Chapter 11 – Decommissioned

Author's Note:
I know, I know. It's been ages since I've updated this story. I'll bet most of you thought I had abandoned it. Well, I kept insisting that I'd finish it some time. I'm still determined to do so, but I have little spare time next to a busy job, and that little time I often have to channel into other things these days. However, I'm trying. So just bear with me.

Please note that I made a few tiny changes to the end of the previous chapter because the continuity wasn't quite right.

Synopsis:
Who is the mysterious girl, Tammy? And what does she have to do with Joan? We'll finally find out in this chapter.

Rating: PG-13

Disclaimer:
These characters and settings are not mine. Nor am I claiming they are. They are property of CBS, Barbara Hall Productions, Sony or whoever else they might belong to. I'm not making any money out of this, although I wish I was.

Joan couldn't sleep. Memories were haunting her, memories of a time that seemed ages ago but wasn't that far in the past. Adam was lying next to her, breathing regularly, sleeping soundly. For the last hour she had questioned some of the choices she had made, that had led her here.

She felt movement next to her, her husband stirred and turned over to lie on his side. She studied him in the dim early morning light, couldn't get enough of his silent beauty. It hit her like a rock that she might have to give it all up again, and she didn't think she could. "No," she said aloud without realizing.

It woke him up, he slowly opened his eyes, looked at her. It took him a few seconds to come to. "Everything okay?" he finally whispered.

"Yeah," she whispered back. "It's early. Go back to sleep."

He turned to lie on his back and silence settled for a few minutes before he turned his head to see that Joan, too, wasn't gonna fall back asleep either.

"Why are you awake?" he asked.

"I don't know. Just woke up and couldn't sleep. My mind's on overdrive this morning."

"Tell me what's on your mind, then."

"I don't think you wanna know," she carefully declined. These were things that she'd better keep to herself. "What's on your mind?"

"You?" he asked more than said.

She smiled. "Well, that's nice to hear." Her voice grew more somber when she asked, "Did you really think I'd come back? All these years, you waited for me all these years, would have waited longer than this?"

"Yes," he said without hesitation. "What, you didn't think I would?"

"I... don't know. Maybe it was easier if I told myself you wouldn't, that you weren't missing me like I was missing you."

He was quiet for a moment, "So tell me, if you missed me so much, what made you sleep with that other guy?"

They were back to that, she would have to expect that he'd eventually get back to that topic. One of the choices she had made that she regretted most—especially now.

She didn't know what to say, but she tried anyway. "Adam, you have to understand. I didn't love him. It just happened. It was one of those things that you think you have no control over. That feel so right when they happen and so wrong after they're over. I hated myself afterwards."

For a split second, he was taken back to his high school days, and a certain flicker of understanding burned inside of him. Back then, his bad judgment had destroyed everything. He had just never thought that Joan would make the same mistakes, she had been the one to live with the aftermath then. She should know better than anyone what it felt like.

He didn't say anything in reply and Joan's voice was more urgent, pleading, as she went on. "But, you see, afterwards I realized that it would never be what I wanted. Yes, that man may have satisfied my physical needs then, but he would never be what you are to me. I never loved him, and even though I knew that, I only really realized it after the fact. No one could ever be what you are to me." More quietly, Joan added, "But how could you blame me? There was just no way for me to know if I would ever return to you, if I would ever have you again by my side. And no way for me to know if you would be waiting for me all this time. Because that was more than I could ever expect. Of anyone."

Adam turned back around to lie on his back, staring at the ceiling with his arms crossed behind his head. There was silence for a few seconds, a silence that was heavy with unspoken words and doubts and disappointment and unmet expectations.

Adam's voice was low, hoarse, with a bitter edge to it. "You didn't think I'd wait for you? All those phone conversations we had, all those times I begged you to come home, I told you I loved you, you thought that was just a lie?"

"No," Joan immediately denied. "No, it was just ... We were so far apart and drifting apart more with every day that went by. Maybe I just wanted to believe it, because it would have made things easier."

Once it was out of her mouth, she realized it didn't quite sound like she had wanted it to, and Adam got it just the wrong way.

Bitterly, he replied, "So you're saying I'm a fool to wait for the seemingly impossible to happen, for not jumping and humping the next woman who came along, taking her for my new wife. Really, Joan, you should know me better than that."

