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Dinner was served and everyone began to chat around the table, commenting on how good the food was, what a wonderful cook Abigail was, how lucky Marshall was for being engaged to her.
A lot of things that made Mary cringe, she dug into her food, not paying anyone any attention. The sooner the food was cleared from her plate, the sooner she could get out of this dinner from hell.
It wasn't enough that everyone tried to engage her in conversation, causing her to mumble a reply here and there, but the new detective kept asking her questions that annoyed her.
"Do you enjoy being in law enforcement?" one of the women smirked.
Mary locked eyes with the woman, making her blush before responding, "No, I don't enjoy it, I love it."
Abigail started to look panicked, she commented, "Oh Mary, we all love law enforcement, but what Nancy here was actually asking was if you enjoy it. Because I have to admit, we don't always enjoy our careers, right?"
Looking over at her boss' fiancée, Mary nodded, "Huh…I enjoy my career just fine, or I wouldn't love it."
Marshall looked between his fiancée and Mary, unsure if he should say something or not, going with his gut, "If there is one thing you all should know about my part-I mean, my uh…my friend here is that she doesn't do anything she doesn't like.
Mary's eyes shot to Marshall and frowned, rolling her eyes she looked down to her food, almost done, keep it together Shannon.
"So, how come we haven't met before?" came from her left, the new detective was trying to call her attention. She inwardly groaned and looked at him through the corner of her eye, "I don't know, luck I guess."
He chuckled, "What do I have to do to have you work a case with me?"
She shrugged at him and continued to stuff her mouth with her food, she was halfway done. An audible sigh of relief passed through her lips.
"I'm pretty new to Albuquerque. Maybe we can hang out, you can show me around. Do you know of a good place to have fun?" he probed, causing her to close her eyes briefly. She could almost feel Marshall and Abigail's stare directed her way, which caused her to get quench her temper down.
"What about a drink? My treat," he offered when she didn't answer his previous inquiry.
"I'm sure there are many women ready to help you out in your department," she informed through clenched teeth.
Jefferson shrugged, "Yeah, that's true…"
Mary kept grinding her teeth as she chewed on her dinner, but as soon as she stuffed the last piece of chicken fried steak, she stood up pushing her chair back, making the table rattle. Everyone around stopped startled and turned to her, all the women had their eyes wide in surprise.
She turned to the new detective and said, "Look detective, I'm not a personal tour guide. I'm sure this city has a place for people like you. Now, if you'll excuse me."
Then she turned to Abigail before she walked out of the dining room, avoiding Marshall's pleading gaze, she sneered sarcastically, "Thanks for dinner, but next time you want to set me up, give me a heads up. Give me a chance to dress like a lady."
Abigail had taken a sip of water, she started to cough in surprise, blushing in embarrassment. Marshall stood up and tapped her on the back, not surprise that Mary had reacted in that way. More surprised that she hadn't spoken up when she first arrived and found the couples in the living room
When he glanced towards Mary, she had walked out of the dining room. He hurriedly left the dining room, he found her shrugging into her jacket.
"I'm sorry Mare, I didn't know Abs was planning a dinner party, let alone that she would set you up like that," he pleaded as he blocked her way out, afraid that he had caused the end of their friendship while trying to please his fiancée.
She shrugged and tried to walk around him, but he shot a hand out, she growled his way without looking at him, "Move asshole!"
"Do you always have to be so damn rude?" came from the hallway, Abigail had her hands on her hips as she glared at Mary.
Mary rolled her eyes at the detective and moved around them both, "Thanks again for dinner detective...Chief," she nodded in his general direction.
She walked out of their home and squealed out of their driveway.
The following Monday, Marshall walked into the office early in the morning and dropped off Mary's coffee cup, her favorite at the moment according to Delia, on her desk. Went into this office and waited for Mary to walk into the office.
She walked in a half hour later and sat behind her desk, reached for the cup and pressed it against her lips. She paused and her nose replaced her lips, Marshall could see her sniff her drink. Mary wrinkled her nose and reached over her desk, throwing the coffee cup into the trash.
Marshall stared in disbelief, he couldn't believe she would willingly throw her favorite cup of coffee without drinking it.
Looking up at him, his breath caught at the rage still brewing in her eyes. He stood up, but she shot him her, don't come near me, glare. He sat back down and sighed deeply, he knew she was going to be upset. His only hope was that she would eventually forgive him.
