Primadonna

2|Going to the GCPD

"Hey, did a package come for me? I heard the door knock earlier."

"Uh, no, sorry." She shakes her head. "I have to see Jim about something. Are you okay to stay on your own?" She says as she gathers her jacket and purse.

"Yeah. Tell him hi for me." I wave as she leaves.

I sit down on the couch as I think deeply about what happened. I bite my nails as I try to wrap my head in everything.

This is why I should've minded my business.
My greatest sin has always been eavesdropping. My biological mother used to hate it. My adoptive mother used to tease me about it. But neither opposed when I used to gossip to them all the secrets I heard.

I decided to keep this out of my mind.
I take my medicine and then go to sleep, the best method to ignore my thoughts.

I wake up when I hear the front door close. I sat up as I heard Babara walk to her room. I walk out of my room and hear the shower being turned on.

I go back to my bed and call Jim.

"Hey, Barbara just left a few minutes ago."

"Yeah, she's back already. I wanted to ask you something." My leg shakes nervously.

"Is everything okay?" I could tell he was scrunching his eyebrows.

"Yeah, everything is fine. I just wanted to know if-" I scratch my eyebrow, "Did Barbara talk to you about something?"

"You're not worrying me any less, Angela." He says in a gruff yet complaint voice.

"Well, all I know is woman Renee came, and Barbara seemed off." My voice squeaked at the end, outing my lie.

"You heard their conversation." He said knowingly.

"No." My voice was still coming out screechy.

"It's okay, Barbara already told me about it. Renee Montoya told her I framed Mario Pepper."

I breathe in relief.

"Oh, thank god. Not the framing, no, I'm glad Barbara told you. I hated hearing the woman say you would be involved in something like that." I shake my head.

"I didn't frame Mario Pepper, Angeline. I promise you." He reassures me.

It hurts that he'd think I'd ever think badly of him.

"Of course, you didn't. I know you could never do something like that. I'm here for you too, Jim."

"Thanks. You go rest now."

My poor brother thinks of my well-being when he's the one being accused of a crime.

"No, I thought I'd go out for some late-night running." I roll my eyes.

We share a laugh before I hang up.

I scoff internally.
Rest, he says. To rest, you need something to be resting from. All I've been doing is so-called 'resting.'

The Next Day

It's the middle of the day when I get a call from Barbara.
She had already left when I woke up this morning.

"Hey, Barbie. You still at the gallery?" I smile as I answer her call.

"No. I haven't been able to contact Jim all day. I came to his place to see if he was there. Have you heard from him?"

My smile falls, and I become serious.

"No, I haven't talked to him since yesterday. Have you tried his work?" I bite the inside of my cheek.