Chapter 55
AN: Part 2 - 10/26/2024
Part 1 - 10/21/2024
Eeek. Ee. Pssh. Pssh. Eeek. Ee. Pssh. Pssh. Eeek. Ee.
The tv is on but there are no sounds coming from it. The music is on but it's not loud enough to drown out the incredibly annoying noise. Is she wearing earbuds? Ever since Will left, she hasn't been the same. Is she still angry at Will for leaving without letting her know first? That can't be the reason. She said she understood. Life is a little different but not that much. She still goes jogging in the morning whenever she feels like it. She paints. She cooks. She cleans. She goes out and hangs out just like everyone else when the weather is not freezing or raining. The only difference is she doesn't want to talk about her ex. So who pissed her off this time?
"Hey" CJ didn't repeat since it probably won't work and instead moved closer to the one who seems to be mesmerized. "helloww" CJ waved from a feet away from the reflex bag since the squeaking noise could be a sign of mechanical failure.
"What?"
She's not wearing earbuds? Then she must have a hearing problem. "It's squeaking." If something is loose, she could send the reflex bag flying. Then it could hit the wall, the tv, the unlucky person or herself depending on which part is loose. "Did you sign up for a tournament or something?" Just joking but she was punching the bag with a boxer's attitude. There goes the boxing gloves. At least she knows when to take a rest. She doesn't look tired though even though she's sweating. The redness on that very white face is showing. So is signs of insanity. "Excuse me?"
"Hit me."
"uhh no. You have a wedding to attend. Bruises can take weeks to heal." She should know accidents can happen even if the wedding is months away.
"Hold my wrist, as tight as you can. Don't let go."
"Why?" Just do it is not a good reason. CJ did anyways and regretted it after getting her hand twisted, then bent to the back in an uncomfortable position. It doesn't hurt that much since the move wasn't done in a quick movement but it does hurt while trying to get out of it. The arm muscles are stretched to the max. "Okay. I can't." It would be possible to get out of it if she's allowed to use her head and legs.
"Do it to me"
"Why?" After getting a short explanation, CJ agreed even though it doesn't entirely make sense because why all of a sudden does she feel she would need more practice? She's no longer an agent. She's not going out to look for trouble. She's not getting fat. She's right about one thing. Reflex will get worse with age. The unexpected can happen especially now with all the crazies out there. It will be too late then when it does. Practice will be beneficial in many ways. That's true but this isn't America. This is a good neighborhood. There are a lot less crazies here and doing it for real is too much. "OW! " That's exaggerated since it's the only way to get her to release the hold. "I would love to do this with you but I don't want to walk down the aisle with a broken arm." CJ didn't realize she was that loud and someone is outside. Anyone would be curious to know what just happened. Brie did. Brie would be a better candidate too.
"self-defense?...from whom?...You?" Brie asked. It's not meant to be an insult but neither of them look like the type that would be able to knock out a guy. It's not meant to be funny but CJ is laughing. "Sure, but not now." It's a nicer way to reject the offer. Besides, this isn't the right time. CJ looks fine but the one who refused to admit that she misses her wife looks like she needs a shower. She also looks like she needs to go out and have fun. "Laser tag, want to go?" Brie asked, expecting excitement not confusion. "boom boom?"
Over the last 6 years, the number of mass shootings has increased. Schools never used to have metal detectors but now some do. Gun violence has always existed but there are so many nowadays, people are getting sick of hearing 'thoughts and prayers' from the corrupted politicians who refused to vote for stronger background checks. It is getting worse but not here. So hell yeah! "When?" CJ asked. Not just when, but where and with whom. Surprisingly, the former agent didn't need convincing. She must be bored too.
-next day-
Not anymore though. Tactical laser tag is definitely not for kids. The rifle looked and felt like a real M4. Everyone was excited before the game. Everyone left with sweat and a lot of laughter, even those who didn't do so well. It's not for everybody. Nadia and Holly weren't interested. It wasn't that violent. It was fun, expensive but fun. It was a good workout too. It's obviously Faith's first time since she can't stop telling Nadia and Holly how much fun she had even though she spent more time running back and forth to the area to respawn than actually getting a chance to shoot the opposite team which is funny because she's blaming Brie for shooting her every time.
"Everyone is wearing a mask. It's dark. How am I supposed to know it's you?" Brie said, later bursting in laughter after getting a glare from the one whom she has learned a lot about in the past few months. Faith is a lot like Noel in terms of being very knowledgeable in the health field but unlike Noel, Faith is more spirited and more open to talking about anything and is not afraid to admit that she has feelings for Will but she also said she doesn't know if it's love or just attraction since she doesn't have any experiences. At least now, she doesn't feel that it is. So that's for giving Will hope and not knowing what she wants. "You can be on my team next time, okay?" Faith can also take a joke. She's already suggesting when to go next time and trying to persuade others to go which means, she didn't notice and missed the point of this arrangement. It wasn't just for Eva's birthday. It wasn't just to have fun or overcome the fear of guns. It's a chance to meet other people, friends of friends, in this case, Eva's. Did she noticed? "What do you think?" Brie said, directing the question to the tallest blonde in the room. It's a serious question. It's not meant for CJ. So why is she laughing?