By the middle of the day Mary felt more pissed off then Friday night. After leaving his place she had driven to Mark's and told him all about the hell she had to live a few hours ago at Marshall's place.
"Come on, Mare. I'm sure it must've been fun. Dinner with a bunch of grown-ups," Mark chuckled at her strangled groan.
"She tried to set me up, with a grade A asshole! Oh, why haven't we worked together?" she mocked Jefferson and took a big gulp of beer.
Mark laughed out loud and kicked her booted foot with his bare foot, "I'm sure that was hilarious. Maybe you can date him."
Glaring at him she shook her head, "I'm not interested in dating."
"Just because you became a mother doesn't mean you can stop living your life Mare," advised Mark.
"Maybe they should've invited you to the dinner party, you sound more grown up then me," she groused.
"You do know that you won't turn into Jinx overnight, right?" he asked curiously.
Mary just turned to look at him and saw the truth in his eyes. She wouldn't turn into Jinx, then nodded.
She knew Mark was right, it was time to start dating, but after the balcony fiasco, she had realized something that had opened her eyes and knew it was too late to act upon it. Shaking her head she walked around her desk to the kitchenette to get a cup of coffee, she knew that it had been a childish act on her part when she threw the coffee Marshall had brought her. She also knew that it was his way of making it up to her for the dinner disaster and the set up, but she wasn't ready to forgive him.
Mary poured herself a cup of coffee and took a few steps back to her desk when Marshall stepped out, he tried to hold her gaze but she frowned and turned back to the sink, she dumped the coffee she had just poured herself. Walking back to her desk she muttered to him as she walked by him, "Going on witness visits."
With a resigned sigh, he nodded and saw her walk out of the office, pushing files into her bag, by the time she walked in the elevator she was on her cell phone.
By lunch time, Mary walked into one of her favorite diners and sat on a stool in the corner. A good view point for her to be able to see anyone walking into the place. She ordered herself a burger with seasoned fries with a glass of coke. She had just begun to eat her meal when the bell above the door jingled with a new arrival; Mary looked over to the door and spotted the new detective Jefferson. He looked around scoping the crowd when he saw her.
She groaned inwardly and mumbled a curse under her breath when she saw him move towards her, "Mary Shannon, right?"
Mary rolled her eyes at him as she continued to chew on her food; she didn't understand why he was bothering with her. She thought she had made herself clear at dinner the other night.
"So, the other night was…interesting," he started as if he hadn't seen her try to ignore him.
"That's putting it mildly," she muttered under her breath.
Looking over at her he smiled broadly, showing off his pearly whites, something that truly annoyed her. The waitress came over and took down his order, a chicken caesar salad, which managed to annoy her further.
"What are you, a girl?" she asked when the waitress walked away.
Jefferson did a double take and stared down at her with a frown, "What makes you say that?"
"A salad? What type of man orders a salad, for God's sake?" Mary smirked before taking a big bite of her burger, talking around her food, "Next…you'll take a…napkin and…set it on your…lap."
He grimaced and looked away, he liked her feistiness, he wondered how feisty she would get when he finally got her into his bed. Because there was no doubt that he would bed the Marshal.
"How about dinner tonight?" he tried again.
Mary swallowed her food and sat back on the stool, folded her hand under the other and brought her hand up to her chin, tapping the chin with forefinger as if in thought. She looked back at him and rolled her eyes once again, "I thought I made myself clear on Friday, but since it's apparent that I wasn't, I'll clear the air now. I'm not a mother humping tour guide."
He chuckled and shook his head, bringing his hands up in defense, "No, I know you're not. You were pretty clear. That was actually my way of asking you out."
She burst out laughing making him rear back in surprise, no woman had ever laughed at him for asking them out.
"Look, I'll get clearer, I don't date cops, I don't plan on dating cops and I certainly don't plan on ever dating you," she finished as she stood up, took a long swig of her soda and dropped a few bills next to her unfinished food, right before she walked away she turned to him and said, "And it's Inspector Shannon to you."
Jefferson saw her walk out of the diner and set himself to change her mind, he knew that by the end of the week he would have her eating out of his hand. With a smirk he started to eat his salad, but after a few bites he pushed it away and paid for his meal. He didn't think he could ever eat a salad and not think of Mary Shannon.
TBC...Guest, you had me laughing so hard, I had tears running down my face. If there is one thing we know about Mary is that she's never polite. It wouldn't be true to her character, the Mary we all love and know would definitely be more feisty and really pissed. Hope you all enjoy!