"Is that all you brought?" Danielle asked, tapping the duffel bag with her foot. She ran her fingers through her wet hair and quickly braided it down. It really was getting too long and she badly needed a haircut.
"It's all I have." Kristine replied, blushing. True to her word, Danielle was in and out of the shower in less then 10 minutes. Kristine had spent most of that time sitting on the floor playing with Duke. She had only run out to the car for her bag when she heard the shower shut off.
"Well feel free to borrow whatever you need until you can get your own stuff." Danielle shrugged. She sat on the couch and played with the car keys, Kristine had set on the coffee table. "I didn't know you were allowed to drive."
"I'm allowed to do anything I want now." Kristine said more defensively than she meant to, emphasizing the word 'allowed.'
"Sorry. I didn't mean anything by it." Danielle said quietly setting the keys back down.
"No no it's okay. I didn't mean to snap. It's all just such an adjustment. She replied taking a deep breath.
"Oh I bet." Danielle said.
"Actually, I was wondering if tomorrow you could follow me to town so I can drop the car off. I only have it for a day."
"Sure." Danielle smiled. "I need to go to town anyway."
"Perfect. You wouldn't happen to know of anyone who's hiring, would you?"
"Hmm...I have no idea. But you could always work for me." Danielle responded after a moment's thought.
"Work for you? Doing what?" Kristine wondered. She had seen Danielle's workshop and the woman was a fantastic artist. Kristine, however knew nothing about glass blowing, she'd never even seen it done before. Chances were, if given those tools she'd likely set the house ablaze.
Danielle chuckled at Kristine's confused, and slightly scared expression. "Nothing you couldn't handle. Packaging mostly. Maybe delivery if you were up for it."
Kristine thought about it a moment. She could definitely handle that type of work, but it didn't feel right. "I can't have you pay me to do something you normally do then turn around to give the money back to you."
"Why would you do that?" Danielle asked.
"Do what?" Kristine said, confused.
"Give the money back to me?"
"I can't live here rent free. I don't need your charity, Danielle. I want to be able to offer something to the table, plus I'm interested in going to school." Kristine explained.
"It's not charity work, Kristine. It's busy work that I'm not fond of. You'd be doing me a favor. Also I wouldn't accept rent from you...and what would you go to school for?" Danielle asked.
Kristine sighed. She realized now how little she knew Danielle. Apparently the woman was stubborn. "Well it wouldn't feel right living off you for free."
"You wouldn't be. You'd take care of the work I don't want to do. It's a win-win. What do you want to go to school for?" She asked again.
"Nursing, I think." Kristine replied. "I'd be happy to work for you in exchange for you letting me stay here. But I won't accept payment. I'll find a job in town."
"Don't be ridiculous. It's a 45 minute commute back and forth. And believe me you won't want to do that when the snow comes." Danielle replied. "By the way I think you'd make an excellent nurse." She chuckled, thinking about how well Kristine cared for her when she'd elbowed her that night.
"I'd have to commute anyway if I went to school." Kristine retorted.
"You don't even have a car." Danielle pointed out.
"Then I'll get one." Kristine said.
"With what money? You just said you won't accept any from me."
"Ugh! Why are you being so difficult...I'll get a loan." Kristine groaned.
"I'm not being difficult, I'm simply pointing out the flaws in your plan." Danielle chuckled, causing Kristine to go red in the face. More so from aggravation than embarrassment, though she was embarrassed to have thought so little about her next steps. Maybe she should have listened more to Joan when she had the chance. "Look, let me help you. Consider it a loan, if that makes you feel better. I'll help you get a car and go to school if that's what you want."
Kristine stayed quiet, thinking through the options she realized she didn't have. "And how exactly can you afford to do all that?" She asked after a moment.
"I make good money with my art. I'm frugal. I've saved quite a bit over the years." Danielle explained simply.
"Oh" was all Kristine could manage to say. She sighed and scrubbed her hands over her eyes. "Why though? Why would you do all of that for me? You don't even know me and I don't want to be your charity case."
"I've already said we can call it a loan. Interest free, you can pay me back when you're on your feet" Danielle said.
"But why?" Kristine pressed on.
"Because I like you, Kristine." Danielle smiled. "It's not out of pity or some ego boosting charity work. I want to help you. Let me help you." She added when she saw the look of frustration on Kristine's face.
Their eyes met and Kristine saw the sincerity in Danielle's smile. She hated feeling helpless, but truth was, she needed the help. She sighed dramatically and nodded. "Ok.." She agreed, reluctantly. "But I intend to pay you back. I'll do anything you need around the house and I'll do the packaging or whatever for your art."
"Deal." Danielle smiled and held out her hand. Kristine rolled her eyes and then shook the woman's hand. "So now that that's all settled, what would you like to do this evening?"
Kristine pursed her lips as she thought. "Anything really. I'm a free woman now, no more rules!" She giggled.
