RP: First Outing

[ena_ratliff]

Date: September 26th, 2011
Characters: Ena Ratliff, Jenni McGrath-Ramirez
Location: Park in Fort Worth
Status: Sem-Private
Summary: Ena decides to get out of the house with Leilani.
Completion: Incomplete

Comments

[jenni_mr]

Jenni lounged around the park, idly watching two of her former students as they sprawled on the grass studying Shakespeare. Officially she was here as a tutor, but she'd gotten the worst of the questions out of the way already, and since they were in college it wasn't like they needed someone to watch them like they did in high school. She told them she'd be back in half an hour or so and have another list of questions at the ready. They had her number, they could reach her if something came up.

She took off at a walk through the park, enjoying the stellar weather. Yes, it was a Monday and she'd had to work, and soon she'd have to go home and make dinner for Gabe, but for now she was enjoying the time she had.

She smiled as she saw a familiar face on a park bench, and oh! She'd had her baby. Even at a distance part of Jenni's heart melted. "Ena! What a fabulous surprise," she said warmly, approaching the bench and the woman and baby on it.

[ena_ratliff]

Ena was proud of herself when she didn't jump at the sound of someone addressing her, but she hadn't been expecting to see anyone out and about that she knew today. After all Fort Worth was a big city. As she glanced at the sound of the voice though Ena smiled when she recognized Jenni, who if memory served was a friend of Laine's - though she hadn't seen the woman since that run-in in the grocery store awhile back. "Jenni, how are you?" She asked, motioning with her free hand for the other woman to take a seat next to her. "Have to admit I didn't expect to see anyone I knew, but the company is welcome. This little one isn't much of a conversationalist." Ena explained, smiling down at Lei who was still sound asleep.

[jenni_mr]

Jenni hovered for a moment, not sure if she should intrude, but both seeing a familiar face and seeing the baby was a draw. She didn't come to this park too often, but when two favorite students asked her to help them, she hadn't been able to say no. She perched on the bench, grinning at the other woman. "I didn't expect to either. I don't come here that often, but I have some students up at the college that called me for help." She peered over at the baby. "Oh, she's so adorable, Ena. When did you have her?"

[ena_ratliff]

Ena smiled as the other woman sat down, pleased that she had actually taken up the invitation to join her. "I honestly don't come here often either. The four walls of the house weren't making me go a little stir crazy." And as much as she loved her Mum, the constant hovering was getting a little old as well. Ena had gently reminded her Mum that she worked with children for a living, so she was okay, really. Her Mum was a godsend though with some of the little housework stuff, or just not being alone, because Colby had gone back to work a couple days ago and Ena still wasn't sure she was ready to take care of Lei all by herself

[jenni_mr]

"Oh gosh, I can imagine," Jenni said with a nod. She couldn't imagine having to stay at home much. She had done enough outdoorsy stuff in her life, and especially with Gabe and Laine over the last few years, to like it out in the air more than inside half the time.

"They graduated last year, two of my favorite students. They're going to the local college and they sent me an SOS for help with Shakespeare. I don't usually become attached enough, but I've been with these two for all four years of high school." It was rare for that to happen, but these two had also been in her drama club, and so she really didn't mind going out of her way for them on occasion.

"Oh, please, may I?" Jenni said, her hands having itched to hold her since she'd sat down. "Oh, she's so gorgeous." She took Leilani gently, obviously knowing how to hold a baby, but being very careful. She cooed quietly, cradling the baby to her chest very gently. "Oh, hello there, princess. Aren't you so pretty. Such a precious little sweetheart."

[ena_ratliff]

"It's driving me nuts." Ena confessed. She was an active person, had always been an active person. So staying at home, first because she was pregnant, and now because she had Lei to watch out for, it was wearing on her. But she loved her little girl so much, she'd do this all again in a heartbeat

[jenni_mr]

"I don't mind. It lets me know I've done something. Doreen was failing as a freshman, so the fact she's in college now is just, like, a personal triumph for me even though I was just her English teacher." They might not be hugely inner city, but there were a lot of kids with problems, and ones that slipped through cracks. Those kids had always been important to her, she couldn't pin her finger on why, but she'd always enjoyed helping them best. "You do just as much, just at a different age. They might not remember specifics, but they'll have happy thoughts of it

[ena_ratliff]

"Yeah? that has to be nice to see your students excel like that." Ena commented, again kind of smiling inwardly because most of the kids she dealt with weren't going off to college, they were likely going to kindergarten. It showed what kind of person Jenni was though that even after her students had left her classroom she kept in touch with some of them. "I hope so, even if it's just remember me as Miss Eeny, the girl with the funny accent."

She smiled slightly. "No that's very true, she's got a bit of her Mum." Lei had her dark hair, and her complexion was darker than Colby's as well. Ena smiled softly at Jenni's comment about wanting kids with Gabe, kids that had their father's eyes. "Maybe mind is a little different. But I grew up with people thinking I was adopted when I was out with my Mum, I don't want people to do the reverse to Lei when she's out with Colby." It was Ena's own hang up from her own childhood, one she had never fully manage to shake off.

