Jo jogged toward the bus stop just as the bus pulled away, kicking up asphalt and spitting out asthma attack-inducing smog. ‘No, no, no, no!’ She watched as the bus disappeared around the corner, leaving her stranded. She panickedly pulled out her phone, checked the PDF timetable for the 7, and scrolled until she found out when the next bus would be arriving. 

Not for another thirty minutes. Jo was stranded for a full thirty minutes, in the outside. Where anyone could look at and see her. 

Jo pulled her headphones on as panic fully set in, breath coming in uneven gasps. She collapsed onto the bench, trying to make herself as small as physically possible as she tried to breathe.

Jo tried to breathe, hoping, praying, for it to work, but it didn’t. In fact, it only got worse as someone joined her on the bus stop bench. Fumbling with her phone, she reached desperately for a distraction. Scrolling through her contacts, Jo hit Sky’s name and started a call. The phone rang and rang, and continued to ring before going to voice mail. “This Is Sky Callahan and if you're getting this, that means I was too busy being awesome to take your call. If I deem you worthy of my time, I’ll call you back in 5-6 business days.” 

‘Shit. Of course, she's probably at work.’ Jo scrolled up and down her pitiful contact list before finally, hesitantly, reluctantly, calling Jackie. 

This time, the phone only rang three times before Jackie picked up. “Hey–”

“Can you talk to me?” The words stumbled over themselves in their rush to escape. 

“Talk?” 

“Yeah. I didn’t know if you were busy or–”

“I’m not. Is something wrong?”

Jo ran her hand through her hair, trying to ignore the other person. “I’m kind of stranded at a bus stop, and I’m freaking out.”

“Why are you at a bus stop to begin with?” Jackie asked, curiosity tinting her words. 

“I had a therapy appointment,” Jo spoke quietly, pausing to breathe. “We normally do virtual appointments, but once a month she makes me come in person.”

“Ah. I see.” Jackie hummed and Jo could imagine her nodding. 

“I just need a distraction, so I don’t think about people looking at me.” 

“I can do that,”

“Thank you.” 

“So, what do you wanna talk about?” 

“Just…anything. Just talk. If I can focus on your voice, I won’t think about…” Jo trailed off, not wanting to name the thing that had her in this state. 

“Okay, so I started watching this new anime,” Jackie spoke, thankfully filling the space left by her silence. “Do you watch anime?” 

Jo laughed. “No. It never really seemed like something I’d enjoy.” 

“Oh man!” Jackie practically yelled into her ear. “You’re missing out. This new series is amazing…” She spoke excitedly. “So, okay. There's this spy–” 

“Like James Bond?” Jo cut her off, causing Jackie to laugh. 

“Well, no but also yes. Kinda.” Jackie hummed. “He’s the best spy and only relies on himself that is, until he’s tasked–” 

Jo listened to Jackie explain the anime just as the bus pulled up. Anxiety lessened by the rambling of the other woman. Scanning her transit card, she made her way to the back of the bus. “So a spy, an assassin, and a child psychic walk into a bar, or rather pretend to be a family?” Jo joked as the bus pulled off and onto the street. 

“Yeah. Basically.” 

“It sounds interesting, that’s for sure.” 

“I think you’d like it. You should watch it.” Jo hummed, watching as the bus pulled up near her stop. “And so,” 

“One moment, Jackie.” Jo reached up to pull the stop cord. Standing up to head to the door as the bus come to a jerky stop. The doors opened and she stepped off speaking. “Alrighty. You can keep going now.” 

“Okay, so, they have to infiltrate in this really prestigious academy. In order to infiltrate the academy, they enroll the psychic and–” Jackie paused, clearing her throat. “Are you still there? You haven't made a sarcastic comment in a hot minute.” 

“Yes. I’m just walking toward my apartment.” 

“Oh. Okay. So, the plan!” Jackie continued explaining and Jo listened as she walked up the steps, fishing out her keys. “And then! Anya punches him. Like just right in the face!” 

Jo slipped her key in the lock. “Aren’t they like five? Are you suddenly condoning child violence?” 

“Hey, don't put words in my mouth.” Jackie laughed and Jo turned the knob, stepping inside, closing the door behind her. She leaned against the door, closing her eyes as she sighed in relief. “You good, Jo?” 

“I made it.” 

“Yay,” Jackie let out a half-hearted cheer, causing Jo to laugh. 

“Yay indeed.” Jo toed off her shoes. “Thank you for talking to me again.” 

“Of course! Do you wanna stay on the phone a little longer? I’m not bust today.” 

“Maybe later? We could watch a movie or that anime. I really does sound interesting.” Jo offered, as she moved further into her studio. 

“I’ll call you back around dinner time? Sound good?” 

“Yeah sounds good to me.” 

They lapsed into silence. “Okay. So goodbye I guess.”

“Maybe more of a talk to you later?” 

“Yeah that.” Jo laughed and forced herself to end the call. She stared at her phone and the call time, which was nearly forty minutes. ‘Come on, Jo. You can be normal about this.’ She took a deep breath, setting her phone down, turning her headphones off and shrugging off her jacket. 

Jo plodded further into the house, stopping to glare at the still half finished painting. “I guess I can try and finish you.” She sat down, picking up a paint brush dipping into pain and continued her work. 

Jo added details to the trees in the foreground, adding small lights and flowers on the already dry trees. The picnic scene was a small detail, but it was the only thing saving her sanity while working on the cityscape. She really hated cityscapes but adding some life to the city made it bearable.