What I Do For Friends (Karen)

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Zeph thought she was going to have a nice, quite day off. She'd been working almost every night for the past two weeks, and such a day was welcomed. She had planned to spend it with her family. She had already dropped by her parents' house for a bit, and then had an early lunch with her brother. The rest of her day was to be spent with her wife and two children. She rarely got to make dinner those days, so she was looking forward to doing so. After dinner, they would go for a walk in a nearby park, and play some games before bed. A perfect evening with her perfect family.

Zeph had to make a stop at the Grocer's in Diagon first though. The items for the dinner itself had been bought, but Zeph wanted to make a nice pie for dessert as well. She walked about for the flour and the fruit for the filling. As she looked over the fruit pie fillings, she thought.

"Now then," she said. "What should I get? Benny's partial to the strawberry, but Betty loves the peach, then there's Mera's love for blackberry pie." She then smiled. "I'll make tarts with all three... and grab some cherry pie filling for me as well. That will do nicely." Sometimes Zeph chuckled at herself, being a mother. She remembered her younger days when she was a bit of a party girl. She was glad that her twins didn't see her then.

@karen

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Kara was sent to the grocers this evening, since Karen switched the body over to her and it was grocery night. She hated grocery night, and often complained about it in their journal. However, the trip was made worth it by the site of Zeph up ahead. Kara grinned happily and skipped over to her friend with a big grin on her face. "Zephy! Hi!" she said with the most pep in her step that anyone in the grocery store had ever seen, probably.

Kara looked down at what Zeph had in her hands, "pie fillings? Is it Thanksgiving?" an American Holiday. She chuckled, shaking her head, "I mean, how are you? How is the family?" Oooh, tonight could be good if she could get Zeph to go out! Maybe she could drop her groceries off and convince her friend to go dancing... that would take some hard convincing but she was up for the challenge.

@zephyra

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Now that Zeph knew what to get, had to figure out which brand of fruit filling. She and Mera were on a budget, but she also wanted quality. She hated feeding her kids the generic canned fruits and veggies. She didn't even want to what enchanted gardens and orchards came from. She took a deep breath and decided between two brands. Parenting One-O-One.

"Guess I'll go with Zarppini's," she said. "He does make good mashed yams after all."

She then turned when she heard a familiar voice greet her. She smiled at her friend as Kara approached. She then chuckled about the pie fillings.

"Hello Kara," she said. "And no, not really a special occasion. Just one of the rare nights I can make dinner for the family, and I want to make some tarts as well." She then smiled when Kara asked how she was. "I'm doing well, and you? Just happy to finally have a day off from work. The family's doing well. Benny and Betty are growing fast. I think it's something in the chicken." She chuckled at that. "What are you up to? A bit of shopping as well?"

@karen

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Zeph greeted her and said it wasn't a special occasion, just a rare night where she could make dinner and tarts. Kara's grin was still wide as she went on, saying she was doing well and so was the family and the kids and all. Kara chuckled at the 'something in the chicken' comment, as well. "Oh, just doing some grocery shopping," she rolled her eyes. She was not the grocery shopper. Still, she was okay with doing her part. Sort of. Kind of. She guessed it was fine.

"Must be nice to have a day off work... maybe so nice that you'd want to do something fun once the kids have gone to sleep," she phrased it sort of like a question, but not really. She was more saying it as... a kind of inception. Trying to get into Zephs head, to convince her that this was something she wanted to do with her time... it was fun!

@zephyra

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Zeph chuckled when Kara rolled her eyes about grocery shopping. At one time, Zeph wasn't crazy about it either. She wished she was doing fifty other things when her mum took her and her brother with her as children. She avoided the Neep like the plague in school on the Hogsmeade weekends. Being a mother changed that though. She found it fun shopping for her family.

"You don't seem very excited," she said. "Tell you what. I'll shop with you and make it a bit better. Anything in particular that you're looking for?"

