Tastes like Chocolat

[Jacky]

Anouk was silent for a while, considering that with a frown on her face. When she looked up, her eyes widened slightly as she saw Roux crossing the street though. "Maman..!" She warned her mother of his arrival.. but unlike she expected, Roux turned and walked into the pharmacy two houses next to the chocolaterie instead.

[Jacksblackpearl]

For a minute Vianne's heart skipped a beat, thinking, just like her daughter, that Roux might actually have changed his mind and come back to perhaps apoligize..
"Oh..right" she mumble "See.. Roux has other things on his mind now. I'm not lying to you Anouk, he is busy and does not have time to see us" Or refuses to be a friend and stick around for us "Come on, go get your schoolbag, I'll take you to school" she said, already having made up her mind that she'd take her daughter to school, figuring that she might otherwise leave the schoolyard again and bug the river people.

[Jacky]

Anouk didn't believe it though. She knew that something had to be very very wrong for Roux to pass by the chocolaterie without entering. Without wanting to see Vianne and herself.. She didn't know *what* could be so wrong, but the idea alone managed to worry her.
So she did something she hadn't done in a very long time. She brought up the Forbidden Subject. "Maman," To show her will to cooperate she grabbed her schoolbag already, "What if something's wrong? What if the river people have a problem..? What if Roux is in trouble?" She took a breath, "We could see if the tarot cards could tell us. Or the chocolat.. or their colors?"

Two houses from the chocolaterie, Roux stood across the cashiers desk of the pharmacy, a frown on his face. "Excuse me?"
The owner shrugged his shoulders, and slid the box of medicin aside. "We don't serve outsiders."
For fuck's sake. Roux managed to keep his calm though, as he glanced at the only other person in the shop (a woman who eyed him curiously) and then back to the owner. "It's not for me. It's for a little child, a baby. She's sick, she needs some help. Okay?"
"I'm sorry." The owner shrugged his shoulders.. and glanced to the other customer. "Can I help you?"

[Jacksblackpearl]

A gasp escaped Vianne's lips "Tarot cards ? Anouk! You know not to mention those things anymore" she said, a little shocked. She thought Anouk would've fogotten about those things now that they were having a normal life..
Truth to be told, it felt as if Anouk had read her mind. She desperately tried to hold back, tried not to get involved with magic anymore, but right now her will to stop wasn't that strong. "we can't, we just have to wait and hope that Roux will realise he can always come to us with any problem..Okay?"
Her Tarot cards were already in her nightstanddrawer, no longer stashed away in a suitcase under the bed. But she could not involve her daughter, it would give her the wrong ideas, it would make her become the odd kid again which was the last thing Vianne wanted.
"Come on, let's go to school before I have to open the shop" she said, to change the subject and she grabbed her coat and the key of the house/shop.

[Jacky]

Anouk didn't say anything. She wasn't sure why she didn't feel bad about bringing up the Magic. Even though her mother made it obvious that she should. But it would be so easy. And maybe, maybe they could help? She silently put on her coat and zipped it. "Just have to get my book." She mumbled, before running upstairs.

Meanwhile, Roux looked at the shopkeeper a moment longer, a frown on his face. "Idiot." He mumbled under his breath, before he turned on his heels to leave.
"One moment," The other customer at the pharmacy happened to be Claire, who helped Vianne in the chocolaterie. "I'll have this.." She put what she took from the shelf on the cashier desk, "And that, please." Now she pointed at the medicin which the pharmacist had refused to sell to Roux.
Roux frowned, a little sceptically, but waited.
Once Claire had paid for everything, she walked over to him and dropped the medicin in his hands.
"...Thanks." Roux was sort of surprised, but he fished the money for the stuff out of his pocket and handed it to the lady. She reminded him of Vianne - who would've done the same thing. ...He kept remembering her. All the time. He couldn't help it.
"You're welcome." Claire said. "I'm Claire."
"Roux." He introduced himself briefly. "Thanks again." He said, but didn't stay to chat as he turned around and left the shop.

[Jacksblackpearl]

"Right" Vianne mumbled and waited for Anouk to come back. In the meantime she went over to the frontdoor, the entrance of the shop and opened the door. She leaned half in and half out of the doorway, glancing at the pharmasist shop, in which he was right moment.
Not much later she saw Roux coming out again and soon Claire followed him out. Vianne watched Roux disappear towards the river again and sighed. She needed to know if he was okay. He wouldn't ignore her if it wasn't something big...she just had to use the cards on him.

[Jacky]

"Vianne!" Claire hurried over to her friend when she noticed her in the doorway. "Hey," She smiled, "How are you?"

Upstairs, Anouk hesitated as she passed by her mothers room. She looked back to the stairs and listened carefully. Maman wasn't coming upstairs though. Quickly and silently, she darted into her mothers room and fell on her knees in front of the bed.
Vianne would be naive if she thought her daughter wouldn't know that she kept everything.
Anouk pulled the heavy suitcase from under the bed and opened it quickly. It was full of clothes and scarves, but that wasn't what she was looking for. She couldn't find the cards, but she did find a sashet of herbs stuffed in a corner of the suitcase. She grabbed it quickly, put the rest back the way it was before, and pushed the suitcase back under the bed.
She hid the sashet between her skirt and sweater.
Only a few minutes later she came bouncing down the stairs again. "I'm ready!"

[Jacksblackpearl]

"Claire" Vianne smiled at her, a forced smile. "Fine.. just fine, and you?" she asked. She'd always answer 'fine' because it was the easiest way to satisfy people. She felt far from fine, especially now that Roux was back in town, but she couldn't let anyone know. The town couldn't find out who she really was and how she was involved with Roux not long ago, but also letting know how she felt wasn't a part of her anymore. It might have been back in Lansquenet when she had close friends and the help of magic to make everyone talk about their feelings, but not anymore.
Vianne looked up when Anouk came running down again. odd behaviour this child has, from quiet to noisy from sad to happy.. how can she be upbeat now?

[Jacky]

"I'm just fine. I met one of the river people just now." She smiled, not knowing it was this man who Vianne had been with before. "The pharmacist wouldn't sell him anything, could you believe that? And it was for a child, even."

Anouk waited impatiently for her mother to finish talking. She wanted to leave. Maybe shed have the time at school to try the herbs without anyone knowing.

[Jacksblackpearl]

what ? a child .. ? Vianne frowned "For a child ? oh.." she couldn't stop frowning at that new discovered information.
So that is what Roux had been hiding ? He was a father now ? And is that why he did not want her near? Because he was scared that she would get in the way?
that doesn't make any sense at all. He knows I'm not like that..maybe it's for that zezette girl? She could be a mother
"that is quite cruel of the pharmasist" Vianne nodded "Listen, I eh I should take Anouk back to school, the shop can stay open, I'm not expecting any customers yet any way. I started making the bonbons, we only need a new chocolate cinnamon cake, if you can make that " she instructed her employer and took Anouk by the hand, leading her outside "Be back soon"