Thea's POV
I woke up feeling like I was being banged,I tried to block the pain but it was endless. I didn't know what to do,I struggled to get up,my vision was blurred. I was weak,I could not phantom why I felt so dead!
I knocked over a vase trying to get up,my legs felt like noodles,and I suddenly couldn't breathe.
I wanted to call out for help but I couldn't,a sound couldn't escape my lungs. Even if I did who would I call?I fell down holding my chest, struggling with my breathing,my vision was shit!
I felt my body being lifted up,and carried,I was oblivious to my surroundings.
It all went blank,I zoned out.
Everything slowly became clearer to me,I felt relaxed,and my breathing was slowly restored. My head was still banging but I could breathe again,and I could feel my legs.
"Are you okay?"I heard, while I slowly regained partial control of my senses.
I still could not believe what was happening to me,how did I end up like this?
I put my hand on my face and felt something,it wasn't my skin.
"Nasal strip,it's to help your breathing"I looked at the direction of the voice,and it was the doctor who attended to me while I was at the hospital.
"You'll have to come in to the hospital at least twice daily,for the next month,before we begin your dual..."I zoned out again, my mind went blank.
Where exactly was I?who was this man to me?, Why did I feel like shit?!
I had my thoughts disrupted by a snap of a finger.
"I'll see you on Wednesday Miss Santos"he said while taking his leave,escorted by a help.
"Are you feeling better now?"he asked me,I was confused but knew asking myself was pointless.
"What am I doing here?"I asked,that was a good start.
"You live here"he said,which was a blow,I had to admit.
"Okay,why was I at the hospital?"I furthermore asked, hoping he would fill me in.
He seemed like he was disturbed about something but wouldn't say,I saw his sad eyes and I had a feeling of de ja Vu.
He went into the kitchen i followed and he got me a mug of coffee,in a yellow mug,I liked the yellow mug,it made me smile.
"Here extra milk,no sugar,the way you have it every morning"he said,he really wanted me to remember.
"Sure..."I said unsure of what to say.
I sat on the table in the kitchen sipping from my mug.
"Thea,I dunno how to explain it to you but I have to,you were taken from me,by some real bad people,and they..."I stopped him.
"Am not ten...and your explaining the birds and the bees to me"I snapped at him.
He chuckled and started again more confident.
"I did a dumb thing,and got you mad but I wanted to keep you safe...you got made at me and you left. I felt bad,and I couldn't save you in time.. You got tangled up in some shitty situation and you got hurt. So....am sorry Thea it was all my fault. It was always my fault,I couldn't take care of you and you're suffering for my mistakes...and i....."I didn't know why I did it,maybe to stop him from blaming himself,or to shut him up because his whining was giving me a headache.
I hugged him,and I recognized it,I don't know how but I recognized that hurt.
"You gotta eat breakfast and take your pills... we've got a busy day today me and you.. scrapbooking... watching videos Mami and papi made.."I cut him off immediately.
"Mami and papi?"
"Yes, Mami always put all our favorite memories on tape,she loved it,and papi had all my soccer games on tape too"he said,then his countenance fell.
"What's wrong did they die?"I asked,I saw his sad green eyes again and I knew I guessed right.
"Yeah,but don't let that get to you they passed years back. Let's get started on breakfast,what would you like me to make?"he asked while getting an apron from a drawer.
"You cook?"I asked,he was unveiling fragments of himself with a particular familiarity.
"Yes,so what do you want or do I surprise you?"
Maybe it was intuition telling me,but I knew that he was hiding something from me but I knew I'd find out.
He started chopping veggies,and getting ready to fry.
"What about mins?"I asked,I didn't know what she had to do with any of this.
"Who?"he asked,"the lady you had arrested"I clarified.
He instantly zoned out,he was distant,I could see it and feel it.
"Huh?"I asked,he was still distant,I tapped his shoulder and he jumped out of his fantasy.
"I asked about mins"I reminded him.
"I dunno"he said,
"What do you mean?how can you not know?"I asked maybe furious.
"Thea,I don't know what to tell you"he said,more confused than I was.
"You're telling me that you got her arrested for nothing?"was he serious?
"Listen..the police are.."I rudely cut him off.
"You're not serious..tell me your not shitting me.."I said under my breath.
"Thea.."he said weakly,he was perplexed,and I wasn't sure on whose side to be on,was I was even allowed to choose a side?
I got up to leave,he held my elbow and faced me with remorse.
"I will go over there and sort every thing out..but for my sake,have breakfast and take your pills"he said. I sat down,and stared at the wall,I felt like I was different,but different how?
Maybe it was these pills...I guess so..I didn't know my mind was a mess right now.
Mindy's POV.
I didn't sleep I couldn't,I was up all night thinking of Mark, he was home all alone,he saw me being cuffed. How was he going to take that? He's only twelve for goodness sakes?
Two cops were talking in the distance,I eavesdropped on their conversation,maybe to know my situation.
"That's what I heard, that the captain was denied the arrest warrant,because it was baseless...but he got it done anyway"
"I know that there was no REAL solid evidence against against Mrs Bowen,what do you think made the captain so sure about her?"
