#Coco J. Ginger

[thepersonalwords]

You break me the hardest, make me the strongest, and keep me the softest.

Coco J. Ginger

[derailed-thoughts]

[journalofanoldsoul]

Women Perfume Recommendations

Here are some perfume recommendations based on the main character traits associated with each Venus sign (Natal Chart) :

Venus in Aries: A bold and energetic sign, Venus in Aries women are confident and assertive. They can try fragrances with vibrant and spicy notes such as cinnamon, ginger, and pepper. A recommendation would be "Spicebomb" by Viktor & Rolf.

Venus in Taurus: Known for their sensuality and love for luxury, Venus in Taurus women appreciate earthy and indulgent scents. Look for perfumes with notes of rose, vanilla, and musk. A recommendation would be "Flowerbomb" by Viktor & Rolf.

Venus in Gemini: Venus in Gemini women are curious and social butterflies. They enjoy playful and versatile scents that can transition from day to night. Look for fragrances with fruity and citrusy notes like grapefruit, bergamot, and mandarin. A recommendation would be "Daisy" by Marc Jacobs.

Venus in Cancer: Nurturing and romantic, Venus in Cancer women are drawn to soft and comforting scents. Look for fragrances with notes of jasmine, white flowers, and vanilla. A recommendation would be "La Vie Est Belle" by Lancôme.

Venus in Leo: Dramatic and confident, Venus in Leo women love to make a statement. They can try bold and luxurious scents with notes of amber, oud, and warm spices. A recommendation would be "Black Orchid" by Tom Ford.

Venus in Virgo: Practical and refined, Venus in Virgo women appreciate clean and fresh scents. Look for perfumes with notes of citrus, lavender, and green tea. A recommendation would be "Light Blue" by Dolce & Gabbana.

Venus in Libra: Known for their sense of balance and harmony, Venus in Libra women gravitate towards elegant and romantic scents. Look for perfumes with notes of rose, jasmine, and soft musk. A recommendation would be "Chloé" by Chloé.

Venus in Scorpio: Intense and mysterious, Venus in Scorpio women prefer rich and seductive scents. Look for fragrances with notes of dark fruits, patchouli, and leather. A recommendation would be "Black Opium" by Yves Saint Laurent.

Venus in Sagittarius: Adventurous and free-spirited, Venus in Sagittarius women enjoy energetic and exotic scents. Look for perfumes with notes of citrus, spices, and woody undertones. A recommendation would be "Gypsy Water" by Byredo.

Venus in Capricorn: Timeless and sophisticated, Venus in Capricorn women appreciate classic and refined scents. Look for fragrances with notes of bergamot, vetiver, and sandalwood. A recommendation would be "Coco Mademoiselle" by Chanel.

Venus in Aquarius: Unique and unconventional, Venus in Aquarius women are drawn to avant-garde and futuristic scents. Look for perfumes with notes of lavender, mint, and metallic accents. A recommendation would be "Alien" by Mugler.

Venus in Pisces: Dreamy and romantic, Venus in Pisces women prefer soft and ethereal scents. Look for fragrances with notes of water lily, white musk, and gentle florals. A recommendation would be "J'adore" by Dior.

Remember, personal scent preferences can vary, so it's always best to sample perfumes and choose the one that resonates with you the most.

I hope you have enjoyed this selection. Let me know what's your venus sign and favourite perfume.

Stay tune for more astro posts…

xoxo J.

[br4tphobia]

pretty babies !!

@yeagerzprettyblnt @kazushawty @chrollohearttags @dilfl0v3rss @punkologist @getoscrybaby @honeybleed @backwzzds @indigoballad @kanekisfavoritegf @p-powerr @neptunes1nterweb @zarihaaa @roronoaswifey @euphofic @erensbaebee @jujuyii @ginger4sugar @junevenile @tnjiku @rintcrous @mcdonaldsfics @gyal-bunny @cybercandy1 @emomanswhore @hist4r @ninaaaazzzz @preciousamethyst @prettydumbslut @hqkalon @lusts1ck @vibeswithisha @simp4irie @sinnerzstuff @wickedwitvh @dorkfilmz @chiquititaosita @chile-im-embarrassed @dmnbroys @peroxiddeprincess @cottonconnielvr @shamelesshoefairy @yprexa @lixieisgod @blkshoyo @getouslvtt @zahraaziza @bimbx @brbiewrld @mrsspringerslover

liv , karma , cherry , coco , cinny , ken, najma, valora , indigo , cat , kai , sapphire , zari , kazuha , nova , bree , juju , ginger , june , keian , cait , corrine , lulu , mirah , lorelei , hannah , nina , amethyst , staar , sae , noah , isha , irie , j , natavia , kenn , leila , kirann , nina , psyche , sari , bubbles , lyn , lexie , myaa , noelani , zahra , salem , agust , mars/ryenn !

i love u all so dearlyyy, ty for bein my moots ofc. i would never be where i am now without yall!! 🫶🏾

pt 2 , pt 3 !!

