a reunion of sorts Who: Mady and Ian Where: Garden View Clinic When: Wednesday, closing time What: Mady pays an unexpected visit to an old friend
It had been awhile since Mady had seen Ian, long enough that she couldn't remember precisely when she had last seen him. It had been at least a year, though it was probably more the way that the years seemed to start to bleed together lately. It might have been at her brother's funeral that she had last really spoken to him, right before she got sucked into the "family", right around when he was breaking free. In a way, she envied Ian; he had somehow managed to escape the criminal world that the city was so deeply entangled with. And yet, somehow, him walking away had felt something like betrayal. She hadn't ever been able to figure it all out so she had "given him space". If he wanted to be away from the family, then she would keep her distance.
It had been silly, really. Mady realized this with hindsight being 20/20. She and Ian had grown up together and he had never made any indication that he didn't want anything to do with her. Still reeling from the murder of the Boss, Mady had found herself wanting to talk but not to someone in the Family. Since she couldn't talk about it to anyone on the outside, there had been only one choice: Ian. While not currently embroiled in the war, he knew enough that she wouldn't be breaching any codes just feeling the situation out.
So Mady waited on the steps of Ian's Clinic, waiting for the doctor to emerge at the end of his work day. It hadn't been too difficult to figure out where and when he'd exit but Mady arrived a few minutes early just in case and, like a child, she sat on the step to wait, twirling a spring blossom between her fingers that she had plucked from beside the path.