"Adam, I'm sorry. I'm sorry I ever doubted you. There were times where I took you for a fool that you would be waiting for me, but you did. You did, and ... and I don't know what else to say than that I love you for it more than I can ever tell you." She could feel her eyes sting with tears as she whispered, "And I just know that when I have to leave again, it will hurt you, the two of you more than I think I can stand."

So many emotions played on Adam's face, in his eyes as he whispered her name. "Oh, Jane." He drew closer and enveloped her in his arms. "I know it's not gonna be good enough, but let's just make the best of the time that we have."

"Yeah," Joan answered, her voice heavy. "Yeah, let's do that."

They lay with Adam's arms around Joan until the alarm clock went off, ripping both of them from a world far away from reality and yet not necessarily less burdensome.

"Damn, I should have taken the warm coat instead," Joan thought as she wrapped her thin jacket a little tighter around herself in a futile effort to keep the still chilly April night air out. She hurried in fast steps towards the entrance of a restaurant with the sign "Antonio's" above the door, wondering all the way why she was meeting with a woman she didn't know.

The warm air inside hit Joan like a brick wall but she welcomed the sudden change in temperature. Her first impression of the restaurant was positive, to say the least. The atmosphere seemed warm and relaxed and she felt immediately welcome here. Tammy had definitely picked a nice place.

Joan's eyes scanned the restaurant searchingly until she found Tammy already seated at a table towards the back. Joan went over there and sat down, hanging her jacket and scarf over the backrest of the vacant chair next to her. "Hi, thanks for coming," she told Tammy.

"Oh, I couldn't refuse. This should be really interesting."

Joan looked confused for a moment. She had the uncanny feeling that Tammy knew more about her than she did about Tammy. Which was practically nothing. Before she could ask, though, the waiter came to the table and they ordered cold drinks. Joan picked up the menu and started leafing through it. "So, what's good here?"

With her nose in the menu herself, Tammy answered, "Any kind of pasta is just to die for, but pizza's also very good. If you want something a little less rich, I can recommend the Caesar salad."

Joan went over to the pasta section. She could do with a good helping of Spaghetti Carbonara right about now. Tammy went with Tortellini. After the waiter had brought the drinks and had noted their meal orders, Tammy look at Joan expectantly. "So... you're Joan."

She said it in a way that Joan again was of the impression Tammy knew who she was. Like a celebrity you see in the movies and finally get to meet in person. Only Joan wasn't a celebrity. Quite the opposite, she had always tried to keep a low profile.

"Yeah, I'm Joan," she said, trying not to sound huffish. "And I'm curious. How exactly do you know me?"

Tammy studied her for a moment. "Someone told me about you."

"Like who?"

"I don't think you know him. He's kinda inconspicuous, a million guys look like him," Tammy said off-handedly.

"Would you tell me his name?"

"I don't think he'd appreciate that."

Joan frowned. She didn't exactly welcome Tammy's secrecy. In a slightly annoyed tone, she said, "Okay, so what? Is he, like, a journalist or top secret agent?"

Tammy laughed softly. "No, nothing like that."

"So you don't wanna tell me how you know me, fine. Can you at least tell me what you've heard about me?"

Tammy smiled. "Don't worry. Only good things."

Joan was getting fed up. "Come on, Tammy, cut the crap. Why are we here?"

She shrugged, not seeming offended in the least. "Hey, you were the one who invited me here."

Yeah, Joan knew that all too well, but she just couldn't figure out why God would ask her to invite this strange girl to dinner when they didn't seem to have any common ground to build upon. But then, it suddenly dawned on Joan. She heard Tammy's words repeat in her head: A million guys look like him. Like Him? Could it be...?

It was then that their food was brought to the table. As they began to eat, Joan looked at Tammy. "That guy you talked about, is he... young, handsome? Brown, spiky hair, beige corduroy jacket? Wise-cracks all the time?"

Tammy raised her eyebrows. "Uh... I don't know. Could be."

"Sometimes he wears Goth stuff. Piercings, tight black jeans. Kinda tall and skinny. Very spiky hair. Always waves when he leaves."

When Tammy didn't reply right away, Joan mumbled more to herself than to Tammy, "God, I must be insane. What am I doing?"

But Tammy then said, "Well, he's more like this big guy, kinda reminds me of The Sopranos sometimes. But I think I know who you're talking about."

