who apparently used to dance for the Paris Opera. She's good with students, crap with everything else."
'Taya laughed softly. "Most dancers are, I've noticed," was her quiet agreement. "Sure, I'll be your manager. Until you quit the Ministry job, anyway." She grinned cheerfully. "Actually, that fits in pretty well with what I was going to ask, anyway."
Riley's brows rose. "Oh? And yay!" She hugged Taya fiercely, though briefly, and then sat back again.
"Hot, too hot!" 'Taya protested through the hug, though she was no less fierce in returning it, however brief it was. Laughing as she sat back, she tugged thoughtfully on her braid. "Well, it occurred to me that everyone who takes the classes - most of them don't have any motivation to keep taking them, to keep improving. I was thinking ... maybe setting up a showcase every few months to show them off to friends and family, maybe a couple of scouts, might be a good idea?"
Riley gave 'Taya a brilliant smile. "That's really kind of funny. I was thinking about that before this MoJ gig. And then it just sorta got ... pushed aside, you know?"
"Yeah, I can imagine." 'Taya grinned. "I asked Fiora to see if she could search out a venue for it, though - don't worry about stumping up cash. Between us, me and Max can cover any expenses, and any refurbishment that might be needed. I'll take care of everything for you; all you'll need to do is turn up for moral support." She smiled merrily. "And, you know, maybe be in one or two of the shows."
"Really? You'd do all of that? All that work?"
'Taya offered over a faintly guilty smile. "Well, it's sort of close to what I was thinking of doing when I got here," she admitted guiltily. "I was thinking about maybe setting up a theatre company. This way I get practise at it, without making too many messes. And I have a ready-made cast."
Riley smiled. "Well, I know the little girls in my ballet classes will be delighted. So...yeah. Go for it. I think that sounds like a great idea."
Mataya smiled. "Yay! Okay, too hot to hug again, but I will definitely be squeezing you tight when it cools down again."
Riley laughed and stuck out her hand. "Shake on it, then?"
"Next best thing." Chuckling, Mataya slapped her hand into Riley's, squeezing and shaking enthusiastically. "You totally need to get me a key to your office, though. Anti-social Max will not enjoy it if I start leaving paperwork all over the apartment."
"You'll be sharing the office with Mr Cheung until we can figure out another place for him, too. But don't worry - I'm sure he'll like you. It's just me that he hates with a passion."
Mataya snorted with laughter. "I wouldn't be too sure. He keeps catching me putting out the garbage in my underwear." She grinned wickedly. "Okay, so maybe I do it on purpose now. But the first coupla times, that was by accident."
"Oh ..." Riley nodded. "So that's who he was talking about. He cornered me the other day as I was coming home and screamed at me in some odd mixture of Mandarin and English about devil women and their unmentionables and how I should put a stop to it."
"Oh, my god!" Mataya dissolved into giggles. "Like that's going to make me stop!" Holding her stomach, she rocked back against the seat, gasping for breath. "Oh god, it's too hot to laugh! Will this godforsaken heat never end?"
"Probably not until September. If it'd rain more often, that'd be awesome." She sat back, crossing those impossibly long legs at the ankles and sipped more lemonade. "So...uh...how's it going with Max? You guys getting along well?" She'd missed having a girl friend to talk to, and this was nice - not having to think about work or politics.
So it would be for the afternoon - no more talk about work, politics, or anything causing stress to either of them. It had been too long side Riley and Mataya had had a chance to just talk about nothing, and it was long overdue. With the business discussion out of the, it was time to get back to basics.
_________________
http://www.saguaro-juniper.com/sightings/08-12-12Sunset_micamtn0030.jpg
((Adapted from Live Play with RileyORourke. Thanks, sweetheart!))
Hot and humid was certainly what it was. So hot and humid that Mataya had foregone the planned jeans, and decided on shorts and a tank in the hopes of staying cool. She jogged lightly down the street, her eyes glancing to the Red Dragon on her way past. And who should she see but one Riley O'Rourke? A smile broke out across her face as she jogged backwards, lifting a hand in a wave. "Moving in here, are you?"
She gave 'Taya a lazy smile. "Until that creepy Communist fixes the A/C in the loft, yeah."
Mataya laughed, stepping up onto the porch with a smile. "Mind if I join you? It's a bit warm." Her grin widened at the understatement.
"Please do," Riley said and scootched sideways, making room for 'Taya on the swing.
Letting out a sigh of relief, 'Taya lowered herself onto the swing, flapping her flat hand next to her cheek as though the resultant air flow might cool her down. "How've you been? I haven't seen much of you since you got the Minister's job."
Riley snorted and sipped her lemonade. "Sometimes I think that was the worst decision I could ever have made. I'm spending 12, 13 hours a day in the office, doing the work of four people. It sucks."
Wincing, 'Taya glanced at her companion, seeing the signs of weariness as well as the heat on her. "You're doing good things, though," she pointed out with a smile. "And people know your heart is in the right place."
A brow arched, but Riley said nothing in response to that. "So, how have you been? Haven't seen much of you around, either."