"I don't have an idea,but if that's what the captain wants we can't do anything. After all he calls the shots.."
Hillman came in and they both went back to their desks.
"Good morning captain"they both said,he smirked and walked to his office.
I glared at him,he seemed to be enjoying himself.
The doors burst open,two men in Black walked in holding briefcases. My lawyers.
"Good morning captain...me and my associate here have come to seek procurement of our client Mrs Bowen"
He looked at them then at me,he took a cup of coffee and sipped from it.
"No"he said, throwing me off.
"She's not leaving,till she pays for her crime"he said.
"Sir were not asking for permission,we are here with her bail papers"and he was handed the paperwork.
"It allows our client to be granted bail based on the lack of substantial evidence against her"my lawyer further explained.
"Well boys all this is good but...am still not letting her go"he said,about to leave.
"Sir do you want to detain an innocent citizen? That would mean that you are obstructing the flow of justice,and that can stand as a complaint against you in court"
His facial expression depicted anger,he didn't bother to hide it.
"So sir I repeat me and my associate are here to get our client"
Gosh!money really did speak.
Hillman threw the keys of my detainment cell at an officer,then angrily walked towards his office,not without passing me a dreadful stare which I returned confident.
*My House*
I got of the car into Mark's arms,he was anxiously waiting for me.
I hugged him like I had been gone for years,I never wanted him to see that but he did and I needed to be ready to face that.
"Mark are you alright?"I asked letting my fingers run through his hair.
"Am the one supposed to be asking you that!you've were the one arrested yesterday"he said.we went in and the house smelt like something burnt.
Mark was cooking again.
How did he get the courage to even get in the kitchen,he was so strong,maybe he was always so strong and I was the one who wasn't so strong.
Linda looked like she was upset,am guessing she wanted me to stay behind bars for a long time.
"So glad you're back madam"she said with fake sincerity,and I could tell it killed her I was free.
I didn't know what to think,I helped someone in need and THIS was what I got re- payed with. All through the night the only other thing aside Mark that puzzled me was my green...I mean Mr Santos,my infamous Investor.
What role did he have to play in my arrest? And how was he connected to Thea?
All I was certain of was that he wasn't what I thought he was. He didn't even have the decency to come check out how I fared, or come clarify if I WAS actually guilty. I would not most likely forget what he's done to me neither would I forgive him.
Melendez POV
Thea wasn't responding to anything I showed her,maybe she wasn't actually focused.
She used any opportunity she got to ask me about fallen Angel...I mean... Mindy.
Till I could no longer slow down the inevitable,I got my keys and my next stop was the police station.
"Take your..."
"Pills" she cut in,and I felt glad she hadn't lost her personality one bit,maybe her recovery would be quicker than I thought.
The drive gave me time to think to myself,I needed to know what to expect. I would have to not mince words,and expect the unexpected.
A voice whispered to me,that fallen...I mean Mindy wouldn't be capable of hurting a fly.
And I also had a gut feeling that there was a misunderstanding somewhere and I had to clear it up.
I parked my car and walked briskly into the station,my eyes trying to locate her whereabouts,but it was futile.
I went in to see the captain and tell him about my hunch that Mindy was innocent.
He looked like he was having a harsh morning,but I didn't give much attention to that.
He barely took notice of my presence,till I sat across him, bringing him back into reality.
"When did you..."
"The door was open and I let myself in"I informed him.
"Lyla..."he said under his breath.
"Tell me...Mr Santos why you're here this fine morning?"he asked with a hint of sarcasm.
"Okay,here's the deal,I think that we're mistaken about the woman we apprehended last night. She couldn't be the Mastermind. Thea has told me of how she helped her and gave her a place to stay.. although it was short lived. But it seems like she's right and Mindy is a genuine person,and this was all a misunderstanding"
I let it out. It was going too fast,I didn't realize how tangled everything was getting.
He did not say a word he looked at me critically,then at his watch.
"You're disturbing my lunch break Mr Santos...if you didn't notice Mrs Bowen has been bailed out...so if you'd kindly excuse me and let me have the room to myself,that would be perfect"he said,with a jovial tone,but I sensed he was covering up his irritated tone.
How? I didn't even get to see her,or talk to her,or apologize for the trouble I caused, what would happen now?
Mindy's POV
I decided to call Lisa and check in on the affairs at the office, thankfully everything was running smoothly,just like it should have.
I never liked the idea of not being able to have control over all my affairs.
I needed to see Nia,we had a session,it was in the evening,but I knew that she needed me now more than ever.
Mark missed school today,and I let him,he needed to gather himself.
In the meantime I took the liberty to run a background check on Mr Santos through my other means.....
I never knew that he and Thea were siblings,I was about to read more but I heard footsteps above me and I quickly turned off the lights,and took the other exit out of my secret underground room.
I drove over to Nia's house by myself,I didn't want to take a driver with me.
I knocked but no reply,I thought of checking the shed but there was no one.
I was puzzled and turned the door nub,the door was left opened,the house looked like it was hit by a tornado and I was deserted.
I ran upstairs,but found no one
"Nia!Nia!.. Nia!"
I opened her closet,half of her clothes were gone,her stuff and Brian's were gone.
The house was completely abandoned
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