a tender moment at tea time

Who: Danny and Janey
Where: St. Peter’s Cathedral grounds
When: Just after Mass

When Danny decide to try his hand at being a good husband and going to church, he didn’t realize he’d get roped into doing the whole “after church party” thing as well. He assumed maybe there’d be coffee and he’d have to smile his way through questions about his arm, but now he found himself recruited into helping with the set up for the tea party or some other such nonsense. Of course with one arm he was also just short of completely useless and thus banished to setting out napkins along a table. This was ridiculous, but at least he’d remembered to bring his flask, which helped take some of the bite out of the whole ordeal.

Janey busied herself in a corner of the church green, setting herself to the task of mixing the lemonade and tea while trying to avoid too much conversation with any of the women from the Ladies’ Group. She’d sent Danny off with a pile of napkins to make himself useful. She felt a little guilty for dragging him along; she’d known when he offered to join her for Mass that morning that he’d be accompanying her to the picnic too but hadn’t wanted to warn him in case he decided to back out. She needed him there; however, she hadn’t really realized until it was too late that he’d be the talk of the event. Already the other women were murmuring behind his back while batting their lashes at him. She knew, what with his injuries and the raid and now the scandal in the department, that he’d be a source of gossip anywhere in town, but add into the mix a group of women who were far too nosy for their own good and the fact that he hadn’t been to any church events for months--it was a mixture that could end very, very badly. Hopefully her prayers for Danny’s patience had been answered.

If patience was a virtue Danny did not have it. He didn’t like the stupid tie he had on, and he was tired of napkins. Worst of all, all the little looks, the sidelong glances and whispers, overacted greetings and comments regarding his injuries and his bravery weren’t going unnoticed. In fact, that was putting him in a more sour mood than before. Yes, he’d shot someone before, yes it fucking hurt like holy hell, and no he wasn’t going to let them in on the chaos of the police station. After another frustrating run in, Danny abandoned the napkins and frilly tables, crossing the lawn to his wife. Coming up behind Janey, he slipped his good arm around her waist, sliding behind her with his lips against her ear. “Let’s get out of here.”

Danny’s suggestion was very tempting. Janey didn’t want to socialize, not today, but if they left, rumors would fly--probably worse rumors than if they just hadn’t showed up to begin with. Nevertheless, she did allow herself a moment, leaning comfortably back against Danny as she reached back a hand to lift her hair off her neck. “Oh sweetie, you know we can’t.” One of the first days in months that they’d seen the sun, and Janey was actually hot in her sweater and jacket. She felt safe in Danny’s arms (well, his one arm), and it was a good feeling. It hadn’t even bothered her that she would have to look straight into the cemetery all day. Despite her worries about Danny, having him there made her heart inexplicably lighter.

He’d really hoped that would work, that she’d give in to his attempt at being sweet, but somehow she’d resisted. Danny sighed a little but still laid a sweet kiss against her neck before pulling away. “Why can’t we?” he asked, turning her a little so he could face her. He guessed if she’d resisted once, she’d do it again, but he couldn’t just not try.

Janey turned all the way to face him and took his face in her hands. His sudden tenderness was rubbing off. She leaned in and gave him a chaste but lingering kiss, and when she pulled herself away she sighed. Why do we need to stay, to keep up a reputation? But why do I care what any of them think? “Because there are a few nice people at this church, and I’d hate it for any of them to show up and be greeted by no one but these women, whose noses are held so high they can probably smell the Lord’s manure.”

Danny leaned into the kiss just a little, enjoying it, even if they were hardly alone. “That’s a good one, looks like my girl still has a sense of humor in there somewhere,” he teased, leaning down to kiss her again. He could feel the eyes on them, but at the moment? He couldn’t give a holy fuck.

“Of course I do,” Janey said, giggling and sliding her hands down so that they were locked behind his neck. “Sometimes it just takes the right person to bring it out.” God, she’d missed this. Of course, the church tea was neither the time nor the place, but then again everyone was already talking about them, so what did it matter? She comforted herself with the fact that they were partially blocked from view by a tree, whatever good it did. She looked up into his face, smiling the most naturally she had in a long time. It was a smile that just happened, without any effort whatsoever. She couldn’t have hidden it if she’d wanted to.

Danny chuckled lightly, a deep rumbling in his chest. “Well lucky for me, I’m the right guy.” He’d missed this too, the simple back and forth that reminded him of the old days, when they were kids. The smile, that beautiful and perfect smile he fell in love with at sixteen across the high school cafeteria, that was what had him wishing his arm was healed enough to just carry her out of there. “There she is, there’s my baby,” he said, voice quiet, reaching up to touch her cheek.

When he said that, sounding so relieved, Janey felt her heart jump a notch. How long had it been since she’d worn that smile--the one that only Danny could put on her face? It felt perfect for a moment, the look on his face as he took her in, their arms around each other, enjoying the unusually warm weather. Janey didn’t want to move a muscle, was afraid if she so much as breathed too loudly, their little shell would rupture.

Just as Danny was deciding that he could go further with seducing his wife into coming home with him so he could get the hell out of this stupid event, he heard someone clearing her throat behind him. “Janey?” Groaning under his breath, Danny leaned forward a little to press his forehead against hers.

Janey reluctantly pulled away and out of Danny’s embrace, but not before giving him another quick kiss, just to spite whoever was on the other side of the branches, disturbing their peace. She stepped past and around Danny, and saw little, ancient Mrs. Schmidt hovering uncertainly, with a tray of teacups in her hands. “Thanks,” Janey said, taking them and grinning. Even the disdainful look on the older woman’s face didn’t seem to affect her at all.

Danny did his best to hold on to his wife for as long as he could manage, but he was short a working hand so it wasn’t very long. There was a short moment where he watched her go longingly, wanting to go back to the moment before until he saw the look that he was getting. He gave Mrs. Schmidt back a look of disdain of his own for messing up his moment and his best chance at getting out of this stupid party. When the old hag and his wife walked away Danny snaked the flask out of his sling, taking a long pull off it. It was going to take more booze than he could get his hands on to survive this stupid thing.