D.W. listened closely to the radio in the hallway as she waited for Dr. Paula. Apparently, Muffy entire family had been arrested for a long list of crimes going back decades. D.W. had never really known the Crosswire's that well, but they were the only people on the news she vaguely recalled so far. She was trying to focus on something other than the harsh words Nadine had for her yesterday.
"D.W., it's time for your session," Dr. Paula called. "Please come in."
"Dr. Paula?" D.W. asked as she through the door.
"Yes, D.W., nice to meet you again," Dr. Paula said. "Allow me to introduce you Lerone and Vanessa."
Lerone and Vanessa looked at D.W. with unclear expressions. D.W. gave a nervous wave.
"Now, all three of you are here for the same reason. Do you know what that is?"
"Because we need therapy," Lerone responded with boredom.
"That's right," Dr. Paula said.
"Why do we need therapy when she's the one who burned her house down?" Vanessa asked bluntly.
"It was an accident!" DW protested.
Dr. Paula sighed. "D.W., I remind you that you have already confessed to starting the fire willfully on two occasions. It's important that we be truthful in these sessions."
DW gave no response.
"Anyway, I thought could begin with a series of inkblots," Dr. Paula said, pulling out a small series of card and showed one. "What is this in the picture."
"A bat," Lerone responded.
"A butterfly," Vanessa countered.
D.W. tried to think hard. "Um...both? Neither?"
Dr. Paula wrote their responses on her clipboard.
"Well, what is it?" D.W. demanded.
"There are no right or wrong answers," Dr. Paula explained. "How about this one?"
"Um, three groups of butterflies," D.W. answered.
Dr. Paula picked her clipboard again. D.W. was suspicious. What is she writing down anyway?
"May I take your order?" Jane cringed as the words exited her mouth.
"Yes, I want the Chicken Deluxe Meal," a man said into the intercom.
"Very well, that'll be fifteen dollars and eighty-eight cents at the window," Jane announced into her headset before walking over to the window. Chicken Planet was a regional chain that specialized in fried chicken, and was one of the few jobs still around in this town. After seeing her father repeatedly ask when she had come home and struggle to remember what the current decade was, she instantly realized that her stay was going to be much longer than she had anticipated.
Which brought Jane to her new job. While Chicken Planet wasn't the worst job she had ever had, it was a massive step down from being a self-employed accountant. Most of the customers were tolerable highway passersby, but a few obnoxious and morbidly obese regulars also existed. The worst customer of all was Samuel, who wasn't either fat or rude, but annoyingly keep coming close to asking her out on a date but not having the guts to outright do so. The pay was terrible. Her co-workers were either depressed ex-farmers or kids with no future.
Jane shoved the Chicken Deluxe Meal box into a bag. "Fifteen eighty-eight," she reminded him.
"Did you remember the potatoes?" The man asked as he coughed over the money.
Jane sighed as she handed him his meal. "Yes, I made sure that mashed potatoes were inside." Every customer who ordered the Chicken Deluxe Meal asked about the mashed potatoes. According to her boss, there had never been a case as far as he knew where someone forgot to add mashed potatoes, but people keep harping about it anyway.
He then drove off without a thank you. Fat moron, Jane thought bitterly.
Once she got off work she would need to convince her Dad to see a doctor. That would be no easy task with such a proud man.
"Well, Ratburn," the officer said as he returned the interrogation room. "I have good news for you. Millicent Crosswire confirmed what you have told us is correct. You were right about the abuse and she admitted you were lovers."
"All is well, then," Ratburn replied simply.
"I also have discovered that both Crosswire's are demanding a divorce. I assume that pleases you?"
A blind man could see the pure joy shining on Ratburn's face.
"There's just one thing I don't understand. Why was Miami your chosen destination? Why not go oversees?"
"We love the beaches," Ratburn responded simply.
"There's a lot of beaches oversees. Or in other parts of the country - Hawaii, for instance. You could have used those fake ID's anywhere."
"We knew what we wanted. Is that bad?"
"Have you ever even been to Miami before?"
Ratburn glared at the officer. "Evidently, you feel that I am making a great omission in my story."
"Yes, Ratburn, I do," the officer replied bluntly, "when we interrogated Ed Crosswire, we found that Miami was a key center for smuggling operations the Crosswire's were heavily involved in."
"Had no idea," Ratburn claimed, "Judging by your smug tone, I'll gather Millicent confirmed that story?"
"Why so hostile, Ratburn? You were cooperating just fine until now. But yes, she did. And we now have documentation."
"Use it well, then," Ratburn responded coldly, "Ed Crosswire is vicious."
"Is it a crazy, theory, Ratburn, to suggest that the smuggling went much beyond Ed Crosswire?" The officer asked.
"It absolutely is crazy."
"Is it true?"
"Why would you think it is?"
"Because we notice drug operations in multiple cities all over the world seemingly unrelated yet all connected to Miami. Do you know what the DEA has theriorized?"
"Haven't a clue. What do they think?"
"They feel that rather than one big ring, as initially believed, there is a common airline pilot who uses Miami as a shipment center for multiple drug rings. As you and Millicent risked destroying the Crosswire operation by killing Ed, you clearly sought to either replace or make an alliance with this pilot."
Ratburn's expression was unfathomable. "Hmmm."
"Who is the pilot, Ratburn?"
Ratburn smiled darkly. "I would like to exercise my right to silence, please."
"I'm telling you, I would know if I'm losing my mind!" Dave barked.
"Dad, please just go see a doctor," Jane begged, "Alzheimer's is nothing to be ashamed of."
"No way."
"Do you even know what month it is, Dad?" Jane challenged fiercely.
Dave stood in silence for a moment. "Jane, when your my age there is no difference."
"Dad, yesterday you forgot that I had been living with you for the past three weeks!"
"I was just... well, tired."
"You can't be tired if you want to keep the only farm left in town."
"That's low, Jane."
"I made the appointment. Are you going or should I cancel?"
Dave sighed. "Fine Jane, I'll go if you insist. But I just don't see it!"
"Sometimes, we just don't let ourselves see what's true," Jane responded softly, then felt her stomach sink as she realized how much these words applied to herself.