AMELIA ORTIZ

;; i don't need gravity, i just need growth

[dotykocalenia-deactivated202406]

[amelia-ortiz]

@javier-inciarte

[chasemmccoy]

Did he think he would get Maeve back? It was hard to say. The last few times they'd spoken had all ended in raised voices and insults being thrown at each other, but that didn't necessarily mean all hope was lost. That had been their dynamic for a good portion of their relationship, but there was still love there between them; he could feel it. He had left the door open for her before, so it was only a matter of her walking through it with him at this point. "Guess it depends on what she wants. She made it pretty clear she wanted nothin' to do with me when I got locked up, so we'll see."

Chase waited patiently as Amelia got up to get her daughter, adjusting his shirt though he had already checked himself over multiple times before even arriving to make sure he looked alright. He'd been nervous about the possibility of meeting Daniela, especially considering her significance to two important people in his life, but hearing about her and actually seeing her, he wasn't expecting the rush of emotions that came over him at the sound of her greeting and her unspoken request to be picked up. He grinned in return, scooping the child up from the ground and giving her a big bear hug. "Hey, munchkin. Been waitin' a long time to give you one of these." Chase had never been fond of kids in the past, but this one had a special place in his heart. "You been good for your mama? She's been workin' hard here, so you gotta make sure you listen when she tells you somethin', okay? Otherwise she's gonna tell me and I'll have to bring my friend the tickle monster to help me out."

[amelia-ortiz]

"Well, if you ever want to talk about it, I'm probably the most suitable person to relate." She snorted a laugh. The way Maeve had wanted nothing to do with Chase, and Javi wanted nothing to do with her? You had to laugh about it, right?

Watching Danelia take to Chase like a duck to water had been the interaction she had hoped for, for a long time now. Seeing it play out only tugged on her heartstrings, threatening to make a pool of tears in her brown eyes. Children were always unpredictable, and Dani was usually a nervous kid. It only assured her that she'd spoken about him often enough for her to feel as if she already knew him, which had been the goal, after all. "I listen," the girl nods, trying her best to wrap her little arms around him and get herself comfortable on his lap - a clear display that she didn't plan to go anywhere. "Tickle monster?" Big, curious eyes look up at him as she waits for him to explain, causing Amelia to laugh. "You don't know who the tickle monster is? I think Chase should show you, just so you know."

[javier-inciarte]

It was odd, feeling like he had absolutely no idea what to say to her. But he might as well have been speechless. Even in the moments when he stood back while Amelia embraced the little girl, he still couldn’t steady his mind enough to actually settle on something to say. Her finally looking at him and staring as though he was a ghost didn’t help, but he didn’t blame her for it. Truth be told, he felt quite sure that he was looking at her with the exact same expression. Four years was a long time, and sure, he’d thought about what it’d be like to stand face to face with Amelia again, but all the thinking, pre-planning, and hoping could’ve never actually prepared him for seeing her– especially seeing her with a child he had to assume was hers. 

Swallowing thickly, he took the coward’s way out (again) and glanced down at his feet, not sure he could wholly withstand looking her in the eye. It meant he didn’t see her wavering initially, or catch the way she stumbled. It was only her defiant you know she is comment that had him finally blink up from his shoes in confusion. How would he possibly know that? “What? No, I don’t–” he stammered, head shaking, but before he could really comment any further, he saw her start to buckle– and then she reached for him. “Amelia– shit,” he cursed, arms instinctively hooking around her, hoping to try and soften the blow he knew was coming. 

Once she passed out, he gently eased them both onto the grass. “Hey, I’ve got her,” he started, addressing Amelia’s friend, “Why don’t you guys go down to the water and we’ll meet you there?” because Javi didn’t think the little girl needed to see her mom fucking faint if she didn’t have to. Waving them both off, he sat down, settling Amelia’s head in his lap, not only to make her comfortable, but because he knew she didn’t need to open her eyes and have the sun’s blinding light beaming straight into them. At least this way, he could use his body to block out most of it.  He wasn’t sure how long it took her to stir. In a lot of ways, it felt like a lifetime, but when she did? It was hard for Javi not to do the most, and he had to remind himself not to crowd her or overstimulate her. “Amelia?” He started, peering down at her with big, curious brown eyes, “Hey, hey– you’re alright.” Having known Amelia for years, he’d learned what to do whenever this happened. By now, it felt like second nature, even if, granted, he hadn’t done it in years. “Your daughter’s good– she’s with your friend,” he continued, fingertips lightly brushing her hair away from her face and tucking a few strands behind her ear. “You okay? Got some water if you want it.”

