good/right/real

Chapter 27: Hole In The Bottle

Summary:The girls night and the morning after.

It's nearly midnight and still no word from Pete. No doubt he's avoiding her now. She vents to the girls about Pete. They assure her she's done nothing wrong and it's probably something he's going through apart from her. They talk about Grant and it becomes increasingly clear that Grant is unreliable and selfish and Stella deserves better. She and Shay try to tell Stella that in words that aren't quite so blunt.

Stella's doing the right thing by leaving him. She can't live her entire life caught up in a one sided toxic relationship. Sylvie knows that better than most.

Shay has a blast getting drunk and talking about other people's problems. Sylvie knows she needed to feel useful. To contribute to something. There's not much she can do in the arson investigation, but she can make margaritas and help her friends.

That's how they learn about the dedication service. Next week, they're having a ceremony to dedicate 61 to Gabriela Dawson. Chief wants Shay or Matt to say a few words. Sylvie hasn't known him long but even she knows Matt doesn't feel words are his strong suit. (She disagrees given how often and how well he's managed to comfort her through her doubts. He says the right thing when it matters whether he realizes that or not.) Speaking at the ceremony will fall to Shay.

"I want to make her proud, you know?" Shay says through a sniffle.

"Then say that," Sylvie suggests. "From what you guys have told me, her imprint on the house will never really go away. If honoring her memory means making her proud then say exactly that. That sentiment is beautiful."

Shay nods and takes a long sip of her margarita. "You're right. I'm making this too complicated."

"No," Stella corrects her. "You want your words to be beautiful. For Gabby. There's nothing wrong with that. I think Sylvie's point is simply that you should...speak from the heart. That's all Gabby would ever want."

Stella actually knew Gabby so Sylvie takes her word for it. Shay agrees wholeheartedly so it must be accurate. Not for the first time, Sylvie wishes she could have known Gabby. She looms over 51 at every turn. Maybe if Sylvie had known her she wouldn't seem so legendary and filling her shoes wouldn't feel so daunting. Then again, maybe knowing her wouldn't have changed anything. Gabriela Dawson seems like a person everyone loved. Knowing her wouldn't have made being her replacement on 51 any less intimidating.

They all wake up late the next morning and Sylvie still doesn't have any calls from Pete. She's too hungover to deal with that at the moment, but she sends out another quick text anyway. All she wants is for him to tell her he's okay. Even if it's a lie. At least if he texts her back she'll know he's not mad at her. As it stands now she has no idea what's going on with him and that's torture.

She groans as she crawls out of bed and into the kitchen. Her head is killing her and her stomach is unsettled. She's grateful they got drunk at home. Who knows how she might have embarrassed herself if they went to Molly's.

Stella and Shay are already awake and sipping coffee when she walks into the room. They take in her sour expression and wince.

"Still no word from Mills?" Shay asks.

"Radio silence," Brett confirms. "I hope he's okay."

"He's got a lot going on right now," Kidd reminds her. "I'm sure he just needed a day to process all of it."

"Maybe," Sylvie concedes. "I give up. If he wants to talk to me then he will. I'm not going to push it anymore."

There's a knock on the door and Stella walks away to answer it. She comes back with Peter Mills trailing behind her like a lost puppy, looking apologetic and ashamed.