"He is so frustrating," Jude quipped. That's the understatement of the year, Jude, she thought.
"We are talking about Tommy, right?" Speid questioned.
"Yeah, we are. That's the problem. He is all I talk about. Why can't you just get over him?" saying the last part more to herself than anyone else.
"Jude! Office. Now." Darius shouted.
Seeing Darius' face, Jude said "I'll be right back." And left Speid on the couch where they had been sitting.
"Yeah?" Jude said as she sat on the edge of one of Darius' chairs in a nervous state. When Darius talks to you, she thought, the more syllables and the more words, the better. Most of the time.
"I need to do some damage control-" Darius started.
Confused Jude cut in, "About what?"
"Not so much what, but who." Darius said slowly, looking very apprehensive.
Not knowing how to take what Darius had just confessed, Jude said, "D, I'm lost. If not what, then who?
Darius took a deep breath. Even he was scared about her reaction. "You."
As calmly as her shocked system would allow, Jude replied, "What?"
Darius was surprised at the calmness that over took Jude, but he knew it wouldn't last long, so he had to get it out. "Look, let me get this out."
Jude was even more surprised at D's confession. That's new, she thought. And so she sat with wonder written all over her face. But apparently it didn't hide her jaded belief that made her not take Darius seriously. "I need you to listen and not mock, Jude."
Feeling like she was five again and getting caught for taking a cookie out of the cookie jar before dinner, she sheepishly added, "Fine, I'll listen."
"Jude, I know Tommy coming back is hard for you. It's hard for all of us, believe me. Even me." D confessed.
Jude had shock written all over face and Darius saw it.
"Listen, Jude."
"Sorry."
Darius continued with his confession, "I need you to be strong. I need my girl. I need you to do this for me. If you look like you can handle Tommy, then I won't have to worry about other people not handling him"
Jude thought for a second and then replied, "So this is about keeping the 'family' together, even if the 'prodigal son' returns and we all hate his guts."
Darius smiled, knowing she'd gotten the message, "Yeah, 'keeping the family together'."
But Jude wasn't done. "You're asking for a miracle, but I might have some extra strength hidden somewhere under the dirty clothes in my room. I'll see what I can do about getting it to come out, but don't have your expectations high."
"They always are but you always seem to exceed them, no matter how 'unique' your attempts are." Darius said, stressing the word 'unique' seeing if it would ring a bell.
Jude smiled as she remembered her nervous breakdown when Tommy had left and Darius had last used the word 'unique'. Darius saw this and knew she remembered.
Flattered that he gave her compliment, she replied, "Um, thanks, D. I have some inspiration now, so can I go?" She walked to the door of Darius' office and put her hand on the door knob.
Darius was happy he had given her inspiration; at least he thought he was the spark of her inspiration. 'By all means, use the inspiration. Just don't do anything that Tommy would do. Please?!"
Jude was fast with her comeback, "Well," she said as she counted off her fingers with each name, "that means no Portia, no Sadie…what does that leave me with, the broom in the janitor's closet?"
D let her have her comeback because he knew he had asked for it when he brought Tommy into the mix. "I said anything, not anyone."
As she opened the office door, she responded with, "Yeah, D. I got that and this."