Wednesday, the day in the middle of the week that left Tilly teetering on a seesaw. A flurry of emotions would rush through her as the day could start off any way, with no motivation in sight, people chatting with her if they had time as she gave out fulfilled orders or handed out samples. Sometimes she felt like socializing and other times, she just gave a nod or shake, saving her energy for functioning. Today was a tough one, Rogers having to drag her out of bed.
"Let me stay in bed." Tilly groaned, face half buried in her pillow. "No one at the food truck would miss me. I could call in sick."
Rogers sighed, shaking his head, closing his eyes as rubbed the crinkles from his forehead. "You know that isn't true. Call in sick if you truly have a fever," he said entering, going over and pulling at her arm. "I made eggs and toast, with those cherry tomatoes you love on the side. If you don't want to have an empty stomach later, you best get up and eat before taking your meds."
The smell of coffee lingered in the air and she knew he probably had a teapot brewing as well since she preferred tea. Her stomach growled, begging her to not deny it of the meal. She sat up, her blonde tresses all over the place, making her look more like a lion than a human. "Ugh, why must you be so impossible to say no to, tempting me with such sweetness?"
"Is that a compliment?" His eyebrow was raised in playful confusion until he laughed. "Well, I also added some fresh fruit to your bag. It will keep your energy up later," Rogers replied, handing her the green backpack that his prosthetic hand was clutching at to her.
"There's my little worker bee," Sabine had exclaimed when she arrived, a few minutes late from dragging her boots on the brisk walk over, "I was fearing you weren't coming."
The detective was right. Her coworkers were glad to see her as usual. Her fair boss had cracked jokes at her the whole day, Jacinda nudging her that she could take over if Tilly wanted a break, and some regulars had managed to make a smile crack on her face at times. The blonde almost hated how Rogers was able to read her mood and try to remedy whatever she needed as she chomped on the sweet and crunchy white nectarine pieces during break. It didn't take long for the small bit of natural sugar and a glance at her wristwatch telling her that her six hour shift was nearly over to kick her back into a glimmer of her usual spirits.
"Tilly, let me take your tray from you," Jacinda offered as she lifted the giant wooden sample board from her hands. "I'll clock you out with Sabine?"
"Yeah, if you don't mind. Thank you." Tilly smiled.
She grabbed her backpack from the compartment next to the wheel, waving back at them as she left. There was a swing in her step as she crossed streets and made her walk toward Roni's, where Margot was sure to be. Nothing could spoil her mood when her racing heart was involved. When she arrived, the bespectacled brunette had finished serving a customer on a bar stool; a bright yellow drink she had learned was called a "Screwdriver" for some apparent reason. Tilly put down her backpack and sat at the bar top in front of her lady love.
"Hey Tils," Margot said, placing her metal cocktail shaker in the sink. "Did you just get out of work?"
"How'd you guess?" she asked, love drunk as she took in the tall bartender's features, the way her partner looked like a model even in a plain tee and dirty blonde hair tied up in a ponytail. Margot's emerald eyes traveled up and down her figure, causing Tilly to look down and blush. "Oh." The blue eyed food service worker was still wearing her uniform shirt over her flannel, a firefly and "Rolling Bayou" text embossed into the navy cotton. Tilly usually took it off and stuffed it in her bag before she came over or went home, but her mind was distracted or on autopilot throughout the day.
Margot chuckled. "Half awake huh? Would you like your usual drink?" she asked, popping up another glass from under the countertop.
Tilly put the tips of her hair haphazardly in her mouth as she slowly nodded. Some orange juice and ice clinked in the clear vessel until the hiss of a can was heard. Putting on a show, Margot lifted the aluminum can half a meter over the glass and poured, the sparkling water fizzing beautifully and causing a gradient with the citrus. Some of the miniature bubbles popped and sparked on the flushed girl's skin in soft pecks, causing her delight. The young and crafty bartender garnished the glass with a thin slice of orange and popped in a straw before passing it over.
Since they had made up and decided to drink together, she was reminded by the astute almost runaway that alcohol was a "bad mix with pills", but Margot wasn't fazed by that. For she had found a treasure trove of things to explore together that didn't require tipsiness or traveling far. "One Citrus Spritzer, refreshing and just for you," Margot said with a wink.
The inquisitive artist smiled and their hands brushed as she received the drink. With one sip, the fizz danced across her lips and burned her throat, the slight tang of the orange bringing her senses to life. "To a thrilling hump day!" she cheered sarcastically. "When do you get off?" she asked.
Margot clinked glasses with her, having made herself a melon seltzer to match. "In about an hour. Why? You got something planned?"
"No," she said, stirring the drink with the candy cane themed straw. "Nothing special. I just-"
Tilly went quiet. For weeks, they had gone to all her favorite spots and Margot had introduced her to so many foods and attractions, but she couldn't do the same. The knowledge craving gal craved to do something fun but she didn't think there was anything she could offer to the girl who had traveled the world, something that didn't cost a dime. Love was free, but it wasn't yet the weekend and her girlfriend wasn't off duty yet, despite them being so close to do more than just touch.
