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“Nuh uh you did not just say that!” She was glad to have reason to tease Joe, and get onto a lighter subject. “Banana Nutella Shortstack is clearly the best thing on the menu.” 

Making Burgers and Making Amends//Deirdre and Joe

Joe was ready to extend his arm in a thoughtful reach, and share more kind reassuring words to his new friend. But some new information derailed his train of thought. “There’s a Pancake City here? Dude the one back in Bayport closed down last year and I’ve been missing their Super Strawberry Stackers. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I’m passing up on a cheesburger for my next lunch break.”

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Deirdre had to pause second at Joe’s words. Had everything she was doing been just superficial? This was going to be harder than she though. Then again, no one said taking the high road was an easy drive, but in the end it was probably worth it. “Yeah I guess I never really thought of it that way. You’re a surprisingly insightful person, I’m glad I came here, instead of Pancake City.” She said with a breezy laugh, not wanting to make Joe uncomfortable with how quickly things had turned. 

Making Burgers and Making Amends//Deirdre and Joe

The subject matter turned serious, so Joe did his best to pay attention. Growing up, he knew kids like Deirdre, families like Deirdre’s. The kind that bails out of life lessons and never fixes anything, only makes the problems last longer. Joe’s father Fenton was never like that with them. He always made sure that if either of his sons had done a wrong, they did what they needed to do to make it right, and then some. As much as Joe hated it at times, it built good character, and ultimately shaped his view on justice works.

He thought of the best advice he could share with Deirdre, someone who was trying but had no idea where to start. “If you want be a good person, do good deeds beyond doing what’s right. Making amends is one thing, but taking it a step further and doing more positive things than you’ve ever done wrong is even better. Trust me.”

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Well than I am counting on you to fill me in on how uh-mazing it is. Promise to send a post card to us little people when you’re there? [she laughed lightly]

It’s just another place for me to go. [he chuckled] I’ll get there someday. I’ll never get bored of the feeling that I get when I’m in a new place.

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Joe’s visible reaction to her nerdy side had Deirdre in high spirits. The more she talked with people and opened up, the more she was learning about herself. Turns out she liked surprising people. 

“Um... honestly,” She drew back into herself a bit embarrassed, and focused on her drink in front of her, “the only charity work I’ve done was court mandated...nothing serious!” She added with haste, not wanting Joe to think she was a criminal. “I’m just an awful driver. Too many tickets, and I had my license revoked. My father called in a favor from the judge, so I got my license back and just had 30 hours of community service.” She kept her tone light and nonchalant, but realized again, just how much her father had controlled in Deirdre’s life. She was never forced to clean up her own messes, which probably wasn’t a good thing.

Making Burgers and Making Amends//Deirdre and Joe

Joe’s face lit up at the geeky joke, like he had discovered yet another layer of the complicated person known as Deirdre Shannon. And for the first time he wasn’t the one to bring up spandex in a conversation. Things were going both of their ways it seemed. “So hey, you want to give back to the town right? Right your wrongs? Redeem yourself in the eyes of the populace? Have you thought about charity work?”

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Wow a place you haven’t been too? Mr. Carter, I thought you were traveler extraordinaire! [mockingly appalled] And here I am putting the fate of my worldly knowledge in your hands.  

Paris is a gorgeous city. I have to say that the best way to experience Paris is to live there like a true Parisian. [he smiles] I’m sure it is. I’ve never been to India but I know of Holi – I’m sure that it would be beautiful. 

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Deirdre forced out a laugh and tried to keep her tone light. She had expected a slippery slope earning Nancy’s trust but the constant questioning and skepticism was difficult to swallow. 

“Really Nancy, nothing. No sending you to Guam, no tar and feathering, and no trap doors to a snake pit, or any other off the cuff schemes you can think of. Just some shopping and a lunch out as friends, on my dad’s credit.” Deirdre added with a wink. A good way to any reasonable humans heart, she had learned, was food, and her dad wouldn’t miss a couple hundred bucks from his checking account. 

