"Morning." Michelle smiled.
"Hey. Sorry i'm, like, invading your apartment."
"No, you're fine. Your dad will have you living with him next week, better enjoy your freedom."
"I'm gonna tell Al that you're talking trash about him." Toni said then laughed.
"No sex for you."
"Hold on, wait, I didn't mean that.."
Michelle laughed, watching as he came over to me, kissing all over my face. He went to check on Diego while I finished packing up everyone's lunch.
I was really that mom.. wow..
"The world doesn't work like that." Toni loudly voiced, entering the kitchen with Diego behind him.
"Why not?"
"Because you can't have something just because you want it."
"Henry's parents got it for him."
"This is our house, our family. We do what's best for us. I'm not paying for a video game bus to be parked out front for three hours."
"Okay."
"Okay" you give up, or "okay" you understand what I'm saying?"
"Okay," I give up." He grabbed the lunch from me, leaving the kitchen.
"What was that about?"
"Your phone's ringing."
I looked down at my vibrating phone, wiping my hands then answering.
"Is this Anastasia Moore?"
"Yes. Who's calling?"
"We're calling from Hill's Drive.. sorry to inform you but your mother has passed away."
I was silent for a minute before muttering an 'oh, ok' then ending the call. A small part of me was sad but mostly, I felt nothing.
"Come on, guys, let's go."
"Who was that?" Toni asked.
"Some bill collector."
-
"Family's Bill and Maureen Clifford. 14 year old daughter Carolyn. Offenders came in last night and ransacked the place. All three reported splitting headaches and dizziness."
"And they were home the whole time?"
"Wait til you see what they woke up to. Somehow the family slept through the entire robbery." Toni said.
"Huh."
"Father had a security camera system. Could be something."
"What's with the gas masks?" I asked.
"Get CFD down here."
"19.8% oxygen levels are lower than usual. That means that there's another type of gas in here." Casey said, examining the room.
"Offenders pumped gas in, knocked the family right out."
"They, uh, they ran tubing through here and circulated the gas through the ventilation system."
"Smart.." I commented.
We got our tasks, doing our own thing for the rest of the day. The belly made it hard for me to do any real work so surveillance and office work was my bestfriend.
"Jeez, baby." I lightly rubbed the bruising area on his face.
"I got a boxing session with Rico tonight. I don't know what I'll do." He sat at his desk, taking a deep breath.
