Unbidden yet somehow stirred to the forethoughts of the young woman's mind, the imagery of an old man who'd once lived only a few houses down from her own home finds it way to the present. She remembers walking by his white picket fence every afternoon after school had ended for the day and when she'd grown tall enough to see over those pointed peaks, the sight she'd seen had been a sad one. He had lived all alone, this elderly man, sitting in his rocking chair situated precisely on his front porch rocking to and fro with nothing more than a scowl upon those cracked lips. The other kids had made games out of doing what the could to get a rise out of the old man everyone in Willowhaven knew as Mr. Plum, and they would make a ruckus as they walked along that fence of his. Sometimes they would grab sticks and run them along the planks as they laughed and made merry fun out of being far too rambunctious and they were always successful in causing Mr. Plum to rise up on his feet and shake a fist at those mischievous peers of hers, so often showing something to the effect of "Stop bangin' those sticks, you'll chip the paint" or "Stop all that racket I'm tryin' ta relax here". Sure, those kids would stop but they would just do it all over again the next day. Lani felt sad for Mr. Plum though, having noticed that he never seemed to have company over and he didn't have a sweet little old lady to rock in a rocking chair beside him as the blonde girl had always imagined her parents to doing one day long after they'd retired. Everyone deserved a little kindness, especially the grouchy old Mr. Plum so what else does little Beylani do than decide one day on a Sunday afternoon to have her mother help her bake some oatmeal cookies to take over to that lonely old man that never seemed to do nothing but mind his own business and demand that everyone else do the same? Some would say that he was just a grumpy old fool who chased away those who tried to befriend him, but Beylani being who she was, she thought that just maybe no one really and truly tried hard enough.

She could remember how nervous she'd been as she walked down the street carrying that plate for freshly baked cookies, unsure of just how scary he was and if he would yell at her like he always did those other kids, but she'd been determined then to try her best. Walking up to the fence that Sunday afternoon, he'd been sitting there as she'd expected."Mr. Plum? I baked you some cookies... May I come in?", she's asked timidly over the picket fence. He'd grumbled at first and when she'd thought he would tell her to just go home or that he didn't like oatmeal cookies, he'd given her a chance to show him a little kindness."Yeah, yeah, whatever suites your fancy little girl", he'd said in that grumpy voice of his. Smiling brightly, she'd let herself in through the gate, bring sure to close it behind her of course and walked up to that poor old man and offered him the plate. He'd asked her why she did this, what it was that she wanted from him, and she'd simply smiled that radiant smile of hers with baby blue eyes twinkling."A smile and maybe a story would be all I ask for really, but I just think that everyone deserves a little kindness". He'd been taken by surprise at her answer and he'd even eyed her suspiciously like she were up to no good, but in the end he obliged and there she'd sat until her mother had come looking for her, listening of his tales of olden days when the town was first built, of how he'd travelled the world and seen so many things. From that day on, she and Mr. Plum had always been seen every Sunday on that porch of his laughing and smiling. So when Dorian tells Beylani of this owner and his hesitancy in words seeming to imply that he wasn't the most friendly of people here in Sacrosanct, it is hard for Beylani not to remember the grumpy old man she'd befriended as a little girl. If she had been able to smooth his jagged edges, just maybe she might be able to one day do the same for this man she hoped to make her boss in the very near future.

A bright smile dances across those blush-colored lips as she listens to Dorian's light and playfully spoken words and she can't help but become a little anxious to see just what he intended from when they reached their destination. They walk together and he turns his gaze to the sun as it draws closer to the horizon and she can hardly believe that they've spent this much time together when it only felt like fleeting moments. Time truly does fly when one is having fun, and it was hard not to enjoy herself so much in the pleasant company of the kind man and his carefree canine companion. She is bewildered and endeared by his reaction to the drinking fountain and when the continue on after that curious occurrence, she finds herself wanting to know more about him. Oh, how the two of them still had so many stories to share and so many things to learn about the other and she very much hoped that she'd be given many opportunities to get to know him, however well known he was or wasn't. Titles and things of that sort mattered little to the young woman for it was what was in another's heart that she truly looked for. As far as she was concerned, Dorian could have very well been from Willowhaven in a past life with how curious and courteous he was. Ah, but he was from an entirely different world than Beylani - moreso than she could ever guess at in this moment. He speaks of the arrangements to be made for that invitation he'd extended to her and she dwells only for a moment on his words. He must truly be someone important to have a personal assistant and a guest list. That thought only lingers for a moment before she realizes that she'd best give her newfound friend the information his associates would need to find her and so carefully situating the camera in one hand, she reaches into her pocket for a piece of paper she'd written her address and phone number on earlier for a post office box application."Here's my address and telephone number, so you don't need to send him or her all over the place to try and find me", she says brightly in her sterling voice as she extends her hand holding the paper out for him to take. I'll need to see about finding a nice dress in the next couple of days, she thinks to herself with gentle determination not to look as common as she did today. It wasn't every afternoon she was invited over for tea, after all.

When at last they reach their destination, she is at a loss for words. Truthfully, there were none to describe how breathtaking this sight was to the young woman and so she did only what she knew to do and lifting the camera up to her face she took that first photo that she knew would hold a special place in her scrapbook. She turns back to Dorian as he confirms he would not mind and her smile only blossoms on her fair-skinned features."Wondeful!", she exclaims happily as she lifts that camera back up to her face, ready to see what the moment would offer her to capture and remember always. There is a quiet click as she takes that first photo, Dorian bending down with arms outstretched to scoop up the black and tan pup that was equally excited to be lifted once again, pink tongue lolling out happily as he wiggles and squirms into a comfortable place within Dorian's embrace. The second click comes quickly after as Maxwell's tongue brushes against Dorian's chin, the scrunched expression and smile upon the man's features along with the clear happiness of the pup's enough to steal anyone's heart. How lovely such a moment will surely look against the background of autumn colors! Two more clicks sound now as her two handsome models look away from each there and up to the crimson leaves that tumbled haphazardly down from their place amongst their comrades, an expression of wonder seeming to be the moment she captures only to shortly after capture that instance where Maxwell is pushing against his master's embrace and snapping his small jaws together in attempting to grab that leave from the air. Dorian makes an attempt or two to quiet the pup before turning back to her, his question met with another sweet smile from the blue-eyedblonde."I think so. Thank you again, Dorian", she replies graciously as she lowers her camera to look through them briefly. They are then approached by a man who whispers sometime to Dorian, though Beylani instead was too drawn by the pictures she'd taken to mind what was being said. Not that it was any of her business to begin with. It was when Dorian answers the man and sends him a distance away, turning to her now that Beylani's baby blues meet his stormy greys. She was almost said that he needed to be off, but she knew that he had a life of his own to lead as well. She smiles back and offers him a small wave now."I look forward to it as well, Dorian. Thank you so much, for everything", she replies warmly and remains there for a moment as she watches him disappear into the distance with Maxwell bouncing happily along, the men in black suites and sunglasses trailing after. She then turns and walks the opposite direction, still not quite ready to head home herself and wanting to enjoy the which had been shared with her by the one she hoped to call a close friend.