One side of Joel’s mouth quirked and he shook his head, “Nah, I’m good.” He’d had enough birthdays, that he rarely needed to celebrate them. It was good enough to be able to add another year at all.
The silence felt companionable, but he should have known his partner had some deep thoughts ruminating in her head. He hadn’t expected it to come back around to the US Government picking him up off the street, though. “I couldn’t tell you,” he admitted. “If they do, I think they’re looking at it as collateral for what was necessary.” They hadn’t had to live with a clingy grade schooler after the fact, after all. Joel had. But not only that, he’d had to live with emotional trauma it had put his family through, Jane included.
“You get that bruise looked at? Make sure it wasn’t cracked ribs too. In your advanced age you need to watch things like that closer.” An effort to get them back from the brink of grim seriousness. “Actually, now that I’m thinking about it, we should run you through the behind the wheel for your motorcycle license again. Check those reflexes.” He wouldn’t admit to ducking out of reach, if pressed, but he did. “I can check Andersen’s schedule. See if he can’t run you through it.” it wasn’t in an officer’s purview, technically, but it wouldn’t have been any fun to mention any of the employees who were responsible.
“Maybe the squad car too, just to be really safe.”