Meeting

Harriott straightened her jacket, checking her watch, she still had 20 minutes before Jay was expecting her at the park. She knew this wasn't her best idea, she wasn't known for meeting people in parks, even less government officials, but she hadn't been able to pin Jay and she had tried all night. Harriott pulled her paper from her pocket. Hyde park, this was the park next to the University, Harriott chuckled as she saw this. She wasn't expecting to go to that side of town so soon.

"You sure you don't want me to come with you?" Aubree asked, "Lyle could handle the cafe here."

Harriott laughed, "I'll be okay. I feel much better and I won't do anything drastic while I'm out." She had put her hair in a ponytail today, she hadn't wanted anything to get into her face. Her glasses were smudged and dirty, but she could still see with them, she would get new glasses when her next check came in.

Aubree gave her a wistful smile, "It's never that simple with you." She looked at Harriott, "Wait here a second." She said, running up the stairs. Harriott heard her call for Lyle, there was some thumping and Aubree came running down the stairs.

Aubree handed her a necklace, "Here. Lyle finished this for you. It's a tracker for us, so if you're in trouble you can signal us."

Harriott took the necklace, admiring the turquoise stone that was encased with silver wire, she smiled, hugging Aubree, "Thanks. I'll be careful." She slipped the necklace on her neck, admiring the elegant pendant once again. Then she looked at her watch, only 15 minutes left, with a normal walking speed it would take her twelve.

"I've got to get going. I'll see you soon!" Harriott said, opening the door.

"When do you think you'll be back?" Lyle asked, his head poking out as he walked down the stairs.

Harriott shrugged, "I have no clue. I should be back before dinner."

Lyle nodded, his arm moving to Aubree's shoulder, "Be careful out there." He said with a wink. Harriott smiled, waving before she closed the door and set off.

The sun was high, just past the point of being in Harriott's eyes. She walked quickly, not fast enough to be jogging, but fast enough to get some stares as she passed by. Harriott smiled, her stomach fluttering as she anticipated seeing Jay. There was so much she didn't know about him, yet she felt like she knew him, from some long forgotten memory.

Harriott arrived in the park faster than she expected, as she had been thinking of Jay her speed had increased until it looked strange that she was still walking. Harriott searched the park, her eyes bright with excitement.

She found Jay sitting under a tree, staring up into its green branches. Harriott walked over to him, sitting on the ground beside him.

Jay looked at her, an easy smile forming, "Nice to see you Harriott." He sat up straighter, pulling a leg up to rest his arm on it.

"Thanks for the invite. What did you want me for?" Harriott asked, feeling a familiarity and security as she sat next to Jay. She looked at him, he was wearing another v-neck, it was low enough that she could see his collarbones, they were defined. She looked at the arm resting on his leg, it was built, he was very active. Harriott gulped, looking away from Jay, searching the park. They were the only people here, the families would take over the park before long, once lunch was over.

Jay tapped his leg, bringing the attention back to him, "I wanted to get to know you better. I wanted to catch up."

Harriott furrowed her brow, catch up, he made it sound like he too knew her. Where had they met before?

Jay sighed, staring at the park, "The world's really turned upside down." Harriott nodded, searching his gaze, a sad, old gaze.

"Did you work for the school before this?" Harriott asked, picking at the grass. She had been a writer before this, a poet. People didn't have time for poetry these days. So she changed her job as her world crumbled.

"I don't work for the school district. Yesterday was a special case for Aiden." Jay said, his voice casual, yet Harriott could hear the tension, he was nearing the base of his invite.

Harriott turned to look at Jay, he locked eyes with her, "Is Aiden a special case?" She asked, concern entering her voice.

Jay smiled, "He hasn't missed a day of school since Ricin. Before that he was an average student, so his perfect attendance wasn't a natural thing. So I went, I'm sent to students who may be scared of officials." Harriott knew there was something more. Something that Jay wasn't sure how to say.

"So what do you do normally?" Harriott asked, looking just over Jay's shoulder, feeling uncomfortable with the continued eye contact.

"I clean up the town." Jay said, his smile reappearing, this one crooked as he looked out at the park, "Ricin might call himself king, but he's lousy at it. He knocks down buildings faster than we can build them."

Harriott chuckled, glad that no one could hear them right now, "I guess it's hard to get used to his management." She fingered her necklace, smiling as she felt a light breeze flew through her hair.

She looked up, catching Jay's gaze, he looked at the ground, "That's a beautiful necklace." He said, picking at the grass.

Harriott smiled, "Thanks. My friend made it." She relaxed, leaning back a bit on the grassy hill they sat on. It was beautiful out here, the grass was an emerald green that belonged in a painting. The university sat in front of them, a stone sentinel. It was so peaceful now, Harriott couldn't sense any dark disturbances from it.

