It's been 147 year but I'm back. I recently saw Anna Camp's movie From Black and my Chaubrey heart sparked again. I'll love them forever. If you seen the movie, you'll recognize snippets here and there. I don't know anything you recognize. Thanks for stopping by!
Sometimes an Angel is found in the Dark. - K. Webster
xxxx
Chloe raised her fist and knocked on the heavy wooden door firmly. Dropping her hand back to her side, she rocked back onto her heels and then back up onto the balls of her feet excitedly. She loved the thrill that came with a new assignment. And this particular assignment let her see her best friend for an extended period of time instead of just a quick catch-up between towns and other jobs.
She soothed her red hair down, hoping to take the wild locks and was about to raise her fist to knock again when the door was finally wrenched open. A petite brunette woman with thick eyeliner and ear piercings stood gazing back at her. Smiles quickly split both their faces as they rushed for a hug in greeting. Chloe wasn't embarrassed to admit she even squealed a little.
"Chloe, oh my god, why didn't you tell me you were coming?" Beca Mitchell cried, pulling away from her friend, still smiling widely. "It's so good to see you!" She pulled the redhead into the apartment, both still beaming.
"Oh you know how I work!" Chloe laughed, "Mysterious ways and all that."
Beca laughed, "Mysterious and spastic. But awesome! You on a break or do you have an assignment here in town?"
Chloe just shrugged with a smile. "I am here on a job. But that can wait. I need a solid catch up sesh with my best friend!"
"Speaking of best friend, your best friend picked up a little something for you." Beca said, strolling to the table beside the door. She fished through a bowl and spun on her heel back toward the blonde. In her hand she was jingling a set of keys before tossing them in the redhead's direction.
"Beca, you got me a car?!" Chloe exclaimed, an excited grin on her face.
"Um, no," Beca replied. "I just got myself a second car, so that you'll have one when you're in town and won't have to steal mine every time you have to make a mad dash in the name of the good Lord."
Chloe rushed the smaller woman and engulfed her in a crushing hug.
"Ow, ok. Geez, Chloe. It's not that big a deal" Beca muttered, still trapped against the redhead. "It's just an old subaru."
Chloe squealed but did step back from her friend, still holding her at arm's length. "Beca, you know they're my favorite. All those commercials with the dogs! You are just the best! Let's go get food, I'm starving!"
Beca chuckled at the abrupt change in topic but was relieved when she could properly take in air again. "Yeah sure, whatever you want."
"Great, I'll drive!"
The brunette groaned. She should have known this would happen. Chloe's enthusiasm for life also translated into enthusiasm for driving. And it was terrifying. She sighed and followed the redhead out the door.
xxxx
"So…new assignment?" Beca asked as she slid into the booth across from the redhead, handing her a beer. Chloe quickly swooped it up for a drink with a satisfied smile. "What's up?"
Chloe let her eyes drift closed with a satisfied sigh. "I will never get tired of the taste of alcohol. I mean I get why it's not allowed up there…but damn it's good."
Beca smirked and the two clinked their bottles in a silent cheers once the redhead opened her eyes with a smirk. "Girl, you are easy to please. That shit is cheap ass, bottom shelf beer."
"It's so fizzy." The redhead replied, her grin widening. "Delicious."
"Ok, so spill, what's up?"
Chloe sobered as if suddenly remembering she did in fact have a purpose other than drinking delicious bear with her best friend. "Right! I do have a new assignment. One I'm hoping you can help me with."
"Dude, yes!" Beca exclaimed. "Finally! I've been telling you I want to help, get more involved. What is it? Need me to act as a lookout on a sting? Pose as an underage kid on a sex abuse take down? Because I will! I mean, it's a little offensive…I do not look like a child, I'm just short. But I can work with it!"
Chloe's eyes widened at the suggestions. She quickly shook her head and reached to stop the brunette's ramble. "Beca no. Nothing like that. And please promise me that you'll never try to do either of those things."
Beca immediately deflated and rolled her eyes. "I never get to do anything cool."
The redhead chuckled, dropping a hand over her friend's and squeezing. She sobered, remembering the details of her new assignment. "This is a serious one Becs. And I'm really hoping you can help me make the connection."
