Sipping Quietly on my Coffee
Three months earlier…on a grey day outside of Saint Patrick’s Old Cathedral.
The coffee is warm in her hands – a stark contrast to the cold air nipping her fingertips.
Karen inhales the billow of steam rising from her cup and takes a sip.
Dark chocolate. Marshmallow. A sprinkle of cinnamon.
She puts the cup to the side of the tombstone and takes the bouquet of white roses out of her black purse. Studied the roses for a second before placing them in front of the grave.
“Hi Maria…” Karen whispers as she settles down on the ground. “Sorry for the surprise visit. I…I know it’s not your birthday or the anniversary of Central Park…but…I wanted to talk to you.”
She picks up her coffee cup with shaking finger and takes another sip.
“Do you like coffee? I bet you needed it…caring for two kids all on your own…that’s…a full-time job.” She gives a small self-conscious laugh. “Not that I’d know what it’s like to be a mom but…I used to take care of my brother and my dad so…”
She pauses, thinking of Foggy’s remark earlier that week. When he caught her reading a children’s poem off her phone, comforting the scared three-year-old of one of their clients.
You’re a natural Karen. Marci needs to up her matchmaking game. I’d like to be the cool uncle sooner rather than later.
“I haven’t really felt like going on a date recently,” she murmurs. “Went to dinner with a few of Marci’s guy friends but…sorry…you probably don’t care about that.”
The cemetery is peacefully quiet. Karen gets the distinct feeling that Maria is listening to her. That she’s interested.
“The real reason I’m here is because…people are saying Frank’s been creating a…a vigilante following of some sort. Members of the police wearing the Punisher emblem under their uniforms. Terrorizing people. I…I don’t believe it. I don’t believe your husband is capable of doing something like that and I…”
She exhales, takes another sip of coffee.
“I’m so mad at him for…for saying goodbye. Like I try to move on, and I try to go out, and for a while it works. Then this shit happens, and I’m worried about him again.”
She pleads with Maria’s tombstone. Traces the name with her fingers.
“If he ever comes to see you, please…please set him straight. Help him leave this war behind. Help him find an after… I couldn’t.”
Karen stops, voice breaking. She drains the coffee cup.
“Thanks for listening Maria. Just help him be safe, okay?”
Silence. As if Maria Castle is considering.
Karen tucks the empty paper cup in her purse and walks away.
27 hours ago in Karen’s hospital room…
Footsteps.
It’s not Curt. He’ll follow orders and come back tomorrow morning...
Frank tenses, hand reaching for the M9 tucked at his belt…
“Don’t shoot me because I didn’t bring you any coffee Karen.”
Dinah Madani marches into the room with her typical no-nonsense look…yet Frank’s surprised to see she’s off duty. The woman’s grey Vuori sweats are uncharacteristically casual, like she’s ready to go for a morning run.
“What the hell are you doing here Madani? It’s 0500. You should be gettin’ ready for work.” He is both thankful and irritated by her presence.
She arches her eyebrows. “Good to see you too Castle. And I’m here to visit my friend.” The woman gestures to Karen. “And you.”
She pauses, glancing hesitantly behind her shoulder down the hallway.
“A colleague of mine from the FBI called – a friend who owed me a favor. Said that some Good Samaritan at Metro General – probably a male nurse - put in an anonymous tip. Reported seeing the Punisher in the waiting room of the ICU drinking coffee.”
Frank remembers the nurse with the clipboard- the one who came to talk to him when Nurse Temple was giving him the third degree.
Damnit.
Madani is still talking, voice shifting from businesslike to gentle. “A swat team will be coming to take you into custody Frank… maybe in 2 hours…maybe in 24…it’s only a matter of time.”
There’s a sharp inhale of breath and they both turn to look at Karen. Her face is slightly paler than before but her eyes – her ocean eyes are steady. She holds Frank’s gaze.
“You should go Frank.”
“I…” His trembling trigger finger freezes. He gapes at Karen. “I haven’t even asked you…”
“Ask me what? Ask me to agree to some fake marriage certificate Lieberman doctored up so you can protect me. So, you can make me the mascot of your latest war. Then what happens? I wait until Bullseye finds a way out of custody and you two end up killing each other?”
Goddamn. And he thought Maria was ruthless.
Frank shuffles on his feet, then he sees Karen tearing up again.
“My best friend is dead, and my other one is as good as gone. If I’m going to lose you again, I might as well get it over with now.”
Silence.
Madani stands there looking uncomfortable in the middle of their stalemate.
“But Karen…” Frank can’t keep his voice from cracking.
“Go.”
Frank swallows, nodding his head.
“Be safe, okay?”
He leaves the room.
“Mr. Castiglione, is everything alright…?”
Frank passes the female nurse, Temple, in the hall. Walking so fast he almost bumps the cup of coffee out of her hand.