-A Week Later-
Lucinda rolled up to a nearby gas station and walked in.
"And as we find out more about the death of detective Calvin Stone, cops are saying that it wasn't only the fire which killed him. Doctor Laurent had an autopsy done, and doctors found a hole in his head which appeared to be a bull..."
"20 on number 2," Lucinda said as she placed cash down on the counter. The cashier took the money, and Lucinda turned around, looking around the store.
As she was picking out the snacks, she wanted she heard the bell of the gas station door open.
"Hi, I'm Detective Jorge Freeman. I work with NYPD. Have you seen..."
"Shit," Lucinda cussed to herself and ran to the bathroom. Lucinda grabbed the gun that's strapped to her and loaded it. She stood on the bathroom seat, just waiting for the signal.
She heard the door open and the bathroom stall door open. She pointed the gun at the officer's head and shot him. She walked out of the bathroom and looked at the cashier.
He had the phone in his hand, looking frightened. Lucinda pointed the gun at his head and dropped the phone.
"Aht Aht Aht, Snitches get stitches, you little shit," Lucinda said. She gave him a little wink and shot him too. She grabbed a few items, ran to her car, and placed gas in the car.
She whistled a slight tone as she did it. When she finished, she got in the car and headed straight for the nearby town.
She pulled up to the town's local motel and parked the car. When she walked in, she went straight to the room she was staying in.
Lucinda locked the door behind her and threw the keys on the desk. She turned on the television and went straight to the kitchen to cook a meal.
"Here we have a neighbor and friend of Calvin Stone, Cindy Lou," The reporter said.
"I knew Calvin for a long time. He was a very important friend to me. It broke my heart to hear what happened to him,"
"Bastard bitch," Lucinda said while slicing the tomatoes for the meal.
"He was a nice guy, you know, willing to help. You can usually call on him whenever you needed help,"
"Nice guy? Yeah, fucking right. I bet you wanted help when you needed your pussy pleased. I WAS THE ONE FUCKING THERE," Lucinda raged as she now began cutting the tomatoes more aggressively.
When she looked down, she noticed the tomatoes were all crushed. She sighed and put her head down.
"Shouldn't even have been like this," Lucinda mumbled to herself.
"M heart truly goes out to his wife. You know, wherever she is. I tried to contact her, but it may be a phone change or something, but I'd understand. Wouldn't want everyone calling your phone while mourning, you know," Cindy said with a couple of tears rolling down.
"That fake ass hoe. Everything about Cindy. Fake. Fake. Fake. What the hell did Calvin see in her," Lucinda ranted.
"And as we learn more about Calvin, the search for his wife Lucinda also is place. When reviewing the scenery of the fire, no one could find her body which leads cops to a possible theory: Did she do it?"
Lucinda turned off the television and placed the ish into the oven. She sat on the bed and pulled out her journal.
Dear Journal:
I had never seen my life going down this path. I always did what my mother said. I cleaned, cooked, took care of him as if he was a big ass baby who couldn't take care of himself.
I abided by the rules. Did what Calvin asked. Don't wear this; you're showing too much. Don't go out here; thugs will try to take you. Don't speak to this person; they might corrupt your mind and say we aren't suitable for each other.
Many red flags, a whole bunch of signs, literally people telling me that I should leave, but I stayed. Some would say that I waited for money, but that wasn't it
I was lonely. In a big world where I couldn't trust anyone, I had him. He played the role of making it seem like he cared and wanted to fix me. I fell head over heels like a naive teenager, an unsuspecting child.
But it was all in my head. Even in is his arms, I still felt the lonely feeling, but I stayed. It was more company than I had in years.
Now that I look back, I remember the day he fell out of love for me.
*Flashback*
"So, doc. Is she pregnant?" An overly excited Calvin asked. Lucinda sat on the bed with a small smile plastered on her face. She was a bit nervous, but she felt excited.
Doctor Laurent turned and looked a bit upset. The smile on Lucinda's face dropped when she noticed his facial expression.