Beca sighed but nodded. "Ok, so no badass, demon kicking, sex ring take down this time. What kind of connection do you need me to make, babe? Of course I'll help."
"A woman, she has an amazing path ahead of her if she can just resist the darkness trying to swallow her whole." Chloe replied, deadly serious. "Single mom, no support really. And her little boy was abducted. She's really close to giving in to some seriously bad stuff. Because she's broken and desperate…You knew her in college."
Beca's brow furrowed as she tried to think. Just as her thoughts landed on a prospect, Chloe continued. "Aubrey Posen. You sang together right? Now she owns a little coffee shop, is working herself half to death, and has no one, literally no one! She needs a serious intervention. She can't be taken and abandoned to the darkness, she just can't."
"Oh shit." Beca groaned, remembering exactly who her friend was talking about. "Chloe, I don't know. We weren't exactly friends. I mean…she actually hated my guts. She's not going to want to all of sudden be swarmed and forced to be my friend. Even if you are the most endearing and disarming creature in the entire universe, she's not going to warm up to me, even with you there. You should probably just make a move on your own, you don't need me."
"But I do though." The redhead said with a pout. "You are my 'in' so I don't look like a lone mental case gone rogue. I genuinely want you to help me connect with this woman Becs. She needs us."
The brunette knew there was no resisting Chloe. Chloe knew it as well. That's why she was already grinning when Beca rolled her eyes and nodded.
xxxx
The following morning, Beca and Chloe found themselves stepping up to the counter of Aubrey Posen's coffee shop. The shop was named Perkatory and the inside was cozy with dark wood tables and accents. The large windows on two sides of the shop let in natural light while the darkened side of the shop kept a more cozy feel with soft leather chairs and bookshelves. The counter itself was also wood, live edged but polished and shined until it felt like glass under Chloe's fingertips.
"Hey Aubrey." Beca said softly. Chloe's eyes snapped up from she was grazing the smooth counter and felt her mouth suddenly go dry.
Aubrey Posen was gorgeous. Tall, blonde, almost too thin, but her eyes caught Chloe's attention first. They were green, at least Chloe thought they were. They might have been gray. But they were beautiful, she was beautiful.
Chloe realized she had missed the small talk that two old acquaintances had engaged in and Beca was now placing a coffee order for them both. The blonde hadn't smiled once.
"Hi, I'm Chloe." The redhead said with a wide smile. The blonde finally seemed to notice her standing next to the brunette. "I'm an angel and I'm here to help you."
Beca groaned at the sight of Aubrey outwardly scoffing and narrowing her eyes at her friend. "Dude, how many times do I have to tell you to bury that lede?"
Chloe turned her sparkling eyes to the shorter brunette, her smile never slipping. "And what am I supposed to do, lie to her? That kind of defeats the whole purpose don't you think? Plus, I'm not allowed to lie, you know that."
Aubrey pursed her lips and quirked a brow. She narrowed her eyes at the pretty redhead who couldn't seem to wipe the goofy grin off her face. She almost snarled as she whipped her gaze back to the shorter brunette who at least had the decency to look embarrassed.
"An angel huh?" Aubrey asked disinterestedly. "That's a new one. Where're your wings?"
"Oh." Chloe replied, excitement written all over her face. "Here!"
The redhead turned and pulled her hair over her shoulder, a thumb pointing to her back. She was wearing a light brown colored leather jacket with intricate stitching of the same color. The stitching on the back of the form fitting jacket was in the outline of two wings. Chloe turned back around with a chuckle. "Just kidding, it's just a jacket. But I don't bust my wings out for just anyone."
Chloe winked, continuing to grin at the blonde.
"So-Chloe was it?" Aubrey asked in a sickeningly sweet tone.
"Oh no." Beca muttered, her mind flashing back to the days of being verbally eviscerated by the woman standing in front of her.
"So you're here to help me?"
Chloe nodded and bounced up onto the balls of her feet in excitement.
"Help me?" Aubrey asked lowly, her friendly demeanor suddenly dropping. She leaned closer to the two on the other end of the counter. "Help me do what exactly? Magically forget all the fucking shit of this miserable fucking world? Help me spew rainbows and sparkles out of my ass and sing Kumbaya while we skip down the street holding hands? You going to help me by erasing the last three years of my life? Are you going to bring my child back to me? That's why you're here right? Because you want to help the poor woman who's only child was taken by some fucking monster. Tell me, just what the fuck do you, some ginger barbie cheerleader, think you could possibly help me with?"
