Chapter Twenty Seven

Tuesday 10:30am

Dee took a deep breath and stepped out into the bright sunshine. She’d been fired. She knew it was the only conclusion they could possibly come too, given that she had, not only, taken a number home but had called that number and had started a relationship with someone, who at the time was the number one suspect in a murder enquiry. She was only grateful they hadn’t discovered the full extent of her involvement or that Simon had been roped in also.

With shaking hands she dialled a number.

“Hi, it’s me, I’ve just been fired, can you come and get me?”

“Oh sweetheart, I’ll be right there.”

She clicked off the phone and went to sit on a nearby wall.

A familiar car pulled up and she got inside.

He looked at her and held out his arms.

“Oh god Simon. What am I going to do? I’ve got a few days in which to clear all my stuff up and leave the country.” she sobbed into his arms.

Simon just hugged his best friend, not knowing what to say.

They drove back to their apartment in silence.

There was a voicemail on her mobile and she listened to it with tears falling down her face.

“Hey babe, it’s me lover boy. H just rang and I told her about being cleared so she’s letting me see Ava today and tomorrow. I hope you don’t mind but I’d kinda like to have her all to myself so I’ll see you in a couple of days. Let me know when you’re due back at work and what shift so I don’t call you when you’re helping someone else. Love you.”

She sobbed as she heard the sound of a kiss.

Simon sat down next to her and gently took her into his arms.

“Hey baby girl, you have to tell him.”

“I can’t.”

“Why not?”

“I don’t want him thinking I want him to use his influence to keep me here. It wouldn’t be fair.”

“Oh baby girl, he loves you. He wouldn’t see it like that.”

“But I would. I’d be asking him to keep me. I have no job, no green card, no nothing.”

“You got me baby girl. And Richie.”

“ I know but I couldn’t ask that of him.”

“Ok, well if you change your mind….” he said, not convinced she was doing what was best.

Shakily she got up from the sofa and went into her room to start packing.

Simon was in the kitchen when he heard a knock at the door. Dee had locked herself in her room and he could hear her crying as she packed. She wouldn’t open the door to him and his heart was breaking, not only for her but because he was about to lose the best friend he’d ever had.

He opened the door to find Richie and a girl standing there.

“Hey Simon, is Dee in?” he asked, sunnily, “I wanted my best girls to meet, I told Dee I’d see her in a couple of days but I couldn’t wait to introduce her to my princess here.” he said, indicating the girl.

Richie looked at Simon’s serious face and a sense of foreboding swept over him.

“What’s happened?” he asked

“I can’t say.” Simon replied, obviously miserable.

“Simon just tell me.” Richie was deathly calm.

“I..I..” Simon’s voice broke as tears began leaking down his face.

Richie turned to his daughter.

“Honey could you give me a few minutes?”

Ava nodded and walked over to the poolside, taking out her ipod.

Richie led Simon away from the apartment.

“What’s happened?” he asked, again.

Taking a deep breath, not knowing what Dee would think but knowing it was the right thing to do he began to answer.

“Dee was fired today for getting involved with you. She broke departmental rules and her secondment has been terminated. She didn’t want you to know.”

“Why the fuck not?” Richie asked, perplexed at his answer.

“Because she’s a stubborn, stupid person who doesn’t want you to think you have to take care of her, or keep her.”

“Why should I have to keep her? She can get another job surely?” Richie said.

Simon just shook his head.

“The terms of the secondment were that she had to stay in the job until it was over before she would be given her green card. She’s an illegal now and has been given two days to pack up and fly home. Only she’s got no job to go to and no home as her counterpart is still there.”

Simon looked up to find he was talking to thin air as Richie had rushed into the apartment.

He walked over to where Ava was sitting and sat down next to her.

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Dee looked up as a loud banging began on her door.

“Simon! I said I’m not opening it. I have a short time to pack, now please leave me alone. This is painful enough as it is.” she cried.

“Dee, it’s Richie, if you don’t open the door I’ll… well I don’t know what I’ll do as I’d probably bust my shoulder before I could bust the door in, but please sweetheart, let me in.” he said to the closed door

Silence.

“Ok then you asked for it.” he said, stepping back from the door.

Dee heard a loud bang followed by cursing and a few moans.

She rushed to open the door to find Richie lounging, casually against the doorframe.

He walked into the room and sat down on the clothes strewn bed.

He looked at her tear streaked face and sighed.

“Simon told you then. I knew he would. He thinks he’s being kind.” she said, turning away from him

“Am I nothing to you?”

“What?” she asked, spinning round to see anger blazing across his face.

“I said. Am I nothing to you?”

“Richie! You’re everything to me. You know you are.” she cried passionately, tears falling.

“Then why did you not tell me this was going on?” he asked, sitting still on the bed.

“Because.”

“Because is not an answer.” he stated quietly.

She took a deep breath, feeling her eyes welling with unshed tears.

“Because, because it’s not your problem.” she said quietly.

“Not my problem?” he asked, a strange smile on his face, “Not my problem?” he repeated his voice growing shrill.

“Fuck you Dee. If you think that little of me and what we have then maybe you’d better go home.” he spat angrily, then sighed as she burst into tears.

“Hush, hush darlin’.” he said as he gathered her into his embrace.

“We’re a couple, your problems are mine and vice versa.”

“But…but I’m imposing on you!” she cried.

“No you’re not. I love you Dee. You could never impose on me.” he soothed, cuddling her until her sobs subsided. He moved them over to the bed and sat them both down, pulling her into him.

“Look, from now on, whatever problems you have, you come to me.”

She clung to him.

“But…”

“But what sweetheart?”

“But why would you want to help me? I’m nothing.” she cried as years of being told she was worthless came crashing over her.

Richie was shocked. How could this funny, vibrant, loving woman think she was nothing?

“You listen to me Dee. You are not nothing, do you hear me? You are everything to me. Everything. You mean more to me than the world, with the exception of Ava, of course.” he smiled, trying to lighten up the atmosphere.

Dee laughed and cried into his tee shirt.

“Oh Dee, whoever told you that you were worthless needs shooting.” he said quietly, resting his head atop hers.

This did make her laugh.

“ He’s in a pysch ward so I don’t think you’d be able to.” she replied, her voice muffled by tears and his tee shirt.

“Look honey, whatever we’ve gotta do to keep you here, we’ll do, ok?”

She nodded against him.

“Ok?” he repeated

“Ok.” was her muffled answer as she began to process that she had finally found a man who truly loved her, warts and all.