Yesterday's meetings were… interesting. The authorities were more interested in my quick response with Jonathan than they were with the attack, the setup or even the conspiracy.
Don't get me wrong, they were interested on how we knew that the governor was up to no good and I honestly answered, 'when he pulled a gun on me.'
Yes, I knew having to go there was a setup, I went down fully expecting trouble but a) I still went and b) I didn't know who or what was setting me up. Then again, I was fully expecting trouble when the Ambassador asked us to come in for a debriefing.
Instead of the setup, danger and threats I ended up doing the preliminary work on setting up Citywide with a new client.
Not bad for a day's debriefing.
Still, all said and done, I was tried after our meeting. I went to take a nap and the next thing I knew it was Sunday.
Case said I needed it and I was to sleep myself out. You know, that sounds like a good plan to me.
Today went amazingly well considering the fact that nothing went as planned. I figured Thanksgiving Week, Bri would be off. I was wrong.
Bri's classes are going well and she's just as happy to be heading in. It's a far cry from her days at Ben Franklin. I have to admit, I was feeling a bit let down. I wanted to spend time with Bri and catch up on the comings and goings at school, but she had other things to do. At least we'll get that Thursday and Friday.
My next option was to help clean up the long house in preparation for Thanksgiving, but Mom and Trina shooed me out saying something about taking it easy and trying to get Jr. to calm down.
So… spending time with Bri was out, helping out with perpetrations was out. I headed back to the house and ended up spending the day with Jonathan. It seems he's under orders to take it easy as well.
I think I have found the secret to staying young
Today ended up being a day of reflection not only for me but for Jonathan. I could tell he wanted to talk when Trina wheeled him out to the garden. She smiled at me and nodded. "Just let me know when you want to come back inside," she told him, but her look at me told me something else: 'keep an eye on him and if he needs help call me.'
I'm also pretty sure Jonathan was completely aware of the exchange.
We sat there for a long time, both lost in our own thoughts about the events that had led us here. I finally broke the silence.
"That was a lot closer than I ever wanted it to be," I admitted.
"I couldn't agree with you more. I'm just glad you were there."
"You're glad? I'm just glad it worked. It was a Hail Mary pass if ever there was one."
Jonathan smiled.
"Fortunately your desperate measures are usually quite effective."
"I just wish there weren't so many of them."
He gave a slight snort. "I have confidence in you kiddo."
I shook my head. "My first thoughts were 'Mom's going to kill me, or at least whatever's left of me after Trina gets done with me…"
"Odd," he answered. "I had pretty much the same thought."
I did honestly try and help with today's preparations but I was politely informed that 'Firehouse Chili is not proper Thanksgiving fair'. It's an old argument to the point it's a running joke. Last year I made turkey chili, the year before that I tried to disguise it as candied yams, but to be honest this year I just wasn't in the mood for even trying.
Mom Walker studied me for a while and finally shaking her head she said "My study… now."
It seems that when I released the energy from the statue it went where it felt most needed and most welcomed, but it also went for the closest thing possible. All that energy being tossed around was not good for a baby that has yet to even take it's first breath. (And here I just thought it was the jalapeño jelly on my ice cream)
She and Trina had been watching me since we returned hoping that 'Jr. would settle down' but since he hasn't mom stepped in.
I don't know what she did but as I started to drift off she told me to just 'sleep myself out' and come down when I was ready.
It seems 'sleep myself out' meant turkey leftovers around midnight.
I have a lot to be thankful for, we all do. As near as the 'proper channels' have heard (and the improper ones for that matter) there has been no more talk of trying to do anything with members of the Miller family (with the possible exception of Mitchell) which is a nice change from the way things usually are.
Jr. has settled down and I think the city has followed suit.
I am pleased to say there has been no hint of feathered snakes or the slightest indication of anything dark or clandestine.
We must have overlooked something.
Case and I ventured off the island today. We didn't do too much. Case had to transcribe some field notes and they needed me at the office to help with the proposal for providing EMS services in Amazonia.
I was informed that I had the first right of refusal on the program down there. All things considered I think I'd rather someone else take it from here.
It almost felt normal-it was normal.
It was nice.
Copyright 2010 M.T. Decker