Faceless Instincts

The reason 'Why'

The next evening I was in my room stuffing my luggage after a shower, I had kept an entire week's worth of clothes and necessities, I secured the bag with Dorian's belongings nicely under everything and zipped it close. I had also talked to Mr Wembley to help me get an extra week off which was a tough job. While Olivia and Tanner informed me that they would stop by.

I sat on the floor and closed my eyes. I didn't want to think about him but there was nothing else in my brain, it was just him.

Something about Francis' story didn't set in. It sounded too sketchy, it wasn't setting right in my mind, it was too similar to Eva's grandmother or maybe it was just me reading too much into it. However, I couldn't as the woman if she was sure about his death. I decided to talk to Nikolai about it when I see him.

I opened my eyes and a tear escaped, I condemned myself for being so weak and stood up. I got ready for dinner and put a code lock on my bag before going down. I had to leave the bag at home while Tanner and Olivia would probably stay behind. I couldn't take risks

I heard Olivia's sniffles as I walked down the stairs and caught some snippets of their conversation,

"Do you think she'll go?" Tanner asked.

"I don't know, I mean it doesn't make sense, she won't find anything either way right?"

"Hmmm... Maybe yes, maybe not..."

I heard them moving around, "what do you think would happen if she went?"

"Like to Goldbridge?"

"Of course"

"I don't know Olivia," I heard someone move towards the door so I took a few steps back, "Even if she finds the truth it will be a blow to us all"

"What if we tell the truth?"

"Have you lost your mind?" His voice was cold and sharp, "If we tell her the truth then it all ends... On a bad note."

I had enough of it.it, they was never going to speak anything openly to each other even if they thought they were alone, and in all honesty, I admired it.

When I entered the kitchen, Olivia was puffy-eyed and Tanner was busy with something in the sink as I walked into the kitchen, "how do I look?" I asked.
"Like a woman trying to make a man fall in love" Olivia smirked.

"Shh..shh..shut up," I said as I sat beside her, I didn't bring up their conversation, I knew they would straight up deny that they ever had a conversation, also I didn't want to touch a topic that would make Olivia cry, so I tried to keep it as easy as I could while tolerating the churning pain inside me.

Sharp at seven Nikolai was at my front door leaning against the door of his car, I was walking down the front stairs while Olivia and Tanner stood at the door, "take care you both, enjoy your dinner" Olivia called out.

I reached near his car and he opened the door for me, " Nikolai you'll drop her home right? Or do you want me to pick her up?"

Nikolai swirled to look at them, "Yeah, I will" he breathed out,  "chill out Mom and Dad"  he teased them jokingly and I laughed as he got in the car.

The diner was almost empty when we stepped inside. The snowfall was heavy and the warm diner was a cosy welcome. As we snatched a booth at the very end Nikolai scooted in the seat with me, "is side by side better or in front of each other better", he watched the seat.

"In front of each other, that way you can see me," I said as he got up and slid in the seat in front of me, "true"

He studied me for a moment, his eyes narrow,  brows knit and creases on the forehead, "have you been crying?"