[amelia-ortiz]

Brown eyes ping open first, disorientated panic - the usual questions. Where was she, what happened, had she hurt herself, etc. Except, the second everything flooded back to her, she focused on the man who seemed to be cradling her. "Javier." She whispers, needing a few seconds for her brain to catch up. Your daughter's good. It hurt more than she thought it would to hear, but it wasn't until his hand touched her face that she pushed herself to sit up. "No, I'm fine."

Frowning, she puffs out a breath, looking around until she spots her friend with Daniela. A sigh of relief seeing that she was safe, all thanks to him, apparently. "I didn't know you were out." Clearing her throat, she can feel the way her heart pounds in her chest. Just being this close to him after what felt like a lifetime, it was no wonder the shock was enough to floor her. "Guess it's lucky you are though... Thanks, for, um.. for grabbing her."

Sitting a hand on her ribs, she couldn't hide the way she was struggling to take a deep breath. Just as she suddenly seemed to forget how to form her own thoughts. Everything felt jumbled to the point she couldn't work out how she felt, here in this moment. Was she angry? Upset? Both? "Kind of thought... I'd never see you again, actually." Which was kind of dumb, but it had been so long, that she'd allowed herself to take that thought and make it something she actually believed.

[blakesara]

She let out a laugh at the story, "Kids are completely unpredictable!" Her blue eyes moved over to one of the outdoor arena that was set up for jumping, "I do actually." Blake pointed towards her daughter as she took the jumps, "She's seventeen, and working her a... butt off for a spot in Paris." She had been just weeks past her nineteenth birthday when she'd realized she was pregnant. Sophomore in college, had only just been patched into the Sons, raising soccer star... pregnant. The first person she'd tried to call was her mother, it had been instinctual. Surprisingly she'd picked up and then not so surprisingly she'd spent ten minutes telling Blake she was an idiot and basically called her a slut. After hanging up Blake had a small cry and then called Rose. "When she was six, there was this farm in Seattle we would go to, she was obsessed with this goat... until she actually got in front of it and something made a noise, scared the goat and it fainted... Peyton ran away screaming." And now she was possibly following in Blake own footsteps to the Olympics... even if it was a different sport.

"Yes! Put the blame completely on us! It seems to save some parents the silent treatment at home." She let out a soft chuckle before tilting her head in thought, "Anytime really, there is almost always someone here during the day. The office is right there at the stables."

"I went to Harvard, and then on to Harvard Law. What about you?" She's pretty sure if she hadn't been asked to join the Seattle Reign's, or... well OL Reign now, she probably would have stayed in Boston. Maybe life would have been different. Maybe Michael would still be alive. Or maybe not. Life was funny, Blake's own timeline of moving in with her dad was only two years later at fifteen. Her mother hadn't passed, but there were times where Blake thought it would have been easier if she had. Then Blake wouldn't have to see her around town, acting like the perfect happy family. For Blake her father had been the one to make sure her dreams did come true. "I'm sorry about your mom, I can't even imagine that kind of pain." Wanting your child to have better than you was something Blake felt, and she would be forever thankful that for however awful Michael had been to her, it hadn't extended to Peyton. Her daughter had grown up, slowly over time. The way it was supposed to be. Not as a child dealing with abuse and then more. "I think all parents what that... but people who had their childhood taken from them understand that want on a deeply personal level. Ther is just something about watching your child laugh and enjoy life at an age when you yourself didn't."

[amelia-ortiz]

"Oh, that's her? You don't look old enough to have a seventeen-year-old if you don't mind me saying. I mean it as a good thing." Amelia smiled. "Paris? Nice. That's on my bucket list, to visit, obviously." Listening to the story about the goat made her chuckle, it was also nice to just listen to another parent, really. She didn't have any friends who had children, only a group of random moms in a facebook group she joined a while ago.

"Oh, so do you practice now then?" Presuming she had stuck to it and finished the course. "Me? Oh, no, I wasn't in any position to consider education. I did it kind of backward, when I moved here, I stayed at Blue Moon and the lady who owned it trained me up, and funded everything for me. I took over when she retired, I can't say it was ever something I pictured for myself but I'm quite happy with it." Mostly because it felt like the first real thing she'd managed to achieve, something she was actually good at.

"I appreciate that," nodding, she smiled softly as her thoughts roamed across a few favored memories of her mother. "Yeah, I think you're right about that. I know I can't protect her from everything, but I'll damn well try." Laughing softly, brown eyes warm as they watch the innocence of her daughter, skipping across the grass, spilling laughter into the air. "I'll come by on Monday, around 10am, if that's ok?"

