I didn't know if she wanted me in her room or if she was too tired to have me. I decided to leave her to rest. I was itching the whole evening to feel her silky skin against mine, to inhale her apple scent and to run my fingers through her hair but my considerate side won.
There is alot of time to do that anyway. I've finally done it. She's finally mine. I scream at the toppest of my lungs, pressing on the steering wheel. My first outward show of excitement. The horn honks, good thing I'm on the road to our house where traffic is low.
I drive in through the backyard and go through my usual way.
I take off my clothes tossing them on the floor as I head for the shower. I fill the tub a little too much, when I step in some of the water spills over flowing to the floor.
I take a long soak, reminiscing about my time with Ocean today. I'm proud of myself for finally scoring a real beauty. 'I should give myself flowers,' I laugh at myself stepping out of the tub.
I tuck myself into bed and for the first time in forever I sleep with a smile plastered on my face and dream about blue birds and roses.
"Ree!" My mom's voice snaps me out of dream land. I peel my eyes open and find her hovering over me, her face close to mine, too close. "What's with this mess." She asks, holding up the clothes she had gathered up from the floor. Her expression suspicious.
I cover my mouth with the back of my hand, stiffling a yawn before answering, "I'm sorry, I was exhausted from the long day, so I didn't have the energy to put them away before sleeping." My mom has never been one to pester me about being tidy. She has always gone around cleaning after me without a word. The suspicion on her face doesn't disappear.
"Where is she?" She asks, shocking me out of my shell. "Where is who?– mom." I ask, wondering who she is referring to. "Umm, you can't fool me young man." She says, her brow cocked. She puts the clothes on my bed and head into my closet, looking around, for what, or who, I don't know.
When she finally returns, she looks exasperated and disappointed from her futile search. "Where is Hazel, Ree? I'm sure she was in here, considering the mess and the pattern of your clothes on the floor." She says, panting, as if she just ran a marathon. "Mom, I came home alone, took a bath– alone, and slept alone." I reply, biting my lower lip. I wish her suspicions were true. I have a deep yearning to see Ocean, it's been gnawing on my heart since I woke up.
She peruses me, probably not fully convinced but then gives up. "You win, come down for breakfast." She says, grabbing my clothes from my bed and stomping out.
I take a quick shower and head down. "Dad isn't here today." I enquire, checking my watch, surprised. "Yuh, he had an early engagement." Mom replies, trying to look composed, but I don't miss the faultering of her expression.
I stuff down my breakfast, forcing myself to keep it down past the lump in my throat. It is probably there because of my dad, he has been acting weird since the Thanksgiving masquerade party we had. I wonder what's going on with him, finding out will be harder than finding a needle in a hay stack because my dad is not one to share his problems with anyone. I think I kind of took after him a little.
After forcing half of my breakfast down, to avoid stressing my mom further, I kiss her goodbye, grab my car keys and head to the cafe. The whole drive there I have my fingers crossed, hoping not to throw up or worse, have indigestion.
"Hey!" Courtney waves at me from a table across the doorway. We are still working on Tim's case and it seems to be progressing well. I stride towards her, take a sit across hers and order an Americano. Caffeine always helps me with the nerves.
"Did you see all that attention you gained, just walking those 5 steps?" She asks, with a playfulness new to me since we got acquainted. I just cock my brow at her, amused. "Dude, if that were money you would have been a millionaire." She continues. I contemplate telling her that I already am, from all the businesses my dad is running in my name, but I decide against it and put on a stern look instead. "Can, we get down to business please." I say, a hint of tangible command lacing my voice.
"Umm yes." She says, flattering her eyes to mine and looking away, the playfulness dissipating from her demeanor.
My eyes bulge out of their sockets, it felt as if they would pop out of my head. What I'm looking at is unbelievable. Courtney has slid her tablet toward me, a CCTV footage clip playing. "Where did you get this?" I ask, when I finally compose myself. "I have my sources." She replies, waiting for a compliment, which she obviously deserves. I'm too shocked to play cool though, so I just look away from her and continue assessing the footage.
It's from Tim's apartment. We had asked the police for it before but they said they couldn't collect any, since the cameras weren't working. Judging from the quality and the angle from which it was taken, it's clear it's an old camera they didnt know still existed. I must give a hats off to whoever Courtney's source is. Not today though, I don't want her getting too used to my good side, I don't have the energy to deal with blonde complications.
What's shocking is not that there is a footage, it's what has been captured. A girl, tall, slender with long hair spilling out of her hoodie. She looks around and her face looks directly into the camera. 'Lynn!' I had screamed in my head. What she was doing there, dressed like a thug and looking suspicious, I don't know. I have to find out though.
I grab my keys, my laptop bag and smack a $100 note on the table. "I have to take care of something urgently. Forward the clip to me now." I say, walking towards the door.
"Oow, hun, you are back." Mom says over the sound of the blender. "Yes, I'mma go shower." I shout back, and head upstairs.
My day has been a heartbreak since finding out about Lynn's potential involvement in Tim's case. I went to look for her at her place and found her mom instead, who told me she had to gone to some party. I drove around town to all her friends' places I knew but found her not.
'Way to go Ree.' I think to myself tugging at my hair in a cocktail of feelings. That's how things always turn out when I do it rushly and without a transparent plan.
I take a shower, sulking and drowning in my disappointment and a tiny glimmer of hope that she was there for a different reason. I also wanted to confront her about what she did to Ocean. I hate her but not enough to want her in prison. I dry off and step into my pyjamas, without bothering to dry my hair and head downstairs to dinner.
'Dad?' I thought he would miss dinner as well since he saw it fit to miss breakfast. "Son, how was your day. I'm sorry I left in a rush today." He says, melting some of the resentment starting to build up in my chest."That is alright." I reply stiffly, easing into my seat. Mom serves creamy parmesan chicken pasta and ceasar salad. "Anyone mind some wine?" Mom asks, twirling a bottle of Rosé in her hand. I flip my glass over in reply.
"How is Hazel?" My dad asks, surprising us both – my mom and I. I cast my mom a questioning look before replying, "She's fine." and going back to my pasta, wondering where he is taking this. "That's good. I was wondering if you could invite her to join us for dinner sometime." He continues, sounding like someone presenting a plight. I only manage to cough, at a lose of words.
"I felt I didn't treat her fairly. That is why I'm looking for a chance to redeem myself." He continues, earning himself disbelieving looks from mom and I. "I'll try to convince her to come." I say, having picked his seriousness. "I'm not promising anything though." I continue, thwarting any hope sprouting in him. "That's ok son, as long as you try. And do pass my apologies for the way I – treated her last time." He says, as if his life lies on her joining us for dinner."
I wonder what's going on with him.