Shane was exhausted. She had been in Washington, D.C. for 10 days now providing technical assistance consulting to the IT division. They were implementing a new computer managed delivery system with the intent to roll the system out nationwide. Some technical glitches prevented the new and old programs from translating information properly between them had extended her temporary reassignment order from one week to potentially two or three.

She had been hesitant to accept Becky's initial offer, but was dying to see her again after her visit to Denver more than six months ago. The offer seemed more and more attractive the longer she thought about it. Besides, it was getting Shane back to her postal roots to some degree and she wanted to see if she still had what it took to hang with her D.C. counterparts.

"I think that sounds like a wonderful opportunity," Oliver had said.

Shane broke the news to Norman, Rita and Oliver one afternoon between "missions" as Norman liked to call them.

"It certainly sounds exciting!" Rita chimed in, always a source of support.

"Well, when Washington calls…" Shane laughed, "It should only be for about a week. I'll be back before you know it."

Oliver, who had been standing behind his desk, made his way around to the front, leaning against it before folding his arms.

"A week is enough time for another important letter to providentially find its way to our office and prompt personal delivery, Miss McInerney. How are we to complete our appointed tasks without your invaluable services?" Oliver questioned teasingly.

"Well we could always Skype, Oliver," Shane replied playfully. "You do know what that is, right?" She continued, making her way to her mobile workspace.

Oliver tried very hard to repress the smile tugging at his lips. And though he couldn't see it, Shane was attempting to do the same.

"Indeed, I do, Miss McInerney."

Those were the moments she remembered as she tried to regroup her team, charged with running diagnostics on this new system to identify and begin resolving the issues that plagued it at 9pm on a Friday.

"Alright people, we're already 3 days outside our launch window-it's going to be a long night," She said to the five other technical assistance consultance drafted from across the country to aid in the efforts and of which Becky had placed her in charge.

"Does this mean I'm back on coffee duty?" A voice questioned, slightly exasperated.

All eyes were drawn to the opposite side of the room where a brunette with glasses, hair pulled back in a loose ponytail, no older than 17 or 18 years of age, made her presence known by standing.

"Unfortunately for you-fortunately for us-yes, Kennedy, you are," another voice replied.

Jackson Hines, the Chief Information Officer for the District of Columbia Main Branch, didn't hesitate to put the teenager in her place.

Unfortunately for Shane, this was an area over which she had no control. Kennedy's internship was to be overseen by one supervisor and one supervisor only-Jackson. That hadn't prevented Shane from working with Kennedy over the past 10 days, but it did mean she was subject to whatever restrictions Jackson placed on her direct involvement in the work. It seemed counterintuitive to the point of an internship, but it was something for which Shane had little recourse. Kennedy was bright, so seeing her potential stifled was a little frustrating.

"Team, let's get back to work," Shane directed. Laptops began to open and Kennedy, with as much grace as she could muster, began taking coffee orders.

Shane returned to her section of code, but as she did the term "zip code" crossed her mind, and her thoughts drifted back to Denver-to Rita, Norman and Oliver.

She had spent the early part of her career doing exactly what she was doing now, writing code and performing maintenance tasks on the computer managed delivery systems. But somehow, only returning for a brief stint, she suddenly began to miss the unpredictability of the DLO. She missed the human element above all, both in the letters they delivered and the people she worked with.

She wondered what they were up to. Was it business as usual, or did they have another mystery on their hands? Was Norman piecing clues together with one of his volumes upon volumes of directories and registries? Was Rita reciting a letter back to Oliver and Norman, the words sounding like poetry? Was Oliver, in between tasks, looking towards her workspace only to be reminded she was on the other side of the country-?

"Half-Caff Vanilla Latte?"

Shane was drawn back to reality by Kennedy's offer of liquid fuel.

"Thanks, Kennedy."

Having delivered her last coffee, Kennedy alleviated herself of the drink carrier and pulled out a chair at the table next to Shane.

"Any luck?" She said, pushing her glasses gingerly further back up on her nose.

"None yet." Shane replied, refocusing her efforts.

Shhhhhh

The sound drew Shane's attention back to Kennedy.

"What?"

And that's when she saw it, in all its yellow and blue labeling and chocolate milk goodness.

"Where did you get that?" She said.

"Don't tell Jackson. I know he said to go to the coffee shop and come straight back, but I was really thirsty and stopped off to get a Yoohoo-you're not gonna say anything, are you?" Kennedy implored.

"I prefer to say as little as possible to your mentor," Shane replied. "It's just that I know someone who has an affinity for them back home. He has at least one every day-"

"Is he your boyfriend?"

"No."

"Then why are your cheeks turning pink?"

"Kennedy, don't you have some intern task you could go do…." Shane intimated, hoping the teen would avoid any further probing.

"Okay, okay-but I can't help it I'm curious," Kennedy relented, but didn't move a muscle. She just stared at Shane intently.

And Shane could feel Kennedy's eyes boring into her.

Shane bit, "You won't leave my side until I answer your question, will you?"

"It's your choice, and I know you can multi-task….and it's gonna be a long night. Why not a little girl chat?"

Shane looked around the room, once more reminded that this cohort did not, in fact, include any other women.

"It's complicated, and that's all the answer you're entitled to," Shane responded.

"Is he handsome?"

Shane looked around the room, wondering if her answer would be overheard. It would not, as every other one of her colleagues had opted for headphones while they worked to concentrate.

What could it hurt to engage this young person whom she somehow felt was a kindred spirit, even at her young age?

"Yes."

"Got a picture?"

Shane had no idea what possessed her to not only facilitate, but also encourage, the curiosity of this intern. She just really liked her. She fished her phone out of her laptop bag and searched her phone for a shot of her, Oliver, Rita and Norman at a ski resort in Veil. They had delivered a letter to the owner of a ski resort there, who graciously allowed the foursome to stay a few days, which they gratefully accepted. They had had a really good time, and Shane insisted they take a group selfie. She wanted some record of the time she was spending with these wonderful people who had become like family.

"That's him," Shane confirmed, her finger pointed to a very happy Oliver in one of those plaid lumberjack hats with the earflaps-they all four had them.

"But he's not your boyfriend?" Kennedy seemed excessively confused.

"No, because, like I said before, it's complicated."

"Well is he married?"

"Not anymore-"

"Single?"

"Yes, but-"

"What's the problem?!" Kennedy whispered fiercely, "He's so good looking!"

"The problem it…it's complicated!" Shane whispered back.

"Excuses, excuses…." Kennedy taunted.

"He's a gentleman. It's not my responsibility to make the first move," Shane defended.

"So you do have feelings for him?"

"I have indulged your curiosity enough for one night, missy," Shane said, putting a stop to it. She really needed to get back to the task at hand.

Kennedy started to get up and move on to another task.

"Take the Yoohoo," Shane directed, seeming to notice Kennedy leaving it there as some sort of reminder of her "complication." She could see right through this girl. And it frustrated her in a laughable way because all Shane could see was herself.

"As you wish," Kennedy said, pleased with herself and not afraid to non-verbally admit what she had knowingly done.