2024-11-24 - Between Butterflies and Bread Bowls

It is a cool morning, golden light spilling through the tall windows of the Lodge and glinting off the polished floor. The air is already thick with the scent of the morning prep, thick crispy bacon, toasting bread, eggs, the faint sweetness of maple.

Harper is here, leaned against the counter, the faint creak of her painted boots on the floor mingling with the rhythmic crackle of the fireplace behind her. The warm, comforting scent of earl grey tea brewing somewhere out of reach teased her nose, mingled with the rich tang of bacon just starting to sizzle on a hidden griddle.

“Dez,” she said, her voice tinged with desperation, “I swear I can smell that salsa from here. Can’t you throw me a burrito before I keel over?”

Behind the counter, Dez stood by the prep station, the soft clink of utensils punctuating his low, cheerful humming. He turned with a grin, the faint sheen of steam rising from the stack of tortillas beside him. “Harper, you know the rules. No food before 8. If I let you sneak a bite, everyone will expect the same treatment. And I ain't even the one in charge today...”

Her stomach growls loudly in reply, the sound almost drowned out by the faint crackle of the fire. She groaned, resting her forehead against the cool, polished wood of the counter. “Dez, you’re a monster. I’m practically starving.”

Madelyne is just now getting off from her shift at the Cottage. She gets up early and bakes the bread for the upcoming day, also preparing the soups that are going to be served. Today is a creamy Tuscan garlic tortellini soup and a spicy tomato soup. The prep for the first is a little harder than the second, so she gets out on time to grab herself breakfast at the lodge.

Because she's not working on the floor at the Cottage, she doesn't have to dress fancy. Rarely ever seen outside of the kitchen, she dresses for comfort. She's wearing a pair of denim overalls with a light pink shirt underneath. Her hair is pulled back into tight pigtails that are wrapped into Leia-like buns on the side of her head. She speaks up quietly to greet someone that she knows, her Irish accent quiet and lilting.

She knows that she's still too early for breakfast, but she's fine with waiting for a few to grab a plate -- looking around for the drinks that might be available. Even if she's going to take a nap in an hour or two, a cup of strong black coffee wouldn't be something she would turn down.

She spots Harper and offers her a big, friendly smile. "Good morn to you, waiting for breakfast too?"

The rumble of her belly provides an answer before Harper herself can. The clock on the wall ticks, 5 minutes to 8.

"I'm being starved to death by Dez here." She admits sulkily, in a mildly overdramatic fashion. To which the chef laughs, and moves to finish up the morning prepwork.

"It's only five minutes ladies." Dez calls, giving Madelyne a grin of greeting.

Harper's attention shifts more fully to Madelyne then, "You work the Cottage right?" Scraping her brain for a name to the face. "Madelyne, right?"

Madelyne gives Dez a friendly wave, and finds a seat, curling up to wait the five minutes until countdown.

"Aye, my name is Madelyne, and I work at the Cottage. You look a bit familiar to me, I'm sure we might have met briefly before.." Her brows furrow as she tries to find a name, and comes to a blank, blowing out a slow breath. "Damn me if I can't recall your name, I'm so sorry." She holds a hand over her heart, and then she tilts her head slightly. "Help a girl out, if you would."

"I mean, there are two of us now, we could likely take over and get some food if we wanted, buuut -- if you come and sit with me for a few minutes, I'll try to help time pass quick, and it'll be eight before we know it."

"Harper, or Harpy or Wilde if you prefer." Adjusting the embroidered vest and tapping the name badge that reads Harpy as she laughs, running her fingers through brown curls and letting the highlights beneath shine through.

"I'm one of the grounds team, I specialize in habitats and conservation, so they usually don't have me working off starlight unless we have an escapee." She beams at the woman, moving to join her. "Don't worry about it, I'm still kind of boggled by how much the staff is grown. Even with as long as I've been here I still haven't met everyone."

The plan seems sound. "Yes. That does seem like the mature course of action, doesn't it?" Grinning now. "How are you liking the cottage?"

"I love the Cottage, it's like home in a way." Madelyne murmurs, brushing a curl that escaped her bun behind her ear. "I'm one of the bakers and line cooks, I get us ready for opening and it's a nice quiet peace that I have. I put on some music and I dance and bake for almost three hours. It's not really like .. work." She shrugs a shoulder and leans in, eyes widening when she mentions in conversation. "I bet that there are many species around here that we try to keep safe. What is your favorite, I mean, if you have one." She leans in slightly, hand to the side of her expressive mouth. "I don't know much about this area, so this is me trying to learn a bit."

