The next morning, Chris wanted to intercept Street in front of HQ. After getting off his machine, he saw her. He walked up to her with a grin on his face.
"Hey good morning, are you waiting for me?"
"Morning. Don't feel too important Street, but for once yes. I wanted to talk to you again about yesterday." Street looked at her questioningly.
"I, um, was a little hard on you and I wanted to apologize for that, but that doesn't mean I've changed my mind."
"It's okay Chris, I'm not mad at you, you were kind of right," he said softly. Chris thought she had misheard, but Street had really just admitted that he had messed up. That made her smile.
"What?" Street grinned.
"Nothing, I'm glad you've admitted your mistakes. Then I can move right on to the next thing - " Street interrupted her.
"There´s, more? What else have I done wrong?"
"If you'd let me finish, you'd know." He raised his hands, surrendering, and listened. "You're not going to like this Street, but you know Molly is going to be at the wedding too and you have to talk it out with her first." she waited for his reaction.
"Why should I give in and approach her now? She hasn't said a word after the breakup." he looked pissed.
"Wow, how can you be so stubborn and stupid." Chris was now pissed too. "Are you surprised she didn't want to talk to you anymore? You hurt her so much. I really don't believe this Street." she shook her head and left him standing there. She couldn't continue to argue with him now or she would say things she would regret afterwards.
The shift was quietly, Street was the first to leave.
"Hey Chris, wait a minute please." Chris turned and saw Tan walking quickly to her.
"Do you have time to stop by Bonnie's and mine tonight? We really need to go over seating arrangements. Street already knows and will be there at 6:00 p.m." Chris thought for a moment.
"Sure I have time, I'll bring something to drink, ok?" she smiled.
"Perfect, see you later." Tan drove home.
"Hey sweetie, Chris and Street are coming over later, want to cook something real quick?" Bonnie walked up and kissed him.
"Hey babe, great and sweet of you with the cooking, but I'm already done."
"Aaaaahh that's why it smells so good in here." he kissed her again.
Chris was greeted by a beaming Bonnie and Tan was also in a great mood. '
"I don't have to ask if Street is here yet, do I?" laughed Chris. Bonnie joined in.
"No, but he texted that he'll be 10min late. Must be stuck in traffic." Tan and Chris looked at each other and chorused.
"Yeah sure in traffic." they all had to laugh. After Street finally got there too, the four of them ate and went over the seating plan Tan and Bonnie had already started. In the middle of it, there was a knock on the door. Tan frowned.
"Bonnie, are we expecting anyone else?" she shook her head and returned her attention to planning. Tan opened the door.
"Oh hey Molly. Aren't you supposed to be in Pittsburgh by now?" Molly stepped closer and gave Tan a quick hug.
"Hi Tan, yeah but my flight today got cancelled so I won't be leaving until tomorrow morning and I wanted to say a proper goodbye to you guys." she smiled.
"Ah ok, ehm, it's a bit bad at the moment - " but too late, Molly had already walked inside.
"Hi Bon - " but in the middle of the word she fell silent. Everyone in the room looked at Molly with wide eyes. She was visibly uncomfortable and would have preferred to leave immediately.
"Hi Molly, what a surprise." Bonnie broke the silence and took her friend in her arms. "Hey everyone. Um, I didn't know you guys were here tonight. I see you are working on the seating plan." she pointed to Chris and Street.
"Hey, Molly," Chris said uncertainly, and her gaze went to Street. He didn't move and stared at the seating plan lying on the table in front of him.
Molly signaled Bonnie to follow her into the hallway.
"I'm sorry to bother you Bonnie, but I just wanted to say a proper goodbye to you and Tan. If I had known Chris and Jim were here - " she didn't get any further because Bonnie interrupted her.
"Stop apologizing. It's all good. You couldn't have known, and hey, so what?" she smiled at Molly.
"Well, if you ever looked at Jim when he saw me. I wonder why he reacted so strange. After all, it's been a few months now, and it's not like we broke up in a fight." Molly frowned. She really couldn't explain Street's behavior. "Well, have a great time and I'll hurry so I can get back in time for your big day." Molly gave Bonnie a big hug and a peck on the cheek.
