Shea had locked herself in her room the whole day. She didn't go out or answer anyone's calls.
Chris was discharged from the hospital. He responded to Mandy's call. She was going to Shea's to check on her.
Chris was a bit sceptical at first but thought it was the right thing to do.
When he got to Shea's house, he found Mandy and Olivia waiting for him. After some pleasantries they went in.
Chris could sense some tension between him and Olivia. Not on his part. It didn't help that Olivia kept giving him weird glances while they waited for Shea.
Shea met with them at the living room. She was still in her pyjamas. Her hair was unkempt and her eyes were red.
"I'm sorry you have to see me like this."
The trio were not sure what they were seeing. None of them had ever seen her so down.
Chris got up and opened his arms to her. Shea looked at him. At his forehead. A bandage cover the wound.
"I'm fine. We are here for you!" Said Chris
She dropped into his arms. They then sat down.
"I was so scared last night! I thought I was going to die."
They had her talking. Shea was really traumatized. Chris could sense it about was about more than the mugging.
Mandy chipped in and offered 'some glass half full' sentiments. Olivia offered some advice on self defense. Shea really got into it.
Chris on the other hand offered emotional support. As he sat next to Shea with his arm around her shoulder and her arm around her waist, he could feel he getting better.
After some time the communal gathering took a break.
"I'll go get us something to drink." Said Chris as he got up. Olivia offered to help him do it, as she walked briskly behind him.
Mandy remained with Shea. In that moment, Mandy got a call. She looked at the caller ID, it was David. She lit up immediately.
Shea saw it,"Who's David?" She asked cheekily.
"A guy I'm sort of dating. I don't know what it is yet." Replied Mandy while staring at her phone.
"Aren't you going to answer it?"
Mandy had a look of uncertainty. She looked at it then put the phone down.
"I'll talk to him later. Right now I'm all yours." She said forcing a smile.
"That's unfair! Just promise me you will. But first, tell me about David!" Said Shea
Meanwhile In The Kitchen
Chris took four glasses from the cabinet and placed them on the counter. He could feel Olivia glaring at him.
"Do you have a problem?" Asked Chris, unenthusiastically
"No. I just have a question," Chris leaned back against the wall and crossed his arms.
"Do you know Kiaru Don?"
She was a lawyer. Of course she knew Kiaru Don. She must have seen the photograph. Chris's mind raced but he decided to play it cool.
"You saw the photo so I suggest you stop wasting time and ask me what you really want to ask."
"Why were you in prison? Let me rephrase that. Why were you in a maximum penitentiary prison?"
Olivia was stern. The fact that she chose to ask confront him in secret confirmed to Chris that if he played his cards right, it would end well.
"I was an orphan so when I was eighteen I was kicked out of the children's home where I stayed.
I went out into the world to fend for myself. After some time, I met some people. They was promised money and a family. That was all I needed.
All I had to do was to help them steal some stuff. It was easy, quick cash so no problem. But one day the plan goes sideways...We were set up.
In the efforts to evade capture some people were killed. We were caught regardless of our efforts. I made a deal with the police.
I helped them catch the other and got a reduced sentence. I only served for three years at Kamiti. It's where I met Kiaru."
Olivia a bit skeptical. She wasn't sure if he was telling the truth. The story was compelling.
Olivia just nodded and took a bottle of juice and emptied it on the glasses. She handed Chris two and she carried two. They walked back to the living room, in silence.
Shea felt better. She was in high spirits. She was happy about Mandy meeting David and the fact that Chris was getting along with her friends well was a delight.
Chris was having fun. He limited his comments though as he still felt Olivia was trying to read him. She was still trying to determine whether he told her the truth.
At one point Chris could feel her blood literally boil. This was when Shea was describing the mugger.
She described him with such hate and distaste that made Chris's skin crawl.
"Guys like that deserve to burn in hell. They should be locked up in prison and never let out."
"I can't see how a person like that could raise a child." Said Mandy
"I know! He said he had a daughter to feed. Poor girl, it must be hard to have a demon for a father!" Said Shea
Chris sighed and removed his hand from around Shea's shoulder.
"Things aren't always so black and white you know! Just because this guy is a thief does not mean he is a terrible person."
"Come on. How can you hold a gun to someone, threaten to kill them then look at your daughter in the eye after that?" Retorted Shea.
"I'm not justifying him or anything. I'm just saying, we don't need to sit here and pass judgement on a person we don't know. "
They all fell silent. Chris was upset. Shea tighten her arms around him. Olivia nodded slightly.
Mandy looked at Chris. She could tell he had a personal experience likened to the situation. She felt for him.
Later
It was time to go. Shea had asked Chris to spend the night. She didn't want to be alone.
Olivia was staying too since she wasn't looking forward to the long drive home.
Chris and Olivia walked Mandy to her car. Chris had a moment with Mandy while Olivia was on the phone with her mother.
"You seem different!" Asked Mandy
"Different, how?"asked Chris
"I don't know. Maybe it's how I've chosen to look at you." She continued
"How is that?" Asked Chris
"As a friend." She smiled warmly.
Chris smiled back. Mandy got into her car and was off. Olivia stood next to him, she had just finished her call.
Her mother was not particularly happy she had not been to the office for some days.
"There's more to you than what meets the eye Chris Dhati." Said Olivia," If that is your real name!"
Chris smiled as he watched Mandy's car disappear.
"It's not."
He turned and walked into the house. Olivia was surprised at the level of honesty. The fire inside her raged even more fiercer.
She wanted to know more. She wanted to uncover the story inside the story.
Later That Night
Shea was dreaming in her bed,
A scene played out in her head.
She couldn't help even if she tried,
Her only instructions were to hide.
From the corner watched with dread,
As her hero was shot in the head.
In silence she hurt and she cried,
But still she felt helpless inside.
Later when the wolf had fled,
She managed to leave her shed,
When she told them how he died,
Threw her out, claiming she lied.