Jay let out a content sigh, "It feels good to be here, like there isn't anything wrong." He fingered his wrist, Harriott looked at it, seeing a bracelet. She straightened, it looked just like Aiden's, the same 5 stranded braid with a dark leather.

"That's a nice bracelet." Harriott said, curiosity eating at her as she continued to look, it could be a coincidence, Aiden's bracelet wasn't unique, but her eyes couldn't leave the bracelet.

"It's from my father." Jay said, slipping it off his wrist and handing it to Harriott. Harriott took it, inspecting the bracelet further. She looked inside it, Aiden's had an inscription, it was his initials and his birth date. She found a note in Aiden's, "You are never alone." Harriott could hear her father saying this in his rich voice as he held her on his lap. She smiled and handed it back to Jay, she hadn't thought of that memory in years, it had stayed buried as she focused on how to survive.

"Is he still around?" Harriott asked, unsure how to phrase the question, she hadn't had her father in so long, she wasn't sure how often they stuck around with their families.

Jay looked up into the branches of the tree, "No, I haven't seen my parents in years. They'll be back someday, I'm sure of that.�� Jay looked at the bracelet, laying down on the hill. He turned his head to her, "Yours have been gone for ten years. Do you miss them?"

Harriott sighed, "I don't know. I try not to think about them. I remember good things, but I don't know why they left. Maybe it was something I did." She fingered some of the hair that had escaped her ponytail and now lay in front of her face.

Jay shook his head, "I'm sure it wasn't your fault. I hope you'll meet them again someday." He looked at her, an eager light entering his eyes.

He sat up, "We should get some lunch, it should be the perfect time to grab some chow." he stood up, offering her his hand. Harriott took it, standing up and stretching.

Jay pointed to a shop across the street, "They sell some amazing sandwiches."

Harriott smiled, "Sandwiches are my favorite." Jay smiled and started walking across the park. Harriott walked next to him, her pace lining up with his, it was a slow walk that carried them across the sea of green to the pavement. As they did so Harriott saw a family walking toward the park, the youngest kids were only 2 or 3, being pushed in a stroller by their older sister. She looked to be around 12, her mother walked next to her, holding the hand of a boy who skipped along the sidewalk.

Jay waved to them before he headed across the street. Harriott smiled, giving them a small wave before following Jay into the street. There weren't many cars left, the ones remaining were solar powered, oil companies had stopped supplying fuel when the shadows had taken over New York, no one was sure the exact reason for it.

The shop that Jay had chosen was a small one, it was a pastel yellow that seemed to welcome everyone who saw it. A wooden sign hung above the door, it was painted with flowers that were all different, some fancy, some scribbles. Penny's, the store was named Penny's. Harriott's eyes were drawn to a red flower, it was scribbled on the sign, petals all different sizes, it looked like a child's work. Jay opened the door, following Harriott's eyes to the sign, he said nothing, a wistful expression flickering across his face. It disappeared as Harriott entered the store. He followed her, closing the door behind him.

The cashier behind the counter looked up, she smiled as she saw Jay, "Hey Jay!" She greeted, her voice warm. As she saw Harriott her eyes widened a moment before she masked her emotions behind a bright smile.

"Hi Kyla." Jay responded, he pointed to Harriott, "This is Harriott."

"Nice to meet you." Harriott said, searching the shop. It was small, only four tables filled the room, the largest thing was the counter where you could see all the ingredients for your sandwich. Harriott's stomach grumbled, she blushed as Jay and Kyla chuckled. Kyla looked to be Aiden's age, she had a bright smile that seemed to brighten the air around her. She had short, brown hair that reached just below her ears.

"Well, it's good you're hungry. What would you like?" Kyla asked, pulling out a plate.

Harriott walked to the counter and ordered a turkey and tomato sandwich. Kyla made the sandwich, nodding as Harriott told her what she wanted. Her hands seemed to move faster than Harriott ordered, as if she knew what Harriott wanted before she did. Before Harriott knew if Kyla was handing her her sandwich with her bright smile.

Kyla looked at Jay who smiled, "I'll have my regular." He said, leaning on the counter, Kyla nodded, fetching meats, sauces, and lettuce with a practiced ease. Jay thanked her as she handed him his sandwich. She nodded and looked out the window, no one was walking by, though a small crowd had appeared in the park.

"We'll eat in here." Jay said, gesturing to the nearest table.

"It's my break, so will you guys be good without me?" Kyla asked, untying her apron and pulling it over her head, unveiling her black shirt with floral designs.

Jay nodded, "Thanks again Kyla." He said, smiling at her.

Kyla nodded, she looked at Harriott, hidden emotion in her eyes, "It's great to see you Harriott." She said, sorrow entering her smile, Harriott waved at her, hiding her curiosity. Kyla made it sound like she knew her, the sadness in her eyes wasn't directed at her being with Jay, but at her personally. Harriott was missing something, something that Jay and Kyla knew. She looked down at her sandwich and vowed that she would discover what that was.