The End – The Weekend

I was waiting for Joe when he got home from work just after 5 on Sunday. I was thinking about the fact that he worked, seemingly, all the time, when he pulled up.

"Hey, how are you?" He said, dragging himself out of the SUV. "I just called for Pino's to deliver pizza. It should be here in just a few minutes. I need to let Bob out for a few minutes." He unlocked the door and Bob bounded out of the house.

"Tell me what you need to tell me." He said, turning his attention fully to me abruptly. He moved to sit down on the small cement steps in front of his house. Bob came and dropped a tennis ball at his feet and he threw it halfway down the block for Bob to chase. At this point I was standing with my back up against the brick on the outside wall of his house, watching Bob frolic and play up and down the street. If I was teetering on the edge, I think this playful action would have helped me make up my mind.

"First, I want some information from you. Not that it will change my mind, I just want to know. Tell me about this job in D.C." I said, moving to sit next to him.

"Well, what do you want to know?" He was smiling his nicest smile, with eyes and everything. "I've been contacted by them several times in the past few years. I've never been ready to go. Until now…maybe." He was looking at his feet, where Bob had again deposited the ball. I felt the movement of Joe's body as he heaved the ball for Bob again.

"It's a promotion. All vice work, which is what I like. I'd lead a team of investigators. They assign certain teams to certain districts of the city instead of being at large like we are here. I think that would be beneficial. The pay is quite a bit more, but so is the caseload, believe it or not. They have not had a lot of luck growing their own team of investigators, so they want to bring in ten of us with good records from all over the country. I think I could learn a lot from a group of successful investigators."

I loved this man. "What would I do if we went to Washington D.C.?"

"We?" He asked. "Well, it was a bit of a surprise, but after my interview, Stevenson, the lady who offered me the position, said they had heard a lot about you, too. I guess when they were checking my background and credentials they heard that I had a badass girlfriend." He laughed. "I'm not surprised that you are legendary. She asked me if I took the position if I thought you might be interested in coming to D.C. as well, for a job on the force." I was smiling and thinking this could be an interesting turn of events.

Joe continued. "You'd have to go to the police academy and then spend a year in uniform, like anyone else, but then you'd have a spot reserved for you in Vice."

"I'd work for you?" I didn't think that would work very well, unless everyone wanted to see us fight.

"No. Definitely not. You'd be on another Vice squad. Not on mine." He was smiling a big smile and had his hands around my waist. "I'd never be able to break you of your bad habits. You know, breaking and entering, carrying concealed…I could go on, but I don't want to ruin our evening. However, I think we may have some things to discuss, Cupcake."

"I am tired of talking," I said as I wrapped my arms around his body. "I've missed you, Joe."

"I've missed you, too, Cupcake. Welcome home."