A Dahlia Amongst the Daisies and Marigolds

Don't Back Down

"You look more sour than usual, what's the matter?" Asa asks Mordecai as he's digging ice cubes out of his drink to loudly crunch on them. "What's the matter, the napkins aren't folded right?"

"I have mixed feelings about prolonging my involvement with this situation." The triggerman responds with a frown. "It seems an unnecessary distraction from the work I've been tasked with."

"Mixed feelings huh? Mixed between what, vaguely annoyed or moderately annoyed? You're sort of a one-trick pony in the feelings department. Well, now you're definitely annoyed, hope that clears things up for you."

Well, irritated was certainly the emotion he was feeling right now, due to the loud crunching of the ice his employer was making with his mouth. If his wife was here, he wouldn't have been doing that, Selina certainly hated it when he did that so loudly. Asa had invited him to join for a lunch meeting with Mitzi, who had somehow managed to survive the ordeal with the pig farmers from last night, apparently to "put her at ease" with a friendly face. Of course he knew he was only being dragged along to put his ex-employer's wife on edge, and to be a reminder of sorts.

"Anyway, I'm not thrilled to be here either, but you'd understand why it's necessary if you were in my shoes." Asa continues as he grabs another ice cubes to pop into his mouth. "Do yourself a favor and avoid positions in management. And perhaps women in general, especially the more...I don't know, pushy ones."

Quite hard when I have to work alongside one and trail two others as your request. Mordecai thinks as he flicks his tail in annoyance before he spots someone approaching them out of the corner of his eye.

Mitzi was being accompanied by three other people, one he didn't recognize, another he briefly remembered and...her. It had been nearly a year since he last saw Paloma in person, and he hated that he was getting that same feeling in his chest he used to feel before they started dating for real. She was dressed similarly to her employer, though she sported a brown hat with small white flowers, an annoyed frown and...no necklace.

Well, I don't blame her for not wanting to wear it. I wonder what she did with it?

"Mitzi, how are ya dollface?" Asa calls out as they stand up to greet the group.

"Confounded, Asa. And I see you brought a helping of salt to rub in my wounds." The woman responds curtly.

"Heh, you are right and you brought...her along. And some others."

"A couple of my associates, as you can see, my circumstances isn't quite as hopeless as you-"

"So this is why you made me leave my purse in the car." Paloma snaps.

"There will be no shooting anyone in the face, as tempting it may be." Mitzi says quickly as one of the men with her starts swatting at a lone butterfly. "Let's just skip introductions and pull up some extra chairs, shall we?"

"Hey I remember you, ol' serious face!" One of the men says as he thrusts a hand towards him to shake. "Boy have I heard stories about you and Pal!"

Ah now he remembered where he'd seen this one. He was in the band, a violinist if he remembered correctly. According to Paloma, he had flirted with her first time they talked until she politely turned him down. Judging by the familiarity he used when talking about her, they seemed to have grown close over time, unless he was mistaken.

"The band is doing your hands-on work now?" Mordecai asks, not even bothering to return the handshake.

"I'm just trying to be resourceful Mordecai." Mitzi responds with a frown.

"Sure, just like when you decided to let your waitress be your bodyguard."

Paloma's eyes narrowed. "You little-"