Normal People - Strange Encounters Book Two

Chapter 12

As the sun was setting over the water, Amelia needed a breather so she excused herself and wandered out onto the patio. She settled into a patio chair, admiring the view. After she'd explained her portion of what had happened, she then let the team explain the backstory of Christopher to Gladys and Simon. Hearing that, even thought they kept a lot of the harsh details out, had been mentally draining for Amelia.

The team had decided since there'd been no sight of Alycia yet, that first thing in the morning they'd bring Amelia back to Quantico with them. She hadn't immediately agreed, worrying about Gladys, but the old woman insisted that she go and that Simon would take care of things for her in the meantime. As she was pondering what the next 24 hours would bring, Amelia jumped when the door creaked open and Gladys padded out and took the chair next to her, two wine glasses in one hand and a full bottle of pinot noir in the other.

"Who am I gonna boss around now?" Gladys asked, rolling her eyes as she slid a glass across the table and took a sip from her own.

Amelia glanced over her shoulder, watching the team through the window. Gladys noticed, and gave a chuckle.

"I convinced them to stay for dinner, told 'em they needed to experience a true Maine lobster dinner. Lovely people. I see why you did what you did, Eliza." She raised an eyebrow at the young woman, who took a long swig from the wine glass, downing half of it at once. 

"I don't know if I'm ready to leave, G" Amelia said so quietly. "I don't wanna leave you, and I really love it here, and-"

"Missy. Why don't you wanna talk to that fella in there, who so obviously cares about you? You forget I can read you, Miss El- well, Amelia. Your name may be different, but you," she leaned forward, shoving a pointed finger into her chest, "are the same in here. I saw how you looked at him, but every time he goes near you, you recoil."

Amelia chugged the rest of the wine from her glass and held it out to Gladys. The woman gave her a look before pouring her more. She sipped from it, and peered back out over the water. 

"I don't know if I should be with him anymore. I don't even know if he still wants to be with me.. We were dating, you know. Before all of.." She waved her fingers in the air, "This. Not for long either, only a few months. But.. I know he's going to be mad at what I did, but you know what? I'd do it again. And what if I have to? What if they don't catch this bitch? I'm not willing to put him in harms way, ever. Let alone my family, or his team. I'm not worth everyone's worry. But even on top of that, this has all made me realize what his job really entails. What if Spencer falls into the crosshairs of someone while working like I did with Christopher and Alycia? If anything ever happened to him, I'd.." Her voice hitched in her throat and she sipped some more of her wine, trying to regain herself. "I just don't know how either of us can live like that."

Gladys looked at Amelia with the piercing gaze she'd gotten so used to. Gladys sipped her wine and looked over the water. "Simon has told you about his father?"

Amelia looked at the woman in surprise, having never heard her talk about her husband before. "Uh, yeah, in passing once."

"Marlon. What a fantastic man. Great father, too. He died of pancreatic cancer when Simon was only a boy." She was silent for a beat, clearly lost in her memories. She gave a slight shake of her head. "He was diagnosed for two yers before the cancer finally took him. And he asked me, sat me down and genuinely asked me, if he should leave. If it would be easier for Simon and I to not have that burden on our lives."

"But he was your husband, you loved him. Of course you'd.." Amelia slowly realized the point the woman was making. 

The older woman cocked an eyebrow before continuing her story, as if Amelia hadn't of spoke.  "I remember the moment exactly down to the detail. We sat just in there," she gestured to the living room currently occupied by the team, "and I looked him in the eye, and told him he'd better shut the fuck up and forget any idea of leaving his family. Know why? Because, while I know he asked out of love, the love I had for him was willing to risk the heart ache that we would face dealing with that, together." She sat back, trying to discreetly wipe a tear from her cheek. Amelia looked away, feeling as if she were invading on her friend's memory. After a moment she heard Gladys clear her throat.