Love Between Law and Life

Chapter 18: Group talks

               Bobbie knew her face was settled into a grimace if the way Florence was grinning was any indication. The room was bustling and even though it could rival the size of a high-school gymnasium, it still felt a little to crowed for the detective’s tastes. Florence, however, for all she claimed that she hated talking to people, flited through the crowd with ease. She shook hands with some and kept a respectful distance with others.

            The detective would bet her bottom dollar that the psychic was using her abilities to charm the members of the crown one by one. It was done so fluidly that she had to admit that she was a little impressed… and a little jealous. That was a skill useful beyond words, but the tired look already flicking on Florence’s face had her amending her statement fifteen minutes in.

            They were at the mental health session held for the partners taking care of those affected by injury or illness. Their original target was among the crowd but a small thumbs down from the psychic behind her back when she shook hands with him meant that they were stuck back on block one looking for a new trail. They stuck with the group however to check for the possibility that they may be connected to those still missing. Better safe than sorry, Bobbie really didn’t need having the idea that she might have put these people in danger on her conscience.

            “They’re starting in a minute.” Florence slides up to her with the grace of a cat, pulling the detective’s hand out from their fold and interlocking their fingers together. Bobbie tilts her head to show she was listening as she swept the room with her eyes one more time. The psychic takes charge just as two more people walk in, dragging the pair for a place in the odd circle of chairs built and few minutes prior

            “Good morning, my friends.” The late pair took their place at what was considered the ‘head’ of the circle. Bobbie took a good look at them, an older couple linked at the hands. While Bobbie was no psychic like Florence, she was still a detective and her instincts didn’t like the newcomers. The unfortunate thing is that it might be more of a biased decision based on the fact that she hated anything to do with head shrinks and talking about her feelings than an actual bad vibe.

            “It’s good to see all of you again.” The older man was dressed in a loose pants and shirt, his eyes a little difficult to see behind the light reflecting on his glasses. The woman looked a little on the side of frail but a light in her eyes was a little brighter than most – not sickly… just curious. Her hair was brown at the roots, fading into a blond that beautifully suited her golden-brown skin. Florence squeeze her hand, winking at her once the detective pulls her attention to her ‘partner’. Bobbie rolls her eyes but couldn’t help the huff that escapes her mouth as she returns the gesture.

            Captain Akamu, ever the miracle worker, had been able to forge a few documents for them just in time to sign up for the next secession. Florence was posing as someone who had social anxiety to which Bobbie had to learn from talking to Akamu was something that the psychic already had and never talked about. It did explain a lot though, the whole not liking people or wanting to talk to people.

Bobbie had apologised to Florence on the matter the moment the two of them had gotten chance to themselves. She was responsible for dragging her out on cases and making her interact with people but it didn’t make a difference as Florence had waved her off and explained that the social anxiety had more stemmed from the days that she still didn’t quite understand her abilities. When she couldn’t explain to others how she knew something before they told it to her and how she couldn’t differentiate between the living and the dead. When a simple handshake or hug allowed her to see a whole different side of the same world.

She’s also thoroughly explained how she did indeed acquired help for it. Between finally taking the time to amend with her late grandmother and working with Akamu, she’d learnt a lot. For extra measure, the Captain had sent her to a group quite similar to this, for her to get the chance to be around people and really get comfortable. For all Bobbie had been close to the psychic, it felt like she was still learning something new every day with her.

“We would like to introduce two new members today.” The man continues and Bobbie just realises that he was still talking, so much for paying attention. A glance at Florence told her that the man hadn’t talking much beyond greetings and so far he hadn’t said anything that raised red flags so Bobbie leaned back in her seat a little more to look relaxed as people turned to face them with a smile and greeting. “Bobbie and Flo. Would you like to say high?”

“H-hi, I’m Flo and this is – ah – this is my friend Bobbie.” The psychic raises her hand with a nervous smile, and it takes Bobbie a few seconds to realise that she must be replaying her greeting from the first time she’d been to something like this. The detective could see the calm in her eyes that meant that most of this wasn’t much more than an act, but she still squeezes her hand to show that she was right beside her.

“Hello.” Her voice is firm but soft, leaning forward a little so that Florene could pull a little closer to her. The greetings are returned for a minute before the rather large group return their focus back onto the leader or speaker – Bobbie wasn’t quite sure what to call them. They started off with each member announcing their name just to catch them up on their surroundings which was a little fun but Bobbie kept most of her focus on looking for any visible signs that anyone in the group might fit their description.

            Florence shook her foot against the ground in a restless motion, the other one folded under her. She leaned against Bobbie who’d been strangely compliant the entire time. If she didn’t know the detective, she would have said that the poor woman had fallen asleep with her eyes open but anytime she shifted the grip on their hands, Bobbie would tilt her head to show that she was listening if she had anything to say.

