"You make it sound so easy."
"It's only as difficult as you make it, Brianna. I've been where you are, remember."
"Yes, I remember - but I think yours was actually worse." Esmeralda shrugged but didn't comment. She knew what she thought, but she wasn't going to give voice to it. She figured she had gone as close to the line as she dared without crossing it. She wasn't going to push anymore.
They sat in silence for a long moment before Esmeralda realized Brianna was deep in thought. Without a word she rose and began her cleaning. Once again she was behind, but with any luck it would be worth it. In the meantime she had plenty to do.
She was almost finished when Brianna started from her brown study, suddenly realizing she was sitting alone in her semi-darkened office. Then she turned and saw Esmeralda packing away her cleaning supplies.
"Done already?" she asked, then glanced at her watch when Esmeralda smirked at her. "Holy shit!" she exclaimed, then slapped a hand over her mouth. "Sorry - I 'm trying to do better here at least."
"No worries, my friend," Esmeralda assured her with a smile. "But I need to get finished. I don't want to worry Saphira any more than necessary."
"Would you like a ride to the diner?"
"No, Brianna - thank you. I appreciate it, but I just can't." She held up a hand. "Before you ask.... For one thing, I can't keep accepting limo rides to the diner from you just on general principle. Trust me when I tell you that would cause you more grief and controversy than you suddenly getting a girlfriend. For another, I've still got work to do and you should probably go home and get some rest. I'd be willing to bet you've got a pretty good headache going again."
"How can you tell?"
"I recognize the signs."
Brianna nodded once and winced. "You're right. I'd like to hear more about the grief and controversy thing - I can't imagine offering a friend a ride could possibly be considered worse than me being a participatory lesbian." Esmeralda snorted and Brianna smirked. "Sorry - I like that better than practicing. That implies I'm still working on it and I feel confident I know what I'm doing."
Esmeralda laughed aloud. "That always makes for a much more pleasant experience for all involved. Now go home. You can worry about all this," motioning around the room, "tomorrow."
"Anybody ever tell you you're bossy?" Brianna grumbled, even as she rose to do Esmeralda's bidding.
"Saphira," Esmeralda offered deadpan. "Constantly."
"She'd be right," Brianna muttered, gathering her things and crossing to stand beside Esmeralda. "Thank you, Es. Thank you for the kick in the ass and for being my friend. I hope Saphira knows how lucky she is."
"She does - I remind her every day," Esmeralda said with a smirk. Brianna just laughed and gave Esmeralda a brief hug. Then she headed for the door, holding it and gesturing Esmeralda through ahead of her with a flourish.
"Goodnight, Es," she offered when they made it back out into the main hall.
"Goodnight, Senator Walker," eyes twinkling at the mock-glare that garnered her. "Sweet dreams."
************
"I almost wish I could have stayed," Ame said to the other angels as they put dinner on the table. "Charisma was furious. I imagine Amber's getting an earful to share with Es in the morning. I know Okasa is."
"That woman needs to learn to loosen up," Coral commented as she leaned against the doorjamb watching the activity taking place around her. "Honestly, at least Brianna knows how to go with the flow once in a while."
"Speaking of which," Ruby said, "why are you still here? Aren't you supposed to be covering her right now?" with a pointed look at the clock.
"I was," Coral replied emphatically. "Es sent me back. Said she needed to talk with her privately."
"About...?"
Coral shrugged. "I dunno - I didn't ask."
"You would make a seriously sucky spy."
"Yeah, but I make a great guardian," Coral replied immodestly. "So it's all good." She straightened and grabbed her phone. "Jas just texted. Gotta go." Then she was gone. Ruby looked around at the rest of them and indicated the table.
"C'mon ladies. It's time to eat. We'll hear about it eventually, I'm sure."
"That's one reason that despite everything I wanted to be part of this assignment. Es keeps everyone in the loop as much as possible and she shares the credit."
"Not sure credit's gonna help much in this instance - not as long as they are out of favor."
"As long as this one works out, I don't care. This one feels really personal, you know? Like we're actually part of the fight for a change instead of simply out on the fringe of things." Heads nodded around the table, but there were no more words for a while. And when they finally came again, the conversation moved on to other subjects.
************
Charisma was cool and composed by the time she entered her home, but it was a cold fury that seemed to burn through her veins. She wasn't sure why it made her so angry. After all, she wanted Brianna to be part of the family again, didn't she? She wanted things to be like they had been twenty years before when they'd been best friends and had the whole world ahead of them. Of course, she had a husband and child now, but that shouldn't change too much between them, right?
And then to find out that while she was doing without HER best friend - the same best friend that had walked out of her life without even bothering to say goodbye - her family had continued to enjoy her companionship.... Charisma was ready to blow. She was only holding it together at the moment because it was Adam's time.
She came in like she did every other evening, thanking Ame and dismissing her, then taking over Adam's bath and bedtime. Only once he was settled down and tucked into bed did she venture downstairs to find her parents.
She found them much where she expected them to be - in the kitchen waiting for her to join them for dinner. Instead, she stepped into the room and leaned against the doorjamb with her arms crossed protectively over her chest. She didn't even offer them a welcome, but jumped right in with both feet.
"So would one of you like to tell me what the HELL is going on?? When did I become a lesser member of the family??"
"Charisma...." Okasa soothed as she approached.
"Don't," she growled. "Don't take another step. I want you to stand there and explain to me why I am just now finding out that MY BEST FRIEND has been part of your lives for the last twenty years when she hasn't been a part of mine?? Hmm??"
"Did you ask her?" Okasa responded calmly.
"Excuse me?" Charisma said, blinking.
"Did. You. ASK. HER?"
"No... I'm asking you."
"Maybe you should be asking her, Charisma. Or maybe you should ask yourself why you let her walk out of yours. Because I will tell you this - she *tried* to walk out of ours, and I wouldn't let her. I refused. Her only condition was that you not know."
"WHY??"
Okasa sighed and walked over to the refrigerator, removing the raw burgers she and Ame had made up earlier. Then she jerked her head at Patrick who had remained silently watching the tableau. Okasa had asked for his support, and he had given it freely. But he was happy to let her take the lead. Charisma may have been a Daddy's girl, but when it came to this, he was in way over his head. Okasa had always been more successful dealing with their daughter's stubborn streak. So he lit the indoor grill and started placing the burgers on the rack while Okasa continued to take things from the fridge and place them on the counter.
"Mother," Charisma growled. Okasa sighed again.