Wine's been poured and thank the Lord I've had the napkins freshly pressed... [Party-Thread]

[cookiesandhugs]

Grant Park, on any other day, could be called just a nice little park (or EPIC PARK, seeing as how it appears to have eaten Chicago) where people see other people and other people exercise and some people from different universes fall into Chicago

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[gotbottle]

"Hi Gladys!"

Have a Rachel, in somewhat better spirits than she was at your last meeting, brandishing a very large bouquet of yellow roses.

"Happy birthday! Can I do anything to help with the party?"

[cookiesandhugs]

Gladys smiles broadly. "Rachel!" she cries. She laughs--it's a vaguely unhinged laugh, but in a nicely unhinged way!--at the flowers. "Oh you DIDN'T!" she cries, placing the tray of cookies she's holding down onto a table to accept the flowers. "This is so kind of you!" She grabs Rachel and hugs her.

"And no, there is absolutely nothing you must do except get out there and have a good time," she says. "That is all I require of you."

[gotbottle]

"I so DID," Rachel laughs, returning the hug. "Happy birthday. It's the least I could do."

She steps back, grinning at Gladys. "Are you sure? 'Cause I totally don't mind."

[cookiesandhugs]

Gladys giggles. "Well thank you," she says, taking a moment to admire her flowers. "It was very, very kind of you. And they're BEAUTIFUL. Where did you get these?"

She shakes her head vigorously. "No, really, I have pretty much everything under control. I'm not foreseeing any massive problems, so I think we're okay." She smiles.

[gotbottle]

"I raided one of the municipal gardens nearby. Think they'll notice?"

Rachel manages to hold the deadpan expression on her face for about five seconds, before she dissolves into laughter. "Okay, no, not really. There's a lady who sells flowers on one of the corners a few blocks down from the bookstore where I work. I ride by her all the time. I ran over there this morning."

She shrugs, both humbled and touched that her gift's being received so well. "Anyway. I'm glad you like them. Oh! And I did bring a guest. i mean, I will be. Except, you know. Not bringing him 'cause I know he'll show up on his own later. But I did tell Adrian to come."

[cookiesandhugs]

Gladys laughs with her. "Well either way, it was very sweet of you. Thank you." She pulls Rachel into a brief hug. "So much. They're beautiful."

There's a look of excited recognition when Rachel mentions Adrian. "ADRIAN! Is that the lovely young man who plays beautiful piano on the roof? I met him just the other day. Oh, I'm glad he's going to be here."

[gotbottle]

"You're welcome, Gladys. You deserve them."

Rachel nods eagerly. "That's him! He really is lovely. I asked him to come, so I'm sure he'll be here later. I'm glad you got a chance to hear him play, he's very talented."

[cookiesandhugs]

Gladys smiles. "Well! He is very talented, from what I heard. Wonderful. I'm so glad you brought him--or that he's coming, anyway. And I'm glad you're here, my dear. Have a cookie!"

[gotbottle]

"Thank you, Gladys."

Rachel selects a cookie from the tray, and nibbles at one edge. "So how have you been? Since the last time I saw you?"

[cookiesandhugs]

Gladys smiles. "Oh, not much," she shrugs. "Mostly preparing for this. I made all the cookies last night--took up all the ovens in the kitchen in the basement. And none of them blew up! Not that I was expecting them to. I had a good long talk with each of them about working properly, and they did for me. Probably because it's my birthday." She giggles.

[gotbottle]

Rachel laughs softly around another mouthful of cookie. "That's awesome," she proclaims, after her mouth is clear. "I'm glad everything's going so well for you today. You deserve it."

She watches the other people milling around for a bit, idly, before offering Gladys another smile. "I think... I think I'm doing better," she offers. "Than I was before, anyway."

[cookiesandhugs]

Gladys giggles. "I'm glad too," she says. "Clusterfucks on your birthday are no fun."

Yeah, she really did just say clusterfuck. It's why she's Gladys.

The smile on Gladys' face gets broader. "That's good," she says softly, nodding. "That's very good. I hope that continues."

[gotbottle]

"Me too," Rachel agrees softly. "I mean. I'm trying. I haven't had to do it alone, at least."

Her fingers drift absently up to her collarbone, brushing over a key-shaped pendant hanging from a chain.

She tilts her head curiously, glancing over at Gladys. "Do you have family here in Chicago? Anybody to make sure you don't have to do things all alone?"

[cookiesandhugs]

Gladys smiles. "That's good. Everything's better when it's done with other people. Or at least, when it's not done alone."

The smile flickers for a second, but goes back to its normal intensity as Gladys shakes her head. "Not the kind you're thinking of," she says. She spreads her arms wide to indicate everyone who's picking over the snacks. "This is my family," she says, and then, quite seriously. "This is my life now."

[gotbottle]

Rachel smiles fondly, glancing out over the people gathered. "I know what you mean," she replies. "This is my family, too, now. My life had to start over in this place. I wasn't so sure about that at first, but now... you know, I might not be willing to go back to my old life, if I was, like, ever given the chance or whatever."

[cookiesandhugs]

Gladys nods. "I didn't want to come here either," she says, "though it was my choice, ultimately. Not quite like you. But I can't leave now. I probably won't ever leave. This city needs people like us." She smiles again.