Second Ave Offices: The Time In Between (WLW)

Chapter Seven

"Here." Kanda outstretched her hand and smiled as Fiona took it without hesitation, climbing up the last of the steps to what she hoped would become a place she might visit with her time and time again. The minuscule pavilion peeked out over The Washington Park Arboretum, a Japanese styled seclude many traversed, but others didn't know. Off the beaten path and a local gem of sorts, to Kanda it stuck out like a thumb from the day of her arrival, but she could see that clearly wasn't the same for Fiona. "It's your first time here, isn't it?"

"That obvious?" She replied as she walked to the corner of the pavilion and appeared gobsmacked. Her lips slowly parted and she seemed hypnotized once she could view the park in whole. Fiona's eyebrows raised, arching ever so slightly as she gazed at all around them, setting the cooler strapped along her shoulder to the paved floor. "Has this always been here?"

"It was founded in 1934, but underwent several changes. Still, it's my favorite in the city." Kanda took her hand, hoisting the cooler over her shoulder and leading her back down the stairs.

"Where are we going?"

As she peeked over her shoulder, Kanda found Fiona scanning all around them, the foliage which was amidst a change and the birds playing in the water nearby. "To one of the trails. It won't be a long hike, but you'll like it. Trust me."

"Okay."

Kanda beamed, astonished Fiona's reticence was apparently a thing of the past, as she felt her fingers interlace with her own. With a confidence she'd never felt, despite having always been rather bold, she led them to a trail that was lined with cherry blossom trees and heard Fiona gasp. Her hand slipped from her own and she watched as she jogged forward, brightly smiling as the sun cascaded through the petals and into the arched path. She followed it with a glow along her cheeks and held out her hand, letting the beams of light travel along her small digits.

Kanda walked up to Fiona and watched as several petals fell from the trees and lodged themselves in her hair. Lifting her head, she smiled from ear to ear as more toppled and swept down throughout the wind down to her. Fiona held her hand out in front of herself and caught a petal, humming as she glanced at it resting in her delicate palm. She dipped her head and took in its scent, mesmerizing Kanda all the more. As if only just noticing she was being watched, Fiona raised her head and timidly grinned toward Kanda, but didn't meet her gaze.

After a series of silent, heart-stirring moments, Fiona peered up into her eyes and a deep blush filled her cheeks. "Thank you, Kanda, for bringing me here. I really needed this..."

"Is..." She stepped closer and gingerly grasped Fiona's sweater sleeve with her index finger and thumb, nibbling on her bottom lip for a moment as she gazed all around them. "Is your mom... How is she?"

Kanda felt a soft caress along her chin and lifted her head, finding Fiona prompting her to raise it with two fingers under there. "Her surgery is scheduled for tomorrow evening, so for today she's getting some much needed rest. Thank you for asking, but..." She tenderly looked into her eyes with an expression Kanda hadn't seen before, causing her to shiver and her breath to grow staggered. "This is the first time I've seen you like this."

"Ditto."

Fiona giggled, then replaced her hand within her own and turned toward a clearing nearby. "Could we eat here, actually? I'm not entirely sure I've the energy to go on a hike just yet, but after we've eaten--"

"We can just stay in the park today if you'd like." Kanda cupped her cheek and caressed the underside of her eye, examining the dark circles there and the puffiness above. Her eyes were reddened along their rims and she wished she could take it away. She desired to take away the pain that was so obviously still there and replace it with the liveliness that was present before. "You seem tired."