[center][h1][color=39b54a]Cordelia Flores[/color][/h1][/center]

The conversation with Taryn over Cori waited till the other girl left, then after collecting her thoughts rose and walked out of [i]Pat’s[/i] flashing a smile at Donna. Her mood brightened considerably. She hopped into the cart and drove to her place. She had moved out of the [i]villa, hacienda[/i] or the [i]big house[/i] where the other parts of the family; her in-laws were staying. Alejandro was not a fan. Connie and Estaban were worried about her but they let her live her life. Normally. Connie had started to become passive aggressive about Cori coming back into the [i]“fold”[/i].

Turning her down gently Cori could have made a self help book on [i]”How To: Let Your MIL Know You Also Have a Life”[/i]. Probably would have been a bestseller too. And Alejandro, well he could go suck eggs as far as Cori was concerned. She, Imp and Brutus were living their best lives… No actually they weren’t. She was missing José but it was less everyday. Sometimes she feared that she’d lose him altogether. Perhaps that’s what really kept her here…?

No.

The Marina kept her here. It was her life’s work and she finally had it just the way she wanted it. The sea creatures here were fascinating and so diverse and she had never seen the variety that teemed in the waters here. Dolphins that seemed smarter than normal. Sea lions and seals that she swore could understand language. It was fascinating and she was here for [i]that[/i].

Brutus ran out to greet her barking his fool head off as she got in the gate.[color=39b54a] “Alright already I get the idea you’re happy to see me. Let me put up all this stuff and then I will spend some time with you. Imp needs some exercise. How about we go for a run?”[/color] And she said the [i]R[/i] word so Brutus was off like a crazy person barking and making an adorable nuisance of himself. Shaking her head Cori hauled out the alfalfa and the kibble she bought at the supply store. The muscles in her arms stood out as she easily lifted and carried each item. She had that Sarah O’Conner toned physique that didn’t stand out until it was already being used otherwise she looked delicate. Deceptive and highly taken advantage of my none other than herself.

After cleaning out Imp’s stall and raking him and Brutus on a run Cori was still not as worn out as she normally was. Hours later Cori was freshly showered and deciding if she really wanted to force herself to stare at the ceiling or take a sleeping pill to fall asleep.  Deciding against the pill Cori pulled out a pair of [url=https://img.roleplayerguild.com/prod/users/4927f23b-cc63-42ae-b3d0-9ba715260cba.jpg]Daisy Duke cut offs[/url] a [url=https://img.roleplayerguild.com/prod/users/dc5da06b-4923-4672-a4f6-2ef7a10eb80b.jpg]red baby tee crop top[/url] and her trusty [url=https://img.roleplayerguild.com/prod/users/eff5300f-58d8-44a8-9cf2-e3c40dba5b9a.jpg]red converse[/url]. She pulled her hair into a braid and headed out.

Deciding not to head back to [i]Pat’s[/i] Cori went over to the Sunny Side Cafe, or rather Side Car since it was evening. As she walked in it was like being transported into a 1920’s speakeasy.[color=39b54a] “I swear if Dicaprio comes out the back room I am out.”[/color] Cori murmured as she moved around taking her time to get to the bar. Her eyes followed the stripe of black paint and the blue symbols on the walls.[color=39b54a][i] Who or what is Enso? Guess I’ll have to ask.[/i][/color]

Harry Belafonte was playing softly in the speakers. One of her favorite songs [i]Man Smart (Woman Smarter)[/i] and she moved to the beat. It turned over to Eagles [i]I Can’t Tell You Why[/i] as she swayed and sang softly to the music that spoke to her. Her voice was like the call of a siren as she crooned out the song. Hypnotic and darkly sexy for a female, her voice was firmly set in what afficionados would call a contralto mein. She didn’t pay attention to the heads that turned as they heard her. She was too busy making observations and slowly making her way around the bar to pay attention to the looks she was getting.

Finally done with her exploration Cori made her way over to the bar seeing two native gentlemen sitting there. She recognized Walls or Jericho Bell. He reminded her of José and so she was always a little sad around him but that had been something she was slowly letting go of. She’d been at least attempting to smile more. Though she wasn’t used to it and it may have come out as more of a weird grimace.[color=39b54a][i] Hey I don’t stare at the mirror and practice… maybe I should?[/i][/color]

The other native was Andrés Moruga. Now him she knew; well, knew of. Being one of the founding families and cut off due to not falling in line was someone that José would have liked; and he had. She had not seen a lot of José’s friends after his death. 

She had turned inward and lost touch with people. She had needed time. She gave herself time and now she was making herself more seen in things outside José’s charities. And natives responded. She was surprised at how many people remembered her. She supposed that it was due to her striking coloring.[color=39b54a][i] Honestly how many pale redheaded women did one see in Azul?[/i][/color] 

The rhetorical question resounded in her head as Cori smiled at both Andrés and Walls as she sat down.[color=39b54a] “Evening Walls. Evening Andrés. Hope you’re both doing well. It’s been a while. So what’s good Slim?”[/color] Cori didn’t know Nate. He was too new and she’d been in self imposed isolation. Her voice was equally hypnotic speaking as well as singing. Dark and smokey like black velvet that reached in and held you captive with a soft easy grip. Oh sure you could get away but once you heard Cori’s voice why would you want to? The slightly southern belle accent made it all the more sexy. Her voice was described as dark and rich like cognac, [i]expensive[/i], cognac; like sweet sin; and especially siren. Like she could charm those animals that she worked with and if she sat on a rock sailors would crash just to find the source of that voice.
[@Theyra][@BigPapaBelial][@Infinite Cosmos]