DW: Great news peeps! I checked the polls on the last day of the voting and Death Note came out
as number 1!
It couldn't have been possible without your help and support. I thank all my readers and reviewers and even the people who read and don't review. But, it's all cool G!
Death Note has been updated as of April 29. So get your hind parts over there and read it.
It had been one month and two days since Courtney hired Duncan and Geoff and their team or workers. Now they were starting to come every so often during the week. Courtney watched from her office window while she typed cases and retorts for her next trial. Bridgette came over more often to see Geoff, they had really connected a week ago.
Bridgette forgot all about Courtney's little slip up at the carnival, and she was gracious for it. Now, Courtney sat with Cupcake in her lap, reading a article about child abuse. None of this stuff ever related to her childhood life because this was a different time period they were talking about. When Courtney was growing up which would have been in the late eighties early nineties, parents did this all the time.
Cupcake meowed softly into her stomach and Courtney rubbed her contently. "This is a bunch of bull isn't it?" she asked the cat. Seeming to understand her, Cupcake meowed again and then hopped down from her lap and strolled to her dish of food. Courtney threw the article aside and turned on the TV for some mindless action there.
By her own mistake it was on WE. Lisa must have left it there during one of her previous stays. The show was about wedding stuff that didn't interest Courtney one bit. About girls bitching about their dress and how no one was listening to them and how much attention should be on them. Ugh. It made Courtney want to throw up.
She flipped to a Law and Order SVU, which was her favorite right after Keep Up With the Kardashians. She was starting to get really into it, which she so often did, and almost missed the phone ring. Usually, she'd check the caller ID but she was too engrossed in the show to care.
"Hello?" she called.
No one spoke but there was muttering in the back. "Hello?" Courtney asked, a little more impatient.
"Courtney?" a voice called. It was faint and sounded far away but was very fimilar to Courtney and her life. Her heart skipped a beat when her brain picked up the soft voice. Her words were choked up in her throat.
"It's Hillary" her older sister said, as if she didn't already know. "Courtney, can you hear me?"
"I can hear you just fine" Courtney snapped, all her vocabulary coming back. "What do want Hillary?"
Hillary sighed on the other end. "It's been like three years Courtney and you haven't called! You haven't called, wrote, with all we've been through together you can at least send a e-mail!" she sister accused.
"Well, you didn't make any attempt either to call or write!" Courtney snapped back.
"In regardless" Hillary said, throwing away the issue. "I have something to tell you".
Courtney sighed and leaned back on her white couch, preparing herself. "You found another rich guy to hook up with? Am I close?"
"Yes and no".
"Huh?"
Hillary took a deep breath and let it out. "I'm getting married!" she said excitidly. This even shocked Courtney, Hillary had floated from rich boyfriend to the next. Hillary had never done anything for herself, she relied on some guy to supply her whole life to her. That was the main reason why Courtney and Hillary haven't spoke in three years.
"Who is he and what does he do?"
"His name is Leo. He's a linebacker for the Sandiego Sabers. I met him at a party when I was with that actor guy. Courtney, I would really like you to be in my wedding". Hillary sounded sincere but Courtney could never be sure.
"Why?"
Hillary scoffed, "Why wouldn't I have my own sister in my wedding? Since Mommy and Daddy are gone, I need the rest of whats left of my family to help me" she was getting into it. "We'll go buy dresses and wedding stuff. I'll get something cute for the twins and a tux for Mitch. Do you think he'll want to come?"
Courtney massaged her temples, thinking of their little brother. "Maybe. Mitch is not the one to miss things like this." Courtney's chest was starting to
feel tight and her head was spinning a little. It was too much at once and Hillary was still talking fast on her wedding theme and plans.
"SHUT UP!" Courtney yelled into the phone. Her head was throbbing and it felt like someone was compressing her chest together.
Hillary was silent for a second and knew her sister always got like this. "I'm sorry" she said. "I'll call you tomorrow, okay? Go out and get some air and rest" Hillary hung up first knowing that Courtney would protest.
Courtney turned the phone off and laid back on the couch. She dug her hand around the bottom of the cushion and took out the hidden bottle of blue pills she took for headaches. She popped three into her mouth and dry swallowed them. Laying back on the pillow she closed her eyes and saw nothing but unforgettable nightmares....