"I knew it. Didn't I say that guy was acting weird?" CJ said to the former agent who's now rolling her eyes, not just to brag about knowing beforehand that Brie had another motive but also to let Brie know that she's wasting her time because "He's not her type." CJ realized that she should have used a different word after getting stared at by 4 pairs of confused eyes from 4 different personalities including the former agent who had said before that she needs a man not a woman. "I meant race" That should clear it up but it seems to have made it worse since Nadia just dropped her jaws. Did that sound racist? "I meant he's Asian." Does that sound better?
"half Irish, half Korean, and he's as good looking as the Human Torch." Brie realized that the only one who understands is CJ since she's the only one laughing. "Captain America" Not many knows about the Human Torch but they should know Captain America. It's a joke but she let them know she's also being serious by describing his physical features so that they don't get the wrong image in their head since most people would.
"Ask him to shave the beard, then you'll see the big difference." CJ said, unsure of how Brie came up with that comparison. Maybe she loves that movie? Ever since Will left, having Brie here has been great since she has someone to watch movies with but she's now realizing that Brie's perception is very different from hers. It seems that Faith's is too. He does have a nice smile but it's not an infectious smile. He does look like a cheerful person but no person is happy all the time. Even if she did have a short conversation with him, that's not enough to know about his character. "What does he do? What's his story?" The questions are for Brie since it's her idea so she must know more than Faith does. If he works for law enforcement, then forget it. Pharmaceutical sales? Okay. That's a job with decent pay but that shouldn't be enough to own a townhouse, at least not in Vancouver. No parents? It must be inheritance or he hit the lottery. Doesn't drink. Doesn't smoke. That's all good but that's not as important as "Why doesn't he have a girlfriend?"
"He had a girlfriend, broke up six months ago."
"Who broke it off?" It's a reasonable question. Don't know is not a good answer. That could mean the girl did. Incompatibility is always the reason. She's a paralegal? Okay, that explains a lot. Paralegal or lawyer, nobody likes them. But that doesn't mean there's nothing wrong with him. Besides, Brie seems to be hiding the most important fact. "How old is he?" Eva is 21. If he's a friend of hers, then he must be-
"28" CJ is laughing again. "It's only by 4 years. That's not a lot. And he's more mature than thirty year olds." No one else is laughing but they don't look like they agree either. "Twenty-eight is considered old in Asian culture. He wants to get married, start a family...and you know Asians, they're very committed to family."
"Oh, so he's the traditional type. The wife stays home, cook and clean, take care of the kids while he goes out to have fun and drink. Irish loves to drink." CJ said.
"He's a millennial. He's born here so no, he's not that type." Brie stared at CJ to see if she has anything to say. Surprisingly, she and Faith both asked the same question and at the same time. Making him out to be that great now doesn't seem like a good idea because it's hard to think of a good reason to respond to "Why don't you try since you find him so good looking?"
"So?...What's wrong with him?" CJ asked since five seconds have already passed and Brie is looking like she wants to say 'stop interfering.'
"He's not my type. He doesn't like to go out to bars, dancing, nightclubs, strip clubs, things like that." Things like that seems to have surprised everyone especially the one who can make the most incredibly tasty left-over turkey sandwich with just a few simple ingredients. "You've never been to a strip club?"
"So basically, what you're saying is...he's boring."
Why? Why? Why? CJ is obviously not helping. But that's okay because it worked. "I'll tell him to call you." That's a definite no even though she didn't say no. "Okay. Bad idea. Umm...I'll set something up for next week. We'll all go together. Okay?" She didn't say no. So that's a yes. "You want his number?" That's a definite no since she's walking away. That means end of conversation. "Is she always this shy?" Brie asked the one who still has the same look of shock from the moment she mentioned strip club. Nadia.
"You have no idea." CJ can't resist laughing again. Brie doesn't know but if she knew that the change of identity is not just a change of name and address but also a change of date of birth, she would know the difference is not just by 4 years. If she knew who the former agent is, she wouldn't have used the word shy. "Who wants to make a bet? One month, cook and clean if she goes on a date with him alone. I say she won't." CJ knew that Nadia and Holly won't. Would Faith? Would Brie?
"You're not helping."
"If you want to help, then get her a gal not a guy and let me talk to her first. Okay?" CJ didn't laugh this time but did smile at the clueless face. Whether Brie took it seriously or not, it doesn't matter. She will know not to do it again after she loses the bet because everyone else agreed that the 28 year old is not the right guy. Even Faith was speechless after Brie revealed the age. Some men do age quickly after 30 especially if they go bald but the problem isn't the age. The problem is it's only been 4 months. Letting go is not that easy.