Chloe's smile finally dropped as she took in the anger radiating from the tall blonde. But she saw the pain too. She opened her mouth to reply but quickly shut it again.
"That's what I thought." The blonde uttered lowly, "Beca Mitchell, get this Roma Downey, Touched by an Angel nutjob out of my fucking face. Or I'll be happy to call in for an Emergency Committal Order myself. Now please."
"Wait," Chloe asked, once again leaning against the counter, the wide smile returning. "You know Roma?"
"Ok," Beca replied, stepping toward the redhead and trying to push her away from the counter before Aubrey burst a blood vessel or threw scalding hot coffee in their faces. "Yep, we're just gonna go sit…over there. You just yell when our drinks are ready and I'll come get them."
Beca grabbed Chloe around the waist and directed her toward a booth at the farthest end away from the counter, where she could still feel the blonde seething behind their backs.
"Dude!" the brunette hissed, finally getting Chloe settled into the booth before scooting onto the bench across from her. "Seriously, you cannot just spring that shit on people."
"Ugh, I'm sorry!" Chloe exclaimed, her hands flailing. "You know I just get a little carried away. I get so excited at the thought of helping someone. But then I just got so nervous all of a sudden. She's really pretty and my mouth went dry. But I promise, I'll try to rein it in."
"Thank you." Beca replied, knowing she wouldn't get much more of an assurance.
"Mitchell!"
Beca and Chloe both cowered slightly at the blonde's barked tone announcing their drink orders were ready. Beca grimaced and turned back to her friend. "I'll go get our drinks and you…you just try to regroup and maybe take it down a notch or twelve, yeah? Get that schoolgirl crush under control."
Chloe grinned sheepishly and nodded. She made a cross mark over her heart and sank back further into the booth, still with a small smile plucking at her lips.
"Mitchell here." Beca said, stepping up to the counter. She cringed at her own awkward tone. But the finger guns were what truly made the brunette want to be swallowed whole by the floor.
Aubrey pursed her lips and slid the coffee drinks toward the brunette without another word. Beca picked them up and turned, intending to take them back to their booth without another word. But when she caught Chloe's bright, hopeful gaze following her every move, she groaned and turned back to the counter. They were the last ones left from the morning rush and Beca didn't feel bad turning back to the counter, there was no one else waiting to place an order. She placed the drinks back on the counter and splayed her fingers against the smooth, polished wood.
"Look, Aubrey,"
The blonde squared her shoulders, refusing to back down from the tiny brunette in front of her. The seemingly ever present brow raised in either question or annoyance. Probably both.
Beca cleared her throat awkwardly. "Aubrey…I'm sorry. She comes on a little strong but I can assure you…she is beyond harmless. She just wants to help."
"She's fucking mental." The blonde growled.
"No." Beca replied. "She really isn't. If you only knew…"
Aubrey sighed and shook her head. "Well I don't need help…and I sure as hell don't need some head case poking around thinking she's going to help ease my pain or lighten my burden. Because that…it's all bullshit. I just want to be left alone."
The brunette nodded, a sad smile twisting her lips. "Understood." She drummed her fingers on the counter. But she didn't step away, not just yet.
"Aubrey…" the brunette tried not to flinch when the blonde turned back to her with a less than kind expression on her face. "I never told you…how fucking sorry I am."
Aubrey crossed her arms over her chest and waited for the "we're in this together", "I'm praying for you", "don't give up hope", or "he's in a better place" platitudes to begin. She'd heard them all. More times than she could count.
"It's just…fucking shit. And I'm sorry." Aubrey clenched her jaw, waiting for the rest. Beca continued. "I can't imagine."
The blonde pursed her lips again and sighed with a nod. "Take your coffee. And get your friend out of here. And maybe get her to a doctor…she needs some serious help."
Beca cleared her throat. "She's not." She replied firmly. "Mental, she's not mental. In fact…she's the best fucking person I've ever met. And all she wants to do is help. Everyone she meets, she just wants to help."