"You're throwing away your life, Hillary!" Father proclaimed. "You need to stop mooching off of us and get a job!" he told her for the upteenth time. A sixteen year old Hillary sat on the sun porch in the hamock. She had her sun hat flopped over he face, trying to ignore her fathers constants complaints.
A twelve year old Courtney was nearby, swimming in the pool. She watched as her father snatched the sun hat off Hillary's head and threw it to the side. "Are you listening to me you ungrateful slut!" he yelled at her. Hillary stood up difiantly, "I'm no slut!" she said with hint of sadness in her voice. "How can you call your own daughter that!?" she wanted to know.
Father pointed a long finger at her and said in a voice hardly worthy of a father. "Because you are."
Hillary stood there, akwardly, hoping that tears wouldn't fall from the rims of her eyelids.
"I see you every night sneaking out with different boys here and there. I had so high hopes for you but you let me down everytime".
"If you hate me so much why don't you just say it already!?" Hillary yelled back. "I'm not smart like Coutrney, Daddy. You can't make me do anything I don't want to do! Now I'm going to go live with Trevor and spend the rest of my life with him".
Father laughed, it was a loud rough laugh that sounded hoarse. "If you leave don't ever come back. There will be no home here for you anymore".
Hillary looked down at her feet. "This never was a home" she said quietly. Father didn't say anything but he just let Hillary storm out the yard and into her silver Volvo and sped away.
Courtney ducked down under the water while her father was passing by. She hoped that he wouldn't stop but he did and pulled her up by her soaking wet brown hair. Courtney sputtered and choked out water from her mouth and nose. Father stroked her head a while before looking down at her with those peircing black eyes that showed no soul.
"I'm glad one of my children is smart enough to comprehend" he gave her one more pat before walking back into the enormous house.
Courtney dipped her head underwater and stayed there for as long as she could before coming back up for air.
She hated the touch of the demon.
Courtney awoke with a jolt from the loud music of the TV. She was breathing heavily and sweating some. She wiped her brow off and looked out of her window. It was sunny but it wouldn't last for long, due to the incoming rain their having but the weekend. Courtney glanced at the clothes she was wearing, which were nothing but some old sweats and a T-shirt.
Cupcake was resting on the couch, slightly twitching from time to time. Courtney ran a hand threw her hair and sighed, "Guess I'll go jog for a bit" she said to no one inparticular. Cupcake stirred and woke up moments later, glaring at Courtney as if to say, "You seriously leaving me?"
Courney patted the cat and slipped on her tennis shoes and plugged in her i-pod. "Mama will be back" she told the cat before jogging out the door and down the street.
As she paced herself she looked around her weird neighborhood. There was Mrs. Johnson who would secretly sneak her trash into Mr. Wongs garbage. Then Mr. Carmellows who cheated on his wife with her sister while she went to work. Courtney ran past little Ronnie's house and waved to him as he cut the grass.
Ronnie's mother didn't know that he had all types of girls running in and out of his room at night. She jogged on past Mr. Tim's house who had five kids but didn't know that they weren't his children. She shook her head as she jogged by.
"I wanna hold 'em like they do in Texas play...." she sang in her head to the lyrics of Lady Gaga.
Courtney decided to jog to a park nearby and just walk around the way and sit and watch the children play. When she got there she found that it wasn't too crowded but there were some kids on swings and slides. Taking a breather on a wooden swing she turned off her music. Courtney watched the innocence at work.
She watched them climb the slide and slide all the way down to their parents. She watched them swing back and forth with smiles on their faces and their parent in back pusing them lightly.
"You could do everything when you were a kid" a voice said.
Courtney looked up suddenly, only to have Duncan staring past her at the children. Her heart rate came back to normal as she realized it was just him. "Yes, they're all innocent" she said quietly. "Never have to care about bills and major problems. Just out and playing" she whispered. It was then that she noticed Duncan sitting next to her.
"So, what are you doing here?" she asked. "Here to catch a few looks at some children, you pervert!"
Duncan smirked, "I could say the same about you. I saw you watching them with a close eye. Maybe you're the one who is pervertish" he suggested with a sly grin.