-next day-
The problem is her. It didn't seem strange yesterday since it's still cold out and there's not much to do. Anyone who is looking to forget the past and start anew would want to go out to meet new people. Nadia and Holly didn't want to go because as much as they want to celebrate Eva's birthday, they're not interested in a game of shooting and using guns that look like real ones. Ethan wasn't either because he didn't want to be reminded of his past but Bryan was able to change his mind with a short lecture of how to overcome fear. Faith didn't need to be persuaded since she has never played laser tag and needed a break from taking computer courses online. No one is working but everyone has something to keep themselves busy with. But no one is as addicted as she is, not even Nadia who works out everyday. But not punching bags. She's at it again. Yesterday, she didn't say much after the laser tag but she must have thought about what Brie said. Is that what she's thinking about now? Whether she is or not, she needs to stop.
"Your age is showing!" Sorry. But it's the truth. Thin people looks older. Her toned arms look great but if she continues to scrunge up her face like that, it's going to give her more wrinkles and worse, make her less pretty and unfriendly with those nostrils getting bigger like a pig's. No one would be interested in her then, not even Ethan or Eva's friend. "Go get a facial treatment, a massage too. You need it." It's mean but it might be the only way to get her to see what she's doing to herself. CJ would cancel her plans if she wants to talk but that didn't happen so she left with a promise to come back with her favorite peach non-dairy smoothie which probably won't cheer her up; That's not her intention. Her intention is to remind the former agent of how she used to be.
With her heart beating rapidly, Amy stood in front of the full length mirror to look at herself from head to toe before moving closer to focus on her face. Without makeup, everyone doesn't look as good. With the sweat, everyone looks even worse. CJ is not entirely wrong though. The cheeks seem to have sunk a little. The chin looks more pointy too. Lines under the eyes have been there for awhile but now there are lines around the corner of her mouth every time she smiles. Isn't it always like that? Skin is sagging in the neck but it's not that bad. "What's she talking about? What age spots?" Amy tossed the gloves on the floor and hurried to the door since the doorbell is ringing continuously. There's no reason for CJ to be doing that unless she left her keys here. But getting the door is not why she's moving in a hurry. It's because she wants to tell CJ to have her eyes checked. She's the one who did poorly at the laser tag yesterday!
It's not CJ. It's Brooke? There's no reason for her to be here since Brie lives next door so why? "What do you want?" Amy asked, knowing how rude that sounds but she's not in the mood to be polite to someone who's been lying about what she knows for months.
"Is Brie here?"
For someone who's smart enough to keep everyone from knowing the truth, why is she asking a dumb question now? "no"
"May I come in?"
"Why? So you can put bugs in my house?" She should know she did that before. Most likely, it's her idea not Adalyn's or Brie's.
"I could wait in the car until she gets back and we can both keep on pretending...or...you let me in and we can both avoid future problems."
Keep on pretending. That's what she said four months ago. So what does she mean by that? Amy stepped aside to let her in since no one else is home and because nothing she said and did so far makes her a threat. She doesn't seem to be but everything she said cannot be confirmed either. So does she think she can just walk in here freely after what she did the last time? "Take your coat and shoes off. Put everything metallic in here. Earrings too."
"Are you serious?" She is. She has a metal detector handy. Putting everything in the box isn't enough. The handbag needs to go into the closet along with the coat and phone. "Do you do this with everyone?"
Amy saw no need to answer the question since she expected her to know why. She also expected her to know that she didn't let her in to take a look around the place or compliment on the decor. It's to find more about her since she still can't come up with a reason as to why she would lie about what her intentions were before she met Christian. Falling in love with the one that she was supposed to hate doesn't sound impossible but why keep it from Adalyn? Brie doesn't need to know but Adalyn should. 'Some things are not meant to be shared' is not a good enough reason. It does not prove that Adalyn is not looking for the key either. Adalyn isn't here so "Where is she?"
"Home"
"Home? Are you sure about that?...or do you have a tracker on her too?" That's deliberate. She should know there's no way to prove it if there's no tracker. She should have just lied. It would've made Adalyn seem more trustworthy. Now it just made it more possible that Adalyn has something to hide. Adalyn wasn't at the laser tag yesterday either.
"You want me to call her? If she has the phone on, then I'll know where she is. If she doesn't, then I would be worried. I mean, she could be with your wife." (gasp)
Brie had said before she didn't grow up with Brooke. But it seems that they still have a lot of similarities including the same sense of humor and making bad jokes. That's inappropriate and sick. "You think that's funny?" She wasn't laughing but she did smile a moment ago.
"No I don't. But now I know you can easily be ticked off. If you can't control yourself, others are going to know what you're capable of, what you are, who you are. Is that what you want?"
"What are you talking about?" Amy realized what and why she came after getting clarification. It's just a game. Everyone was shooting whatever and whoever they could. I did do better than most people. So what? No one cared except CJ who thought she would be better at it. No one would care if I can change a flat tire. I did do that for Brie and I did show her how to jump start a car. So? These days, many women know more than just driving a car. It's not difficult. There are instruction videos online done by women. No one would find that odd. Only she would.
"They didn't tell me who you are. They didn't tell me who your wife is because they know what can happen if others know. If you continue to act like yourself, she will start noticing. Her friends will too. Someone will eventually figure it out."
It was just a game and simple DIYs. Makes no sense. She didn't care before. Is she worry that someone will find out about me or is she worry that Adalyn will find out about her? Regardless, "If you're so worried, then move."