Aubrey's nostrils flared and she clenched her jaw again but didn't say anything.
Beca continued. "When I met her years ago…I was in my own dark place. Nothing like yours!" the brunette clarified quickly. "But dark just the same. And without Chloe…I wouldn't have made it out and to where I am now. So please…don't…You just don't fucking know her ok? So cut the shit and back the fuck off of her."
Aubrey stood her ground, not returning fire but also not backing down either.
"I came to the funeral, ya know."
The blonde's nostrils flared again and she worked her jaw from side to side. Determined to maintain her composure. She still had that much dignity left. "Memorial." She whispered.
"What?" Beca replied, a perplexed look on her face.
"It was a memorial, not a funeral." Aubrey replied in a strained voice. "You can't really have a funeral without a body, so…"
"Oh Fuck."
Aubrey nodded with a sigh. She took pity on the smaller woman before her, a mortified expression on her face. At least she hadn't spewed any of the typical bullshit. "Yeah." the blonde replied, her stony exterior still in place. "So can I get you anything else, or…"
"Oh." Beca replied, briefly glancing over her shoulder again. Chloe was still watching the pair intently, even though she was out of earshot.
I'm really hoping you can help me make this connection Becs.
Beca huffed, her cheeks puffing. "Actually yeah."
Aubrey once again quirked a brow before narrowing her eyes, waiting for the brunette to speak again.
"Um…yeah, those bear claws…did you make those?"
"No." The blonde replied flatly. "Delivered fresh every morning from the bakery the next town over. You want one?"
Beca nodded and scratched her neck, mindful of both of the women's gazes drilling into her. "Uh, yes please. Can you heat it up? Two of them I mean? Chloe and I will each have one. Please. And thanks."
Beca dropped a $20 bill on the counter, more than enough to cover the pastries, and spun on her heel. She all but stomped back to the booth where Chloe was sitting.
"She hates me."
Chloe rolled her eyes at the shorter brunette and shook her head, a wry grin in place. "She doesn't hate you. She just doesn't yet appreciate your snarky charms. Besides…I think it's me she hates."
Beca chuckled finally. "Aubrey doesn't hate you. She just thinks you might be mentally unstable."
"Well you did warn me that I give off that impression…"
Beca laughed and gave a gesture as if that were an obvious fact. Chloe also chuckled but her laughter died and evened out into a sigh.
Chloe was still deep in thought, spinning her paper coffee cup in her hands when Aubrey finally approached. She startled slightly when the blonde dropped the pastries in front of each of them, the chocolate soft and melting over the sides. Her eyes widened and she leaned forward to inhale the scent of the doughy, chocolaty goodness.
Aubrey again quirked a brow, eyeing the redhead as she seemed to fawn over the dessert in front of her. Beca merely smirked as she watched her friend close her eyes, clearly mentally preparing to devour the sugary goodness.
"Man, this smells amazing." Chloe whispered.
"Yeah, well, enjoy."
Chloe startled, not realizing Aubrey was still standing over her, watching her take in the pastry she had placed in front of her. "Thank you." the redhead squeaked.
Aubrey smirked, seemingly pleased with her effect on the redhead. She nodded and headed back to her spot behind the counter.
"She's a little terrifying." Chloe whispered to Beca, leaning close as if she were harboring some secret of national security.
Beca chuckled as she raised her own pastry to lips and took a bite. "You are not kidding. Just imagine her years ago when she was at her most confident, arrogant self. She was a fucking tyrant."
Chloe sighed and dropped her pastry back onto the plate in front of her, suddenly losing her appetite. It was a somber reminder of her mission. She had to focus. She couldn't mess this one up, too much depended on her.
Chloe lifted her gaze from the pastry in front of her and glanced toward the counter where she was surprised to find the blonde gazing back at her. The woman had an unreadable expression on her face. Chloe held her gaze and smiled sadly. She pressed a hand to her heart. "Thank you." She mouthed toward the woman across the room.
Aubrey looked confused but simply nodded before turning to the door at the sound of the bell above the door signaling another customer.
Xxxx
Aubrey squared her shoulders as she sat in the small circle. She met with this group every single week. She still hadn't bothered to learn all their names and she'd been sitting, a silent member for nearly two years.
"I just can't thank you all enough."
