*Monday*

It's been 3 months since Delphine left France to begin working at San Francisco General Hospital and she still doesn't feel like she fits in, not with the people or in the city.

Her daily break comes at 4pm and, on a sunny day like today, she likes to take the latest medical journal, sit in the park, breathe in the fresh air, enjoy her solitude, and read. As Delphine approaches her usual park bench, she's disheartened to find it already occupied by a young couple lost in each other's eyes. Resigned to not be a third wheel, Delphine continues further on into the park in search of a new bench, finally settling on one adjacent to a playground.

After several minutes of reading, Delphine is startled by very loud, whimsical music followed by the sounds of the children screaming as they run towards the nearest sidewalk and line up in front of an ice cream truck, the source of the initial, obtrusive noise. She watches as the kids all excitedly purchase their preferred treats: bomb pops, ice cream sandwiches, massive ice cream cones, you name it and that truck seems to have it. The kids all get high fives from the vendor in addition to their frozen treats of choice. This woman has quite possibly the brightest smile Delphine has ever seen. She's pretty sure it's the kind of smile you can see from space. Delphine finds herself transfixed by this sight, by the happiness that one ice cream truck and its vendor have brought to this park. After the line has petered out, Delphine hears the ice cream lady yelling something while pointing in her general direction. Delphine looks around to see whose attention she's trying to get.

"Hey, miss. You with the amazing, blonde curls." The woman is definitely talking to Delphine.

"Yes?" Delphine replies with a hint of confusion in her voice.

"You just gonna sit there staring or you gonna come over here and get some ice cream?"

Delphine is a bit taken aback, but ice cream doesn't sound so bad on this warm day, so she gets up and strolls over to the truck.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to stare, but those children were just so excited by your presence."

"What can I say? Kids just love ice cream, especially on back-to-school Mondays."

"No, it was more than that, they really seemed thrilled to be around you."

"I guess I've developed a good rapport with them. I've been coming here for the last year, so I know all their names and their preferred treats by now. But I don't know your favorite. So what are you in the mood for today?"

Delphine peruses the intricately drawn novelties on the side of the truck. Unsure of what to order, she looks to the woman for assistance, "What do you suggest?"

"Well, you can't go wrong with any of them, but my absolute favorite is the Eskimo Pie."

Delphine looks at her curiously, "Eskimo? I don't think I know it."

"No?" The girl asks with surprise and Delphine shakes her head. "Prepare yourself, you're about to become a craven addict."

"How can I resist such a passionate endorsement?" Delphine asks as she reaches for her wallet.

A hand extends out to stop her, "Since you're a first timer, this one is on the house... err... truck, rather."

"Oh no, that's not necessary," Delphine replies.

"Come on, I insist."

"Okay, I'll accept it on one condition."

"You have conditions for accepting free ice cream?"

Delphine laughs, "Yes, I do. You must join me. Surely you can take a break?"

The driver looks at Delphine quizzically for a few seconds before replying, "You drive a hard bargain, lady, but how can I resist enjoying Eskimo Pies with a French first-timer?"

The driver grabs two Eskimo Pies, locks up the truck and follows Delphine back to her bench.

"Here you go, Mademoiselle." The driver hands Delphine her ice cream.

"Merci, and it's Delphine." Delphine holds out her free hand.

"Cosima," the driver responds as she shakes the outstretched hand.

"Enchantée," Delphine smiles.

"Enchantée," Cosima replies back in her poor excuse for a French accent.

Delphine begins eating her ice cream, while Cosima observes her every bite and lick, waiting for a reaction. Finally, after a minute of silence, Delphine speaks, "Mmm, you weren't kidding, this is incroyable."

"I'm assuming, based on your smile, that that means good?" Cosima asks and Delphine shakes her head in agreement.

"Yes, very good."

"Woohoo! Another satisfied customer," Cosima cheers, before tearing into her own Eskimo Pie, scarfing it down in record time. "So, Delphine, what's a nice French girl like you doing in a place like this?"

"I moved here a few moths ago to take a position at San Francisco General."

"Nice! That's where I got stitches when I took a header off my skateboard freshman year of high school. What do you do there?"

"I'm the new head of their immunology department."

"Whoa, I'm eating ice cream with a regular Delphine Howser. You have to be about my age and you're already a top doc. And, yeah, you totally could have paid for your own ice cream."

"Howser?" Delphine asks quizzically.

"You know, like Doogie Howser, brilliant teenage doctor from the 80s sitcom?"

"I've never heard of it. But, I assure you, I was not a brilliant teenage doctor, just extremely focused on my studies, worked my way up quickly and then the chief of staff recruited me for this position. And about the ice cream, I'd be more than happy to pay for it."

"Relax, I was totally kidding about the money, it was my pleasure to see you eat it. I mean, see how much you enjoyed it. But, seriously, that's awesome about the job. I'm actually pretty close to getting my Ph.D. at UCSF."

Delphine's eyes widen, "Really?"

Cosima chuckles, "Wow, don't look so shocked. You didn't think driving that jalopy around forever was my life goal, did you?"

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to sound so surprised. What are you studying?"

"Biology. I'm Evo Devo. The ice cream biz just helps pay my way through school. I've been into science ever since elementary school, always experimenting with whatever I could get my hands on. Then, as I started reading up on the different fields of study in high school, I got more and more drawn to evolutionary development..."

As Cosima continues to talk about her passion for science, she gets more and more animated, hands flying all over the place, that huge smile shining brightly again, and Delphine is transfixed. Of all the places to meet someone who has a passion for science to match her own, it's in the park, and from the girl selling ice cream, no less.

"I'm sorry," Cosima notices Delphine's far off look, "I'm boring you."

"No, no, not at all, I could talk about science all day, it's just that…" Delphine glances at her watch, "my break is almost over and I really need to get back to the hospital."

"Oh man, of course. I'm so sorry, I just totally monopolized your break."

"Are you kidding? You do not need to apologize. This was the best break I've taken in 3 months. And the Eskimo Pie," Delphine waves her empty stick in the air, "yeah, I am definitely already an addict. I'll have to stop by again tomorrow for another. Um, that is, if you'll be here?"

Cosima smiles again, this time a little bit more bashfully, realizing this brilliant, beautiful, French doctor wants to come back to see her, well to eat more ice cream, but still, she could get that anywhere. And that this girl enjoyed talking with her? Wow. Usually Cosima's days consist of solitude in the lab, followed by chatting up the kids. Talking with doctors on a park bench over Eskimo Pies is not a common occurrence in her life.

"Yeah, I'll be here. Well, right over there," she points to her truck. "Same bat time, same bat channel."

Delphine gives her a curious look.

"Batman reference," Cosima offers and Delphine nods. "I think I might have to add an American pop culture lesson to our ice cream sesh."

"I'd like that," Delphine smiles as they both rise off the bench.

"Cool," Cosima beams. "Well, I'll see you tomorrow, Doc."

"I'm looking forward to it, Cosima." Delphine leans in and kisses Cosima's right then left cheek, "It's really nice to make a friend in the brave new world."

"Yeah, totally," Cosima grins as Delphine gives her a little wave before turning and walking off in the direction of the hospital.

Cosima stands in place, mesmerized, watching Delphine saunter off until she's no longer visible. The smile on Cosima's face is now so big, it hurts.

"What. The. Hell. Was. That." Cosima asks herself, reaching her fingers up to touch the cheeks that Delphine's lips had grazed, before turning and retuning to her truck with an extra little skip in her step.