beyoncepadthai | i'll have what she's having

So, Mindy's last birthday went uncharacteristically uncelebrated. Of course, she shopped and drank and all of that, but this year she's more than in a partying mood and has more than enough invitees to put something on without seeming like a total loser.

Deciding to mix things up, Mindy's rented out a cool seat-reclining, wine and dine theater at High Street mall, splurged on snacks and booze and arranged for a viewing of her favorite film. Of course there are a bunch of cool new releases she could let her guests enjoy, but it's her birthday, and this is one way she can force everyone she knows to watch the wonder that is literally anything Nora Ephron.

She can hear Danny's whining already, and she couldn't care less.

What she can't help but care about is what Danny once said to her back in New York, his cruel reminder to her that she wasn't getting any younger, the promise of a hot husband and adorable children ticking away. She's all the more conscious of it this week, especially after freaking out momentarily thinking that Luke might have already moved on.

The right decision or not, a real relationship or not, it's one more shot at a future that she's managed to screw up.

Hence, the alcohol. Dressed to impress, Mindy arrives early to get her start on a super strong and super fruity cocktail while she waits for her first guests to turn up.

[Set to the night of the 20th of June at one of the fancier theaters at High Street Mall. From 8-ish cocktails (+ beer and wine) and finger food will be served in the bar area, and then the movie (viewable on YT, if you are so inclined) will be starting at 8:30. Tag Mindy, tag around, before or after the film. ENJOY.]

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"Aw, hell."

As soon as Sawyer steps into the theater venue, he finds himself feeling distinctly underdressed compared to a lot of the other invitees to the evening. He's not exactly sure at what point a trip to the theater became such a spectacle, but with his flannel shirt and slacks, and hair admittedly a little longer than he usually keeps it, Sawyer glances around in slight amusement over how much he sticks out like a sore thumb.

But that's fine. He doesn't get the impression that Mindy will be too upset at him for it. He can always offer to suffer through a makeover later at her direction, if she requires.

Hanging out in the back of the theater, Sawyer's hands restlessly fumble with Mindy's present — a brightly colored silk scarf in red and magenta, a color he can easily imagine matching her brighter shades of lipstick. There's also a small framed painting of Clementine's creation; Sawyer thinks it's a little cheesy, but perhaps perfect for the friendship he's enjoyed with Mindy.

For now, he lingers by the bar, not yet taking a drink until he can find a more familiar face in the crowd.

Mindy's way too excited that Sawyer's even there – even without Clementine in tow – to care what he's wearing. For the most part, she's only really concerned with her own attire in general, although she has been known to create lookbooks for most of the men in her life. Even when she's not dating anyone. Here, it's mostly Danny.

In any case, she excuses herself from her conversation she's been having with one of the theater employees about whether she can keep the leftovers the moment she spots him, heading on over. She's already wearing a grin, they could mess up the movie reel and she'd still consider it one of the best nights ever. "Hey!" she says. "Thank you so much for coming. Next outing will be a more kid-friendly event, I promise."

Edited 2015-06-15 11:53 (UTC)

"'ey ey, I'm not going to be held responsible for tuning down the craziness of your shindig," Sawyer laughs, throwing his arms around Mindy and giving her a tight enough hug that he lifts her slightly off the ground. He figures that she'll forgive him for it, as long as he doesn't do any irreparable damage to her outfit, and he has enough experience with high maintenance fashion that he manages the embrace without ruffling too many feathers.

It'd be a shame to mess up the way she looks tonight, after all.

"Just make sure that you don't miss Cleo's next tea party. I don't know where she got the idea for them, and I can't say they're all that normal when she uses Flavia's beakers instead of teacups, but she lines up her stuffed animals all the same. You should come see it."

Sawyer's too delightful for Mindy to do anything but grin as she smooths down her hair after he lifts her up, wondering when the last time she actually had a crazy shindig might have been. Craziness, she decides, is all relative. Passing out in the collection box, your cheating boyfriend's girl on the side showing up... she's grateful there's none of that in Darrow. Especially right now, with friends like the ones she's surrounded by.

"That sounds adorable," Mindy says, completely sincere and positive she can feel her uterus skip a beat. It's ridiculous how much children can all at once drive her insane and yet she can crave them so much. Sometimes, she even finds herself missing Riley, and not just as a companion to Gwen. "I will absolutely be there. Are we talking tea of the imaginary variety? Because I'd prefer the iced, for the record. Is she old enough to eat bear claws? I'll bring those."

"Tea of the imaginary variety, unless I'm there to oversee it all," Sawyer confirms, shaking his head slightly. He's had more than his share of spills already over the years thanks to the girls of the household. Fortunately, most of them are relatively harmless, leaving nothing behind more serious than a colored stain here and there. "But if you're there to raise the ratio of adults, I might be able to give her somethin' to work with."

His smile widens. "And hell, if she don't eat bear claws, I'll take 'em all. She's got a sweet tooth, though. I've given her cotton candy and funnel cake before, and she'll try to smash every iced cake she comes across with that tiny little hand of hers."

"Clementine and I have that in common," Mindy laughs, enjoying the visual immensely. She's definitely going to have to take Sawyer up on his offer of a more child friendly occasion for her to catch up with her favorite kid in Darrow. She might see babies on a day-to-day basis, but most of the time once she's checked they're doing okay, it's off to the pediatrician save for the occasional visit with their moms. "Both the sweet tooth and the destruction of cakes with our tiny, dainty hands. Obviously."

"Your hands are pretty dainty," Sawyer says, raising a brow as he reaches out for her hand, which is far smaller than his own. Balancing it in the palm of his own, he raises them together, feeling her hand's weight. "Tiny. Absolutely tiny. I guess that probably ain't so bad for being an obstetrician, right? You're handlin' tiny humans. Imagine me tryin' to do any of that. Heck, I didn't get Cleo until she was a few months old — don't know what I'd do with a little newborn."

It's a slight exaggeration, truth be told. He had held Aaron before, shortly after Claire had birthed him. But even then, it was only with plenty of encouragement and careful guidance. He'd been a lot more afraid of babies, then.

Things have changed.

"I don't know what I'd do with a newborn more than... about four minutes old," Mindy clarifies. It's not wholly true, she'd held Riley some when she was born quite a bit but that was a million years ago and in another dimension, even. She'd never been forced to look after her more than a few horrifyingly short stints once she was on solids.

It scares Mindy to death, sometimes, how she can be so well versed in prenatal care and delivering babies but so little afterwards, beyond basic checkups and a clinical rotation. She has no idea what she'll do when she has a kid. If she has a kid. She's not sure when that shifted, she used to be so certain. "So you are not alone. God, it feels like forever ago that Clementine turned up, doesn't it?"

"I'm pretty sure you know somethin' of what to do, considerin' you're one of Cleo's favorite people," Sawyer points out. Much as he trusts his own judgment pretty well when it comes to people, he trusts his daughter's even more so, and nothing makes him happier than to see her love returned in full by folks like Mindy. It's made the adjustment to parenthood easier somehow, having fellow adults who appreciate the company of his daughter.

"Just 'cause the time that comes afterwards don't count as work doesn't mean that you can't do it. Just means your friends ain't of that child-makin' age yet. 'Cept for me. I'm ancient," Sawyer points out with a grin before he shakes his head with a small sigh. "But hell, I know, it's weird how long it's been, isn't it? I can't even remember what it's like not havin' Cleo around anymore. I really can't."

i'll have what she's having

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