It was the beginning of May and the weather was warm and sunny. Taylor sighed, staring blankly at the shelves in front of her.
“You look confused.”
Taylor nearly jumped out of her own skin at Stella’s voice. “Stella, what the hell are you doing here?”
Stella laughed. “Same thing as you, by the looks of things,” she picked a card off the shelf and gave it the once over.
“What did you get him?”
“We don’t do presents.”
Taylor arched and eyebrow. “Uh-huh?”
“Jazz CD and a bottle of red wine. You?”
Taylor grinned evilly. “A guard fish.”
“A what?” Stella asked with a blank expression as the two women headed to the register.
“Exactly what it sounds like. A fish that sings when you walk into a room.”
“Mac is probably going to kill you.”
“Yeah,” Taylor paid for the card. “But he’ll believe in ghosts, so it’ll be a win-win situation.”
Stella laughed and the two women walked out of the store and into the sun. “It feels like last summer was forever ago,” Stella sighed as she craned her neck up and let the sun fall on her face.
Taylor glanced at her watch. “You off all day?”
Stella nodded. “What are you thinking?”
“I’m thinking, let’s get the girls, and hope they’re not working, and go get our nails done.”
“Our nails?” Stella arched an eyebrow.
“Look,” Taylor grinned. “Just because you guys like to do God knows what when processing evidence, doesn’t mean that I do. I used to have a manicure all the time before the ghosts turned up, and it would be nice to.” She held her hand up, “I mean, look at the state of them.”
Stella reached over and grabbed her hand. “Taylor Turner, do you bite your nails?”
“That’s why I had them manicured. If they looked good, I didn’t like to bite them,” Taylor sighed.
Stella gave the other woman a hug. “Lindsay isn’t working. I’ll give her a call.”
“Would you have any objections to me asking others?” Taylor asked her.
“Not at all. Why? Who were you thinking of?”
“Jess and maybe Peyton.”
Stella shrugged, “I couldn’t tell you if they’re not working though. Well, I take it you’re on about the ME, but who’s Jess?”
Taylor grinned, “You’ve probably been introduced to her as the Angel of Death.”
“Oh, yeah, Jess, and yes, we can thank Danny for that gem.”
“Oh, we can thank Danny for a lot of things,” Taylor pulled a face, pulling out her cell phone. “You really don’t mind about Peyton?”
“No,” Stella frowned. “Should I?”
Taylor stopped scrolling through her phone book. “No reason. I just didn’t know how well you knew her.” She quickly turned her attention back to the phone. Maddy and Aiden had woke her up at stupid o’clock in the morning a few days before hand, to say that they’d caught Mac in bed with the new ME. At which point Taylor had asked them what they were doing following Mac, never mind following Mac into the bedroom. She had then thrown a pillow at them and told them, in no uncertain terms, that if they even tried that with her and Flack, that she would get the vacuum and vacuum them to oblivion.
“Taylor, is there something that you’re not telling me?”
Taylor sighed and lowered the phone. “Yes, but I can’t say anything because it’s not my secret to tell, and I’m pretty certain I’m not supposed to know it either.”
Stella shrugged, “I have no idea what you’re talking about, but alright.”
“You look confused.”
Taylor nearly jumped out of her own skin at Stella’s voice. “Stella, what the hell are you doing here?”
Stella laughed. “Same thing as you, by the looks of things,” she picked a card off the shelf and gave it the once over.
“What did you get him?”
“We don’t do presents.”
Taylor arched and eyebrow. “Uh-huh?”
“Jazz CD and a bottle of red wine. You?”
Taylor grinned evilly. “A guard fish.”
“A what?” Stella asked with a blank expression as the two women headed to the register.
“Exactly what it sounds like. A fish that sings when you walk into a room.”
“Mac is probably going to kill you.”
“Yeah,” Taylor paid for the card. “But he’ll believe in ghosts, so it’ll be a win-win situation.”
Stella laughed and the two women walked out of the store and into the sun. “It feels like last summer was forever ago,” Stella sighed as she craned her neck up and let the sun fall on her face.
