violet giggled once the woman spoke to her. she was listening and watching the whole situation and when the woman spoke to her, she felt like she can finally let it out so a slight laugh escaped from her lips. “well, it’s not something you see every day on the street but I believe that it would impress somebody.” shrugging and observing her, violet continued. “the dress isn’t really nice but they look good on you. but still, I would ask for another model.” the young blond woman told her her opinion before she looked at herself in a big mirror. “what do you think about these? aren’t they too white? like bridal white?”
“you’re right. it would definitely impress tim burton. or maybe h.p. lovecraft.” smile growing at the lighthearted conversation, emberlyn appreciated the vote of confidence from the girl. she reached for another dress to try on, deciding to go with her pick while the associate had slipped away to handle another customer. “mm, good question,” the older woman hummed with pursed lips, surveying the white fabric held in the girl’s hands. “depends on what you’re wearin’ them to? if it’s some formal event, then you’re golden. save weddings.” emberlyn chuckled. “but if you’re going for a more...natural choice, like for a date, then definitely too white.”
“sorry i’m late!” isla mumbles, her cheeks flushed pink from running, “ruby didn’t want to get ready this morning” she shakes her head, “i left jensen to deal with her”. isla plops down next to the other, “BUT ANYWAY — how are things with you?”.
“you’re fine! i’ve kept myself entertained by talking to the pigeons,” emberlyn joked, adding as an afterthought, “bear in mind, i’ve gotten all sorts of looks because of it. but that’s alright. i’ll happily hold the title of the ‘park’s crazy bird lady’ any day.” adjusting in her seat on the park bench, emberlyn prompted the fellow redhead, “how old’s your daughter again?”
emberlyn had been shopping all morning for the right dress. the one she’d wear to meet her daughter’s adoptive mother for the first time. the two women had decided to meet before the redhead could see the girl. and she understood the condition. maybe you’re insane and i don’t want you to see her. that’s what it all boiled down to, and how could emberlyn blame her? she’d be protective, too. especially after losing... shaking the grief away, the redhead stared into the mirror with a pitiful look of guilt.
the shop associate had given her yet another dress that looked like it belonged in some futuristic science fiction movie. and less like it belonged on the figure of a woman trying to prove she wasn’t crazy. “y’know...as much as i respect her expertise....” the redheaded woman suddenly voiced to the younger customer who’d been changing into her own outfits during the exchange, “i don’t think wearing a bathrobe’s gonna impress anybody?”
“Okay–okay! Jesus!” Liv struggled against the bouncer as he carried her toward the exit and out of the bar, unceremoniously dropping her onto the sidewalk. As far as she knew, she wasn’t all that intoxicated. Tipsy maybe but not drunk, though the guy who was now wearing her drink and sporting a black eye would probably be singing a different tune. “Can you believe these assholes! I get put out for defending myself.” Livia through up her middle finger as the bouncer yelled at her to sober up. @ldnstarters
“tough luck with the crowd, darlin’?” emberlyn empathized with a scrunch of her nose. she’d been inside earlier but had settled outside its front for an hour or so now, tending to a phone call. “well, then that’s their bad. why waste your breath or your money on ‘em. plenty of bars in london. and some a bit kinder to patrons minding their own business.” the older woman offered instead to the girl, “i heard there’s a better pub two streets over. i was thinking about going, if you wanted to go with?”
a smile slowly stretched across his face. thank god for gen x people who had no idea who he was. “it’s alright. i was just on love island a while back, and i guess to some people that makes me a celebrity. i don’t know why. priscilla anyabu dumping me on national telly is not something i like to relive.” he had not been on the show, of course, but the redhead seemed highly refined and mature, the kind of person who would probably not know anything about love island. his mind wandered, and he began to drink. his ears were functional, completely so, yet his brain didn’t register her words until he’d drunk several swigs of the beverage. “…wait, what. oh, shit, i can just buy you a new cup of coffee. i’m so sorry. my mind’s all over the place.”
“is that another reality show about finding love? in which case, count me in. they’re a guilty pleasure of mine,” the redheaded woman laughed, green eyes dancing between his face and the cup in his hand. emberlyn desperately needed her fix of caffeine that day. she’d been up all night going over test conversions for immigrated students, to place them in the appropriate grades. and while she adored her work, she adored her sleep, too. “ouch to the dumping though. never been a big fan of that.” noticing his lips inch their way towards her cup, emberlyn watched on in horror. dammit. she’d have to stand in line again! “you’re fine,” she lied, politely. “looks like you need it more than i do right now, anyways,” she said more truthfully. “but i’ll take you up on buying me another. it’ll spare me standing in the line all by my lonesome, mr...?”
“W-what day is it today?” Lucky wasn’t sure where the fuck he was, if he was being honest. He knew he was waiting for his cup of coffee to cool. He knew he needed some damn coffee. He may have seemed more like a stressed-out university student than a mayor right now, but that was because he barely slept the previous night, arguing in favour of cheaper fares for London’s public transport. He’d been tossing around the requisite jargon, such as subsidisation, and stopping himself from screaming ‘What the hell was I elected for if you’re not gonna listen to me!’ into the phone as he negotiated with councillors.