"What do you think I've been trying to do? I'm not leaving without her."
What? Did she just confessed? It was her idea? Not Lucy's? Not Will's? She had thought that it was Lucy's because Lucy had wanted her to move back with Nadia. The only way to make that happen is get Will to go with her. Lucy didn't admit to it and Will said it was his decision. It did seem like it was since he left instructions for Brie and Brooke. Brie didn't want to move back with Brooke so he suggested that she move in with CJ and Faith and have Brooke move into his place temporarily since Brooke has been looking to move out of Christian's property and into a smaller house for awhile. As long as Brie isn't sleeping in the same room with someone who can be triggered to kill, she has no complaints. That's what she said. She agreed to the arrangement. This has nothing to do with Doc. That's what Will said. But he didn't say this was Brooke's idea. She denied knowing about it. She said Adalyn didn't know. And now she's changing the topic as if she knew what would be coming. Was it her idea or Adalyn's? The question can wait because Brooke just asked a question that again makes no sense. It doesn't because there's no reason for Brooke to ask about the half Irish/half Korean guy. Brie must have told her. It could be Eva too now that they're neighbors. But why she is asking about him?
"Eva's friend, the guy you're staring at for 5 minutes. Did he call you?"
Looking is not staring and it wasn't for 5 straight minutes. "That's none of your business."
"It is if you're interested. There's going to be another party soon. Can you NOT go when they ask?"
Okay. That's it! "If you don't want me to tell anyone about you, you better move far far away…or…stop interfering with my life. Pick one. Your choice." That sounds rude. That is rude. That is intentional to let Brooke know that she's out of line even if it is a request not a command. After getting an explanation, she realized she overreacted and misunderstood. Yesterday wasn't Brie's idea. It was hers? It wasn't just a birthday party for Eva. It was a matchmaking setup for Brie because she thinks it's the only way to get Brie to move out. Wow. She may have lied about a lot of things but her love for her sister is as genuine as the love from a mother for her child. No wonder Brie doesn't want to live with her. She's overly-protective and a little crazy too like every parent would be when they don't like who their daughter hangs out with. In this case, it's Will. For someone who had said before that she doesn't believe everything that Doc said that day, it now seems like she does. Brie never talked about it. No one asked. So "Is that what she said?"
"You didn't notice?"
Did she mean it the way it sounds because that sounds condescending. "I noticed a lot of things. But I wasn't with them 24/7. I never saw them sleeping together. Is that what you're implying?" That's what Doc said to Brie that day when she tortured her so it must be. "Even if they were, she's old enough to make her own decision. Will would never force her to do anything she doesn't want to." That's deliberate to let her know that she doesn't appreciate how she thinks of Will.
"I'm not saying he would. I like Will. I am grateful for everything he did for us. But being grateful does not mean that he's the right person for my sister. You don't have a sister. If you do, you would feel the same way I do."
Unlike everything else she said earlier, this one is a good point. But she doesn't seem to understand the situation. "They're friends. That's all. If you want her to move with you, that's not going to happen no matter who she's with." Get it? Need more clarification? Does she have separation anxiety disorder? That's not a look of anxiety. That's the look that one has when they don't like the response.
"You"
You what? Whatever it is she's thinking of must not be good. It must be cussing. Her frustration is showing. No one likes to be told that they're the problem.
"What did she say to you?"
That sounds better. She must have just realized blaming others isn't going to work. It's time to tell her why Brie was hanging around Will like she's his girlfriend before her over-protectiveness becomes out of control. It's because of the incident with Lucy. She must have heard from the next door grandma who likes to cook, gardening and gossip. "…so whatever you heard is not true. They're just friends. BFF."
"BFF?"
"Best friends forever" Amy clarified since Brooke's question sounded like she has never heard of the acronym.
"Is that what she said? He's her BFF?"
There's no sibling rivalry but now it seems like there's jealousy, jealous that Brie found someone closer than her. She must be one of those who thinks that BFF can be used to describe a relationship between family members. That's just silly. "She didn't say that. That's how I see it. She's closer to him than any of us and I don't mean you. You're her family. We're just her friends. You will always be more important to her than anyone else. She said that." Ever since Brie moved out, they haven't see each other as often as they used to. Yesterday was a chance for them to bond. It must not have been enough. Their relationship is distancing. That happens to every family. This must be another reason she wants to move. She's not going to get her way this time though. She should know there's nothing she can do so why is she still thinking? "Look. I know you're worried."
"I'm just asking you not to go. Can you help me?"
It may have been a question but with that tone, it sounds like a command. She sure doesn't know how to ask nicely. "It does not matter who she's with. She's not going to move with you."
"He's not right for you. You know that. You know what will happen. Why go?"