Taylor glanced at her watch. “You off all day?”
Stella nodded. “What are you thinking?”
“I’m thinking, let’s get the girls, and hope they’re not working, and go get our nails done.”
“Our nails?” Stella arched an eyebrow.
“Look,” Taylor grinned. “Just because you guys like to do God knows what when processing evidence, doesn’t mean that I do. I used to have a manicure all the time before the ghosts turned up, and it would be nice to.” She held her hand up, “I mean, look at the state of them.”
Stella reached over and grabbed her hand. “Taylor Turner, do you bite your nails?”
“That’s why I had them manicured. If they looked good, I didn’t like to bite them,” Taylor sighed.
Stella gave the other woman a hug. “Lindsay isn’t working. I’ll give her a call.”
“Would you have any objections to me asking others?” Taylor asked her.
“Not at all. Why? Who were you thinking of?”
“Jess and maybe Peyton.”
Stella shrugged, “I couldn’t tell you if they’re not working though. Well, I take it you’re on about the ME, but who’s Jess?”
Taylor grinned, “You’ve probably been introduced to her as the Angel of Death.”
“Oh, yeah, Jess, and yes, we can thank Danny for that gem.”
“Oh, we can thank Danny for a lot of things,” Taylor pulled a face, pulling out her cell phone. “You really don’t mind about Peyton?”
“No,” Stella frowned. “Should I?”
Taylor stopped scrolling through her phone book. “No reason. I just didn’t know how well you knew her.” She quickly turned her attention back to the phone. Maddy and Aiden had woke her up at stupid o’clock in the morning a few days before hand, to say that they’d caught Mac in bed with the new ME. At which point Taylor had asked them what they were doing following Mac, never mind following Mac into the bedroom. She had then thrown a pillow at them and told them, in no uncertain terms, that if they even tried that with her and Flack, that she would get the vacuum and vacuum them to oblivion.
“Taylor, is there something that you’re not telling me?”
Taylor sighed and lowered the phone. “Yes, but I can’t say anything because it’s not my secret to tell, and I’m pretty certain I’m not supposed to know it either.”
Stella shrugged, “I have no idea what you’re talking about, but alright.”
* * *
An hour later, and after calling Gary for a favour, four women sat waiting in the reception of La Rue, a small spa-come-beauticians on the Manhattan island, waiting for the fifth to arrive. Finally, Angell burst through the door. “Sorry I’m late,” she apologised as she sank into the spare seat next to Peyton. “Great idea on the girl’s day out, by the way.”
Taylor smiled, “I figured it was needed. If nothing else, I’ve been waiting to be pampered for a while.”
“You mean Flack doesn’t pamper you?” Peyton laughed.
“Flack spoils me,” Taylor corrected. “But he has yet to offer to paint my nails!”
A short time later and the five women were laying back, a mask on their faces, cucumber on their eyes, and their hands dangling lazily in pots of water.
“I could stay like this forever,” Lindsay moaned. “Stell, do you think Mac would mind if I called in sick tomorrow?”
“Yes,” Stella told her. “But only because I’d have beaten you to it.”
“I don’t know,” Peyton told them. “It’s his birthday today. His plans this evening might put him in a good mood.”
“What does Mac have planned?” Stella asked her.
“I believe it’s a surprise,” said Peyton.
“We should have brought Mac along,” Lindsay chuckled. “Given him a birthday treat.”
“You’d have had to have pulled him away from his desk first,” Taylor told her.
“So the rumours are true?” Angell piped up.
“What rumours?” Lindsay, Stella and Peyton asked, practically at the same time.
“You know, he’s a stickler for the rules, never had a sick day, likes to work holidays,” Angell shrugged, dislodging her cucumber.
“It was different before Claire died,” Stella sighed.
“Who’s Claire?” Angell asked.
“His wife,” Stella explained. “She was in the World Trade Center.”
“Oh,” Angell frowned. “Has he not found someone else?”
“How could he?” Lindsay sighed. “He works all the time.”
