Bittersweet; Part 1: Investigation of a Red-Haired Demoness

Febuary 16 2012

5:05 PM

Diego Armando's Car

Mia Fey was silent. Her first client ever had committed suicide on the witness stand, and she was now just able to leave. She had spent what seemed like forever trying to recuperate well enough just to get out of her fetal position in the Defendant's Lobby, and was now sitting in a slump in her co-worker, Diego Armando's car. If the life of a defense attorney was going to be like this, she wasn't sure that she'd want to be part of it.

"Hey, Kitten, cheer up!" Mia jumped. She was preoccupied with her own thoughts, and didn't expect to be interrupted.

"What's there to be so happy about?" She yelled, "The defendant in my first trial committed suicide, and I couldn't do anything to stop it! How am I supposed to be happy?"

"Ha...! Listen, these things happen. You just have to learn how to move with it. Look, my favorite coffeehouse is just up the street here. If you want, I could get us a couple of cups."

Mia was puzzled, "Didn't you already say today that I wasn't ready for that?"

Diego smiled, "Did I say that? Well, this is a special occasion of sorts. I think you need your strength."

"I take it that this is your version of going to a bar and getting wasted?" She didn't mean it, but her words came out more harshly than she meant it.

"Ha...! It seems that the kitten's startin' to bark. But can her bark match her bite?" While he didn't show it, Mia could tell that she upset him.

"I-I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I didn't mean it that way, I just..." She couldn't figure out what to say. She just felt the tears welling up again.

They pulled up to the coffeehouse.

"Kitten, put the tears away. I just spent a long time coaxing you to let me drive you home, don't step back. We're here, OK? Just give me a few minutes."

"D-do you want some help, Mr. Armando? I mean, you have your hand bandaged and all." (I suppose I should help him,) She thought. (He really tried to coach me through it those past few hours.)

"Who, me? No thanks, Kitten, I can handle it." Diego got out of the driver's seat and went inside.

Mia smiled to herself, and sat back in his seat. It had been a long day, and she was tired. Before she could do anything about it, she was asleep.

About ten minutes later, Diego came out with a bag in one hand, and a tray of coffee in the other. He noticed that she was asleep, and promptly kicked the door to wake her up. Startled by this sound, she immediately woke up, and looked for the source of the sound. Seeing the senior defense attorney of Grossberg and Co. waiting to be let it, she reached over to unlock the door, and opened it as far as she could in her position.

Sticking one foot out, he managed to catch the door before it swung shut again, and pushed it the rest of the way open. He then leaned in and handed her the tray and bag. He got in, shut the door, buckled his seat-belt, started the car, and shifted the gear, before he took the bag back.

"Here. You can hold the bag. You know, I expected you to be awake when I came back. I mean, if I had to kick the door every time I needed to get in the car, I'd have to get a red paint-job on my car every month!"

Mia, still half-asleep, stuttered to get out her words, "I-I-I'm sorry! I-I d-didn't mean-ean to fall asleep l-like that. It's just that this day has been very tiring for me, and..."

Diego shook his head, smiled, took a cup from the tray, that had four cups on it, and took a big swig of it. "I was just joking, Kitten. After what happened today, you need someone to lighten you up a bit."

"I'm s-sorry...it's just that I'm still sleepy. By the way, why do you have four cups?"

"Go ahead; take one and taste for yourself."

Mia, suspicious, took the cup closest to her and sniffed the hole at the top of the lid. It smelled fine to her. She took a sip, and immediately took another. She couldn't believe coffee tasted this good.

"Is this what you drink during all of your trials? This is good!"

Diego flashed yet another smile at her that day, and turned back to the road. "That's just half of my coffee mixed with hot chocolate. I wanted to see how you could handle this, to make sure you were ready for the real bitterness of the day."

"Well, this is good," Mia took a huge swig of the drink; and said, "OK, now what's the bag for?"

"Coffee beans."

"COFFEE BEANS?" Mia couldn't believe her ears, "Why didn't you let me help you?"

"Help me? What did I need help with? I was only carrying my nightly prize back to the car."

"Nightly prize? You make it sound like you're a lion who just killed his dinner."

"Hmm..." Diego thought for a moment, "Maybe I did."

"Whatever. Would you please take me home already?" Mia finished her coffee as she said this.

"Not yet."

"No? Why?"

"We need to hit a few grocery stores and a few more coffeehouses."

"What for? I thought you just got coffee!"

Diego dismissed that notion like she suggested he started drinking tea, "True, I did, but I need some coffee beans."

"What? There are some right here!" She showed him the bag as if he'd forgotten.

"Yes, I see that. However, I need some more, and of different types," A mischievous look grew on his face, "I'll be experimenting tonight."

"...Experimenting what?" (As if I didn't already know...)

"Godot blend #207."

"Go-what?" (Man! This guy loves coffee more than I thought!)

"Godot. It's my own personal name for my coffee creations."

(He names his coffee as well? Maybe I should think about getting out of the car... and running for home.)

"Wh-why do you call it 'Godot?'"

"It's simple. You see, my name is Diego Armando. If you take the GO from DieGO, and the DO from ArmanDO, and add the French, silent 'T' at the end, you get 'Godot.'"

Now it was Mia's turn to smile. "Making a new name for yourself, all the while inflating your ego? Sounds just like you."

"Hmm...cute. Anyway, we're here. I'll only be gone for about 5-10 minutes. You can stay awake that long, right?"

"Oh, sure." However, before she could get her answer out, he had already left the car. (Man, oh man. This guy is gonna make me wait while he goes to all of these places? I don't think so.)

Clandestinely,Mia got out of the car (which Diego had locked and took the keys from), and looked at her surroundings to figure out a way home. (Oh, good! He just HAD to take us five miles out of my way. Oh well, I suppose I can get back home in thirty minutes or so if I run at full speed. It's not like Mother didn't teach me anything before she left..) And just with the snap of a finger, she was gone. Seven minutes later, Diego happened to return. Diego immediately realized Mia wasn't there, but he didn't care. He knew she had a tough day, and was just doing this to toy with her. This made him happy, she was doing what she wanted for the first time that night. Even the next bit of depressing news didn't shake him.

The car wasn't there. In her haste, Mia left the passenger's door open when she sped off, and since the local car thief just happened to be in the area, he just did what he did best.

Luckily for Diego, his own apartment wasn't too far away, a block or two at most, so he just walked back, whistling his favorite tune, and generally having a good time with himself. Sure, he'd have to go see Mia and tell her about the car theft, but that was for another day. He'd go the next day, when he had more energy to deal with her emotions.