Vancouver
Those people that believe that they know The Cavalry think that she takes her frustrations to the gym. The one person that truly comprehends Melinda May and who refuses to ever view her as the blasted Cavalry knows that she takes out her frustration out in the kitchen.
By cooking.
Hence, cooking duties for three months.
And that baking, for Melinda May, was an act of contrition.
Ward, on the other hand, was a bit too serious, which is why Coulson gives him cleaning duties. The team (Skye) duly presents Ward with a frilly apron and a feather duster.
Coulson goes to ground in his office, even though they had been in Vancouver for a few hours. Melinda May rolls her eyes in exasperation, checks the double chocolate chip cookies (with walnuts, Phil insists on walnuts), confirms that they were cool enough for delivery, pours some milk and goes to his office.
"I thought you had plans," she says as she enters his office. May knows all his plans for Vancouver as he had asked her for her input. He had desired to do something really nice for Simmons as a profound thank you for her willingness to put up with the insanity of the last few weeks. It had been crazy, and he had just been unable to talk to her for more than few minutes at a time, what with Fury, May and Ward. And while the two of them are divorced, he still values May's opinion, even after everything. "You'll be late."
"Plenty of wonderful plans. No one to go with me," he admits.
"You and Simmons?"
He shakes his head.
"Have a cookie," she instructs. "Then tell me what happened."
"It's over," he explains after a medicinal dose of two cookies and a quarter cup of milk. His demeanor is bleak, though he struggles to put a good face on, which means he had really connected with Simmons. "Though since it hadn't really begun, can it be classified as over?"
"Oh, Phil," she whispers. She knows too well that since their divorce, there has only been Sara, the cellist and Jemma. And his fling with Camilla Reyes, which a drunken Phil had admitted was just a booty call.
"I knew it wouldn't last. I mean, she's young, she's brilliant and... I'm not either," he struggles to smile. The failure hurts Melinda because Phil had been happy. For the first time since New York, he had possessed a little bit of the old Coulson swagger in his step, just because a younger girl's crush. "Too much baggage."
"Crazy ex-wife who tried to kill you twice," Melinda adds.
Phil shakes his head. "Not your fault. She needs someone younger, someone with a better hairline."
"I'm sorry." She is, because she is still quite fond of Coulson.
"Don't apologize, May. It was nice while it lasted. Really, really nice." He admits. "Best it's a clean break."
She looks at the time, and she makes a plan. "You have more than enough time to change and make it to the art gallery." Melinda May also has enough time to kidnap Jemma Simmons, if necessary, and drop her off at the gallery.
He shakes his head.
"Moping doesn't become you," she snips. "You made the arrangements, so go."
She refuses to leave until he agrees. For good measure, she picks out his tie.
Jemma Simmons decides not to tag along with Skye and her boy toys. Of the four, only Fitz knows that she's decided to end...no... her relationship with Coulson has ended. He gives her a sad smile and a fierce, "He wasn't good enough for you anyway."
Dear, sweet Fitz.
She promises to head out with Skye and the guys tomorrow, but claims that she desires a chance to take a long soak in a proper bathroom and a nice lie in a king size bed. One good thing about Coulson, when he puts his agents up in a hotel, he doesn't skimp. No sharing of rooms, no twin size bed if it's at all possible. She pampers herself and after a long soak, she wraps herself in a fluffy bath robe and walks out of the bathroom to discover...
Melina bloody May, who has rummaged through her closet and has put several outfits on her bed. Several of which had been left on the Bus.
"I'm assuming your pen is secured and it's safe," May dryly announces.
In response, Jemma wraps the robe tighter around her.
"Why are you here?" Jemma asks. Her voice squeaks, it shames her to admit.
"Phil," May says. Jemma reacts and May shakes her head. "Still got it bad for him, don't you? That's good, because he is moping right now. Why'd you decide to end it then?"
"Mutual decision," Jemma responds.
"It was you," May decides."Your eyebrows gave it away. Sitwell's right, you can't lie at all. Why?"
"Why do you care?" Jemma asks. "I've decided that it won't work, so I ended it."
"Because Phil's unhappy." May not very patiently explains. "You made Phil happy, now he's not. So, pick an outfit, I need to get you to your date with Phil."
