Exotic Import

[Arabella Balfour]

Another yawn..

God, I'm tired..

She was certain that if she fell over right there, she could snuggle up in the robe on the floor and go right to sleep. Jet lag central.. Trying to stay awake, 'Bella scrambled up to her feet and perched beside Michele on the bench.

"You are good for her. She wasn't always so.. happy.", she smiled wistfully..

[Michele Hawkins]

That brightened my mood and my curiosity. The more I learn about Fiona, the more I realize I know so little. It's like trying to understand ones faith. You seek understanding, but the more answers you receive to questions asked, you come to understand that the world has about a dozen or so more questions that are left unanswered.

That would be my Fiona in a nutshell. "She has told me there were dark times of hers. That and she was always searching. For what she didn't know."

[Arabella Balfour]

"She was searching for you, petite. She just did not know it."

She wasn't certain exactly how much of Fiona's, often sordid, past had been relived and she did not have any desire to stir up any bad memories. To be sure, the worst of it had been before Arabella's time in the company of the lovely Immortal. They created some scandals and had some fun, but in her heart 'Bella had always been a bit sheltered and had never gotten into any of the extremes that Fiona had often been inclined toward..

Maybe she'd been good for her too, in her own way..

Arabella smiled, happy with the thought and plunked a few random keys. A pianist she was not, the sound was abrasive compared to Michele's talent..

[Michele Hawkins]

I blush gratefully. "Fi said something similar."

Bella is sweet but not that tuned into the notes of the piano. I take her fingers and fix her placement. I mimic her on the other end of the piano and we start tapping away at the keys. "It's nice to hear someone else say it. Ya know? I mean, I believe it in my heart but sometimes you wonder if you've made the right choices."

Married to an Immortal. Gives new meaning till death do you part. The notion frightens me, but I think that's a good sign, because if I wasn't nervous, that would mean something was wrong, hidden, from view or I was ignoring the insanity of it all!

[Fiona Devlin]

:: Fiona padded back in with some clothes on ::

"Fi speaks great wisdom, whatever she said."

[Arabella Balfour]

"She said once that 'matters of the heart' were not for her, as I recall..", Arabella smirked.

It had once been their credo, to never fall in love. Bad for business! Those days were long since past though and it was good to see her friend settled.

"..But we have been proven wrong it seems, and very well so.", she smiled.

[Michele Hawkins]

I grew sheepishly quiet because my cheeks felt like there was a 4 alarm fire going on! So instead, I pluck at the keys and start the first few chords of A Song For You by the Carpenters instead.

Let them talk amongst themselves as I hide behind my notes and use them as shields to hide my embarrassment.

[Fiona Devlin]

:: Fiona spotted the blushies instantly and dropped to her knees, hugging Michele from behind with a mad grin and squeezing her waist in glee ::



"MACUSHLA!!!"

[Arabella Balfour]

"Alright lovebirds.. This little birdie needs to go to bed before she falls on the floor like some wasted tavern wench."

At her core, she was a lady, and knew when to make a timely exit. Besides, it was the truth, she was dead on her feet, to put it crudely..

[Michele Hawkins]

"Heh!" Damn Fiona for making me even MORE embarrassed now! Geesh!

"Okay crazy lady." I pry her hands off of me as I stand up and twirl around so now her arms and mine have her caught! "How about bed too? You're probably pretty wiped."

[Fiona Devlin]

:: Fiona squirmed against Michele, but it was useless and she laughed ::

"Alright, let's show her your surprise then."

[Michele Hawkins]

"Awesome!"

I let Fiona go and now lace an arm around Arabella. "The surprise is that you can't sleep here!" I say as serious as I can. Yeah right. My eyes are smiling though my lips aren't.

[Arabella Balfour]

She could have groaned.. At this point she was seriously considering just curling up on the floor like a cat. Her face drooped.

"Oh bother.. I knew I still smelled like a sewer."

She peeked up and stuck her tongue out.

[Fiona Devlin]

:: Fiona sat on the floor and chuckled at them, glomping Perceval into her lap as he tried to slip by ::

[Michele Hawkins]

"Well, you do smell like a sewer," I kid and start leading her out the door and down the hall, "But we figured that instead of staying at our place and making it rancid ..."

I unlock the door and open it to the last penthouse on the top floor that was unoccupied. "... You can make your place rancid!"

[Arabella Balfour]

Fiona was a sneak, that's all there was to it. Arabella turned and hugged Michele without a word. They really were the best, both of them.

"Sewer hug.." she laughed..

[Michele Hawkins]

"Well," I scrunch my nose up and glare over at Arabella, but I can't be mean looking for that long! So I huggle her up tightly. But when I look at Fiona, it dawns on me that she just took a bath!!!

I point and laugh, "You're gonna have to take a shower again!"

[Fiona Devlin]

:: She pouted in protest, but then she smiled ::

"Only if you come with me."

[Arabella Balfour]

"I'm going...now!" she announced, sticking her tongue out.

"Love you, girls!"

They really were the best. She would tell them so, right now she just wanted to pass out, but.. after another shower.