"You better make it. I'd be mad at you for the rest of my life." said Bonnie with a grin on her lips. Molly walked towards the living room again and looked in the door.
"Bye, have a good night." she looked at Tan, Chris and Street, who again avoided her gaze.
"Have a good flight." came in unison from the other two. Molly was about to open the front door when Bonnie cleared her throat.
"What is it?" Molly looked at her questioningly.
"Say, how's it going with your DA, anyway? What's his name again?" smiled Bonnie. Molly rolled her eyes.
"You're so nosy, you know that? It's going great, he's just perfect, and his name is Ethan." Molly beamed and blushed. Bonnie hugged her friend again.
"I'm so happy for you. You deserve to finally be really happy. Good luck in Pittsburgh." and with that, the two said goodbye.
Chris looked over at Street, who was still sitting there petrified, staring at the table. He swallowed hard and his Adam's apple seemed to almost pop out, his jaw tense.
"You okay?" whispered Chris, a little confused at Street's reaction.
"I, um, oh man I totally forgot I promised Luca I'd go for another round with Duke and it's really late now. I, uh, gotta go. See you tomorrow." Tan, Bonnie and Chris couldn't look as fast as he had disappeared.
"What was that about?" Tan looked at Chris who just shrugged her shoulders and was just as puzzled as everyone else.
Chris was just on her way to work and was stuck in her thoughts. I need to talk to Street again. His reaction yesterday was more than questionable. I never thought an encounter with Molly would get him so upset. Actually, I thought he had moved on. I wonder if there are still feelings there. But then why would he have broken up with her. And why then his stupid declaration of love for me. She shook her head. No, it must be something else.
During their shift, she watched Street closely. He seemed absent, in thought, and she could tell something was bothering him. In the locker room she was almost done and the last one, or so she thought. When the door opened and Street came in all sweaty and done, she looked at him questioningly.
"What?" he said gruffly. She raised her hands.
"It's all right. Am I not allowed to look at you now or what?" she said back just as brusquely. Street sat down on the bench and dried his face with a towel.
"Sorry." he mumbled into it. Chris looked over at him and was about to leave. "Chris? Hold on, please. Sorry about just now. I'm not in a good mood today." he said apologetically.
"Yeah, I can see that." said Chris a little more mildly. "What's going on with you Street? Ever since Molly came over last night, you've been off your game." she sat down on the bench with him and waited for his answer. He sighed and took a deep breath.
"You know Chris, actually I was over the breakup, everything was fine and I didn't worry about it." Inwardly, Chris was afraid of his further explanation. Was he supposed to have feelings for Molly again after all? Uncertainly, she looked over at him as he continued to talk. "But your words yesterday outside HQ got me thinking." he looked at Chris now. "I really was an ass and not fair to Molly or you. I didn't even get to tell Molly it was over that night, I was too much of a coward even for that." he lowered his head, ashamed. "She had noticed, the way I had looked at her. I was so sorry to see her like that Chris, but in that moment I just couldn't say the words."
"Street, I know how hard it is to end a relationship, believe me, but please don't expect sympathy from me now." Chris said this firmly, but not harshly.
"No, I don't. I just want you to understand me a little bit. I put you between Molly and me, and it just sucked. I realize that now and I can only begin to imagine how you must have felt." he looked at her again. "I'm so sorry, honestly." his eyes were sad. Chris took a breath and put her hand on his shoulder.
"You have to talk to her Street, or the wedding will be a disaster. You guys need to talk it out, well you needed to tell Molly what a moron you were." now Chris smiled slightly. "I reacted that way yesterday because I feel really bad for Molly and I couldn't look her in the eye. I want to talk to her, but I don't know if she wants to anymore."
"So the way I see Molly, she's the last person who wouldn't be willing to do that. She's a great person and that's why she would listen to what you have to say. Dare Street." she again increased the pressure of her hand on his shoulder.
"You're right Chris. As soon as she gets back from Pittsburgh I'll talk to her." Street smiled.