[lovesspell]

"Oh yeah they definitely do. I mean it may just be a casino outside of Vegas but I know they're stacking it up in there." They also knew that it had ties to the Enterprise but that was never something Amelia needed to know. Just the thought of one of their friends knowing made their heart feel like it had dropped into their stomach. "Mm, maybe, but you know I don't kiss and tell." They wiggled their eyebrows in return and laughed. "You're not wrong about that. I think I have a good list of contenders for warm bodies to cuddle up to. But we'll see, you know the holidays for me are all about spoiling my sisters and doing all the cheesiest things possible." Despite how hard it had always been to celebrate the holidays without their parents, the Cooper sisters had made the most of it and Ella kind of turned into a total cheeseball when the holidays rolled around. It would have been nice to have a partner but Ella appreciated just having the time with family.

"You know, you just might be right there. Yeah, it sucks but in the long run you're helping her out. She might not see it but it may be what she needs to have a bit of a reality check. And it really does. Makes life so much more bearable, you know? But anyway, after that shit show, I'm kind of eager to throw a decent party. Without all those rich people just you know like every day folks, good people, good vibes, good booze and good music. We'll call it Quadruple G's. Quad G..I'm getting ideas here for sure. I mean when was the last time you just..had a good fucking time, you know?"

[amelia-ortiz]

"Of course they are, it's a small town, not an empty town. Plenty rich or dumb people to go spend their dollars there." She chuckled. Personally, it wasn't how she chose to spend hers, but each to their own. She'd much prefer a day trip with her baby, or even just a night in with a hoard of snacks and comfy matching pj's. "Ugh, I do know that, and I hate it, in case I haven't told you enough already." Amelia pouts quite furiously, though she's not at all serious about it. It was mostly just the friend in her that wanted to know all about Ella's antics. "Your sisters and me? Excuse you for leaving me off that list when half my daughter's name basically contains yours," via the 'Ela' part, and sure, it was because Amelia's mother was called Daniela, which Ella knew, but.. details, right? Laughing it off, it wasn't like she was being serious, she never expected gifts, just having Ella as a real friend was always more than enough - more than she ever had before settling here, really.

"No, I know that. I've literally done everything I can. I sent her on two separate training days, on top of the in-house training. It's just weird, because when she speaks, she knows the answers? But put her in the field and it all goes balls to the wall. Having to apologize and refund an 81-year-old lady, at 9am on a Monday morning, because my receptionist actually asked her, on the phone, if her 28 year old grandson who was staying in the motel with her, was her toy boy..." Raising a brow, practically to the roof of her head... "I can't deal with that. I don't know why she says what she thinks, there's literally no filter between thought and words," and believe her, she had tried her best to explain to the girl that you just can't say things like that to clients. "Ohh, Quad G," grinning, she steals a sip from her glass before drum-rolling her hands off the table. "I haven't in a long ass time, count me in, tell me how I can help? Sounds like fun."

[lovesspell]

"Well then don't breath, see how that works out for you. Hell yeah I'm drinking. In solidarity and sympathy, obviously. We'll get something strong." Ella grabbed the drunk menu to look at what options they had to play with. "No they absolutely cut her off. Now Katy Perry is traumatized. She's never gonna come back here. I'm surprised she came here in the first place, honestly. And yeah, I know. Super tame. But honestly I was so drunk it wouldn't have been a good look for me. But I've gotten plenty of kisses lately from women I didn't expect it from so its been plenty sweet for me. I love the holidays," they said with a smirk and their own wink in return. They finally decided on a drink and sat back in their seat to listen to Amelia's recap of her day.

"Eh we'll see. I don't want to push it, could've been a heat of the moment thing. Don't want anyone to get attached, you know?" They hadn't been interested in anything more than fleeting moments for quite some time. It had been easier to deal with, easier to pretend like they hadn't run from the last relationship that had been meaningful to them. From time to time they missed the warmth and comfort of a partner, especially during the holidays. But they felt like they had somehow shut down the part of them that was able to develop anything past a simple crush that usually only lasted a week. "Oof, yeah, I know what that's like. Running a business makes it hard to not come off as an ass when you're the boss. I remember the first dude I fired and that was rough. He always brought me gifts and shit but he was a terrible bartender. People weren't even getting drunk that's how bad it was. Ms. Blows really is funny though, I gotta give 'em that. But yeah if it's losing you bookings then you gotta put her on the chopping block. I believe you, I know you can do it," Ella assured her, clapping their hands together as their drinks came. "But hey, cheers to surviving another day, right? And still looking hot as fuck doing it. It counts for a lot, really."

