<div align="center"><span class="bbc_u"><strong>Sunday, January 5th – Noon</strong></span><br/><em>Greenhouse – Under Construction</em></div><hr/><div class="floatleft">(https://instagramdivass.weebly.com/uploads/2/1/0/2/21029130/8353amiss-dollye-castro_orig.jpg)</div><strong>WHO:</strong>Tia Hernandez<br/><strong>WEARING:</strong>This (https://www.stylevore.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Thick-Girl-Summer-Dresses.jpg)<br/><strong>DOING:</strong>Working on clearing out the old detached garage<br/><strong>NOTE:</strong><br/><strong>TAGGING:</strong>Marley, CLOSED<br/><hr/>“It does for me.” Tia answered with a smile. She had been alone for a year.  Even at the Cathedral she often kept to herself unless it was to help one of the other residents out.  She wasn’t a complete hermit and helped make dinner and often ate with the others, but at most other times she was working on projects of her own as she decided on whether she should stay at the cathedral or not.  It would be nice to sit down with another woman and just talk.  No testosterone to worry about or outside pressures interfere. Just some wine and some conversation.  Well wine for Tia.  Apparently, Marley needed something a little more substantial.  Tia hesitated for a moment though. A sudden uncertainty gripping her.  Would it be betraying the memory of those soft and sometimes very sensual moments with her wife?  It hadn’t started with Kesi. Tia enjoyed spending time with family and friends before the war.  Since it has been a comforting, if slightly morbid ritual that had kept her memories of Kesi fresh.  Her brow furrowed but for only a moment.  Kesi wouldn’t want her to mourn her forever and while Tia was far from ready to move on, drinks with a friend was hardly a betrayal.<br/><br/>“I think I’d like that.” Tia admitted as the furrow as gone as if it had never creased her face.  “It would be nice to have someone to talk too.” She offered and with a smile added. “I will make sure I have something a little stiffer for you so you can feel the effects, but not too much.  Tia turned to her side as Marley continued to question and talk about Tia’s experience with the ISO.  The vehemence in Marley’s voice when she talked about the dangers that faced the Cathedral and what Trench and his goons might mean to them and Tia, in particular, was beyond touching.<br/><br/>“Thank you.” she said and reached out a hand to touch Marley’s and give it a squeeze.  “But you take on too much.  Don’t put this place in danger because of me.  I can deal with Trench if it comes to that but don’t go looking for trouble on my account.  Just hiding me here is more than enough and I owe you a lot for that.”<br/><br/>When Marley said the worse she could do was die, there was a small but noticeable flinch in Tia.  If only Kesi has been so blessed, Tia didn’t want anyone else to die.  Marley might be immortal but was she certain?  Was there something out there that could change that?  Tia worried that Marley might find out in the worst possible way and she didn’t want another person she had grown to care about die.<br/><br/>“I don’t care if you can heal from anything Marley.  Promise me you won’t die for me.”  There was a deep sadness and concern in her voice.  “I don’t want you too.  I don’t want anyone too.”  Perhaps it was kindness or perhaps it was fatalism that drove her statement.  Death in this world was rarely peaceful and she wouldn’t wish that kind of pain and fear on anyone.  Tia didn’t fear her own death.  She was certain Kesi would be waiting for her when she passed so if it was her time it was her time.  Her body shifted and she sat back up on the lounge chair and let Marley’s hand go.  “I had better get back to it.” She said before standing and giving her back a bit of a stretch.  It had stiffened up during the short break.  “This thing isn’t going to finish itself,” she added and started to walk away.  A few steps in and she turned to look over her shoulder at the woman lounging in the sun.<br/><br/>“Come by my room around eight if you want that drink.” She offered before disappearing back into the “greenhouse.”<br/><br/><End Scene for Tia><br/>