[murakamijeva-muza]

Dirk Bogarde and Julie Christie in Darling dir. John Schlesinger

“He had let me know time after time that he was a thinking man, a man of intellect and wit. Yet one unintended hungry look into my eyes and he betrayed each of his words he had carefully spoken to me. I knew it in that instant. He was a viscerally driven man. And one day, he would possess me.” ― Coco J. Ginger

[enteringdullsville]

Angie O’Jayes, the Orange Drewman

Be Fierce

Rank: A+ (Main Protagonist)

Aesthetic: Awesome

Character Bases

Dullsville’s Ferocious Tigress

Angie is an unstoppable force of nature. Third oldest of ICT’s six founding members, strongest person of her weight class in Dullsville, great at basically every sport, and able to slash bone into two with her signature hockey stick. So why bother with It’s Color Theory at all?

Well to put it bluntly, she’s bored and she owes Violet one, so why not?

Angie’s tough as nails and has more than earned her slight egotism, and while she’s not exactly a genius, she’s generally pretty on the ball. She’s plenty energetic on the field, but lazy basically everywhere else and seems perfectly content with snarking at everyone around her and occasionally pulling pranks. Funny how she’s the most functional of the six.

Fun Facts

Angie’s name is a play on orange.

Angie was the last Primary Character to be created. Originally she was their designated “Sixth Ranger” before being promoted to main character during Rough Sketch and starting off as one in It’s Color Theory.

Angie, along with J. bares the least resemblance to her initial design. Ironically, she’s the one most unchanged in personality.

Angie is the only Primary Character not to be visually based on a preexisting character, aside from a facial resemblance to Krillin from Dragon Ball.

Angie’s fang was added on to her design during the RS era. She maintains it in ICT.

Angie, like a few other Drewmans, has a distinct cat motif. In her case, her striped clothes, orange skin, and one fang are all reminiscent of a tiger.

Angie’s surname is based on OJ, or orange juice, as well as sounding stereotypically Irish.

Angie’s human form is not the only redhead in Season One’s cast, but she is the only ginger.

Angie’s eyes, despite how they are drawn, still appear illuminated (albeit orange) in the dark.

Angie (orange) incidentally resembles a cross between Rudy (red) and Gordon (yellow). Her distinctive eyes combine Rudy’s round ones and Gordon’s beads, her curly hair resembles Gordon’s texture and Rudy’s volume, and she’s roughly between the two in height and build.

Angie’s hair color in human form is the exact same as her Drewman skin tone. With the obvious exception of Coco (and for some reason, this doesn’t apply to Noah), she is the only character in the main cast with this distinction.

Angie maintains a violent fear of spiders from RS.

Angie tends to notice things that about the cartoon world that even Violet takes for granted. For example, they agree that it’s weird that they have four-fingered hands…but why acknowledge it? There’s nothing else to compare them too. It’s still a mystery, oooooooooo…..

[singeratlarge]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to the 1969 film ALICE’S RESTAURANT, Adam Arkin, Ginger Baker, The Beatles 1967 “All You Need is Love” single, Coco Chanel, Bill Clinton, songwriter Roger Cook, the daguerreotype (1839), Darius Danesh, John Deacon, Dave Douglas (Reliant K), Eddie Durham, Philo Farnsworth, Rob Fenstermacher, Jonathan Frakes (great to have met you), Ian Gillan, Fumio Hayasaka, Susan Jacks, L.Q. Jones, Margie Joseph, The Knack’s 1979 “My Sharrona” single, Billy J. Kramer, Deana Martin (great to have gigged with you), Diana Muldaur, Luis Muñoz, Spud Murphy, one of my heroes Johnny Nash, Ogden Nash, National Aviation Day (1939), Debra Paget, the 1944 liberation of Paris, Christina Perri, Beat Raaflaub, Eddy Raven, Gene Roddenberry, John Stamos, Jason Starkey, my excellent boss Nate Stevens, Clay Walker, Lee Ann Womack, and singer-songwriter and gospel music provocateur Edwin Hawkins. He challenged prevailing notions about sacred vs. secular and broadened the field for gospel music, bridging it with funk, pop, rock, and soul. Despite challenges to his early career and ministry, he earned many awards and made many well-received records, yet still kept his eyes on God. He’s best known for his recording of “Oh Happy Day, “ an extension of an 18th century hymn. Edwin updated it in 1967 and his worship group played it repeatedly at the Ephesian Church of God in Christ in Berkeley CA. In 1969 Hawkins took the church group and made a small budget recording of it on a custom label, with Dorothy Combs Morrison on co-lead vocals. Their modest production is lo-fi by today’s standards but—lo and behold—the track became a surprise international hit, reaching #4 in the USA, #2 in the UK, Canada, and Ireland, and #1 in France, Germany, and The Netherlands. 