"I-I'm not!" Courtney sputtered. "I just like to watch them play. I find it very cute to see a parent and with their child".
Duncan shrugged and dropped the matter. "Yeah, my girlfriend and I used to some here and watch the kiddies play" he said quietly, as if remembering. Courtney noticed that something flicker in his eyes as if a bad memory had somehow came back to life in his icy blue orbs. She touched his forearm lightly, "You alright?" she asked.
Duncan blinked and swallowed hard. "I'm fine, babe. Just remembering what it's like to be happy again" he mumbled.
Courtney frowned, "I bet my sadness beats your sadness any day".
Duncan grinned, "We'll see. But let's you and I talk about our sadness over dinner". He stood up and stuffed his hands into his jean pockets. Courtney got up to, "We don't even know each other like that and anyway I told you I don't like to get involved with business partners".
Duncan checked his watch, "The work day would typically be over at five or six. It's seven-forty now and it's a Saturday, which means it's not a week day. Now remove the pole from your ass and join me for dinner. You need it too, you're looking a little skinner everyday" he grimaced slightly.
"Really?" she felt her small waist line. "I guess it would be better than putting a microwave meal in".
Duncan smiled, happy she agreed. "Let's roll babe!"
"This is so good!" Courtney exclaimed, taking another bite from the ribs. Duncan had taken her to his favorite grill out spot called, "Juicy House!" Courtney was very reluctant to come here just based off the name. But, Duncan convinced her that her ate here with his girlfriend, Gwen all the time.
They had the time to get to know one another better while they waited for their meal and while Courtney put down some ribs. Duncan had done this personally to get her to eat more meat. He only ordered a gigantic burger for himself but barely touched it.
"Favorite show?" he asked her, admiring the sauce sliding down her cheek.
"Law and Order SVU" she took another large bite. "Yours?"
"Jersey Shore" he smiled to himself and thought of the fist pumping bit. Courtney wrinkled up her nose, "That show is immature and does nothign but kill brain cells. I doubt if you have anymore left". Duncan shrugged and reached over and took a swab of sauce off her cheek and licked his finger.
"Tangy".
"Disgusting" Courtney retorted, wiping her mouth. "What's your favorite thing about a girl that has nothing to go about the outside?"
Duncan thought a moment and said, "Her brain I guess. I always like a woman in charge. You?"
Courtney thought a moment, "His past".
Duncan was confused, "Why?"
"Because, sometimes that can be the deepest thing of a man" she answered truthfully.
Duncan looked into her eyes for the truth and found a little hint of something in her past. He was about to comment on it when a big Whack! Landed on the table. They both looked up alarmed and saw their waitress, Penny.
"You two were getting awfully close" she said smiling. The two looked at each other and noticed the waitress spoke the truth, she and Duncan had been moving closer to each other as the talked. Courtney scooted back to her original postion and fingered a rib bone.
"You love birds want anything else tonight?" Penny asked.
Duncan looked over to Courtney who said nothing. "Nope, I think we're good" he slid a twenty dollar bill to her with an extra ten dollars for a tip. He knew that Penny had two babies she had to take care of and he always slid her more money than need be.
"You guys doing any singing tonight?" she asked, collecting the plates.
"Singing?" Courtney asked.
"Yeah, every Saturday night they have people get up a sing a song. If you're really good, your next meal is on the house".
Duncan noticed Courtney's twinkle in her eye when she saw the stage and said, "You should go up there and sing something" he suggested. Courtney everted her attention back to him, "Are you nuts!? I haven't singed in years and anyways what song would I pick?"
Duncan grabbed her i-pod that was laying on the table and scrolled through a few song before stopping at one. He showed it to her and she blushed lightly, it was her favorite non Lady Gaga song. "Duncan, I can't do that one" she declared.
"Sure you can" he handed the device to Penny. "Hook her up my good woman".
Penny nodded and rushed over to the sound system to plug her i-pod in and turn a microphone on. Duncan was trying to pull Courtney out from the booth but she griped to the sides. "Duncan, quit!" she hissed. "You're are so childish!"
