Guarded Hearts and Broken Wings || S.R.

8 - Cigars and Triggers

Two hours before

Reid was incredibly antsy as they finished the closing details of their case on Friday. Morgan had learned to shrug off the impressive speed with which Reid did paperwork but today seemed even faster.

"Hey pretty boy. What's got you working so fast?"

"I have tickets to a back-to-back showing of Othello and King Lear tonight and I don't want to miss the first show. It's a really interesting choice to put these two plays together because of their comments on the feminine. You see--"

"Okay, okay. I'm sorry I asked."

Reid lied with a perfect poker face and topped it off with a prepared rambling. He knew that if he rambled then Morgan would not want to hear any more about his weekend. It worked perfectly, and he couldn't help but smirk to himself when Morgan turned away.

Unfortunately, Reid's speedy work was not enough. As they began to board the plane, Reid checked his watch in dismay. By the time they arrived back in Quantico, he left work, got ready for the auction, then arrived at the auction itself, he would be arriving nearly four hours past the start time. He highly doubted the event would continue that late into the night. He was not going to make it. And so, he excused himself to the bathroom as discreetly as he could and scrolled to her number.

"Mel, hi." He said as quietly as he could without it being a whisper. "I'm so sorry, Mel. We couldn't get our case finished fast enough. We are just now getting on the plane.-- I know. I really was so excited. -- You'll have an incredible time. You're going to blow them away. I will be anxiously awaiting all the details tomorrow morning.-- Alright we're getting on the plane now, so I have to go." He hung up the phone and sighed loudly as his gaze lingered on her contact name.

Back in Virginia, Marcie timidly watched Mel's phone conversation, sitting in front of her with a mascara wand in hand and her chef uniform already on. At first, her eyes lit up and she excitedly grabbed Mel's knee. It quickly went limp though and fell off her knee as the conversation ensued.

"Hi Spencer! -- Oh, I'm really sorry to hear that. -- And I was excited to have someone there. -- Yeah, hopefully I will have lots to tell. -- Okay, have a good flight. Thanks for calling. See you tomorrow."

She slowly set her phone down next to her and refused to look back up.

"He's not coming?" Marcie asked sympathetically.

"They just now finished their case. The flight will be back too late."

"Well... he has a good excuse at least. He wants to be here."

"Yeah."

"We'll just have to doll you up Saturday morning too so he can see you in all your glory."

Mel scoffed and rolled her eyes, but she could not lie that she had been excited to see his face when he saw her. Plus, seeing him in a tux would have been a treat.

"Are you sure you don't want me to come?" Marcie sympathetically asked.

"Marcie, you've been anxious nearly every night you've worked this month waiting for that critic to show. It would be my luck that they would come tonight, and I would feel awful if you missed it."

"Yeah but this is big!"

"And so is yours." Mel patted Marcie's knee. "I'll tell you all about it when I get back. Hopefully, there will be others."

Marcie just sighed and leaned forward to continue doing Mel's makeup. "I'll just have to embarrass you double time during the next one."

Mel smirked despite her best attempts to keep her face still.