"I'm not pregnant, aren't I?" Lucinda spoke softly.
"Let him talk, honey; we don't know that," Calvin told Lucinda, turning back to Doctor Lauren, hoping it wasn't true.
"Sadly, she is right. Lucinda is not pregnant," Doctor Laurent asserted.
Although she saw his facial expression beforehand, Lucinda felt hurt. She knew how badly Calvin wanted a baby.
Calvin shook his head, and his arms dropped right beside him.
"See what happened wa-"
"I don't even want to know," Calvin said.
"Are you sure? It's crucial information?" Doctor Laurent reassured.
"I said I don't want to know. If you'll excuse me, we'll be on our way. Luci, let's go," Calvin said, barely even waiting for her. Lucinda turned to the doctor, ready to ask, but Calvin yelled out her name.
"Thank you for your time, Doctor," Lucinda said and walked out the room, trying to catch up to Calvin.
The whole car ride back was silent. No music, no conversation, nothing.
When they entered the house, Lucinda was trying to reach for Calvin's coat, but he waved her off. She looked at him a little lost, but she backed off.
She went to the kitchen and grabbed a water bottle for Calvin. Calvin sat down on one of the chairs in the dining room, lost in thought.
She tried to and him the water bottle, but he smacked it out of her hand.
"Cal-"
"No, no. I don't want to hear, eat, drink anything," Calvin said.
"I understand you're upset; I'm sad too. I know how much you wanted a baby, and I did too. But we're in this together, and we can try again," Lucinda said as she placed her hands on his.
He laughed a bit and took a deep breath.
"This whole thing is your fault. It's always something wrong with you. Do you have a health problem? Do you need this? Do you need that? IS IT SO FUCKING HARD TO GIVE ME WHAT I WANT,"
"Calvin...we can try again,"
"Try again! YOU HEARD HIM,"
"Well, I couldn't have known what happened because you told him you didn't want to hear and rushed me out of there," Lucinda said. Calvin stood up and walked toward her.
He looked down at her, and she looked up at him. He backhand slapped her, causing her to fall on the floor.
"Let me tell you something, Luci. Don't fucking back talk to me," He said and looked down at her. Lucinda was breathing rapidly and heavily. He grabbed her by the face and made her face him.
"You are the problem. That's what we can't have kids. Because you're weak, you're dumb; you're useless, you're nothing," Calvin said and threw her back onto the floor.
Lucinda laid on the cold hard floor. The words of Calvin repeating themselves over and over in her head. Weal, dumb, useless, nothing.
"Maybe I am," She said to herself as a tear fell down her face.
*Flashback Over*
Lucinda took a drink from her beer as she thought about the memory.
"This shit is way too depressing; I need to get out of here," She said. Lucinda got up from the bed and took a long steamy shower. She put on some clothes that she stole and looked at herself in the mirror.
She didn't even recognize herself. Her once ginger hair was now jet black and wavy. She looked skinner as if she hadn't eaten in days.
She took a deep sigh and went to grab her keys. She got in the car and drove to a nearby bar. It was an unknown mellow bar. People would come here when they just needed a break.
"Let me get a negroni," Luci said as she sat down on the barstool.
"Rough day?" The bartender asked as he began making her drink.
"Wouldn't say roughly more like depressing," She responded. He chuckled and went back to making her drink. She turned her head over her shoulders and saw how everyone was dancing.
They all looked calm as if they had no worries, but deep down, she knew that everyone was fucked up. But they all covered it so well, lost in the music.
"Here ya go," He said, sliding her the drink. She grabbed the cup and drunk it all in one.
"So, how much is it, Rory?" Lucinda asked.
"It's on the house," Rory said while cleaning the other glasses.
"I'm serious, Rory. How much is it," Lucinda asked.
"It's on the house, Luci. I know you don't have the money, which is fine," Rory said while sliding her the drink.
"Whose to say I don't have money?"
"Because I know. Bartenders know things. Sure, you may be a criminal on the run, but I know you wouldn't rob a place for money; you don't even want to or know the ways of a criminal," Rory said silently.