“Well maybe we should try and find him someone,” Angell suggested.
“Mac would kill us,” Stella grinned.
“Is that wise?” Taylor added at the same time, peeking out under her cucumber slices at Peyton.
“He may already be seeing someone,” Peyton frowned.
Stella let out a small laugh. “I have been having coffee every Monday morning with Mac for practically forever. I think since Claire died, he’s been on a grand total of one date, and that lasted as long as the date did because he couldn’t push Claire out of his mind.”
“Well surely that’s a good enough reason as to not set him up with someone?” Taylor frowned. In the corner of her eye, Peyton was beginning to look a little uncomfortable.
“I’m with Taylor on this,” Lindsay piped up, coming to Taylor and Peyton’s rescue. “This is Mac we’re on about. He actually would kill us if we started meddling, and besides, the guy is old enough to know if he’s ready to date someone.”
“Fair enough,” Angell relented. “What about you, Stella? You need us to play cupid?”
Stella laughed. “I’m not in any hurry to be in a relationship again. The last one didn’t end brilliantly.”
“Guy was a jerk?” Angell asked.
“Understatement,” Taylor muttered.
“Anyone you’ve got your eye on?” Angell went on to ask Lindsay.
“No,” Lindsay replied shortly.
Taylor let out an inaudible sigh. She knew exactly who Angell needed to be playing cupid with. But it was another secret she couldn’t break.
“Peyton?” Angell asked hopefully.
Peyton smiled. “I’m already on with that.”
“You need any help?”
Lindsay laughed, “You really want to match someone up, don’t you?”
“Of course,” Angell told her. “My friend did it to me. And now I’m moving in with the nurse she set me up with.”
“A nurse?”
Angell grinned. “Yup. We’ve been together six months now. Which is why I want to spread the love.”
“Unlucky, because the only person left to ask is most definitely not single,” Stella told her.
“Speaking of the great Detective Flack, what’s with his ties?” Angell asked.
Taylor held her hands up in defence. “Don’t look at me. Trust me when I say I’ve tried far too many times to get something a little less…” she frowned. “I don’t even know where to begin describing them. But I’ve bought him ties, I’ve made suggestions, but he’s so damn possessive over them.”
Angell laughed, “I wouldn’t change them for the world. I mean, I’m having a bad day at work and I look over and stare at those ties – it always cheers me up.”
Stella and Lindsay both laughed. “It’s true. They have the same effect on me,” Lindsay added.
“Maybe you could set Danny up with someone,” Stella added as an afterthought.
“You don’t need to,” Lindsay told them, a slight bitterness to her tone. “Mandy, Tracy and whatever the other girl is called, drape themselves over him all the time.”
This time, Taylor’s sigh was definitely loud enough to be heard as she sat upright. “Maybe we should set Sheldon up with someone,” she suggested, trying to change the subject.
Angell’s sigh matched hers. “No such luck.”
Lindsay, Stella and Peyton sat upright and stared at Angell so quickly that their cucumber slices went flying. “What do you know that we don’t?” Peyton asked.
Angell grinned. “Well, let’s just say that when I was out the other week, I spotted Hawkes sat in a booth giving some pretty brunette his number.”
“You know,” Taylor mused, taking a bite of her cucumber, “Sheldon is one dark horse.”
Taylor smiled, “I figured it was needed. If nothing else, I’ve been waiting to be pampered for a while.”
“You mean Flack doesn’t pamper you?” Peyton laughed.
“Flack spoils me,” Taylor corrected. “But he has yet to offer to paint my nails!”
A short time later and the five women were laying back, a mask on their faces, cucumber on their eyes, and their hands dangling lazily in pots of water.
“I could stay like this forever,” Lindsay moaned. “Stell, do you think Mac would mind if I called in sick tomorrow?”
“Yes,” Stella told her. “But only because I’d have beaten you to it.”
“I don’t know,” Peyton told them. “It’s his birthday today. His plans this evening might put him in a good mood.”
“What does Mac have planned?” Stella asked her.
