Searching for love

4

I signed dejectedly as the doctor left the room leaving me with the detective. I had hoped he would stay, he seemed to provide me with comfort and a calming environment and I wouldn't have to face the detective alone. However, that was not the case. I recalled my last encounter with the detective and grimaced, now that was humiliating to even think about. I faced the detective and without really looking at him said, "Hello detective. Quite a lot has happened since we last talked. Hopefully, your views have changed from the last time". The detective chuckled and said, "Yes, it seems a lot has happened. My views might have changed...but I cannot say for sure. Perhaps you hired mercenaries to stage that little shooting? Afterall with so many bullets, only one seemed to graze you". I looked up in shock, my angry blue eyes meeting his. "How dare you? Who in the right mind would do that! I am absolutely appalled at your suggestion. Is this how the government runs? Just because I am alone in this world doesn't mean I would act like...like this fool! If you ay anything more idiotic you have to leave". By the time I was done with this rant I was breathing hard and my skin was flushed with anger. The detective laughed and waved me off and said, "Ah, Miss Johnson. I only said this was one of my theories. Never that it was the only one. We think you might have been mistaken for someone else". With that, he handed me a file.

I opened the file and inside lay a picture of my mother. Her black eyes shone through the photograph as well as her luscious black hair. Her skin was smooth and perfect. It was a picture of my mother when she was obviously younger. I looked a lot like my mother, my cheekbones and facial as well as body structure. However, my eyes and hair color could not have been more different. I looked at the detective confused. "This is my mother". He nodded at me and said, "these men who are targeting you think you are your mother. We ran a deep background check on her but she came up entirely clean. However, her background from before you were born is blank. We have no information. We intercepted her photo being passed around with some local gangs who were out for her blood. Apparently she has a huge bounty on her head and there are many people who want her dead. Apparently they don't know that she is dead or that they don't believe she is dead".

I stared at the detective in shock. Surely my mother, a woman who never had any friends over and did not know what life was other than going to work and raising her daughter had some mysterious past and people actually wanted her dead? Who was my mother? It was hard for me to imagine her living life, a real-life that did not involve the monotonous factor to it. "So, from your very shocked reaction I take it you do not know anything about your mother's past", the detective grunted from the corner of the room. I laughed softly at first and then my laughs grew hysterical and loud as I threw my head back and crackle. My lungs were disturbing to hear even to me and I did not recognize the sound. "This is all wrong. My mother, a lady who did not understand the value of living and did not have anyone other than me being wanted? That is an impossible thought. All this information you have is just wrong and incorrect. Do your job. If you don't have anything else to say. Please leave". My hands shook as I pointed towards the door after throwing the folder with my mother's photo away. The detective silently picked up the folder and left. As soon as the door shut behind him, I broke into tears.

I was sick of sitting at home doing nothing. I had been discharged from the hospital and was escorted home by the young deputy. Apparently I was under risk and would be placed under protection by the cops. Not like having a permanent bodyguard or anything but a patrol car would be stationed near my apartment and would keep watch. I was told to work from home by my boss. Actually I was told to take time off but after pleading and pleading with the boss he finally gave me some light workload. I had argued that the quiet and silence was actually bugging me and the work provided me with a nice distraction and he finally yielded to my demands. However, since I was a very fast and efficient worker I had finished all my tasks in the morning and had nothing else to keep me busy. My body still hurt when I moved so I wasn't able to do as many chores as I liked which led me to have a lot of free time. I sighed as I snuggled deeper into my blanket and watched the tear-filled makeover episode of America's next model. Was getting your hair chopped off really that big of a deal? Hmmm, maybe I needed a makeover? My hair was long, bland, and boring. I thought back to the picture of my mother, maybe a nice black color would suit me? I shook the thought off and continued watching the episode. My stomach grumbled loudly signaling me to get up and feed myself. With much grumbling and annoyance, I made my way to the kitchen.

All the signs of the shooting vanished. My window was already patched up and the kitchen was scrubbed. Hmmm, I would have to thank the detective later, did he do that? Or was it my boss? I cringed at the thought of having no one close to me other than my boss and a cop who took pity on me.