A very confused Jemma Simmons just stares at Melinda May, who stares back.
"Phil had planned a very nice evening for you. I don't think he's canceled it... so pick an outfit," repeats Melinda.
"You're awful chatty," Jemma interrupts. "Awfully keen to have me embarrass myself by throwing myself at an older man who isn't interested."
May gives her the stink eye and Jemma protests, "Come on, May. Phil's still hung up on you, and I decided I didn't want to be second best. As you told me, repeatedly, I'm just a silly school girl and he's got vastly more cosmopolitan tastes. I may be insipid ...trite and yes, he probably laughs at what an utterly lame fuck I am... but I have my pride. And I may have two bloody PhDs; I'm not a bloody idiot if I think I can compare to the fucking Cavalry."
She's scriking like a mad arse, sniffling so hard she probably has a bogey hanging from her nose, because that would be the final embarrassment.
Melinda May continues to stare at her and then walks over to the mini bar. She breaks the seal and rummages. She finds something, pops the lid and hands it to Simmons.
"Drink it," she orders, before Melinda May collapses in a chair. "It seems that you're a better liar then I credited you. I am assuming that I said these things to you when I... "
Simmons nods while she dutifully drinks. Meanwhile Mays sighs and her face changes in something that looks like uncertainty.
"I asked you if I said anything and you assured me that it was all forgotten," Melinda protests. "Jemma, there is no possibility of Phil and I getting back together. After what happened, how our marriage imploded. We're just been through a lot together and ..."
Melinda stops talking and when she finally starts talking again her voice is rather soft, "You have to understand something about Phil. Emotionally, he's a doer, not a talker. He had planned a really nice evening to thank you for tolerating him while he dealt the ramifications of my instability."
"And how do you know that?" protests Jemma.
The Cavalry looks uncertain, "He asked my opinion on a few things."
"Christ," spits Jemma.
"He wanted it to be perfect," May explains. "His idea of romance is one of his more redeeming characteristics but he wanted a female opinion on his plans. Simmons... Jemma... he knew that you had a crush on him."
"Oh God, you knew?" Jemma protests. "How can it get worse?"
"It put a bounce in his step. After New York, he really was down because Sara was told that he died. Phil had never contacted her because he couldn't rip her wound open. Your crush meant a lot to him and he was happy." Melinda May then turns quite serious. "So if you think I'm standing by and letting you break Phil Coulson's heart again because you're needlessly jealous, you're dead wrong. Pen or no pen. Now, fix your face and get dressed."
The two women look at each other. Jemma smiles when she realizes that they've formed a tentative bond over their mutual respect and affection for the exasperating Phil Coulson.
"Yes, Ma'am," Jemma agrees. "Where am I going?"
"Art Gallery. There's a benefit, so there will be food and drinks."
"What color does he prefer?" Jemma asks.
Melinda points at a dress that she had swiped from the Bus. "That one. Wear some spiky heels and plus put your hair in a messy updo," decides Melinda.
Melinda drives her to the art gallery, and instructs her to just give her name at the entrance. "They'll let you in."
Simmons puts her hand on the car door handle and Melinda speaks again, "If asked, I will deny all knowledge of this covert operation."
"No one would believe me anyway," Jemma retorts.
Melinda gives her a disapproving frown but her eyes dance in amusement.
"Except for Phil, as he knows the best of you," adds Jemma.
"Get. Go. Outta the car," sternly orders The Cavalry.
Jemma Simmons gains easy entrance to the art gallery and she locates Coulson who is sitting next to a statue of modern art. Fortunately, a waiter appears as if by magic and Jemma grabs two glasses of wine. That done, she approaches her victim.
"Pardon me, is anyone sitting here?" She asks Phil. Coulson turns to face her. He smiles while he struggles to stand with his crutches.
"Sit down," she orders even as she hands him a drink. "You need to explain this piece to me."
"No idea," he admits. "I don't have the faintest idea what the artist is trying to say."
They stare at it in silence and Jemma finally speaks, "I think it's saying that someone was an idiot besides being a jealous prat."
"I think it's saying someone should have made a bigger effort so someone didn't feel neglected."
They clink their wine glasses and all is right in the world.