"We are so swapping recipes sometime then." Harper says grinning as Madeyline explains her baking routine. "I imagine with the holidays coming up the overtime is real."

Menion of the species protected within the park's confines earns a thoughtful shift of her attention to the windows and back as Harper considers the question. "They are all my favorites really, but hands down I have to answer hummingbirds. Though we have such an amazing collection of butterflies and moths, they must be a close second. Truthfully though I'm happy we do so much work toward native endangered species. Everyone gets all excited about tigers, that they might forget about the Canadian Lynx."

"What about you, what's your favorite thing about the park?"

"It actually isn't so bad, we're not doing a formal Thanksgiving, we never apparently do. We'll have some special Thanksgiving salads and soups, and a few different types of breads. People stop in for soup and bread while they're waiting on a nearby restaurant's waitlist." Madelyne murmurs and beams at the answer of hummingbirds. She was told that if she put out a feeder, they might come around for sustenance, but she hadn't done it yet. "My favorite thing about the park is the sense of family here. People are so polite and respectful, and they do anything they can to help each other. It's magical. Honestly, it is."

"It's been kind of a refuge for me."

"Well, it's one of those state-side holidays that is problematic," Harper admits with a faint wince as she gets up to collect a mug of tea. "Coffee?" She asks fetching whatever beverage Madelyne decides on in the process if she allows.

"Though, lingonberry and Cranberry share similar taste profiles though, so I imagine there are quite a few tasty creations that can be offered as harvest festival goodies."

For the sense of family, she smiles. "There is that, isn't there?" carrying the drinks back, and settling in. "I mean you get your churn, just like with any company but the ones who decide to make a home here - to protect what makes this place special. They make a lot of the downsides worth it. Plus... " She lifts a shoulder. "There's the peculiarity to the place. I've heard stories, and seen things myself that are a bit difficult to explain through mundane means."

"Oh yes, please thank you." Madelyne offers a beaming smile at Harper. She nods toward the other woman, speaking up. "I found a recipe for a pumpkin bread with a few different kinds of seeds and cranberry inside. You can put raisins inside also, but you'd be surprised how many people are NOT happy about raisins." She wrinkles her nose and shakes her head slightly.

"Yeah, there is that, and honestly I have some things happen every so often that give some pause." She nibbles on her bottom lip. "But it's far and away so much better than where I was a few years ago. This place is a breath of fresh air."

"I would murder for the cranberry orange muffins." Harper admits, "Raisins are natures candy. The squirrels love them."

It's the last statement however that draws silver blue eyes to Madelyne's a thoughtful expression, "If I can ask, What was going on a few years ago?"

"Cranberry orange muffins? That can be done. I love muffins, and sometimes if the soup isn't going to be bread bowl compatible we do muffins instead." Madelyne lowers her voice to a whisper. "I'll sneak you some when we make them."

Madelyne looks a little nervous for a moment or two and tries to hide the fact behind a drink of her coffee. She shifts her eyes away, and finally, she speaks up. "I was married, and it wasn't a good marriage. I mean, it started good, but quickly shifted into something controlling and unhappy. So I walked away. It's hard not having a lot of family nearby, and nobody to turn to if something goes wrong. You know?"

She still doesn't have family nearby, with the possible exception of her Granny who .. most people can't see. So she doesn't really talk about it. They might thing she's cracked her pot.

Harper beams at the promise of potentially Illicit muffins. "You are now my favorite."

Harper studies Madelyne as she tells her story, quiet, "That sounds - rough." She offers. "Especially without anyone to lean on, but at least you were able to get out of that situation and found something better for your life. Give it time, and I think you'll find people here who can help." A beat, "Well Except for Dez who withholds burritos."

"I heard that." Dez calls.

She grins, "And if you want you can always text me, I may not be able to actually do anything unless it's got to do with houseplants or birds and insects, but I would like to think I can be a decent ear to listen to."

Madelyne laughs softly, winking briefly at Harper.

She glances toward where Dez is, and then back at Harper. "It's after eight now, we can get breakfast if you'd like." She pauses before she adds. "I would like that Haper. It always helps to have someone to talk to. You would probably like my roomie. I don't know if you've met her, her name is Gianna." A beat. "She's part of the mermaid and water park crew."