Joan was speechless. No way! All her life, ever since high school, she had wondered if she was the only one. For a while she thought that maybe Ryan Hunter was like her, but it turned out he wasn't quite like her. Could Tammy be the one?

Joan had to know. She leaned forward across the table, saying in a very low voice, "This may sound crazy to you—and I don't blame you if think I am, but... Are you talking to God?"

For the first time, something akin to surprise played on Tammy face. It was answer enough for Joan. She leaned back in her chair. "You're another connection," she merely stated.

"Connection?" Tammy asked.

"Yeah. That's what he calls people like us."

"There's more of us?"

Joan hesitated. "To be honest, I don't know. I always assumed there was, but I never met any. Well, until today."

Tammy looked at her. "Isn't it kinda mind-blowing, though? How long have you been doing this?"

"Since I was sixteen. I moved to Arcadia with my family. One fine day He walked across the school yard and told me He was God. And that He wanted me to do something for Him."

Tammy nodded, as if she fully understood. "It was similar with me. Except He turned up at a basketball game at college. Actually, He was a She then. That was maybe two years ago." She studied Joan for a long while. "Have you been doing this all this time? Since high school?"

A shadow crossed Joan's features. "Yeah," she sighed, not sure if she should be telling Tammy what it had cost her. Her heart ached when she thought about how this young woman might have to make sacrifices like hers if she chose to commit her life to her gift the way Joan had done.

Tammy picked up on Joan's sudden change of mood. "Let me guess, it wasn't always easy."

You don't wanna know, Joan thought to herself. But she didn't think it was her place to tell Tammy just how much hardship might be awaiting her. She would have to figure it out by herself, make her own decisions, choose her own destiny. "I would be lying if I told you it's a piece of cake. But it brings a lot of rewards. Sometimes you don't see the aftereffects, the ripples. But most often you do, and that's what always kept me going."

"So why do you think— Wait a minute. Did He tell you to meet with me?"

Joan had to smile. "Actually, He did."

"Okay, so what's His deal with us? Why would He want us to meet?"

Joan's finger went to her lip, playing with it. She had a suspicion. "I know this might sound kind of weird, but I think he wants me to step down."

"What? You mean, like, I'm your successor?"

Joan nodded. "Somehow feels that way."

"Why? Are you giving up? Are you tired of this?"

Joan didn't know how to answer that question. "No, I'm not giving up. But maybe it's time I had a chance to live with my family. Get to know my own daughter."

Tammy looked stricken at the implications. "You gave up your family for this?"

Joan nodded sadly. "Yes."

Tammy leaned back in her chair, her shoulders slumped, looking deflated. "Whoa. Now I don't feel so blessed anymore."

Joan tried to get her attention. "Tammy, listen to me. That was my choice, and mine alone. You don't have to make the same choices. Maybe you're stronger than me. Or maybe you have a better handle on things. Or maybe this is gonna be totally different for you."

"Yeah," she just said, sounding disheartened.

"You know that He always tells you that everything is about free will, don't you?"

"Of course I do. But did you ever turn Him down?"

"Yes. Lots of times."

"And?"

"And sometimes it was okay, sometimes things fell apart, just like life itself. You have a choice to refuse Him, and He won't hold it against you if you do. That's one of the things I learned in all this."

She just nodded, looking a little less intimidated now.

"Just know that you can say no, any time, any place. Don't let it take over your life."

"Okay," she acknowledged.

They had finished with their meals and the waiter came to take the plates away. They politely assured him the food hat been wonderful. Both Tammy and Joan were still trying to wrap their heads around what they had just learned. Joan paid for the meal, and outside the restaurant, they didn't know what to say.

"So what happens now?" Tammy asked.

Joan wrapped her arms around her torso to keep warm, temperatures had dropped another few degrees. "I don't know. I think if He intends for us to meet again, we will."

Tammy nodded. She held out her hand for Joan to shake it. "Goodbye, Joan. I am glad we met."

"Yeah, me too."

"All the best for you and your family."

"And you. I wish you all the luck and strength in the world. Just remember that He has faith in you. So do I."

"Thanks," Tammy mumbled as she turned to hail a cab.

Joan walked to the nearest bus stop. A familiar figure was sitting on the small bench inside the booth. Same short, spiky hair, same corduroy jacket. She sat down next to Him, waited for him to speak.