"And how do you know that?"
"Because this isn't the life you chose. You didn't choose the whole running away from the cop's lifestyle. It was supposed to be you, your husband, and how many ever kids,"
"But instead, you did what you had to, and now you're on the run. You happen to be learning the basics of life," Rory explained. Lucinda looked around for a bit, looking him in the eye.
"You came from a broken place, you were hurt, then he came in and took over the vulnerability, but you ended it off. Now the choice is either life or surrender," Rory said.
"Speaking of being in the run looks like I won't be around any much longer," Lucinda said.
"Oh no, leaving me already. It's only been a week,"
"Wish I could stay in this twin; it's calm. However, cops are getting closer and closer. I can't risk it by hiding out and blending in with everyone else won't work either," Lucinda explained as she thought about her strategy.
"Well, I could hook you up with this legit face plastic surgeon; you change your name and go to any other country. You do all that; then it's game time, baby,"
"I don't get it,"
"You change your appearance, modify to what you need, then you change your name. Let them think Lucinda died and whatever your new name will be,"
"Aphrodite," Lucinda interrupted.
"Huh?"
"Aphrodite is my middle name. My dad named it. Never was even around because he was to be busy being a father and husband to someone else, but you know, it is what it is," She explained.
"I'm sorry," He said quickly.
"It's okay, I'm okay," Lucinda said and downed the whole shot.
"Woah there, maybe you should take it lightly," He advised
"I'll be alright; keep running the drinks," Lucinda ordered. Rory shook his head and made the next drink.
Lucinda put her head down and groaned.
"Damn, struggling after one drink, you should be ashamed," She heard a voice say. Luci put her head up and saw it was some random nice-looking guy.
"Who said I was struggling?" She asked.
"I mean, you sorta kinda groaned, so I figured you were already drunk," The guy said and sat down right next to her.
"Your drink," Rory said while handing it to her.
"I'll have what she's having," The mysterious guy. Lucinda turned her head to the guy, and he looked at her. Both are just staring at each other.
"So you drinking a negroni? I guess that you are either a criminal on the run, you're going through some fucked up shit, or drinking just because," The guy guessed.
Lucinda eased him and drunk her second drink. Rory chuckled and continued cleaning.
"Judging from that, I believe it's all of the above," He said and took drunk his drink.
"What are you, some cop?" Lucinda asked as she admired his facial features.
"I don't think cops murder and rob banks," He said as he placed his glass down on the table. He put his head down, and she eyed him.
"You're too pretty to be on the run," Lucinda said.
"Same goes for you," He complimented back. Rory gagged at them flirting, and Lucinda giggled.
"So, got a name?" Luci asked.
"Sebastian and you?"
"Lucinda," She replied while holding out her hand for him to shake it. He grabbed her hand and kissed it.
"Well, Lucinda, I suppose you wouldn't mind a dance?" He asked while standing up. He held out his hand for her to place hers.
Lucinda hesitated because Calvin's words stood implanted in her brain, but she realizes she was gone and she was free. She placed her hand on his, and he grabbed her towards the dance floor.
They swayed in each other's arms slowly and gently. Lucinda rested her head on Sebastian's shoulder, and he looked at her.
The feeling felt warm and friendly to both of them. Although the two only knew basic facts bout each other, as their names and that they're both on the run, they felt like this was right.
Luci picked up her head and stared Sebastian in the eye as he did the same. He leaned in for a kiss, and Luci hesitated a bit, but she went to lean in too, and the-
"EVERYONE PUT YOUR HANDS UP," They heard someone yell. When they looked, they saw it was the cops.
"Shit," Lucinda said to herself. Sebastian looked at her and looked back at the cops. He snatched her by the hand, and they ran out the back door.
They quickly grabbed helmets and got on a motorcycle. Lucinda wrapped her hands around Sebastian's waist as they drove away from the bar and onto the following location.
"What are we going to do?" Lucinda asked. Sebastian sighed and kept driving.