[amelia-ortiz]

"Ugh, you're so good to me, Ella, thank you." Something strong sounded just what she needed. One drink wouldn't hurt, she had a good couple of hours before she had to collect Dani. "No, honestly, I'm surprised she came here too. I mean, those casino boys must have some serious dosh, right? Oh how the other half live." Amelia chuckled, not suggesting she or Ella didn't do well for themselves, of course. But hiring Katy Perry? Might be a little out of their paycheck.

"Unexpected kisses? Anyone I know?" Wiggling her brows, of course she was going to pry. "Fair enough. Although it is the holiday season. Could be nice to have a warm body to curl around?" Smirking, she felt like she already knew where Ella stood on that idea, it was still funny to suggest it though. "Maybe he gave you gifts because he knew he was a terrible bartender? Master manipulation." Laughing, she falls into a soft groan and nods. "I know, I know. I don't want to but I will. I have to at this point." Frowning, briefly, her face only unscrews at the sight of their drinks. "Cheers," picking up the glass to take a big gulp. "Oh for sure, being hot really helps take the edge off."

[lovesspell]

"Hi, yeah take a deep breath," Ella replied with a laugh and gave her shoulders a squeeze. "Hell yeah I've ordered for the both of us, got most of the usual, figured you wouldn't want to wait so long. Wasn't sure if you wanted a drink though." Ella rolled their eyes as they thought about the ball the other night. "Yeah that shit was a total vibe killer. Like major cock block vibes. And during Katy Perry? Rude as fuck. But hey at least no one like..died, right? That would've been the most major bummer. But I'm cool, you know? Got really shitfaced at a Halloween party last night so it's kind of amazing I'm walking but I did also make out with a woman dressed as the devil so I'm not convinced she actually gave me eternal life. You know, usual weekend shit. What about you, babe? Tell me about the idiot or you know don't, whatever you want."

[amelia-ortiz]

"I've been taking deep breaths all damn day, if I breathe any deeper at this point my lungs are going to pop." Snorting out a half scoff, half laugh, she nods gently. "Yeah, yes. Drink. Something strong. Well, only if you're joining me?" Amelia grins, deciding to leave it up to Ella to decide whether or not she wanted to encourage her into something alcoholic. Damn, right now she certainly hoped so.

"So fucking rude. Did they not even wait until she'd finished singing? I'd have been so pissed." She chuckled softly, mostly just so pleased that everyone got out relevately unharmed. "Oh yeah? Just made out? Tame for you, Coops." Flashing a teasing wink, she pauses to give the waitress a drink order.

"You gonna see her again or was this a one night in hell kinda deal?" Grinning, of course she was endlessly curious about Ella and their antics. A girl had to live vicariously sometimes, right? "Ugh, honestly there isn't that much to say. I've been trying to train her for two months now, she's not picking up the basics and I just feel like a whole bitch that's constantly on her back, you know? The girl is so nice and I'm going to have to fire her, probably." Sighing, she knows she doesn't need to tell her friend how much that bothered her. "I've ran out of ways to explain things, I've even given her sheets with instructions, and she's just not grasping it. Literally today, I heard her take a call for a booking and, quoting this, she said, Ms. Blows? Ha, that's hilarious... Literally, on the phone, to the client. And I was just like, oh my god? I mean, it is hilarious but don't fucking say that, right? The client hung up and we didn't get the booking."

[javier-inciarte]

WHERE: Lake Mead WITH: @amelia-ortiz

Up until about four years ago, Javi hadn’t ever appreciated the outdoors quite like he did now, but after his release, he’d taken to random strolls around Tonopah Valley, and one of his favorite spots was Lake Mead. It was buzzing with life and warm, despite how cold the November air was turning, but what stood out to him the most was that it was nothing like Culiacán. Maybe that was why he liked it so much. And so this was his therapy– his way of re-integrating himself into the world now that his wrists weren’t weighed down by shackles anymore. It was a way for him to get fresh air and lose himself in the world around him– beyond that, though, it was a reminder of how good the world could be, and so he clung to it. 

It was all well and good– in fact, his mind was actually at peace, mulling over the lastest Chopin piece he’d decided to learn now that he was free to play piano again. And then…he saw it. Dark eyes happened to glance upon the winding road leading up to Lake Mead, and only a few paces away he glimpsed a little girl, casually making her way towards the asphalt. “Shit,” Javi hissed beneath his breath, knowing he couldn’t very well look the other way. He took off in a sprint, dashing towards the girl before she wandered a step too far. 