For someone who has shown herself to be very smart and understanding, she's now as annoying as the 75 year old grandma. "Fine. I won't go. Happy?" Amy thought that would be the end of it until she got another request that is so ridiculous, there's no need to respond to it. It might not be necessary but this would be a good opportunity to find out more since it seems like she has been lying about a lot of things including the story she told the last time which seemed very convincing until now. "Sure. I'll help you…if you can tell me when was the last time you talked to Mr. P. What month? What year? What day?" Why look so confused? She should know why. There's no proof to her story and just like she said before, no one else knows. "Where was he? Where were you?" Working as an informant is dangerous. It's rare for a woman to do so. Most do it to avoid going to prison or to get less prison time. Some do it for revenge. In her case, she did it for money. As a prostitute, she had a good reason to take the risk. But why would Mr. P trust a prostitute? "So?...Don't remember?" That's her excuse to many of the questions the last time. Many things cannot be proven without Mr. P but a phone call can be if he didn't use a prepaid phone or public phone.
"Can I get a drink?"
Stalling? That's one way to think of a good explanation. There's no need to deny her request though. She can look around the kitchen all she wants too. She can even look inside the refrigerator. She should know any odd behavior will only make her look more suspicious. The longer she takes, the less credible her story is.
"I heard you're a vegetarian."
She couldn't have known that by looking in the refrigerator. "He told you that?" If she says yes, then she's lying about everything.
"What you can and cannot eat wasn't important. He didn't tell me where he was either. I didn't ask. He didn't tell me you're obsessed with cleanliness either. She's(Brie) not kidding. No dust?" Brooke said, holding up her finger tip that she has been using to swipe various areas in the kitchen and living room. "Is this what you do everyday?"
More stupid questions. She is stalling. The next move made it even more obvious. The painting is unique. Anyone seeing it for the first time would want to take a closer look but for her, she has another purpose for looking at it.
"He didn't tell me you're an artist either. Wow."
If she's trying to prove herself, she's not doing a very good job since she had said the last time, the reason she knows so much is because Mr. P told her. He did because he trusted her. It was convincing because she knows a lot about Lucy too but now it seems like there are a lot of other things she doesn't know. "So you don't remember what day it was, the last time you talked to him?"
"Do you remember what day it was, the last time you talked to your wife? That wasn't years ago. What about the last time you hooked up?... No? What about the first time? You must remember that. It must have been very embarrassing. I know I would be if I was caught in bed with my kidnapper."
She's no longer stalling because she came up with a good explanation. Dates are difficult to remember. But no pathological liar can keep track of all their lies. "You said you didn't know about Mr. P. Then why didn't you tell me earlier?" She had months to disclose what she knows. Yet she chose that day to do it.
"I told you why."
Yes she did. Sometimes it's necessary to pretend to have forgotten to find the truth. But in this case, there's no need to. "Tell me again." Tired of the questions or trying to remember? She should know what will happen if she choose to ignore.
"I really thought you were going to kill her."
That is what she said before but really? It was just a kick. If she wasn't blindfolded, she would know how it looked. Even Brie thought she was being assaulted by a man. Asking 'what are you doing?' would've given 'him' a chance to hurt her and use her to get away. The safest way to help her was to move quickly, grab hold of 'his' feet and pull 'him' off the bed and kick 'him.' Even Brie didn't recognize Adalyn until she screamed. It was a mistake. It wasn't intentional. But Brooke is right about one thing. No matter what Adalyn does, it would be difficult to trust her again even if Will's sudden departure has nothing to do with her.
"Look, I wouldn't be here without you and your wife. I am forever grateful. If you could just help me, we will move. You'll never have to see us again."
They did talk about moving for a long time. Not leaving without Brie is a good reason. The farther they move, the better it will be. "Fine" If that's all she wants, that's not difficult to do. She'll soon find out it's not going to work.
"Thank you"
The gratitude seems genuine. There's no reason for her to lie about that. It's not the first time. It's the first time being told to act like a simple-minded woman from the 1920's who knows nothing except cook, clean and depend on men.
"She's going to ask questions. You don't want her to know. Do you?"
"Okay. I get it." Just like Brie said, Brooke does sound like the controlling type. She has a good point though. But she's probably more worried about Adalyn since the truth could ruin their relationship. No one would feel nothing if they find out that their first encounter with their partner was not an accident. Anyone in that situation would have doubts about their relationship. Adalyn definitely will. Maybe she is getting suspicious. She's calling again and Brooke is not hiding their conversation which is odd. If she wants to prove that she's not hiding anything else, then this doesn't. It only proves who's in control of this relationship. "She's checking up on you?" Amy asked because it sounds like their relationship isn't the same as four months ago.
"We had an argument yesterday…"
And just as expected, Brooke came up with a very good reason to explain why she was so cold to Adalyn. It's because Adalyn won't let her go anywhere alone ever since that incident. It's because spending every minute together has taken a toll on their relationship which happens in every relationship. That's true. This explains why Adalyn wasn't at the laser tag yesterday. But this does not explain where Adalyn is now. "Where is she?" Brooke should know why. All she has to do is show her phone. Good. She's willing.
"She's…not at home." Brooke said while looking at the phone.
Oh. That's not good. She didn't tell her or she lied?
"She's…mm…hmm"
That sounds very bad. If she doesn't know where Adalyn is, then-
"oh, she's with Francois. See. He lives around there."
