Adum Brate walks in the door and is almost bowled over by the loud cheer he receives.
Nancy OLeary looks around her and smiles at the jubilant greetings and nods to the man receiving such attention. She quietly nurses a cup of black tea at her table.
Adum Brate looks around and already can see the place jammed. Adum moves to the single available seat. "May I?" he looks at her ... and then looks at her a little harder. "Please?"
Nancy OLeary smiles "But of course. How can I deny such a celebrity?" Her Newfoundland accent is as strong as Tom's but with less local expressions by her own choosing an career. "I'm Nancy O'Leary."
Adum Brate sits and looks almost unspeakably relieved. "Ahhhh right, right. Tom ... Tom O'Leary." he laughs at himself. "I was sort of hoping you hadn't had a sex change." he glances around. "So .. yo.. already know who I am?"
Nancy OLeary laughs "Bloody hell. We don't look that much alike." She eyes him shrewdly "You know my brother and you've been missed an adored. I have a suspicion but I'd like some more evidence?" She grins over her tea.
Adum Brate grins. "No, but I've had a weird ... delay in recognizing people." he looks over the table at her. "Adum Brate. Chief of Police. I got shot in the head about 5 weeks ago. And ... had a meal or two with your brother." he sighs. :Who I understand is in my jail now?"
Nancy OLeary nods, confirming "I thought it might be the chief. And aye, that he is. But there could be worse places for him to be. Glad to see you up and about so fast."
Adum Brate motions Peter over and gets a hug. "Lamb Stew and the coffee, Petie m'boy." he orders and Peter goes back in the kitchen to bellow the order. Now Adum looks at Nancy. "Yes. And I will be back at work on a week. Just time to ... get used to being home. I'm glad to be up and about too. I hear I was luckier than any Irishman has a right to be." he smiles. "Your name .... is ...."
Nancy OLeary smiles kindly "Nancy. You're doing very well. Remarkable in fact." she says with encouragement.
Adum Brate snaps his fingers. "You told me that." he blows out a breath. "I am LITERALLY having to look at people for them to sort of click in my head. That's why i was so confused. I saw you and thought Tom and then .. no .. that can't be right." he sighs.
Nancy OLeary nods "It'll come. I do look like Tom, or I should say he me, since I'm elder. Oh my Tommy boy.....I never imagined this for him." She stares ruefully into her tea cup.
Adum Brate nods. "True true." his stew and coffee come out. "I missed it all. My testimony is still a little suspect, until the final clearance from the shrink, but .... I can't imagine him killing anyone intentionally. Not even for a woman."
Nancy OLeary shakes her head vehemently "They're going to bring up him being a boxer. but what they don't know is that when he knocked someone's lights out, he'd always stick around to make sure they were OK after. He didn't just take the prize and go. Even drove one or two to get stitches and stayed in touch after. He's a big softie my brother."
Adum Brate nods. "Any lawyer would, but Lucius ... he likes a fast and sure win. He hasn't accidentally killed anyone in the ring or anything, has he?" he listens further and nods to himself. "Make sure Lucius knows that ... and he probably already does. They will make his case more complicated." he looks aver. "Have you eaten?" he wonders and begins looking for Peter through the crowd.
Nancy OLeary looks unsure "Tom's whole career was online in the news. I figure Mr. Bellegarde is the type to do his research." She gestures at the stew "Just had the same as you. Stomach's still not adjusted to the time change so I eat early. Lovely though. Just like my mother's."
Adum Brate nods. "Oh yea .. Lucius hates being unprepared. But he may assume you are." he picks at his stew. "It IS good. I left my wife asleep at home to take a little walk. It's like .. a little bit of it at a time coming back to me. Your mother must have been one hell of a cook." he laughs.
Nancy OLeary nods "She was indeed. You'll have to get some of this to take home to your wife so she doesn't feel slighted. May I ask, are there any little Brates running around town?"
Adum Brate chuckles. "I will, so she'll forgive me." he glances into his bowl. "Well, we got married the day before I got shot ... now .. we're working on it ... now Not NOW, obviously but ... yea..." he begins to eat.
Nancy OLeary's eyes go wide "The day BEFORE!" She shakes her head "The poor woman.....my god. My Malcom is a cop too. Kept my name because I was already practicing law. But I know the fear every cop's wife lives with. What's your wife's name?"
Adum Brate nods slowly. "Yea. I told her we got the sickness out of the way with that bullet. No more." he sighs. "Yes ... she's learnin. Her name is Megan. Stuck with me every second they let her. It must have been hell. I really don't remember too much One second I am telling a man to drop his weapon and the next I am waking up in the hospital in White Rock."