Aubrey let her tired gaze settle on the man speaking. He was about her age. Definitely gave off a sweet dorky vibe. Right. Dead daughter Benji.
"...and I have each and every one of you to thank for that. Thanks for another great session guys! See you next week, same bat time, same bat channel."
An older woman was standing to her feet when Aubrey found herself speaking. "His birthday was last week." She had uttered the words before she even realized they had entered her mind.
The woman sat back down and with the other members, turned their attention to the blonde who rarely even acknowledged their presence, let alone shared.
"It was the third birthday without him. Three years. Three years of calls about finding remains and sending them for testing. Three years of waiting for the news, the closure. Closure…there'll never be closure. Three years. What am I supposed to do? Just keep hoping?" Aubrey muttered miserably. "A mother is supposed to hold out hope right…but what if I just don't have any. What if it's all just bullshit. It's all…this is all just bullshit."
She stood to her feet and walked out without a backward glance.
xxxx
Chloe smiled her brightest smile as she stepped up to the counter. Then she remembered her last encounter with the stony blonde and she let it slip just a bit. But not entirely.
"Hello again." The redhead said softly when Aubrey turned to her. The blonde didn't roll her eyes. Or huff. Or give her another verbal lashing so Chloe thought the visit was off to a solid start.
"Angel." Aubrey responded flatly.
Chloe chuckled. "Angel is my mother's name, 'Chloe' is fine." The blonde simply continued to eye the shorter woman and didn't speak again. "You know, how like when someone calls you Ms. Posen, and you respond with 'Ms. Posen is my mother'..."
"What can I get you?" Aubrey finally replied. The blonde couldn't help but wonder if she was being pranked. A camera crew was going to swing down from the rafters above her head any minute now.
"Whew, tough crowd." Chloe said with a nervous chuckle. "Just a cappuccino. Oh and another one of those bear claw things. So good."
Aubrey nodded, accepted the payment, and promptly turned to speak over her shoulder. "Emily, cappuccino and a bear claw please…warmed."
"Oh good!" Chloe exclaimed. "You do have help in here. I was hoping you didn't cover everything all by yourself. Taking the orders and payments and then fixing everything. That's a lot. I don't know how you keep track of it all."
The blonde nodded. "I do have help. All the help I need in fact."
The redhead chuckled. "Ya know, if you think about it…you're about as subtle as I am."
Aubrey wasn't sure if she should be offended or not but before she could decide to reply, a young woman with dark hair stepped up behind her and placed a steaming cappuccino and pastry on the counter.
"Ugh, you are a godsend." Chloe gushed, over both the woman and the pastry. "Thank you so much! I'm just going to grab a seat over there. Thanks again!"
Aubrey just sighed as the redhead winked at her and settled at a table off in the brighter, sunlit section of the shop.
"Wow," Emily said smiling. "She seems super nice. New regular maybe?"
Aubrey smirked at the younger woman. "If you think she's so nice, you can be the one to check on her."
xxxx
Aubrey sighed from her spot behind the counter. So close. Only fifteen minutes until she could flip the "open" sign to "closed" and trudge home. Not that it mattered. Here, home, grief group. It didn't matter. She was alone. But still the thought of closing up and heading home to collapse into her bed was enticing. It had been a good day for business. Which meant she was exhausted.
Another few minutes passed and she made the executive decision to shut down the register. She turned her back to the door and turned to take the money out of the register and back to the safe located in the office just off from the storage room.
The bell above the door chimed, signaling a customer. The blonde clenched her jaw and steeled her nerves. The hours were clearly posted on the door. Who could be inconsiderate enough to stop in so close to closing time.
Aubrey turned, not even attempting to wipe the displeased look off her face. She was met with a nervous smile and wave. "Hey there."
Aubrey quirked a brow, eyeing the man she recognized from her weekly grief group. Dead Daughter Benji.
"I was just closing up." Aubrey said, the picture of indifference. And exhaustion.
The man nodded and shuffled nervously. "I figured. That's why I waited…I wanted to talk to you…Alone. I just thought-you, me-we, we have, I mean maybe we could…"
Aubrey signed and let her shoulder slump just a bit. "Look Benji, I'm sure you're great but I'm not looking-"
"What?" Benji interrupted. "No, that's not…I mean, you're a beautiful woman, totally and obviously…but…that's not why I'm here."