Kara then suggested that Zeph do something fun once the kids were in bed. That was usually when Zeph and Mera hit the bed themselves. Zeph felt like her late nights were behind her, outside of her job of course. Also, what might Mera think of her being out with a pretty woman like Kara, regardless of what Kara's sexuality was. Zeph side.

"I... I don't know," she said. "Just that usually Mera and I tend to retire for the night once the children do." She then sighed. "Though... I do miss a good night out... oh I don't know." Kara was fun to be around... and maybe Mera wouldn't mind....

@karen

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Zeph called her out on not being excited about the groceries, which was fair. She said she'd shop with her and Kara grinned, nodding. "Sweet! Just milk, eggs... the basics. And probably some ice cream," she giggled. Karen didn't really approve of them getting a lot of sugar in their body, but Kara didn't care so Karen would just have to suck it. Ice cream was delicious and worth the minor scolding.

Zeph sighed, clearly unsure about going out. "Mera could come!" she suggested. Really she didn't care who came, it would be more fun with more people any way. "But if she doesn't want to I promise you'll be home before... two a.m.!" she said, feeling like that was rather generous. Sometimes she didn't get home til' four or five and then Karen had to get up for work the next day... it wasn't a very good deal for Karen.

@zephyra

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Zeph chuckled at the mention of ice cream. One of her favorite things to do was take Benny and Betty out for ice cream. It wasn't a frequent treat for her, but a welcomed one. She wanted to make sure her and her children had a healthy diet, but she didn't want to deprive them of a few sweets now and then.

"Shall we begin with the ice cream then?" she chuckled. "What's your favorite flavor?"

Zeph raised an eyebrow about Mera coming. It would be nice to have her along, but she doubted Mera would want to be out so late, and for them to have to summon Zeph's parents to watch the children. Zeph also sighed about two a.m. That was a bit late for her those days.

"Kara... I really would love to, but..." She then sighed. "I'll talk to Mera, but I can't guarantee anything. I know that sounds a bit daft to ask permission, but... well we made vows to run everything by one another way back at the wedding. But I'll give it a try. I do miss hanging out with you."

@karen

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Zeph suggested ice cream and Kara led the way. "Chocolate anything, of course," she giggled, pursuing the freezer. Zeph was starting to resist, saying that she would talk to Mera but that she couldn't guarantee anything. Kara waved a hand, "Oh pssh, I understand asking permission. That is totally important when you love someone," she and Karen did that often. Because they loved each other. Karen rarely asked permission for anything though because she wasn't going to do anything crazy.

Kara turned around, her eyes bright, "I miss it, too! My friends who stay up late are dwindling. Somehow, you're all growing up," she said with an eye roll, reaching in to take a carton of Rocky Road.

@zephyra

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Zeph chuckled when Kara said her favorite was chocolate anything. She thought of her recent outing with her daughter. That kid just perked up at the vision of a big bowl of chocolate raspberry ice cream. She was all about chocolate at the sweet shops as well.

"You sound a lot like my Betty," she said. "I don't ask to ask her twice what kind she wants. Chocolate raspberry every time! I fancy butterscotch myself. I've always been partial to butterscotch... and butterbeer too." She chuckled at that.

She frowned when Kara said all her late night friends were dwindling. She didn't want Kara to feel that way about her. She loved being around her. Kara was fun and she passed that energy on to Zeph.

"Well I have grown up, but that doesn't mean I can't have a bit of fun," she said. "I'm sure Mera will be fine with it. She goes out for things as well at times. Part of being a couple is allowing each other to have time to ourselves."

(Can bump up time in next post if you'd like.)

@karen

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It seemed as though Kara was going to get what she wanted, which was excellent news. Once they were done shopping, they parted ways and soon Zephyra said they would be good to go and for Kara to meet her at eight at her house. Kara went home and got ready, a black dress with tall black heels and a little red bow in her hair, complete with red lipstick. She arrived at Zeph's place and waited outside, knowing she shouldn't ring the bell or knock since it would be bed time. She was stoked that Zeph was able to go out tonight. She needed some time with her friend.

@zephyra