Are You Locked Up in a World That's Been Planned Out for You?
Chapter six
“I’m so glad you could make it to see me this weekend.” Lennie said to Jessica, as he let her go.
“Yeah well, Emma comes to visit Horatio all the time so I thought I’d take a leaf out of her book.” Jessica said to Lennie, motioning over at me and he then realised I was in the room.
“Oh hi Emma, how are you?” Lennie asked me, as he wrapped an arm around his daughter.
“Good thanks, how are you?” I asked, my cheeks brightening as I suddenly felt like I was intruding on their family moments.
Jessica only saw Lennie once every two weeks, and she never came to the precinct to visit him. I saw my dad every day, and came to the precinct a lot to see him. I guess I didn’t realise how special this moment would be for them both as it was something I did regularly. I now felt a bit out of place, even though we were in a public area.
“I’m not too bad thanks. It feels good to be finishing on a Friday afternoon with the case now in the DA’s hands.” Lennie replied, to which I only sent a smile as my reply.
“Is it okay if we drive Emma home? It’s really cold, and I did make her accompany me to the station.” Jessica asked her father.
“Of course it is. I made dinner reservations at that restaurant in Brooklyn you always loved as a kid. Julia is also coming with Jacob and Alexandra, but unfortunately Cathy couldn’t make it. The reservation isn’t for a while though, we shouldn’t be too short on time.” Lennie said to Jessica, adding a smile at the end as he looked over at me.
I immediately felt even worse. One of the reasons Jessica and I bonded so well (Aside from the fact that our fathers used to be partners) was because both of our families were dysfunctional if you will. My dad had just turned nineteen when I was born, and was just a patrol cop. My mother died shortly after I was born, so I grew up without a mother figure.
Jessica’s story is a lot more complicated though. Lennie is a recovered alcoholic, however his alcohol problems is what caused his two divorces. In his first marriage he had two children, Julia and Cathy who are quite a bit older than Jessica, with Julia being married to a guy called Jacob and they had a daughter named Alexandra. Due to his alcohol problems Lennie didn’t have much to do with Julia and Cathy growing up, and as adults their relationship was strained. As Lennie started recovering when Jessica was quite young, he got to form a bond with her as a child. Out of his three children him and Jessica were the closest. Jessica wasn’t too close with her half sisters, but she was closer to Julia than she was with Cathy, Cathy was a meth junkie who was in and out of rehab a lot.
Which is why I felt really guilty when Lennie is offering to drive me home. It’s so rare for them to have a family outing, why should I hold them up just so I can get home? I could always walk or get the subway, it’s not like I was stranded.
“No, don’t be silly. Besides it would be good to walk. I still have to exercise some of that Christmas baggage off.” I weakly smiled, hoping they’d fall for it.
“The only thing silly would be you walking home in this weather. Really, we don’t mind.” Lennie argued.
I opened my mouth to continue protesting; however before I could say anything Mike spoke up. I had completely forgotten he was with us, and started to feel a bit more at ease as I felt a bit less intrusive.
“Don’t worry about it Lennie, I’ll drive her home. I remember where she lives and I’m going that way anyway.” Mike said to Lennie.
“Are you sure Mike? It’s no big deal either way.” Lennie said to Mike.
“I can walk guys, really. It’s not like it even takes that long…” I replied, feeling grateful that Mike would offer to drive me, but feeling a little uncomfortable that they were treating me like a five year old and almost talking like I wasn’t there.
“Awww cute, she’s thinking she has a choice in the matter. Besides Emma you can’t walk, your skirt is too short. You’ll freeze.’ Mike stated.
A few things happened after this statement. I rolled my eyes at the way he addressed me and spoke once again like I was a five year old. I also automatically pulled my skirt down, and mentally scolded my father for bringing it up in front of Lennie and Mike, I was never going to live this down. Jessica also shot me a look, but I couldn’t exactly pinpoint what look she was going for.
“Let’s go.” I mumbled, gripping my schoolbag slung over my one shoulder tighter as I couldn’t decide what emotion to feel, or how to react.
***
I was nervously drumming my fingers on the car door on the ride to my house. Saying it was awkward would be understatement of the year.
I had no idea what to talk about. I had no idea who he was, other than he was a detective, he had a cop father, and he for some reason was driving near my building originally, or so he says.
Let’s see what conversations could arise from that. “What case are you working on right now?” Whilst some detectives absolutely love bragging about how intelligent they think they are, most detectives don’t like talking about work outside of work. Even my father, the kindest man in New York City keeps tight lipped about his cases to everybody except me, afraid of jeopardising the case he’s working on. “How’s your family going?” Quite rude to ask as I don’t know Mike personally per say, and the same would be said about me asking about where he was going tonight.