"Oh, then what can I do for you Benji." Aubrey replied. "Because I don't want to be rude, but I really just want to get out of here and go home. It's been a long day."
"They're all pretty long aren't they." The man returned, a sad smile briefly flashing. "You've heard my story…probably more than once."
Aubrey steeled her nerves and sighed. She did know his story. Just hadn't bothered to remember his full name. It didn't matter. All the people in the group, they were just faces to another shitty story of horrendous loss and soul-crushing grief. The blonde immediately felt a stab of guilt, Benji's daughter had drowned in the family pool. A terrible accident. He actually did have some small inkling of how she felt. She could spare the man a few minutes of her attention. He seemed nice enough.
"I just wanted to thank you for sharing." Benji said softly, oblivious to the inner war happening in the blonde's mind. "It really does help. Helps other folks to hear. We're all alone until we find out we're not."
Aubrey met the man's kind gaze and shrugged. "It just came out. I mean, I'm glad if it might have helped somebody. But my motivation was not that noble."
Benji chuckled. "Noble or not…it does help. It helps you too ya know. It may not seem like it now. But it does. It will."
"Jesus, what is with everyone wanting to help all of a sudden." Aubrey muttered under her breath, practically having to force herself not to roll her eyes. He was kind. And he was trying to show kindness. She could endure a few minutes. "I don't know if there's any helping me, Benji." she replied quietly. "But I'm glad if someone else can get something out of my miserable fucking life."
She winced at the bitter tone she ended on. If Benji minded or was offended, he didn't show it. "Well," he replied with another sad smile. "I won't keep you, I know you're trying to close up. But I just wanted to remind you…You're not alone Aubrey. And when you finally realize it, we'll all be there."
He slipped out of the shop tossing a small wave over his shoulder.
xxxx
"Hey, the super nice redhead is back!" Emily exclaimed. "She's late today, thought she ditched us."
Aubrey just sighed.
Chloe had returned every day for the last two weeks and ordered a varying coffee drink but always a bear claw. Warmed.
In the redhead's defense, she never tried to push conversation other than small talk. She was just always so damn perky. But she seemed intent on also chatting with Emily so Aubrey didn't have to bear the brunt of her bubbliness.
"Chloe." Aubrey muttered next to Emily as they tended to the customers already at the counter. "Her name is Chloe. Oh shit…we sold the last bear claw."
Aubrey wanted to kick herself for being concerned about the redhead missing out on her beloved pastry. She mentally scanned the shop pantry searching for an alternative the woman might enjoy.
She was still lost in thought over a pastry substitute when Chloe stepped up to the counter. "Good morning Emily…Aubrey."
The blonde snapped her gaze to the shorter woman. Something about the impossibly blue eyes and soft smile unsettled her. She squared her shoulders. "We're already out of bear claws."
"Oh yeah?" Chloe replied, still with that damn soft, sweet smile. "That's ok. Serves me right, I'm running late today. I'll just have to remember to get here earlier tomorrow."
"You could just go straight to the bakery instead." Aubrey replied. "I charge a markup."
"Smart business woman!" Chloe said with a wink. "That's ok. I'll just get whipped cream on my caramel macchiato this morning. That'll make up for my lost bear claw sugar intake."
"How in the world do you keep such a great figure." Aubrey muttered, already ringing up the redhead's order.
Chloe chuckled. "You think I have a great figure?" She asked.
Aubrey groaned and rolled her eyes, not realizing she spoke out loud. The redhead winked with a cheeky grin. "Oh please," the blonde replied. "You know you do."
Chloe opened her mouth to reply but Aubrey continued and pointed a finger in the shorter woman's face. "Don't be weird…er. Don't be weirder."
"Eh, that's kind of how I roll." Chloe replied, raising up to her tiptoes with a shrug. "It's part of my charm."
Aubrey quirked that damn eyebrow as Emily placed the caramel macchiato loaded with whipped cream in front of the smiling redhead.
"Thanks ladies…Aubrey."
The blonde nodded, inhaling a deep steadying breath as the redhead sauntered off to a table in the sunshine.
xxxx
Aubrey shouldn't have been surprised, she really shouldn't have, when the bell over the door dinged an hour before closing time and Chloe stepped inside.
