"Do you really need all these things?" Eddie asked, helping Bobby load boxes into her car.
"Yes." Bobby said. "Nora and Brian like there to be goody bags and lots of prizes."
"It sounds like a good time." Eddie said and Bobby nodded.
"It is, although I never stay long." She said.
"Why?" Eddie asked.
"I always feel so out of place." She said.
"You are one of the most integral parts of the staff... I mean you plan these events. How can you feel out of place?" He asked and Bobby shrugged.
"I feel out of place anywhere." She said.
"Whatever, well, this year you're not leaving early. You're staying with me- we have a few drinks..." He said.
"I don't drink." Bobby said.
"We dance." He continued.
"I don't dance." She said.
"You'll do both because we haven't seen each other in a long time you need to loosen up, have fun and distract yourself." He said. Bobby rolled her eyes and smiled.
"Whatever. Hold this, will you?" She said, handing him a box and moving around to the driver's side.
"I just need to get something out of..." Bobby stopped, staring down at her car.
"What?" Eddie asked, noticing her face.
"My tire is flat." She said with a frown.
"Oh wow. It's completely slashed." He said, putting the box on her trunk and moving closer to it. He turned to her. "Bobby, someone slashed your tire."
"Who would do something like that?" She asked incredulously.
"Well, unless you were out drunk driving again, I can't think of another way this could have happened." Eddie said.
Bobby frowned as she stared at it.
"Okay." She said with a nod. "Well, nothing I can do with this car parked right next to mine."
Eddie stood, staring at Bobby.
"Doesn't this freak you out at all?" Eddie asked.
"Why should it?" Bobby said. "I'll just change this when I leave, most everyone will be gone by then."
"Bobby, someone just slashed your tire... viciously." Eddie began but Bobby shook her head.
"Stop- just stop. I know where you're going with this but there's no way. None. My tire must have gotten slashed as I drove in- it could have been a piece of glass." She said seriously, picking the box up from the trunk. "Just let it go, Eddie."
Eddie sighed, moving behind her.
"I don't like it." Eddie said.
"I certainly don't like my tire slashed either but there's no use crying over spilled milk." Bobby said.
"I hate that expression." He said and Bobby curled her lip.
"Me too."
----
"Eddie." Matt said as he approached Eddie.
"Hey." Eddie said, looking up from what he was doing. "What can I do for you?"
"Well, Bobby is running around with the Christmas party-at least I think that's what she's doing, I can't find her anywhere- and I'm in a jam- can you help?" Matt asked.
"Sure, what do you need?" Eddie asked.
"I need four copies of these in the proper meeting folders." Matt said, holding out the bunch. Eddie nodded.
"No problem." Eddie said. "I'll bring them by once they're ready."
"Great, Thanks." Matt said with a nod. "Where is she anyway?"
"Bobby walked over to a hardware store down a few blocks from here." Eddie said and Matt raised a brow.
"What for?" Matt asked.
"She has a flat... and when she checked her trunk she didn't have her jack." Eddie said. Matt smiled.
"Of course Bobby knows how to change her own tire. She really is wonder woman." Matt said with a chuckle.
"At least she thinks she is but that girl should be more careful." Eddie said with a frown.
"Why?" Matt asked. Eddie looked at him for a bit.
"She's not cautious enough." He said.
"I would think that Bobby was a lot more cautious than necessary." Matt said.
"Yes, about most things but this thing with her tire really freaks me out." Eddie said.
"Why?" Matt asked.
"It was slashed." Eddie muttered and then he stopped. "Shit."
"What?" Matt asked, confused.
"I don't think Bobby would like me sharing this." Eddie said.
"Probably not but what do you mean it was slashed?" Matt asked.
"Bobby's tired was completely slashed. she said she probably got glass in there but it's terrible." Eddie said. "It looked completely ripped to shreds."
"Do you think someone would actually slash Bobby's tire? I can't imagine she has any enemies." Matt said.
Eddie was quiet. He definitely couldn't explain to Matt that Bobby's only enemies were the same people who were supposed to love her- much less that her psychotic brother said he was coming after her.
"I suppose not." Eddie said, looking around. "Anyway, I'll get these for you."
Matt watched for a second as Eddie ran off. It was obvious that there was something Eddie wasn't saying... He vaguely recalled a strange incident with Bobby hanging up a call.
Could it be that there was actually someone out there in the world who would want to hurt Bobby?
----
"Hey." Matt said as he walked into the parking garage and caught site of Bobby next to her car.
She looked up.
