John sat in his office combing through a folder of files. He finally understood Gunner's filing system, but there was still quite a bit of work to do to get everything sorted in a way that easily made sense. He leaned back in his chair and kicked his feet up on his desk. He looked over at the clock and groaned that it was only four o'clock. The bar was closing early, at 6pm, since it was the day before Thanksgiving. They would be closed tomorrow, but he still wanted to give the remaining staff a chance to get home early.
Briefly, he thought about his own family that he would not be seeing for the holidays. John had been much better at talking to Michael since he moved to the West Cost, but some things still hadn't changed. John hated the holidays. Well, not the holidays as much as the catching up with family and making small talk about things he really didn't care about.
He might have considered it if it was just going to be Mike, Marcie, his mom, and the baby, but Marcie's dad and some of her brothers and their wives were coming as well. John couldn't stand the thought of being "that guy"; the one everyone would gossip about because Marcie had a big mouth. Thoughtfully, she would have told everyone not to ask John about his work or personal life, but that would only lead to more curiosity and questions.
John was annoyed at the thought of it. He didn't want to be alienated from his family, so he'd have to get himself together soon. He had made some really good strides, but he wasn't ready for such an intense social situation. He hadn't committed to anything yet, but he planned on visiting Mike and his mother separately. That would make things easier on him as well.
There was a sharp knock on the door. A woman with brown hair tied up in bun popped her head. "Hey boss, I'm headed out. Anything I can do before I leave?"
John smiled and waved her off. He tried not to be jealous of each staff member that had come in to wish him well before their departure. "Just stay safe. Don't eat too much."
"Happy holidays." She leaned into his office further and tossed him the cold beer she had retrieved for him. "Don't forget that Barbara's is only going to be open from 11am-1pm. Get there early since you didn't preorder."
John caught the beer and smiled. "Happy holidays!" John dismissed her without a confirmation. He probably wouldn't go out at all tomorrow. Too much risk of running into people gushing with happiness. He wasn't changed enough to be comfortable with that.
John sat up straight long enough to find the bottle opener he kept in his desk. He leaned back again and popped the top. John had to admit that the first sip of a cold beer was always the best. He promised himself that he wouldn't over do it. He didn't want to be completely drunk in case anyone needed him.
His mind quickly shifted to the last time he was needed. It had almost been a week since he'd comforted a very distressed Eva. They hadn't spoken since then, but John took it as a good sign that she'd let her guard down around him. In the end, Kenny had come through for him. The kid would be at a specialized juvenile facility until his eighteenth birthday. He would serve a minimum sentence of five years and would be eligible for parole only if he met certain specific conditions. He had three chances to make parole at set intervals. He'd serve twenty years if he chose the wrong path. John shook his head and decided not to think on it anymore. He helped where he could and that was good enough.
He couldn't help but to think about Eva. He wondered if she was doing better now. She was probably back home in Maryland by now. Her family had always helped to keep her grounded before, so he was sure she was fine now. He forced himself to stop thinking about her, too. She would be back on Friday.
John's thoughts were interrupted again by a knock on the door. This time the knock was softer. He figured it was someone who was meekly going to ask to leave early. John made a mental note to lighten up. He didn't want the staff to be afraid to approach him. He swung his legs down from the desk. He could at least pretend to be professional. "Yeah, come in." John was pleasantly surprised to be face to face with Eva.
"Hey. Are you busy?" Eva stepped in and closed the door behind her. She unzipped her coat and pulled it off. She didn't plan on staying long, but it was too warm to keep it on.
"Always, but I've got time for a friend." He smiled at her warmly. He wanted to keep hinting at the idea of them being friends. "Pull up a chair."
Eva draped her coat over the back of the chair and sat down. "I'm sorry this is so last minute. I've been distracted lately, and I'd almost forgotten it was so close to the holiday. I was hoping to catch you before you hit the road."
"Before you hit the road," John sipped his beer and corrected her.
"Before YOU hit the road," she corrected him and watched him sip his beer. She wondered how many he'd already consumed.
"Before YOU hit the road. I'm not going anywhere." John was testing her patience. She hadn't gone off on him yet, so he took that as a good sign.
"I'm not going anywhere. My gosh. Are you trying to be difficult?" She crossed her arms and shook her head. She could see his lips curling into a smile behind the bottle. "Real mature, John."
