xp_logs | Angel, Sooraya and Yvette: Afternoon tea

Angel, Sooraya and Yvette go out for afternoon tea.

"Come on..." Sooraya hurriedly gestured. It was quickly approaching the time they had reserved at the small tea room about two blocks away. Still, New York traffic had kinda worked against them very, very bad. "I know... I am being a little... too dramatic maybe..."

"We're coming, we're coming," Angel assured Sooraya cheerfully, pulling her jacket up as it slipped down her shoulders. She squeaked as she tripped on a loose shoelace. "Whoops."

Yvette was faring slightly better, if only by virtue of being used to working her way through and around crowds as quickly and with as little contact as possible. "I thought this was supposed to be our relaxing bonding time?" she asked, only half-joking - being rushed along made her nervous about accidents. "They will not mind so much if we are only a little late, surely?"

"Maybe... maybe not... I don't know... I just know the lady I spoke to over the phone sounded like Professor McGonagall in the Harry Potter movies. I rather not find out." Sooraya slowed down though in deference to her friends, realizing Yvette's unease. "Ah well... I am sure a few minutes won't matter."

"Since she is in New York, I am sure she will understand the traffic problems," Yvette reassured her. "Are you still with us, Angel? I think we are nearly there. It is just around the corner, yes?"

"Present and accounted for!" Angel chirped, hopping along until she was in step with Yvette, winking at her friend. "Are we there yet, are we there yet, are we there yet?" She added in her best impression of an impatient five year old.

"There, there..." Sooraya reached over and patted Angel's head. "We are almost there. And then we can have tea and all kinds of tasty things. I think they even have scones... with cream and jam..."

"But no Earl Grey," Yvette added. In the aftermath of the events in Genosha, she - and many others, no doubt - had been frequent guests of the Professor and his predilection for Earl Grey.

"Don't worry. I asked the lady that no Earl Grey be served. I kind of had the same feeling as you." Sooraya herself was still visiting the professor with some regularity, though not as often as back in July.

Angel herself had only met with the professor once that summer - immediately upon their return. That had been more than enough, though. "Yay for no Earl Grey. And yay for yummy things!" They turned one last corner with Angel still bouncing a bit.

Yvette laughed at Angel's enthusiasm. "We will have to be rolling you out of the place when we are done," she predicted. "Like the blueberry girl in the chocolate factory movie."

She could not help herself. Sooraya had to giggle. "If the worst comes to pass, she can always fly out of there." She looked over the various buildings to spot the sign of a teapot outside the building. "Ah, there it is."

"Why fly when you guys are offering to do all the work for me?" Angel asked with a grin as they made their way inside. "Though I feel like it's significantly less fun if I don't get to be purple too," she added, adjusting the volume of her voice so it didn't absolutely shatter the peaceful atmosphere they'd just walked into.

"You would have to ask Clarice or Catseye about that," Yvette replied, her own voice dropping to a murmur. The tea place was quiet and very tidy. Like her grandmother's sitting room. "This is... um."

"This is quite... posh..." Sooraya looked around the room, a little stunned. On the website this had not looked so... neat? She turned to the lady who approached them and said: "I had made a reservation for Qadir."

A little bit more talk and they were escorted to a small alcove where a round table for three was set. Sooraya quickly took one seat and gestured to the chair that faced the room, flanked by the two others. "I thought... maybe this one for you Yvette?" There was very little chance for accidental touches there.

Yvette gave her friend a grateful smile. "It is perfect," she replied. And with her hair still short after Genosha, she didn't have to worry about scratching up the back of the chair.

"I think it's cute," Angel said brightly as they sat. "It's different."

"Oh... look over there." Sooraya gestured towards the lady was approaching with a cart with a large tea pot on it, a tray with all kinds of delicacies and various other necessities. "That looks delicious."

"Ooooh," Angel's eyes lit up. "Yum!" She was sold.

"So, should we order the whole cart for you?" Yvette teased her friend, although her eyes were also on the food. There was something terribly... civilized about afternoon tea that thrilled her romantic soul. "I cannot help but feel I am in a Jane Austen book."

"You know it," Angel shot back with a grin. "C'mon, you know that all looks delicious. Now then, Ms. Qadir, Ms. Petrovic," she added in her best impression of a "civilized" woman, "what looks pleasing to you today?"

"It all looks very good." Sooraya surveyed the cart. "I would suggest we at least take the cucumber sandwiches and the scones with jam and cream? What do you think, Yvette?"

"Some of the tarts as well?" Yvette suggested hopefully. "They have raspberry and apple." Everyone knew her love of apples.

"I don't think we can deny Yvette apple tarts," Angel told Sooraya with a wink. "Anyways, it all looks good, better not let me make any decisions." She would've ordered the entire cart and they probably knew that.

"We can also just take a little of everything..." Sooraya suggested, her eyes twinkling. "The only thing I don't like that much are the ham sandwiches." But that was because of the pork of course...

Angel's own eyes lit up. "I think I love you," she told Sooraya quite seriously. "Well, I know I love you. I love both of you but that's totally beside the point. We don't have to get ham sandwiches if you don't want to. Or if we do, I can eat yours." It was a sign of true friendship, offering to eat the food her friend didn't want to eat.

"And mine as well," Yvette offered, with a grin - while her mother hadn't been a practicing Muslim since her daughter's birth, pork hadn't been on the menu at home and she'd never gotten the hang of it. "All of the ham is belonging to you, yes?"

"Oh yes. Yes please." Angel grinned. "Just send all the bad, bad ham my way, I'll make sure it aaaaaaall disappears!"

"Then it's settled." Sooraya turned towards the lady behind the cart. "Is it possible to have a little of bit of everything?" The lady nodded and started transferring the tea and various delicacies to the table. When she was done, Sooraya turned to Angel. "Since you were in England, do you want to do the honors and pour?"

"Hee!" Angel chirped happily before schooling her face into a calm, dignified expression. She carefully picked up the tea pot, pouring the hot liquid with a surprisingly steady hand. "There you are, m'dears," she said in her best British accent. "Afternoon tea is served."