“I believe it’s a surprise,” said Peyton.
“We should have brought Mac along,” Lindsay chuckled. “Given him a birthday treat.”
“You’d have had to have pulled him away from his desk first,” Taylor told her.
“So the rumours are true?” Angell piped up.
“What rumours?” Lindsay, Stella and Peyton asked, practically at the same time.
“You know, he’s a stickler for the rules, never had a sick day, likes to work holidays,” Angell shrugged, dislodging her cucumber.
“It was different before Claire died,” Stella sighed.
“Who’s Claire?” Angell asked.
“His wife,” Stella explained. “She was in the World Trade Center.”
“Oh,” Angell frowned. “Has he not found someone else?”
“How could he?” Lindsay sighed. “He works all the time.”
“Well maybe we should try and find him someone,” Angell suggested.
“Mac would kill us,” Stella grinned.
“Is that wise?” Taylor added at the same time, peeking out under her cucumber slices at Peyton.
“He may already be seeing someone,” Peyton frowned.
Stella let out a small laugh. “I have been having coffee every Monday morning with Mac for practically forever. I think since Claire died, he’s been on a grand total of one date, and that lasted as long as the date did because he couldn’t push Claire out of his mind.”
“Well surely that’s a good enough reason as to not set him up with someone?” Taylor frowned. In the corner of her eye, Peyton was beginning to look a little uncomfortable.
“I’m with Taylor on this,” Lindsay piped up, coming to Taylor and Peyton’s rescue. “This is Mac we’re on about. He actually would kill us if we started meddling, and besides, the guy is old enough to know if he’s ready to date someone.”
“Fair enough,” Angell relented. “What about you, Stella? You need us to play cupid?”
Stella laughed. “I’m not in any hurry to be in a relationship again. The last one didn’t end brilliantly.”
“Guy was a jerk?” Angell asked.
“Understatement,” Taylor muttered.
“Anyone you’ve got your eye on?” Angell went on to ask Lindsay.
“No,” Lindsay replied shortly.
Taylor let out an inaudible sigh. She knew exactly who Angell needed to be playing cupid with. But it was another secret she couldn’t break.
“Peyton?” Angell asked hopefully.
Peyton smiled. “I’m already on with that.”
“You need any help?”
Lindsay laughed, “You really want to match someone up, don’t you?”
“Of course,” Angell told her. “My friend did it to me. And now I’m moving in with the nurse she set me up with.”
“A nurse?”
Angell grinned. “Yup. We’ve been together six months now. Which is why I want to spread the love.”
“Unlucky, because the only person left to ask is most definitely not single,” Stella told her.
“Speaking of the great Detective Flack, what’s with his ties?” Angell asked.
Taylor held her hands up in defence. “Don’t look at me. Trust me when I say I’ve tried far too many times to get something a little less…” she frowned. “I don’t even know where to begin describing them. But I’ve bought him ties, I’ve made suggestions, but he’s so damn possessive over them.”
Angell laughed, “I wouldn’t change them for the world. I mean, I’m having a bad day at work and I look over and stare at those ties – it always cheers me up.”
Stella and Lindsay both laughed. “It’s true. They have the same effect on me,” Lindsay added.
“Maybe you could set Danny up with someone,” Stella added as an afterthought.
“You don’t need to,” Lindsay told them, a slight bitterness to her tone. “Mandy, Tracy and whatever the other girl is called, drape themselves over him all the time.”
This time, Taylor’s sigh was definitely loud enough to be heard as she sat upright. “Maybe we should set Sheldon up with someone,” she suggested, trying to change the subject.
Angell’s sigh matched hers. “No such luck.”
Lindsay, Stella and Peyton sat upright and stared at Angell so quickly that their cucumber slices went flying. “What do you know that we don’t?” Peyton asked.
Angell grinned. “Well, let’s just say that when I was out the other week, I spotted Hawkes sat in a booth giving some pretty brunette his number.”
“You know,” Taylor mused, taking a bite of her cucumber, “Sheldon is one dark horse.”
