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Post by Roland Ferrera on Feb 2, 2010 13:30:42 GMT -5
He laughed again. When she said she was going to ask him questions, she was serious about it. It was strange, though… he kind of liked it. “She called him Twitchy, because she thought it was funny how his nose would twitch all the time. But yeah, she was really sad when he died. He’s buried in the backyard, near one of the trees.”
In fact, he remembered that Ama had been almost inconsolable for weeks, and he had been very close to buying her another rabbit. The only reason he hadn’t was that Ama herself said she didn’t want another one, because she didn’t want to lose another one and feel the same way again. At the time, he had understood and agreed with her, but now he saw things differently. When you loved someone, there was always a risk that you would lose them. But to shut yourself off from it and deny yourself the chance to love and be loved also meant missing out on the possibility of something great, something life changing. No matter what happened in the future, the memories would always be worth the pain.
His sober thoughts vanished from his mind as she continued with the questions. “You are never going to let me live that down, are you?” he asked with a chuckle as she mentioned his Robin Hood phase. “Um… OK. I used to say I was never going to stay in England. I wanted to travel, and see the world. I wanted to go to America, and I wanted to go to Australia… There were so many things I wanted to see and do that I haven’t done… I still hope to, one day… with you. Is it my turn to ask you a question yet?”
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Post by Riley Neves on Feb 2, 2010 14:02:03 GMT -5
Riley was filing all of this away. She was getting an idea, actually, something that she probably wouldn't let him in on until their wedding day. It would make a good wedding present to him, she figured. But quietly, to herself, she promised that they would travel everywhere he wanted to go. She never wanted him to look at her as the girl who tied him down or held him back.
She sighed and leaned back in her seat, glancing to make sure that there wasn't a waiter near them yet to interrupt. "Yeah. I'm not done with you by any means, but go ahead. It's your turn."
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Post by Roland Ferrera on Feb 2, 2010 14:14:21 GMT -5
He felt an ache inside as her body language seemed to change. She had been leaning forward, interested and engaged, when he was talking. Now, she was pulling away--leaning back and sighing. It bothered him slightly, but he didn't let it show.
"Relax," he said lightly. "I promise I'll take it easy on you."
After all, this was their first "date" and he wanted it to be special for her. He would do his best to avoid the topics that he knew she did not like to discuss. Those could be for another time.
"Tell me how you met Geoffrey," he said, hoping that wouldn't be too difficult for her to talk about.
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Post by Riley Neves on Feb 2, 2010 15:37:22 GMT -5
Riley wasn't pulling away from him, really. She was just much more interested in the conversation when it was him talking. He had all the time in the world to learn about her... she wasn't sure she had that same luxury.
But his question made her eyes snap back to him from her menu, and she watched him. Why was he asking about Geoffrey? She knew he assured her that he didn't dislike Geoff, but she knew there was some jealousy there, and there were never what she would call chummy.
"He was a year ahead of me, so I wasn't with him for my sorting or classes or anything. I was at a quidditch game my first year, and I was late, so the only seat left was in the Hufflepuff section... next to this boy with brown hair. But the person in front of me was a seventh year and I couldn't see anything. I remember that it was a really bad, and I was really frustrated. He took me downstairs through one of the locker rooms, and we watched the entire game from the field, practically. I started tagging along with him, and then... we sort of just became inseparable."
(((I feel like Geoff was a Hufflepuff... no?)))
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Post by Roland Ferrera on Feb 2, 2010 16:00:21 GMT -5
(Yes, he was a Hufflepuff, although he would have been a year younger than Riley, not older. other than that, it's all good.  ) Roland smiled as he listened to Riley talk about Geoffrey. Despite what Riley thought, he had no issues with Geoffrey. In fact, he was no longer even jealous of him. He and Riley were in a good place, and he felt secure in the knowledge that she loved him. So what was there to be jealous of? "That was nice of him," Roland said. "He's a good guy. Look.... I know you think I don't like him. But he is my cousin and I care about him. He's just never liked me... and maybe I never did anything to change that, but I do regret it. And I know he's your best friend and he's important to you and that he needs you right now. I just... I want you to know that I support you." That little speech out of the way, he gave her a crooked grin. "I bet you're wondering why I never played quidditch." |
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Post by Riley Neves on Feb 2, 2010 17:01:07 GMT -5
((....oops. Ha ha))
Of course he supported her, but Riley knew that was more about her than it was Geoffrey. Which wasn't a bad thing- she liked that he was behind her, even in things he may not like one hundred percent. "Merlin, I love you."
