Branch Two Hundred and Seventy Seven

Jessica and Xavier spent a little more time with Dawson until they both decided to go to work. The air between them was awkward because Dawson had teased them both saying he could smell love. Claiming he was old enough to recognize one when he saw it.

Xavier offered to drive Jessica to work even though the air was tense. The road trip was quieter than one would think.

"Your friend," Xavier said out of the blue.

"My friend?" she asked turning to him. She was glad he broke the silence. It was better for them to talk to each other than to allow the air to loom heavy on their necks.

"Yeah, the one at the police station that time," he said.

"You mean Emma?" she said. The name alone left a bitter aftertaste in her mouth and she hated it. She had not seen what Emma did to her coming. She always regarded her as a friend so she wondered why she did that.

"So that was her name?" Xavier said looming onto the road with a little morning traffic. "Did you block her?" he asked.

When Emma had