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 Posted: Sun Oct 18, 2009 11:24 am
 Just off the beaten track, slightly set apart from the rest of the town, is a wooden building. Everyone knows it as The Beanery. With woods on one side and fields on the other it's a peaceful place, though on some nights loud laughter and music can be heard coming from within. On warm nights it is often normal for the customers to spill outside and enjoy the weather. Even on cold nights it's common to see one or two sitting outside, perhaps sharing a cigarette and a conversation. Inside the decoration seems to be random and eclectic, as unusual items hang from the walls and the wooden beams above. It's always kept as a comfortable temperature inside no matter what the weather, cool in summer and warm in winter. A roaring log fire on one wall accounts for this. It has a beaten old sofa in front of it, and a low table on a sheepskin rug. Either side of the sofa, facing the fire as well but slightly angled, are a pair of comfortable reclining armchairs. Around the rest of the room there are various wooden tables and chairs, not always matching. It was almost as if the owner had picked them up from various places. There is a long bar with stools on the wall opposite the fire. There is always a friendly server here, and the bar serves coffees, teas, hot chocolates, sodas and a wide variety of alcoholic mixtures as well. Recommended were the milkshakes, made by hand from ice cream and the main draw for the Beanery. There are also baked goods and snacks available. These are made by Eric himself in the kitchen area. A set of saloon style doors behind the bar lead into the kitchen. There are bookshelves on the walls, filled with books. A pair of odd-eyed cats, Huginn and Muninn, wander around the building and sleep where they wish. They'll often wander along the bar or hop into customer's laps. Mostly they curl up by the fire or on top of stacks of books. No one ever seems to mind them being there. No one is even sure who they belong to. One corner of the room has a small stage, suitable for a small jazz band, open mic nights and other live events. Furthest from the entrance is an archway that leads into a second room, lined with sofas. It's darker here and often couples will retreat to this quiet section for a little privacy, when it's not being used by a group for a meeting or a club. There is a large fishtank in this small room, the light of which casts a gentle glow over the customers. One can find the bathrooms through a small hallway from this area. There's also a locked doorway here that leads upstairs to Eric's apartment. The Beanery seems to be open at all hours, so step right in. ((This coffee shop runs in real time - EST)) Map of the BeaneryMap of the living area upstairs.
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Posted: Sun Oct 18, 2009 11:58 am
Amy tapped the mic gently and cleared her throat, trying to drawing attention from the chattering patrons. "Thanks to everyone for coming out tonight! I'm Amy Adams and this is a new tune I wrote just the other day." Looking at Amy you'd be surprised with the ease and confidence she spoke into the mic. She was a tiny thing, and although she had more than enough curve she would best be described as slender. Her hair was a fair shade of blonde, loose ringlets framing her pale features. Big, dark green eyes stared out from under dark eyelashes, lending her a little bit of mystery. She was sweet looking in every sense of the word. The kind of girl you wanted to protect as soon as you saw her.
Her long fingers settled on the keys gently, as she began a soft song. Her voice carried effortlessly, a mix of blues and folk. Her eyes closed as she sang softly, clearly having a great time judging by the smile that played across her pink lips. The song was simply constructed, elegant and well thought out. Not a bit over done, and as she finished a large grin spread across her features, lighting up her face.
"Thanks again, everyone. I'm Amy Addams, and I'm here... well, all the time." She laughed along with a good bit of the people sitting around, they obviously knew what she was talking about.
She stepped away from the mic and slipped off the stage, smiling as she greeted a couple people with a smile and a hug. That had been a really great set, and she was pleased. Now it was time for some fun.
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Posted: Sun Oct 18, 2009 12:11 pm
Johanna entered The Beanery just as, what it seemed, Amy Adams was leaving the stage. Everyone inside the establishment seemed relaxed and pretty well-natured. However, Johanna, herself, wore a somewhat somber expression. Her face, pale but not what someone could define as sickly, sported dull bags under her dark velvety blue eyes and seemed a little gaunt, despite the dark auburn whisps that framed it. Her hair was tied back in a single thick braid stretch about half the length of her back.