His comment made her shrug. "No, not really, actually." She gave him a little smile before explaining herself. "I never saw you as the team player type, Roland. I mean, come on. You didn't even know me and you demanded that we not be partnered together, remember? You like doing things on your own, your way, and unless you were Captain, I can't see you putting up with it much. Or I'm way off base and you're actually terrified of flying or something like that."
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Post by Roland Ferrera on Feb 3, 2010 0:01:40 GMT -5
Roland laughed at her description of him. "Boy, you just think I'm a major control freak, don't you?" he teased. "OK... you're right. I am not a team player, and I like to do things my own way. But Riley, I promise you... I will never try to control you. And we're going to be partners in every sense of the word. I love you because you have your own mind and you're not afraid to let me know about it."
He hesitated for a minute, just looking at her. He had never liked the meek, silly girls. He liked girls with intelligence and strength, fire and passion. If he was honest with himself, she had intrigued him from that very first argument... he had just been too angry and stubborn to admit it.
"I don't actually like flying very much. I'm not afraid of it... just not very good. I find brooms clumsy and hard to maneuver, and as a result, I wasn't really cut out for the team. I tried out in my third year, and it was actually one of the most humiliating moments of my life. During the tryouts, I crashed into a pole and fell and spent two weeks in the hospital wing. I tried to play it off like I meant to do that and I was just trying to go out with a bang, but I'm pretty sure no one was fooled. Cyrus still teases me about it sometimes. Of course, I have plenty of things I can get back at him with..."
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Post by Riley Neves on Feb 3, 2010 10:38:52 GMT -5
"I don't think you're terribly controlling. That's not the word I would use for it, Roland. You just prefer to do things on your own. You're independent. I bet you were the most vocally independent of your siblings, too. I can see Cyrus and Ama both being close with your mum as kids, and where Jamie probably just wouldn't let anyone help him, you probably told everyone not to help you. How close am I?"
He was trying to assure her of a lot of things tonight, and she wasn't quite sure what to make of it. She appreciated it, but part of it made her heart beat faster, like she was making up everything she wanted to remember about before she lost the chance.
"I'm not worried about you trying to control me, Roland. I know you wouldn't. And I feel the same way... we've face death together, right? Going through life together is the fun part."
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Post by Roland Ferrera on Feb 3, 2010 14:19:38 GMT -5
The truth was, even though Roland knew Riley loved him, he still was sometimes afraid that she would change her mind. He worried that, one day, all the things about him that used to annoy her would start to bother her again. Of course, most of those things had been based on misconceptions they’d had of each other, but still… it worried him more than it should have. He needed to make sure she understood him.
But he didn’t say any of this to her. Instead, he just smiled and reached across the table to squeeze her hand. “OK. Just making sure you know.”
He was about to tell her she could ask another question when the waiter came up to take their order. Roland ordered the lasagna, a side salad, and a bottle of red wine, then looked to Riley for her order.
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Post by Riley Neves on Feb 3, 2010 15:21:05 GMT -5
Riley squeezed his hand back. She liked when he got romantic and kind of sappy like this. It happened often, but she imagined these moments would be rarer when normal life finally took hold, when they lived like a normal family.
Her eyes went to the waiter and she smiled softly, asking for the gnocci with red sauce. When the waiter took their menus and left, she let her eyes drift back to Roland. "You know, I was thinking about things. About us and the baby. I'm going to learn all about being a family right along with her. That's a humbling thought... but I'm getting more excited about it. I just want you to know that I'll learn quickly, okay?"
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Post by Roland Ferrera on Feb 3, 2010 19:31:14 GMT -5
He couldn't blame her for being nervous about it. He was nervous, too, really. They were going to have an innocent child, completely dependent on them. He firmly believed that they could do it, and that she was going to be a wonderful mother... but he still understood her fear.
"You're going to be great," he assured her. "We're going to be great. Our baby is never going to want for anything, especially not love."
There were still a lot of things they needed to decide and talk about, and a lot of plans to be made. They were going to have to start soon, but maybe not tonight. Still, it was a bit overwhelming when he thought about it.
"Have you thought of any names yet?" he asked.
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Post by Riley Neves on Feb 5, 2010 23:00:39 GMT -5
"No, if nothing else, we'll at least love her to death."
She took another sip of her wine, realizing how she was already referring to thd child as a girl. She hoped she was right. She could just imagine Roland the father to a little girl, and it made her literally ache for it.
"I haven't thought of names. I wanted to wait until we knew if it was a boy or a girl, but I have a strong feeling. Anyway, I've never been good with names. Have you? I bet you could think of some beautiful names. Maybe we should name her after someone in your family."
