Chapter 68: Chapter 68

I emerge from the water choking. Well, Jade was right about a few things. It was a hell of a night and I did lose my virginity, however not in the way that I wanted to...

I step out of the tub and wrap a towel around. I drain the water and try to do my best to rinse out the leftover purple water stains.

I look at the mirror. This is the first time I've looked at myself since the hospital. I stare at my neck, where my caramel skin once was is now covered with a mixture of purple and red bruised marks. I look at my hazel eyes. Under the left eye has light purple marks. I open my towel to see purple marks on my breast and my stomach. I was beat up pretty badly. who would do this to me? I think of some of my friends and my nemesis in my pre-law class, Terry. I know she's upset that I'm first ranking in the class, but she wouldn't kill me to take my spot.

I shake the thought off and get dress. I put on some sweat pants and a cropped shirt. My hair is still wet, but I don't feel like drying it so I force it into a high bun.

I pass by Jade's room to go to mine. I'm not ready to go in there yet.

I must've been in that bath for a long time because when I walk into the kitchen, my mom is already done cooking, and she's cooked a feast.

On the table lays, rice and peas, fried chicken, macaroni salad, mashed potatoes and a casserole. I haven't had my mom's cooking in a while.

The buzzer goes off and my mom lets my dad up. My dad always seems to show up when there's food, and he's right on time.

I sit down at the table and my mom and dad follows. Before we eat, my mom hands me back my phone.

"I forgot to give it to you at the hospital."

The conversation is light during the meal. My dad talks a little about the new project he's working on at work. A wind power project.He works for an oil company in Alberta. Even though my dad is actually talking, he's still avoiding my gaze and he tries not to bring up anything relating to what happened to me. My mom notices, but of course, she doesn't comment on it.

After dinner, I help my mom put the dishes in the dishwasher. My mom decides to stay on the futon and my dad decides to go back to the hotel. I head to my room and plug my phone into the wall. I look out the window and see the police car across the street from my apartment. I kind of feel bad for him. While I'm about to look through my texts to see if I might be able to remember anything from that night, I get a phone call. I don't recognize this number. I pick up the phone. "Hello?"

"Hi Mia, it's Carly, Jade's mom..."

"Misses Butler..."

"Darling haven't I told you once before not to call me that! Call me Carly, you make me feel like an old woman!"

"I'm sorry.."

"It's okay darling, everyone makes mistakes. I changed my number recently and I called to tell Jade my new number. Is she available?"

"Misses But-uh, I mean Carly. There's something..."

"Honey, she's not there? She's probably out partying. That girl is always partying! If she spent as much time on her school work like she does partying, she'd be done university already!"

God, this woman won't let me get a word in.

"Sweetie here, grab a pen and write down my new number and tell Jade.."

"CARLY!"

Immediately she stops talking. I think this woman might have just given me a migraine. I don't know if it's that accent or the fact that her normal voice sounds like she's yelling.

"The police have been trying to reach you. I didn't know you changed your number."

"The police? What? Now I know I didn't do anything wrong! I'm all the way down in Vancouver, what would they want with me?"

I forgot how self-absorbed this woman was. Either way, I was stuck. Should I tell her or let the police tell her? I had detective Chandler's card. I could forward his number. No, Jade was my best friend. I think I should tell her.

"Jade is dead." I'm surprised by how easy that came out. Seconds go by, silence. I've never heard this woman go this quiet before.

"I don't understand. I just talked to her a couple of weeks ago."

I don't know if her memory is off or if she's just plain out lying, but it's been almost 4 months since she's spoken to Jade and almost 2 years since she's visited her. After she got remarried to her third husband, they moved to Vancouver and she stopped being in touch-not that she was ever really in touch with her to begin with. I don't comment on this, however.

"Carly, you need to hop on a plane and fly to Toronto. You have my address and you're welcomed to stay here if you choose. For now, I will give you the number of the detective you should speak to." Again I'm surprised at how firm my voice is. I give Carly the number and she agrees to call me back after she lands. The conversation ends after more condolences. I let out a big sigh. My God! Jade's mother is a handful. I've only seen Carly twice, once when Jade and I moved down here and once to tell Jade she was engaged. However, I could never forget her. I've never met somebody who wears as much makeup as she does. The amount of colours on her face is ridiculous. It always reminded me of a pack of skittles. Plus with the amount of Botox she has done mix with the redness of her skin from the weekly tanning sessions she does, she's really hard to forget.

I look at the time, it's 2:15 am. My head starts to pound, all thanks to Carly. I know she's a lot of work but I do feel sorry for her. Even though she doesn't deserve the Best Mother Award, she really did love Jade.

I'm startled when another call comes to my phone. It's another number I don't recognize.

"Hello," I answer.

"Ms Wilson? Hi, it's Greg."

"Who?"

"Oh sorry, officer Wesley. My first name's Greg."

I roll me eyes. "Yes?"

"Oh um I just wanted to know if everything was alright, you're light is on."

"Yes, everything is fine, I just can't sleep." I look at the window.

"Okay, if you need anything this is my number. Bye now." He hangs up. Does he not sleep at all? I thought maybe by now, someone would switch with him. I guess not.

I go to the bathroom and fill a cup with water. I don't remember where I put the painkillers the nurse gave me. There might be some in the medicine cabinet. I open it up and there's Tylenol on the first shelf. That will do. I open up the bottle and three Tylenol flies out. One lands in the sink and now down the drain and the other two fall in the garbage can. Just great! I go down on my knees and I start digging. My hands pass by a bunch of hair and tissues and I feel one tablet at the tip of my index finger. Ew! It's covered in hair. I'll just wash it off. I lift it up and go digging for the second one. My hands come across an object that I can't identify. I pull it out. There's something wrapped in toilet paper. I unwrap the toilet paper. I stare at it intently, surprise but what I am seeing. Is that pregnancy test?