Anna waved Mary and Matthew away, Mary leaning on Matthew more than actually walking, and laughed to herself. She sighed and started walking toward the garage, rubbing at the back of her neck. A tap on her shoulder had her turning around to smile at John.

"I hope you don't mind me joining you. I'm afraid I'd get lost on the way to the garage on my own."

"It's not that big of a town but I'll accept your offer, as obvious as it is."

John ducked his head, attitude a bit bashful, "I'll bet you don't take too kindly to being propositioned for romantic strolls by relative strangers do you?"

"I was once offered sex by a tour guide in Rome so I'd say you're rather simple request is far and above what I expected from a Friday happy hour." Anna jerked her head in the direct of the garage. "You're more than welcome to walk with me."

"It gives me a chance to get to know you a little better."

"There's not much else to know." Anna opened her arms toward their surroundings. "I grew up here until I joined the Air Force. Then I traveled for ten years before coming right back here."

"Bit of a black hole is it?"

"Most places are." Anna kicked at a pebble sticking out of the ground-in gravel. "We come back to those places that mean something to us."

"Business, pleasure, or family?" Anna frowned and John explained, "When you came back was it originally for business, pleasure, or family?"

"Family." Anna chewed at the inside of her cheek, "My mum got sick and needed me to take care of her."

"What about your father?"

"He worked in in the mining industry until he died in an accident."

"I'm so sorry."

"He's been dead a long time so I don't think about it too often." Anna took a deep breath, "It still hurts, as it should I guess, but it wasn't all bad."

"How'd you mean?"

"The settlement from the company for wrongful death got my sister and I into university." Anna laughed, "It's funny, my dad always wanted us to get an education and he enabled it. Always said he'd do all he could but I didn't think he'd have to give so much to see it happen."

"Is he why you joined the Air Force?"

Anna nodded, "Part of it. He served in the Gulf War for the RAF actually."

"Then you really should have that accent." John teased, "It's not just show."

"No, my father had one of the strongest Yorkshire accents I've ever heard. Even after living in here for years."

"What brought him here?"

"His job."

"Right," John snapped his fingers, "The mining industry, you said."

"And what about you?" Anna nudged him with her body, stopped at a light. "What secrets lie under the layers of Mr. John Bates?"

John whistled, "More than this walk or a lie down on a therapist's couch will really cure."

"Then what would you tell me?"

"My mother's grandparents were Keiths, from Scotland, but she had one of the thickest Irish accents you could ever get in East London."

"Is that where you grew up?"

"Until I joined the Army." John slapped his right leg, "It's why there's a large metal pin in here that inevitably sets off more metal detectors than I can count."

"Was it worth it?"

John stopped, "How'd you mean?"

"I've met more than a few people who've give limbs for their country. Had a few people I knew well who gave life for it." Anna faced him, "For some it was their greatest sacrifice and greatest achievement. They saw it as an honor and trial but nothing else. Some saw it as a poor return on investment. I'm just curious where you stand."

"I imagine quite poorly on one leg." John joked and Anna laughed with him. "But, to answer your question honestly, I went through the stages of grief for what I could no longer do."

"Such as?"

"Serve my country." John knocked his knuckles against his leg, "The Army doesn't tend to take well to the idea that your leg could set off a magnetized land mine."

"Does it stop much else?"

Anna watched John's face contort a moment, "Not where it counts with women, if I'm being honest."

"Be grateful I'm used to vulgar jokes." Anna grinned, "The side effect of working with teenagers is there's no end to 'that's what she said' jokes and they've grown on me somewhat."

"I could see how those would become addicting. Not my fare, mind you, since I'm a little too British but I could see it."

"Could I see it?" Anna bit her lip to stifle her laugh as John frowned then pointed at her.

"That's what she said?"

"That's what she said." Anna affirmed, "And I like British humor too."

"Any favorites?"

"Most people know Monty Python and the Holy Grail, and I never say no to a good John Cleese, but I'm absolutely besotted with Wild Target so I guess my tastes aren't always as refined as they could be."

"The same could be said of all of us." John heaved a sigh as they reached the garage, "I guess this is where we part."

"For now." Anna smiled at him, "Unless you've got meetings tomorrow I'd say you've probably got a free Saturday to fill."

"I've got some time tomorrow."

"Can I ask if the rest of your time is taken up with the mysterious business that brought you to our redneck of the woods?"

"It does but," John chewed on his lip, as if rolling something around in his mind, "Maybe you're like to act as my tour guide?"

"Is this the moment you admit to me you're actually secretly going to buy out the town to steamroll it for condos or a theme park or something?"

"Nothing that nefarious."

"But also nothing you'll tell me now?"

John shook his head, "Nothing's final and I don't like to count chickens before they hatch."

"It's a good practice." Anna pulled out her mobile, "If you're wiling then, let's exchange numbers and you can call me any time after ten tomorrow morning."

"After ten?"

"I sleep in on the weekends."

John went to grab his mobile but stopped, "I've got another proposal."

"Oh?"

"Let me take you to dinner."

Anna set her teeth, "I don't think-"

"If you think it's too forward then I'm sorry-"

"John," Anna stopped his immediate backtrack. "That's not the problem."

"What is it?"

"If we have dinner in this town then it's all I'll hear about from my students Monday because they all work tonight and those who don't will be at those places."

"Small town problems?"

"We've all got them."

"Then," John checked the time, "You're not opposed to a drive are you?"

"Where?"

"You're the one who lives here. Where is anything good?"

"What a loaded question." Anna sucked in her cheeks a moment before nodding. "If you're up for a forty minute drive then there's a good place in Lancaster."

"You'll have to drive."

"Good. I prefer to have control." Anna sniggered at John's face, "I can see the wheels turning in your head right now."

"When you give a man something like that shouldn't they be?"

Anna paused, "That's what he said."