The Gala was taking place at the Huxley. Which meant Gail's public and private world were going to merge.
Honestly, if it was anybody other than Danni, Gail would be a mess of anxiety but she trusted Danni.
She met Holly at the entrance and the two of them had talked a bit with Oliver and Celery, which made getting cornered by her Mother that much easier to escape.
When they made their way over to bar, Gail couldn't help the grin that spread across her face.
"So, you've known Gail how long?" asked Andy.
"To the point where I know what her original hair color is" answered Danni as she fixed Chloe her appletini.
"Then can I ask a question, because there is something I've been dying to know" started Dov.
"Yes, Gail has always hated twenty questions" replied Danni, placing Andy's drink in front of her.
"That's...that's not what I was going to ask..." stammered Dov.
"I know, but it's what I'm choosing to answer since I hate twenty questions too, and if Gail hasn't told you, I'm not going to" answered Danni as she spotted the person in question and waved her over.
Johanna had helped Gail get a jump start on the adoption process and they were waiting to see if the LA job had the possibility of becoming a consulting job. So tonight, this was just about having fun.
Holly and Gail took seats on stools at the bar and simply let the atmosphere envelope them. All thought of bombs and danger were banished from Gail's mind. Part of her had been saddened to hear about the involvement of the man she had helped move. If anything it had made her think about how quickly her life could have been ended. It made her think of Sophie's Mom. She'd just been doing laundry. She could have been just logging in evidence and not known what hit her.
She had called Danni and had a long conversation with her about everything on speaker phone while she tried to pick something to wear. Danni had listened and provided her usual form of advice.
"You remember you're a cop right? Yes, people can die at any time, but what you see on your job is not the norm. You deal with society's rejects and violent assholes. You're trying to provide Sophie a home away from all of that."
"Yeah. Save her from all that just to get tangled in my mess. God, what was I thinking?"
"Hey! You're not a mess. More like...a series of misadventures! If Holly's job can't be turned into a consulting thing, it's not like you don't have vacation days. Verger business happens in LA too and I might need you come along to wake me and remind me that the board meeting is something I need to go to. How you send the rest of the trip is totally up to you." Gail let out a small laugh.
"Nice thought, but when I adopt Sophie, I can't exactly pull her out of school every time there's a chance to visit Holly."
"Your logic is ruining my mellow. I'll be sure to take care of that when you get to the bar."
So here she was, with Holly's hand in hers, watching as Holly and Traci chatted together. Oliver turned up at her elbow again with Celery and Gail introduced them to Danni.
"Ah, a lady with many secrets. The holder of hangover cures and the many mixtures that will assure you will need one." Gail felt better having given Oliver's name as a reference as well as Danni's. The lady had told her it was a long process, but she had a feeling it had already gotten off to a good start.
AN: Like everyone else, I didn't like how 511 ended and am trying to figure out how to deal with it. This is all I've got so far.