Saphira had a brief thought to send up a prayer of thanks for Esmeralda's unexpectedly early arrival before she crossed to the door and exited the diner. She noted Jade and Esmeralda in conference and took her time reaching them. Jade smiled and nodded before disappearing from their gaze, headed, presumably for the house to get some rest.
Esmeralda turned as Saphira drew closer and held out her hand. Saphira took it and pulled Esmeralda to her. "Everything all right, Sweetheart?"
"Rough night," she replied shortly. "I'll tell you about it later," blowing her bangs out of her eyes. "Brianna's inside?"
"Yeah - she got here about ten minutes ahead of Jade and Coral," noting the widening of Esmeralda's eyes. "Coral remained invisible to her and I sent her back to the house to get some rest. Jade ate and came out here to keep an eye on things in case Brianna decided to leave before you got here and before I got off. However, she wanted to talk to both of us, so she's sitting at the counter just waiting."
"Tell me she's at least eaten something."
Saphira grinned. "Not to worry, my love. Whatever she wants to talk to us about doesn't seem to be adversely affecting her appetite." She paused. "How are you?" noting the residual sadness in green eyes.
"I'll be all right," Esmeralda promised. "C'mon," she invited, looping her arm through Saphira's and tugging them gently forward towards the diner door. "Let's go find out what our other charge has to say. Maybe she'll be more willing to move things along than her counterpart seems to be," growling low in her throat. Saphira chuckled.
"You about ready to try things my way, Es?" asked teasingly.
"Don't tempt me, Phira. That much stupid should be painful," her reply abrupt and sharp.
Saphira pulled them to a halt and took Esmeralda in her embrace again, waiting for green eyes to track to hers. "You sure you're all right, Es?" knowing the response was unusual.
Esmeralda sighed deeply. "Just frustrated... and a little hurt," she admitted. "I'll get over it. C'mon," tugging again. "Let's go talk to Brianna."
Saphira gave into the tugging, knowing they would revisit the subject again once they were alone. Then they entered the diner together and their attention focused on Senator Brianna Walker.
Chapter XVII
"Well, Senator Walker," Esmeralda greeted in a teasing tone. "I guess I know now why you snuck out of the Senate building so early," smiling and motioning to the slab of chocolate cake and glass of milk Joe had just placed in front of Brianna. Brianna picked up her fork and returned the smile briefly before turning her attention to the cake to concentrate on cutting off her first bite.
"You know it, Es," she joked lightly, just holding back a moan when the rich chocolate hit her tongue. "I heard it calling my name."
"Wow, Brianna!" tilting her head left and right before meeting green eyes with a hint of a twinkle in her own. "You should hire out to be a spy or something. With hearing like that...." letting the thought trail off when Brianna snorted and nearly ended up with cake up her nose. Esmeralda chuckled at the glare Brianna bestowed on her.
"That wasn't very nice," Brianna commented, carefully cleaning the chocolate icing from her fork before wiping her lips and taking a large swallow of milk. Esmeralda waited until she put the milk back down in front of her, then grinned cheekily at her.
"Maybe not," she agreed, "but it sure was funny."
Brianna chuckled and shook her head. "Not if I'd had to explain that to an Emergency Room doctor."
"We're well-versed in CPR," Saphira assured her. "Not a problem," locking the door and flipping the closed sign around before dropping the shade into place.
"Is it wrong that I don't find that particularly comforting at the moment?"
"Nope," Esmeralda assured her as she took the seat next to her even while Saphira went around the backside of the counter and started pouring up three glasses of milk. "I wouldn't want to explain the presence of chocolate cake in my nasal passages either. And imagine the stir that would make in the press." Brianna just groaned and dropped her head onto the counter, careful to miss her plate.
"That would be humiliating," came the muted words from Brianna.
"And embarrassing," Esmeralda concurred. She accepted the plate of food Saphira placed in front of her with a smile, immediately shifting half of it onto Saphira's empty plate. Saphira mumbled a 'thank you' and picked up her fork, perfectly willing to let Esmeralda continue to lead the conversation with Brianna. Esmeralda took a bite of her pot roast, chewing slowly and holding up her thumbs to Joe who grinned at her assessment. She swallowed carefully and turned back to Brianna who was decimating her slice of cake bite by slow bite.
"So Brianna Walker," the address garnering Brianna's attention faster than almost anything else would have. "What brings you to our humble establishment, so to speak?" giving Joe another grin when he popped up in the kitchen window. He winked then returned his attention back to his food.
"Guess you wouldn't buy that I came by for the chocolate cake, huh?" Esmeralda cocked an eyebrow, knowing without looking that Saphira had done the same. "Yeah, I didn't think you would," Brianna confessed. "I just felt the need for a couple friendly faces."
"Rough day?" Saphira asked, feeling a distinct sense of deja vu with the question.
Brianna shook her head. "Not really... I mean, not what you'd probably consider rough. I spent the day putting my stuff away and reading the bills and policies I'm going to be making decisions on soon." She gave them each a wry look. "Do you know the money the government could save just by joining the electronic age and doing away with paper?"
"Yeah," Joe spoke up unexpectedly. "We'd be out of debt."
Brianna laughed and Saphira and Esmeralda joined in. "Not quite, but it would be pretty close." A beat. "Maybe I should suggest that."
"Someone certainly should - better for the nation; better for the planet."
"Hmm," Brianna commented, letting the thought roll around in her mind for a few moments before shaking her head to clear it. "Anyway, I guess I was pretty engrossed in my reading, because when I looked up, it was getting dark and my stomach was complaining fiercely over the lack of sustenance I had provided it today. So I had my driver bring me over. I figured I'd find good food and good company. I was right."
"Well, we're glad you came to us when you needed a friend, Brianna," Esmeralda said placidly, placing a hand on Saphira's leg before Saphira could make a comment. "Is there something we can do to make things easier?" noting a haunting sadness she recognized in the green eyes that met her own.
"You've already done so much," Brianna confessed, "just by making a place for me at your table, so to speak," gesturing around the otherwise empty diner.
"But...." Saphira prompted impatiently when Brianna fell silent once again. "C'mon, Brianna - we can't help if you won't tell us what's going on."
Brianna sighed. "I'm not sure I know. I just? I couldn't stand being cooped up in that office for another minute. And this is probably one of the safest places I have ever known," hoping they would understand what she was saying.
Esmeralda and Saphira exchanged stares for a long moment before Esmeralda turned back to Brianna with a smile. "We're glad you think so," patting Brianna's hand. "Did you see Charisma today?" going right to the heart of the matter when she realized Brianna wasn't going to bring it up.
Anger flared in Brianna's eyes for a brief moment, then she visibly deflated, slumping back into her seat. "How do you do that?"
Esmeralda smiled gently. "It's a gift."
Brianna returned the smile sadly. "And your hobby as a student of human nature." Her smile became a little more genuine. "See... I *was* actually paying attention. I think it's the reason that, despite your warning to the contrary, I am still inclined to trust you."