A Mending Life

I didn’t even know when I fell asleep after I got home.

I didn’t eat.

Didn’t check my phone for missed calls.

Didn’t even change out of my clothes.

I just dropped onto the couch and cried myself to sleep.

When I finally woke up, it was to the loud buzzing of my phone.

I squinted at the screen.

Collins.

I blinked hard, trying to adjust my eyes, my brain still foggy with sleep and the weight of the night before. I let the phone ring for a bit before finally answering.

Collins and I met during my first year in college.

It was one of those awkward encounters just the two of us showing up way too early for a class. The door hadn’t even been opened yet. We exchanged awkward hellos, waited side by side, and once class started, we ended up sitting together.

And that was it.

That’s how it started.

After class, he invited me to grab lunch with him and a few of his friends.

And somehow, despite being a low-key introvert and part time geek, I actually said yes.

We’d been friends ever since.

I wasn’t expecting a call from anyone definitely not from Collins. And definitely not from my brother.

Aria’s father.

We hadn’t been on speaking terms for a while now, though I couldn’t even tell you the exact reason why. Maybe he was extending his grudge against his daughter to me, as if I were some kind of accessory to her mistakes.

I don’t know.

What I do know is, outside of Collins, Aria, and a few others from school, I don’t really have a family.

My parents are gone.

My mom had me when she was fifty.

She passed away when I turned three.

And my dad died right after I finished high school.

So yeah…

It’s just been us me and Aria. Me and the few friends who stuck around.

And now, even that felt like it was slipping away.

I answered the call and spoke in a low voice, “Hello?”

“Hey, Judi, I’ve been calling since yesterday. Are you alright? We were supposed to meet last night. I called you a couple of times what happened? Is everything okay?” Collins sounded genuinely concerned.

“And… are you coming for class later today?” he added gently.

I cleared my throat. “No, I’m not okay. Aria got arrested yesterday. I have to go see her today.”

There was a short pause before his voice came through again shocked, urgent.

“Oh my God, what? Are you okay? I’m coming over right now.”

“You remember what I told you,” I whispered, my voice shaky. “The sudden money, the too good to be true part… it’s all happening now. Please, just come over. I need you. I need to go meet my sister.”

“I’m on my way,” he said without hesitation.

Then the call ended.

I slowly got up from the couch and made my way to the bathroom, dragging the weight of everything with me.

When I looked in the mirror, I barely recognized myself puffy eyes, messy hair, a face tired from crying and stress.

I cussed under my breath.

Grabbed my toothbrush.

Did my thing.

Showered with an annoyed face.

Then I stepped into the closet, grabbed a pair of jeans and a blouse, threw on a jacket, laced up my sneakers, and grabbed my purse and sunglasses to hide my face. Just as I stepped out of my room and made my way to the kitchen to get some water

Ding-dong.

The doorbell.

I didn’t even have to ask.

It was Collins.

I opened the door and the moment our eyes met, he pulled me into a long, heartfelt hug.

And I didn’t even try to hold back this time.

We exchanged quick pleasantries, and I told him I’d explain everything on the way. Luckily, he had brought his car, so he offered to drive me to the station.

During the ride, I told him everything from the moment the guards showed up at our house to the tense meeting with Mr. Rude himself. Every ridiculous, painful, surreal moment.

“Wow,” Collins said after a moment. “Your life right now is straight out of a movie.”

I let out a soft, tired laugh. “You can say that again.”

His tone was joking, but the way he kept glancing at me made it clear he cared. I needed that a little comfort, a little distraction. And I was really glad it came from Collins.

We arrived at the station earlier than I expected, but the place was already bustling. Work was clearly in motion.

We walked up to the reception, and I asked about my sister if I could see her.

The officer gestured politely for us to take a seat while they arranged the meeting.

While we waited, I used the opportunity to ask about the case what charges had been officially filed, whether Aria had been assigned a lawyer, and how far along the process was.

The receptionist assured me everything was “in progress,” though that phrase didn’t feel nearly as comforting as they probably intended.

I sat back down, my mind racing with worry about the situation.

“I could call my dad for help,” Collins offered gently, “if you think they aren’t being transparent enough about the case. You know… just to help get Aria out on bail.”

I quickly shook my head. “No, no, no. Your presence here is enough for me. Your dad lives across three cities from here, and besides aren’t we the ones aspiring to be badass lawyers one day? With the aid of the lawyer assigned to Aria’s case, we can figure this out ourselves.”

I paused for a second, then added, “The only real problem is Mr. Rude. He’s trying to use his power and money to influence the case. He’s not doing this for justice he’s doing it to prove something to me. But we have a strong argument. We could possibly win this… right?”

Collins raised a brow, a little skeptical. “From what you’ve told me, we do have a good shot. You laid out the facts clearly. But the man we’re dealing with… he’s got serious influence. We’ll have to be smart, really smart, if we want to outplay him.”