Edwin’s version won a Grammy in 1970, has appeared in upwards to 20 movie soundtracks ,and has been covered countless times. It was also included on the RIAA Songs of the Century. George Harrison stated the song was a primary inspiration for “My Sweet Lord.” Here’s our modest take on it, and HB EH—thank you for making a joyful noise.

#happyday #EdwinHawkins #UnitedMethodist #choir #PhillipDoddridge #Acts235 #EphesianChurchofGodinChrist #Berkeley #California #DorothyCombsMorrison #GeorgeHarrison #MySweetLord #Grammy #singersongwriter #JohnnyJBlair #SingeratLarge #SanFrancisco #piano

[brookstonalmanac]

Birthdays 8.19

Beer Birthdays

George Younger (1790)

Claudia Pamparana

Chris Kennedy (1983)

Five Favorite Birthdays

Bill Clinton; 42nd U.S. President (1946)

Philo T. Farnsworth; television co-inventor (1906)

Ogden Nash; poet (1902)

Matthew Perry; actor (1969)

Gene Roddenberry; television producer (1921)

Famous Birthdays

Morten Anderson; New Orleans Saints/Atlanta Falcons K (1960)

Adam Arkin; actor (1956)

Ginger Baker; rock musician, drummer (1939)

Bernard M. Baruch; economist (1870)

Coco Chanel; fashion designer (1883)

John Deacon; rock drummer (1951)

Kevin Dillon; actor (1965)

John Dryden; writer (1631)

Madame du Barry; French courtesan (1743)

Malcolm Forbes; businessman (1919)

Jonathan Frakes; actor (1952)

Peter Gallagher; actor (1955)

Ian Gillian; rock singer (1945)

Tipper Gore; anti-rock music wingnut (1948)

Charles Elmer Hires; Pharmacist and root beer creator (1851)

Billy J. Kramer; singer (1943)

Ring Ladner; screenwriter (1915)

Frank McCourt; Irish writer (1930)

Gerald McRaney; actor (1947)

Diana Muldaur; actor (1938)

Johnny Nash; singer (1940)

Debra Paget; actor (1933)

Peter Parley; writer (1793)

William Riker; character from Star Trek: Next Generation (2335)

Kyra Sedgwick; actor (1965)

Willie Shoemaker; jockey (1931)

Snuffleupagus; Sesame St. citizen

John Stamos; actor (1963)

Jill St. John; actor (1940)

Fred Thompson; actor, politician (1942)

Orville Wright; inventor, bicycle repairman (1871)

[lovelustquotes]

I love you, with no beginning, no end. I love you as you have become an extra necessary organ in my body. I love you as only a girl could love a boy. Without fear. Without expectations. Wanting nothing in return, except that you allow me to keep you here in my heart, that I may always know your strength, your eyes, and your spirit that gave me freedom and let me fly.

Coco J. Ginger

[bookgeekconfessions]

Her heart had grown so familiar to the pain of life without him, that to respond now seemed too large a pleasure she could not endure. If pain was love, then she loved fiercely. Yet knew she could not be near that boy again.

Coco J. Ginger

Book Geek Quote

[feelinhnostalgia]

He brought out the worst in me, and was the best thing that ever happened to me.

— Coco J. Ginger

[wepicy]

Breakup Quote By Coco J. Ginger “He brought out the worst in me, and was the best thing that ever happened to me.” - Coco J. Ginger

[ddejavvu]

If you accept multiple requests for your celebration (I promise this is the last one 😂) - can I also request a 📷 [aw, it’s just some random guy! (moots only!)] for one of my fics on my sideblog (@/the-amazing-simp) entitled Second Chances

this made me 👊👊 mad at peter 👊👊

“Hey princess.” Peter greeted, kissing you on the cheek.

“Hey.” You answered, still not looking up from your work.

