Loving Eros

Chapter 12

Spera closed at midnight and was shut down and locked up either by Grey or Araceli. Araceli took Grey's turn, as she wanted to secure Ameline and ensure she would be safe for the night. Scarlett had even volunteered to spend the night there in Araceli's place, and Octavia came over to stay with her. Araceli had returned home to find the house's lights completely off. Despite how the income both Araceli and Pascal brought in together was no laughing matter, they had a small, simple, one-level house. The inside of it was uniformly painted a navy blue that was toned with a light gray, not giving the house much vibrancy. The kitchen was small and simple, its only extra necessities being a coffee brewer on the counter and a teapot rested on one of the stove's burners. The dining room wasn't the largest either, with a table only fit for two. Other than their fairly sized bathroom and a completely desolate guest room, the bedroom Araceli and her husband shared was the largest room in their house, as it worked both as their living room and bedroom.

Pascal was already lying in bed in their lightless room, completely straight as usual. Araceli put hot water on for tea and changed up for the night, by which time the tea was ready to be prepared and poured. She set her tea on her nightstand by her side of the bed.

"I know you're awake," she said to her husband.

Pascal raised his eyelids half-open. "Hm. No fooling you, huh."

"Oh, please," Araceli sighed, rolling her eyes. "I know you don't fall asleep until about three hours after I do, with all the caffeine you consume daily."

Pascal gave a small, low chuckle. "You got me."

Araceli walked to the end of the bed where a medium-sized chest stood pressed against it. She bent down and unlatched it, opening it up. Rather than being used for it's normal purpose of storing blankets, inside were stacks and organizers of files and folders, after grabbing a portfolio folder and closing the chest back up, she slid herself under the covers and placed the folder on her lap.

"Turn on the light, if you wouldn't mind, please."

Pascal sighed, propping himself up on his elbow and switching on the lamp that was on his side between the bed and the wall. He pushed himself to sit against the headboard of the bed, crossing his arms behind his head.

Araceli had already started going through all the papers from the file and had put on a small, frameless pair of reading glasses, analyzing the materials before her with a concrete focus. After several minutes, she spoke.

"You don't need to sit, you know. You're free to lie down and even close your eyes if you need to," she said, her eyes darting back and forth across one of the papers.

"Mm, I'd feel too guilty," he said, glancing at her. "What kind of husband would I be to let my wife be so sleepless, huh?"

"One that isn't nosy."

This caused Pascal to snort. "Mmm, I wouldn't say that." There was another minute of silence between the two. "... Don't you think it's time to give that some well-deserved rest?" he asked calmly, his concern hidden.

Araceli lowered her stack to her lap. "I can't help it, it just doesn't make sense. It doesn't sit right." She stared down at the profiles and Missing Person's reports she had pulled out of the folder and had been so avidly analyzing. "I can't forget, and I can't just ignore them."

Pascal shook his head. "So typical of you. They'll never be forgotten, not with you around to obsess over them."

Araceli turned her head to look at him, pinching one of the legs of her glasses. "That's five. Five girls who disappeared and never resurfaced, not even after the average two years they pop back up here. All the other one's memories are just... wiped."