Yes. I see. But that doesn't prove anything. Adalyn still could be looking for the key. That's why she's with Francois. She could still be involved with Doc. All it takes is a phone call. All it takes is for her to put the coat back on. One. Two. Now.
"OW! … What're you doing?"
"Stop lying." Amy said as she used her own body weight to press Brooke down against the floor. It took four quick moves. one more than anticipated, to force Brooke down on the floor. This isn't what she had in mind after letting her in but this time, she was prepared for the counter attack.
"You're hurting me!"
"Then tell me the truth or I'm going to break your arm. Trust me. It's going to hurt." Amy opened the pocket knife with one hand to show her what will be coming if she continues to try to break free. It worked. It got her to stop moving but it didn't get her to say anything that she hasn't already said before. So it's time to tell her the mistakes she made. "You're right. I am never going to trust her. Nobody trusts lawyers. So I always wonder what it is that you see in her. Then, a moment ago, I just realized…it's not what you see in her. It's the other way around. She loves you…just like Christian, but you…you were a prostitute…you took Mr. P's offer, willing to do whatever is necessary. Sleep with Christian, sleep with her, sleep with Mr. P." It's wrong to accuse Mr. P but he is a man and people change. Old men are more vulnerable to seduction. As a prostitute, she's good at that. "Did you sleep with Doc too?" This could be the reason why Doc was doing everything she could to save her. She could be working for Doc too and Adalyn doesn't know.
"Now I know why he said I reminded him of you. Loneliness can do damage to the mind. It makes you think of things, crazy things that only makes sense to you and no one else. So I suggest you hurry up and find someone and…Hey!"
"You should know I've done this before so unless you want to have an accident on your face"
"All right!"
It worked but the explanation is not what she expected since it's a possibility that she never thought of but Brooke did. Brie thought she died. Did Mr. P have a heart attack after finding out that she died? Was he using her to keep Christian from becoming like his father?
"…Our last conversation was about you after I told him I fell in love with Christian. He understood. He wished me well. I thought he would talk me out it. But he didn't even try. Maybe that was his motive all along. Was that his idea? You and your wife."
"Say that word again and I'm going to use it." Amy said as she put the knife closer to Brooke's face. Brooke got the idea. But she must not have thought this thru. "That's a nice story except…it doesn't make sense. Why would he trust you? If that was his motive, he wouldn't send a prostitute-"
"Prostitutes are human too! So stop saying it like they're criminals! You don't know anything. You don't know what it's like to be treated like a thing, moved from one house to another because no one wants you. You don't know what it's like to be alone, hungry, with no one you can trust so the only thing you can do is steal and hope you don't get caught by a pervert, a rapist. You don't know what it's like to have to pretend to be happy, sell your body, your soul because it's the only way to get out of that SHITHOLE life. Do you think she wanted to be a prostitute?"
She? Who? Amy didn't ask because Brooke is not finished and it's becoming more clear who she's referring to. This isn't what she's expecting but it got Brooke talking about herself, her real self. She was innocent. She didn't used to be like this. She doesn't know what's right and wrong. Prostitution is demeaning, disgusting, and immoral. It seems to have affected her sanity too. No one would think she's crazy based on her looks but anyone talking about themselves as a third person is. Maybe it's the only way she can talk about herself? That is understandable. She's no longer that person. That's what it sounds like until she mentioned Brie again.
"…They're not BFF. They're FWB."
F…W. "What?"
"Friends with benefits and I don't mean fixing things around the house."
Oh…my God. No wonder Brie chose to live with Faith instead. She is crazy, crazy overprotective and very good in pivoting. "You don't know Mr. P. Do you?" Don't try to change the topic again. She better come up with more proof or else.
"I don't know about you but I am getting tired of this. If you want me to say I don't know Mr. P. Fine. I don't know him. Forget what I said. All I want is for Brie to move out of here. Will is going to be back soon. Your ex too. As long as she lives here, there's going to be a risk. I hate to say this. But as grateful as I am, I don't want them near your ex. I…don't want to be near her either. You know why as well as I do. She attracts attention. She attracts problems. I'm sorry. But you know that's the truth."
First Will. Now Lucy. Nice try. But you're not getting off this easily. "Maybe I should use-" Amy was about to threaten her with the knife again until the doorbell rang which is odd since she's not expecting anyone to be back this soon. It can't be CJ. It's Brie. Perfect timing. There's no need to use the knife anymore. Using Brie would be more effective.
"Please don't tell her. I'm begging you."
No she's not. She's not on her knees.
"I'll tell everyone about you."
She's crazy if she thinks that's going to work. She will be in trouble too. "No you're not."
"Okay I'm not. What do you have to gain by telling her? Huh? Nothing. I already told you the truth. You just don't want to believe it because she allowed your ex to touch her. She didn't want to. She had to. You know that but you chose to ignore the situation she was in and blamed her for everything she did…and now, you're doing the same to me. This is why I didn't want to tell you. But I took a chance because he said you lost your parents too and you're good and kind and understanding. And you are. So pleeease, you know what it's like. I don't want to lose her again. I can't."