Peter’s brows furrowed, usually you would’ve jumped up and hugged him tightly or at least given him a smile along with the greeting, he must’ve done something wrong.

“Are you mad at me or something?” He asked, quietly.

POOR GUY LMFAO HE GOT ALL NERVOUS AND JUST AUTOMATICALLY ASSUMES IT'S HIM I LOVE HIM

“You know,” she [Gwen] said, giving you a subtle wink, “It wouldn’t hurt to take a break from time to time - wouldn’t want to burn yourself out right before an exam, right?”

Gwen thank u for enabling my terrible decisions <3 my favorite bad influence right here!!

“I’m sorry in advance if I don’t give you much attention for the next few days.” you said, looking up at your boyfriend, “My parents said that if I want to have a higher chance of getting into my dream college then I would have to get high grades on the exams.”

“It’s okay sweetheart.” Peter said, pulling you even closer to him, “Take all the time you need - I know how important this is to you.”

fuck dude he's so sweet i know it's not much to ask but still what i wouldn't give to be there :(( <33

While Aunt May was preparing breakfast, Peter checked his phone - his good morning💕 text that he sent you 2 hours ago was still left on read.

“She did warn you in advance, Peter.” Aunt May gently reminded him as she noticed him checking his phone for what seemed like the hundredth time in the last ten minutes.

1.) i would be breaking my neck to reply to those cute little texts obviously reader was studying so it's different but daily morning texts?? goodbye.

2.) may is just the voice of reason here and we should all be thankful for her

“How are you?”

“No. I just ate.”

“How long have you been studying?”

“I don’t know - check the fridge.”

“Do you want to take a break?”

“I think I left it in the living room - you can go and check if you want.”

this exchange 🤲 i love that style of dialogue it works so nicely here it made me giggle <3

The girl looked down at her feet, avoiding his gaze, “I just wanted to, uh, know if you have a girlfriend?”

Peter’s brows furrowed, not really making any sense of what was happening, “Yes, I do.”

back the fuck up 🙄🙄

Peter pressed a kiss to your cheek, trailing it down to your jaw in an attempt to get some of the attention back to him, “Come on love, just five minutes.”

“Peter!” You snapped, “I really need to get this all in my head before the exam. I know that you’re trying to help but I just really need to be alone.”

peter: hmm perhaps? sex?

reader: SHUT THE FUCK UP 👹👹

But, you couldn’t care less that the drink was soaking your socks because, right in front of you, you had just seen Peter kissing another girl - a girl who wasn’t you.

The sound of the cup hitting the floor caused your boyfriend and a ginger haired girl to look in your direction.

“Sweetheart,” Peter said, obviously shocked as guilt started to cover his honey brown eyes, “I-I’m sorry.”

peter if u can hear me i'm gonna rip ur balls off through the suit oh my god reader needed a WEEK to study how horny can you be

“How could he? I’m going to murder that idiot.” You could hear Gwen mutter as you sobbed in her embrace, “Come on sis, let’s go home before that idiot finds you - I’ll make you some hot coco.”

You sniffed, the tears still dripping from your eyes as you croaked out, “I don’t want hot coco - honestly, I’m 16 years old.”

Gwen chuckled, arm around your shoulders as she led you to the path home, “Hot coco knows no age.”

as someone who deeply appreciates TASM!Gwen the nod to her hot cocoa fit was admired greatly

“If that Peter so much as dares show up here, he’s in for it.” Your father muttered.

Just as he said those words, the doorbell rang, having an inkling as to who it was - Captain Stacy was about to open the door himself when Gwen raised her hand and walked to the door.

BYE EVEN GWEN DOESN'T WANT HIM TO DIE THAT PAINFULLY

“I’m sorry.” Peter tried again, “I wasn’t used to her ignoring me - so, I became desperate.”

The blonde girl scoffed, “Desperate? She asked for a week, Peter - that’s all she asked! She supported you in everything that you pursued, she was by your side through everything! But, the moment when she needed your support the most - you become desperate and kiss some skank!”

that's 😤 right 😤 peter 😤 u bitch 😤 tell him gwen 😤

“I messed up, Aunt May.” Peter sighed, plopping down in front of her as he explained the whole situation.

Once he had finished, he had expected Aunt May to either scream at him or give him a lecture on his stupidity but neither happened.

i know she wanted to punch that boy hard enough that he flies across the room

“How am I sure that you won’t do it again?” You asked quietly, blinking up at him through tears.