Taking a deep breath in through her small pointed nose, she let out a relaxed sigh. A nice cup of java was just what she needed after the day she had. Her petite yet obviously athletic body was clad in khaki shorts and an army-green tank. In fact, she looked as if she'd just gotten done hiking in the mountains. The only thing about her outfit that seemed out of place was the old charcoal-colored zip-up sweater she wore open with her hands in her pockets.
As her eyes adjusted to the lighting of the room, she shuffled over to the bar and placed an order for a french vanilla cappuccino and leaned her elbows on the bar while she continued to look around the room. It was nice and cozy here and Johanna liked that. It had been such a long time since she'd found somewhere so comfortable to retreat to, so it was very nice indeed.
Slipping her thumbnail in between her teeth, she gnawed on them for a moment. Fingernail biting was her oh-so-terrible vice. In fact, it had driven him completely nuts. In fact, he was the reason her day ended so miserably. In fact, he was the reason for a lot of things that kept the clouds hanging in Johanna's personal sky. Thinking about things made her frustrated. Sighing as she continued to wait, she fussed with her bangs as a nervous habit and then bit the inside of her lip as she scanned the room, trying to make sure no one caught a glimpse of her momentary vulnerable moment.
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Posted: Sun Oct 18, 2009 12:44 pm
Someone did catch her vulnerable moment. And that someone was standing behind the bar wiping down a freshly cleaned mug. He said nothing to her about it however, though he did give the singer a nod as she stepped down from the stage. It had been a good set and despite his stoic appearance, that nod was pretty much a gushing flood of approval from him. His deep grey eyes scanned the room for a moment.
Eric Newton was tall, noticeably so. At around 6'4" he tended to look over the heads of his customers. His hair was black, clipped short and pushed back. And yet, despite barely being in his 30s, grey was starting to show at his temples. He made no attempt to cover or hide it. He just didn't care any more. He wore a crisp shirt and black slacks. It was unusual to see him wearing anything more casual. He wore glasses, often shaded when outside as the lenses reacted to the light.
He flipped the dishcloth over one shoulder and leaned on the bar opposite Johanna. Though his lined face looked gruff and his demeanour was a little brisk sometimes, he wasn't actually all that bad.
"Might I recommend a chocolate brownie to go with that cappuccino?" He said in a deep voice. In a smooth motion he turned to one of the coffee machines and began to mix her drink.
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Posted: Sun Oct 18, 2009 1:12 pm
Amy looked over in time to catch Eric's eyes as he nodded, and another smile spread across her face. That was a very good thing. She made a few parting words with the people she was talking with and worked her way over to the bar front, hugging and chatting with people as she went.
She finally made it and sat herself up next to Johanna, smiling at her briefly before looking over at Eric once more. "Can you set me up with a cup o' black joe?" She asked with an easy smile, her eyes scanning around as if she were looking for something.
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Posted: Sun Oct 18, 2009 1:28 pm
"Certainly Amy." He nodded. He turned and set the cappuccino in front of Johanna. The warm scent of vanilla filled the air. He then turned to grab a fresh mug and poured Amy a hot coffee. He turned and handed it to her, leaning on the bar once again. He caught her eyes scanning the room.
"Looking for something in particular? If it's the cats, I think they're tormenting the fish again." He said casually, helping himself to a freshly baked chocolate chip cookie.
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Posted: Sun Oct 18, 2009 1:46 pm
She smiled and nodded as she accepted her coffee. "Normally at least ones comes to congratulate me on a good set! They're turning on me." She joked and laughed.
And then she wandered off to sip her coffee and read or whatever because the narrator had to go.