Nancy OLeary closes her eyes and exhales and then opens them, looking earnestly at Adum "And what of the shooter?"
Adum Brate has been eatin his stew. "I shot him ... and don't even remember thinking I needed to." he replies, slowly and quietly.
Nancy OLeary watches Adum and slowly nods and then asks gently "Did he...I mean the shooter? Did he make it?"
Adum Brate swallows hard and shakes his head, then finally looks up. "No. One shot to the chest. And he hit me in the head and ... I'm .. not." he blows out a breath. "And to put the icing on the cake ... the shooter turned out to be my best friends sister's sons father." he stirs the stew absently. "I'm .... still working on that. I mean the guy was no kind of father but .... it made the world just that much smaller if that makes sense."
Nancy OLeary looks shocked and sympathetic "That's incredible. I know it's a lot to work through too. Wow." she sips at her tea and has to say it again after she swallows "Wow."
Adum Brate nods. "I know its part of the job .. but like most cops I don't go around shootin people every week." he rubs at the back of his head. "I don't know what to think. I lived, he died. What more can I do or say? I feel like I should suddenly be in church but ... thats just not me."
Nancy OLeary: Nancy's cup clinks as she sets it on the saucer "Maybe you just need to figure out what your..." she makes hand quotes in the air "church" she lets her hands drop back to the table "is. If you know what I mean."
Adum Brate considers. "This is going to sound crazy ... but I'd have to say Megan. My wife. She means ... everything to me." he chuckles. "We have nine cats and I honestly don't know what I am going to do if she brings home another one except maybe buy another litter box." he laughs.
Nancy OLeary: Nancy can't help but laugh now "Did you say NINE cats? Wasn't there some Egyptian religion like that? That might be both of your calling......nine cats....."
Adum Brate laughs. "Well ... seems my most beloved did not take a close enough look between Voldemorts legs. Then while I was in the hospital the cat sitter found out that Voldemort had kittens and ..." he goes back to his stew.
Nancy OLeary had just taken a sip and sputtered and coughed about both looking between Voldemort's legs and Voldemort having kittens. She wipes at her face and neck with a napkin "I wish my daughters were here to hear you say that. They just love Harry Potter." she laughs "That's highly amusing Adum."
Adum Brate laughs. "Megan is a Harry Potter buff. We have Minerva and Voldemort. And um ... half the cast now with the kittens. Next weekend they go to the vet .. All of them. Unless your daughters would like one of Voldemorts kittens." Megan would kill him and she knows it.
Nancy OLeary holds up a hand "Malcolm is terribly allergic but I may tell your tale...or tail as it were."
Adum Brate blinks and laughs. "I got that. Yea .. tail or tale .. right." he chuckles. "I am hoping maybe a baby will keep her entertained. She half owns the condom shop, so if you ever hear mention of Chief Condom ... that's me." he shakes his head. "Welcome to Alexandra."
Nancy OLeary: Nancy sets down her cup again, shaking a little with laughter "I'm not going to be able to safely sip am I? Chief Condom, trying to have a baby? How will that do for sales in Megan's shop? I swear they WORK!" she jokes.
Adum Brate nearly chokes on his stew now. "A good question I have yet to broach. Trying not to panic her customers with a belly full of baby." he chuckles. "Kitty will probably keep her in the back office where no one can see her. She can test drive things at home. Well ... we can ... a man can hope."
Nancy OLeary lets out a little girlish giggle "Goodness. Well this is quite the town. Not so prudish I'm starting to see. I can see why Tom fits in here." She sighs a little "He loves his job, that woman Heather....the rain even. We have our fair share too."
Adum Brate nods. "Well, if he can do his time here in Alexandra we'll figure out something for them. She has a ob. He does too .. and I am sure that will somehow work out."
Nancy OLeary looks gratefully at Adum after her last sip "I'm very glad to have shared my tea with you Adum Brate. My cup is empty and I think i will call it a night, but you heal well and have lots of babies and cats with that lovely lady of yours. Thank you for your kindness to Tom. He needs friends." She stands up and offers a hand to shake.
Adum Brate turns and stands like a gentleman, taking her hand. "Good luck with Tom, Nancy. I'm rooting for him."
Nancy OLeary gives Adum's hand a little squeeze "That means a lot, to both of us. Cheers now." she lets go gracefully and makes her way though the crowd to the door.
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