"Oh, I've been okay." 'Taya shrugged lightly, stretching her arms up. "Been spending some time with Max, patching things over. And I had to visit my mother." She grimaced comically. "The woman never changes. But I haven't been neglecting my students, I promise. Brownies' honour." Up came her hand in the familiar salute.
Riley grinned. "Speaking of students, I have a proposal for you, if you're interested?"
"Been married once, wasn't any good at it," Mataya answered automatically, then burst out laughing. "Sorry, force of habit." She turned her sunny smile onto Riley, twisting in the seat to face her friend. "Shoot. I'll get my question out of the way after."
"Hell, I can't even get past the engagement part." Riley sighed softly and shook her head. "Anyway ... I've had to drop all but my yoga class, which I may have to drop as well. I just don't have the time to dedicate to the studios anymore, and I'm afraid of letting things slip too far. I need someone to take over the business end of things. Interested?"
There was a pause, and a blink, as 'Taya considered what she'd just heard. "You need a manager," she clarified the request thoughtfully, mentally going over her own commitments. "I can do that, certainly. I don't really have anything else on at the moment. What about your ballet classes?"
"Yep, that's exactly what I need. A manager." Riley grinned and chuckled. "And so does the Studio. I've already given over the ballet classes to someone who apparently used to dance for the Paris Opera. She's good with students, crap with everything else."
'Taya laughed softly. "Most dancers are, I've noticed," was her quiet agreement. "Sure, I'll be your manager. Until you quit the Ministry job, anyway." She grinned cheerfully. "Actually, that fits in pretty well with what I was going to ask, anyway."
Riley's brows rose. "Oh? And yay!" She hugged Taya fiercely, though briefly, and then sat back again.
"Hot, too hot!" 'Taya protested through the hug, though she was no less fierce in returning it, however brief it was. Laughing as she sat back, she tugged thoughtfully on her braid. "Well, it occurred to me that everyone who takes the classes - most of them don't have any motivation to keep taking them, to keep improving. I was thinking ... maybe setting up a showcase every few months to show them off to friends and family, maybe a couple of scouts, might be a good idea?"
Riley gave 'Taya a brilliant smile. "That's really kind of funny. I was thinking about that before this MoJ gig. And then it just sorta got ... pushed aside, you know?"
"Yeah, I can imagine." 'Taya grinned. "I asked Fiora to see if she could search out a venue for it, though - don't worry about stumping up cash. Between us, me and Max can cover any expenses, and any refurbishment that might be needed. I'll take care of everything for you; all you'll need to do is turn up for moral support." She smiled merrily. "And, you know, maybe be in one or two of the shows."
"Really? You'd do all of that? All that work?"
'Taya offered over a faintly guilty smile. "Well, it's sort of close to what I was thinking of doing when I got here," she admitted guiltily. "I was thinking about maybe setting up a theatre company. This way I get practise at it, without making too many messes. And I have a ready-made cast."
Riley smiled. "Well, I know the little girls in my ballet classes will be delighted. So...yeah. Go for it. I think that sounds like a great idea."
Mataya smiled. "Yay! Okay, too hot to hug again, but I will definitely be squeezing you tight when it cools down again."
Riley laughed and stuck out her hand. "Shake on it, then?"
"Next best thing." Chuckling, Mataya slapped her hand into Riley's, squeezing and shaking enthusiastically. "You totally need to get me a key to your office, though. Anti-social Max will not enjoy it if I start leaving paperwork all over the apartment."
"You'll be sharing the office with Mr Cheung until we can figure out another place for him, too. But don't worry - I'm sure he'll like you. It's just me that he hates with a passion."
Mataya snorted with laughter. "I wouldn't be too sure. He keeps catching me putting out the garbage in my underwear." She grinned wickedly. "Okay, so maybe I do it on purpose now. But the first coupla times, that was by accident."
"Oh ..." Riley nodded. "So that's who he was talking about. He cornered me the other day as I was coming home and screamed at me in some odd mixture of Mandarin and English about devil women and their unmentionables and how I should put a stop to it."
"Oh, my god!" Mataya dissolved into giggles. "Like that's going to make me stop!" Holding her stomach, she rocked back against the seat, gasping for breath. "Oh god, it's too hot to laugh! Will this godforsaken heat never end?"
"Probably not until September. If it'd rain more often, that'd be awesome." She sat back, crossing those impossibly long legs at the ankles and sipped more lemonade. "So...uh...how's it going with Max? You guys getting along well?" She'd missed having a girl friend to talk to, and this was nice - not having to think about work or politics.
So it would be for the afternoon - no more talk about work, politics, or anything causing stress to either of them. It had been too long side Riley and Mataya had had a chance to just talk about nothing, and it was long overdue. With the business discussion out of the, it was time to get back to basics.
_________________
http://www.saguaro-juniper.com/sightings/08-12-12Sunset_micamtn0030.jpg
((Adapted from Live Play with RileyORourke. Thanks, sweetheart!))