"You are harder to shake than chlamydia." Aubrey muttered.
"Hey there." Chloe said brightly before faltering. "Wait…what?"
Aubrey felt the color rising in her cheeks. "I just mean-I don't have…nevermind." she stumbled. "What can I get you…at this time of night?"
"Oh nothing." Chloe replied, deciding to ignore the blonde's verbal blunder. "I just came by to see if I could help you close up."
"I think I got it." Aubrey said, her eyes narrowing in suspicion. "I do this every night, I don't need help."
Chloe's wide smile softened but she didn't leave. In fact she stepped up to the counter and leaned against it, resting her elbows on the polished wood. "Oh I know. But since I'm already here. I'm pretty persistent…obviously, so…give me a task!"
"I don't need any help."
"So you keep saying." Chloe replied with a chuckle. "But I'm offering, whether you need it or not. So…tell me what to do-other than to go do some four letter word to myself like I imagine you'd like to say."
The blonde sighed and rolled her eyes. "No four letter words…well fuck. Fine. Take out all the trash."
Chloe's smile once again beamed. She clapped her hands once before pointing finger guns at the taller woman behind the counter. "Yes! That I can do!"
Aubrey had to admit, she'd never seen anyone gather trash that had spilled over onto the floor with such enthusiasm. The blonde just shrugged and let the other woman bag, rebag, and then lug the garbage out with as much excitement as she wanted. It did save her from having to do it after all.
"Ok, what next?" Chloe asked, hands on her hips.
Aubrey again quirked a brow as she regarded the redhead. Chloe was beginning to think that quirked eyebrow was a permanent fixture. The blonde smirked. "The floors need mopped."
"I'm on it!" Chloe exclaimed. "But only if I can play some music."
"Fine, whatever." Aubrey replied with a sigh as she turned back to the numerous coffee contraptions needing cleaned. She immediately groaned when Taylor Swift began to sound through the redhead's phone sitting on the counter. "Are you telling me that angels listen to Taylor Swift?"
Chloe looked offended before turning an incredulous gaze back to the other woman. "Um yes. Obviously. That girl's talent is otherworldly! In fact, I think she might be an angel. I mean, she's not really, we'd have crossed paths by now but…ya know."
Aubrey just shook her head and turned back to her counters. She couldn't help but follow the redhead with her eyes as Chloe began to strut and dance along as "Shake it Off" hit the chorus. The blonde felt a stab in her heart when the other woman began to sing along. Aubrey couldn't help but think back to her college years and singing in the acapella group. It was one of her happiest times. Before it all got so fucked.
Aubrey felt her melancholy settling in once again, the other woman forgotten. Until suddenly, a head of red hair moonwalked past the counter, still mopping. Chloe threw a wink Aubrey's way.
"It's like I got this music in my mind, saying it's gonna be alright."
Aubrey shook her head but couldn't stop her lips from twisting up into a small smile. Chloe just grinned wider at the sight as she continued to sing and dance around mopping the small coffee shop.
Aubrey had to admit that when the time to actually close up came, the shop was near spotless. And she felt a small amount lighter. Not happy by any means, but the heaviness wasn't quite as oppressive.
The two women stepped outside and the blonde shut the door behind her, jiggling the handle to be certain it was locked. She turned away from the door and stepped further out onto the sidewalk. Chloe was still standing close, smiling softly at her.
"Let's go get a cup of coffee." The redhead said brightly.
Aubrey stuttered to a stop and stared at the shorter woman who just continued to smile at her. "You know we just left my coffee shop right?" she said, pointing back over her shoulder.
"I know." Chloe replied with a chuckle. "But let's go get one that you didn't have to make. Let someone serve you for a change. Doesn't have to be coffee. I could also go for a glass of alcohol. Whiskey, oh man, I haven't had good whiskey in forever! Whadya say?"
"Maybe some other time." Aubrey replied. She was surprised that she actually hesitated, just briefly before declining. She stepped past the redhead and headed toward her car.
Chloe nodded, still grinning at the taller woman. "I'm gonna hold you to that Aubrey!" She called after the retreating woman. "That wasn't a 'hell no'." she mused. Progress.