"Doing what?"
"Talking about work.I spend all day analyzing case files and running databases.I'd like to have at least one conversation that doesn't involve murder or disciples or Gabriel Kane."
Miles found himself smiling."Fair enough.What do you want to talk about?"
"I don't know.Normal things.What do normal people talk about when they get drinks?"
"I have no idea.I haven't been normal in years."
The server returned with their drinks.Kim took a sip of her gin and tonic and seemed to consider the question seriously."Music," she said finally."Let's talk about music.What do you listen to?"
"Alternative mostly.Some metal.Depends on my mood."
Kim made a face."Metal?Really?"
"What's wrong with metal?"
"It's just noise.Angry noise."
“Not all of it.One of these days, I’ll introduce you to Gojira.”
“Um, that’s okay.I’ll take your word for it.”
“What about you?”Miles asked.
"Well, I have very sophisticated taste in music."Kim took another sip of her drink, a playful glint in her eye."I like eighties pop.Madonna, Prince, Cyndi Lauper.Music with actual melodies."
Miles couldn't help but laugh."Eighties pop.That's your defense of sophisticated taste?"
"It's objectively better than metal.There's synth, there's choreography, there's fashion.What does metal have?Guys in black t-shirts screaming into microphones."
"You know…I’d argue with you but 80s pop does have Depeche Mode and Tears for Fears.So, I think we can find some common ground there.”
Kim laughed, the sound genuine and unrestrained.Miles realized he had never heard her laugh like this at work.She was always professional there, focused and analytical.But here, outside the office, she seemed lighter.There was an energy to her that he found himself drawn to.
They spent the next twenty minutes debating music with increasing absurdity.Kim insisted that "Like a Prayer" was a masterpiece of modern composition.Miles countered that Metallica's "Master of Puppets" was objectively superior in every measurable way.Neither of them was taking the argument seriously, which somehow made it more fun.
"Okay, different topic," Kim said when they had exhausted the music debate."Food.What's the best meal you've ever had?"
Miles thought about it, maybe taking a bit longer than was necessary."There was this little Italian place in Boston.Elena and I went there on our second date.They made this carbonara that was just perfect.The pasta was fresh; the sauce was creamy without being heavy.I still think about it sometimes."
He mentioned Elena's name without hesitation, watching Kim's reaction.She didn't flinch or look uncomfortable.Just nodded like it was the most natural thing in the world to talk about.
"That sounds amazing," Kim said."My best meal was in San Francisco.There's this dim sum place in Chinatown that my parents used to take me to when I was a kid.I went back there last year and it was exactly like I remembered.Same sticky rice, same egg tarts, same everything."
"Food memories are powerful.I read about that somewhere…some book or article a while back.If good food stands out while you’re doing something of a positive nature, it’s easier to recall."
"They really are."Kim finished her drink and signaled the server for another round."What about travel?Where's the best place you've been?"
"Iceland.The landscapes were like being on another planet.We did this hike to a glacier and it was just the two of us and all this ice stretching in every direction."He realized he’d saidwe, again referencing Elana without evening saying her name.
"I've always wanted to go to Iceland,” Kim said.“Did you see the Northern Lights?"
"Yeah, on our last night there.It was…well, I was expecting it to be beautiful, you know?But it was sort of like…almost spooky, I guess.Ethereal.”
Kim was quiet for a moment, her expression thoughtful."You talk about her really naturally.That's good."
"It's taken a while to get here.For a long time, I couldn't say her name without feeling like someone had punched me in the chest."