“I swear on my life, I swear on the lives of everyone in this whole wide world that I won’t do it again. I’d rather die than break your heart again.”

peter: so basically if i do it again.. go on a murder spree <3

“I swear Peter Parker, break that promise again and Gwen won’t be the only one who’ll murder you.”

I will 😤

overall adorable, very cute love!! like i said this made me incredibly angry at him bUt it works out in the end and also i'm in love with gwen so she was a bonus 😌

[thisiswhatshefelt]

For Olivia | Chapter Three

Author’s Note: We’re still in fluffy territory right now, but things pick up in the next part. I’m having so much fun writing this! Hey, look at me. Writing fluff. Who would have thought? Not me. Characters: Chef Coco Cruz & Black OC

Chapter Summary: Coco and Olivia officially meet for the first time. Previous Chapter: Two

Chapter Three On Park Sundays, Olivia’s always the first one to stir in the apartment. There’s an initial panic just as Shanice remembers what’s supposed to happen on this particular Sunday, but the feeling subsides to an undercurrent as she’s getting Olivia ready. Shanice takes her time in the closet, carefully considering her wardrobe this morning. She opts for a fitted tee and jeans instead of her usual hoodie and hat combo.

She catches her reflection in the mirror and slows her movements, suddenly finding this extra work is ridiculous for someone who may not even show. The anxiety begins to creep up again, slinking into the room.

What if she hates him? Shanice thinks. Or worse, what if she loves him and then he abandons her?

She doesn’t dwell on these thoughts for very long because Olivia is pulling her out the door soon after finishing breakfast. Shanice is still chewing a piece of toast when they get onto the highway.

They’re only at the playground for half an hour and Olivia’s disheveled clothing already looks like she’s halfway through finishing a decathlon. Shanice is watching Olivia go down the slide when she receives a text from Coco, signaling that he’s five minutes away. She beckons to Olivia, and she reluctantly trudges over.

“I don’t wanna leave yet,” Olivia begins to whine in protest.

“No, no, we’re not leaving,” Shanice shakes her head. “Remember I’ve been telling you that mommy’s friend from the other night might come to the park?”

Olivia shrugs, longingly gazing over at the rush of kids now heading to the wooden pirate ship. “The man that bringed the pizza?”

“He didn’t bring–” Shanice shakes the thought out of her head. “Yes, him. He’s coming over here to say hello.”

“How come?”

“Well, you know, he really likes the park, so when I told him we were going to be here, he asked to join us,” Shanice explains in logic that only makes sense to a child. “All you have to do is say hello and remember your manners. That’s it.”

Olivia waits impatiently, fidgeting back and forth on her feet. Shanice is thankful when she finally catches a glimpse of Coco rising from a car in the parking lot. She lifts Olivia and sets the child on her hip as Coco closes the distance between himself and the girls.

“Glad you made it,” Shanice greets him with a smile, and she’s genuinely relieved he’s kept this first promise. “Olivia, can you say hi to Johnny for me?”

Olivia shrinks at the attention, as she usually does with strangers. “Hi,” she says, turning into Shanice’s shoulder.

Coco’s lips part into a crescent, but he can only suck in a quick, soundless breath. His mouth wordlessly falters before smiling and giving way to simple yet weighted beginnings. “It’s nice to meet you, Olivia. You can call me Coco if you want.”

“Kay,” Olivia’s voice comes out no more than a breath as she lays her head on Shanice’s shoulder and pulls a few of Shanice’s shoulder-length twists over her eyes. Olivia curls in closer, attempting to disappear against the woman.

“It’s alright,” Shanice whispers back, giving a small squeeze. It’s alright, it’s alright. “Do you want to go back?”

Olivia nods slowly and Shanice lets her slink back to the ground.

“Where I can see you!” Shanice calls out to the small, retreating figure before stepping off to the side with some of the other parents. Coco sidesteps to follow her lead.

“Sorry.” Shanice can’t help but apologize. “Olivia’s just really shy around people.”

“Not your fault I’m a stranger,” Coco says. “Maybe I should’ve brought her a gift or something-”

“She doesn’t need gifts,” Shanice shakes her head, holding up her hand to stop him mid-sentence. “Just a little time, if you’re willing to give her yours. She’s a completely different kid when she’s comfortable.”

Coco’s sheepish gaze lands on Olivia and it follows her as she chases another girl over to the ship’s nautical wheel. Without taking his eyes off the children, he starts speaking. “I got another daughter, you know. That hostess at the restaurant?” He turns to Shanice, and she nods to both acknowledge and encourage. “My mom pretty much raised her as my sister until she was twelve. That’s when we let her know, and I don’t think I’ve ever seen her so pissed. Got her a laptop and a new phone, thinking it would make her happy. She set them both behind my car one day, so I rolled right over them when I was backing out.”

