A/N: Again, thank you for reading and reviewing. This is another random idea, inspired by something I saw on TV a couple of nights ago. This one is about Connie/Rita. Hope you enjoy it. :D
~Mini Peacelet~
Wintry Advent
9. Tradition
"Rita, where are we going?" Connie demanded for the fifth time that morning with a hint of irritability in her tone, she was persistent and her curiosity was increasing as to where their journey was going to take them. "Aargh, Rita!" She hissed at the blonde hit another bump in the twisty road resulting in her missing her eyelashes with the mascara wand and leaving a streak of the black substance across her cheek.
"Sorry-" The nurse casted a short glance at her fiancée, "I told you earlier not to bother with make-up, it'll only be a waste!" She fixated her orbs back on the road as she suppressed a faintly wicked laugh, cranking the vehicle into a lower gear, "And for the last time, I'm not telling you where we are going." Their destination was a secret, but it was humorous tormenting her partner.
Connie wiped the mascara from her cheek and began dabbing the skin with foundation, "You know that I won't go out anywhere in public without make-up." She stated bluntly as she blended the fresh application of foundation in with the rest, "I am so glad you are driving your own car and not mine with all the holes you seem to be finding and gear - or lack of correct - gear changing." She muttered and precariously stroked her lashes with the brush, "How much longer before we get there?"
"I don't even know why you bother with foundation, your skin is naturally unblemished and has a nice glow to it." Rita rolled her eyes and peered at digital clock, "We'll be there soon." She then shot an ominous glare at the former heart surgeon, "Don't criticise my driving, it your fault anyway."
"My fault? How do you work that out? I didn't teach you to drive." The brunette puckered her perfectly arced eyebrow, impatiently awaiting an explanation before pouting momentarily, "I have freckles. Unfortunately I was unlucky enough to inherit them." She muttered as she applied a coat of glossy pink lipstick to her lips.
"Your freckles are cute, though." Rita argued, she adored the tiny freckles that speckled her lover's cheeks and nose, "And it's your fault because you always insist that we take your car and you drive, so it's been so long since I've last driven that I may or may not have forgotten how." She replied matter-of-factly.
The clinical lead rolled her chocolate orbs dramatically, "Whatever." She murmured and dismissed the blonde's last sentence as she dropped her make-up components back into her leather handbag, "Did you just call me cute?" She scoffed, uninspired by the adjective.
"Yes." The aspiring nurse nodded as she pulled into a gravel car park and halted the vehicle, "We're here." She grinned and allowed the subtle roar of the engine to fade into silence.
A frown succumbed Connie's features, "The beach? Are you mad, Rita? It's the middle of December and you've bought us all this way to a bloody beach?" She wasn't impressed, nor the slightest bit content that this was the destination of their lengthy travel. She hated the beach. Especially sandy beaches - just like this one.
Rita simply smiled sweetly, "You'll see why we are here. The seaside is the seaside any day of the year!" She opened the door and emerged from the car into the fresh - yet blustery - atmosphere, inhaling the salty air deeply.
Exhaling a moody sigh, the brunette stepped out of the vehicle and slammed the door shut, her expensive heels crunching against the loose gravel. Her dark, wild curls danced in the wispy wind and she reluctantly followed her partner down the slippery steps and onto the sand.
"It's just beautiful, isn't it?" The nurse gazed in awe at the ripples of waves breaking onto the shore with gushes and then retreating back into the ocean. She had always found watching waves relaxing. They crashed against the cliff face, igniting mini explosions in the cracks and crevasses of the rock, creating all the shadows and arcs over millions of years via the process of erosion.
The older female nodded faintly, "Mmm, it is rather. But it's freezing." She wrapped her material coat around herself more, tails of her scarf blowing in the breeze. She cursed lightly as she realised the moist sand had fused itself to her suede Louboutins. They were ruined. Her favourite pair. "Why did you want to come here today then?" She inquired inquisitively, scanning her orbs around the beach that was vacant excluding the odd squawking seagull.
Rita smiled subtly, interlacing hands with Connie, "Well, a family tradition of mine is that every December before Christmas day we take a trip to the seaside and then take a dip in the water...we've done it for every year that I can remember, been a tradition in the family for generations." She enlightened her with a faint apprehension.
The brunette grimaced and shuddered at the thought, the sea water would certainly be glacially cold at this time of year, "I was always sure you were part crazy." She stifled a mild, spirited laugh and studied her fiancée, "And I'm very grateful that I'm not a Freeman." She added as she propped herself against a rock, chilling smugly.
"But you will be a Freeman one day when we get married." Rita was treading with caution, yet amused by her boss's conceited atmosphere. She figured that Connie thought she was safe and had the talent to out smart her lover to escape taking the icy plunge.
The clinical lead rotated her head sharply and simultaneously raised her eyebrows at the blonde, "Who said I was taking your surname when we get married? What if I think you should take mine." She interrogated, crossing her arms with assertion.
She spiralled her eyes again, "I didn't say that you were. But regardless to whether I take your surname, you take mine, or we have both, you will still be part of the Freeman family and therefore will have to participate." She smirked.
Connie grumbled quietly, "But I'm not married to you yet...so I can give this year a miss at least."
"It'll be good practice!"
"Practice?!" An eruption of amused giggles floated from the brunette's lips, "Like I need practice at that." She scoffed, "It is hardly that difficult to know how to run into the water...although I'm positive that you are part mad."
"I didn't come up with the tradition," Rita laughed and held her hands up in defence, "But I wouldn't be me if I wasn't part bonkers, and I know you love me for it." She grinned, "Now, come on, don't be such a spoil sport."
Connie pursed her lips momentarily, "I can't. You have already wrecked my favourite pair of Louboutins by bringing me here. I'm not going to let you risk ruining my expensive clothes too. Plus, if I stay in wet clothes then there is a high risk I could develop hyperthermia and then who would manage my department?" She was so winning this argument. Or at least she comprehended that she was until her partner's response came.
"I'm one step ahead of you - for once in life." She giggled with a snort that made the brunette chuckle and shake her head, "In the boot of the car are a dry set of clothes for us each and a towel. And before you complain about having nowhere to change, look over there." She gestured in the direction of two buildings that contained blocks of restrooms.
Connie groaned, she was rapidly running out of excuses, "The salt in the water will be bad for my hair!" She exclaimed, raking her elegant - numb - fingers through her precious locks and watched her lover suspiciously.
"Prove it!" Before the brunette even had the opportunity to protest and object, Rita had whipped her off her feet and was dashing down the beach to the tide with the leading consultant squealing - a high pitched and extremely girly squeal - and wriggling to be put down. The nurse lowered her back to her feet carefully but kept a tight grasp on Connie so she couldn't run away as her fiancée screeched in terror as the crisp water touched her toes. The blonde then pushed her into the sea, the former heart surgeon shrieking as the wintry waves immersed her. Rita didn't get chance to sprint off, Connie had scrambled to her feet and tugged her partner into the water with her who screamed expletives, "You are so going to regret that later." She was out of breath, voice raspy, the initial shock of the bitter water had absorbed her breath.