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Posted: Sun Oct 18, 2009 1:52 pm
Eric smirked briefly at her joke as he munched on his cookie. Crumbs littered the front of his shirt. He dusted them off. "Oh don't worry about it. As soon as you sit down you know they'll be fighting for a place on your lap as usual." He replied casually. He gave her a wave as she headed off to wind down after her set.
Bright blond hair bobbed behind him carefully, as if someone very very short was attempting to sneak by him towards the brownies. He didn't even look around.
"And you know you're not supposed to have any just now. Scoot." He said.
Blond hair retreated quickly and a young boy dashed out of the bar area. Eric shook his head and sighed.
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Posted: Sun Oct 18, 2009 3:11 pm
When the man working behind the bar suggested a chocolate brownie, Johanna's blue eyes lit up for a moment. "That actually sounds amazing right now," she said, a weary smile on her face as an exasperated sigh escaped her. Still, her face read grateful. Giving Amy a similar smile to the one she had received in a brief greeting, she blinked once more as her drink was finally placed on the bar in front of her.
"Oh," she said, having been in a slight daze from which she'd only snapped back to reality from. "Thank you so much," she said, smiling more with her eyes than with her lips. Wrapping her fingers around the mug, she embraced its warmth before raising the mug close to her face. Again, her small pointed nose took in a deep breath. As the smell of coffee and vanilla greeted her senses, she gave off a more relaxed smile before taking a sip, careful not to burn her tongue. "Mmm," she cooed happily. "This is delicious," she said to Eric. "Thank you so much," she repeated.
After another sip, she glanced at Amy as she wandered off. "Is it always so relaxed in here?" Johanna asked, the hope almost seeping through in her voice. While she seemed a little more warmed up, there was still obviously a weight on her lean shoulders.
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Posted: Sun Oct 18, 2009 3:21 pm
Eric looked back to the weary looking woman. A slight tilt of his head was a brief nod. He crossed over to a glass cabinet and took a plate. On which he put a very delicious looking slab of chocolate brownie. It was mouth-wateringly tasty looking. He slid the plate and the treat in front of her as he returned to his casual and lazy position by the bar.
The coffee, of course, seemed to relax her a little. It always did. There was a reason such an out of the way place was so popular and doing so well these days. He actually smiled a little at her compliment.
As Amy wandered off, true to his theory two fluffy cats followed in her wake, instantly jumping up to bug her for attention as she sat down. He clucked his tongue. They knew just who was the easiest to manipulate.
"It usually is, miss." He nodded in reply to Johanna's question. "It's quite a calm place. Though it seems to me you need more than a little coffee and chocolate, hn?"
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Posted: Sun Oct 18, 2009 4:41 pm
Johanna's eyes widened slightly, but then she just let out a small womanly chuckle. Pulling the plate with the brownie closer to her, she pinched off a nibble and slid it between her lips. As she savored the rich chocolatey taste, she eyed the man behind the bar curiously. "No offense to you," she began with a disclaimer. "But men have a way of driven me absolutely mad," she said, eyebrows raising and falling with emphasis, as if her statement were more or less a bleak under-exaggeration of what she reallymeant.
Regardless of her almost comical way of bringing about her problems, they did weigh on her much much more. "But I wouldn't want to bore or burden anyone else with my personal life. We all have problems, I'm sure I'll cope somehow," she said dismissively, pinching off another nibble of her brownie. As she did so, a small frown played on her lips. It was as if her problems were renewed in her mind and the more she sat in silence, the more they frustrated her. Letting out an annoyed sigh, she went back to her cappuccino and took another sip. "I think I'll be frequenting here more often," she said, not really to anyone, just out loud in general. Then, looking up at the worker once more, she gave him another weary smile. "I'm Johanna; I work at the archeological site just through the woods by the falls," she explained, introducing herself.
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Posted: Sun Oct 18, 2009 4:53 pm
"No offence taken. I would probably say the same thing." He shrugged calmly. He guessed she had romantic problems. It was something he came across a lot in his job working behind the bar. Many people came in specifically to talk over coffee after all. And judging by her weary demeanour and her statement, her problems were caused by men. Or a man.
