Bodies

quarante-deux

Milan hated the strawberry Special K cereal.

However, that was the only cereal Nicoletta bought for her home.

Milan stirred the bowl of cereal like it was a disgusting bubbling witch's brew. It might as well have been. She hadn't eaten anything for three days and the thought of lifting a spoonful of that mess to her lips made her want to end it all right then and there.

The slightest inconvenience these days had Milan ready to call it quits on life.

She was grieving.

Ramses's trial ended with him being found not guilty of the first degree murder charge the prosecution tried to give him. However, a murder still occurred and he had to answer for it. This led to him being charged with second degree murder, which was the ultimate goal in the first place.

In a sense, they had won the trial.

But when Judge Cortez read off Ramses's sentence of 4 years in prison. She couldn't help but feel like she'd lost something.

She'd lost years with him.

The three loud bangs of the gavel that made the sentence set in stone felt like three gunshots piercing her heart.

They had won the trial.

But Milan felt she had lost.

"Okay, you're officially banned from cereal."

Nicki's voice brought Milan back to Earth from her thoughts.

The dirty blonde women picked up Milan's bowl of soggy cereal and proceeded to dump it in the kitchen sink. Once she gave the bowl a quick wash, she then left it to dry on the counter and sat at the kitchen table across from Milan.

"Do you have anything you want to do today? I know Daya's been really missing you. She can come by if you'd like. I have no problem with it." Nicoletta told Milan in a voice that sounded like she was talking to a child having a temper tantrum.

Milan closed her eyes and took a deep breath before answering. The tone irritated her, but she knew Nicoletta meant no harm.

"No, thank you. I can actually just go home. I don't need to be watched ya know." Milan moved the conversation along swiftly. After the trial, she had to admit she was a mess. Nicki thought it was best that she stayed with her for a bit.

The bit had ran its course on Milan's end. Nicoletta was a helicopter parent.

"Oh- oh okay." Nicki responded, obviously not expecting that answer from her. She hurriedly got up from her seat at the table as Milan stood up herself. "Are you sure you're okay, Milan? Did I do anythi—"

"Nicoletta, you have done amazing. More than amazing. You got him the smallest sentence possible. I am so thankful." Milan cut her off to stop her anxious rambling. She walked up to Nicoletta and hugged her tightly. Nicki returned the hug with full force.

"I... am sad," Milan continued to speak as they broke their embrace. "My man is going to jail!" The exclamation caused a bitter laugh to come from Milan. It made Nicki wince. Milan sounded like she was in pain.

"But you, Nicki... you have been nothing but a damn good lawyer and even more of a good friend." Milan championed the woman one more time before turning away to pack up her things and go back to her hotel. She thought it was high time to finally start looking for apartments again too.

Now that I was sure all my opps had found better things to do.

She thought in her head as she threw on a pair of yoga pants and a t-shirt to start her day. Milan had been sitting in Nicoletta's kitchen with that bowl of cereal for 3 hours after her morning shower. As much as she didn't want to...