Harper's expression goes just a little strange at the mention of Giana, before she leans in and murmurs "Is she a REAL Mermaid?" and allows a beat before adding, "Because if she is I have a lot of scientific questions to ask."

However, she gets up to the counter where her food is already waiting, as Dez grins over at Madelyne, "And what would you like?"

A peal of laughter escapes Madelyne and she shakes her head. "You know? I'm not completely sure. I get the feeling that she might be, but I'm too shy to ask." She makes a bit of a silly face, ducking her head. She gets up behind Harper and considers her options. "Just a breakfast sandwich if you could, Dez." A beat. "With a bit of mayo on it, if that can be done."

"Gianna is nice though, we've only been roomies for maybe.. a week now? She's been very polite."

The breakfast sandwich is easy enough, and Dez delivers the order with a bit of flourish.

But it's Harper's rounded eyes and look of child-like wonder that should probably be more concerning. "You think she'd tell us if we asked? I mean... If she's been here long enough it's entirely possible. I mean my best friend is a humming bird and I sometimes talk to salads." One might think she's joking but the air of sincerity is there. "And squirrels are very sweary creatures. In case you didn't already know."

"Gianna seems very very honest, and she likes to talk about what she can do and how much fun the water is. I think she'd tell us." Madelyne remarks, nodding toward Harper with a slight grin. "You talk to salads? Do they have a lot to say? I make them all the time, and if they're chatty -- I'd like to learn more." She's very serious as she speaks as well, curious eyes on Harper. She takes the sandwich from Dez, and smiles. "Thank you for this, I appreciate it."

"Squirrels are amazing, I haven't really met one, but I've seen them around at times. If it's when I'm baking, I love to drop off some seeds for them so they can store them for the colder weather."

"Sounds like fun!" Harper says of catching Gianna sometime.

"Spinach is very matter of fact, and has no sense of humor. I think it's all the iron. Tomatoes like listening to Elvis and frank Sinatra. Don't ask me why. Onions are very surly in general, but some varieties are actually kind of sweet. Iceburg Lettice has very little nutritional value. It's kind of like the air head of the leafy greens." A beat, "And... plants do feel pain, not in the same way but it was kind of weird." She admits. "Fortunately it seems unless its something capible of reproducing from a clipping that most things don't emote after they are picked."

Madelyne listens as Harper speaks of salad items. "Wow. I'll never not think about that as I'm preparing salad fixings for the bar." She murmurs, and then she slants a look at Harper. "Are they angry that they are going to get eaten?" She asks timidly, eyebrows lifted.

"Gosh. I love a good salad when it's well prepared, and everything you just named are something that I love in my salad -- with the exception of tomatoes. I don't really like them for some reason. I think it's because the inside is a little slimy."

"Wow." She shakes her head for a few beats. "If you'd like, I can see if Gianna would like to get together at our place one evening. I would love to cook dinner, if you have something you might be missing, we can eat that?"

Harper pauses mid bite in her burrito at that question, and thinks about it. "Nothing that lives really wants to die." She says softly, as if it's a thought that has weighed on her for a while. "But, it's part of living you know? Death. Things die, they become nutrients for other things that continue on in a great cycle. So you try to treat all living things with respect, and that helps." A beat as she takes another bite and chews. "The rest is for the philosophers."

"That sounds like fun. I'll eat most things."

"That sounds about right, and respect is very important," Madelyne says quietly, lifting her sandwich to take a bite. "You'll eat most things? I'll make an old-fashioned roast with some Yorkshire pudding, fingerling potatoes, and maybe some sprouts." She's going to be a bit subdued when she works with the salads for the next few weeks. "I'll touch base with Gianna, and I'll send you a text when we have something more concrete set up." She smiles. "How does that sound?"

"Sounds delicious. Carrots? And maybe some of the pearl onions too in with the roast? If you let me know which herbs you use, I'll snag some fresh from the gardens for you." Harper notes with a flourished smile. "Yeah Sounds great. Let me know what to bring."

A soft alert sounds from the radio clipped to her shoulder. "Wilde, your needed over in the aviary." A voice crackles over the static. The conservationist gives a put upon sigh. "Looks like I'll have to eat the rest of this to go. It was nice meeting you properly Madelyne."

"Absolutely." Madelyne assures Harper, and she brightens when she offers to snag some fresh herbs from the garden. "That would be lovely. Oh, I'm excited about this now." She beams and takes another bite of her sandwich. "Have a good day, Harper, thanks for sitting with me for a bit. It was lovely."