Closed Surprise Plans

[Etienne Monet]

"Of course, mon cher. I'll bring you some hot coffee and some lunch, and I'll send you cute pictures of sweet baby Bree every ten minutes, I promise," Etienne chuckled into his phone, opening the door to the café and pushing the stroller inside. "Everything will be just fine, love. You sit and relax and make some beautiful art, and we'll be home before you know it." He laughed lightly, letting the server lead him to an open booth. He set the diaper bag down next to the wall, sitting and positioning the stroller so he could see Brianna. She was asleep, and he shifted the blanket around her.

"I love you, mon cher, now relax. Bye-bye, mwah," Etienne blew a kiss into the phone, ending the call before Sophie had a chance to say anything else, and settling in. What he hadn't told Sophie was that he was meeting Selene today. Content that Brianna was settled, Etienne ordered two waters and took a small journal from the diaper bag. He opened it, and with a glittery red gel pen, turned to a new page and wrote out two words: Sophie's Birthday, before proceeding to surround the words with little red sparkling hearts. If there was anyone who could insure that Sophie had the absolute best birthday party, it would be Selene Le Fey.

 

[Selene Le Fey]

Selene had heard about Etienne from Sophie but she had not yet met him. so it had been a surprise to revive a letter from him asking to meet to organise a birthday party for her. it was a lovely idea and Selene was looking forward to helping arrange something fun for her best friend. It had taken her a while to find the cafe. after arriving in her grandma's house she had appeared to the town where the shop was she wandered along the street looking at each of the shops before asking someone where it was and being pointed back where she came from.
She entered the cafe a little late. thankfully it wasn't hard to recognise Etienne, a combination of Sophie's descriptions, the near-empty cafe and the fact that Brianna was there made him rather recognisable she ordered a tea and walked over to him. if she had any doubts whatsoever about who he was his notebook with large sparkly red writing reading Sophie's birthday was very much a giveaway. "Hello, Etienne? I'm Selene, it is nice to finally meet you." she said. Sophie talked about him often when they were together. not that she could blame her she enjoyed talking about Thackery. "I love the idea of the surprise party. what did you have in mind?" she asked.

 

[Etienne Monet]

Etienne looked up, his entire face brightening as he saw Selene approaching. He stood, careful not to jostle Brianna, and offered out his hand to her. "Selene! Bonjour, mon ami," He greeted her, smiling so hard his face hurt just a bit. "I am Etienne Monet, it is such a pleasure to meet you, I have heard so much about you," he gushed a bit, not sitting again until she had sat down herself. "I have had many, many, many ideas," he laughed lightly. "But I was favoring the idea of perhaps having a picnic, going out somewhere scenic with perhaps a pond or some water," He mused, resting his chin on the back of one of his hands.

 

[Selene Le Fey]

Selene smiled when Etienne introduced himself she could already see why her best friend had been attracted to him, even if she hadn't heard from Sophie how wonderful he had been at brianna's birth. "I have heard a lot about you too" she said looking at the baby. "And arent you getting big little miss Brianna. soon you will be mischief on the move" she cooed lefing the baby squeeze her fingers.
she sat down and listened as he enthusiastically explained the ideas he had. "a picnic sounds lovely Sophie would love that." she said. she knew her friend wouldn't want a big party for her birthday especially now she had a baby to look after but you really could make a picnic special, she has done something similar for her seventeenth and it had been really nice. she could even ask her mum where the decorations had been from. she closed her eyes briefly focusing on the party using a control technique her grandma had taught her for her skills and trying to see how it was decorated. she looked at Etienne and shook her head. "a picnic wont work. it is going o be pouring with rain, a shame because a picnic sounded nice, and we had set it up so nicely. do you have any inside ideas?" she asked.

 

[Etienne Monet]

Etienne smiled, watching Selene interact with Brianna. His smile widened as she agreed to the picnic, though it quickly shifted into a pout as she shot the idea down. He hummed, looking off and running through a few ideas as he considered the question again. "Hmm... well, what about a movie night then?" He asked, turning his attention back to her. "I can ask my sister to babysit little Brianna for a night, perhaps into the next day." He mused. "Give Sophie a bit of time to enjoy herself," he looked back to Selene.

 

[Selene Le Fey]

Selene watched as the boys face dropped with her comment. 'It was a really good idea and Sophie would have loved it. definitely something for another time" she said. it wasn't the idea that was the reason for a no, just the weather. his next suggestion was one that she couldn't really comment on "I have never seen a movie" she said. it was one thing that the muggle world had that the wizarding one didn't she had read about them but never seen one. "It sounds like fun. I read that you are meant to have popcorn and ice cream at the movies" she said.
"has Sophie let your sister babysit before" she asked. she had never met Etienne before today let alone his sister. and there was just a little unease letting her two-month-old niece stay a night with a stranger. "she could come to the party and between all of us I am sure that Brianna will be well looked after without too much pressure on Sophie" she said. plus the extra person would make her feel less like a third wheel on a date, if it was even a consideration that she would babysit then they must be friends.

