"Well, well, what have we here?" Normal glanced up from his clipboard as Max walked in. "Come wandering in again looking for hand-outs?" He returned his attention to signing in the package in his hand.
"Normal, I had a family--"
"I know, I know. You had a 'family emergency' which lasted for approximately three months, during which time you vanished off the face of the earth and forgot to tell anyone where you were, including your roommate and your employer." He turned and sat the package on the shelf behind of him, then returned his attention to the sign-in sheet. "I think I like Sketchy's story about you being taken prisoner by a secret government agency a little better. If you feel the need to come in and harass me again, bring me a better story, ok?"
"Normal--" He glanced up from his clipboard.
"Now, look, missy--" Then he stopped, his eyes focusing on something behind of Max, and she was startled to see a light of recognition and warmth in his eyes for just a second before he resumed his usual expression. For a moment she thought she must be losing her mind. Turning, she saw her sister walking in the door.
"Good morning, Reggie."
"Reggie?" Now Max knew she was losing her mind.
"And to what do I owe this pleasure?" he asked, ignoring Max as Jondy walked forward just far enough to stop beside of her sister.
"You know, I was just in town visiting family, and I thought I'd drop in and say 'hello.'" They looked each other over for a moment, each measuring the changes in the other since last she'd been in Seattle. "I was also wondering if you might do me a little favor . . . "
"I might be able to manage that." He drew his attention back to the clipboard in his hands. He was afraid that they might be drawing an audience from the people standing around, and that was the last thing he wanted. It was best to play it casual.
Jondy placed an arm around Max's shoulders and delivered the kicker. "Actually, I was wondering if you could give my baby sister her job back."
Normal's head jerked up, and he very nearly dropped his clipboard. Even given the seriousness of the situation, it was all Jondy could do not to laugh. "Sister?" he said questioningly, looking as if he'd just been hit by a truck.
Jondy grinned and nodded.
"As in . . . " His eyes grew quite large, and Jondy nodded once more. He stood, staring first at one and then at the other and back again. Max imagined that he must be feeling about as confused as she was at the moment. Somehow he managed to close his gaping mouth. He took a deep breath and cleared his throat. "I guess I should have known," he muttered. Turning, he grabbed a package off the shelf and handed it to Max. "Hot run, 258 Clemson." He was trying to play it cool, but his hands were still shaking.
Glancing about the room, he noticed several people watching the exchange. Though their voices had been low enough to keep the entire conversation private, it still made him uneasy. "Come on, people! Let's get moving! You slackers aren't employed here to stand around and keep the linoleum from rolling up! Bip, bip, bip!" Their audience broke up, wandering to different corners of the room, no one aware of what they had just witnessed.
Max stared down at the package in her hands, Rydin' Forties territory, but she really didn't care. She was still in a state of shock. "Um, I'm gonna head back to my crib and get my bike. It's on the way there."
"No need to, Max," Jondy informed her, calmly. "I swung by your place on my way over and picked up everything I thought you might need. It's waiting outside for you." Still slightly dumbfounded, Max turned and walked towards the door. Jondy stifled the rather uncharacteristic urge to giggle and turned to follow her sister. Feeling Normal's hand on her arm, she stopped. He stared at her for a moment, not quite sure what to say. He finally found words.
"That's gang territory, you know, and things have stepped up since she . . . " He paused. "What the hell am I talking about," he muttered, shaking his head.
"I'm sorry," Jondy said after a moment. "I didn't really mean to knock you on your ass quite like that." She paused. "Would it make you feel better if I tagged along with her?"
"I don't know why." He sighed. "I should probably call them and warn them that she's coming." But he gestured towards the far wall anyway, indicating for her to take a company bike, something he rarely let his employees do. As she turned to go, Normal stopped her once more and glanced about nervously to make sure no one was watching. "Did she spend the last three months where I think she did?" he asked quietly.
"She went to hell and back," Jondy confirmed sadly, then she turned and headed for the bicycle rack. Normal shook his head, knowing full well what her comment had meant.
"Hot run, 1067 Lakeview," he said, shoving a package at the person nearest to him. Then he turned, walked back into his office, and practically collapsed into his desk chair.