The lawyer showed up shortly after and we exchanged greetings. He looked a bit younger than I expected, dressed in a fitted navy suit with a well-organized file in hand.

“I’m David Kirby,” he said as he extended a hand. “I’m handling your sister’s case.

That gave me a bit of relief. I could already tell from the way he talked that he was more neutral maybe even slightly sympathetic.

We followed him to a seat near the legal section of the station.

“I’ve gone through the preliminary charges,” he began. “It’s a messy case, no doubt. But here’s the thing , you’re right to ask about bail. As of now, it doesn’t look like there’s a concrete case that can keep her here long term.”

I leaned forward. “So… can we take her home today?”

David nodded slowly, flipping through his file. “If everything goes smoothly, yes. There’s no talk of bail money yet because we’re not even officially at that stage. And honestly, from a legal standpoint, there’s a lot of grey area. The complainant’s nephew lied about his identity in the early stages, and although your sister made poor choices, the consent between them as adults weighs in our favor.”

I sighed and looked over at Collins, who gave me a small nod of reassurance.

“But,” David added, “there’s another player here trying to push things harder than they should be pushed. I believe Mr. Barginsen is using his influence to turn this into something bigger.”

As if on cue, Mr. Ronald Mr. Barginsen’s lawyer walked in, greeting us with a curt nod and eyes that gave nothing away.

“We have other matters to attend to,” he said sharply. “Let’s wrap this up.”

It was clear he was only here to oversee things, probably under orders. Even though he was trying to act neutral, I could feel it this wasn’t about justice anymore. It was about power, pride, and someone’s need to make a statement.

They excused themselves and stepped aside to talk. I just sat there, staring blankly at them, unable to read their expressions or guess what was being said. A few minutes passed. I watched as they shook hands, and then I saw Mr. Ronald say something quickly to one of the officers. Without another word, he turned and left.

Mr. Kirby walked back toward us, a small smile tugging at his lips like everything had suddenly been fixed.

“Well,” he began, “it looks like we don’t have to worry about the case anymore. The charges have been dropped. Aria will be released to you any minute now.”

I blinked, unsure if I heard that right. “Wait—what?”

He nodded. “Yes. Just like that. It’s official.”

Moments later, Aria stepped out from behind the holding area. Her eyes locked onto mine instantly. Without a word, she ran straight to me and threw her arms around me, nearly collapsing into the hug. She was on the verge of tears, and I held her tightly.

“I’m so sorry, Judi,” she whispered.

“It’s okay,” I said, gently rubbing her back. “You’re okay now. That’s what matters.”

Mr. Kirby reminded her to sign a few release documents before we could go. She wiped her face, nodded, and followed him.

I turned to Collins, who gave me a small

The drive back home felt lighter. The atmosphere in the car was much more at ease now that Aria was with us, safe and sound. I kept glancing at her through the rearview mirror, just to reassure myself that this wasn’t some relief-fueled dream.

But then reality hit again, hard.

We had until tonight to evacuate the house. Aria’s account had been frozen, and mine… well, the little money I had could probably rent us something for a couple of days. But after that? What then?

As we talked about our next move, Collins spoke up. “Why don’t you both stay at my place for a while? I just moved out of the hostel into an apartment, and there’s enough room. It’s no palace, but it’s safe, and it’s yours too if you need it.”

I turned to look at him, my heart swelling with gratitude. He didn’t owe me anything, yet he was always showing up when I needed someone the most.

“I’m so grateful for you,” I said softly. “I don’t know how I’d survive without you. I love you, Collins.”

He chuckled, eyes on the road. “Okay, okay, calm down with the tears and confessions I’m not marrying you,” he teased, and we all laughed, even if just a little.

We stopped somewhere cozy and grabbed some breakfast. It felt good to sit down, eat real food, and just breathe. We talked for a while, letting the weight of the past 24 hours slowly lift.

Collins, always the curious one, leaned forward. “I still don’t get why Mr.Barginsen suddenly dropped the charges. Doesn’t feel like he is the type to just let things go.”

He was right. I’d been thinking about it too

ever since the drive. What made him change his mind? And was this really over, or was he just planning something worse? Honestly, what could be worse than jail?

“I don’t even want to talk about it,” Aria cut in, poking at her food. “I’ve done some shitty things. I just hope this teaches me the hardest lesson, so I never repeat it again. The money got to my head, and I lost myself.”

She paused, then rolled her eyes and added, “And fuck that arrogant bastard. But maybe a little thank you to his nephew? I mean, despite everything, for a few weeks, I lived my dream. A shop came out of it and according to the lawyer, they’re working to make sure I actually keep it.”

Her honesty broke the tension, and we all let out a soft laugh. The moment was bittersweet, but warm. We sipped the last of our drinks, letting that small sliver of hope settle in before heading out to pack and leave the house.