CHAPTER TWELVE; A HOUSE BUILT IN SECRETS.

Nothng is the same since the letter. Kerrick went after the guy who delivered it but had no luck in catching him. I keep thinking of its content but I always arrive at the same conclusion, Avan has something to do with the murder. Kerrick has been super secretive after knowing one of my patients may be involved. He thinks I might relay some of the information he gives me, whether intetionally or unintentionally, and I can't say I blame him. I have been in the shower for almost thirty minutes now. I do my best thinking in the shower. I have been so scared of staying in my apartment alone so I finally took John up on his offer and went for a visit. Jade is super happy about the arrangement. She convinced me to sleep in her room despite them having like four guest rooms. 

Today I decided to go back to work. I had taken a leave of absence for the past three days. After I am through getting ready, I head downstairs. I find only Rackel, John's wife in the dining room. Apparently Jade rarely wakes up before eleven. "Good morning," I say before sitting across from her. "Morning. I see you're still here," she says in her usual casual manner. "Yeah. It doesn't bother you, does it?" I ask pouring myself coffee. "No,it's okay. A friend of my Jade is a friend of mine." "First of all I am not yours second of all and most important Vienna is not my friend, she's family," Jade says walking into the dining room. "She's not blood so she's not family no matter how much you love her," Rackel tells her. "Well, she's more family than you'll ever be," Jade tells her after taking a seat next to me. "Hey, what are you doing up so early?" I ask trying to stop them from fighting. "I wanted to have breakfast with you," she says lovingly and leans closer and kisses my cheek lightly. 

We have breakfast and I try to control the conversation when it starts sounding like they are going to fight. I don't know how they have survived this long in the same house without killing each other. I notice Rackel's eyes are red and puffy like she's been crying but decide not to say anything about it. "By the way my dad checked out the nursing home but couldn't find her," Jade tells me pulling my focus from Rackel. "What do you mean? Like it wasn't her," I ask. "No, like someone moved her. The management said her next of kin abruptly removed her from the facility," I don't know why but I feel relief that he did not find her. "You told me she's your friend's adaptive mother," she continues. "Yeah." "Well, you never told me who this friend is," she stops eating and looks at me. I continue eating avoiding her stare. "We'll talk about this some other time, i'm late," I say standing and moving away from the table. "Oh, come on just give me a name. I have nothing to do today, i'll try to find them," she insists. "Jade let your friend go to work. You should just go back to bed," Rackel cuts in before I can respond. They start bickering and I take that opportunity to slip out.

Christine is not at her desk. I find Avan sleeping on the couch. "Hey," I nudge him and he opens his eyes. "Oh, hello doc," he says yawning but doesn't sit up. "What are you doing here?" I ask a bit nervous. He pulls me down to the couch beside him. I try to get up but he holds me tight. "Sleeping," he answers before closing his eyes again. I stare at him. I look at his full and perfectly curved lips. I watch his nose and see a beauty mark I hadn't notice before. I look at his closed eyes. His eyelashes are so dark and so black. They always seem to be ignored due to the intensity of his eyes when open. I can't help but reach out to touch them. His lips curve into a smile but he tries to hide it and pretends he's gone back to sleep. I move my hands down and they rest on his chest.  "You falling for me doc?" he asks with his eyes closed. "Not yet," I whisper closing my eyes. 

I don't know how but I fall asleep. It's the knock on the door that wakes me. Before I can register the situation i'm in , I hear a scream. It's Christine, I am at work on the couch asleep with a patient. I stand and turn to face her. "I am so sorry, I didn't know you were already in your office," she says. I notice she is holding two cups of coffee. "What's with all the commotion?" Avan asks waking up. "Oh, it's Christine." He stands and walks to her. He takes one of the coffees. "Hope it wasn't much trouble." He leans against the table and takes a sip. Christine looks confused and I know I should explain but I don't know what to tell her. "She hasn't been sleeping well so I thought I should help," Avan explains like it's not a big deal. "How did you know that?" I ask. "The bags under your eyes and the fact that you haven't slept in your place for the last three nights." "Wait, are you two seeing each other out of work?" Christine asks getting over her initial shock. "Occasionally," Avan says. I can't believe he just said that. "No need to blush doctor. I'll see you ladies later," he says and walks out leaving Christine looking at me in disbelief. 

I want to explain to Christine that the whole thing isn't as weird or wrong as it seemed, but a patient walks in right after Avan leaves. The rest of the day is busy due to all the rescheduling I did when I was on leave. I finish with the last patient at around eight. I contemplate going back to Jade's for dinner but after remembering the tension during breakfast I opt not to. I order takeout and eat at the office. After dinner I finish some reports then drive to Jade's. I am hoping they are already asleep, so I can avoid questios about Laura and Kerrick. I tiptoe into the house hoping I don't wake anyone. I am halfway through the stairs when I hear people talking. All the lights are out except under John's study. I decide to check how he is and tell him goodnight before going to sleep. 

The door is slightly open. They are all there: Rackel, John and Jade. "Did you try calling her?" John asks. "Yeah, but her phone is off," Jade answer. "Maybe she decided to go back to her place after you interrogatted her during breakfast,"  Rackel says. It's me they are talking about. I check my phone. I have been so busy that I didn't notice that it ran out of power. I have never had this, people worrying about my welfare. I am about to go in and apoloogise for making them worry but John continues, "she's your bestfriend who has been here for two whole days and three nights and you couldn't get her to open up." "It's not easy. She's being evasive about the whole thing," Jade replies. "Do better Jade. Your sister would have never let me down like this," John says sounding dissapointed. He walks back to his chair. Rackel and Jade start bickering and I walk away. 

I pretend I am asleep. I hear Jade walking in and getting under the covers."Hey Starr, you asleep?" She nudges me but I don't open my eyes. I don't know what is real anymore and who to believe. When her breathing slows down and I know she's asleep, I open my eyes. Jade has always told me everything but maybe she just pretended to. I start doubting two decades of friendship. I feel suffocated. What is going on here? My phone beeps indicating a new message. It's from Avan. It says 'If you're up come out, i'll take you home. ' Avan the possible psycopath killer or my bestfriend's family full of secrets. I decide better the devil I know than the angel I don't. I quietly get out of bed and tiptoe out of the room. The study's lights are out. I assume everyone is asleep. I am about to walk out when I hear someone crying. I walk to the kitchen, where the voice is coming from. It's Rackel. She's talking to one of the caretakers.

"He died the night before Jade's friend came," she says sobbing. "How?" the caretaker asks patting her  back in a comforting manner. "He was killed in the hotel he was staying," she says before blowing her nose. "Do you think he knows?" the caretaker asks. "I don't see how. But if he does I wouldn't put murder past him," she says. "You think John would go to such extreme lengths?" "He is very possessive. I put Xavier in danger the minute I decided to see him," she breaks into another sob. "You can't blame yourself. You're not even sure if John was the one that killed him," the caretaker says in a soothing voice. "If I am the reason he is dead, I will never forgive myself," she continues crying. The caretaker embraces her, "there, there my child." I run to the door and open it as quietly as I can. I manage to get out of the gate without waking anyone. I find a car outside. Avan steps out. I don't know if it is everything I heard tonight or that I managed to get out without anyone noticing or the fact that he was waiting for me but I run towards him and hug him.