Sunday Surprises

Odd comfort

//Hoii once again I haven't proof read or edited this part yet lol enjoy tho//

As cocky as Sunday's exit of the dinner party was, the truth was that she didn't really have any 'plans,' she just couldn't let Hotch have the knowledge that she had in fact gotten dressed up for the dinner party, assuming she would be invited down eventually when Hotch needed help in the kitchen but not expecting her own bubble of anger at his yelling up the stairs for her to make her storm out of her room, forgetting she was 'dressed to impress' as he subtly pointed out.

It was lucky for her bruised ego that Sunday could think fast when it came to lies, a skill coming from her time working with constant unanswerable questions from pre-schoolers.

The uber pulling into the driveway happened to just be a lucky coincidence from a complication with Rossi's card in the very uber he used to get to Hotch's house, the driver coming back to correct the payment and instead getting a half-desperate woman begging him to make sure she looked 'cool.'

The promise of a hefty tip and a delightful conversation convinced the humorous man to drive her around the block a few times before dropping her off at the nearest open late-night bodega.

"Have a lovely night Carlos- remember to download that 'call Santa' app, it's a lifesaver for kid's meltdowns" Sunday left the car with a warm smile to the man who even after a simple 30 minute drive seemed to share his entire life story with the quiet woman who nodded and smiled simply with the occasional comment that showed how intensely she had been listening.

"Goodnight Miss, you want me to come back in an hour to drive you back? I can give you a kiss goodnight for that gentleman watching you leave before?" The well-meaning man called out, making Sunday laugh at his smile.

"Thank you Carlos that's a lovely offer but I'll walk back, you get back to the wife before the kids take the roof off the apartment."

The man momentarily returned her chuckle before frowning, "you're going to walk back?"

"Yeah it's not that far I don't think, and I've got maps on my phone-"

"No, no, do not walk back around here Miss" he shook his head, "you're too pretty and nice for that, I know the men of this neighbourhood; they're no good."

"I've dealt with 'no good' men before Carlos, I assure you" she chuckled, glancing down as her phone buzzed with a message before looking back to his concerned face, "I'll be fine, I promise."

"I don't like this idea of yours, but I've never doubted a woman before and I never will" the thick accented man nodded, "you be safe, yes?"

"I'll be safe, thank you" she smiled, turning towards the bodega as the car drove off.

"Okay, around two hours to kill in a small bodega before walking back alone purely to avoid the embarrassment of admitting you presumed you would be invited to a dinner party you, in hindsight, had no real reason to attend" Sunday spoke to herself with a nod, wrapping the thin fabric of her cardigan tighter before walking into the store that was used to late night visits from doormen and police officers, not elementary school teachers full of stubborn embarrassment.

Sunday stayed in that sketchy bodega for exactly nine minutes nursing a hastily made hot chocolate before the glares from the two Russian men running the 'cafe' that almost no one sat down in got too much, leaving a small tip out of in-built politeness that was not returned with a 'goodbye' as she left onto the street, trying to figure out what to do.

She sat on the curb down the road for a while before being mistaken for a prostitute one too many times, deciding to 'take in the neighbourhood' at night with a very late evening stroll, as one does.