 

[Etienne Monet]

Etienne looked down, taking his pen and writing the idea down lower on the page. "Maybe next year then," he murmured, almost to himself. He looked up, smiling at Selene. "If it goes well, we can make it a regular thing perhaps? It could be nice," he thought out loud. He considered what she said, tapping his pen idly against his notebook. "You do have a point, and she would worry the whole time if Brianna wasn't there," he chuckled, his phone vibrating almost on cue. He picked it up, smiling warmly as he saw it was Sophie. He shifted, taking a picture of Brianna and sending it to Sophie before setting his phone down again. "She's such a sweet woman," he sighed a little dreamily, smiling at Selene. "I can ask Dreya to come as well. She's a baker, she can bring cupcakes and cookies or something," he mused, scribbling the thought down.

 

[Selene Le Fey]

Selene shrugged when the man said that the picnic would have to wait until lext year. "There will be lots of other oportunities in the future for a picnic we won't have to wait a year" she said. she herd a beeping and recognised the device that he pulled out of his pocket at a phone. she had been learning about the muggle worl ever since she had been accepted into college. she watched as he took a photo of Brianna and type something on it "she is the absolute sweetest. and she has been through a lot and deserves the best in life" she said. "I know you probably know that already. and I think you could be that wonderful thing she needs. but I wouldn't be best friend without saying if anyone hurts her they would have a lot to answer for" she said. trying to channel any of her relatives resolve and strength. Heli, Aunt Maya, Aunt Eden, Aunt Lilith. all strong women who stand up for those they love and those who need it.
she nodded when he agreed that he could invite his sister. "that would be nice. I can make something too. I can cook something too. a great brownie recipe." she said

 

[Etienne Monet]

Etienne blinked, nodding at her words. She was absolutely right, why should he wait until Sophie's birthday to spoil her? He turned to a new page, writing something else now. This time, his glitter pen just read 'Sophie' and he quickly jotted down the picnic idea. He set his pen down, flipping back to the page about her birthday. He chuckled as Selene spoke again, setting his chin on the back of his hand again and smiling at her. "I completely respect your dedication to Sophie," he told her, smiling warmly. "Let me promise you, then. I will be a very, very lucky man if Sophie decides she can love me. I am hopelessly, helplessly her devoted slave. I will do anything, be anything that she requires of me. I am hers," he promised, glancing over and reaching out to cover Brianna again with her blanket that she'd kicked off. "Brownie's will be good. I'll tell Dreya, she'll make something to compliment it." He nodded, compiling a list of movies Sophie might like in his mind.

 

[Selene Le Fey]

Selene did not know how Etinne would react to her outburst. to be honest she didn't know what she would do if he did hurt her. but hell she was going to stand up for her friend. she had heard people say that she and her mum were a little scary when you first met them because of their odd eyes and knowing things that they had no right to know, even things as mundane as the weather. if she could use that to her advantage she would for her friend. there was no way that Sophie was not in a vulnerable position when she had met etienne. heavily pregnant and scared and in many ways alone, an easy target for someone to take advantage of her. but looking at the mans expression she had the distinct feeling that that wasn't the case here. his expression and phrasing reminded her of a charictor in a old muggle novel series who when they firstsaw the person they would love that was it their whole world revolved around them. It was similar to how thackery looked a her when he did think she could see, and she knew that they were in life together for the long term. just the thought of thackery made her heart smile. "that is good to hear" she said not sure what else to say. she closed her eyes for a moment andtried to push and see if she could see anything. it wasn't how her skills usually worked. but she had on occasion been able to gleam a bit of information that way. she couldn't see anything but did get a general feeling "I get the impression that you will be happy together" she said. there was a general feeling of good feelings but not specific enough to get more than that.
Selene thought about her cooking. and what she her mum and grandma made trying to think what else she could offer. just brownies didn't seem like much. "I can make something else too." she said wondering if there was maybe something savorie she could make but most of the savory things that they ate at home were big pot family style foods not party food though she was sure she could get something.

 

[Etienne Monet]

Etienne smiled as Selene said they'd be happy together. "I hope so," he told her sincerely. "I would like to see Sophie happy." Etienne's smile faltered a bit, and he sighed. "To be honest, mon ami, I am not entirely sure where I stand with Sophie. I believe in love at first sight, and I know my heart is hers." He chuckled. "My sister has always chastised me for being 'too intense', as she puts it." Etienne sighed, rocking the stroller gently. "Sophie hasn't really given any indication of what she feels,"

He propped his chin in his hand. "I shan't push, of course, I sleep quite comfortably on the lounge and just being near her is enough for me. However I may act, Sophie and I aren't a couple. I would like us to be, but I'm letting her take the lead in deciding what our relationship is." He confided in Selene.