The Art of Being Right

Awkward Topics

It started raining at some point while they were inside. Maddy was still blushing, hands wrapped around the cup in front of her, half drunk already.

Wilson didn't know where to look or what to say. The situation wasn't helped when the woman behind the counter started flirting with him, and scrawled her number down on a piece of paper, handing it to him. Maddy hadn't said anything after that.

"Look Maddy, I'm sorry if what I asked you made you uncomfortable. I wanted to ask before I left."

"It doesn't matter. But it's awkward for me to talk about, can we just forget it?"

"Yeah...sure. If that's what you want."

"Thanks." She answered with a weak smile.

The two settled into another silence, the rain outside lashing down on the pavement.

"So are you looking forwards to it?"

"To what?"

"Going to Little Wharton, taking on the case?"

"Oh, um yeah. I suppose, I mean it'll be different to what I'm used to." She smiled, her eyes brightening a little.

"Yeah, what was it that McKein said," she giggled, remembering, "ride a couple horses, shear a few sheep?"

"I'm actually a pretty good horse rider," Wilson laughed at her stunned expression.

"Really?"

"Yeah, my older sister had lessons when I was still in primary school, I used to have to go with her seen as our parents worked late."

"So you started learning then?"

"Yeah." He chuckled, "And when I got sent to boarding school I carried on having lessons there. Not that I had a say, my mother seemed intent on having me continue. Even after I fell and broke two ribs."

Maddy's mouth opened in shock, before she laughed.

"Seriously? I never knew."

"Not many people do," he grinned, "I don't make a habit of telling a lot of people about me."

Maddy took another sip from her drink, finishing it off and replacing the mug on the table.

"I gathered that, I didn't even know you have a sister." She watched his face change slightly, but she couldn't read his expression. "You don't mention your family much, and you're practically always working. Do you ever see them?"

Wilson toyed with his jacket sleeve, long fingers pulling carefully at the material slowly.

"I don't really have much to do with them," he sighed after a moment, draining his own mug and grabbing the car keys from the table between them, "I haven't spoken to any of them in years."

The two stood up and left the building, ducking out into the pouring rain and running to the car. Once inside, this time with Wilson behind the driver's seat, the conversation continued.

"Why's that then? Something happen?"

"It's no big deal. You know how things get with families, you don't always get on."

"Oh. Okay." Silence fell, the only sound being the roar of the engine. She could see he was hiding something, but didn't want to push him any further with the matter. Wilson never really took it well when people pushed him for information.

With work he could handle it, but if anyone came around to asking about his personal life, he became closed off and often became short tempered. It wasn't a side of him that Maddy liked to see.

The rest of the day passed without incident. They made four arrests then made it back to the station in enough time so both Wilson and Maddy had time to complete their reports so there wouldn't be any waiting for him when he returned from Little Wharton.

By the time his shift had finished, Wilson was excited to leave. After a few more rushed goodbyes and an awkward hug from Maddy - after she'd made him promise to be careful and call her when he got there - he jogged out into the car park, fixing his kit bag onto the Harley as best he could before turning around to look back at his workplace.

Squad cars were still rolling in as if nothing was going on, suspects being wrestled from the backseats in cuffs and dragged into custody. Officers lingered outside the main doors, smoking and laughing among themselves. Wilson grinned to himself, picking up his helmet from the bike seat. He pulled it on slowly and swung one leg over the Harley, settling in the seat before starting the ignition.