"Hanna!"

Hanna looked up her tablet where she had been editing her story to see Katie Ryan headed her way. She glanced down at her wristwatch, amazed that an hour had passed already. She had been so focused that she hadn't heard a thing, but now that that focus had been broken, she could ready the steady buzz of conversation in the crowded café.

"Katie! Thank God, you're okay! I was assigned the story and almost left in the middle of my interview when I heard it was your roommate." Hanna exclaimed as she gave the girl a fierce, tight hug. Hanna had also gone to Columbia, but she had graduated two years ago. Katie, at 22, was almost done with her Art Degree at the same school.

"Yeah. I- I can't believe she's dead. I mean she was fine yesterday, and-"

"Hey. It's okay."

"Growing up with a cop for a dad, you'd think I'd wouldn't be as shocked by this as I am, but…"

"Why don't you pack a bag and come stay at my place. At least for a few days."

"I would, but Beth already told me I'm staying with her." Katie answered with a short watery laugh. Beth, Katie's sister, was 23 and also studying at Columbia- it was a family thing that Hanna's sister Alexis had started. Nearly everyone within their familial group since had followed in her footsteps and studied at Columbia.

"Well, if you change your mind, or she gets on her nerves, you know where to come." Hanna answered with a small laugh as well. Beth was well intentioned, but she could be super bossy sometimes. No one knows where it came from since her parents were rather mild-mannered, but everyone suspected that she got it from Aunt Lanie somehow. No one was quite sure how, but somehow.

"Can we talk about something else? What's new with you, Hanna?" Katie asked in an attempt to change the subject, not realizing that what her cousin was about to say still stemmed from the previous topic.

"Well, I got my first solo."

"Really? That so awesome! Congratulations."

"Thanks. It's the case, actually." She said in a low voice. Katie's face immediately dimmed. "And I have a date tonight." Hanna then let slip. Of course, since she hadn't gone in a date, even a casual one, in several months, Katie latched on to this news quickly, and with gusto.

"A date! With who?"

"A Detective at the Twelfth."

"Hanna, I'm happy for you. But, is that really a good idea? You always said you would never do that."

"I know, but Katie," she answered with a fawning sigh at the remembrance of Rawlings, "I don't know. He seemed nice. And, his eyes…" She said with another sigh. Hanna had always been a sucker for beautiful eyes.

"Wow."

"What?" She asked a note of defense coloring her voice.

"You should have seen your face. You looked smitten."

"Katie, please. I don't even know the guy. I'm not in love with him."

"Maybe not. But you like him."

"Yeah, I think I do." She said with a small smile.
The two girls spent the next hour talking about other things, mostly Katie's art projects, before they had to leave the café, Katie for a studio session and Hanna to turn in her story to her editor.

"Hey, don't forget to stop by Remy's at 6, if you finish on time.

"I'll try. And don't you forget to tell me how your date goes."

"Yeah, yeah." Hana groused.

"Bye."

"Bye, Katie. Before careful."

"I will, Hanna. Don't worry. I've got to go. Talk to you soon." And with that they younger woman flew out the door and down the street. Meanwhile, Hanna still had work to do. Her editor had said he wanted her piece by 4pm and it was already 3 o'clock. Then dinner with her parents, and probably some other family members, and drinks at 8… She had a lot left to do today.