Another Look

Chapter 13

"Gabriela, stand still, your mouth is still covered in ice cream," Paris said loudly, wiping her daughter's mouth clean.

Finn walked over from across the playground, raising Leah onto his shoulders, hearing the familiar voice.

"I thought I heard you," he began, placing Leah onto a dolphin-shaped spring rider.

"I'm loud, I know," she stated plainly, raising the corner of her mouth. She knew her faults, but she'd also learned to laugh at her own expense over the years.

"Gabriela, Timoteo, play nice now, okay?" she called after her two kids, seconds later, who were already running off towards the slides.

"Do you want a cup of coffee?" he asked, seeing the coffee cart approaching.

"I'd love one, thank you," Paris said, "I'll keep an eye on Leah," she offered, observing Leah who was enjoying the dolphin-rider.

Two minutes later Finn returned with their coffees, handing one to Paris.

"Timoteo woke at 5 AM today, I needed this, thanks," she replied.

"Have a similar issue myself, I need to go shop for some blinds for Leah's room later. The fall sun shines right in in the early mornings, waking this little ankle-biter far earlier than I'd like," he commented.

"I never actually asked - where do you live? I am a bit of an architecture geek, you could say, and I know the area pretty well," she inquired, taking a sip.

"You know the green Dutch Colonial on Fairfield?" he asked.

"I think I do," she replied, adding, "A Dutch is a brave choice, not everyone can pull it off."

"I've had my share of era specific experiences in my life, one more just felt natural," he said referring to the Life and Death Brigade that he wasn't really supposed to mention.

"You are not some LARP nerd are you?" Paris asked, raising her eyebrows, wondering what he'd meant.

He paused, taking a large gulp of coffee. "Let's just say I have some friends who are big on theme parties, but no LARP, no" he replied, smugly, helping Leah climb down the rider.

"You were one of those secret society guys Rory wrote about in Yale, weren't you?" she inquired.

"My lips are sealed, my darling," he said graciously, with a wide smile on his face.

"Hah, I guess that makes Logan and...," she began, not finishing that thought out loud.

Finn smiled. Thinking back about those days always made his inner child giggle. While he had been drunk on most of those events, the elaborate planning that went into those, was something he had truly enjoyed.

"What did you do after undergrad?" she inquired.

"Law school, after passing the bar I joined the family business. Quite a boring choise really, but I like the work," he replied, walking across the playground chasing Leah to the climber she loved.

"I got my licence too, but I don't really practice," she shared, following them, "I basically operate a glorified baby factory," she said, explaining her line of work. "The name, Dynasty makers, is cheezy, but it works. Draws in the right kind of clientele," she added.

"It certainly takes the right kind of person to pull that off," he reflected.

"I never could really decide to stick to just one path, there were, are, too many interesting and not to mention necessary things in this world to learn, so why limit myself?" Paris explained rhetorically, taking a sip of coffee.