"I doubt it would be a bore or a burden to me. I've heard some stories in my time here, I can assure you." Eric nodded to her. "It seems like they're quite a burden to you however, judging by all that sighing. Why don't you share, if you wish to become a regular anyway?"
He raised an eyebrow with interest. An archaeologist. Now that was interesting to him. It even generated a small smile. "And I am Eric. I own the Beanery. Pleased to meet you Johanna." He nodded his head in greeting.
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Posted: Sun Oct 18, 2009 5:17 pm
"Mmm," she hummed as she pondered over whether or not to spill the beans, so to speak, about her personal life to this stranger. Then again, Johanna wasn't from this area. She was here on business and had no one she could talk to. She knew better than anyone that bottling up emotions never landed you in a good or stableposition. After all, she'd been doing it for quite some time. Perhaps it was time to blow off some steam after all. Staring at the steam rising from her drink, she drew in a deep breath before beginning.
"It's... my colleague. We've been working together for nearly five years now, traveling all over the world and such. We get along great and have become so close over the years. Only recently have we gotten romantically involved," she said, her eyes drooping slightly. "Things seemed so perfect in every way, but I guess that should have been my clue that they definitely were not. How is it a man can keep a secret so huge from someone he's with the vaste majority of his time? I've only just found out that he's been engaged for the past year and a half and has a kid on the way. I had no idea he was with anyone else. It's terrible to find out you're the other woman," she finished, her voice becoming a grumble before she picked at her brownie a little more.
Giving up on trying to hide her frustration, she again fussed with her bangs before putting her head down for a moment. "It just.... I feel so stupid for letting my feelings go so far and beyond the way I did, and I'm really not the naive type. Story of my life though, somehow..." Looking up at him, she half frowned. "I'm sorry, I must sound like an idiot," she said, her cheeks flushing pink for a moment.
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Posted: Sun Oct 18, 2009 5:40 pm
"Ah. Workplace romances are often a bad idea. But it sounds like yours went particularly sour." He shook his head sympathetically. "Sounds like he's a real piece of work. How he managed to keep such a large secret... now that is a good question. But those who want to find ways. I am guessing he had a lot of business meetings to attend, and out of town conferences and such. Which of course he never went to. Hn." He grunted a little and lifted down a mug. He added a teabag and poured in hot water, brewing himself a cup of tea. After adding a dash of milk and plenty of sugar he sipped at it.
"I certainly hope that as soon as you found out what he'd been up to you gave him a piece of your mind and... ah, what is the colloquialism? Kicked him to the kerb?" He raised a brow as he spoke over the edge of his mug. "I can't say I have much time for the likes of him." The man actually frowned. He was one for loyalty. Until the very end.
"You don't sound like an idiot. Clever people get taken in by these sorts of scams every day, I'm sad to say. It's the kid I feel sorry for. He's done it once, he'll do it again and again. They never change, men like that." He sniffed a bit and set his mug down. "Don't be so hard on yourself."
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Posted: Sun Oct 18, 2009 5:49 pm
Johanna blew on her drink before bravely taking a larger drink from it. It was still warm enough to almost burn the roof of her mouth, but luckily it didn't burn her. She listened intently to Eric, glad to take in whatever sense of advice or sympathy she could. Strumming her fingers along her mug, she nodded slowly.
"It wouldn't be half bad if I didn't have to continue to work with him every day," she added in bitterly. "This dig is very important to the scientific and historic communities. They pin-pointed this area as the location of an anciet civilization that may have been responsible for a lot of the modern inventions we use today. It's also worth a lot of money. I can't just quit the job but now everything is an awkward mess. It's very hard to admit that I'm struggling to get over the situation, especially since he's still throwing passes at me," she finished, her eyes narrowing at the dispicable thought.
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