[jenni_mr]

"Heee, that's a good memory to have, yeah. I remember several of my teachers when I was really little." Probably in part because of the losses she'd suffered and the kindnesses they'd done for her.

"Awwww yeah. I kinda get that. My stepdad adopted me when I was little, and after Mom died there lots of issues. You should see my sibs, you would never guess most of us are related," she said, chattering a little in a soft voice so as not to disturb the little baby in her arms. "See, my Papa, he's Hispanic," she explained, looking up and explaining to Ena. "And I have a slew of step and half sibs." Her family was wild and different and most considered them very odd, but she loved them all anyway.

[ena_ratliff]

"I remember tormenting my teachers when I was little." It was maybe known that the Taua kids were a handful, and she wasn't exempt just because she was the one girl in the family.

"Yeah? My Mum's blond and blue eyed. I look nothing like her, but she's my Mum. It's exhausting having to remind people of that fact, or defend who you're parents are." She could relate to Jenni in a way, because not looking like a parent, be it step-dad or otherwise was tough. "I won't be one of those people that goes 'really?', because I know what it's like. But I do remember mention of spreadsheets and such and a lot of siblings the last time we spoke." Ena paused, before asking. "Oh, so how is wedding planning coming along?"

[jenni_mr]

Jenni laughed quietly. "Torment, huh? You think your little one will do the same?" Jenni asked with a grin.

"Yeah, I can see how that would cause issues. Alas but dark looks tend to trump the lighter ones almost without fail, depending on past genetics." It was interesting to look at her family and see how her Papa's looks had permeated and melded with his biological children's. Jenni felt no less his child for not being his blood, though. "Yeah, there's a bunch of them. We manage though." Through a lot of organization. "It's coming, it's coming. Wedding is in November, so... but it works. Dress fittings next month, again, other plans pretty much nailed down so far."

[ena_ratliff]

Ena giggled slightly. "She just might, if she's got enough of me in her." If wasn't that Ena had been a true troublemaker, but she had sought out adventure at every turn, So did Colby actually - so it was likely Lei was going to be handful.

Nodding her head in agreement, Ena sighed. "They do. My brother looks a bit more like our Mum, but out of the four of us he's the only one." And even J.J. still had darker features than their Mum. Shaking her head, Ena just laughed. Still unable to imagine having that many siblings. "Still can't picture that many siblings." She smiled when Jenni got to talking about her wedding. "I remember all of that, and I have to admit I don't miss it. The wedding was great, but I'm not planning on doing it more than just the one time." She and Colby were beyond happy, so Ena didn't have any worries about having to walk down the aisle again.

[jenni_mr]

"Gonna be a little hurricane of energy, aren't you, little one," Jenni murmured at the baby she still held. She gently brushed her fingers over the fine, fine, soft hair, wondering when she might have her own baby. She wondered yet again how Gabe would feel if after the wedding she stopped taking the pill and they just let whatever happened happen.

Keep Leilani carefully cradled in one arm, she searched her purse with her other hand, pulling out her wallet and the thing of pictures. "Here's some fuel for the imagination," she half-joked. Tomas and Maria were from Papa's first marriage, and then her and Meghan, and then Darren and Mariposa, her half sibs, and Lamar, her step-brother, and Olivia and Oscar, the twins who were only eleven this year.

"It's why I'm doing my wedding the way I am--I only plan on doing it once," she said.

[ena_ratliff]

Ena laughed softly at Jenni's murmured question to Leilani. It was without a doubt that her little girl would likely be a hurricane, or a wild child. It was in her blood on both sides, least that's what Colby and her always joked about. "No doubt she will be." She answered for Leilani, smiling slightly. "Both her Daddy and I are adrenaline junkies."

She took the offered thing of pictures, flipping through them and assuming these must be Jenni's siblings. They were definitely an interesting meshed family, Ena thought it was nice though how much she could tell Jenni cared about her siblings and her family. "Still can't picture what family gatherings most be life for you." She commented as she handed the pictures back to Jenni.

"That's a wise plan, not one many people follow much anymore." She didn't fault people for getting divorced, Ena just knew it wasn't something she wanted for herself.

[jenni_mr]

"You should drop in on one sometime, get the full Ramirez family experience," Jenni said. "God, the wedding is going to be incredibly hectic, but I'm still looking forward to it. And there's the massive Thanksgiving dinner and reception and whatnot." At least she was used to it and generally thrived on the energy of such gatherings.

"Well, stuff happens," Jenni admitted. "But it's my goal, so it's good to have that." She and Gabe had weathered nearly seven years, on and off at least, of a relationship, and while she wasn't under any illusions that it would be easy or all roses after marriage, she was more confident that they could endure what life threw at them.

[ena_ratliff]

"Not sure I'm prepared for the full Ramirez family experience, sounds like a hectic bunch." Ena commented with a laugh. "Most weddings are hectic, you just happen to have the added chaos of a large family." She paused for a moment before asking. "So you're having it over Thanksgiving?" The holiday didn't mean much to Ena personally, but as Colby was American they did celebrate it.

"Very true." Ena agreed. "Goals are good, and if you can make a happy marriage a goal I think it's an admiral one to have." Fights happened in relationships, and it was how you dealt with them that as the trust test of that relationship.