Riding back from Judy Lynch's apartment with Gabriel was a blessedly silent affair. Brenda drummed her fingers on the arm rest, and tried not to think about the upcoming meeting with the Mayor, or the upcoming dinner plans she'd made. Between those two things, she was feeling as nervous as a cat in a room full of rocking chairs, and Gabriel could tell that she was tightly wound.
"So, I know you don't want to talk about it. I just wanted to say, that I'm happy you worked things out. And I also wanted to say, that the current Chief of Police? When he was appointed, he was dating a beat cop. They're married now. So, don't get too twisted up in your own head, okay, Chief?" Gabriel spared a glance over at Brenda, before refocusing his attention on the road.
"How is it, that it took you so long to decide to make Detective, Detective?" Brenda replied, with a smirk.
"I just needed the right motivation. That situation with Irene, well, that's an example of how mixing work and relationships can go wrong. But there are people who can do it right. And I think that, if I'm not mistaken, you and Captain Raydor both value your jobs, so you'll figure out how to make it work. I wish you both the best. Selfishly, I hope you mellow her out, but honestly, I just don't see that happening." He chuckled at that last bit.
"Mmm. Yes, well, honestly, neither do I." Brenda gave a short laugh of her own. "Thank you, Detective. I know that we don't often talk, but I want you to know that I do consider you a friend, and I value your opinion, and I appreciate you taking the time to be concerned about my well-being. It means a lot, David. I hope you know that." Brenda felt strangely emotional.
"You got it, Chief. It's mutual. Good luck too, with your interview with the Mayor today. I hope that goes exactly the way you want it to." He smiled as he pulled into the parking garage, dropping the Chief by the elevators, before heading off to find a spot.
Brenda stood bent over in front of the full length mirror in her office, fixing the heel on her shoe, before putting the final touches on her outfit. There was a soft knock, and then Sharon stepped into the room, pushing the door closed behind her.
"I was tempted to bring a uniformed escort to take you across the street." Sharon said, smiling at Brenda's reflection in the mirror.
"Ohh, that's not necessary." Brenda sighed, smoothing the front of her dress, and making sure her bobby pins were holding her fly away hairs in place.
"Can I ask you a question?" Sharon asked, softly.
"Sure, why not." Brenda replied, thinking that everyone had had questions today, and she hadn't even made it to the dang interview yet.
"Do you really not want to be Chief of Police?"
"No. I do not."
"But, as a woman, don't you at least feel an obligation to give it a try?" Sharon leaned against the small filing cabinet, and held Brenda's gaze.
"As a woman, I feel I've earned the right to options, and one of my options should be to say no." Brenda put her hands on her hips.
"You don't think that I wanted to spend my career in internal affairs, doing a job that leaves me disliked and mistrusted by my fellow officers every day of my life? No, I chose I.A., because it was the quickest way to achieve rank. And I also thought it'd be good for the department to see a woman in a captain's uniform. And, of course, you got your job the old-fashioned way." Sharon cringed as she said it, but she felt her point needed to be made.
Brenda took a step back, and narrowed her eyes at Sharon. "How's that?" She asked.
"By sleeping with the boss." Sharon answered simply. She watched Brenda's face shutter closed.
"That's not an insult, Chief, that's a time honored way of moving forward. But those roads are not open to everyone, and you have a chance to kind of maybe change that a little bit." Sharon was quick to drive home the important part of her speech.
"So, you're saying I should take the job whether I want it or not." Brenda clarified.
"Yes. Please make the oh-so-terrible sacrifice of accepting a promotion that offers you more money, prestige, and power than any other job in the city. And if it will help you with the suffering, you'll not only be a positive role model for little girls all over this country, but I personally .. I will feel very proud to have a chief that I can truly admire." Sharon's eyes fairly glowed with the truth of her emotion.
"Well. Thank you, Cap'n." Brenda replied, touched, but still stung at the implication that she'd slept her way to the top.
Sharon stepped forward, and placed a gentle kiss at the corner of Brenda's mouth.
"It's my pleasure, Chief. I'll pick you up at 7?"
"Yes. What should I wear?" Brenda wondered, reaching for her oversized tote, keeping her eyes on Sharon's face.
Sharon leveled a hostile glare at the giant purse, cursing herself for not realizing that Brenda hadn't brought along a proper clutch. Just then, Brenda reached into the bag, and pulled out a small, printed purse, and smiled cheekily.
"Wear what you have on right now. I feel like I haven't had the chance to properly vet your outfit's suitability." Sharon let her gaze rake over Brenda's body, before meeting her eyes again.
"All righty then. Wish me luck." Brenda replied, heading for the door.
"I will, but you won't need it. You're remarkable all on your own." Sharon replied. She watched as Brenda left the office, waiting for the door to click shut, and then did a little victory fist pump. That had gone infinitely better than she'd been expecting, and they were still on for dinner. And Brenda was going to keep that dress on. Sharon thought that this day might make it up on the top 20 list of best days ever, as she left Brenda's office, and headed back down to her own department.