CoffeeFlower - Dinner

[troublewillfindme]

The Hayden siblings undertake a quest.

A birthday dinner and a few small surprises. Harper is sure they can manage it.

They’ll head to ADMart to pick up the rest of what they’ll need for dinner. Then, Mason and Leah will go to Lizzie’s to pick up flowers, while she and Wesley head to the coffee shop.

On paper, the plan looks perfect. That should be the first sign that it won’t be.

--

Leah is personally offended by ADMart’s produce.

“It’s not good!” She insists. “Look at it! It looks fake!”

She rubs at it a bit with the hem of her shirt, and finds the garment now stained with what appears to be red paint.

Mason tries his hand at it, coming away with the same result. “I’ve never been anywhere where they paint the vegetables…” 

They leave empty-handed.

--

On their way into town, a firetruck races by.

--

Tanya looks up from her tea in time to see a cat who looks suspiciously familiar playing tag with two overly large ravens. She blinks her eyes once, then again.

Is that really one of the cats? Here?

Clearly, she’s spending far too much time around the scientists. There’s no way he could have followed her.

Abruptly, the cat and birds break off their game and assume a far more somber pose. She watches as the Speaker passes by, and as the creatures begin to tail him: three omens of doom.

Her attention is soon drawn away, however, by the appearance of General Hayden’s children --- the youngest ones only a year or so older than her own daughter.

She’d really like to be home already. 

--

By the time they make it to Lizzie’s shop, Harper is ready to upgrade their prognosis from ‘bad’ to ‘maybe not the worst.’ They have a pound of Dad’s favorite coffee, freshly ground, and a new mug for him.

It’s a start.

“Did you know ADMart paints their vegetables?” Mason asks.

“You --- right, you guys are still new here. You’re not used to this kind of thing.”

“You’re not upset?” Harper asks.

“We’re all more or less used to it. ADMart is hell and the Speaker is the devil --- without any of the charm he’s supposed to have.” 

“The vegetables!” Leah bemoans. “Who does that to vegetables?”

“ADMart,” Lizzie and Lazarus answer in unison.

“I can’t cook with those,” the older twin insists. “They’re barely even food.”

Lizzie pauses from the bouquet she’s arranging, a mix of bright red and yellow blooms. “Wait, why do you guys have to buy food, anyway? Dad too busy?”

Harper shakes her head. “It’s his birthday. We want to surprise him with dinner.”

 

“Oh. I didn’t … hang on.” She finishes with the bouquet and sets it in the freezer. “Come on, Lazzy! We’re taking the kids on a field trip.”

-- 

Resistance Farms produces the kind of produce Leah deems far more suitable as a medium for her craft --- and at prices that put ADMart to shame.

Harper considers the possibility that their plans might be salvaged after all.

--

When they make it back to the shop, the Speaker is waiting angrily outside the door.

“Oh boy,” Lizzie mutters. “Here we go…”

She opens the door with as much poise as she can muster. “Mr. Speaker. What a surprise.”

He glowers at her, practically shaking in indignation. “Where are they?”

“Where are who?”

“Your help.”

“Mr. Speaker, we’ve gone over this: I don’t have help.”

“Weir and Wake.”

“Weir’s home. And Lazarus is here.”

“Where were they at ten o’clock this morning?”

“…Here. Doing work. As usual.”

“Are you aware of the … incident that occurred today?”

Wesley elbows Harper. When she meets his eye, he silently mouths “The trucks!”

“No, Mr. Speaker. I am not. I’m sure you will inform me.” 

“My car was mysteriously set ablaze. And no one seems to be interested in discovering the responsible party.”

“I’m sorry to hear that,” she manages after a beat, “but I’m afraid I can’t help.”

“Do you know anyone who would have reason to inconvenience me in this way?”

“It’s because your vegetables are fake!” Leah yells. 

Lizzie collapses into laughter. 

--

With help, they make it home in time to make dinner, and wrap the presents they have collected.

They hide in the darkened kitchen, and await the telltale sounds of their father’s entrance.

His face when he turns on the light is one of absolute delight.