A Routine

It became an unspoken thing. Second nature spawned from a joke of sorts. If it could be called that. More of a reflection in regards to past transgressions that one party was more willing to let go of than another. Chase's insistent, truly genuine well-spirited display of remorse became his top priority due to the many snarky comments Julia would sprinkle into any casual conversation. It was unexplainably incandesced to have the ability to do so, uninhibited by unfamiliarity with one's target. Offhandedly remarking how a coffee sourced every day from him was 'a good start'. Julia mentioned it now and again in honest jest to rial him up a bit, a way for her to get a coffee either free or without her labour involved for as long as she could remember to utilize it.

He stuck to it for what was true to his character, with his signature determination for the first week. Nearly every morning where they were to congregate, he had a coffee in hand and diligently supplied any requests for more throughout the day. Comments were made upon every handoff, as well as a gesturing smile and a dramatic bow as if she were royalty thanking him for his services.

Then a month passed, the same pattern continuing forward. The merrily sarcastically attuned comments lessened as well as the normality of the constant event settled in. By the fourth consecutive month, it was a part of the routine well and truly. And by the first-year mark, done without any acknowledgement apart from a casual thank you. Chase had developed a sixth sense as to when she would require a hot beverage. By the end of the second year, followed by Carmen Sandiego's triumphant return to the spotlight, the idea that Chase was subserviently providing her with a never-ending supply of coffee was unquestioned. She hadn't bought herself a coffee more than a hand full of times in nearly three years. And that was only during the odd circumstances where Chase wasn't around to oblige, which surprisingly wasn't often. When Zack and Ivy collectively gifted her a chain coffee shop gift card on her birthday, the thought only then crossed her mind since its beginning. Well, almost on her birthday, a few weeks after but still in the same month, barely. She couldn't hold it against them. They often didn't occupy the same country for long enough these days, their home base situated in Seattle rather than Paris. Part of the blame could also be cast upon Julia, who deliberately refrained from spreading the word of her birthday to anyone, like every year. She had ensured that Chase would swear to secrecy about it. And due to his absolved loyalty, he obliged gladly, if a little disheartened at the notion that he had to reign his enthusiasm in a bit. The mystery wasn't due to her being disjointed with her age, that of which people regularly miss counted bellow, to her vexation. But because a spectacle wasn't something she enjoyed thoroughly. If done right, upwards to once every four-five years, she could tolerate. Any more, made her squirm with discomfort under the spotlight she didn't prepare for. That gesture composed by Devineaux on live TV in Cairo years ago was enough and still within her time allowance for such antics.

''Zack was meant to remind me.''

Ivy hissed, harshly nudging a fidgeting Zack, sending a single fibre of hair to unstick from his gelled style. He bumped her back, pressing his fingers into the back of the seat he held, leaning over it to peer nosily at the card as if seeing it for the first time despite writing in it himself.

''I was busy, Ivy, doing my job.''

He snidely quipped back.

''A- and-of course, you know, thinking of the perfect gift for Ms Argent! My super great ideas take time you know.''

He held out a hand to Julia, who looked up from inspecting the plastic card, glossing over the short handwritten note from each of them inside the card as Ivy scoffed.

''Shut up Zack. You spend half your time prancing 'n doing little cartwheels behind Chief. And neither of us remembered it was until the day after, Player had to prompt us. And you were supposed to tell me after I finished my work in Michigan.''