He did after a minute. "You liked her, didn't you?"

She looked at him. "Why would that matter? You don't need my approval."

"No, Joan, I don't need it. But it makes it easier if I have your blessing."

She laughed a soft, short laugh. "My blessing? That's funny. I thought you were the one who blessed people."

He gave her that typical half-smile of His. "Sometimes I do. But you have the power to bless people as well, in your own way."

Joan thought about that a moment and then turned her head sideways to look at him. "You know that already, but, yes, I liked her. I just hope she's not gonna have to make the same sacrifices I did."

"You summed it up beautifully before. She can choose her own destiny."

"Yeah," Joan sighed. "But she seems a lot like me. She's not gonna say no easily. Just take good care of her."

He nodded. "You know I will."

They sat in silence for a moment, and a thought occurred to Joan. "We're not gonna be like Charlie's Angels now, right? Only without the third angel?"

"No, Joan. This is more like ..." He looked into the distance for a moment, as if He was looking for the right metaphor. "Let's say it's more like Mission Impossible, only with a new Tom Cruise."

"So you're indeed saying what I thought you were saying?"

CuteBoy-God smiled at her. "What do you think I was sayin', Joan?"

"That I'm being dismissed, decommissioned?"

There was this certain twinkle in His eyes that Joan had never seen in anyone else's. "No, I wouldn't quite put it like that. I'd call it something more like being ... 'relieved of duty'."

"Really?" Joan asked. She couldn't believe she was hearing this, not from Him. But it suddenly made sense. This was how He had appeared to her for the first time, it was only natural that He'd choose this particular avatar as the one who would appear to her the last time around.

He just gave her that all-knowing smile, the one only He could pull off. Because He was all-knowing. "Really," He confirmed.

"Wait," Joan interjected, raising her hand. "Does that ... does that mean I'm not gonna see you anymore? I mean ... I—" She didn't know how to voice her concerns. "I might have wanted this to stop, so many times, but I ... I don't know if I'm ready to give it all up. I don't know if that's really how I wanted it to turn out."

"You can't always have everything, Joan," He told her, speaking to her like a father might to his child who was asking for that much too expensive bike for their birthday.

"But I—" Joan started, but God interrupted her.

"No buts. Some things you just have to accept and move on. It's the flow of life. Set your sail and adjust to the change of wind direction."

Joan's face scrunched together in a momentarily angry expression. "So you came to me, two decades ago, making me this ... this vessel. Making me do things, helping people, saving people. And now you just present me with a fait accompli, telling me flat-out that I need to accept it, need to live with it? God, I gave my family up for you!" She was now yelling at Him. "I never got to watch my little girl grow up, I left my husband and family behind. I gave up my life for you! And you have the audacity to stand here and tell me that's it. Just like that, with a flick of a wrist?"

Joan paused, breathing heavily, waiting for His reaction. His gaze on her was almost sorry. "No, Joan, I never asked you give your life up for me."

But Joan wasn't done raging. "Oh, no no no no. Don't start with the 'free will' crap. You know as well as I that I never had a choice. You always made it sound like I had, but you also knew that I would never refuse your wishes, your suggestions." She sarcastically stressed the last word to mock its meaning. "And I did, I always did, no matter how hard it was. Because I knew that some good was gonna come from it."

For the moment she ignored the fact that she was contradicting herself. Just minutes earlier she had told Tammy that she would always have a choice. It didn't matter now as she spat, "I knew that there were things involved that I had no control over, but I also knew that if I just did what you said, it would turn out all right. And somehow it always has. Except for my family. Except for Adam and Elya. Nothing of what I did while I was out of their lives was of any consequence to them. Other than them missing me, condemning me for going away, for not coming back." Her voice had become bitter.

CuteBoy-God looked at her, sought out her eyes. How was it that she could not look away, how she had to stare right back into them even when she was raving mad at him. "Who said that what you did was of no consequence to them? You don't always see the ripples, Joan, but it doesn't mean they're not there. And you did come back, didn't you?"

"Yeah, ten years later," Joan contemptuously said.

"Even if you might not believe it or see it that way," He went on unperturbed, "I'm doing you a favor."

"Yeah, right," Joan said sarcastically. "Some favor."

"Think about it, Joan." He started to walk away, but turned around again. "And who said it was the last time you saw me?"