Shanice suddenly snorts and Coco looks at her strangely at the outburst. She cups her mouth with both hands, but it does little to stifle her growing laughter. “I’m sorry, I wasn’t expecting you to say all that.”

“I didn’t even mean to unload that family drama on you,” Coco chuckles, watching her laughter settle. His face contorts into an incredulous half-grin. “Don’t know why I even told you that.”

Shanice understands what he means. Their first two meetings they share are tense, but she allows herself to be nicer today until she’s given a reason not to be. As they speak, this moment is oddly comfortable. Like meeting an old friend…under the strangest circumstances.

“I haven’t been a teacher very long,” Shanice begins, composing herself, “But I’ve learned that teenagers are some of the most vindictive people in the world. Exceptional grudge-holders. It’s pretty impressive, actually.”

Coco smiles as he nods, thoughts briefly somewhere else. “Yeah, Letty’s good at that.”

“Couldn’t help but notice she wasn’t in school,” Shanice leads, trying not to seem like she’s being judgmental or prying, but she is pretty nosy.

“We’re in the middle of moving her into my place. I gotta get her registered for school and all that, so my mom can go traveling Europe and shiiii…” Coco’s voice strains towards the end when he realizes he’s about to swear in the middle of the playground. “She deserves to travel and have some fun after raising Letty. But it’s about to be all on me, and I’m just…”

“Scared?” she offers, and he shrugs. “Understandable. I’m not an expert, but kids mostly just need to feel safe, be encouraged, and be able to trust you.”

“I had all that and still ended up in jail.”

“Good point,” She playfully concedes with a shrug. “Sometimes you just gotta cross your fingers and hope for the best.”

After a beat, he knits his eyebrows together as he recalls something. “Wait, where do you teach?”

“I’m an English teacher at Damon Pope.”

His eyebrows raise in surprise, “That’s where Letty starts on Monday.”

“Really?” Shanice shares a similar look of disbelief. “So, you don’t live too far away from us.”

“Right at the edge of town,” he tells her. They get quiet, leaving things unsaid. He’d been living so close to Olivia and didn’t even realize until recently. Within the same school district.

Their conversation is benign after the awkward break. They opt for small talk until Olivia runs over with wood chips sticking to her feet and her hair coming out of her puffs.

“Can we go eat?” she asks, huffing and puffing.

“You want your PB&J?” Shanice asks, reaching to fix her hair.

“PB&J and pizza!” Olivia exclaims with a smile, throwing her tiny fists in the air.

Shanice makes a disgusted face, “Pizza again?”

Coco chimes in with an idea. “How about somethin’ with less preservatives? You two could come back to the restaurant.”

Olivia’s stomach answers for them both. ________

Once at Tres Reyes, Shanice is again overwhelmed by the amazing smell coming from the kitchen. She’d been secretly craving the food since stepping foot inside the restaurant. Letty’s at the front desk and she does a double take when she sees Coco being followed in by Shanice and the little girl.

“This is Letty,” Coco tells her, tapping his hand on the podium twice to pull her attention towards him. She is unabashedly staring at the child. Her little sister. “Letty, this is Shanice and Olivia.”

Shanice and Letty share very heavy nice to meet you’s.

“Where’s jefe?” He asks with a nod.

“Next door, yelling at Chucky again,” Letty tells him, staring at Olivia.

Letty puffs out her cheeks and crosses her eyes, making Olivia giggle through her teeth against Shanice’s shoulder.

“She’s so cute,” Letty gushes, but her voice is low as she seems to be speaking only to herself.

Coco surveys the restaurant with a glance. “It’s pretty slow, you want to help me with something?”

Letty nods.

“I’m gonna bring out a few things,” Coco says as he leads them through the restaurant before landing at a booth near the service window.

Coco throws an arm over Letty’s shoulder and whispers something in her ear as they walk towards the kitchen. By the soothing look in his eyes, Shanice can tell it’s an apology. He doesn’t expect to have his two daughters meet this way, and the weight of the moment doesn’t fully register until now. They go to the back for a while and an older woman with long dark hair approaches the table.

“I’m Vicki,” the waitress greets them. “Can I get you something to drink?”

“Just a ginger ale for me, please,” Shanice says.

Vicki turns to Olivia, “And what about you, princesa?”

“Apple juice, please,” Olivia speaks slightly muffled, biting the collar of her shirt. Shanice tugs the fabric from between her teeth.