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Post by Roland Ferrera on Feb 6, 2010 0:25:39 GMT -5
Roland was thoughtful. It had never occurred to him just how important something like a name could be. Whatever they chose, their child would have to live with for the rest of her--or his--life. Like Riley, he was feeling pretty sure it was a girl, but they probably should have at least one of each picked out.
"I don't know... I don't really think I want to name her after anyone in the family. I mean... I love my family, but, well... this is our family now. You're a part of it, too. I just think our child should have a name that represents both of us."
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Post by Riley Neves on Feb 8, 2010 20:20:35 GMT -5
"I like your family," Riley replied, but shrugged. She could see where he was coming from, but still.
"No grandmother or someone who meant a lot to you? I want our child to have a name that means family or unity or love or something along those lines, you know? Because those are important and I want her to know that."
It was something. At least she had an idea of the type of name she was looking for, even if she couldn't think of any examples yet. "Or strength, maybe? I don't know. I'm not good with names."
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Post by Roland Ferrera on Feb 8, 2010 22:42:06 GMT -5
Roland smiled softly. "It means a lot to me that you like my family. My grandmother on my father's side was named Madrine. I have no idea what that means. I don't really know my grandmother on my mum's side of the family... Mum kind of split with most of her family after her father died. Aunt Lillian and the Montgomerys are the only ones she talks to."
He wanted to ask her what her mother's name was, but he wasn't sure how she would react. It wasn't so that they could use the name for the baby... he just wanted to know. It was just another one of the tiny, insignificant details that he didn't know about her, and he still felt like he was closed off from that part of her life.
"If you really wanted a name that came from someone in my family, and means love.... we could name her Carissa. It's a variation of my mother's name, and it means 'dear one'. It's just an idea... something to get us started, anyway."
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Post by Riley Neves on Feb 16, 2010 16:06:41 GMT -5
"It means motherly," Riley said, almost offhandedly when he mentioned his grandmother's name. "Or, I think it does. We have a similar word in Portuguese... not to give you a language lesson or anything, but the base, madre... it means mother. And Portuguese is very similar to Spanish. It's like Spanish and French all mixed together."
She shrugged, almost laughing because it wasn't exactly dinner conversation.
"Carissa is pretty. And it would probably make your mum very happy. I'm not sure 'dear one' fits. It sounds docile, doesn't it? Then again, your mum is hardly docile."
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Post by Roland Ferrera on Feb 16, 2010 23:59:23 GMT -5
Roland smiled. "No, my mother is most definitely not docile. I think I got most of my rebellious streak from her. Sometimes, I think that the meaning of the name isn't as important as how it sounds... the feelings in evokes in you when you hear it. I mean, really... my name means 'famous.' So is it any wonder I turned out to be such an arrogant prat?"
He winked at her when he said this, but he quickly grew serious again. "What does Riley mean? I think I remember you mentioning once that you were named for your grandmother. Were you close to her at all?"
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Post by Riley Neves on Feb 17, 2010 0:58:31 GMT -5
"You're not an arrogant prat," Riley said, her face and tone serious. It was probably the first time she didn't tease him back about it. Suddenly, she wanted him to know that she loved him exactly as he was, and that she didn't see anything bad about him at all.
"Riley means valiant and courage," she replied, but shrugged. "I think that's just flowery wording for 'too stubborn to give into fear' or something along those lines. It fits more, doesn't it?" Her smile was back, touching her lips before she took another sip of wine.
"My grandmother died when I was three, I think. Sometime when I was very young. I remember liking her, but that's about it."
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Post by Roland Ferrera on Feb 17, 2010 15:07:42 GMT -5
His lips quirked up in a crooked grin. It had become sort of a little joke between them, to poke fun at each other, particularly the things they had once complained about each other during their many arguments. But it was just as good to know that she saw him as he truly was, a man deeply devoted to the people he loved.
It was frustrating that they were in public and had a table in between them, because he wanted more than anything to take her in his arms and kiss her. He settled for squeezing her hand across the table. “I love you,” he told her.
He thought about her name, and how perfectly it suited her. She was courageous, and even though sometimes he did manage to see that brave front of hers fall away, he still continued to marvel at her strength.
“It does fit you,” he said. “I always thought it referred to the fact that you always got me all riled up.” He laughed at that. “I’m sorry about your grandmother, though. My grandparents on my dad’s side are both still alive, but they moved to France when I was 12. We used to visit them in the summers… Maybe I can take you there sometime. I know they would adore you.”
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