Her Normal

Chapter 3

A couple of months passed by, it was March now. Spencer and his team continued their morning visits, but the last few days they'd been off somewhere.

I got ready and left the house, checking my phone as I went. "That's weird," I thought, "Joseph always texts back within a few hours." Joseph was my best friend who lived in California. I hadn't seen him in years due to the distance, but we'd been talking about me flying out there to see him.

I set up shop at work and waited for Spencer. A few minutes later, the door opened and they strolled in. They all looked dead. I smiled at Spencer as a he sauntered up to the counter to order.

"Hey stranger. Where've you all been?" I poured their coffee and served them.

"We had a case down in Arizona. Totally bizarre, and it took forever." He replied.

He took his wallet out to pay and I stopped him.

"All of your coffees are on the house, since you guys look so exhausted."

Spencer looked at me and shook his head, "That's kind but I insist you take the pay so you can put it toward you utilities and improvements, also-" I cut him off.

"You guys, take the coffee. You're going to be late." I nodded and sent them on their way. Spencer smiled and waved, then followed his team out.

I finished my shift, but decided I wasn't going to class tonight. I was tired too and I didn't feel like dealing with my professors. I got to my apartment but something felt off. I shrugged it off and went in and started dinner. I heard a knock on the door and opened it to see Spencer standing with a box of pizza.

"H-hey," he stuttered out. "Remember when I said I owed you? I wanted some pizza and decided to come on up." I smiled at him and invited him in.

"Have a seat. Wine? Water? Milk? What can I get you?"

"I'll have a coffee with 2 espresso shots and do you have some sugar back there?" He recited his usual order from the coffee shop. "Just kidding. What wines do you have?" 

I was surprised. I didn't take him for a drinker of any kind. I pointed him to the wine rack and he took some Barefoot red down.

"Good choice." I said. He somehow found my wine glasses and poured us both a glass. We ate in silence until my phone buzzed. I checked it to find a text from Joseph. I opened it, and it was a weird text. I replied with a smart remark like usual, and then it got normal again. We talked about me going out there this weekend, so I bought my plane ticket.

"Whatcha doing over there?" Spencer asked. I jumped, forgetting he was there for a second.

"My friend texted me, I was buying some plane tickets to go see him."

"Ohh, him, huh? Tell me about it."

"I met him when I was young. 13. I still lived in Kansas with my parents, obviously, and he was weirdly accepting of me. He's 3 years older than me. I've only seen him a handful of times since but we keep in contact every day."

"I see," he said. "You're going to see him this weekend?"

I told him yes, and suddenly his phone rang.

"Excuse me." He looked embarrassed.

"Hello?...yes...all the way over there? Now?...okay, I'll be there soon."

He hung up and turned to me, "I'm so sorry Maddie, I have to go. We have a case out on the west coast and Hotch says we have to leave in 30."

"That's perfectly fine. Go do your job Mr. FBI. Good luck." I smiled and walked him to the door.