Between that and having to take public transportation because Sam was still busy, I didn't get to Candace's place until mid-afternoon. Things have been getting colder lately, and walking from the bus stop to her place made me wish I could drive.
Candace was thoughtful though, she was making hot chocolate by the time I got there. It wasn't even a mix or packet, she was shaving baker's chocolate into milk that she had boiling on the stove. I don't think I'll ever be able to have mix's again. She'd added sugar, cream, some vanilla, a cinnamon stick, some nutmeg, and just enough chili powder to give it a little bite. It was fantastic, and perfect on a cold day.
Still, despite making up on Sunday, this was the first time we'd been together and alone since we'd argued. I expressed my thanks for the coco, and then we sat in an awkward silence. Neither of us knew where to start. To be fair, I was happily warming up while sipping her coco, so it wasn't that painful.
Anyway, she finally asked about Hal. Everyone had all been teasing me about us being a couple, so she was curious about how we were acting at the party. I shrugged and explained that with all the ribbing I'd been getting, it was easier to just go along with it. She pressed though, and I admitted that he'd been telling his mentor that we were dating to serve as an explanation for us having dinner together every week. So acting like a couple just sorta fit the lie that everyone was telling.
Candace asked if dating him was that awful an idea. It was a question that gave me pause. I don't know that I'd really considered it. I mean, I know I thought about it, with everyone teasing me how could I not? But there's thinking about it, and then there's considering it. Not just what if he was my boyfriend? But actually thinking of him as my boyfriend. I had to admit, it wasn't an awful idea.
Candace was wise enough though to let me have time to consider things more fully, so she changed the subject for me and asked about the tree. I was worried we'd be beating around that bush all day, and she must've seen the worry on my face. She said that despite her judgement, I did still go see it, so we might as well discuss what I learned.
There wasn't much more to say about the tree itself that we hadn't told her from the first time we'd visited. What was most interesting this time was the information booths that had been set up by both groups of protesters and the info packets they were handing out. I told her how those opposed to cutting the tree down claimed it was a true ironwood, which was something Hal had been explaining to me. I told her about how Tim claimed it meant that a Dryad was living in the tree, and the books from which he took that belief. Which led into a discussion about looking up Westhouse books and who I'd seen there. Candace only vaguely remembered the news about the bar fight, which at the time we weren't discussing these things.
So then I told her that we'd taken Batel to see the tree, since she was curious. And that led into a discussion about the lights that we'd seen, and how I was seeing what the camera's were seeing. Which led into the pictures and video's that Max was finding, and ultimately the conversation we three had had where I told all. And Batel's story as well.
Once I got to talking, it was such a relief to do so that I told her everything. I hadn't realized how much had happened that I hadn't been able to tell her about. Nor did I realize how long it took to tell. Sam came in without warning, usually he'd have texted asking what we wanted for dinner. He was so busy he'd forgotten to ask, and was getting home so late anyway that he brought Chinese takeout. To be honest, it hit the spot.
I was worried once Sam got there that we'd be back to walking on eggshells, but Candace asked about his day and he just unloaded. He'd been all over the area checking on horses and getting them shoe'd for winter. But there were a lot of other little jobs in preparation for the winter months he needed to do as well, not just for others but for his shop. Sam mentioned multiple times that he wish he had someone else around to lend a hand.
We let him talk until it was time to go, which made things easy. But it was a quiet ride home. He didn't seem angry with me, and we were both unsure how to proceed. We've sat in silence while he brought me home before, so on it's own it's not a bad thing. I did make sure to thank him when he let me out, I didn't want him thinking I was still angry with him.
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