Vicki smiles, giving them both a knowing look before walking away from the table. She wonders how many people Coco has told about what’s happening. Everyone is in on this big secret except Olivia.

Coco and Letty soon walk out with three trays filled with small bowls of toppings. On a single tray was a small tortilla. They place them on the table and Letty seems to linger until the restaurant door opens. She hesitates but leaves to tend to the incoming customers.

“This is kinda like a pizza. We can put anything on it,” Coco explains, picking up the first bowl.

Shanice encourages the moment, “This all looks so good, doesn’t it, Mushroom?”

Olivia only nods, still uncomfortable about her surroundings. She settles onto her knees with her hands flat on the table as she leans closer. She scrunches her face up, squinting with one eye at something in particular. “Where’s a’sauce?”

“We’re gonna spread this on it instead,” Coco says, holding up the bowl of refried beans. He demonstrates spreading it on half the tortilla. “You wanna try?”

Shanice watches as the words spark excitement in Olivia’s eyes. What Olivia actually hears is ‘You wanna help me make a mess?’ Her favorite pastime. She takes the spoon Coco’s offers and starts spreading the beans on the rest of the tortilla.

“Good, now you can put anything you want on it,” Coco tells her, pushing a bowl of shredded cheese towards her.

She dips her little fingers in the bowl and starts sprinkling it all over the pizza, but it mostly gets on the table. She takes some of the cheese from the table in the other hand and stuffs it in her mouth.

“Hey!” Shanice says, briefly tickling both Olivia’s sides, eliciting a loud laugh. She involuntarily brings her arms down to shield her sides. “Don’t eat all the ingredients!” Olivia just eats more, laughing louder.

Coco gets a playful look on his face before taking a small piece of diced tomato. He throws the piece in the air and catches it in his mouth. Olivia is astonished, immediately tries to do the same with the cheese, but it ends up all around her like confetti. Some lands in her hair, but Olivia only laughs again.

“Boy…” Shanice slowly sets her gaze on Coco, giving him a comically blank stare.

Olivia has a diced tomato in her hand aimed like a baseball. She throws the tomato at Coco and he expertly catches it in his mouth. Before Shanice can say anything else, Olivia throws a handful of cheese at her, expecting Shanice to also catch it in her mouth, but it catches her off guard. Cheese falls on her chest and soldiers.

“Sorry,” Olivia sings, but she doesn’t look sorry at all. She’s smiling from ear to ear, stuffing more cheese in her mouth.

Coco lets out a laugh as Shanice eats the cheese from her shirt. In that moment, Shanice can see what Mel found attractive about him four years ago. She notices the dimple in his cheek deepening every time he smiles.

“Love that you taught her that,” Shanice says with playful sarcasm, as she picks cheese out of her hair. “Alright, let’s finish so we can eat the, uh…”

“It’s called a tlayuda,” Coco finishes.

“A yuda?” Olivia questions.

Coco smirks at her pronunciation “Yeah, it’s almost like a pizza.”

“Kay,” Olivia says, focusing on putting more toppings on the tlayuda.

A few moments later, Letty returns with a much neater version of the dish. Her mouth waters at the strips of steak, cheese, and fresh avocado loaded onto the tortilla.

“Sit with us?” Shanice suggests. Letty doesn’t hesitate, sliding next to Coco and bumping him in the process. Coco dramatically crashes into the booth’s half wall, eliciting another giggle from Olivia. Slowly, the little girl Shanice is familiar with begins to emerge.

“Hi, Olivia,” Letty greets her again. She’s trying to make eye contact with a preoccupied Olivia, as if she’s trying to get the attention of the cool kid at school. “I’m Letty.”

“Hi,” Olivia croaks out between haphazard bites of the tlayuda she’s made. She greets Letty out of reflex and immediately looks up when she realizes three sets of eyes are on her. Olivia suddenly plops down on Shanice’s lap, pushing the back of her head against her chest.

“So Letty,” Shanice begins, wrapping her arm across Olivia. “We’re going to be seeing a lot more of each other. I teach over at Damon Pope.”

“Forreal?” Letty asks slyly as she takes out her waitress pen and pad from her apron. She wets the pen with the tip of her tongue. “And which class is that again?”

Shanice lets out a small laugh when Coco’s eyebrows furrow suspiciously. “Why you wanna know?”

“I’m just assuming it wouldn’t hurt to know the teacher personally.”

“I teach English, but I’m kind of known for being a tough grader.”

