These Things Take Time.

Chapter 29

We park in the lot of the police station. Each one of us rush in, Brandon takes over and begins to babble to the woman sitting at the front desk.

"Sir, you will have to take a seat." Her long finger stretches towards to where I am sitting. I direct my attention to the door, where a group of specific teens could be dragged through any minute. Brandon sits next to a woman who is dressed in a tight pink crop top. The way her mascara is smeared under her eyes, gives me a hint of just what she might be.

...

Minutes later and Brandon is finally called in. I sit patiently next to the older woman. As I try to look everywhere but her, I have the sense she is looking nowhere but at me.

"Aren't you that girl?" Her voice is scratchy, and from the hint of cigarettes, I can tell that isn't her natural voice.

"I don't know."

"Yeah, you are!" I stiffen, what the hell is she talking about?

"I.."

"You're dating that singer fella!" I look around the room, nobody but an old man and Vanessa.

"Umm..." I don't know what to say? Are we even dating? We went on one date.

"What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be out shopping or something with all of that money!" She laughs, like a womanly-man. "I'm just joking!" I stay silent. "You know, I dated George Clooney for awhile.." She sighs. "I tell you, acting isn't the only thing he's good at."

Gross.

"I hope you treat him well. He's a good fella. You don't want to loose someone like him."

"I know....He really is."

"And I hope he knows he's lucky to have you. You are a beautiful young lady. And from the way you looked at me, I can tell you are a beautiful soul as well."

"How can you tell?" I blush.

"Most people take one look at me, and they give me this face." She acts out each face, which makes me giggle. "But occasionally there is some, like you, that actually give me a chance. They try to know me." She has a moment of silence for herself. I can't say that I'm trying to get to know her, but I know I wasn't judging her. "I used to have a good life. Husband, kids, pets. And one day it all went wrong and I ended up like this, in this costume that I can never take off. I have to pay the price huh?" She attempts to laugh but begins to cough, probably from the smoke.

"Why don't you just leave?" This woman is different from her appearance. The tight clothes constrict what's really inside, a decent lady.

"It's not as easy as it sounds, especially when you have no family that will return your calls." Her voice is shaky.

"I'm so sorry." I wrap my arm around her.

"But it's my fault. Don't ever make a deal with someone you just met. Especially when it involves money." Flashes of Katie and Niall run through my mind.

She wipes her few tears with her lipstick covered napkin.

"I bet it isn't your fault. Don't blame yourself. Just try to fix it. And you will be fixed." She looks up at me, with a tender smile.

"Jasmine, Ness, let go! They found the cars location." Brandon interrupts my intimate conversation.

"Jasmine. That's a wonderful name." The woman awes.

"Thank you." I stand up. "What's your name?"

"Debra...but most men call me Deb."

"It was nice talking to you, Debra. Hopefully we can meet again?"