Giving It A Chance// Deirdre and Nancy

Nancy’s skeptical expression grew, but she didn’t comment on Deirdre’s little slip up. For whatever reason, she got the feeling that she was actually trying, scrambling to patch up the ‘mom jeans’ comment as quickly as she spoke it.

“Sure.” She replied haltingly. What harm could really come from it? If she started getting up to her old tricks and threw not-so-subtle digs at Nancy, it wasn’t as if she couldn’t just up and head home. And though Deirdre did know just how to irritate Nancy at any given time, she didn’t have the capacity for kidnapping or bludgeoning, and was therefore better than some half of the company Nancy had kept in the past. Plus, it was true that her clothes were slightly worse for wear after wearing the same things for years, and she could only get so much life out of the same threadbare shirts and jeans. “You sure this isn’t some elaborate trap to lure me away from Ned and drop me off outside city limits?”

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Deirdre blinked, a bit stunned when handed the piece of paper. She hadn’t expected, after the way the day had started, that she would end it on such a good note. Charlotte was slowly becoming a person Deirdre genuinely liked being around. It had turned into a surprisingly pleasant night. 

“Thanks, a phone works two ways though, so hit me up whenever. I work down at the mall, so anytime you want to hang out I’m probably there. I’ll see you around.” She stepped out of the sedan and headed up her steps leading to the porch. She turned over her shoulder and waved back at Charlotte. 

“I mean, it’s only like my second day, so I haven’t really formed any new habits yet, but no, I can’t say I’ve ever done this before” Charlotte commented, as she started the car. 

Deirdre instructed her how to get to her house, and when they arrived, Charlotte parked in front of the elegant house.

“Wait, one thing” she said, before Deirdre could get out of the car. She rummaged through her purse for a second, then scribbled something down on a scrap of paper she found, “if you ever need anything, give me a call. Goodnight Deirdre.” she said with a smile and a small wave

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“You know I would look great in purple spandex. I would need a power though. Have some radioactive spiders by any chance?” Deirdre had babysat kids while she was in high school who were huge comic nerds, and still had a plethora of superhero facts stuck in her brain. Unfortunately she didn’t think superhero-ing would really make a payable career.

Making Burgers and Making Amends//Deirdre and Joe

“The people who want to be crime solvers, and don’t want to do paperwork, are called superheroes.” Joe teased, enjoying the lighthearted conversation. He had heard Deirdre’s ill-willed sarcasm before. The friendly jokes were a welcomed discovery. “You could be River Height’s masked vigilante, a step ahead of criminals everywhere.”

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It might sound super cliche, but I’ve always wanted to go to Paris. But not just see it, but live it. Find a favorite cafe, get groceries from fresh markets on the weekends, get fresh baguettes from a boulangerie, and all that stereotypical movie stuff. I’d also love to go India during Holi, it’s supposed to be beautiful. 

Is that right? That’s a shame. You have to travel, no excuses. I’ll make certain that you do, even if I take you around the world myself. Where have you always wanted to go?

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“Yeah well I don’t know how long I’ll be in the business... I’ve learned I don’t really have the patience for paperwork, which is apparently a big part of police work. Lame right?” Deirdre jokingly rolled her eyes. 

Making Burgers and Making Amends//Deirdre and Joe

“Yeah I’ve been called that once or twice.” Joe smirked. His optimism was arguably his strongest characteristic, his father Fenton often telling him he was a splitting image of his mother Laura, right down to way she always made everyone smile. “And crime-solving is fun, but I don’t know if I can make a living off of it. I heard that you’re studying criminology though, which makes you a step ahead of me in that career path.”

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Deirdre followed Charlotte out the door and through the parking lot cringing momentarily at the sudden chill. Following her to the car, Deirdre tried to make conversation to break the silence. “So do you often drive home strangers from the bar?” 