He laughed hotly, "You're griping to the table like and I'm the one whose being a child?" He finally let go of her and went to the stage instead and took the mic.
"Hey, Duncan!" someone shouted from across the room.
He pointed to them with a smile. "Guys, I have this uh....friend who won't come up here and sing" he announced. Courtney's mouth fell open and she couldn't believe he would do something like that. People murmered and some guy shouted, "Bring her up here!"
Duncan pointed to the back at their table and Penny switched on the spotlight. Now everyone could see her. Great.
"Courtney" Duncan urged.
She shook her head but looked around at all the people who were staring and encouraging her to go up.
"Fine!" she confided and stormed on stage, snatching the microphone. The song started to play in the back and at first Courtney sung lowly to it.
Every day is so wonderful
And suddenly it's hard to breathe
Now and then I get insecure
From all the pain, feel so ashamed
Duncan had taken a seat back in their booth and was amazed by her singing voice. "Amazing" he whispered.
I am beautiful no matter what they say
Words can't bring me down
I am beautiful in every single way
Yes, words can't bring me down, oh no
So don't you bring me down today
Courtney was getting into it. The feeling of performing was coming back to her.
To all your friends you're delirious
So consumed in all your doom
Tryin' hard to fill the emptiness, the piece is gone
Left the puzzle undone, ain't that the way it is?
She was getting louder and more into it.
'Cause you are beautiful no matter what they say
Words can't bring you down, oh no
You are beautiful in every single way
Yes, words can't bring you down, oh no
So don't you bring me down today
No matter what we do
No matter what we do
(No matter what we say)
No matter what we say
(We're the song that's outta tune)
(Full of beautiful mistakes)
(And everywhere we go)
And everywhere we go
(The sun will always shine)
The sun will always, always shine!
(But tomorrow we might awake on the other side)
'Cause we are beautiful no matter what they say
Yes, words won't bring us down, oh no
We are beautiful in every single way
Yes, words can't bring us down, oh no
So don't you bring me down today
Don't you bring me down today
Don't you bring me down today
The song softly faded out and she closed her eyes while the audience applaued and cheered. "Thanks" she said, not wanting to be up here anymore. She handed the micro phone to someone else who was eager to get up there. On her way back to the table she grabbed her i-pod while almost running into Penny.
"You were awesome!" Penny hugged her.
"Thanks" she said akwardly returning it. She hated hugs.
"Next time, any meal you want is free!" Penny left to attend another table and Courtney walked back in a daze.
She sat down on the edge, "I can't believe I did that!" she exclaimed to herself. "I haven't sung to people in years".
Duncan handed her her jacket and scooted out the booth. "You were great" he said but his mind was somewhere else.
"Are you ready to go?" he asked her.
Courtney nodded but took one more bite of ribs before walking out the door with Duncan. Once they were in the car Duncan played some hard rock music silently.
"Your mind had been everted somewhere else since we've left the resturant" Courtney noticed.
Duncan's hands tightened on the wheel. "My sister could sing like that" he said through clenched teeth.
Courtney could tell it was a touchy subject so she didn't press it any further. "How'd you learn to sing like that?" Duncan asked after a while.
Courtney shrugged, "I always could. Just something I picked up".
They arrived at her house in a matter or minutes. Courtney unbuckled her self slowly, a part of her didn't want to return to her desk and computer but stay there with Duncan.
"See you Monday" he told her.
"Yes, Monday." she stepped out and closed the truck door gently behind her. As he was about to drive off Courtney turned back to the window and said with a real smile,
"Thank you Duncan".
His eyes turned back to the road, "It was nothing. Sleep well, princess" he said before driving off back to his world and Courtney went back into hers.
DW: I don't want the to rush into a relationship so I'm trying to take it slow and progress into getting to know each other on a more deeper level.
Heads up! I probably won't have time to update on Death Note on Friday like I usually do. On account that I will be sitting in a car with my mom driving eight hours somewhere.
Sounds like fun?!
You're dead wrong!
So, I won't have computer access until I reach my sisters apt. But, then I'll be to tired to type and you'll get you chapie when I find the time.
Please review and I want lots of them to read when I log on this week!
Lots and Lots peeps!
Peace and Love,
DW