near to you

“I don’t even think I would know the first place to look into that so having the help would be great” she paused “when I do decide to get out of where I am right now.” 

    “Of course.  Take as much time as you want.”

“I mean any sane person would enjoy that more, but I guess being outside as much as I did growing up I think this” she motioned to everything around her with her hands “more my speed.”

“It’s amazing honestly” she said in response to Harlee. She shifted and put her arms up crossing them against her chest “eh I don’t know honestly… can’t say i’ve really ever thought about it.”

“That sounds like an amazing idea! Honestly you’d have a lot more people willing to take meetings I bet…” she pauses “unless they are just lazy assholes.”

“It has it’s moments. Some customers are nice, and some are just grumpy morning people. So I relate to some degree with them; but I’ve also never been the whole sunshine person that was always Harlee’s job.”

    Maxwell let out a pleasant laugh, ignoring Sissy’s use of profanity.  “Well, I’m sure a few would prefer to sit in an air conditioned building with their catered lunches, but I’d hope the majority would be happy and willing to enjoy some fresh air.”

“I’d probably be walking for hours” she said with a laugh. But that was also cause Sissy just could barely sit still as it was.

“It takes a special kind of person” she pauses “now how I do it is beyond me.”

    “Perhaps that’s something I should implement.  Walking meetings.”

“Oooh meetings, I feel like I’d go stir crazy if I had to sit and listen to people drone on and on about god knows what…” she pauses “is it about like… money or some shit?”

“And I am on my way to work.”

    “They are rather boring sometimes and I tend to go a little stir crazy myself — hence the walk.  The first Friday of every month I meet with my finance team.  Today’s meetings are more of a meet-and-greet with certain public figures looking to switch agencies.”

Sissy pocketed her phone and continued on her walk, however when she heard a voice she turned her attention toward it. She let her eyes sit on the person who had called her name. It was Maxwell. She couldn’t remember the last time she had actually seen him, it might of been earlier than she thought but you know the times were meshing now and days. 

“Oh hey Max, what’s up?”

    “I’m taking an unscheduled lunch break to get some fresh air before my next meeting.”

Sissy crumpled up the final notice paper before tossing it over her shoulder. She’d pay it eventually, I mean she had to if she wanted to continue living in her apartment. But she just didn’t have the money at the moment, and she was feeling it. She longed for the days when she didn’t have to worry about paying rent, and bills and being a grown up. It sucked. It also sucked that she had to do it mostly on her own, but that’s how Sissy was. She was independent and would never EVER ask for help. It just wasn’t her way. She shut the door to her apartment, before heading down stairs. It would take her a total of 30 minutes to walk to work and she was already running late. Wonderful start to the day right? She looked down at her phone as she walked before turning her attention toward the street as she headed toward the Coffee Shop.

    Maxwell was between two boring meetings and taking a quick break to get some fresh air and maybe grab something to eat.  He was on his way towards a small cafe that sold gourmet sandwiches he liked when he saw a familiar figure walking just a few paces ahead.

     Dee smiled into Max’s shoulder, feeling a strange warmth blossoming in her chest that was eerily similar to the one she’d used to get on the rare occasions that her mother had taken the time to tell her she was proud of her, or that she was a good kid.    “Thank you,” she whispered, smiling at him when they parted. “I will.”

   “Thanks, Max.”

   “I’m sorry– you were probably on your way somewhere. Don’t let me keep you any longer.”

    “Oh, it’s not a problem.”

   “I could try. It’s just that every time I see her I get so angry. And… scared, I guess. And I don’t like feeling that way, so I start acting like a bitch.”

   “I tried. That day she followed me.”

   “She just said she was sorry I felt that way.”

   “No.” Dee shook her head. “It just… fucking kills me to see her, so happy, with the people who shot me and killed my friends.”

   “They were her friends, too. We were family. And… I don’t know. Hearing her joke about that, treating being with them like it’s nothing – it makes me queasy.”

    Maxwell pursed his lips together as he tried to understand how difficult it must be for Dee.  He didn’t have much to compare it to - only his feelings about Remi’s seemingly uncaring attitude about his job that were tied in with his feelings about Vivienne’s life, and her death.

   “Twice.”

   “Yeah.”

He shakes his head “s… something called h…hyper… hypertrophic c…cardiomyopathy.”

   “I mean, I wouldn’t mind the experience. Maybe I wouldn’t freak out so much next time I run into Agent Pierce.”

   “Yeah.” Dee’s lips twisted into a dispassionate frown. “For now, anyway.”

   “As you can probably tell, this right here is pretty tame as far as tasks go. They haven’t put me on the really intense shit yet.”