Thanks for your review EC Brenway!
Chelly bonding content should be the only content but alas there are other factors to check in on! You're absolutely right that Pierce's mysterious procedure on Chloe could be anything!
The Chemistry In Darkness
Chapter Thirty-Six
Monday 9th December 2024
After her training session with Chloe at her place, it was late afternoon as Elly walked around the Lassiters complex with Aster, her daughter very animatedly dancing around the place from the lakeside to the Waterhole and now to Harold's Café. Elly had spent the past hour showing Aster all around the Erinsborough neighbourhood. Having been back in town for three weeks, Elly felt that it was more than overdue that she spent time with Aster out at the local places. Aster and her had spent far too much time settling into the Kennedy's.
"Mum, can we stop off at Harold's for a drink?" Aster begged.
"I thought you had your lil heart set on going to the very cool Tram for a snack and a hot chocolate?" Elly pointed out.
"We can go to the Tram another day, Mama. Let's go to Harold's, you've talked about this place so much, it's so cool, look at it," Aster enthused.
Elly glanced over at the café she'd spent so many times popping in and out of during the four years she'd lived in Erinsborough. She smiled at the memory that she technically met Chloe at Harold's all those years ago, having brushed past each other in the café, then later Elly assuming that Chloe was stealing from Mark at one of the tables outside the café.
"What you smiling about, Mum?" Aster asked.
"This café is the place I met Chloe years ago," Elly answered.
Aster grinned back up at her mum, "Did you love her right away?"
"Pfft," Elly scoffed, "I thought Chloe was a nutjob! We did not get on at all and I had no idea that I could ever want to be with a woman let alone that Chloe is the only one for me. But I guess that's the interesting path to true love, all the steps in between and the people and events that get in your way. I know Chloe's it for me, I just don't know how long it's gonna take…months…years."
"It won't take that long," Aster asserted, "You'll get your path to true love with your mate, Chloe soon, Mama."
Elly squeezed Aster's hand, "Not if you keep talking like that, I won't. Gotta keep my secrets and not call Chloe my mate, Aster."
"Okay, Mum," Aster agreed, "So…Harold's?"
"Alright, we've been walking around the complex for nearly an hour, time for a break," Elly decided.
"With chocolate cake and hot chocolate?" Aster asked cheekily.
"Only if we share the chocolate cake cause there is no way a mother should let their lil girl have an entire piece of cake just over an hour before your dinner time," Elly countered.
Aster nodded in agreement as they walked into the café, then before Elly was barely through the door of the café, she heard Aster yell out happily, "Chloe!"
Elly's smile crossed her face as soon as it landed on Chloe sitting at one of the booths in the café and grew brighter as she saw the way Chloe reacted to Aster greeting her.
Chloe immediately looked up at Aster calling out to her, smiling wildly at the little girl, "Hey, Aster, what brings you to Harold's?"
Aster ran over to the blonde, giggling when Chloe closed the book she was reading and reached out her hands to scoop Aster into her arms from where she was sitting at the booth, "Mum's been showing me around the Lassiters complex and now we stopped here for chocolate cake and hot chocolate!"
"Hey, Elly," Chloe greeted softly as she looked over at her ex.
"Hey, Chlo," Elly greeted back equally as soft.
Before either woman could say anymore, Aster snuggled against Chloe, "Can Mum and I join you, Chloe?"
"Aster," Elly said in a tone scolding her daughter, "Chloe's here spending time…to herself. We don't need to invade every moment of Chloe's life."
Aster looked up at Chloe, cheekily asking, "Can we invade every moment of your life, Chloe?"
Chloe ran her hand down Aster's hair, playing with her plaits, "Are you kidding? You better invade every moment of my life, Aster! I love having you around…both of you around."
Way to encourage her, Chlo, Aster will never want to be apart from you if you say things like that…but also…swoon! Chloe loves having us around…
"Are you sure we're not bothering your late afternoon chill reading session? Cause Aster and I were spending some quality mother and daughter time that we are more than capable of continuing," Elly checked as she stepped towards the booth.
Chloe glanced at her book, then shrugged, "My chill reading session was getting a bit boring. You're welcome to join me."
Elly nodded shyly, "Okay, I'll just go order for Aster and I," then seeing there was no food or drink on Chloe's table, "Do you want me to get something for you?"
Chloe shook her head, "Nah, I'm good."
"You already ate?" Elly asked.
"Actually, I didn't have anything to eat or drink here. Pierce has us sorted for our meals at home and coffee machine. I don't eat or drink anything processed, I'm sure Dipi's food is great, it's just not the kind of food in my diet. I know it's weird that I stop by the café to not have anything to eat or drink but Dipi's never had a problem with it. She's all the time letting me hang out here when I need a break from being at home. She even loans me her books to read," Chloe answered.
"Okay," Elly replied cheerfully but deep down she was confused why Chloe was so against eating any food not prepared by her chef that she'd spend time in the local café without ordering anything.
As Elly was at the counter ordering, Aster grinned up at Chloe, feeling safe in her arms, "Mum and I saw your artwork around the complex. Mum kept pointing them out to me as we walked about the place. You make good stuff, Chloe."
"Thanks, Aster," Chloe was chuffed as she squeezed the young girl in her arms, "I've got a piece of artwork for your mum that she needs to pick up from me that I think you'll like loads but you gotta keep it a secret. Can you do that for me?"
