Queens Court

Chapter 5

"So I see you finally decided to show up," Keira said as she walked into Gabrielle's office.

"Oh, yeah, my bad, girl," Gabrielle said as she fiddled around with a file on her desk, avoiding eye contact with Keira. Anthony told me you saw Mr. Wright for me. I appreciate it."

"Well, I'd appreciate you showing up to work on time." Keira's voice went from calm to bitter as she closed Gabrielle's office door behind her. "Did our talk Friday go in one ear and out the other or what?" Keira snapped. "This is bullshit. I'm starting to think you're taking my friendship for granted and that you don't give a fuck about me or this company." Keira was spitting fire.

Gabrielle was definitely taken aback. This just wasn't the way Keira ordinarily communicated...with anybody. "I said my bad, girl." Gabrielle raised her hands in defense.

"My bad! This ain't no 'my bad' type situation." Keira continued on her rant. "Your livelihood is at stake. Do you not enjoy the ability to pay your bills and put food on your table? And even if you don't, what about me?" Keira poked at her own chest. "I have a lot at stake. I love you like a sister. I will have your back no matter what, but not at the expense of my career and my license. If you know what's good for you, you will get your shit together, buy an alarm clock and iron, and have your ass at work doing what you're supposed to do when you're supposed to do it."

When she recovered from her shock, Gabrielle tried to lighten up the mood by saying, "You done?" She let out a chuckle.

"Damn, Gabrielle, can you be serious for just five seconds of your life?" Keira slammed her fist down on the file Gabrielle had been reviewing. That wiped the grin right off of Gabrielle's face. If she hadn't taken her best friend seriously a moment ago, she sure as hell knew that she meant business now.

"I'm sorry, okay. Seriously." Gabrielle's sincere tone matched her claim. She rose from her seat. "I messed up."

Keira shot her a glare, not ready to accept her apology that quickly.

Gabrielle spoke up to fill the angry silence between them. "Okay, I've been messing up," she admitted. "I've never been one to take life so seriously like you have. It's a hard habit to break. But you're my girl. You go to bat for me, and I understand you have a lot at stake. I owe you better."

"Then do better," Keira said in a less than sympathetic tone. This was the first time Gabrielle actually did sound convincing, but Keira was done playing games. Maybe the rest of the world liked playing games and taking her kindness for granted, but that wasn't the type of person she was—and she was starting to have less and less respect for people who did.

"I will, okay. That's a promise. Not only do I want to lose this job, but I don't want to lose our friendship either. Cool?" Gabrielle extended her hand to Keira, who ignored the gesture of a peace offering. "We cool?" Gabrielle asked again, stretching her hand even more.

After a couple of seconds, Keira relented and shook it. "We're cool."

Gabrielle exhaled, relieved, then went and sat back down at her desk. She looked slightly broken, like a kid who had disappointed her dad. Unlike Keira, Gabrielle actually did lack a mother figure in her life, so over the years, not only had Keira played the role of best friend and big sister in Gabrielle's life, but on occasion she'd had to play Mom and lay down the law with tough love, like she'd just done.

Keira had to admit to herself that in their entire friendship, she'd never come at Gabrielle as sideways as she had just now. Unfortunately for Gabrielle, she had to bear the burnt of all the emotions Keira was suppressing.

"Look, I'm sorry I was talking to you like that, cussing and carrying on," Keira said. "You know that's not how I do things." As a trained therapist, Keira knew that yelling and cussing at a person will only cause that person to shut down.