Danielle smirked and pushed away the thoughts Kristine's statement gave her. "Is there anything you've never done, but have always wanted to?" She asked.
"Hmm" Kristine hummed in thought. "There's so many things honestly. I was always a good girl."
"Pick something. Anything." Danielle pressed. She could easily Kristine plenty of ideas that one might consider 'bad,' but she didn't want to suggest anything that could possibly offend the woman.
"I've never been drunk." Kristine giggled.
"Oh well that's easy" Danielle laughed. That's hardly bad in her book, but for the ex nun who exudes innocence, she could see why Kristine found the idea scandalous. "Let's kick it up a notch, you won't find any communion wine here anyway." Danielle snickered, grasping Kristine's hand to lead her to the kitchen. She went straight for the liquor. She set out vodka and peach schnapps before going into the fridge for juice.
"Sex on the beach?" Danielle said with a smirk as she started mixing two cocktails.
"Excuse me?" Kristine blushed violently.
"It's the name of the drink. You've never heard of it?" Danielle laughed handing Kristine a glass.
"No. You've got to be joking.." Kristine said in disbelief. She hesitantly took the glass, peering into the colorful drink.
"Not at all. Cheers!" She smirked and tapped her glass to Kristine's. "Just try it." She said with a laugh, watching as the woman stared at her glass.
"Oh alright." She took a small sip and smiled. "Actually that's really good. Much better than beer." She chuckled.
"And now you can say you've had sex on the beach." Danielle laughed.
"That's so crude. Why would anyone call a drink that?" Kristine shook her but she had to admit it made it laugh a little.
"I could have made wet pussy shots" Danielle smirked and shrugged her shoulders, laughing as Kristine's mouth dropped open in horror.
"I repeat, that's crude." She said when she regained her composure. "So have you ever?" She asked after a moment.
"Have I ever what?" Danielle asked.
"Had sex on the beach?" Kristine asked blushing.
"Not on the beach, no" Danielle responded laughing. "I'd rather not deal with picking sand out of my--"
"Yeah, okay I get the picture." Kristine quickly cut her off with a laugh. "I don't know why I asked." She shook her head and took another sip of her drink.
"You'll never get drunk at that rate." Danielle nodded, pointing out the baby sips Kristine was taking. "Have a shot." She smirked.
"Oh I don't know if I really want to be drunk. I'll probably get sick and ruin the night." Kristine said, but Danielle was already pouring two shots of vodka and pushing one into her hand.
"You said you've never been drunk. You should experience it at least once in your life." Danielle said throwing back the shot in one go.
Kristine hesitated and then followed suit, gagging as the vodka hit her throat. "Ugh that is awful!" She whined.
"It's not so bad." Danielle shrugged.
"Maybe to you!" Kristine said sticking out her tongue and shaking her head with her eyes closed tightly. Danielle only laughed.
"So what else is on your bucket list?" She asked finishing her cocktail and debating if she wanted another.
"I don't know. I guess I never thought I'd have the opportunity." Kristine shrugged.
"Well you do now."
"What should be on my bucket list?" Kristine asked.
"That's really up to you. Sex, drugs, rock and roll. I don't know." Danielle laughed.
"I'll have to think about it more." Kristine said rolling her eyes. For tonight, drinking was enough. Soon she was feeling the alcohol as she was on the last sips of her first drink, while Danielle was sipping on a beer. One drink turned to two and before she knew it she was sipping on a third. "You know what I want to do right now!?" Kristine said excitedly. Danielle smirked as she could hear the slurred undertone in the woman's voice. She wasn't surprised at all that Kristine would be a light weight.
"What's that?" She asked curiously. She had a comfortable buzz and no interest in getting drunk. Plus she wanted to make sure Kristine was okay as she continued to drink. She had to keep some semblance of sobriety in order to be of any use.
"I wanna dance!" Kristine giggled, sliding off her chair to stand.
"Here? Right now?" Danielle laughed, amusement in her eyes.
"Yes!! Put on some music for me!" Kristine smiled holding her hands out. "Please!" She added quickly with a pouty face that was actually quite adorable.
"Alright, why not?" Danielle mused, letting Kristine pull her from her seat. She grabbed her phone and took it to the speakers on either side of the television. She picked out a pop playlist and hooked her phone up to the speakers, turning the music up. "Let's set the mood a bit though" She chuckled, flipping off a couple lights to dim the living room. Duke laid nearby watching everything with curious eyes.
"Oh this is perfect!" Kristine cheered a little too loudly. "Dance with me!" Danielle laughed and the two danced together as if it were a night out. They kept it up for a long time, having innocent fun, twirling and laughing around the living room. Eventually Kristine crashed, having taken a moment to sit on the couch and almost instantly falling asleep. Danielle came back from the bathroom to find the woman asleep and laughed.
"What a light weight." She smiled and tossed a blanket over her before shutting off the music and calling it a night.