Tonight is the night we die

Chapter Twenty-Seven

JAKE'S POV

Alan is quiet on the ride back to Gloria's. Usually, I would enjoy the silence. He always wanted to ask something, tell me about his ex-wife and her bloody yoga instructor, whom I was starting to hate but not for the same reasons as Alan. Right now, I am hoping he would narrate me another story like this. But he is focusing on the road, sometimes shaking his head and mumbling inarticulately stuff under his breath :

" If it's any consolation, we probably have more info than he does " I mention to him.

" Good ! Good ! " He bobs his head.

Once we are in Gloria's apartment, I smell a very specific type of perfume. Male perfume. It catches your nose instantly when you cross the doorstep. Alan sticks his nose up in the air :

" Smells expensive " He states, sniffling loudly the air.

" Oh my god, you made it ! " Gloria exclaims as she arrives in the living room. She exhales, out of relief probably.

" What's that smell ? " I ask, perhaps a bit more coldly than I wanted to.

" My lover just left ! " She crosses her arms on her chest, displeased by what I was suggesting behind my question " Thomas was here ! "

I open my mouth ready to throw questions at her but she doesn't let me say anything :

" Calm down ! It's not him ! He came to apologize for his behavior. He also mentioned Claudia, He drove her back to her apartment and left right away "

" Apologies ? " I scoff, rolling my eyes " What's his excuse for being a piece of shit exactly ? "

Gloria tilts her way to the side, giving a "you know what it's all about". I sigh. Of course, Hannah.

" So how did it go ? Did you get anything ? " She asks, waving a hand to indicate us to follow her into the kitchen.

" The nerd is good at doing his illegal shit, I won't lie ! " Alan taps firmly his hand on my back before joining Gloria in the kitchen " Ten minutes, he was done ! Incredible ! " I hear him continue. I won't lie, it feels nice. I do not expect any type of compliment from Alan, I do not care what he thinks of me, and being validated by him is not my goal here at all. However, I am not against the way it makes me feel to hear his thoughts said with so much pride in them. It is rewarding. Having someone proud of what I do is not something I come across often.

Alan left a few hours ago and I try to make my way through what I collected from Claudia's phone. There is still a lot to deal with before being able to go through any texts or files that could help us. It has been hours now that I am sitting on the floor, my back resting against the couch, the laptop on the white coffee table. Thomas's perfume has a hard time leaving the room. Gloria couldn't bear it anymore and lightened up all the scented candles she could find :

" Time for a break ! " I hear her say to me, putting down a plate with steaming hot lasagna on them. Her hand brushes through my hair as she sits on the couch behind me. My head falls from fatigue against her thigh, I close my eyes for a moment. Enjoying her touch and the smell of freshly made lasagna... And the smell of Thomas in the background. To my regret, she stops playing with my hair and sits on the floor next to me :

" Eat ! " Gloria orders, handing me the plate directly.

" Thank you ! It looks delicious ! " I blow on the food " It changes from the barely warm ready-meal I used to eat " I close my eyes again as I taste the food. I nod with contentment and aggressively hammer down the fork to grab some more " I don't think I had home-made meals in years " I blow on the food again, the last few years come back in my mind as I wait for the steam to reduce " Well I didn't have a home so it was a bit difficult to have some proper food " I shrug