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Tapeesa stared at the box that I was holding out to her. The red and gold wrapping paper sparkled in the overhead lights as the large bow on top almost covered the box completely. Staring at it suspiciously, she lifted her blue eyes to look up at me again.
“For me?” the woman asked as she looked down at the box again. “But I nothing for the Eve.”
I shook my head, smiling. “I don’t expect anything from you, Tapessa. This is a gift for you.”
“Why?”
Smiling, I looked at the box and then at Tapessa that stood half my size. “Because I want to. That’s the point of the holiday season is to give gifts to our friends and people we care about or love for no reason at all. And I know how much you would enjoy this so…” I held out the box to her. “I got it for you.”
She reached out and took the box from me. Tugging on the bow, she began to work at tearing the paper. Not really tearing it but more like carefully pulling at the tape to not rip the paper. She took her time opening it until she found the package inside. I didn’t think her eyes could get any larger that they already are.
“For me?” she repeated. “Really?”
I chuckled. “Sure. I mean, if you don’t want it…” I said reaching out to take it from her.
“Yes!” she screamed, wrapping her arms around the box of chocolates. She held it tight against her chest, a wide smile on her face as she looked up at me. “Thank you, Eve.”
“You’re welcome, Tapessa,” I said before she took my hand. The cold sensation that I experience every time she touches me still blows my mind. I’ve gotten so used to it now that I don’t shiver any more but it’s still a shock sometimes. “I hope you enjoy them. There’s milk and dark chocolate.”
“The darkness of the chocolates. They are the goodest of all kinds,” she said.
I leaned forward to hug her. “You’re welcome. Happy Holidays, Tapessa.”
“Yes, yes,” she said, returning the hug and then walking away as she took a chocolate out of the box.
I could hear her making noises as she walked away causing me to smile. Wrapping my arms around my chest, it felt good to make her happy. I’ve been bringing her chocolate off and on since I met her after Bobby got sick and was here at the facility. But I don’t get here enough now that Bravo was in Wayhaven.
Tapessa was the last of the boxes that I had to drop off before I went to meet with my mother. I really didn’t want to be here. My mother and I still don’t have the best of relationships even before all of this started. My mother was always one of those SOHO mom’s. Special Occasion/Holiday Only. She’d pop in for a day or two for whatever it was – holiday, graduation, psycho vampire killing people in my town – and then she’d be gone again. Even after Murphy and dropping Bravo in my lap, I still didn’t see her much but it was a hell of a lot more than I used to.
“Eve,” I heard from behind me.
And there she was, Agent Rebecca Martin in all her glory. Gray pantsuit, white blouse and painfully high four-inch spiked heels. I can barely walk in two-inch heels much less four. I’d be breaking my ankle if I wore those things. And that suit…nope. I like my jeans, t-shirts and boots.
“Mom,” I said, trying my best to keep the smile on my face as I looked at her. “How’s it going?”
“Busy, but good,” she said as she stepped up in front of me. “And you? The mayor said you’ve been putting in quite a bit of overtime with preparations for the winter ball.”
I shrugged as I tugged at the sleeve of my sweater. The sleeves were too long but I love the horrendous thing that it was. A large llama on the front of the multicolored sweater that read “Fa la la la llama” on it in blinking lights. As soon as I saw it I had to get Felix one, too.
“Yeah,” I said, folding my arms across my chest and then lifting my hand to scratch the side of my head. “Just making sure that there’s no problems. Not that I’m expecting any. It’s usually pretty boring. The biggest thing is keeping Bobby under control and making sure he’s not harassing everyone with questions.”
The look on my mother’s face was priceless. The only time I’ve seen that look is when Mason and I was crawling around in that sewer looking for a supernatural that was causing havoc beneath the streets of Wayhaven not to mention the plumbing. My mother has no love for Bobby Marks then again, I don’t either.
“Walk with me to the office,” she said as she lifted her hand to motion towards the hallway behind me. “We’ll talk along the way.”
I nodded. “Sure.”
We walked together down the hallway until we reached her office. Opening the door, my mother stepped to the side to let me in first before she followed me inside.
“How have things been going?” she asked as she walked around me to move closer to her desk. “I haven’t had a chance to speak to you for a couple of weeks.”
I placed my hands on the chair in front of her desk and leaned forward against it. “Good, I guess. Criminals seem to be staying inside more. Tina thinks that the weather is the big cause of it however Douglas feels that even criminals take a vacation during the holidays. Seriously, I think they both may be right about it. Then again, there’s a full moon coming up too so who knows what kind of weird shit will be happening for New Year’s Eve.”
Pulling her chair from her desk, she laughed. It was barely noticeable and if I hadn’t been watching her as closely as I was, I probably would have missed it. My mother has never showed much emotion for as long as I can remember. Doesn’t matter the occasion or whatever is going on she’s always expressionless and very hard to read.
“Your father believed the same thing,” she said, looking across her desk at me. “He used to look at the calendar to check the moon or the weather.”
“Was that before or after he became liaison?” I asked.
She inhaled deeply, slowly blowing it out as she sat down. “Both. Rook did it more often afterwards.”
I never pressured my mother to talk to me about my dad after I found out that my father was part of this world as well. I would love to know more about my father other than the few little things she lets out or Captain Sung’s random comments about him. Mayor Friedman apparently didn’t think much of my father because he made one comment that I might have said a couple of things that I probably should have been fired for. If it wasn’t for the captain I would have.
“Guess I got it from him, huh?”
“Very possible,” she said as she looked up at me. “Too many variables for me to follow his reasoning. All people on the first line – fire, EMS, police – all have theories about things they can’t explain.”
I nodded my head slowly. “I guess after working with the supernatural for as long as you have, superstitions are just that, isn’t it?”