* * *
“You’re in a good mood,” Flack remarked as the door was opened to reveal a grinning journalist.
“I’ve just spent a girly day at the spa,” she informed him, closing the door behind him. “And I learnt a few things in the process.”
Flack arched an eyebrow. “Any good gossip?” he asked as he sank onto the couch.
“Coffee or beer?”
“Coffee,” Flack smiled as Taylor padded back into the kitchen, returning a few minutes later.
Taylor handed Flack his mug before curling up on the sofa next to him. “So, we spent a large part of the afternoon talking about couples, and Angell was all set for playing cupid for everybody. And I think she may be on to something.”
Flack stared warily at her through the steam which was rising from his mug. “Do I want to hear this?”
“Danny and Lindsay.”
“What about them?”
Taylor bit her lip. “Okay, I figure I’m alright telling you this considering you’re the only other person who knew Danny liked her. They were seeing each other, and then they broke up.”
Flack nodded. “Yeah, I know.”
Taylor blinked in surprise. “Really?”
“Yeah,” Flack shrugged. “We’re friends. We talk. He just doesn’t want anyone else to know.”
“Has Danny said anything to you?” she asked him.
Flack shook his head. “Not a word. I’d have thought that you would have more luck on that one.”
Taylor let out a frustrated sigh. “Well, I think it’s time took matters into our own hands.”
Flack put his coffee down and turned the volume of the television down. “Why am I slightly worried about that statement?”
“There’s nothing to be worried about,” Taylor told him, rolling her eyes. “It’s foolproof. All we have to do is set them up with other people.”
Flack snorted, “And that’s going to get them back together how?”
“Well, we set them up with idiots… well, people they have nothing in common with.”
“That’s it,” Flack muttered. “You are forbidden from watching any more Friends.”
“Huh?”
“Well it didn’t work for Phoebe and Joey, did it?”
“No, but we’re not Phoebe and Joey. So there’s no reason why it shouldn’t work. Besides, he bought her a ring, so he’s serious about her.”
“Did he now?” Flack muttered, more to himself than to Taylor.
“I’ve just spent a girly day at the spa,” she informed him, closing the door behind him. “And I learnt a few things in the process.”
Flack arched an eyebrow. “Any good gossip?” he asked as he sank onto the couch.
“Coffee or beer?”
“Coffee,” Flack smiled as Taylor padded back into the kitchen, returning a few minutes later.
Taylor handed Flack his mug before curling up on the sofa next to him. “So, we spent a large part of the afternoon talking about couples, and Angell was all set for playing cupid for everybody. And I think she may be on to something.”
Flack stared warily at her through the steam which was rising from his mug. “Do I want to hear this?”
“Danny and Lindsay.”
“What about them?”
Taylor bit her lip. “Okay, I figure I’m alright telling you this considering you’re the only other person who knew Danny liked her. They were seeing each other, and then they broke up.”
Flack nodded. “Yeah, I know.”
Taylor blinked in surprise. “Really?”
“Yeah,” Flack shrugged. “We’re friends. We talk. He just doesn’t want anyone else to know.”
“Has Danny said anything to you?” she asked him.
Flack shook his head. “Not a word. I’d have thought that you would have more luck on that one.”
Taylor let out a frustrated sigh. “Well, I think it’s time took matters into our own hands.”
Flack put his coffee down and turned the volume of the television down. “Why am I slightly worried about that statement?”
“There’s nothing to be worried about,” Taylor told him, rolling her eyes. “It’s foolproof. All we have to do is set them up with other people.”
Flack snorted, “And that’s going to get them back together how?”
“Well, we set them up with idiots… well, people they have nothing in common with.”
“That’s it,” Flack muttered. “You are forbidden from watching any more Friends.”
“Huh?”
“Well it didn’t work for Phoebe and Joey, did it?”
“No, but we’re not Phoebe and Joey. So there’s no reason why it shouldn’t work. Besides, he bought her a ring, so he’s serious about her.”
“Did he now?” Flack muttered, more to himself than to Taylor.
Originally posted 23/08/2007