"I thought everyone was gone." She said, turning back to what she was doing. Matt stood with his hands in his pockets.
"I'm the last one I think." He said.
"I see." she muttered, concentrating.
Matt watched at how she expertly lifted the car.
"Where'd you learn to fix a flat?" Matt asked.
"Is it strange that I can fix a flat or that a woman can fix a flat?" Bobby asked.
"Neither really, both of my sisters can do it- dad insisted. Just asking." He muttered.
The truth was that after his conversation with Eddie he felt uneasy thinking of Bobby in an abandoned parking garage alone at late hours. His imagination ran away with him and so he found himself purposely waiting for her to leave before he did.
"I grew up in a small town in Texas and this was just one of those things everyone needed to know." She said, as she slid the flat tire off.
"Wow. Someone really did a number on your tire." Matt said, moving closer and realizing that Eddie hadn't exaggerated.
There was no way a piece of glass had done this- the tire was ripped to shreds.
"No one did this, it just happened." She said, standing and rolling the old tire to lean it against the wall. She took the spare from where she'd left it and rolled it back.
Matt watched as she worked- Bobby was a small woman, very petite and dainty in her build but her fingers moved in a very nimble and expert manner. He smiled thinking how refreshing it was that there were girls out there who could do all these things for themselves. Strong, independent, capable women.
"Need any help?" He asked as he watched her lift the tire, her face a little bit red as she struggled.
Then with a grunt she got it on and sighed.
"No, I'm fine." She said, moving to screw it on.
"Are you sure?" He asked, moving closer to her and leaning in to see how she worked but he immediately saw there was no need.
Bobby really did know what she was doing.
"Yeah." She said, standing. "See? All done."
Matt watched her- she was wearing a large grin of satisfaction.
"You're fast." He said and she nodded.
"I know." She said, moving to lower the jack.
A few seconds later, the car was on the ground and she was opening her trunk to dump the old tire.
Matt moved forward quickly, noticing how she had struggled with the weight before.
"Here, let me get it." he said, taking it from her as she rolled it.
"Oh, don't! You'll get all filthy." She said but he picked it up and slid it into the trunk easily.
"Don't worry about it- I'm on my way home anyway." Matt said, taking the jack from her hands and dumping it into the trunk before closing it.
"Thanks." Bobby muttered, looking down.
Matt watched her for a bit- even if she tried to pretend everything was okay, he knew her too well. Something was off.
"Hey, I'm starving- how about we grab a bite a the diner down the street?" He asked, making her look up at him.
"No, I should get home." She said but he sighed.
"Come on- you said we were friends, right? A quick bite and I send you on your way." Matt said. Bobby considered this- was there any real reason to refuse? Besides... she was pretty hungry too.
----
Matt took another bite of his BLT and then dipped his fry into some ketchup before stuffing it into his already full mouth.
"Enjoying your sandwich?" Bobby asked and Matt nodded.
"Yep. Dad used to make some amazing BLTs for us when we were little." Matt said, making Bobby smile.
"It's strange to try to picture Brian cooking." She said, taking a sip of her soup.
"He enjoys it but he almost never has time. Mom too, which is why we always kept a cook." Matt said, wiping his mouth.
"Give me a bite." He said, after watching her for a minute.
Bobby smiled, pushing the plate forward.
"Please, be my guest." She said as he took her spoon and dipped it.
"That's good." He said with a nod as she pulled it back.
"I know. I love soups." She said lightly.
"You do?" He asked and she nodded.
"I do, soups, broths... anything like it. Don't know why." She said with a shrug.
"Comfort food?" He asked.
"Yeah, guess so." She said simply, going back to the soup. Matt watched her for a few minutes as she ate quietly. He'd meant it when he said she looked like a mouse when she ate... it was almost adorable.
"So what do you think happened to your tire? He asked. Bobby looked up at him for a second, raising her eyebrow.
"What do you mean? It was probably a piece of glass." She said simply, looking back down.
"Maybe but it was pretty bad for a piece of glass." Matt said.
"A big piece of glass." She said.
Matt frowned, she didn't seem like she was going to give it up.
"With legs and hands,I'm sure." He said.
Bobby raised her head again and sighed.
"Whatever Eddie told you, I can handle it." She said, making Matt frown.
"He wouldn't say much- will you?" Matt asked. Bobby shook her head.
"No." she said simply.
"Okay- fair enough." He replied, going back to his sandwich. "But, just so you know- if anyone tries messing with you, anyone at all... just let me know."
"Okay." Bobby said meekly.
"I'll break their neck." Matt said, making Bobby cough.