| Details for Deja Vu |
| Summary: | Rhyeline and Cooper have a second run in at an uncomfortably familiar environment. |
| Date: | November 8, 1938 |
| Location: | Cafe Tasseo |
| Related: | Schlafzimmer Technik |
| Characters |
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Named for the art of Tasseomancy (Tea Leaf Reading), the posh Cafe Tasseo offers complimentary tea leaf reading to its customers. The cafe has a sort of French elegance to it, but it is much less flagrant, which makes it pure British. The chairs are all padded dining chairs of mahogany and golden embossed fabric one would expect to find in a Louis XIV style without all the pomp of leaves and flanges, just smooth curvaceous lines of mahogany. The use of mahogany, gold and pristine white is throughout the spacious room.
The ceiling is a floral mosaic of white and gold with chandeliers and light fixtures dangling from the mosaic in appropriate places. The gold gilding continues into the walls, accenting raised relief panels on the columns between the windows. The panels share the floral motif of the ceiling, intricately crafted down to the last detail. The windows themselves are just as magnificently turned out; the top quarter is draped in gold shades, the bottom half covered by white sheers, allowing the patrons privacy yet letting ample light through the uncovered section of glass.
At Cafe Tasseo the dinner rush is more of a dinner dance where the waiters serve elegant meals to their exclusive clientel with attentive fluidity. An hour or so after the patrons has drifted home, a serene calm has settled upon the posh cafe. It is at this hour that Rhyeline comes to sit at a small table by the window. Warming her hands against the sides of a cup of tea, she gazes out onto the night street in silent contemplation.
Though not a regular, Cooper too has come at this hour performing her usual routine of finishing her cigarette outside. The cold air makes the heat from her breath unrecognizable from the smoke, and she stands there on the other side of Rhyeline's window back faced to the woman so she doesn't even recognize her. With a flick, her butt is tossed to the sidewalk and she enters to start heading toward a booth until she walks past Rhyeline's table, spots the mouse and freezes in place awkwardly.
Rhyeline blinks and glances over at Cooper when she freezes in place at her table. As she gazes up her, the little one seems as cautious and reserved as ever. With a touch of apprehension, she offers Cooper a small nod in greeting.
As soon as the two women's eyes meet, Cooper automatically starts walking past anxious, like a squirrel who just spotted human in its presence. But a few steps forward, and she stops in her tracks again, tonguing her cheek and cursing herself for not being slicker about the whole situation. So the bespectacled young woman back tracks and instead comes back to Rhyeline at her table. "Miss Diderot," she greets half avoiding eye contact with the woman still, "Would you mind company?"
Rhyeline averts her gaze and brings her cup to her lips once Cooper starts to scurry off. Noticing Cooper has reconsidered, the little one peeks up cautiously at Coopers equally hesitant manner. "I… I understand your apprehension of me," she murmurs in a rather soft tone. "There's… there's no need to force yourself to face me."
Cooper hmmms at the strange situation she finds herself in. She's mostly looking at Rhyeline through their unclear reflection in the window, which is better than not looking at the woman at all she supposes. Pressing her lips together, she replies, "I'm not entirely sure that you do. Mostly because I'm not anxious about you as much as I am anxious about touching upon things long past." Blue eyes flicker to the booth where they had met and then back to the window again. "I only wish to apologize for our last encounter and for my odd behavior when you were around your friend. I was -uhm…I had a bit to drink, and you looked quite happy with your friend so I'm sorry if I ruined a potentially enjoyable evening."
"I understand I remind you of him… there is no need to force yourself to dwell on such memories. And- I'm sure it was a shock… to see me like that there… somewhere you thought safe. I should apologize," murmurs Rhyeline, lowering her gaze as she takes a small sip of tea.
Him. Cooper purses her lips, and pushes her glasses up the slope of her nose so that the glare on her lenses obscures her eyes. Oddly enough, she's surprised the timid woman had the guts to even bring the ambassador up when she could hardly bring herself to it. "I don't see why you should," Cooper shoves her hands in her oversized jacket pockets. "You look well though, tonight and at the bar the other time. Much better than when we had met. Are you well?" The question comes in a rather distant but still intensely curious tone.
Rhyeline gives a small nod. "Yes… I am well enough." In truth the girl is no less fragile than when she and Cooper first met. In truth, after a long rebout of her curse's symptoms, the healers have still not allowed her to return to work. "… would you care to sit Ms. Cooper?"
It takes a few seconds for Cooper to think about it as she rocks slightly back and forth on her heels. But in her own timid way she accepts with a nod, "I can stay for a bit." Like a proper gentleman, she takes off her cloche hat, running a hand over her messy hair to smooth it out for once. Stopping a waiter she orders a cup of coffee, rather odd for this time of night, and then gestures him to Rhyeline should she want anything as well. "Do you … continue to see healers? Or are you back up to speed now?" she asks hesitantly indicating that she knows of the woman's curse.
Rhyeline gives a small nod of appreciation but lifts her cup of tea to show she still has something to drink. Though an inquirey after one's health is certainly within the realm of polite conversation, the little one's cheeks grow a touch warm and she averts her gaze. "Mm. Not quite. I… still have to see healers, yes."
"That sounds rather dreadful … ," Cooper says quietly and frowns, but she does seem to mean it. Her coffee is brought back quickly, piping hot and black as the evening. "I don't do well in medical settings myself … and yet I always find myself in the hospital." The frames are pushed back up and she fishes in her pocket for something. "In fact, I ended up in Mungo's just a few weeks ago from a hex. Received quite a shock that hasn't yet worn off." She holds her left hand up to show Rhyeline how it was still a little shaky. "Do you feel its helping any though?"
Rhyeline's dark gaze lingers on Cooper's hand with quiet concern. Lifting her eyes to meet Cooper's for a moment she gives a small nod before taking another small sip of tea. "Yes. Healer Keenan is excellent at his craft. A kind and trustworthy healer…"
Ah! There it is! Cooper feels the familiar smoothness of a dark brown leather flask which she pulls out of her pocket, and pours a bit of its contents into her coffee. Old habits die hard. "I see well … I've yet to find a trustworthy one, that's for sure … They've all been rather rough with me." Or more like the auror needs to learn how to be a cooperative and non-violent patient. There's a fleeting moment where a half-smile on her face after she speaks, but it's gone once she takes a sip of her coffee.
"Healer Keenan is always patient… even when treating the worst of patients…" Rhyeline can't help but give a small smile at her little play on words. "He's very understanding… I find it rather hard to remain calm at St. Mungo's… and so Healer Keenan comes to see me instead. That reminds me… tonight he is coming to call… I hope you'll forgive me…"
"Well that's very kind of him," Cooper nods, taking another gratuitous gulp of the drink. If she's going to sit here being awkward, she may as well be fairly buzzed. "And here I thought my job was getting me the best of care." Not strong enough, she pours a bit more in. But when Rhyeline makes motion to leave, Cooper blinks lookup at the woman before retreating her gaze back to the table again. With a nod she replies, "By all means Miss Diderot … it was uhm … good seeing you again?" Was it?
Rhyeline places her hands upon the surface of the table and pushes herself up to stand with care. "It was good to see you as well, Ms. Cooper. I hope that… that the past does not haunt you for long…" Then, with a small nod, she clasps her hands behind her back and heads off.