Masked

21# Goodbye

Song: Goodbye- INNA.
Tella
"You can sleep there if you want." I smiled at Chantal as I closed the door.
"I'm good." She shrugged taking a seat on the sofa across from my chair.
"Can I tape this session?" I asked.
"Why?" She asked quickly looking nervous as hell.
"I just sometimes want to listen to them again. It helps me, but if you'll be uncomfortable.." I trailed off.
"It's okay. Just promise me that no one hears them except the both of us."
"Sure, Chantal. You're still doubting that?" I frowned.
"No. I was just saying." She shrugged.
"Okay, can we start?" I asked.
"Sure." She nodded as I pressed on the record key.
"Second session with Miss Chantal Hopkins. Today is the twenty first of January two thousand and fourteen." I spoke as usual in the beginning before turning to her.
"You may start from wherever you like." I gestured for her to speak.
"I-I don't know what should I say." She shook her head.
"If this will make you feel awkward then, we can stop, Chantal." I repeated pausing it.
"No it's okay. It's just-" at this I pressed on the record button once again. "things are getting more complicated than I could bear."
"Why did you return early from your vacation?"
"The weather was horrible, and we were stressed. Getting back home was the best choice, I think."
"Were you seeing Damon? I mean, were you still imagining his voice around you?"
"Not there, but I was always seeking it."
"Seeking?"
"I mean, I knew that it would eventually happen." She corrected herself.
"But it didn't?"
"Yes."
"You told me before that he had a mental illness, right?" I questioned.
"Yeah."
"Morbid Jealousy?"
"Yes." She nodded.
"You can carry on." I smiled jotting down notes.
Morbid Jealousy.
"I still don't know what to say."
"Just open up. Tell me about your life before Damon, did you have any boyfriends for example?"
"I once had a boyfriend before Damon, but we didn't stay together for so long. It was just a fling, you may say."
"Tell me more about it. How did you meet and why did you split?"
"He was in the opposing team. I hate him." She whispered as tears rose to her eyes.
"If you're uncomfortable, we can switch the subject." I offered.
"No," She sniffled. "He was just horrible."
"Like Damon?"
"Damon is not bad, Tella. He's perfect, but he had issues. I could've been in his shoes or you or Ian- he loved me and I enjoyed my best days with him. He never meant to hurt me on purpose. Everytime, he would beg me to forgive him. Isn't he a sweetheart?" She looked at me as tears fell from her eyes.
"Maybe he is." I smiled, "do you think he changed because of your previous boyfriend?"
"I don't know. The other one used to be abusive, and Damon used to defend me. I broke up with the other boy, and had an affair with Damon."
"How did your family react to this?"
"Oh, my mother was never kind to him. I think that she was really judgemental- she just eyed him for a minute and then said he's no good. Did you talk to him, woman? No, she just judged him by his tattoos and piercings." She huffed.
"I won't defend her, but I would like to point out that it's different when you're the mother. I mean, it was not about tattoos and piercings, maybe she saw something that you were blind about."
"You may be right, but I still think that Damon was better than her."
"Even when he tried to kill you?" I raised a brow.
"I see you're being judgemental as well." She rolled her eyes.
"But that's what happened according to your story." I shrugged.
"Is this a questionnaire or something?" She narrowed her eyes.
"Why would you think so? We're just talking, and since you don't know from where to start, I'm openning new topics. If my words would offemd you, I'd like to apologise. I am just a bit confused."
"About?"
"I still don't understand whether you love him or not." I frowned.
"Sometimes, you love someone so much that you can never hate him, but you can still hate his actions. It's a bit of a love hate relationship."
"That's deep." I shook my head.
"Love is deep."

"It was nice to see you today, Chantal." I smiled stopping the car in front of Ian's home.
"Yeah, I really feel better, now." She smiled as my phone started ringing.
"Answer it. I'm leaving anyway." She shrugged hopping out of the car.
"Call me anytime, okay?" I called after her.
"Sure." she smiled.
Closing the windows, I set the phone next to me and turned on the car's bluetooth.
"Hello?" I answered starting the car once again.
"Tella Brooklyn?" A man's voice rang in the car.
"Yes, who are you?"
"I'm Wilson Brown, Tella. Can you meet me anywhere today?"
"Uh- I don't know. How did you get my number?" I frowned looking at his number to find that it's private.
"I have my ways. I want to see you, today."
"Wilson, what are you saying? I'm married, now. What reminded you of me?" I frowned stopping on the side of the road.
"Miss Tella Brooklyn, I'm Captain Wilson Brown, and I need to ask you certain question concerning the case which Miss Chantal is involved in, and I need answers from you as you are her psychiatrist." He said sternly.
"Oh," I cleared my throat. "I can see you in half an hour anywhere."
"I'll come to your clinic. Don't be late." With that, he hung up.
Shit. Shit. Shit.
Out of all people, Wilson is working on this case?
Fuck my life.
He's like a bug- very annoying and stupid!

"There's a man waiting for you inside."
"I know." I cleared my throat pushing the door open.
"Sorry for making you wait." I said closing the door as he stood up to greet me.
"Make yourself comfortable." I motioned for him to sit down without greeting him as I should.
"You never changed, Tella-"
"Sir Wilson, I think you made it clear when you called me that this meeting is official not a date and that the issues that we used to have in high school are now forgotten, so we can just start what you'd like to do because I have no time, and by the way, don't expect any answers concerning any of my patients without an official statement giving you a permission to ask me anything." I was so nervous that my hands started shaking.
"Here it is." He handed me a piece of paper.
Running my eyes over it, I handed it back to him.
"I'm all ears." I nodded.
"It was proven that the corpse we found in the crime scene doesn't belong to Damon, but to another man because that Damon died about five years ago. He actually committed suicide or that's what was said in the report of the case." He handed me a folder with images and documents. "which means that the man that was with Chantal could never be Damon." He said quietly.
"How may I help you?" I asked shakily.
"Your words can solve the whole case. Chantal Hopkins is mentally ill, yes or no?" He asked sternly setting a recorder on my desk.
"I knew from the beginning that there was something creepy." I whispered.