“Yeah no prob, let me clean up and close up, and we can get going” Charlotte said as she swiftly moved behind the bar, putting glasses away and wiping down the counter. Once she finished up, she grabbed her purse, keys, and jacket and exited from behind the bar, Charlotte motioned for Deirdre to follow her to the door, locking it behind them as they walked out.  

Holding up her key, and clicking the unlock button, she led the way towards her metallic silver sedan.

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“Wow you certainly are a bright-side type of person huh?” Deirdre said laughing. It was refreshing to be surrounded by his infectious positivity, not to mention being around a guy who wasn’t putting up an act for her, or the other way around. “Not getting locked in a cellar sounds like a high point that’s for sure. Sounds like the detective life gets pretty interesting.”

Making Burgers and Making Amends//Deirdre and Joe

“Are you kidding? When I get bored, I’m a fresh adult who’s out of high school and in no rush to start college or get a job! And plus, I’m not shot at or locked in a cellar. And besides, Frank does the grocery shopping.” Joe took a glob of fries and stuffs them in his face, washing it down with a big gulp of his root beer. He wasn’t too concerned with impressing Deirdre. She wasn’t his type anyway. “The best thing is I still get to do what I do, helping people. Paying for people’s food is just as good as catching a bank robber, I think.”

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Oh god no. The most traveling I’ve ever done was going along with my parents on business trips. Italy isn’t very exciting when all you see is the inside of the villa you’re staying in. 

I’ve always dreamed of seeing the world, but it’s never really worked out.

It is – I couldn’t live any other way. Have you done much traveling before?

That’s very good to hear. I think so, too. [he smiles] It’s never failed me before.

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Deirdre was jolted out of her thoughts not realizing how late it had gotten. “Um yeah a ride would be great, thanks. I just walked here, but I’d rather not go home alone in the dark.” She didn’t have anyone waiting on her so a little while longer here wouldn’t kill her. It was better than being on her own. 

“I know what you mean, but no need to be sorry…” Charlotte trailed off for a second, but then snapped back to reality, “Do you want me to call you a car, or do you plan on staying longer? My shift will be over eventually and I could give you a lift home?”

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“Well that’s cool. That you were able to get out of a bad situation, I mean, not the whole family thing. I don’t have any siblings so I guess I wouldn’t understand that, but I do understand missing people so I’m sorry.”

“Umm, not really. I mean, for the most part. There are some people, like my parents, but they died before I left, and my sister… but anyway, yeah, How To Get Away With Murder does fit, or some soap opera. But everyone deals with crap– Home Alone can be really difficult too”

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Deirdre smiled at the mention of friends, happy to be part of that category as apposed to ‘Enemies”. “And you aren’t incredibly bored? I know if I went from crime solving to grocery shopping so quickly, I would probably go out of my mind.” She said, ignoring his comment about being wealthy. Deirdre knew first hand, money didn’t buy happiness. Especially when more money meant less people around to spend time with. She would take having her family home more often over all of the money her parents made being gone.

Making Burgers and Making Amends//Deirdre and Joe

“Think of it as early retirement,” Joe bragged. He knew Deirdre knew of their detective work, but not of ATAC. So he used his invented cover story. “Every time we got paid as a reward for solving a case, we put the money in our savings. Combine that with steady payments by our parents throughout our youth, and we have quite the big piggy bank. Like rainy day funds for a tsunami. We wanted a fresh start, and so we moved here, where we knew we’d have friends.” He gave her a smile, friendly, inviting, letting her know that she could be included under that “friends” label.

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“Wow death? Okay my family isn’t that bad. My house is more like Home Alone than How To Get Away With Murder.” Deirdre said trying to keep things sounding light. “I’m sorry, that must have been hard. Do you miss them, despite the secrets, lies, and death?” 

“Hey hey, don’t forget I’m the bartender here” Charlotte joked with a small smile, “but yeah… My family was basically ‘secrets, lies, and death’ …for one reason or another I had to get away”