A Time for Celebration...(Open)

[Cordell Le'Kray]

Cordell Le'Kray entered the Bar and Grill, it was only a few nights ago that his daughter Quay'Na had told him she was engaged.

But, it hadn't been until tonight that he wanted to go out and have a drink in means of his own celebration.

Cordell was more than happy to know his daughter was going to be well cared for and was anxious to meet his future so-in-law, Anthony Scott.

The guards allowed him to pass as he handed over the blaster that he always carried. The place was busy tonight as he finally found himself a booth and slid into it.

A server droid rolled up. "Give me a Corellian Scotch on the rocks." He told it and it rolled off. Life was going well, now all the father-of-the-bride needed was some conpany to share his little celebration with.

[Abagael Zellan]

Quite suddenly Cordell found himself sharing his booth with a frazzled looking woman. Abagael Zellan hardly noticed the man. Her attention was being held by her five-year-old son Trent, who was now careening around the bar with a stroller that carried his infant sister Nora. Abby was too overwhelmed to try and stop him at the moment.

She set her purse on the table and began to rummage around in it, finally pulling out a small silver pillbox. She unhitched the ornate clasp on the box and gave it a shake, letting two of the orange pills fall into her palm. Headache relief.

As the attractive blonde woman leaned back to throw the pills into her mouth, her cobalt eyes caught sight of Cordell. Abby started and almost choked on the medication.

"Oh!"

Hastily she swallowed the two orange dots dry and coughed.

"I am so sorry, I didn't even see you here!"

[Cordell Le'Kray]

Cordell smiled, he was grateful for the company of this lovely woman across from him. "No apologizes necessary, Miss." He told her as his gaze took him to the small boy pushing a stroller around the place. "Yours?" He asked with a grin. He loved kids and with that thought wondered why he never had anymore.

He shook the thought from his mind. "Would you care for a drink?" Cordell offered with a smile.

[Abagael Zellan]

Abby followed Cordell's gaze and winced as Trent swerved with the stroller, narrowly missing running over a pair of Wookie legs. She nodded her head, just waiting for a chance for the little monster to sail by her so she could remove Nora from the stoller (and possibly avoid an unneccesary accident).

"Yes, that's my son. Trent. His passenger is my daughter Nora."

Again Abagael flinched as her boy almost ran into a chair, instead managing to only knock it over with a clatter. The suggestion of a drink was met with a grateful nod, and Abby called over a droid.

"Pint of Lum, please."

Lum was a relatively safe drink, since you couldn't overdose on it like most alcohols. Abby couldn't afford to get smashed anytime soon. The droid wheeled away and Abagael smiled at the man opposite her.

"I'm Abagael Zellan. Who's company am I sharing tonight?"

[Cordell Le'Kray]

"Cordell Le'Kray," he answered with a smile as the little boy went running by with the stroller a table away from them. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Zellan."

"Looks like your son is full of energy, I remember those days very well. My daughter was the same way, she's twenty now and I've just been reunited with her twin a few of months ago. I'm sure had the two been together at that age...they would've been a handful."

Abagael's pint arrived along with his own. He gladly paid for the drinks and began sipping on his own. "It seems you have your hands full."

[Abagael Zellan]

"Well I suppose having your hands full comes with the job."

Abby took a satisfying sip of her drink and then pulled a napkin from the dispenser on the table to wipe her upper lip. Cordell's family background was interesting, much more so than her own parenting adventures.

"It must be wonderful to have both of your daughters in your life, Cordell."

Suddenly Abby jerked to the left with an outstretched arm. The woman had spotted Trent running by and managed to grab hold of the back of his shirt with one fist. The child yelped and came to a guilty stop, walking backwards with the stroller in tow. Abby gave him a look.

"Stop running, it's impolite, and you might hurt your sister. This is Mr. Le'Kray, say hello."

Trent looked at the man grumpily and waved a hand. Abby sighed.

"This is my son Trent."

[Cordell Le'Kray]

"It's nice to meet you, young man. If your mother doesn't mind, would you care for a milkshake?" Cordell looked up at Abby.

"I'm actually here celebrating my daughters recent engagement alone unfortunately and would really would enjoy buying the boy a shake, if you don't mind."

[Abagael Zellan]

Trent scuffed his feet shyly and looked at his mother with big blue eyes. The child really was the spitting image of Abagael, the exact opposite of his father. Abby looked a little reluctant to permit a milkshake; it wasn't as if Trent needed any more sugar-induced energy. But it would gaurentee at least five minutes of relative calmness in the boy.

"It's alright with me. What do you say to Mr. Le'Kray, Trent?"

Trent scooted up next to his mother, who pulled Nora in her stroller closer.

"Thanks Misser L'Kray."

Well at least he had some manners. Abby ran a hand through his blonde spikes and then raised her mug of Lum.

"To your daughter's engagement."

[Cordell Le'Kray]

Cordell signalled a server droid over as he lifted his own glass. "To my daughters engagement."

After taking a drink, the server came over. "We need one milkshake. Trent, what flavor would you like?" He asked gently to the boy."

[Abagael Zellan]

Trent's face scrunched up in thought, as if choosing a flavor was the most important decision he'd ever made. With a little squirm in his seat, the boy began to 'eenie-meenie-miney-moe' on his fingers. Abby shook her head with an exasperated laugh. Finally Trent came to a descision.

"V'nilla."

Abby nudged him with her elbow and the boy rolled his eyes.

"Please."

[Cordell Le'Kray]

"Good choice, very well. Vanilla it is, then." He nodded with a smiled and looked at the server droid. "You heard the boy, one vanilla shake."

It zipped off a moment later. Giving Cordell a chance to look into the baby stroller. "Beautiful child." He commented with a smile. He loved children and hoped one day to have grandchildren of his own, and now with Quay'Na getting married....

"There's nothing in the world like the pitter-patter of little feet. Of course, after one has had a good nights sleep that is." He chuckled. "I remember those days very well. I was a full-time father to my one daughter from the time she was only three months. I was lucky to have that time with her, if only I'd been given that time with my other daughter. But, we're making up for that lost time now." Cordell took another sip of his drink.

"Are you in the Order, Miss Zellan?"

[Abagael Zellan]

"Please, call me Abby. Yes, I am. Although lately..."

Abagael sighed and glanced down at Nora, blissfully amusing herself with looking at a fist.

"Lately I've been wondering if it would be better if I left for awhile. My life with my kids and my life here just don't seem to want to meld together. I thought maybe if I waited until the baby was older it might be easier."

Abby shook her head and brushed a hand over Trent's hair absently.

"Anyway... So, Cordell, what do you do for a living? If you don't mind my asking, that is."

[Cordell Le'Kray]

"I'm Chief Manager of Distributing at Quantum Exports and it wasn't too long ago that I moved here to be with my family. I missed so much time with my one daughter and I know I'll never be able to make that up, but it won't stop me from knowing her now."

[Abagael Zellan]

"Mmm. They do grow quickly..."

She glanced down at Trent and smiled.

"Exporting? I knew a few people in that line of business many years ago. Do you find it interesting?

[Cordell Le'Kray]

"Oh very." Cordell answered. "My boss, Ridge Towers knows his trade very well. He's one of the top exports on Coruscant. He's pretty young too, but he has the know how right where it counts. I really enjoy being part of the team."