Well Well. This is unexpected. That's one hell of a good explanation. She's not wrong but she's not entirely right either. It's who her father is that made it difficult to trust her(Adalyn). She does loves them. One only would kneel for the ones they love. Brie, on the other hand, doesn't seem to feel the same way…at least not now.
"What are you doing here?" Brie asked.
Now it's obvious Brooke didn't come looking for Brie but she came up with a good reason to explain why she didn't call first. At least, she thinks so. Do sisters buy clothing for their sister? A mother would for her child but sister? That's odd. Brie must think so too since she rejected the gift as well as the offer to go out for lunch.
"How about takeout? We were just talking about ordering takeout."
Brooke's love for Brie is real. There's no doubt about that. Brie is getting sick of her. There's no doubt about that too since she just ignored Brooke's question and told Brooke to go home before leaving which is quite funny. But not to Brooke though. "I think she knows you're lying."
"That's what I'm talking about. She's going to figure it out if you don't stop being yourself."
Good point but where does she think she's going? "We're not done here…and I don't think she wants to see you right now...What? Did you think I would fall for it because you begged?" It did seem real. If she had not turn back to pretending to be the innocent and caring sister so quickly, it would've been more believable. "I'll make this easier for you. You win. I'll help you. I win. You tell me the truth."
"I am telling you the truth. I don't know what you want me to say."
"Tell me. Who's more important to you? Brie or Adalyn? Your choice." This should be simple. What's there to think about? She said she doesn't want to lose Brie earlier. She didn't say them.
"He did say you're stubborn. Now I know why."
Good. Now let's see what you're capable of. Amy takes the knife out of the hoodie pocket and put it inside the living room glass cabinet.
"I'll try my best not to hurt you." Brooke said as she left her left foot forward into a fighting stance.
"HA" Amy laughed because she was thinking of the same thing. There's no need to let her know though. She needs to know this. "He didn't tell you everything. Did he?" It was obvious before. It's more obvious now. "The Perfect Score…died many years ago." Is she confused? No wonder she didn't take the last warning seriously. She will now. "I've been waiting for a real fight for a long, long time. Don't hold back. I want to see how flexible you really are." That's to let her know she figured out how she was able to put her in a locked position the last time. No one could, not even CJ. With CJ's help yesterday, she finally realized how. Only someone who is flexible can twist their body into unusual positions. Even Nadia couldn't.
Amy was about to make the first move until she was told to wait.
"Not the face, they're going to ask questions."
Good point. "Fine"
"Not the stomach, not here. I plan to have kids some day. I'm sure you do too."
"FINE" Amy then realized that's not all. No objects allowed. Just hand to hand combat. Sounds fair. Amy continued, then stopped again not because Brooke has another request; it's because the phone is ringing. First, it's Brooke's, followed by her own. For someone who has shown herself to know more than just basic self defense four months ago, it now seems like she doesn't since she just picked up the call. "Seriously?" Amy didn't pick up hers to show Brooke that she's running out of patience and more importantly, her eagerness. It seems to have frightened Brooke which isn't her intention. Brooke is stalling again. But this time, she's not going to be staying. This time, she's going to use an emergency as an excuse.
"…Which hospital?...Okay. Got it. Now listen…Listen! This is not your fault! There's nothing you can do! So just calm down! Stay where you are! I'm going to come now! Okay?"
That's very loud and very clear. It's obvious that was Adalyn. It can't be anyone else. "What happened?" The phone call ended. If she thinks she can just leave without a good explanation, then this only shows she wants to avoid the fight.
"I have to go. Rain check. Okay?"
Rain check? She's not a very good liar after all. "I'll let Brie know. I'm sure she'll forgive you." Frustration is visible again. She's thinking again. "One...Two..."
"Hope's injured."
Meanwhile
"bbrr" It's not freezing and not as cold as last month but the long winter weather here is hard to get used to. Faith hurried up the stairs after taking the shoes off to use the bathroom and changed into more comfortable clothing before taking the contact lens out. It's not clear enough to drive without it but the eyes can still see that the one standing almost 10 feet away is not in a good mood. What did I miss? Ever since Brie moved in, life hasn't been the same. Less boring and a lot of laughs were not expected. This isn't either.
"You know, that's not good for the bones. It's going to hurt later." Faith warned while knowing that her warning would be ignored since over the past few months, she has learned that Brie is the type that hates being told what to do. It will take force to get her to stop hitting the 50 pound punching bag with her fists and legs. There's no need to though. Exhaustion will eventually take over.
"Ow"
In this case, pain did. "There are other ways to relieve anger. That can actually make it worse." Faith regretted giving the advice after getting a look that she has never seen before. Everyone gets angry once awhile but this is the first time. She was fine last night. She was fine this morning so something must have happened after she went out. "Want to talk about it?"
"I'm fine."
"Okay. Good. I'm going to make myself a hot cup of cocoa. You want some?" Guess not. Faith didn't bother to try again since she has learned that Brie is the type that can take care of herself so whatever it is must not be serious.
"wait"
Maybe it is serious.
