Chapter Two—A Long Drive

Olivia drove. I was actually glad she did; I didn't want to do something unintentional and it turn out that it was illegal at the same time.

I didn't realize the silence in the car; I was too indulged in my own thoughts.

"You always this quiet?" Asked Olivia, who glanced over to me.

"Hmm? Oh. No. Just… thinking." I was wary on the word "thinking". I hoped she wouldn't ask of what.

"Of what?" Why is it that every time I think something, the opposite occurs?

I opened my mouth to tell her, but then closed it again.

"Nerves?"

I sighed, and cautiously said, "No, no, I'm past that now since I know I'm working with wicked nice people." I didn't say that to suck up, I really meant it. She didn't seem fazed by it, so I continued. "I… I just… hmm, how do I put this gently…"

Olivia laughed and said, "Just say it. Don't sugar-coat it; I'm a big girl now." She smiled.

I sighed, and said, "I… I think you and Elliot would make a good couple." I shrunk down in my seat and curled my shoulders. I was really glad there were no knives in the car, but the fact that a gun was on her hip wasn't so comforting, either.

Her smile slowly fell off her face and onto the car floor. Replacing it was a blank expression. Oh crap, I thought.

"He's married," she said, in a voice so low that it was almost a whisper.

"There was no ring on his finger…" I started, slowly.

"It's an estranged marriage."

"Oh." I said. "I'm sorry, that was too personal. You have every right to hate me."

She chuckled. "I don't hate you. Far from it. It's okay, really. Half the force thinks we should hook up, as well."

"Does he have kids?"

"Yup." She said, firmly.

"You…you know, he doesn't need to have a failing marriage just to see his kids. It's worse to live in a house with your parents both married, and never happy, than having them divorced and both of them being happy."

She was silent for a moment, taking in what I had said. She then said, "Your parents divorced?"

"Ever since I was seven." I muttered. I looked outside through the window. The sad thing was, was that I didn't have a single memory of my parents being together. Whenever I imagined them, they were always separate. And I remembered that when they told me, I had just learned what "divorced" meant three days earlier, by watching "Mrs. Doubtfire". Sometimes I had wondered that if I had never watched the movie, the split never would have happened.

Olivia had put her hand on my shoulder, which shook me from my thoughts. "Sorry, I'm just not… open…"

She shrugged. "Neither and am I." After a second, she said, "But, you're kind of right about El and I. We're best friends, we've been working together for 10 years. But the couple thing…"

"…is only a fantasy?" I finished for her, questioning. She shot me a somewhat of a glare. We hit a red light, and then she quickly lowered her head on the steering wheel. "Who am I kidding?" she asked, her voice muffled. She pulled her head back up, and said, "I loved him first! We went to school together… and it broke my heart when he told me about Kathy. But I threw on the stupid smile of lies and ignorance, and told him how happy I was for him. I was his best man at his wedding; it eventually became a big joke and they made me wear a tux. But you know what? Even after everything happened between him and Kathy, I haven't lost a touch of feeling for him. I don't have a personal life because he IS my personal life."

It's a good thing that this is an hour drive, I thought.

She turned to me, and said with tears in her eyes, "Please don't repeat any of this." She begged.

I nodded, "I would never. Don't worry." I said, full-heartedly.

"Thanks," she said, and wiped her nose with her sleeve.

"Man, I feel like a shrink down. Maybe you should recline." I joked.

She laughed, and said, "No wonder Casey spoke highly of you. You're just like her description."

I smiled. Good ol' Casey.

"So," she said, "do you have a secret love?"

I shook my head. "I never really… fell in love. No one ever really looked my way, and I never really looked theirs. Besides, I'm trying not to, so I can concentrate on work and nothing else. You know what I mean?"

"Oh yeah," she muttered.

"Listen," I said, slowly. "From what I hear from you, Kathy sounds like a bitch just taking Elliot away from you. You'll get Elliot someday. I can tell by the way he looks at you that he likes you. I read people as a specialty. And, I'm not saying this to be nice; he really likes you."

She looked over, and smiled. "Thanks."

I shrugged and smiled. "Man," I said, after a minute, "this is a hell of a way to get to know each other on the first day."

She shrugged. "Ah well. Getting the hard stuff out of the way first was never a crime."

"I like your thinking!" I said. We laughed together. When we were done, she asked, "So… do you want to question Alessandra, or should I?" She said this delicately, as if she were handling a piece of China through a tornado.

"Do you mind if I ask her questions? I like little ones. They're cute, and show one sign of kindness, they don't let go of you."

"Little ones?" Asked Olivia.

"Yeah. I can't call them little kids, because—to me—it sounds harsher, and you throw it around like it's nothing. Little ones is more endearing, to me."

I had my eyes closed, and my head against the window. It was nice to be bundled up in my warm winter coat, and my head against a stable surface. I had "Samson" by Regina Spektor stuck in my head. "You are my sweetest downfall/I loved you first…." It reminded me a lot of Olivia's situation with Elliot.

I must have dozed off, because I was awaken by Olivia's soft "We're here,"

I rubbed my eyes, and hopped out of the car. I watched Olivia from behind. She had an elegant stride, as if telling people that she was important. She was also walking quite fast.

I studied my own posture and grace. You have none, don't even bother, my mind told me. I shrugged and caught up to Olivia. She turned her head to me. "Ready?" She asked.

I nodded, nervously. She patted my shoulder and said, "You'll do great." And I felt like she meant it.