"I hope the food doesn't get cold while we eat our ice cream!"
Penelope gave them a wide grin as she welcomed them into her apartment. Erin shrugged a little as she handed Penelope her ice cream. "Alex suggested that we stop for it, andit sounded like a healthier option than alcohol."
She giggled as she nodded. "You do have a very good point there. And I can leave the food on the stove to stay warm while we start with dessert." Alex closed the door behind them before they were shown to the sofa. "I thought that we could start with tea, and switch to water, since we don't want to be up all night due to caffeine."
"And where are we all going to sleep, if we're spending the night?" Erin asked as she took a seat, sandwiched between Alex and Penelope.
"You and Alex will take my bed, and I'll take the sofa. Unless we all manage to fall asleep here together. That's been known to happen before when it comes to my girl gatherings. Now, after we eat, did we want to paint our nails while watching movies? And before you say that you have to look professional, I have some neutral colours that will be work appropriate."
Alex nodded. "Pink might be nice for a change. And a deep red will work for Erin, since she has enough suits in her closet to make that colour work, and be work appropriate."
"I'll have to approve which red goes on my nails, dear." Erin arched an eyebrow upwards as she dig into her sundae, and Alex nodded with a little chuckle. Penelope patted her knee as she started the first movie she had picked out, and Erin tried to focus on what was happening on screen. It was difficult, because her thoughts kept drifting back to Spencer and David. She ate the ice cream quickly, knowing that there was better food waiting for her to eat.
"Here, let me pause this and we can get our food." Erin shook the cobwebs from her brain as she looked over at Penelope, seeing that she was giving her a sad smile. "Your heart isn't here."
"My heart, yes. My mind? Not so much. But I am trying, I promise," she replied as she stood up. "It's easier to be present when I'm talking, but I know that you want to veg out a little. Just, keep prodding me when you think I'm a million miles away."
"Okay." Penelope grabbed for her hand, squeezing it a few times before she let go and rummaged around in the cabinet for plates, thrusting them into Erin's arms. Taking the hint, she set them on the table before accepting the utensils that were held out to her. "All right, the last thing we need are cups. Alex, if you want to get them out of the cupboard nearest you, I'll set the food on the table."
Erin watched as they moved in tandem, and she let out a long breath of air as she leaned against the counter. "Could we watch something else when we get back into the living room?" she asked as Penelope shoved a serving spoon into the last container.
"What do you want to watch, sweetling?"
"The Village? I need something that's spooky, but also sort of cosy."
Penelope nodded before giving Erin a quick wink. "Let me pull that out while you two get your plates together. You can start it while I'm getting my food, as I've seen it more times than I can count." Erin gave her a small nod as she started to make up a plate for herself. From the corner of her eye, she watched Alex fill their glasses with water and ice before she also started to get food. Once Erin had as much as she wanted, she grabbed a glass of water before heading back into the living room, welcoming the soft touch of Penelope's hand on her upper arm as they passed each other.
Erin set her plate and glass on the table in front of her before taking a seat and pulling a blanket over her lap before starting the movie and then grabbing her plate to start eating. Alex sank down next to her, picking up the loose end of the blanket and covering her legs before she snuggled a little closer to Erin and also began to eat.
"So, why this movie?" Alex asked.
"I just like it? And a part of me sort of wishes that we could hide away in an insular village stuck somewhere in the past. It might be nice to wear pretty dresses and not have to worry about if too long of hair is considered unprofessional. I know that there would be other issues, believe me, but it might be nice to escape for a little while?"
The woman nodded as Penelope rejoined them, plopping down next to Erin and digging right into her food. Erin managed to keep her attention on the movie, right up until the end, and she smiled at her friends when it ended at the same time they were all finished with their food. "Well, I'll take care of the dishes, ladies, if you want to bring out the nail polishes, Penelope?"
They got up at the same time, leaving Erin alone on the sofa, and she used the moment of privacy to pull out her phone and see if she had received any calls. The only notification was from David, and it was a short text telling her to have fun and that he loved her. Frowning a little, she tossed the phone onto the coffee table before pulling her legs up to her chest and staring at nothing until her friends returned.
"All right, here we go. I have bright purple for me, because it will match my outfit tomorrow. Baby pink for Blake, since she wants something that will blend in and not call attention to her lovely hands. And I have three different shades of red for you to pick from, Erin. One even has glitter in it, in case you want to sparkle a little."
She smiled at Penelope as the woman took a seat on the floor, clearing off the end of the coffee table before setting out her wares. Erin picked up each bottle of red polish in turn before coming back to the glitter filled red jar. "This won't be too much for work?"
"No, it will look elegant until you're in the light, and then it will add a little sparkle. And if you decide that you don't like it, I have acetone in my office, and I can take it off in a heartbeat, and swap it out for something more neutral. I just think that you should put something pretty on your nails to boost your mood whenever you look at them."
"Thank you," she murmured as she slid off the sofa and scooted closer to Penelope and handing her the bottle. Alex rejoined them a few moments later, and Erin arched up into the light touch the woman dropped onto her shoulder as she took a seat behind her. "I decided to live a little, Alex."
"Good. And that is going to be a pretty colour on you, Erin." She smiled up at her friend as she allowed Penelope to pick up her left hand and start to work on it. "Now, I think that whoever wakes up first tomorrow morning is the one who makes us breakfast. And I really hope that it's Erin."
"What? Why?" Penelope asked as she continued to massage Erin's hand lightly.
"Because she makes the most amazing pancakes, and I think that that's what I'll be in the mood for when we wake up." Alex let out a little laugh before ruffling Erin's hair lightly.
"You're lucky you're my friend, darling. Though don't get any ideas, Penelope. She's the only one allowed that liberty." She leaned her head back so that she could look into Alex's face. Her friend was giving her a cheeky little grin, and Erin smiled in return before letting out a little sigh. "And if I need somewhere to escape to during the day, can I depend on one of you to distract me?"
"Absolutely," they answered in tandem, and Erin smiled as she nodded, knowing that no matter what her future might hold, her friends would be there to shelter her, at least.