Private Talking about Trouble

Celeste looked at Roldan in shock and then in sheepish embarrassment when he told her to calm down and explained that she didn't have to worry about protecting everyone by herself.

"A gun? What type of gun?" Celeste asked with uncertainty. She had never owned a gun, never had need of one, and the idea that she needed one now really bothered her. In fact, her first reaction was to outright refuse, but her fear of not being able to protect her children stopped her from immediately shooting down the idea. The encounter in the park was a stark reminder that Roldan or his family or even the police could not always be around to save her.

"I know, and I love you too," Celeste murmured softly as she buried her face into Roldan's shoulder as he hugged her tight. Finding his warmth reassuring, she let herself relax somewhat as she breathed in the woodsy smell of his cologne.

"I have never even held a gun," she told him as she bent back a little to look up at him. "What if I drop it, or it accidentally goes off when I am loading it?" she asked Roldan unabashedly, her fear and clear lack of knowledge of how guns worked very apparent.

Feeling a little more relieved than moments before, reassured by Roldan's confident nature and support, Celeste nodded as she leaned against him.

"The shooting range sounds like a good place to start," she agreed, remembering then how her niece had also taken some shooting lessons. "I know I am free tomorrow after last class. Ebviony is with their sitter, and Shale and Azure won't be home til after six or seven," she said.

"Maybe we can start then?" she asked him with hopeful hesitation. She was still unsure about the gun idea, however, she fully trusted Roldan, and knew he understood self/defense better than she did.

"Something sweet with chocolate sauce and whipped cream on it, please," Celeste said with a grin as she got to her feet and held her hand out to Roldan. She couldn't agree more than she needed something sugary to take the sting out of tonight's news.

"You know what?" Celeste said as they left the restaurant and started walking together towards the ice cream shop, her hand in his. "I just realised something. I met you about this time last year," she told him as she thought about the first time they met.

"You brought Shale home. He had been in a fight," she said with a soft smile as she reminisced a little, trying to distract herself with something more pleasant.