The Troubled Side

Chapter 4

Edas hunt had begun.  She was in her car outside a hotel, a hotel she'd tracked Nora to. It wasn't a five star hotel, but a still a very nice one. She was in the parking lot, waiting for Nora to come out. Nora came here yesterday claiming she was with a friend. 

She'd been waiting there for an hour, however she came out soon enough, with a woman with curly blonde hair.  Thats when Eda got out a special camera and snapped a few pictures. A shot with the blonde woman holding Nora intimately and a picture of them kissing.    Eda looked at her pictures disgusted.   Eda would give anything in the world to even kiss Raine once, and Nora could do it anytime and more, and she was at a hotel with another woman.     

Eda then watched Nora leave, probably to go home, bit she wasn't done with her just yet. As she opened her car door, her phone rang and eda saw it was her sister.

"Hey Lilith.. "

"Edalyn, what are you doing?"

"About to give that skank a peice o,f my mind!"

"Eda.. "

"What."

"This is a job.. You can't let your own emotions get in the way of something professional"

"But she-"

"Eda. No. Your only to do your job. Would you do this if it wasn't raine?"

"Of course not.. "

"Exactly"

"But she-"

"No buts!  You do your job, gather everything you can, than hand the case off to me. Just like youd do for any other client"

"... "

"Understand?"

"Y-yeah.. Yeah, sorry"

"It's alright.. Just stay professional"

"Il see you later.. "

"Okay, bye"

Eda sighed, and closed the car door, leaning back to gain her composer. "Why.. Why.. Why"  eda asked herself. Hating the way she couldn't regulate her emotions when it came to them.  Then suddenly she heard knocking on her window. It startled her, and it showed, only to see it was Raines mother, Tracy. So she rolled down the window. "Hi.. Ma Tracy" eda said nervously. "Hey eda, what are you doing here, darling?" Tracy asked.  Eda chuckled, "ah.. I'm uh, investigating, per usual" eda said half jokingly. "I see, you seem upset, dear.. Anything you want to talk about?" She asked, leaning over edas open window. Eda shook her head. "No, no, I'm alright" eda replied, with an awkward smile. 

Tracy shook her head with a small laugh, then said. "How many times do I have to tell you?" She asked, it was more a a rhetorical question, and eda could tell.  "Your a good actress, great even.. But not good enough to fool me" Tracy said, with a teasing, playful smile.

There was a time eda heard her say that to her for the first time.

Eda stood at the back of the wedding venue, watching Raine exchange vows with Nora. As she forced a smile for the camera, her heart ached with a mixture of happiness for her friends and a tinge of sadness that they were not marrying her. She had always been the one by Raine's side, the one who knew her inside out, and now she was watching them walk down the aisle with someone else. It was a bittersweet moment, filled with conflicting emotions that she struggled to contain.

As the reception began, Eda found herself lost in a sea of congratulations and well-wishes for the newlyweds. She couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy as she watched Raine and Nora dance together, knowing that she would never have that same chance with Raine. Despite her inner turmoil, she knew that today was about celebrating love, and she resolved to put on a brave face for her friends. Deep down, though, she couldn't shake the feeling of longing and regret that lingered in her heart.

However there's only so much heart ache she could take, and eventually found herself in the furthest back corner in the back drinking the very weak wine that was served. Thats when she heard a familiar woman's voice.  "Eda, honey? What are you doing all the way back here?" Eda looked up to see Raines mother. "Hey ms Tracy!.. Uh.. Just uhm.. Nothin" eda replied in a Studdering pathetic defeat.   She wish she could say it was the alcohol, but she and everyone else knows she could down an entire bottle of whatever wine that was and be fine.   Tracy chuckled. "Your a good actress, but not good enough to fool me" eda looked at her suprised, then sighed. "Yeah.. Sorry, I just uh.. Wanted to get away" eda admitted brushing her hair behind her ear.  "I understand, but are you okay?" Tracy asked. "Mhm!.. I mean look at Raine.. Ive never seen them so happy" eda gushed, leaning back against the wall.  "I didn't ask about Raine." Tracy remarked in a more serious tone.  "Hm?.." Eda hummed slightly confused.

"I asked about you. How are you doing?" Tracy asked again.  Eda bit her lip then said. "I'm.. Uh.. Il be okay" she answered, her tone filled with uncertainty.  "Look.. I know you may not want to hear this.. But you should move on.. I'm positive theres someone out there for you.. It just.. Might not be Raine"  Tracy explained, starting to see the pain in edas eyes. "I can't imagine myself with anyone other than Raine.. " she muttered. "I know sweetheart, just keep an open mind, it might be the best decision you'd ever make" she explained.

Now here she was again.. Telling eda the same thing. "Sorry..its just.. Nora..has been with another woman" eda explained. "Oh.. Oh, thats.. Thats awful"  Tracy sighed. "Wait.. What are you doing here?" Eda asked. Tracy chuckled. "Dont ask questions you don't want the answer to, honey"  eda then suddenly understood, and covered her mouth. "Oh-"  she muttered. "Yeah, I'm just gonna go.."  Eda said, and started her car. "Take care of yourself" Tracy said, waving eda goodbye.. 

Eda then went home, and started putting everything together. She printed out all the phone records, credit card payments for hotels, lingerie, lube, and many other sexual items. The pictures she took, and all the messages printed and put in a vanilla folder.  She labeled the case as she usually did with a sharpie, and sighed.   "Good luck, rainestorm"  

Meanwhile, Lilith had just gotten off of work herself, only to be pleasantly suprised with her friend darius waiting for her. "Darius? What are you doing here?"  She asked, seeing him standing nu her office door. "To see you of course, why else would I be at  a law firm?"   He joked. "Okay, okay, that ones on me, what did you need?" She asked in a small chuckle.   "Nothing much, are you, eda, and noa free this weekend?" He asked. "Oh.. Well I am, not sure about eda.. And noa is always free" Lilith replied. "Alright, well I saw a bar we could go to"  darius said.

Lilith scoffed. "You know I dont drink often" Lilith remarked. "Often. And IV seen you go through a whole wine bottle in one night" darius teased, seeing the woman scowl at him. "We don't talk about that, unless you want to talk about by our endeavors with alador" she remarked in spite of him. He chuckled nervously. "Message received.. Just talk to your sister" he requested. "Alright.. She should be home by now.. Il call her later"  Lilith obliged. "Perfect, but uh.. How is she by the way?" He asked. Both adults could knew where the conversation was going.  "Shes.. Somewhat stable.." Lilith muttered, unsure is she was right or not. 

Darius sighed. "I just talked to Raine an hour ago.. Seems like their both struggling"  Lilith nodded. "It's been almost 20 years...she just won't let go"   Lilith muttered. "We just have to wait for everything to run it's course, I guess.. Maybe she'll.. Find someone else" Darius suggested. "I doubt it...unless someone gives her whatever dopamine high she keeps looking for.." Lilith scoffed 

Maybe that's what would happen.. Maybe she'd find someone else.. Then again.. Maybe.. Just maybe Raine would come around.