Dinner and..., [Allen]

[Iris Lagos]

Iris was still not entirely sure why any of this was happening to her. But she'd met a guy who seemed like a nice man and he'd asked her to dinner. Arielle had encouraged her to go and get out of the house, as if it would make her feel better. Iris suspected Arielle was afraid Iris would have a nervous breakdown if she didn't have something to occupy her time beside babies. Well. Another nervous breakdown.

And then he'd picked the somewhat mysterious option of Particle Pete's. It was a little unusual for a first date but Iris was honestly relieved that he had picked something casual. It was just dinner. She had to stay calm and not get all worked up. Just dinner.

He was waiting for her when she got there. Iris waved at him. She was wearing a long green sundress and a short-sleeved cardigan. As far as pregnant fashion went, Iris felt like she looked pretty all right. Stefan and Arielle had approved, anyway.

[Allen Jacobs]

He smiled, and waved back at her. He stood up from the table he had claimed as theirs, and waited for her to come over. When she did, he pulled out her chair for her and used his amazing conversational powers.


"You look amazing."

[Iris Lagos]

Iris flushed pink and didn't know what to say. She had once upon a time been pretty okay at this dating thing and now she felt totally awkward and didn't even know what to say when she'd been complimented. When she'd recovered, Iris said, "Thanks. You look good, too."

She sat, as he was a gentleman and pulled out her chair and she could get used to that sort of thing. "How have you been?" There. That was a good conversation opener. Iris was proud of herself.

[Allen Jacobs]

He shrugged as he made his way back over to his own chair. "I'm here with you, so I can't be anything less than great." He gave a smile and wondered if he was coming on too strong.

"How about you? And Noah and Savannah?"

[Iris Lagos]

Iris was apparently just going to blush through this whole event. He was flattering her. Maybe he was just that kind of guy.

"I'm good. Savannah is feeling a lot better, and oh! Noah has started dropping things off of his high chair so I'll pick it up." Iris knew she would be annoyed but currently she was just proud of her quickly growing children and their ability to develop normally. "He's so cute."

[Allen Jacobs]

Allen smiled. "I'm sure." Then a waiter was there, asking them what they wanted to drink. Allen decided ladies first probably applied here.

[Iris Lagos]

"Iced tea, please," She asked the waiter and then let Allen order his drink.

And then the waiter went away and she felt kind of awkward again. "I'm sorry. It's been a while since I've done this. I'm a little nervous."

[Allen Jacobs]

Allen ordered a glass of water with lime, then looked at Iris with a frown.

"You have nothing to be nervous about."

[Iris Lagos]

She was being frowned and Iris smiled nervously in response. "I know, I know. I just have to get used to my life shifting again." Iris was so used to being a mother and nothing else - she wasn't sure that she remembered how to be Iris anymore.

[Allen Jacobs]

He nodded and let his frown drop, replacing it with a slight smile. That was understandable.

"So, what do you do for a living?"

[Iris Lagos]

Questions about herself! Iris didn't know if she was ready for all this. She was certainly not going to tell Allen about the kidnapping and all those related details. She had not come up with an alternate story and would just have to do it on the fly.

"I'm a stay at home mom, right now. I didn't plan it that way but I decided I'd rather the kids with me than in daycare." Also because she didn't trust anyone else with her kids. "Before, though, I worked at a cafe and was hoping to start school for nursing, but that's on the back burner for now." Iris shrugged. She didn't know if she was ever going to do any of the things she'd wanted to do. Before she couldn't afford it and now she just didn't have the chance anymore.

"What about you?" Good. Make him talk about himself. That was best.

[Allen Jacobs]

"I'm a corrections officer at Durlan Super-Max Penitentiary." He shrugged. Then the waiter came back with their drinks and sat them down in front of them. Allen sipped his water while waiting for Iris to order her meal.

[Iris Lagos]

Iris ordered a supreme calzone as being pregnant made her hungry for all the things. Especially mushrooms. Didn't everyone know all these things were the most delicious?

Again she didn't start talking until the waiter left. She just studied him and was surprised because he didn't seem like a prison guard. "That must be really interesting." She couldn't imagine doing that work. Iris did wonder if he knew Stefan's father. It was possible.

[Allen Jacobs]

Allen ordered three slices of what amounted to every single meat topping he could order. Then he shrugged at Iris.

"It's a job."

[Iris Lagos]

She nodded and was sure that she was ruining everything and had no conversation skills anymore. Iris had been starved for all sorts of normal human interaction for months and months and now here she had it and she had fucking clue what to do with it.

Iris had to pull herself together. "How long have you lived in the City? did you grow up here?"