He shrugged and set the bottle down. He needed some reason to have stupid smile on her face other than her just being there. It was interesting to hear that she wasn't heading home for the holidays. "Other than getting annoyed, what are you doing here? I thought you would be in Maryland by now."
"Nope. I'm flying solo this year." She tried to read him while he was studying her. There was something both comforting and confusing about being with him. "What about you? The bar is closed tomorrow. Did you say something about having a brother who lived relatively close?" She recalled the story that she had only half listened to before.
"Michael lives in California with his wife, Marcie, and their son, Gabriel." He reiterated the information that she had likely forgotten. "His in-laws are coming to town, so I figure it best that he handle that without the distraction of a scandalous older brother." John good about telling her most of the truth.
"Hm, I guess I owe you a thank you and an apology." Eva fished around in her purse for the card she brought. "I actually didn't think I would catch you." She found the card and placed it on his desk. "Since I'm here, I can just tell you all the same."
John didn't take his eyes of her as he reached forward and took the card. In case things went south with Eva, he wanted a sweet reminder from when they were on friendlier terms. He opened the card and smiled at the simplicity. No cape. No tights. Still a hero. I owe you one. – Eva. "I'm no hero. I just made a phone call."
"Still. It was one I couldn't make. You came through for that kid and now he'll get a second chance. I can't thank you enough." Eva softened toward him. She treated John terribly, yet he was still more reliable than others whose careers she hadn't ruined. "I may not be a legal eagle like Evangeline was, but if there is anything I can do for you…just name."
John smiled and shook his head. He slid the card into desk drawer. This was all the thanks he needed. "Don't worry about it, okay? This is what friends do. We help each other."
Eva couldn't help but roll her eyes. "You just won't quit with that word."
"The power of positive thinking. I'm wearing you down. Slowly, but surely." John's smile widened and Eva rewarded him with a smile of her own.
"Whatever you say." She leaned back in the chair and relaxed.
Another rapid, rhythm knock on the door announced Perry. He burst in as he was still knocking. "Hey boss. We're gonna get some food since the kitchen's closed and Diva…what are you doing here?" He was talking a mile a minute and didn't give either of them a chance to respond. "Did interrupt something?" He saw just a glimpse of John's coy smile that switched to a more neutral expression when he'd burst in.
Eva had a smart reply but held her tongue. "I'm not here." Eva stood and grabbed her coat.
John shook his head that the moment between them was broken. Suddenly, he remembered why he'd gotten so attached to Perry. His disposition was similar to Michael's.
"Thanks again, John. You will let me repay." She winked and started toward the door.
"Oh, you know that'll never happen." He looked between Eva and John. He couldn't tell if there were still unresolved feelings between the two of them. They were both sort of closed off people. He knew that Diva's run at the bar was almost over and his wallet couldn't handle that. If he could keep them on friendly terms, maybe John could convince her to stay on even if at a reduced capacity. "If you're not going home again, you could cook this guy some Thanksgiving dinner or maybe keep him company at Barbara's if you suck at cooking. Then again, your name is Diva, so I bet you probably don't even cook."
"Wow, you have some nerve. I'll have you know that I'm an excellent cook." Eva already had her jacket on and was adjusting her hat.
John, who was sipping his beer, tried to cover his laughter, but got a little choked instead. "Do they not call you Cookie anymore?" John knew he shouldn't pick with her, but he couldn't help himself.
"Cookie? Sounds like a stripper's name to me." Perry was in a good mood for the holidays and he hoped Diva was too. His happy demeanor made him more sarcastic and comedic.
Eva shook her head and questioned why he knew of that story if they had been so casual. Instead of her usual angry retort, she countered with something unexpected. "I will be serving a full Thanksgiving Day feast tomorrow. You both can come and eat some crow…figuratively of course." She looked between Perry and John.
"That's obviously a no for me. Someone has to be there to make sure my dad doesn't get too drunk. You two are on your own, but I'll take some leftovers if they're edible." Perry missed the annoyed look on John's face.
"Mhm. John, I'll see you at noon." Eva pushed past Perry and started toward the door.
"You are welcome, boss." Perry thought he'd done John some big favor, but he'd forgotten about Eva's hostility. He may have unwittingly signed John up for both a horrible dinner and an angry host.
John got up from his desk and raced after her. "Thanks for nothing." He glared at Perry on the way out. Diva was already heading out the back door when he caught up to her. "Hey, wait."
She turned and looked at him expectantly. "I know you didn't just think I was just going to sit there while you guys insulted me." Eva zipped up her coat as a cool wind blew past them.