She leaned back in her chair as she looked at me. “I guess you’re right. I really haven’t thought about it. I’ve never been a superstitious person.”
“I can’t help it,” I said, shrugging. I walked around the chair and dropped down on it. “It’s the job. Although, the guys keep telling me that every time I have one of those weird feelings that it’s probably more to it that just superstitions.”
“They’re probably right.” She picked up a file that was on her desk, opening the file she began to look at it. “You should trust their knowledge. They’re very intuitive when it comes to such matters.”
I just leaned back in the chair, kicked my feet out in front of me and crossed them. Drumming my fingers on the armrest, I sat there waiting for her to say something as to why I’m here. She’s the one that invited me here to meet. My mother just kept reading from the file in front of her in silence.
“You should sit up straight. Less tension on the back,” she said, keeping her eyes on the file.
Scoffing, I pushed myself up so I could sit straight. “You invited me here for proper posture?”
“No,” she said, shaking her head. She lifted her eyes and stared across her desk at me. “I invited you here to see how you were doing. We missed our last two meetings because of work either yours or mine.”
Nodding, I ran a hand through my hair, pushing it back. There’s no denying that my mom was my mom because we had the same hair color but mine is wavy like my dad’s. I have his hazel eyes where my mom’s are brown. I have her naturally tanned skin where dad was a bit lighter skinned than us. Personality I guess I’m more like dad from what I’ve heard.
“It’s been crazy, that’s for sure,” I said, scratching the side of my head. “The mayor is keeping me busy, so is the captain. That’s not even counting what the Agency dumps on me from time to time.” I sighed, shaking my head. “I have two full times jobs that I’m juggling. I’m burning my candle at both ends and it’s catching up.”
She sat the papers she was holding down and stood up. Walking around her desk, she sat down on the chair beside mine. I watched as she hesitated to reach out to place a hand on my forearm but stopped herself. She’s trying, I get that but I still struggle with it all. She had always been a part-time mom and now she wants to make up for it.
“I know that this is not easy for you,” she said, folding her hands on her lap as she looked at me. “I know I’ve asked you before if you would reconsider your decision and you said you wouldn’t. You’re committed to both jobs more than any other I’ve ever seen in my career. Being human in this world is not an easy one.”
“No, it is not,” I replied, smiling. “Nothing the academy or college prepared me for this.”
She smiled, nodding her head. “It is a rather on-the-job isn’t it?”
I turned on the chair to face her better. “I’m sure it doesn’t get easier, I get that. But do you ever find yourself just saying what the fu – “
The knock on the door and it opening stopped me from saying what I was going to say.
“Agent Martin?”
We both turned to find Adam standing in the doorway. He straightened himself, bringing himself fully upright as he looked at both of us sitting there.
“Uh…excuse me,” he said, dropping his hands down to his sides.
I could watch as his fingers curled into fists. The muscles in his neck tensing.
Mom started to stand and I did the same. Shoving my hands into the pockets of my jeans, I watched my mother smooth out her slacks and tug at her suit jacket as she looked at Adam.
“I was told you were alone. I apologize for disturbing you,” Adam said as he turned from me to my mother.
“You’re just in time actually, Commanding Agent,” my mother said as she moved back around her desk. “Please come in and shut the door behind you.”
Adam nodded as he stepped into the office and moved to the chair that she had previously occupied. I had a lopsided grin on my face when he looked at my ugly Christmas sweater, roll his eyes and turn away. I knew if anyone wouldn’t appreciate it, it had to be Adam.
“Please, both of you have a seat,” she said, waving a hand in our direction. Waiting until we sat down, she pulled her chair out again and sat down. “As you know, Evelyn has been working on security detail for the mayor’s end of the year ball. With increased concern from the mayor as well as Captain Sung, the Agency is going to assist with security.”
“Bravo is going to assist? Or take over?”
She shook her head. “Assist,” she answered. Turning to look at Adam, she stared at him. “Bravo will be following Evelyn’s lead. She has been working this detail for several years and knows all of the ins and outs of it.”
She stared at Adam for a moment, waiting for him to respond. I couldn’t keep myself for turning to face him. I had to see how he was reacting to her orders. When I turned to face him, I found him looking back at me. Those green eyes were making me melt in the middle of my mother’s office and I really didn’t want that to happen. I know my mother knows that Adam had told her that he loved me but I don’t know how much she knew after that.
“Will that be a problem, Commanding Agent du Mortain? Following Detective Martin’s lead?”
His head slowly moved in a shake. “No, ma’am. Detective Martin will run point and we will follow her lead,” he said as he stared at me.
I have never seen him relinquish lead for anyone. Not even Lesedi when Unit Alpha is in the lead. I seriously thought I was going to fall out of my chair. My head spun around to face my mother when I heard her clear her throat.
“Good,” she said. She looked at both of us before closing the file. “I know you have appropriate clothing as does Bravo. Eve, dear. You’ll need to make sure you find something to wear.”
“I’m usually in uniform.”
She pressed her hands against the desktop and stood up. “Not this year you won’t.
I stood up and nodded. “If I have to.”
“Yes, you do,” she said, smiling.
Glancing down at my watch, I sighed. “I got to get back to town. I’m covering for Tina for the night shift because she’s not feeling well.”
“Coffee in the morning?” my mother asked.
I found myself nodding. “Sure.”
“Good. Until then.”
I turned and gave Adam a slight nod and a smile. He’s still not a fan of the PDA so I don’t push it even though I really want to just grab his collar and kiss him really bad right now.
“Commanding Agent,” I said before walking away.
“Detective,” he said.
I could feel his eyes still on me as I walked out of the office. This dance was going to be interesting especially if I’m going to have to dress up for it. But if it keeps the mayor off my ass then I guess I’ll go shopping. And the thought of Adam in a tux really does make this even better.