By the time he reached her, she’d taken a step or two out into the road, and Javi whisked her up without a second thought, carting her away back into the grass– back to safety. “Hey, hey,” he cooed, kneeling down so that he was almost eye level with the little girl. “You’re okay,” he assured her, dipping his head down so that he was at least somewhat eye-level, “It’s all good, yeah?” Javi thought to say more, but a shout in the distance stalled him and he looked up. The woman leading the charge was unfamiliar to him, but the one following close behind? He’d have to be dead to forget her face, and even then, he wasn’t so sure he ever would. Amelia Ortiz. The only woman he’d ever loved, and the woman he’d essentially told to get lost, if only because he couldn’t stand the thought of dragging her down with him. Suddenly, it was almost as if he forgot about the kid in his arms. “Amelia?” He called out, brows knitting together as dark eyes took her for the first time in…far too long. He’d be lying if he said it didn’t break him in a lot of ways, or leave him breathless. No matter what had transpired between them, Amelia would always have that power over him, even if he liked to try and convince himself that she didn’t. “Um– hi,” he stammered, wholly unsure what to do with this. Then again, Javi wasn’t sure what to do with most situations. “Saw her wandering into the street,” he confessed, not wanting it to look like anything more than what it was. It was purely innocuous, nothing more– nothing less. “She…uh– she yours?”

[amelia-ortiz]

Leaving Daniela in the care of a friend, Amelia had walked off to catch up to the ice-cream van. It wasn't the best weather for something so cold, but cravings didn't really care about that. It was on her walk back, juggling three cones that she looked forward, spotting her friend talking to someone she didn't know... But no small child by her side. A frown at first, brown eyes drift to the surrounding patch of grass, expecting to see Dani there. Now, whether it was instinct or just pure fear, her heart had already sank, seconds before she finally spotted her child, making her way towards the road.

"No, no," a breathless whisper, she drops the ice-cream and runs as fast as her feet could take her. So blinded by the danger her baby girl was in, she hadn't noticed her friend was also running towards her, nor did she take any notice of who swooped her up and out the way of a vehicle that would have done devastating damage. "Daniela," frantically approaching, even now she knew she was safe - she wanted her child in her arms before she decided she could actually breathe steadily.

No time or focus yet to scold her friend for taking her eyes away from her, Ameila picks up her daughter and chokes on a sob as she fusses around her little face. It was only when she looked over to the hero in order to thank him, she sees what feels like a ghost from the past staring back at her. "Javier," quiet as a mouse, her entire body stills with a trail of goosepimples travelling up her spine. Hi? That's what he had to say?

Her compleciton paled and her eyes almost squinted with the desire to focus, nodding quite gormlessly at his comment. "T-tegan," twisting her body, she leans to show her friend that she's asking her to take a hold of Dani. Amelia didn't want to collapse with a child in her arms, or at all, preferably. "What?" Confused, she stumbles just a little as she turns back to face him. "You know she is," she says, because for her, that was the belief. Javi knew. How could he not? "I'm... I need to sit-" the more overwhelmed she felt, the more hazy her vision became, knocking her off balance even stood still, her hands move out in front of her, instinctively grabbing onto something solid - him.

Her vision blurred to a blakened state. Try so she may, she could never truly control what happened, her grip on him gives way at the same time her legs do, passing out before she could say or do anything else.

[blakesara]

Blake let out a small laugh, "Pretty much, and honestly getting obsessed with it young is almost better. At least most programs for will any interest a kid could have, have mostly reasonable prices for kids." With Peyton, Blake had let her follow her obsessions as much as she could. Some of them had fallen away as she got older but now... because she got to do so much, her daughter had settled into what she really wanted to do now and she wasn't picking up random, expensive, hobbies. "We try to keep that pressure of the parents as well, if a parent ever expresses a worry, we try to avoid telling the kids it's their parents keeping them back. It works because so many kids sign up at different ages and we don't have a set number of lessons beyond three that kids don't really notice as much if someone moves up sooner than them." Blake leaned back against the fence of the pasture, hands falling to her pockets, "I wouldn't say it's like riding a bike... only because bikes don't have a mind of their own, I didn't ride a horse for close to ten years after I moved away for collage. A few refresher lessons and I was ready to go again. Why did you stop, if you don't mind me asking?"