Joan opened her mouth, but couldn't say anything. This was all too confusing, too mind-blowing.

She watched Him as He said, "Goodbye, Joan," and waved before he turned back around and slowly walked away.

When Joan returned home, she kicked the door shut with one of her feet, for lack of other means since she was carrying a bag with groceries under each arm. "I'm ho-oooome, anybody here?" she hollered, expecting either Elya or Adam or both to answer.

"Upstairs," came her husband's muffled voice as the sole reply to her question.

"Okay," Joan muttered to herself, smiling slightly. She went into the kitchen, placing the two bags on the counter before she went upstairs.

She found Adam in the study, surfing the internet from what it looked like. "Hey," she said cheerfully.

Adam swiveled the desk chair around to look at her. He looked tired, stressed. "Hey," he answered, but the strain in his voice was clearly audible.

Joan went over to him. "What's wrong?" she enquired worriedly. "Bad day?"

"Yeah," he sighed and then rubbed the bridge of his nose with his thumb and index finger. "That, and a headache."

Joan took the back of the desk chair and turned it so Adam's back was facing her. Her hands went to his shoulders and she started massaging them.

He moaned softly, indicating that what she was doing was pleasing him.

"Your muscles are all tensed up," Joan said and intensified her finger movements. "Is that better?"

"Much," he sighed, releasing his breath before he leaned his head back so he could look up at her from his sitting position.

A smile crept into his features and Joan couldn't help but bend down and kiss him. Their lips met and she thought she could taste the faint flavor of coffee. "And that?" she asked teasingly after she withdrew her mouth from his.

"Even better yet." He still smiled as he bit down on his lower lip, licking it to relish the lingering taste of her lip gloss.

Her hands still resting on his shoulders, she continued to massage them as she said, "There's something we should talk about."

Maybe it had sounded more serious than she had intended because Adam's reply was worried. "Why, did something happen?"

Joan made it a point to sound carefree, unconcerned. "Yeah, something happened all right."

"Like what?" Adam's voice was now more curious than worried.

"Like I... Like me actually staying."

She stopped rubbing Adam's back and let the sentence hang in the air, waiting for his reaction.

Adam swiveled the chair back around, looking up at her with questioning eyes. "Really?" He sounded hopeful, elated.

"Yeah," Joan said with a smile.

Adam reached for her hands that were now hanging by her sides and took them. "How come?"

"I ... I met this girl. Or young woman," Joan corrected herself. "And ... and it turns out she also talks to God."

"Okay. So?" Adam asked when Joan stopped there like it would explain everything. "I mean, Ryan also was a ... connection. That didn't stop you from ... from what you were doing. From leaving."

"No," Joan said, not sounding quite so elated anymore. Adam didn't understand what she was saying. But could she blame him? "No, look, this is different," she tried to explain. "Ryan wasn't like that, he was evil. I mean, he got what he deserved in the end, but he did so much damage in the process. But Tammy isn't like that. She's like me."

She looked at Adam expectantly, but Adam's expression still spoke of confusion which very slowly gave way to the first hint of enlightenment. "She's like you? Does that mean ... she's gonna become you?"

Yes, now he was getting it! Joan nodded, saying, "Yeah. Well, at least that's what I think it is. You know, He's never really all that clear, but why else would He have introduced her to me?"

"He introduced her to you?" Adam asked, still not quite following.

"Okay," Joan said resolutely. "Maybe you should hear the whole story."

And Joan told him how she had met Tammy in the park, how they had gone out for dinner, how God had told her afterwards that she was 'relieved of duty'. When she was through, she studied her husband, trying to read what was on his mind.

She could see that he still seemed a bit skeptic. "So, what does that all mean?" he finally asked.

Joan shrugged her shoulders slightly. "I wish I knew." She smiled a warm smile at Adam. "But what is most important is that I can stay here now, with you. And not go away again. Isn't that what you wanted all along? Isn't that what we all wanted?"

Adam finally stood up from the desk chair and placed his hands on Joan's hips, leaning in for a soft kiss. "That's all I ever wanted," he said. And that was enough of an answer for both of them. Joan initiated another kiss, which would have deepened if it hadn't been for Elya interrupting them, having just come home.

She stood in the doorway with a smirk on her face. "Eww, parental intimacy. Don't mean to interrupt." She lifted her hands and turned to go.