“Ooh, then forget it,” Letty says, putting her pen and pad down on the table. Coco tsked.

Shanice can’t help but laugh, “Mr. Kochiss teaches British Lit, and I’ve heard a lot of students say that his class has a more…relaxed grading policy,” Shanice says, choosing her words correctly. “But you seem to be a very intelligent girl. If you want a class that’s a little more challenging, I teach Lit Comp. It’s an AP class, but if you’re serious, I’m sure we can work something out.”

“AP?” Letty’s eyebrows raise playfully. “So is that Kochiss with a K or a C?”

“Leticia,” Coco says, his voice coming out as more of a groan.

“Oh, what? I can’t joke now?” Letty asks innocently.

Shanice laughs into her first bite of tlayuda. She has to lean awkwardly over the table because Olivia is still parked on her lap with no intention of moving.

Shanice lets out an unexpected moan when she tastes the food. “This is so good.” She doesn’t realize the way she sounds until she looks up to find Coco’s half-lidded eyes on her. It’s just a flash, but it feels like an eternity when their eyes meet across the table. He quickly averts his eyes down to the table as he taps a song with his fingers.

“When will you…” Letty starts, oblivious to the previous interaction. It pulls Coco’s and Shanice’s attention back. “When are you going to, you know…tell her?”

Shanice loudly clears her throat. “Uh, not for a while. We all still need to get to know each other better. Get comfortable.”

“About that,” Coco interjects. “I was thinkin’ next time we could meet up at the beach.”

Olivia perks up again just then.

“We don’t say eachbay or oolpay or any large bodies of aterway around this one.” Shanice practically hisses the words as she pushes them through her teeth.

“Can we go to the eachbay today? Pleeeease?” Olivia begs.

Shanice threw her hands up in defeat. “Great, now I can’t even say it in pig Latin.”

Coco speaks up, “You know what would be better than going to the beach for just a little while today?”

“What?” Olivia surprisingly doesn’t shy away.

“Staying for the whole day on Saturday. If that’s okay with Shanice, of course.”

Olivia turns around so that she’s kneeling on Shanice’s thighs. The little girl takes Shanice by the face to whisper with wide eyes. “Can we go to the beach on Saddurday?”

Shanice whispers back, mirroring her animated expression. “Yes. As long as you’re good.” Olivia starts leaving greasy kisses all over Shanice’s forehead. “Alright, alright!” she says at full volume now. “Girl, you’re gonna take off my eyebrows.”

“And I could come too, maybe?” Letty asks as Olivia sits back down. For a moment, she’s just a little girl asking to tag along.

“Aye, you gotta be good too,” Coco teases.

Somewhere along the conversation Olivia falls asleep against Shanice’s chest. She looks down at the little girl and is thankful the day doesn’t turn out to be the disaster she’d imagined.

[antaliasun]

“Smile. Your eyes sparkle when you do.” ― Coco J. Ginger

Weekend. Time to paint and relax. Have a nice weekend.🤗

[supremeuppityone]

Written for Klarosummer Bingo @klarosummerbingo, this is Part 3 for Chapters 100 & 106 (Prompts: I Never Loved a Man & Speed Dating). It’s the morning after Klaus’ disastrous amateur stripping, and a miserable Caroline just wants to ride out her massive hangover in peace. However, her insistent visitors refuse to go along with her plan...

Prompt: Mojito

“Bittersweet? No, just bitter, the taste of your tongue. Words you can’t have back, so they linger.” ― Coco J. Ginger

           Rum. Sugar. Lime. Mint. REPEAT. Caroline loved a cocktail that didn’t taste like misery, and after she ran out of Kat’s strip club last night, she holed up in her kitchen to drown in all the mojitos her pantry could provide. Which, according to her skull threatening to split open, must’ve been A LOT.

           With a pitiful moan, she rolled onto her belly, wincing as she felt the too-sweet rum still sloshing around. She considered it a small victory when she managed to sit up, even though she banged the back of her head against the cabinet. Damn Klaus. It was hard enough thinking about him after their breakup, but then he kept showing up. Dealing with real-life Klaus was even worse than fantasy Klaus, because this version kept trying to apologize. If he started evolving, it was so much harder to hate him. And she desperately needed to keep hating him, damn it!

           She blearily realized the banging in her skull hadn’t magnified; someone was pounding on her front door. Hoarsely cursing, Caroline managed to pull herself to her feet, lurching to the door with all the grace of a Xanax-riddled wildebeest. The banging was relentless, and she grimaced, baring her teeth as she threw open the door.

You can read the rest here.