            They were both pretty bored, the session was a little long and while it was definitely helpful to anyone listening, the pair were  more used to constant movement – well rather, they preferred it. Bobbie as a detective wasn’t used to keeping still for long unless she was on a stake out and Florence was used to moving back on forth in the bookstore, reorganized anything that might be out of place. Eventually the session did come to an end, but most of the attendees lingered behind to talk freely with each other. Much to the pair’s surprise, the ‘leaders’ stayed back as well.

            The psychic wanted to use that to her advantage. From across the room, there wasn’t much she could pick up aura-wise. It didn’t help with the shear amount of people that were in the room and the amount of talking she’d already done for the morning. She was tired and it wasn’t even lunch yet. Florence did have to give credit to herself however because she was genuinely surprised that her nose hadn’t started bleeding yet.

            She never liked large crowds. Dealing with them in the bookstore was one thing, she had Leo and Kahula there to help her and the bookstore was a familiar place to her but outside was much more different. This felt… different and she had a feeling that it had to do with the solid presence of one Roberta Rhodes.

            “Hello.” She startled a little as the woman leading the group – Keone – walked up to her, holding out an easy hand for her to shake. Bobbie takes it instead, a firm handshake before she smile as nods her head at the other – Dan. “I hope that both of you had a lovely time today.”

            “Yes, it was actually quite enlightening.” Florence couldn’t help a quiet snort of laughter as Bobbie plasters on an innocent smile and finally stands. Surprise flashes across Dan’s face as he takes a step back, the pair just realising how tall Bobbie was. Yea, even when the detective was friendly, her posture could probably tell even a dangerous dog that she was not someone to be messed with. “I believe Florence found it helpful.”

            “I-indeed. It was actually kinda fun.” The psychic decides to give them some mercy, getting to her feet as well and taking Bobbie’s hand, the detective doesn’t even blink an eye as she leans up to the side of her enough that it seems more like she was unconsciously shying away.

            “Well, I am glad to hear that.” Keone smile is even brighter as she takes a causal step back to make a more comfortable distance for them. She tilts her head and kindly, “You’re not from around here?”

            “No, I mean, Flo is, but I’m not.” Bobbie’s voice is soft, but it still seems to have a powerful tint to it and Florence could practically feel it from where she was leaning. As much as she enjoyed not having to deal with people, she was tired and hungry, so she steps out a little to make herself visibly present. “Is there something wrong.”

            “Absolutely not.” Dan shook his head almost vigorously, chuckling a little to dissipate any tense feelings that hadn’t actually made itself present in the air around them. “It’s an honour to have you here.”

            “I believe it’s more of an honour to be here really.” The detective rubs her thumb over the back of Florence’s hand, glancing at her with a smile. “This certainly has been insightful.”

            “Well I’m glad it’s of help.” Keone nods her head, “If we can make your day just a little bit lighter, that’s an achievement for us.”

            “Thank you. For now, however, I think it’s about time we got something to eat.” Bobbie directs the conversation on an entirely different path. They had the answers they came for – with Florence’s slight thumbs down in their linked hands, the pair checked out for no ill intentions and weren’t really on their radar anymore.

            “Of course! Let’s not keep you back.”

            “Well… that was –“

            “For-eve-er.” Florence groaned, slumping lower in the restaurant seat. The place was surprisingly empty, and Florence could probably hug the life out of Bobbie for her ability to beat the lunch rush. They ordered with hardly any enthusiasm, the morning taking any sort of energy they had.

            “Not my words… but true.” Bobbie follows her example, slumping in her seat and stretching her foot under the table to rest on the seat opposite. Florence glanced at it and rolled her eyes, the detective needed a new pair of shoes at some point. As if sensing her thoughts, Bobbie rolled her ankle. “Leave it alone, it’s comfortable.”

            “I wanna hear those words again when your running and your shoes says ‘nope!’ and flies off.”

            “You’re dramatic.”

            “But I’m not wrong.” She says in a factual tone, shrugging her shoulders. Their glares last a few seconds before they dissolve into laughter. Today had been long at it wasn’t even midday yet. Between the Hawaiian heat, the socializing, and the shear amount of time they spent at the session, Florence was ready to sleep for the rest of the week. It was useful information, don’t get her wrong, even in this day at her age, there was a lot of information she could use but it just felt too much like one of those high-school seminars that teachers insisted everyone had to attend.

            Florence could practically hear her stomach rumble as the food finally arrived, the two of them digging in without much ceremony. The table is quiet for a little bit as they settled, content to just listen to the hustle and bustle of the somewhat busy restaurant. Bobbie eventually pulls down her foot and changes her position to lean her elbows on the table. “Pick a topic.”

            “Topic?” The psychic raised her eyebrows, taking a drink out of her glass. “For what?”