"Do you know when he's going to be back?"
"Who?" Faith asked because she didn't think Brie was referring to Will since no one has talked about Will in the past four months. She's the one who said don't talk about Will. Don't mention his name. If Eva asks, just say he moved. Did she forget? "No, why?"
"You don't know or you can't tell me?"
"I don't know. He didn't tell me." Brie might not be able to intimidate a man but many women would find her intimidating especially when she's not in a good mood.
"Did he call you?"
"No, he has no reason to call me." It's the truth but it doesn't look like she believes it.
"Why are you stuttering?"
Why does everyone say that? If she's not studying to be a graphic designer, she can be a private investigator. One question came after another. Where did you go? Who did you go out with? Don't say CJ because she's not here. Don't say alone because I'd know you're lying. It wouldn't be difficult to come up with a lie but there's no need to. She would probably find it strange though because it was Ethan's suggestion to check out the half Irish/half Korean after learning about the setup. It's also because Ethan has been looking for his own place so he took the opportunity to check out the neighborhood. "He said if he goes to a strip club, then we'll know what kind of person he is. If he's with a girl, then we'll know he's not single." It might not be a good method but it might work. But it looks like Brie feels the same way as Nadia did since she has the same look. Confused.
"Are you interested in him?"
"Nnno. It's for you...I mean, it's for her too." It's too late to take it back but she should know why. She's the one who said to CJ 'If she doesn't try, she's not going to know.' She's the one who took CJ's bet which includes one month cooking and cleaning and a promise to go out with him if he asks just to prove her point.
"It's okay if you are, go for it."
If Ethan is here, he would be laughing right now because he too asked the same question. But why would she think that when she's the one who couldn't stop talking about his good looks yesterday? "We're just checking him out for you." Sorry. But she's going to lose. 28 is way too young. Only she would think he would be a good match for the older divorcee.
"Did he put you up to this?"
"Who?" Faith realized who after getting a glare. Only she would think that Will has anything to do with this when she's the one who set it up. Four months did nothing. Will will be disappointed. Letting her live here now doesn't seem like a good idea. One moment, she's thinking. The next she's hurrying to the window. Without the contact lens, it's unclear but the second person is recognizable. ""Isn't that your sister?...What's the hurry?"
Part 2 - added 10/26/2024
It has been a long time but the familiarity of the surrounding instantly caused an eerie feeling to appear. No voices can be heard, only the sounds of rapid footsteps and the beating of her own heart along with the continuous beep…beep…beep that only she can hear because the past is difficult to forget and being here in a hospital reminded her of those moments of helplessness, fear, and worry. This time, it's not as distressful though. But for Brooke, it is. This time, Brooke isn't stalling. It is urgent. Hope is in fact injured. Hope is not the only one.
Amy stopped following since permission to go thru the double doors is denied by the hospital staff due to a new policy(only 2 healthy people are allowed at a time) which makes sense under these conditions but who else is in there? Even Brooke is confused so it must be a mistake. Mistake or not, this is urgent. Death doesn't wait. "Are we too late?"
"Let me check"
What? Checking could be too late. Does she not understand the question? If Adalyn didn't come out, she would've ignored the policy and went in there just as Brooke was thinking of. There's no need to get any closer to see that Brooke wasn't lying about Adalyn's condition. Adalyn is in a state of emotional need just like she was years ago when she found out about Lucy's condition. Tears couldn't be controlled then. In this case, Adalyn can't either but are those tears of guilt or something else? Having a stroke is not unusual for an elderly but why did she take Francois for a walk when the weather is not suitable for anyone in his age? Why did she take Hope with her when she could have left her at home? If she had, Hope wouldn't have been injured. Francois wouldn't be here and Brie would not be calling from the animal hospital right now. Amy picked up the call and hope it's not bad news. It's not but it's not good news either. More time will be needed to see how Hope is and just like she said to Brooke who initially wanted to hide it from Brie which is a horrible idea, Brie is calling because she wants to know exactly how it happened, when, where, and who hit Hope. An accident would not be good enough just like she said to Brooke who obviously doesn't understand her own sister. "I'll find out. Okay?" Can't talk right now because Adalyn just went into the double doors with Brooke.
"You can't go in there. Family only."
What? It must be Brooke's idea. She's great at coming up with lies. "She told you that? She's lying. I am family. If he dies right at this very moment, I will never forgive you and I will sue you, not this hospital, you." Hate to say that but every second counts. Amy proceeded thru the double doors without permission since this young hospital staff is obviously inexperienced to know what to do. She can go get security if she wants to. This is a hospital not prison. Security won't do anything but will if there is a disturbance and there will be if she continues to block the path to Francois' room. First is Brooke; Brooke didn't want to say which hospital. Now is Adalyn making excuses. Doesn't she know 'need to talk to him alone about personal stuff' is very stupid? "Let me go first then." Now it seems like the young hospital staff didn't make a mistake after all. There could be someone else inside and that person could be Doc. "Let me in or I'm going to make a scene." That worked. What were they thinking? Do they think I don't know why they want to be here? The last words of a dying man can be very - "Bryan?"