Re: in-person: connie/patrick
Hey, hey, hey. Relax, Sis. Nothing's wrong. [He smiled down a the pouch and at Connie's tiny husband and the petting.] I was talking to one of my professors in the Capital, and it came up. You know how I love my crime procedural, and I thought maybe this thing would stick. [He took another swallow of his beer.] Really stick. [It was no secret that he floundered more than a little about his future, and maybe this would be the end of the search.
He didn't look bummed about it, and he put the beer down with a thunk.] And you can keep an eye on me if I'm in town. You know how lost you get without me around to coddle. [He'd been worrying about her since she'd visited, and that was part of all this too, but Patrick didn't add that. He didn't want her guilting out about it, and, hey!, he really was excited.] If I'm going to make a difference, Sis, I need to start.