            “We’ve only been on work for the most part. I mean, we had the whole beach thing, but haven’t really had chance to talk talk, so I figured now is a pretty good time.” She explained, waving her plastic for emphasis. “This the first time we’re really getting… chance.”

            “Right, ‘cause the first time we got interrupted by the literal dead and then we pretty much fell asleep after the beach lime.” Florence nodded her head sagely before chuckling, they shook their heads. This was the absurdity of their lives. “Fair enough, I could get on that. How about you this time?”

            “Me?”

            “Yea, I mean, you practically know my life story at this point.” Florence shrugged her shoulders. “Pretty normal life till I got hitched at seventeen, disowned, lived homeless for a while, got a job, had a kid and took over a business. Pretty much everything in a nutshell.”

            “… there is still so much to pull out from that statement, I don’t even know where to start.” Bobbie get her an incredulous look with a half-smile, and Florence could practically hear her foot shaking under the table as the detective was probably trying to put together a list of events in her head. “Okay, what do you want to know about me.”

            “Alright… uhhhh - how old were you when you became an officer?”

            “Became an officer? Uh, twenty-two. Started when I was nineteen and became a detective about twenty-six, twenty-seven.” Her eyes were fixed on the ceiling blankly as she tried to recall the dates, her thumb rubbing over the fork in her hand.

            “About five years detective? I’m impressed.”

            “Eh, not much compared to the kind of years some of the other detectives I worked with have racked up.” She shrugs her shoulders so nonchalantly like she wasn’t talking about a career that took her almost seven years to get. “Beside, I don’t really bother with those stuff, it’s the action I like. There’s a different between seeing it on tv and actually being out there.”

            “So, what about now?”

            “Now?”

            “Working in Hawaii and stuff, I bet it’s been completely different.”

            “Definitely.” She laughs, the tone a little sharp but humoured. “The cases are still a little crazy but it’s a little toned down compared to what I’ve seen in Jersey.”

            “Heh, don’t have to tell me that twice.”

            “Rude…” Her face falls contemplative, eyes glancing at Florence for a few seconds before it falls back on her box again.

            “What?”

            “Can I ask?” The psychic raises her eyebrow but when the detective seems to hesitate still, she makes a wave-like motion with her fork. “Your grey hair, what’s the real story behind it?”

            “What, don’t like my ‘got a kid’ story?” She shoots her a cheeky grin at the laugh. Florence lets the expression falls and shrugs her shoulder. “Honestly, just a combination of stress and genetics.”

            “Really?”

            “Yep. My family has this thing on my father’s side where our hair turns white by the time we’re fourteen. It’s usually stronger with the male side but I got it to.” She twists her mouth in thought, rubbing her fingers down the side of her glass. “Some of it at least. My hair started turning grey by fifteen, but it was mostly just strands spread out so you could barely see it. It was definitely there when I left home though, between the stress of a new kid and nowhere to go… it’s not surprising it happened, and it was kind of a benefit, people tended to think you were older so jobs, renting, keeping people from asking questions – that kind of stuff was a little easier to deal with.”

            “And now… do you dye it?”

            “Nah, after a while, it started growing back black. It was like leaving home just set everything back.” Florence shook her head. “Everything turned back black but this one patch, the same patch that my dad started out with when he was fourteen. I don’t know if that is some sort of poetic irony or what.”

            “You never bothered to dye it?”

            “My dad and I… my problem wasn’t with him, surprisingly. He was the one that fought for me… sorta. My mom didn’t want the disgrace, my dad stood up for me, but I make my own decision and left.” She tightens her fingers on the glass, “I guess I couldn’t really forget that. It might have been nothing to him… but in that moment, it meant everything to me.”

            “I’m… glad you at least someone stood up for you.” Florence couldn’t help the small, bitter chuckle.

            “I haven’t told anyone… but my mom… she wanted me to give Kaleo up for adoption.” Bobbie let her fork rest in her box in the way that the psychic knew she was both shocked and giving her entire attention to her. Florence scoffed as she pulled back memories of anger and arguments, “Like she had some choice in the decision. The saddest part was that I agreed for a while.”

            “What… changed?”

            “Three months in… I was on my own and… and it finally registered to me, I had a tiny, innocent life inside me that couldn’t protect itself, it couldn’t make any decisions for itself and it wasn’t fair.” Florence accepts the hand offered to her, curling her fingers around the palm. She was already this far into the story, if she stopped, she’d never finish it. “I put this life there of my own decision, I chose to do this, and I wasn’t going to let this tiny little life suffer for it.”

            “And now?”

            “I don’t regret it; I’ve never regretted it and I never will.” Florence’s eyes are a little wet, but her smile is true as she meets Bobbie’s brave gaze.

            “To love?” The detective takes her free hand to hold up her drink in cheers, beaming at the wet chuckled that visibly bleeds the tension out of Florence’s shoulders.

            “To love.”