Margot could tell there was something up. Usually Tilly would be peppering her with questions, asking what her most interesting story of the day was or something from her travels. There might even be a sketchbook or napkin that she would doodle on, but her partner just sat there, mindlessly stirring her drink. "It doesn't matter what it is. You can tell me."
Tilly shook her head, implicitly asking Margot to disregard what she'd said. "Almost forgot," she said, pulling a crumpled five dollar bill out of her jacket pocket and straightening it out on the table.
Regina entered the bar's attendant area, carrying two bottles of ready to go syrups. She dropped them down onto the countertop and, having spotted the money, slid the bill back. "Keep it."
"I couldn't," Tilly said, turning down the offer, having made a personal promise to herself not to steal or take favors anymore for as long as she could make a salary.
"Trust me, alcohol is the more lucrative game. Otherwise, I wouldn't be standing here, giving things for free." Her brown eyes softened as she looked at the newly independent girl her niece was dating again in this cursed life. "Between you and Rogers, I can afford to lose a few bucks with all these customers around here." The two women looked around as the older bartender pointed out a few other people in the venue to make them take notice of. "Look at that guy. He's been a regular here for three years. Orders vodka or a beer depending on his mood with the sports game. And her, well, she's a businesswoman who likes her gin and tonic as much as a dog likes a bone."
"Thanks Roni." Tilly's eyes shone, ever grateful for the woman's generosity. She repocketed the money, hoping to save up for more than enough for groceries and whatever she could chip into Rogers's rent.
The cursed archer mouthed a thank you to the mother bear embodying bartender, who nodded in reply as she headed back to the storage room to refill more empty bottles from kegs. As soon as the two lovebirds finished their drinks, Zelena came down the metal winding staircase carrying a heavy cardboard box, her curly red hair being the only thing her daughter could make out.
Digging through the place for remnants of old things for her wedding postponed for a few months since Chad's unlucky entanglement with Hansel, she had found her good china and new ideas to make the wedding more with Zelena's touch and Kelly's sensibilities. "Margot, honey, I found an old box of yours in the attic. Maybe you'd want to sort this through?" The tired but fiery spirited woman let out a loud sigh of relief as she dropped the box as delicately as she could on the marble countertop.
The young bartender's green eyes lit up as she read her highschool scrawl in marker on the side of the box. 'FRAGILE. Margot's Trophies and Trinkets. Don't open, Mom.' The cardboard box contained a snow globe wrapped in newspaper and some of her track and field medals on top of a carefully laid out baking parchment paper in case her mom ever opened it up. What she cared about more were the secrets that could be unearthed, stuff from her rebellious youth. Luckily, the packing tape bore no unsealing.
"Thanks Mom. I'll get to it after I'm done." She set the box down on the ground next to the toolbox for safekeeping.
"Who have we got here?" A smug smile lined Zelena's face as she approached the citrus loving girl. In this world, Alice had been more subdued, dressed like anybody else instead of bright colors, but she was still easily recognizable in her mannerisms. Donning herself as if she were Kelly, she put out her hand for a handshake. "You must be Tilly, right? Margot's told me all about you."
"She has?" The question came out almost like she was faint of heart as the two shook hands.
Margot hadn't told her mom much about Tilly, as to not jinx how long they ended up together. It was still fresh and new. She sent daggers at her mom, noticing that her girlfriend was bewildered, eyes widening, not expecting to have met the lady so soon, but Zelena laughed it off.
"Did you know that she's been keeping me from you? Never even brought home a boy before." She glanced at her wayward daughter who was turning red in embarrassment before looking back at Tilly. "Don't worry, I'm not here to be a downer. How about you and Margot go upstairs and spend some time together while I take care of things here?"
"Mom, are you sure you're not drunk?"
Margot's eyebrows crinkled in confusion. Even though her mom had said she had changed, the currently retired backpacking traveler expected the words to be just for show. Her unruly mom from her memories didn't ever see her doing anything right, restraining her with curfews and setting high expectations. Every time she saw her mom, she kept expecting a reason to fight, but she kept getting proven wrong, seeing how supportive the person in front of her was, playing matchmaker of all things.
"If I was, could I do this?" Zelena jovally asked. The woman proceeded to do a cartwheel, earning some applause from onlookers. "Would you please?" She grabbed Tilly's hand, getting the girl on her feet as her partner.
Swaying with Tilly side to side to the jazz music they had quietly playing through the speakers, they danced for a few seconds, her leading before pulling the shorter girl into a spin and a quick mini dip. The thrill left both of them with smiles on their faces. She let the blonde get back to standing as the girl clapped from the fun she was thrown into.
Margot put her hand up, pulling downwards at her face as she took in a deep breath. "I can't believe I'm related to you." She walked over and took Tilly's hand, being protective of her as her mom had managed to dance with her before she had the guts to, glad the older woman couldn't become a humorous runner up for her girlfriend's heart. "It seems like she's got things covered. You want to follow me, away from all this?"
"Sure," the starstruck artist replied as her partner picked back up the dusty moving box, leading the way to the upper abode, up the spiral staircase as Kelly waved them off from behind the bartop.