[amelia-ortiz]

"Well, all I know is she is facinated by horses, at least toys wise? Movies, pointing at them in feilds. I think she'll be fine around them, but you never really know, do you," she chuckled. "A few months ago she cried her eyes out for four hours because we drove by an Elsa lookalike in Vegas. We went back the next day, she ran up so excited, the woman kneeled down to greet her and she literally turned and ran screaming." Amelia can't help but fall into a quiet fit of laughter. "Unpredictable, truly. Do you have any children?" She asks, mostly just curious to know if the blonde could relate to what she was saying or not.

"Oh, so if I decide to freak out and say no, I can pretend it's your fault?" Grinning, she shook her head, sighing softly. "I appriciate you taking the time to talk with me, I feel a lot better about it now. When would be best to come by and sign her up?"

"Where did you go for college?" She wonders, having travelled quite a bit herself she was always interested in who had been where. "No, I don't mind. I lived with my mom but she passed when i was 13, so after that..." Amelia wrinkled her nose and shrugged. "That's why I stopped. I had to move in with a dad I didn't know, and he didn't really care to continue with my passions." Chuckling, although, she couldn't say it wasn't laced with bitter sadness. "I just want to give my baby everything, you know? I had to grow up quick, I don't want the same for her. I want her to enjoy everything, stay innocent for as long as possible."

[chasemmccoy]

Although Chase had rarely felt like he belonged anywhere in the beginning of his life, when he moved to Tonopah Valley, he'd found the closest thing he'd had to family in his friends in Los Santos. After Amelia tried stealing his shitty car that barely ran all those years ago, she eventually got added to the list as he saw a lot of himself in the wayward girl. Seeing her get this emotional over his return caused a warmth of affection grow in his chest and he couldn't help but chuckle some in response to her barrage of questions. "Is it deflectin' if I'm checkin' in on you, though?" he asked with a teasing smile. "I didn't tell you 'cuz I didn't want you to worry about me. I could hold my own, barely got any scars from it either," he assured her. The last thing she needed was to worry about him being stabbed when she was raising a newborn on her own. "It feels... good. Bein' put away like that, my whole life fell apart, startin' with my engagement. Just hopin' I can pick up the pieces of everythin' now that I'm back. Gonna talk to Rio about gettin' my job back and see where we go from there." He glanced around. "You bring the munchkin to work with you or what? Think it's about time I meet her face to face, finally."

[amelia-ortiz]

"It can be both, don't think I don't see it." Narrowing her eyes at him, she doesn't want to press the subject, she only wants him to understand she's not a fool. Therefore, he could safely assume she would be checking in on him and desiring more detail about how he was truly feeling. "Barely any..." Amelia frowns, letting her eyes linger on him a little. "I worried about you regardless," she adds. How they met was chaos in itself, but everything after? It only made her feel as though Chase was the brother she never had. He looked out for her, cared, geniuenly. He never asked her for anything, never wanted anything in return for his kindness and that was something new to her. Truly, without Chase reminding her that not every human on the planet was out for themselves, she'd have taken off to the next town and would probably be still living a lonely life. She owed him everything, even if he didn't know it. "Do you think you'll get her back?" She wonders, wanting to know where his head was with Maeve. Did he want them to be a couple again? "I'm sure Rio will be glad to have you back." Nodding, her face breaks into a warm grin as he mentions Daniela.

"Yeah?" Amelia stands up, gesturing for him to wait where he is. "I think she'll know who you are from the photos I've shown her," and the way she spoke to her about him often - but he already knew that via her letters. "She's a shy girl though, just let her approach you," chuckling, she steps into view of the office and holds a hand out, signalling to Dani to come over. Once she does, she crouches down, kisses her head and nods over to Chase. "You know how we talk about Chase? And how when he came home from his holiday, you would get to see him in person?" Trying her best to explain it simply to her daughter, who was nodding like she understood. "Well, this is him, Dani. This is your Uncle Chase." Amelia adds, almost nervous to see how she'd process the information. She watched her daughters eyes float between hers and his and after a few moments, like a lightswitch had turned on, her daughter gasped aloud and broke into a bright smile. Dani ran to him, stopping just a foot away, she clutched at her teddy bear and looked at him with big doe eyes. It was obvious to Amelia that her nervous nature was trying to take over. Daniela puts her teddy on the floor and teeters just a few inches closer, still just looking at him as if she needs more time to understand that he's here. He's no longer just a picture on a screen or a person her mother talked about. Tiny hands slowly reach up and out, giving him the go ahead to pick her up. "Hi." She says quietly, pairing it with such a childish, gleeful grin, it had Amelia releasing a breath she hadn't realized she was holding.

