Family Handbook [Alex]

[Kali Caraway]

Kali took pride in the fact that after her older brothers left for Hammel, and then to school, Kali got to be the oldest sibling. It was only for a few years, but Kali loved being able to order them around, and to be the voice of opinion with the parents--sure Johnny and Bailey were really young when she got her spot on top, but still. She got to be the boss and it was awesome. Of course it was ruined when she had to go away to Hammel, away from her family and all that, but she pulled through and managed to get a nice circle of friends that she got to be the 'leader' of. Mainly because she was so insistent that they 'go do something instead of just sit around like they did yesterday, and because she just had that sort of personality.

The same thing happened in college, as well. She naturally grew a part from her Hammel friends, and since none of them followed her back home for College (where her whole family is alumni, reaching back for several generations), and made new friends. She didn't join a sorority, because Kali did NOT work with authority in that mean-spirited way, and refused even at her mother's request to follow in the Caraway/Carver footsteps by joining one. She just didn't like that sort of thing. She had a nice study group of friends and they were awesome together. Like a family.

And when she left college and had her Kafe brought into reality, she made that like her family too. This was her home, and everyone in it was either a younger sibling, like her own kid (well only Larz fell into that category), or a cousin or something of the sort. Now, because of everyone having their own little niche as her extended family, certain sorts of things went with it.

One of those things was that if a significant other was brought around, it was perfectly acceptable for her, as the older sister, to be embarrassing or to do embarrassing things. For instance, if one of her cooks, on his day off, brought in a date of his, Kali was within her rights to make it it uncomfortable for the both of them.

And that is exactly what she had done. Thinking about it now, still brought a still grin to her face. Today was the first day Alex was going to come in and work since the date and she knew he would probably have a thing or two to say. Just as Kali would point out that she was perfectly in her rights to do so.

[Alexander McKenzie]

Alex had spent well over an hour stressing himself out before he actually left the apartment to go to work that day. His first shift since his date with Ann, and since the dance. He still had his black eye, something he hadn’t bothered to try covering up with makeup. He hadn’t seen the point, or thought about it until he was halfway to work. It didn’t bother him so much that Connie had seen the bruise. But Kali?

After the stunt she’d pulled the other day?

… He was doomed.

He walked to work with his hands jammed deep into his pockets, his head down and the hood of his hoodie pulled up in an effort to not draw attention to himself. Yes, he looked like a punk, but he honestly didn’t care. He just wanted to get to work, sneak into the back, and pretend that nothing had happened.

Yes. That was going to work. It had to work.

The familiar guitar riff sounded as he pushed through the door. Keeping his head low, he scurried across the floor and headed into the back. After shoving his stuff into his little locker and grabbing the grease stained half apron, he moved to take his place in the kitchen.

Too bad he ran into Kali first. He turned to look at her like a deer in the headlights for a moment, before managing to remember the English language. “Kali! I… um. About the other day.” The blush on his cheeks felt like it was burning. “Did you have to do that?” It had been embarrassing. And because he was stressed about that, he’d forgotten to keep his head tilted just right to keep his bangs covering up that nice shiner.

Have at him, Kali.

[Kali Caraway]

Kali's eyes kept drifting to the clock. He was due in in five minutes. She went back to preparing her cake in front of her--she would get it to look perfect--and bent forward to inspect the topping closely as she squeezed out the icing from the bag in her hands. She worked very slowly, and with lots of concentration, and when she finally finished, she stretched her hands above her head and looked at it happily.

Her mother had emailed her a list of cake and pie recipes and Kali had been dying to make them (and eat them) but also put them up on the display. Kali didn't make too many cakes, or pies for that matter, but she definitely loved them. She was very happy with how this Oreo cake turned out.

She glanced at the clock and realized it was about time for Alex to walk in. As if on cue, the guitar riff filled the front of the Kafe, and filtered back into the kitchen. Kali rubbed her hands together evilly, but for the moment went back to looking back at the cake. She was super proud of how it turned out. She was about to pick it up to carry it into the front, when Alex flicked passed her to go to his locker. She grinned again and drummed her fingers on the counter.

On his way back through, he bumped into her and before she could say something smart about it, he looked so shocked she couldn't help but wait for him to gather himself. In her mind, she pictured him using the walk over here form his apartment to think of what to say her but when he actually came and met her face to face, his speech failed him. She put on an amused smile and waited. "Oh yes, Alex. I did have to do that," She said as she gave his shoulder a pat. She couldn't help but notice the blush on his face and laughed a little.

Then her eyes strayed to his, and the ugly black bruise around one of them.

She unceremoniously grabbed his chin and tilted it back more so she could get a better look at it. "What the hell is that? It looks like it hurts like crazy! What'd you do?!"

[Alexander McKenzie]

Normally, Alex wasn’t one to be late, or even close to it. But when you were trying to avoid your employer for two very, very good reasons, well, it was easy. It was easy to find reasons to be a few moments late leaving the apartment, and easy to drag your feet the entire walk to the Kafe.

That was exactly what he’d done.

He didn’t even stop to peek at what Kali was working on as he dove through the kitchen, because although it looked pretty in passing, pausing would give her a chance to mess with him. There was going to be none of that. So, he’d raced back and gotten his things as fast as he could.

Of course, being clumsy didn’t help upon his return. He looked up at Kali, anything strategically planned out to be said just… gone. And he looked like a fish out of water. At least until her reply came. He scowled up at her, trying to duck away from the pat. “I think you really embarrassed her. It’s not funny.”

It really wasn’t funny, but that seemed to get forgotten when he felt her hand on his chin. He tried to resist, but it didn’t matter. His head tilted up, and his hair slipped back to let her see the entire bruise. He winced a little. “It’s a black eye,” he muttered, trying to look away. “And I didn’t do anything.” She wasn’t about to know the whole story behind it, because… okay, it was probably the lamest thing on the planet. And who knew what she’d do with that kind of knowledge anyway? “Just drop it, okay? I’m fine. Connie made me ice it yesterday, and I took a couple of Advil. Can I please just go to work?” As if whining would get him out of this.

[Kali Caraway]

He wasn't an hour late, so Kali really didn't give a shit that he was a few moments late. She wasn't hugely strict about punctuality and she hadn't had a problem with him before--and it was it was more funny to her about how flustered he was about what she'd done when he had brought his date to eat here. It was entertaining and his faint late-ness just added to it.

She grinned at him when he admitted that he really embarrassed his date. Good, then. That was what she aimed to do. "How was the cookies? Did you like them? Did she like them?" If the girl hadn't liked them, then Kali did not approve of the girl in the slightest. Only nazis wouldn't like her food. She leaned against the counter after she'd gotten an eye full of his black-eye--she could give him his personal space back now.

"I know what a black-eye is." She gave him a flat look at his cheeky response and sighed, "I'd meant what the hell you did to get it. Aaand yes, you did do something to get it." Black-eyes weren't like facial hair. They didn't just show up over night. She wondered faintly if he'd even be honest with her, but today was going to be a loooooong day if he insisted on just dropping the matter, and Kali was completely prepared to give him the third degree, complete with the stink eye, until she got the answers she wanted.

"Oh I bet you told Connie what happened too." Kali could pretend to be jealous about his roommate, whom Kali had met on a few occasions, but she didn't mind. She'd be more worried if he hadn't told anyone. She approved of Connie making him ice it as well as his consumption of Advil. "No you can't go to work! Alex, who did that? Was it your girlfriend? She's got quite the arm then, it looks like it hurts."

Sorry, Alex. I'd just tell her.