elizabeth f. fortescue
08 April 1984 @ 10:45 pm
RIAN!  
"Smile!"

Katie's grin was wide and bright as she held up her spoon of mint chocolate and peanut butter chip ice cream. It was obviously hard for the little girl to hold the pose as the ice cream was making both she and her mother drool, but Liz snapped a quick shot with her camera and Katie stuck the creamy portion into her mouth. Liz quickly captured her daughter's look of complete delight. She stood, adjusted the lens of her camera as Katie dribbled down the front of her shirt.

"Oy, messy Cakes," Liz said with a laugh, "go find Grandpa and tell him it's bath time."

The girl jumped out of her seat and began to holler for her grandfather, who was somewhere in the back of the ice cream parlour counting inventory. Liz was taking pictures for a new menu, and maybe shots that could be blown up and put around the shoppe. It was a light, easy task, and she definitely needed to casual time with Katie after the past few months of panic and stress. At least one thing had remained constant, and that was how easily her daughter could make her smile.

Liz disappeared around the counter to put her camera away when the bell jingled, announcing that they had a customer. Deciding to be cheeky, Liz put on the silly paper hat that her father had his workers wear (both of whom had disappeared once Liz had shown up, as she was more than trained in scooping perfect six-tier cones). She stood up with a wide grin, "Welcome to Fortescue's, home to over two hundred and thirty-six unique ice cream flavors, how can I make you smile today?"

She blanched, the cheery spiel slipping out of her mouth so quickly that it took herself a moment to realize she was saying it to her ex-boyfriend, "Rian?"