careful days

part 5

 After adjusting to make sure you're both inside the frame, you scrunch your nose at the camera and take the photo. You giggle, sending it to Frank with a Surprise!! text.

 Diane shakes her head kindly. "He's gonna be so mad."

 Your tiny spoon prods your coffee gelato as you place the phone face down. "Let him be mad." Dick.

 "Thanks for asking me to come." She smiles, hugging her knees closer to her chest and tapping her boots on the dark cobblestone. "I'm surprised you thought of me."

 You poke her. "We're practically sisters-in-law."

 "When's Frank proposing?" she teases.

 You lean on her shoulder, sighing. "This whole thing went too far, huh?"

 "No shit."

 "We're ridiculous." You grimace. "I'm sorry for taking you down with us."

 "Even if it blows up, it'll be worth it." She grins, lifting a scoop of half-melted chocolate to her lips. "Would love to see the dumbfounded look on her face."

 You stand, offering a hand for her to join you. Diane grins, her light eyes reflecting the yellow lamps illuminating the street.

 "It's been a long time since I've done anything like this," she murmurs. "Almost all my vacations end up being related to research."

 You shrug happily. "This is my work trip, Adler, you're only here to enjoy the ride."

 She hums. "Are you nervous for the interview?"

 "Nope," you reply breezily. "Nothing to lose, everything to gain."

 You know you'll regret the caffeinated dessert in your tummy tonight, already seeing yourself tossing and turning, desperately willing your muscles to relax enough for you to sleep, pleading for your brain to stop obsessively rehearsing the responses to the interview questions they'll ask you tomorrow morning.

 She glances to the ground, syncing your strides. "Do you really think you'll be more satisfied somewhere else?"

 "Worth a shot, isn't it?" You stuff another spoonful inside your mouth, savoring the richness dissolving on your tongue. "Have you ever thought about leaving?"

 Diane chuckles, scratching her head. "All the time."

 That surprises you. "Why don't you?" When she shrugs, you nudge her side. "You're a million times smarter than me, Miss MIT. You could go anywhere."

 "A million is an exaggeration," she replies coyly.

 "Don't do the math thing with me." You pause. "You could get away. From all the drama."

 Her smile is faint. "I'm afraid, wherever I go, my problems will follow." Diane folds her arms, her cup of gelato tucked inside her elbow.

 Unsure of how to respond, you nod, then raise your face to the cold sky.

 You think about Frank and his early fascination with space. How astronomers have to leave telescope lenses open and upward for days to let all that thousands-year-old light in.

 "What do you even like about Europe, anyway?" Frank had asked once.

 "It's just different," you replied. "It's not here."

 So you widen your eyes, absorbing it while you can: the tidy storefronts, the wide streets designed for slow-paced pedestrians, the warm glow spilling from the windows above as people finally settle for the night.