Prosecutor's Office

Brenda now had a fan. Traffic Division was thrilled that they got their officer back and that the case was over. She got invited to come out for drinks with them on Friday. Bobby got the same invitation, and he said they'd both be there. Brenda was unsure; she didn't really know any of them, well other than that incident where she backed into a car and then left and refused to fill out her paperwork, but hey, what's water under the bridge? She roped Gabriel and the rest of their new team into joining the party.

Ring Ring

Now who could that be? Brenda answered her cell. "Hello"

"Hey Aunt who never calls me?"

"Charlie? How are you?"

"You would know if you ever called?"

"I called you, um …." Brenda couldn't really remember the last time she called, well she meant to call a bunch of times. "I hear you might be coming to LA for Christmas."

"Well, I could, I guess..."

"Please do. We would love to have you. Your dad misses you. We all do."

"Well, he's actually the one I wanted to talk about. Mom hired this hotshot lawyer, and I'm afraid Dad's going to get thrown under the bus leaving Cousin Jacob to handle matters."

"He hired that fool?" Brenda shook her head.

"I know, right? I don't know what to do. Who did you use when you got divorced?"

Brenda sighed. She did not want to think about that man she had married, or that excuse for a man. "I used Heller and Kraft. I could give them a call, but it's your Dad's decision."

"But Dad doesn't do well with this kind of stuff. Who drives across the country and says well whatever to his own divorce?"

"Your Dad, that's who." They both laughed. Bobby was a character; he always would be.

"I'll ask."

"Can you talk to Dad for me about this? I don't want him to get screwed, but I also don't want to be in the middle."

"Of Course. Just focus on school, Honey."

"Speaking of dads, how's Grandpa."

"I think going to Florida with Jr. was a good call. The house just has too many memories. I need to call him."

"Do it today, lest you forget."

"Me forget to call. Never!" They both laughed at that too.

"Bye Aunt Brenda, and save my number in your phone."

"Okay okay. Bye."

Brenda looked at her phone. How do you save a number that called you? Maybe it's that shadow of a guy with a plus sign on it. Brenda pushed it, oh okay, and typed in Charlie Johnson for the name.

She thought about what Charlie said. I guess I'll do it now.

"Hi Daddy."

"Who is this?"

"It's me Daddy. Brenda." She hoped he wasn't getting senile.

"Oh! I didn't recognize your voice. It's been so long since I heard it." Clay was ribbing her, like only he could.

"Oh you hush. I am not that bad."

"Sure, you're not. Just too bad to visit your father in warm, sunny Florida."

"You know I want to visit. I have to see when Fritz can take off work."

"Christmas?"

"I think Charlie might be coming out here to see us."

"You're taking her too. Why not just put a dagger in your father's heart?"

"Daddy, you have plenty of grandkids in Florida."

"You can't just sub them out Brenda. They're not football players."

"They aren't I thought that's what Trey (Clay III) did."

"He plays soccer, and no, you can't just sub them out."

"Maybe Thanksgiving?" It was soon, but her dad was getting old. Brenda did want to spend more time with him.

"You would leave LA for Thanksgiving."

"I can try."

"Hmmm, well I would love to see you, not that I would expect you to be able to leave your new job."

"Oh Dad. You're so fussy. I'll talk to Fritz this afternoon."

"Well, if you insist."

"Bye Dad."

Brenda texted Fritz. "How would you feel about going to FL for Thanksgiving to see Daddy."

Before she got a response, there was a knock on the door.

"Come in."

It was Gabriel. He had a sad look on his face.

"What's wrong David?"

"I just keep striking out." David pulled up a chair. He had been dating this accountant after the fallout he had with his ex-girlfriend/Goldman spy.

"What happened?"

"She had a timeline. Get married by this date, have kids starting here, etc. We had only been dating three months. I thought she was cool, but I wasn't ready to commit to so much so fast. She flipped out at me and took off. Are there no more normal women out there?"

"I hardly think I constitute normal." Brenda laughed. She couldn't figure out what David was doing wrong. He was handsome, kind, respectful, had a job, but he could not make anything work with a woman. "Maybe you're looking in the wrong place."

"What do you mean?"

"People have trouble with their pathology, especially their dating pathology. They often keep looking for the same thing hoping that this time, they'll get it right. Maybe you need to date a woman who's the opposite of who you've been dating."

"What?"

"It can't hurt to try. Sign up for something you usually don't do, a painting class, an outdoors club. See what's out there."

Gabriel had not expected this to be her advice. He didn't really know what he expected. "I never thought about it that way. So is Fritz the opposite of the guys you used to date?"

"I guess he is."He is in a way. He's caring, and he loves her for who she is, not who he wants her to be. Brenda did often date law enforcement, but that's not so odd. They're so many men and so few women, gotta go where the odds are good.

Gabriel had a lot to think about. Not now though. He should just work. "How are we doing on the Sayer's case?"

"We're not. She took a deal, so she could go home to NY and serve her sentence there. She wanted to be closer to her family. Why don't you take the rest of the day off, David? Go clear your mind or something."

"Thanks, Chief." David was off.

Brenda looked at her stack of paperwork. I wish someone were here to give me the day off

Station

Andrea was on the phone with the legal team handling Stroh's appeal. She asked them if they could spare time for a meeting to see Chief Taylor about the developments. They said they would schedule a time with them. Andrea warned them that he likes to see work done by other people. The less he perceives that he has to do, the happier he will be.

She hung up the phone and two arms swooped around her from behind. Before she could react, she got spun and kissed softly.

"Hello Sweethart."

"Andy, we're at work." She was blushing, happy to feel his touch again.

"I can be stealthy." He led her to Taylor's old cubicle, which still was there for some unknown reason. He pulled her into his lap and kissed her neck. "I don't know if I can wait until Saturday."

"I know the feeling." She laced her fingers with his, and they shared a moment. Then, they heard Provenza in the hall.

"Gotta go," he whispered as he went behind the cubicle and down the hallway.

Andrea waited a minute and then went the other direction

FBI Office

Fritz got Brenda's text. Thanksgiving. That's a long way for a short trip. Fritz was about to call her, but he changed his mind. I bet Clay guilted her into this. We'll talk at home. Fritz's phone started to ring.

"Hello."

"Fritz, my man."

"Bobby, what's up?" Shouldn't this guy be at work.

"I was wondering if you would be interested in getting a smoker for the yard."

"A smoker, for what."

"For Barbeque, duh. How do you live without one, ribs, pulled pork, smoked fish, smoked chicken, smoked, peppers."

"Where will we put it? We don't have a yard."

"Damn. I hadn't thought about that. Do you think the landlord would let us put one in the common yard?"

"You can ask him." Fritz was sure the guy would say no. He barely let Brenda have a cat.

"I will. See you later dude."

The Johnsons are taking over Fritz sighed as he went back to his paperwork. He saw it and groaned. He did not want to do any more of this crap. He caught the guy, isn't that enough for once.