"We're sorry." John blew into his hands and tried to fight off the cold. It was too cold to be out here groveling. "I'm sorry. I was just poking fun."
"Oh, I know. That's something that friends do." She used his own words against him. Eva saw him shivering. She wouldn't keep him long. "Look, I have to defend my skills, so you're just going to have to suck it up. You should get back inside. I'm not going to let you off just because you caught a cold. I'll see you tomorrow." She left him before he could voice any more objections.
Eva was already making a grocery list in her head by the time she got to her car. Her only real worry would be finding a thawed turkey in time. Worst case scenario, she'd have to buy a frozen on and spend all night thawing it out.
Everything had been exactly as Eva had expected. She went to five different grocery stores and each one looked like a plague of locusts had gone through. She picked up things here and there that she needed. Her last stop was at a big chain store that she knew would have turkeys in stock. She was slightly behind schedule, so she'd given herself forty minutes for shopping and check out. Luckily, she'd found everything that she needed. She had to pay a premium for some goods, but that was unavoidable.
Eva was making great time when her cart had nearly collided with another shopper's. Eva looked over annoyed at the careless shopper. As fate would have it, the careless shopper was Jill. She waited for an apology that didn't come. "Excuse you." Eva stepped around her and continued on her original path. She made the last-minute decision to grab a bottle of wine.
Jill scoffed and turned up her nose. She was in the wrong, but she wasn't willing to admit it. She got a small dose of instant karma as she was forced to wait for Eva to make her selection before she could make her own. Jill huffed and sighed as if Eva was taking a long time to make her selection.
Eva picked her bottle of wine but didn't step out of the way. She didn't really have time for a confrontation. Things had been tense between them for weeks. Eva was finally ready to settle things. "You know, Jill, I think it's way past time for us to clear the air."
"I really don't have anything to say to you unless you're ready to apologize." Jill reached past her and snatched a bottle off the shelf narrowly missing Eva's head.
Eva put away her claws even though her instinct was telling her to sharpen them. "I apologize, Jill. Not for today, but for the way things turned out between us."
"Do you mean for being such a miserable person?" Jill raised her voice which grabbed the attention of a couple of other shoppers.
"Well, yes there's that. Do you have time to speak privately?" Eva was fully willing to accept her faults. She had been more than unkind. If this was how she had to atone for it, she was ready to take what was coming. Though, she didn't want to cause a commotion in the middle of a grocery store on one of the biggest shopping days of the year.
"No. I think now is the right time. Here is as good a place as any." The crowd of a couple was now a few people. She was actually enjoying the audience. "So, what else should you be apologizing for? For making it unbearable to be around you?" Jill felt good tearing Eva down.
"Yes." Eva knew Jill was feeling good, but she was coming off as the aggressor. The audience that she was so willing to entertain was not on her side. "I apologize for that as well."
"Well how about for you always being such a bitch?" Jill heard the oohs from the crowd, and she grew bolder. "I don't know why I put up with you as long as I did. You're trash, just like that gun-toting, maniac student that you wanted to save."
"That's where I draw the line. Our students are children from all walks of life. Whether they have or have not, I will defend any student who is truly remorseful." Eva shook her head. Now was not the right time to do this.
Jill grabbed her roughly by the arm and prevented her departure. "Can't take the heat?"
"I can, but you are way out of line. I'm woman enough to admit that I was a difficult person. I spent so much time wrapped up in my own pain that it blinded me to everything. I pushed away friends, family, and colleagues because I didn't know how to handle my anger. I was downright cruel at times. I tried to keep that separate from my work, but that kind of anger isn't easy to hide. It made me unapproachable to students, and that's what bothers me the most; knowing that some student may have needed me but was too afraid to reach out. I'm sorry that I hurt you with my actions. I hoped you would get the hint if I kept pushing you away. You hung in there for longer than any decent person should have. I regret that you took my anger and internalized it. I turned a sweet and caring person into a bitter one. I turned you into me." Eva wasn't intending on putting on a show, but she could feel the crowd sympathizing with her even more. "I plan on changing and I hope you do to. I won't let anger control me."
Jill was seething on the inside. Somehow, Eva had flipped this whole thing and made her look like the bad guy. Embarrassed, she turned to retreat. Her anger had blinded her and she nearly ran over another person. It was the school's vice principal, so she would have to play nice. She politely excused herself and vowed to settle things with Eva later.