[amelia-ortiz]

tag: @ella-cooper location: licence to grill

"Coops." Reaching her friend with an esasperated sigh. "You would not believe the day I've had. I've employed an idiot." Grumping as she takes of her coat, she takes a big breath to calm herself down. "Sorry, hello." Chuckling, she leans forward to give Ella a half hug. "Please tell me you've ordered. I could literally start chewing on the table." Chuckling, she slides into the booth and makes herself comfortable before shifting the focus of the conversation. "How are you? I heard about what happened at the casino." She couldn't say she wasn't happy she chose to stay home, that was for sure.

[neckkiss]

Yay.

[damnitdani1]

[amelia-ortiz]

@javier-inciarte

[antoniojimenez]

“You’re being dramatic,” Antonio scoffed, reaching down to pick at the chicken on his plate, though the fleeting hint of a smile at the corner of his mouth said he was only messing with her. Having grown up with two younger sisters, he was well versed in how to pick on them whenever the opportunity presented itself, and now, seeing as he was estranged from both of them, Amelia had that honor all to herself. “Yeah, if I tried that I’d be out of a job,” he chuckled, head shaking gently. Losing his chef gig would only be bad in that he’d no longer have a cover story to feed his ex-wife when she wondered how he was paying child support. Admitting that most of those payments came from blood money likely wouldn’t go over well. “Honestly, I am shocked you offered– I know how protective you are of your burgers.” Which wasn’t a bad thing– there were worse things to be possessive over. Cringing, he lifted the piece of meat to his face again to study it more closely, “Yeah, really– it’s a nice shade of mottled gray.” Shrugging a shoulder, he set the slice back down, “I mean, you could die– or just end up puking or shitting your pants for a solid twenty-four hours. It’s a gamble, really,” Antonio set his plate aside with a smirk, curious brown eyes darting across to her plate, “On second thought, you wanna split your fries?”

[amelia-ortiz]

"Oou, burn," she nocks as he parrots her words back to her, chuckling into her glass as she takes a couple sips. "Well, one of them, maybe. Imagine trying to explain to Nadia where your child support is coming from if you got fired as a Chef." Amelia snorts out a laugh. It wasn't funny, per se, and she wouldn't say she felt good keeping such a secret, but needs must, right? "Well, there's something of a story behind it, actually. So, a few years back I was passing through Chicago and I dipped into this burger joint, watched them put together the most amazing-looking burger for me, yeah?" Rambling on, she pauses just to munch on one of her onion rings. "Anyway, so long story short, I ended up giving it to a homeless man on the way back to the car because I felt sorry for him. I couldn't afford to go get another but that was fine, he obviously needed it more, right? Wrong. So wrong. The next day, I was driving by and I saw him climbing into a lavish car with all his takings for the day." She scoffed. "I've never forgotten, I've never forgiven, so now, yes, I'm very protective over my burgers." Nodding firmly, as if that somehow confirms her ever-present anger about it. "A gamble any sane person wouldn't take," brow raised, she leans over and pushes the plate to the side. With a brief look and quiet sigh, Amelia digs a knife through her burger and pushes half to the other side of her plate, setting it in the middle of them. "Don't say I never do anything for you. It could be an early Christmas present."

[logandonovan]

Logan's hazel eyes focused on Amelia as she spoke, only lowering them to the table when she voiced her concern, grappling with the difficulty of opening up about her own feelings. Logan had always been hesitant to burden others with her thoughts, preferring to keep them hidden deep, and tucked away. However, as she listened to Amelia's own struggles, a pang of guilt washed over her. Amelia was right; she wasn't alone in this. After a moment of contemplation, Logan finally spoke. "You know I apperciate everything you've done… Are doing." She said, flashing a faint smile. "I think… I just gotta get over this hump. I think." Hoping it would get easier now that the service was over. At the mention of dinner, Logan's stomach unexpectedly growled, not realizing how hungry she had actually been until then. "Ugh, pizza sounds perfect." She nodded in agreement, before taking Amelia's phone to place the order. A small chuckle fell from her lips. "Please and thank you." To the pajama question. "Just the thought of sleeping in jeans is enough to make me want to jump out a window."