"No," Adam said, waving her back in. "We have some good news," he said with a smile.

Elya gaped at both of them, then her gaze lingered on her mother. "Oh my God. You're not ... pregnant, are you?"

Adam and Joan both laughed softly. "No," Joan said with a chuckle. "I think we're a little too old for that now."

Adam cut in, "Your mom's gonna stay with us. She's not leaving again."

Elya's eyes lit up. "Really?" she happily piped up.

Both Adam and Joan nodded and Elya exclaimed, "Cool! We're gonna be a real family."

Adam's eyes went to the wall clock. "With real curfews. You're half an hour late, young lady," he chastised Elya.

"Dad," Elya said apologetically. "I ... I was gonna call. Tanya and I were watching this movie and we kinda forgot the time and then I missed the bus and ..."

Adam smiled at her forgivingly. "It's okay." In a more determined tone he said, "This time. The next time I won't be quite so lenient."

"Okay," Elya just acknowledged. Before she turned to go, she looked at both her parents again. "Just promise me one thing," she told them and felt both their curious pairs of eyes on her. "Don't fight again like the other week, okay?"

Adam and Joan smiled at each other. "We'll give our best," Adam said and Joan nodded with a smile.

"Whoa," exclaimed Elya. "This is all just way too freakotastic."

Joan had to smile at that statement, she was sitting at the dinner table, across from her daughter, having just explained the biggest secret of her life to her.

Elya was almost agape. "I mean, you talk to God? Like, the God? That's just way beyond my ability to grasp. I swear, my brain's rotating slowly in my head. I don't even believe in God."

Joan was taken aback. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, like, Dad took me to church a few times. But there's this guy standing in front of this whole crowd of people, going on about how God is watching over us and that we should all praise him. How does he know? It's just hard to believe that there's this... this invisible entity keeping an eye out for us when all you hear on the news is how there's war going on in the Middle East and people dying from natural catastrophes and plane crashes and deathly infections and all that crap."

"That's His way of keeping a natural balance. There can be no good without evil."

"But why does there have to be evil in the first place? Wouldn't the world be a better place if we just were? If there was no good and no evil, what would there be? Wouldn't we be better off without either?"

Joan hadn't expected such philosophical questions. "Elya," she sighed. "I don't have those answers for you."

"Yeah, well, that's too bad."

"I know."

"Can you give me a little time for it to sink in?"

Joan nodded. "Of course, honey. Take all the time you need. I'm sure you'll have a thousand questions. We can tackle those one by one when you're ready."

"Okay."

Joan got up and gently touched Elya's head. "You should go to bed. It's late."

Elya acknowledged the prompt and got up with a nod. "Yeah."

Joan watched her leave the room and shortly thereafter followed her upstairs. She found Adam already in bed, his head propped up against the headboard with a pillow behind his back, reading a book.

She sat down on the edge of the bed. He gazed up from his book and Joan said without preamble, "Our daughter doesn't believe in God?"

"Did she tell you that?"

"Yes, that's what she said."

"Then I guess that's how she feels."

Joan shot Adam a look. "And you didn't try to change her mind? You didn't try to talk to her about that?"

"Oh, I did. I took her to church. I taught her about the different religions and all that. Grace even took her to Shabbat a few times. We talked quite a lot about it. I can't make up her mind for her if she chooses to believe there is no such thing as a divine presence."

"You could have tried, Adam. Tried to show her there is."

"How?"

Joan lifted her arms. "I don't know! Show her little things, explain certain things to her."

He put down the book in his lap. "Explain what things to her? I couldn't tell her, Hey, look, Elya, you said you don't believe in God, but your mother talks to Him, performs tasks for Him. He's as real as you and me. I couldn't tell her that, could I?"

Joan's spirit sunk. "I don't know. I guess not. It just feels..."

"... like she's betraying you?" he finished her sentence.

She nodded. "Yeah. A little."

"If it makes you feel any better, I don't really think she's an atheist. She always told me that she chooses not to believe in God for as long as she doesn't have proof that He exists. They call that agnostic. Maybe you finally telling her all this was the proof that she needed."

"Yeah, maybe so."

He reached out for her hand, stroked it softly with his thumb. "Come to bed. You look tired."

She sighed. "Yeah, I am. It's been a long day. Let me finish up downstairs and I'll be with you in a few minutes."

He nodded. "I'll be here."