Aster nodded enthusiastically, "I can keep all your secrets, Chloe. Mum will too."
Elly returned to the table, "What secrets are we keeping now?"
Chloe shrugged, "Oh, nothing, just the painting of a particular someone that we got interrupted by Pierce the other day stopping you from taking home. Aster's gonna keep it a secret when you get it home."
"It's a big risk, Aster trying to keep a secret," Elly teased, knowing Aster would be elated to see Chloe painted a portrait of the youngster before she'd even met her, "But we'll see what we can do once I grab that painting from you which I'll do tomorrow, promise."
Elly reached out for the chair opposite Chloe and Aster at the booth but Aster slapped her hand to the table next to Chloe, "Mama, sit here next to us."
Sit next to Chloe at a booth…this kid of mine is gonna grow up to be a dating match maker.
Chloe watched as Elly hesitated over where to sit, "C'mon, come sit next to us, Elly."
Spurred by Chloe's soft enthusiasm, Elly sat down next to Chloe, with Aster still sitting in her lap, "Sure this is okay?"
"Why wouldn't it be? Aster, do you want to stay with me or curl up to your mum?" Chloe asked.
"You, Chloe, cause if I sit on mum's lap then we can't eat or drink our chocolate without me getting in the way," Aster reasoned, despite knowing Elly was used to eating and drinking around her when she was sitting on her Mum's lap.
"That's a very good point, Aster. If you need any help cutting your cake or not spilling your drink, you let me know," Chloe offered.
Elly couldn't help but be overwhelmed by the feelings she had seeing Chloe with Aster, desperate for the three of them to be a family, but was soon distracted by the book Chloe had been reading that was lying there on the table, "You were reading this?"
Chloe shrugged, "Yeah, I get bored at home despite my time working on my artwork and…" Chloe tilted her head to indicate the secret martial arts training no one but Elly knew about, "Plus, after picking up all the kids from school and daycare this arvo and managing to drop them straight to the boy's cause David had just finished a shift at the hospital…I figured I deserved a little time to myself and came to read one of Dipi's books that she likes to loan me."
"So, this is Dipi's book?" Elly was surprised.
"Yeah," Chloe answered, "Not exactly a subject for everyone but I like it."
"The Supernatural World of Witches, Werewolves and Zombies?" Elly read the title.
What the hell would Chloe think if she knew this was all real…? Okay, Zombies aren't real and Witches are more spiritual beings but…the concept of them is and we all know Werewolves are real… Chloe doesn't know that. Does this mean she might be more open to it one day…?
"I've spent a bit of time studying history and found myself looking into spiritual history. Before I knew it, Dipi was showing me all these books she had y'know cause she's big on the tarot cards and spiritually and I found a fascination with all it," Chloe explained.
"Werewolves are real," Aster perked up, then off her Mum's look, "I mean I think they are. And witches, I think they are too."
Chloe smiled at the little girl, "Never say never is what I'd say on the subject of the supernatural existing."
"I think that's the right way to think about it," Elly winked at Chloe, "You never know what could be out there among us."
As a waitress brought over Elly's order of a hot chocolate and a piece of Dipi's famous chocolate fudge cake with caramel drizzle, Elly thanked her then nodded at Aster to dig into the piece of cake that was almost big enough for all three of them. Elly took a few sips of the hot chocolate so that it was easier for Aster not to spill the drink when Elly helped her take a few sips.
Chloe smiled happily at the pair's interactions with one another. Elly blushed shyly as she noticed the way Chloe was watching them, "How long have we got to spend with you before you need to go home?"
What I wouldn't give for the answer to be forever.
Chloe looked at her watch, then smiled back at the pair she was sitting closely with, "Pierce won't be finished with work for another couple hours and dropping the kids back to David earlier than usual means I have nothing important on for the rest of the day, just a typical dinner with Pierce, nothing special."
"Perfect," Elly licked her lips at being able to spend more time with the two people who meant so much to her and getting to see Chloe and Aster's bond with one another continue to grow, "What else can you tell us about this book of yours and the studying you've done on spiritual history?"
Elsewhere at Lassiters Hotel, Paige knocked on the office door, spotting Pierce at the desk packing up his briefcase, "Hey, Pierce, can I get you to sign these documents to sign off on holding that massive conference that was booked with us and the rooms we need to hold for the attendees?"
"Can you ask Terese to sign them? I'm taking off early today," Pierce announced.
"Oh, okay, sure I can do that. Anything special going on for you to be leaving work early?" Paige queried.
"Sure is," Pierce gloated, "It's mine and Chloe's 4th wedding anniversary today! We always do this thing where we pretend that we've forgotten our anniversary in the morning but then Chloe puts on the most amazing dinner for me to celebrate as her way to surprise me cause of course Chloe hasn't forgotten and I spoil her with an amazing gift which no clues but she's going to love this year. I've got to pick up something special for tonight's surprise before I get home to Chloe."
"I guess that explains why Chloe was thrilled to hear David would be home early today to take the kids from her as soon as she picked them all up, gave her time to prepare things for you. Heading off a bit early or are you planning on interrupting Chloe preparing your amazing dinner?" Paige pointed out.
Pierce grinned, "Yeah I know a part of Chloe is gonna be disappointed in me interrupting her plans for me this year but I'm sure once she hears what I've got planned, she'll forgive me. It's gonna be one hell of a night."
Next week - Will Chloe remember it's her wedding anniversary before or after she next sees that lovable hubby of hers?