The Adventure Continues

[abrightboy]

For thatsfascinating.



The villa Malcolm rented was in the Languedoc, not far from Marseilles, south of Avignon. It was a very historic region, though Malcolm was particularly not interested in visiting Marseilles again. There was a charming village nearby the villa and if they were going to go to an historic city for a day, he'd rather make the trip over to Montpellier, where he'd never been at all, much less with Dr Whitly.

The villa had six bedrooms. As the driver brought their luggage inside the bright and spacious main room, Malcolm handed him some folded Euros and thanked him and shut the door behind him.

"First choice of a room is yours," he told Edrisa with a smile. "But you might want to explore first."

Comments

[thatsfascinating]

Her forehead creased in concern and she shook her head. "Oh no, Bright...of course your view of your father is always going to be different. I don't expect anything else. Nobody should."

[abrightboy]

"I don't really know what people think about that. I mean, I know what they think of him. I know they feel uncomfortable around me when they find out I'm his son. I don't think too many people apply any thought to how I feel about him."

[thatsfascinating]

She shrugged and shook her head. "I don't know. I imagine they probably make a lot of assumptions. I mean, they hear you were the one who turned your father in, they might think that you hate him. Or fear him. Or the people who are suspicious of you because of your father might think that you admire him. But no one really knows, because they're not you." She frowned. "I'm not explaining that clearly..."

[abrightboy]

"Yes you are," he told her. "And that's exactly what it is: assumptions. When I meet people who know who I am, they assume a lot about me and interpret everything I say and do through that lens."

[thatsfascinating]

"They don't even get to know you," she agreed. "They think they don't have to because they think they already know enough."

She knew what that was like. Not in quite the same way, of course, but enough to commiserate.

[abrightboy]

"That's how people treat you," he pointed out. "Except that there's not even a reason for that."

[thatsfascinating]

"Sure there is. I work with dead bodies." She was cheerful, which was of course its own issue. "It's not fair that they treat me that way, but...I chose what I do. You didn't choose your father."

[abrightboy]

"I suppose so," he conceded. "Though what I do also weirds people out."

[thatsfascinating]

"Not as much," she countered. "And I doubt that's the primary reason for their prejudice."

[abrightboy]

He smirked.

"You mean there are so many much more substantive ways that I'm a freak?"

[thatsfascinating]

"You're the son of the Surgeon!" she said, pointing out the obvious. "Job wise, you're basically a detective, and detectives are cool! Not to mention sexy."

[abrightboy]

He laughed. "Does that make me a consulting detective? Like Sherlock Holmes?" he asked.

[thatsfascinating]

She smiled wide. "Only if I get to be your Watson."

[abrightboy]

"Oh my god, you would have to be!" he exclaimed.

[thatsfascinating]

Her face positively shone, and she kissed him firmly, tightening her hold on him.

[abrightboy]

He grinned as the kiss broke.

"I take it you accept the assignment," he joked, his arm looped a little more tightly around her waist.

[thatsfascinating]

She grinned back. "Oh, the two of us would be unstoppable!" She tilted her head in mock thought. "Of course, Gil might be a little miffed if you stole his ME..."

[abrightboy]

"You'd be a consulting ME," Malcolm pointed out reasonably. "He could hire you any time he wants, like he does with me."

[thatsfascinating]

"That's true!" She furrowed her brow, tilting her head the other way. "Do they pay you?"

[abrightboy]

The question surprised him.

"Do... do people suggest that they don't?"

There were some rumours - mainly regarding what a weirdo he was - that he was sure circulated. He'd have never guessed that one.

[thatsfascinating]

"Oh...no, I was just wondering how that worked. I mean, you're not technically a police officer, and you're brought in on a case by case basis, so I wouldn't think you're salaried...not to mention you almost definitely don't actually need the money..."

Edrisa would totally work for no money too if she didn't have to pay for student loans and a shoebox apartment. For the rest of the lease, anyway.

[abrightboy]

"Oh. They pay me on a case by case basis," he explained. "I bill them and they pay me."

He did bill them a flat rate, rather than billable hours; he worked a lot more than could be expected and he didn't, as she pointed out, really need the money.

[thatsfascinating]

"That makes sense. I could do that. Although he'd want me for all the cases that came in, not just the ones you were working. I'd be too busy to work an entire case with you."

She knew her input was vital to the cases the rest of the team worked, but she was rarely involved after she submitted her report.

[abrightboy]

"Yeah, I don't think it's honestly actually feasible for you," he admitted. "My specialty is something that's not used for every murder investigation by any type of law enforcement."

[thatsfascinating]

"Whereas mine is." She sighed playfully. "I'm just too important. It's a curse."