[amelia-ortiz]

"No, see... that's what I'm talking about," she chuckled, shaking her head. "We're friends, this is what we do. You don't need to be thanking me, you don't even need to appreciate it, you know? I just want you to know that you can feel whatever you actually are feeling and let it show. If that's buckets of tears or anger, whatever. You trust me, yeah?" Amelia smiled softly. "There's no side of you I wouldn't show up for." Giving a firm nod, she just wants Logan to know that she's safe to express herself, if she feels like she wants or needs to. "I think you already know that you don't just get over things like this, but you learn how to walk around them, it won't always feel like a crushing weight on your shoulders." Amelia sighed, doing her best to be comforting but honest.

Disappearing, she returns with a tray of drinks and a new set of pajamas she hasn't worn yet. "You ordered me a side of those cheese bite things, right?" Raising a brow, she hoped so - in the last few orders, she always had a side of cheese bites. "Here, they should fit fine but if not feel free to just look in the drawers. Not the bedside one though. Don't look there."

[antoniojimenez]

Glancing across at Amelia with a flat look, Tony made a soft tsking sound and shook his head, “Relax– if anything, they’ll just spit in mine, not yours.” Frowning, he set his plate back down with a strained sigh and reached for his fork, lightly prodding at his chicken. “Look at it this way, there’s a silver lining here– I’m not going full Gordon Ramsay, right?” Despite being a food snob, Antonio could at least promise that he’d never lose it quite like Gordon did– his screaming and extreme bitching would all be done internally. Eyeing her plate once she pushed it towards him, he reached for a fry and popped it into his mouth. The flavor was good– the seasoning wasn’t too much or too little and the texture made him think the fries were fresh, not freezer burned. He’d give them that– though in his experience, it was hard to fuck up a fry. “Fries aren’t bad,” he commented, returning his attention back to his own plate. “No, no– I know better than to try to snag a burger from you,” Tony laughed, before picking up a piece of his teriyaki chicken and taking a bite– his silent way of answering whether or not he was actually going to eat it. He made a face, clearly unimpressed by the flavor and the consistency, but before his expression could get too loud and perhaps warrant a kick from under the table, he reminded his face to use its inside voice. “Chicken isn’t done all the way,” he commented, giving a light shudder before a chuckle rumbled in his chest and he quirked a playful grin at her “So, if I’m spewing from both ends tomorrow morning with some food poisoning, you know why.”

[amelia-ortiz]

"I don't know, what if I'm guilty by association, ever think of that? I still blame you for the last restaurant we went to. Everyone else got huge slabs of cake and ours wouldn't fill a child." She huffed, clearly harboring strong feelings when it came to desserts. "Good, he only gets away with that attitude because he's famous and it makes good TV." She'd definitely been guilty of watching a few of his shows, Kitchen Nightmares as a favorite. "Well okay then, I won't offer again. You're lucky I offered once." Amelia chuckled, only to end up frowning at his comment. "Wait, really?" Raising a brow, "You can't eat undercooked chicken. You can like.. die from that, right? So either you want to die or you're just being dramatic, because otherwise, you wouldn't risk it. Which is it?" Smirking at him, curious to know the answer.

[blakesara]

"The youngest is a program for kids three to four years old, which is just them getting to be around horses, learning how to groom them, mostly we use ponies for that. There is the opportunity to ride a horse but only accompanied by an adult and not and again only where the parent is comfortable. And it's for three to four but really even if they've stayed in till they are five and the parent doesn't feel comfortable moving them up yet, we don't." That program was probably Blake's favorite, only because it was amazing getting to see the younger kids get more and more confident as the years went on. Blake paused briefly before nodding her head. "Mostly, I didn't live here but I was here as often as I could be." There had been nights when she'd been afraid to go home, and she'd sleep in the hay loft of the trail barn, perfectly nestled in the halfway mark of the sprawling lands of her family homes. Blake shook her head with a laugh, "I wouldn't say wizard, just very comfortable around them." Coming to a stop along the fence Blake turned towards Amelia, "Blue? I must say I approve of the name. I have a border collie named Blue! How old were you when you started riding?"

[amelia-ortiz]

"So you're saying her obsession has developed at just the right age?" Chuckling, it was becoming very clear to her now that she wasn't going to leave here without signing Dani up to their program. "That takes the pressure off me from you, I'm just not certain this little madam would be so forgiving if I said no." Amelia smiled warmly. She could hardly deny her anything, truth be told. Not that she even wanted to, she wanted to give her daughter every opportunity she could, all the ones she never had after her own mom died. "You do? See, dogs would be more my forte now, unless riding a horse is like riding a bike. It's been a good few years for both," she admitted, giving a thoughtful hum. "I was seven, I stopped at thirteen." She adds, leaning down to put Daniela down to walk, shaking off the pins and needles in her arm.