Jikanime Motori

Chapter 24

Author's note: ...

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~*August 7th, 2786*~

"Keep an eye on them. Make sure they only take photos of the crime scene, not the Chronar. Yeah. And give them a copy of the security footage too."

Audrey was in the public office area of JMI standing next to an empty square desk on the left side of the room. The whooshing sound of the double doors opening made Audrey lift her head and Valerie walked through them with a Pell Note in her hand.

"I gotta go."

She lowered her watch from her face.

Valerie walked over to one of the white round desks and sat down. Then she placed the Pell Note on the desk and began writing something in it.

Audrey watched her as she put all of her attention toward whatever it was she was working on.

"Valerie!" she called out.

Valerie looked up.

"Yes?"

Audrey took a deep breath in and then exhaled out through her mouth.

Then she walked over to where Valerie was and sat down in the chair next to her.

"Do you need something, Audrey?" she asked calmly.

"Yes."

Audrey exhaled through her nose.

"I need you to stop being so patient with me."

"Huh?"

"You've been way too nice to me even though I've been treating you terribly since my parents' boating accident."

Valerie chuckled lightly.

"I don't know what you're talking abo—"

"Don't play dumb, Val. Every time someone else treats you horribly, you go and blame yourself for it. That needs to stop."

Valerie looked taken aback by Audrey's bluntness.

"But... If I hadn't recommended that trip, you wouldn't have lost your parents—"

"Yes, that turned out to be a mistake," Audrey said firmly. "But, I could've moved on. I didn't have to treat you like dirt, or pretend like you weren't even there."

Audrey closed her eyes for a brief moment and then opened them.

"Valerie... I'm sorry."

She took another deep breath.

"I'm sorry for the way I treated you. I'm sorry for putting all the blame on you. I'm just really really sorry for all of it."

Valerie leaned back in her chair and tapped her fingers on the desk for five seconds.

Then she stopped tapping and turned her head toward Audrey.

"You're really sorry?" she asked.

"Yes! Very very sorry!"

Valerie turned her head back.

"Well, I guess I could forgive you. But you have to do something for me first."

Audrey sat up straight in her chair.

"Of course! What do I need to do?"

Valerie looked at her.

Then she opened up her arms.

"You need to let me give you a hug. It's been way too long."

Audrey grinned as Valerie embraced her in a warm, overdue hug.