The Philocalist 〰 ♡ 〰 Volume One

Heartbreak

Elle blearily wakes up when the first rays of the sun peek through the windows and land on her face. Elle rolls over, searching for her girlfriend only to feel weird feeling paper like circles on the bed.

Elle opens her eyes and sees the entire bed covered in rose petals.

"Zoe?" Elle calls, carefully getting out of bed. "you know, this is really unfair because I was going to give you my gifts tonight"

"Zoe?" Elle calls again, entering the kitchen to see a bouquet of roses next to a note from Zoe.

I'm so sorry baby, I got called in early and I probably will be back too late to hang out tonight, so maybe we can celebrate tomorrow? - Zoe

Elle pulls out her phone and texts Zoe 'that sounds wonderful, I'll see you tomorrow, be safe please and Happy Valentines Day'.

"Elle! What happened to my bed?" Maxim asks, leaving his room.

"ssh, Max, don't wake up the twins, what's wrong with your bed?" Elle asks, approaching him. 

Maxim leads her to his room and points inside. Elle gasps when she sees that his regular old bed frame Elle made from some questionable materials has been replaced with a race car bed.

Elle smiles, biting her lip. "I think this is from Zoe, you remember her? she comes over almost every night"

"I love Zoe" Max squeals, the first time he's been truly happy since they moved to America.

"I love Zoe too" Elle grins.

[Three Hours Later]

"All right, we know what today is. The most dangerous day of our year." Grey announces, starting roll call.

"Valentine's Day, sir? Really? Not Black Friday, not New Year's?" Nolan inquires.

"That's right, Officer Nolan. Breakups and broken hearts. Jealousy and revenge. All make for a perfect storm of heightened emotion and dangerous situations. Hell, sometimes violence can find you minding your own business at dinner." Grey nods.

"Sir, again, I can't tell you how sorry I am." Nolan apologizes.

"I'm not the one that needs the apologies, Officer Nolan." Grey glares.

"Yes, sir. Please apologize to your wife for me. If you'd like me to make you another reservation -" Nolan starts.

"I traded shifts for last night off. The night you ruined." Grey snaps.

"Yes, sir." Nolan nods.

"Uh, sir? I don't see my T. O." Lucy inquires.

"Officer Bradford's taken a personal day." Grey explains.

"You're kidding. Tim hasn't taken a personal day in his entire life." Lopez remarks.

"Be that as it may, he's off today. So, Chen, you'll be assigned to the front desk. All right. That's it. Everybody be safe out there." Grey dismisses them.

[Three Minutes Later]

"So, I'm having a little get-together tonight. Kind of an anti-Valentine thing. Ben's having it catered." Nolan says as they grab gear.

"Sadly, I'm not doing anything else." Jackson frowns.

"Well, if Jackson's in, I'm in." Lucy agrees.

"Wow. Way to make me feel like a consolation prize." Nolan jokes.

"Since when are you anti-Valentine's Day? You're a romantic. Well, I-I mean I mean, you seem like one." Lucy corrects herself.

"Yes, well, traditionally, yes, but, uh, this year, I thought I'd just embrace the single life. what about you?" Nolan asks Elle.