"You never told me your mom was so funny." Tilly said, elbowing Margot as they got to the top, where the stairs met a carpeted landing. She laughed, amused at the great fortune the encounter had raised. "If I had gotten a heads up, I wouldn't have looked like a deer in headlights."
"How could I have known? She trades hobbies and emotions like picking out clothes at a department store," Margot said with a sigh.
The room Margot stayed in was a treasure trove, decorated to the gal's liking. Polaroids were pinned to fairy lights across the walls, computer and camera stuff lining the desk, some cds ready for burning, books stacked on a nightstand, and a few articles of clothing tossed on a chair. Tilly flopped on the bed, allowing the deep green blanket to envelop her in warmth as she wrapped it around herself.
"What's in the box that's got you looking like ol' Saint Nick appeared in front of you?" Tilly asked as she shimmied aside, having the habit of spreading out like a starfish and encompassing most of a bed without thought, in order to give Margot some space on the queen sized bed.
"Something I had forgotten about until now. Roni bought one as a present for me after I practically begged her one Christmas and the other I bought when I was in high school. I hid them from my mom, playing them when I was up here, as she thought I should be more invested in my studies," Margot explained.
The bespectacled girl shimmied through the box, careful not to break anything as she pulled out a few packaged games along with two Nintendo consoles, one being a DS lite and the other being a DSi.
Tilly gasped in awe, grabbing hold of the white cased games, reading titles like Legend of Zelda, Megaman, and Super Mario Bros. "You own these things?!" They were expensive relics she had only remembered seeing on commercials and sometimes other people playing with at school when she had gone as a child.
Margot replied, "Yeah. You've never played with them?" as she turned on the gaming systems, checking to see if they were still charged. Luckily, as the jingle pinged on, the battery symbol in the corners showed they were basically full and green.
"Hah." A short broken smile appeared on Tilly's face. "Didn't really have that kind of money at the group home. We split whatever was donated"
"I'm sorry. That was insensitive of me." Margot's lips were pressed tightly, her eyebrows upturned in sorrow. "Do you wanna talk about it?"
"Nah, you couldn't have known. Maybe another time?" She brushed it off, not wanting to sour the time she had with Margot. Hugging her warm partner, Tilly grabbed a console from her hand. "Besides, with you off now, and considering you have two of these, we can both play! Teach me, Targo?"
"Only if you stop calling me that," she replied, almost growling at how the silly nickname had stuck.
"You know you love it," Tilly teased as she placed her chin on the crook of her love's neck. "What game do you recommend?"
Margot rolled her eyes, thinking Tilly was the sole individual that she would let call her that, knowing deep down that she found the blunder of a nickname endearing. She opened a game case and popped in the Mario Kart cartridge into her device. "The controls are simple." She showed and explained what the arrows and buttons did, the girl mirroring her instructions.
After they had connected through the local wireless connection, Margot taunted, "Are you up for a challenge?"
"Did you have to ask?" she answered, tongue in cheek.
They set up the match, randomizing the tracks. As they went through, Tilly looked so puzzled, hinting that they could go over specifics some other day. Margot skimmed over the ideas of customization of the carts, wheels, and gliders since Tilly was still new to the DS gaming world, including Mario Kart itself. The girl was enamored with every new thing, especially the characters she could pick from, half of which she didn't recognize such as Donkey Kong, R.O.B., and Dry Bones. In the end, they stuck to the basics, Tilly choosing Mario and Margot pairing with her as Luigi.
The game started along swimmingly, Tilly getting better at how to turn and use the powerups with each lap. However, Margot's competitive spirit to beat the CPUs, and inadvertently Tilly, dashed her into the lead after her very rusty first start, delayed as she had caused her vehicle to start in smoke by holding the A button for too long.
"How did you do that?" the blonde newbie cried, throwing the DS against the plush blanket she was on. She had lost three times as Luigi, Margot's character of choice, passed her and every CPU with blue streaks coming out of their speedy vehicle.
The game played thrilling music as the scores popped up, V.S. mode over. Her bespectacled partner teased with a smile, "Something called 'Drifting'."
"Show me and then we'll go again," Tilly commanded, pouting and unsatisfied, even though she had progressed from last place to fifth.
"Your wish is my command, cupcake," Margot replied.
They continued to play mainly Mario Kart and different Mario games until the moon fell in love with the sun, turning the sky into a golden view. The consoles were out of juice anyways. It signaled time for Tilly to go home and she called Rogers on her lover's phone, to let him know not to worry and where to pick her up since it was late.
"I'm gonna miss you, Margot," the invested gamer said, tears clouding her vision, not wanting the fun to end.
"You'll see me again tomorrow if you visit. And these bad boys once I'm done charging them," Margot said as she plugged the gray chargers into the DS devices.
"Will you really?" Tilly asked, her heartstrings refusing to settle as she wiped at her eyes.
Margot pulled her close, cradling her head as their lips touched, intermingling in fruity flavors. They felt as if sparks could fly as their silhouettes were lit up from the fading sunlight and rosy hues painted on the clouds. "As long as I get to love you."