“If you need me to sign something for you, please let me chug some caffeine first.” Mayors weren’t inherently celebrities, but Lucky was aware of his near-celebrity status as a famously ‘#Millennial’ local politician. It annoyed him, but it was part of the job, at least in his tenure. @ldnstarters
“i don’t mean to offend or anything, but...” the southern woman started off with, accent heavier in her state of awkwardness, “i have absolutely no idea who you are. should i be asking for a signature?” emberlyn considered his features for far too long. while they were vaguely familiar, she couldn’t put a name to the face. maybe some d list celebrity? hell, she’d been in india the past year. she couldn’t keep up with other countries’ politics, unless they were grand scale. “you could chug that coffee down, but...i came over here because i think it’s actually mine. the girl behind the counter told me she’d switched ‘em. and the day’s wednesday.”
hey ! have you seen EMBERLYN CROSS (CISFEMALE) around london ? people say that SHE looks a lot like JESSICA CHASTAIN but i don’t know… i just can’t see it. apparently the FORTY year old HUMANITARIAN / EDUCATION CONSULTANT is known to be GENEROUS and WARM but others have said that they’ve known them to be AN ESCAPIST and OUTSPOKEN. i’ll be looking forward to bumping into the around the city !
howdy folks ! i’m medusa & i’ll be playin’ yer local southern belle, emberlyn. she’s a mix of a few characters i’ve played, so pls bear w/ me as i figure her out ! that being said, i can’t wait to interact w/ all of your kiddos <3
biography (tw death, depression):
emberlyn cross grows up on a ranch in the middle of gosh dang nowhere, usa. a small, southern town where everyone practically knows everyone.
she’s an only child and it shows. since she was little, the spunky redhead was used to getting her way with a please and thank you. a sneaky thing behind a charming personality and a golden heart.
it’s in her teens that tragedy strikes. her pop gets into an accident with a tractor and he doesn’t make it out of the hospital. emberlyn learned everything from the good, hard-working man and now she feels like she’s learned nothing at all.
her mother makes things work somehow, and emberlyn thinks she’s an angel in disguise. but it’s hard. bills pile up. the town helps where they can.
it’s emberlyn’s boyfriend that gets the sadness. the depression. the haunting nightmares. he takes it all and he gives her a safe haven to turn to. and she loves him more than anything in the world.
but when she finds out she’s pregnant at 17, things take a turn. she can’t handle a baby. she can barely handle herself. and with her father gone, the idea of being a parent terrifies her. she can’t make things work like her dear mama.
so they decide to give the baby up for adoption. it’s an agreed deal. she ends up having the baby right after graduation, and after she’s turned 18.
they give the baby over. it weighs heavily on emberlyn. so much so that she breaks up w/ her boyfriend and moves out of town that very week, with little goodbye.
emberlyn travels after that. first for university then going from one place to the next. doing odd jobs and going into humanitarian work. she excels at it. it’s her calling.
she ends up interning at unicef, and it doesn’t take long until she’s established herself. she’s an educator, first. and then she’s an education consultant - running plans and programs for international schools in a multitude of countries. it’s a dream job. she feels she’s making an impact; she feels closer to home.
which is funny, because home’s now calling her back. but not in the states. in london, of all places. and by her kid’s adoptive mother, of all people. who apparently has just lost her husband, emberlyn’s old boyfriend.
he didn’t keep his end of the promise. he raised their kid without telling her.
while furious with the thought, she’s grieving over her old lover. and anxious to meet her daughter (who has no idea she even exists). and wondering why on earth the other mother would even want her around.
nevertheless, emberlyn arrives in london and prepares to have her life uprooted a second time.
details:
she has a southern accent. it’s less okie accent and more southern belle, but she definitely can switch between the two when she’s being more rowdy/playful.
has a soft, angelic voice. definitely sings like she’s made for it.
is bisexual, biromantic. known since high school. has dated both men and women.
was closer to her dad growing up. he taught her the ‘manly’ things. fishing, hunting, how to build things, how to start a fire, how to change tires, etc.
cannot cook worth a darn, but loves to bake. has short hair to her shoulders.
is currently working at unicef’s london headquarters while here. has taken up more of a secretary job, and assisting local schools in handling exchange students’ education.
wanted connections:
her kid: will go on main!
her kid’s adoptive mother: will go on main!
her best friend: they’ve known each other for years now. whether it’s from her uni days, her work in unicef, her travels, etc. this is someone she considers family.
people her ex boyfriend/father of her kid knew: he would have recently died. they’re likely protective of her kid and wanting to make sure emberlyn doesn’t come and make matters worse.
childhood faces: could have been friends or enemies or people her family knew, etc. these folks would have to be from a small, southern town in the states. which state doesn’t matter and is left open!
roommate/host/etc: basically, this person is housing her for the unforeseeable future. she put out an ad looking for a room/etc, and they answered. or maybe they put out an ad and she did.
exes: can be men or women, and around her age. probably going to stick to just two for now! maybe things ended bitterly and she’d hate to see them. maybe she’d be glad to have someone who knew her so well around.
flings/one night stands: she has a habit of sleeping around because of stress or needing validation / intimacy to comfort her. without wanting the seriousness of a relationship to add onto the former thing.
london tour guide: a new friend who’s showing her around the city. she’s been here before but generally in passing, so this is someone showing her the local life.
unrequited crushes: one on her and one she has on someone else.
friends: whether old or new. people she can call up to go to a pub with her, go to brunch with, go to a park with, etc. or even just stay at home and binge netflix with.
people she’s met in her travels: could be friends, enemies, flings, etc. they couldn’t kept in contact after they met or fell out of contact.
enemies/rivals/etc: the people she’d be at odds with, for whatever reason. can definitely think up ideas! would love at least two or three.
and anything else! just hmu if you’ve an idea bc i’m horrid at plotting lol
The most important thing in my life, and the thing I try to focus on, is to try not to live a life of cruelty. That means trying to make sure I look people in the eye when I meet them. Sometimes you jump in a taxi, or maybe you only have two minutes with someone, and you never see them again. I try to always look them in the eye and have a real experience of what it is to communicate with someone…I guess it’s about trying to live a life where I’m not contributing to the cruelty in the world….While I am on this planet, I want everyone I meet to know that I am grateful they are here.
