ODDS OF LOVE: Season Nine

Episode 64

" Did the killers all take a day off for the holidays or something? ," Faith Lane barked out harshly at the silent, the too silent phone on her cluttered desk in the homicide squad room. " Ring. Damn you. Ring. Anything. Even an overdose related death connected to my beastly cousin Bullet. "

Her partner Detective Nita Browne laughed at her as she was at her own desk struggling to wrap in a slightly neat fashion the wool hat and scarf set she had picked up for her mother. She was very proud of the purchase seeing it was on sale and everything at Macy's. Her mother loved Macy's stuff. She called it good quality. " Oh , enjoy the peace and that q word I refuse to utter. At least around here or all hell will break out. Like DC Sniper hell. Why don't you work on your own Christmas list? It must be complicated buying for a wife and a mistress. "

Faith shot her partner the finger rudely. " Screw Christmas. It's just another overly commercialized holiday designed to separate people from their money. And your mother will not wear that itchy thing. I was itchy when you showed it to me. "

Nita rolled her eyes and pulled scotch tape from her dark brown fingers. " I'm pretty sure your itching was from a different reason. Might I suggest penicillin? And you must still be fighting with your brother. Has to be since you sound like a clone of your brother in law Dr. Spencer" Scrooge " Norland - Lane. "

Faith ignored the woman as she settled back in her chair and proceeded to count the ways of this " wonderful" holiday season.

On the first day of Christmas she got eerie daily calls from her supposed to be dead lover.

On the second day of Christmas she got the cold shoulder from her only brother because the tight ass claimed she was drinking too much. And until she stopped drinking he didn't want her in his house anymore or around his precious family.

On the third day of Christmas she got Penelope acting strange and really clingy all of a sudden. Penelope was even dropping hints about her leaving Gerald and her leaving Melinda.

And to sum it all up she was hit with daily Christmas carols by Little Merry Sunshine Browne over there. Santa's biggest elf in polyester pants and ugly Christmas sweaters. If she heard the woman singing Silent Night one more time the next homicide would be of Nita Browne by her erstwhile long suffering partner.

What else could go wrong? Melinda wanted to get a tree beyond the little pink one that sat on the end table next to the sofa ?

Then her phone beeped with a notification. Text from Mama. Good Lord. The woman was actually using the cell phone they had given her ages ago. Or was this the tablet she was on ?

Jenessa Lane Johnson: Faith Anne , I decided I'm going to be staying with you and that woman you decided to marry without even introducing her to me. Your own mother. But who am I after all? Anyway I'm going to be staying with you and what's her name when I come down a few days before Christmas. I assume you have the air mattress still. You two can use that and I will take your bed.

She typed out a reply. Faith : Why can't you stay with him ? Then she hit send.

Soon she had a reply to her reply.

Jenessa: Your brother has a full house almost with all those children he and Spencer are apparently collecting. And the cats. You know I'm not all that fond of cats. And what's this him business? You fighting with your brother, gal ? You all need to do better. You , your brother and your sister Sylvia. You all need to remember that family is all we got in this world.