(Untitled)

[get_a_lifetime]

Death wasn't Scottish, but she'd been there. After talking to Ian about shortbread, she had been lucky enough to find a cookbook in the rec room and the recipe was simple enough. Honestly, how hard could baking be? She was in the kitchen early, far too early for breakfast preparation to be interrupted.

"Now...let's see..."

INGREDIENTS

Comments

[neptune_sleuth]

Veronica stretched, eyes closing briefly, as she walked into the kitchen. Tilting back her head, she let out a little sigh and opened her eyes again, turning her gaze around the room in search of the coffee pot.

On the way, she caught sight of the other person in the room. She hadn't expected to see anyone at all, but this woman looked -- well, bizarrely like Liv Tyler and oddly familiar, in a non-celebrity kind of way. She paused and looked at the woman a moment. Worrying her lower lip, Veronica shrugged it off.

"Whatcha makin'?"

[get_a_lifetime]

"Shortbread cookies," she replied as she stirred the butter and sugar together. "At least, that's what they're supposed to be. How are you this morning?" Veronica...Death smiled, pleased that she was learning to keep the names to herself.

[neptune_sleuth]

Veronica's eyebrows raised and she made a little moue of interest. "I've never tried making that before," she said. Sliding her hands into her pockets, she smiled a little. "I'm... alright." One hand came out and she offered it to Liv Tyler. "I'm Veronica. You new around here?"

[get_a_lifetime]

"Me either. I'm Didi," she chirped, offering her hand in return. Her skin was cold and dry and her grip was deceptively strong. "I've been here like a month. How about you?"

[neptune_sleuth]

Veronica should have known better than to judge by appearances, but the shake took her by surprise. "Almost eleven," she said and shrugged. "Need some help? I'm a halfway decent baker. As long as it's not cake." She ducked her head with a little laugh. "Mine always lean to the left. Still taste good, though."

[get_a_lifetime]

"Sure," she replied. "I've never cooked anything, but it can't be that hard, right?" she asked as she added the sugar to the butter.

[neptune_sleuth]

Veronica moved to look at the recipe. "Shouldn't be. You just mix it together and put it in the oven, pretty much." Cooking was safe that way. As long as you followed directions, it actually worked.

[get_a_lifetime]

"Right, that's what I thought," she said, reading the recipe again. "Creaming just means make it creamy, right?"

[neptune_sleuth]

Veronica nodded. "Right. You want to beat the butter and sugar together until it's all soft and smooth and mixed together."

[get_a_lifetime]

"Nifty!" she squeaked, stirring a little harder. "I got the idea from talking to my Scottish friend. His mam used to make them."

[neptune_sleuth]

Veronica smiled, a thing of distance and fondness and something raw. "My mom couldn't bake at all. Her cakes were worse than mine," she said.

That wasn't the only thing about her that was worse. At least I've never cheated on the man I love, and I think I can safely say that it isn't in my future to become an alkie.

[get_a_lifetime]

"Yeah," she agreed, like she actually knew. "I never had a mom...but I have brothers and sisters."

As an after thought she added, "They don't cook either."

[neptune_sleuth]

"My dad did all the cooking, too," Veronica said with a shrug. "Especially --" after Lianne had left them -- "Especially later." She wrinkled up her nose with a grin. "Lots of take out, too."

As she spoke, she moved about, clearing space on the counter and hunting for a cutting board they could use to roll out the dough.