So I was wracking my brains out trying to think of a topic to talk about. I didn’t expect Mike to start the conversations because why should he, and I’m sure any conversation led by him would be patronising.
“Yeah well, Emma comes to visit Horatio all the time so I thought I’d take a leaf out of her book.” Jessica said to Lennie, motioning over at me and he then realised I was in the room.
“Oh hi Emma, how are you?” Lennie asked me, as he wrapped an arm around his daughter.
“Good thanks, how are you?” I asked, my cheeks brightening as I suddenly felt like I was intruding on their family moments.
Jessica only saw Lennie once every two weeks, and she never came to the precinct to visit him. I saw my dad every day, and came to the precinct a lot to see him. I guess I didn’t realise how special this moment would be for them both as it was something I did regularly. I now felt a bit out of place, even though we were in a public area.
“I’m not too bad thanks. It feels good to be finishing on a Friday afternoon with the case now in the DA’s hands.” Lennie replied, to which I only sent a smile as my reply.
“Is it okay if we drive Emma home? It’s really cold, and I did make her accompany me to the station.” Jessica asked her father.
“Of course it is. I made dinner reservations at that restaurant in Brooklyn you always loved as a kid. Julia is also coming with Jacob and Alexandra, but unfortunately Cathy couldn’t make it. The reservation isn’t for a while though, we shouldn’t be too short on time.” Lennie said to Jessica, adding a smile at the end as he looked over at me.
I immediately felt even worse. One of the reasons Jessica and I bonded so well (Aside from the fact that our fathers used to be partners) was because both of our families were dysfunctional if you will. My dad had just turned nineteen when I was born, and was just a patrol cop. My mother died shortly after I was born, so I grew up without a mother figure.
Jessica’s story is a lot more complicated though. Lennie is a recovered alcoholic, however his alcohol problems is what caused his two divorces. In his first marriage he had two children, Julia and Cathy who are quite a bit older than Jessica, with Julia being married to a guy called Jacob and they had a daughter named Alexandra. Due to his alcohol problems Lennie didn’t have much to do with Julia and Cathy growing up, and as adults their relationship was strained. As Lennie started recovering when Jessica was quite young, he got to form a bond with her as a child. Out of his three children him and Jessica were the closest. Jessica wasn’t too close with her half sisters, but she was closer to Julia than she was with Cathy, Cathy was a meth junkie who was in and out of rehab a lot.
Which is why I felt really guilty when Lennie is offering to drive me home. It’s so rare for them to have a family outing, why should I hold them up just so I can get home? I could always walk or get the subway, it’s not like I was stranded.
“No, don’t be silly. Besides it would be good to walk. I still have to exercise some of that Christmas baggage off.” I weakly smiled, hoping they’d fall for it.
“The only thing silly would be you walking home in this weather. Really, we don’t mind.” Lennie argued.
I opened my mouth to continue protesting; however before I could say anything Mike spoke up. I had completely forgotten he was with us, and started to feel a bit more at ease as I felt a bit less intrusive.
“Don’t worry about it Lennie, I’ll drive her home. I remember where she lives and I’m going that way anyway.” Mike said to Lennie.
“Are you sure Mike? It’s no big deal either way.” Lennie said to Mike.
“I can walk guys, really. It’s not like it even takes that long…” I replied, feeling grateful that Mike would offer to drive me, but feeling a little uncomfortable that they were treating me like a five year old and almost talking like I wasn’t there.
“Awww cute, she’s thinking she has a choice in the matter. Besides Emma you can’t walk, your skirt is too short. You’ll freeze.’ Mike stated.
A few things happened after this statement. I rolled my eyes at the way he addressed me and spoke once again like I was a five year old. I also automatically pulled my skirt down, and mentally scolded my father for bringing it up in front of Lennie and Mike, I was never going to live this down. Jessica also shot me a look, but I couldn’t exactly pinpoint what look she was going for.
“Let’s go.” I mumbled, gripping my schoolbag slung over my one shoulder tighter as I couldn’t decide what emotion to feel, or how to react.
***
I was nervously drumming my fingers on the car door on the ride to my house. Saying it was awkward would be understatement of the year.
I had no idea what to talk about. I had no idea who he was, other than he was a detective, he had a cop father, and he for some reason was driving near my building originally, or so he says.
Let’s see what conversations could arise from that. “What case are you working on right now?” Whilst some detectives absolutely love bragging about how intelligent they think they are, most detectives don’t like talking about work outside of work. Even my father, the kindest man in New York City keeps tight lipped about his cases to everybody except me, afraid of jeopardising the case he’s working on. “How’s your family going?” Quite rude to ask as I don’t know Mike personally per say, and the same would be said about me asking about where he was going tonight.
So I was wracking my brains out trying to think of a topic to talk about. I didn’t expect Mike to start the conversations because why should he, and I’m sure any conversation led by him would be patronising.