SAINT NOBODY ── RIO [GOOD GIRLS]

two ━━ ʙᴇʜɪɴᴅ ɢʟᴀꜱꜱ. ᴀɴᴅ ꜰᴇɴᴄᴇꜱ. ᴀɴᴅ ʙᴀʀʙᴇᴅ ᴡɪʀᴇ.

LATER THAT DAY

"Hello, are you okay in there? What's your name?"

"I robbed a grocery store."Beth shakily restated, eyes round and shining.

Ruby snapped her fingers in front of Beth's face for the fourth time, pursing her lips incredulously and in slight concern when, aside from a single blink, she garnered no reaction in response. Beth, situated frozen on her couch and still donning her jet black get-up, persisted in gaping at the wall across from her.

"I robbed a grocery store."

Clicking her tongue with a helpless gesture at nothing, Ruby glanced over her shoulder at Annie for aid.

"Yeah. Yeah, you did—what?"Annie lifted her shoulders in an annoyed shrug when Ruby glared at her."What do you want me to do?"

"I don't know, but she's been like this since we got back."

The pair snapped their eyes to Beth when she repeated her mantra, fingers clenching around the ski mask in her grasp.

"We were right there with you, though, all right? Beth? Sis?"

"Who's...uh, who's Secretary of State?" Ruby chimed in.

Keeping one eye on her sister, Annie resumed her counting."We're good. There's no need for the rehash."

Clamping her hands on her hips to refrain from wringing them, Ruby began to pace from the window to the coffee table then back again.

"I need a drink."

Ruby's ears picked up on familiar heavy, booted footsteps, and she turned to greet Faye as she re-entered the room. Her palms then came together in front of her face appreciatively when she noticed what was on the tray Faye was carrying.

"Coming right up."

Depositing the tray on the table, Faye arched an eyebrow at Ruby when the other woman nudged her. Ruby nodded pointedly over to Beth with a wave of her hand, stepping aside to allow Faye pass.

"Beth?"

Sinking to her knees in front of Beth, Faye tried to catch her friend's gaze. Her fingers gently removing the ski mask from Beth's tight grip, Faye tossed it on the table behind her.

"You need to drink something, yeah?"Faye softly said, wiping her hands on her jeans."I opened those expensive chips from behind the crappy ones."

Beth blinked again, slowly inclined her head and finally met Faye's eyes. Her own were glazed over and she furrowed her brow as if willing her friend to understand.

"I robbed a grocery store. I...I robbed a grocery store."Beth intoned under her breath, her tone void of any emotion.

"We, Beth. We robbed a grocery store."Faye murmured back with a tight smile.