Chicago Love ✔️

Chapter 12: Memorized in Text Messages

Kim makes her way over to where Hailey sat at one of the tables at Molly's staring at her phone, standing by the edge of the table as she watches her closely.

"It's very rare to see you come out for a hang out with us and not pay attention to us," Kim comments, catching Hailey's attention as she finally takes her eyes off of her phone. "Normally you'd be busting Adam's balls by now. I got a feeling that trusty device in your hand is the reason why you are distracted..." 

"Maybe you are right," Hailey reluctantly admits, as her eyes immediately look back at the screen in hearing a ding. 

She knew if she answered in any other way, Kim would ask her of the happenings - and truth be told, she knew nothing as to what had gone in Molly's over the past half hour. Instead, she had been staring at her phone and typing out message after message. Was that a crime, though?

It'd been six weeks since their fateful meeting in Chicago that night, which landed them both without clothes in her room. There was the first set of text messages after Atlanta, and that series had seemingly continued. She was the perfect escape for him to have someone to vent to about his frustrations in how he couldn't get his season back on-track as he wished. But in return, he was the perfect escape for her to vent about the frustrations of the job. 

Sure, she would have conversations with Kim at times. There were also the possibility of visiting Hank in his visit for a glass of whiskey and conversation. There was perhaps a chance she could try and have those conversations with Jay again like before. However, for now, none of them seemingly lived up to what her and Alex had together. It seemed everything came easy with him. While she hid things with others, he always seemed to find a way to cause her to fully spill it all. If you were to ask her as to why the conversation came easy, she would not be able to give you a reason though.

"I do recall Adam saying he was going to ask Herman and Gabby about who you were here with," Kim muses, thinking back to that conversation. It seemed since Hailey walked into Intelligence that day hung over with a smile on her face, there had been a change in her behavior. She seemed to be smiling more with each passing day. She seemed to be handling the stresses of everything going on easier. She also seemed to be busier with her phone than usual. "I could waltz my way over and remind him of his rightful duty, or you could save yourself the embarrassment and commentary by telling me who is the subject to all these messages you are sending." 

"And here I thought you were my trusted confident and friend within Intelligence," Hailey replies without even looking up at Kim in the process, sending off the message to Alex. "Remind me to not tell you any of my secrets anymore. I may have to break-up the party for Kevin and Rohaz. Better yet, maybe I should make Trudy my person to share it all with. I'm sure that would go over great." 

"Been there and done that before you joined Intelligence..." Hailey finally allows her eyes to look up at Kim, intrigued as she hadn't heard of this dynamic in the friendship between Kim and their desk sergeant Trudy. She knew they were closer than Hailey was with her, and it showed when needing certain favors to be performed. This could be useful information in case necessary for a favor down the road.

"Is that so?" Kim nods her head, as another ding results in Hailey's eyes returning back to the device in her hands. "So that's why she has a soft spot for you. I am the one that grew up admiring her, calling her my hero - and yet you are favourite. It only took me this long to know why." 

"She did a lot for me in my time as an officer before I joined Intelligence. I don't think I would've joined Intelligence without her persistence and encouragement." It was a welcome change of pace in conversation for Hailey, wanting to discuss anything other than the conversation she was having right now with Alex. "Good try on the distraction, by the way. I still want to know who the boy is." 

"Alex Bowman. Are you happy now?" Hailey knew Kim would just continually annoy her until the detail was shared, or actually live up to the promise of reminding Adam about that night. She wasn't keen on beginning to discuss things openly with Adam yet. She didn't know if she was ready to hear the teasing that would come from him, as that was usually the name of the game with him. She also knew that'd probably result in others within Intelligence learning of their relationship. Was she ready for everyone to know yet? 

"So your ex-husband saves his life and takes you with him to spend time at his house, breaks up with you at his house, and now you're talking with him? I feel like I am living in a real life soap opera. You got to fill me more in on the plot here." Hailey couldn't help but laugh in response to the commentary as it certainly was a strange situation, hence the reasons she hadn't said much to date.

"Do you remember the case we had a couple months ago with the kids - the abusive case? I came here to Molly's that night, set on forgetting it all with my emotions all over the place over what happened. Alex was here trying to forget his crappy race that he had. We met at the bar right over there, and conversation just took over. Since then, we've kept in contact with regular text messages." 

She wasn't about to tell her about the drunken stumble, or puking in front of him in the condo, or waking up in the morning without clothes. Kim didn't need to know those details. They were just friends, who enjoyed each other's conversation as it helped them get through things. 

That's all this was, right?