Chapter 5

Chapter Five

Pearl

Things have been quiet for a whole week and I'm settling in pretty nicely, I think. I go out of my way to make myself useful so no one can say I am taking advantage of my brother. I know it's stupid to think that Roman would ever think that but I never thought my father would tell me to leave either.

For fun, I sometimes think about the tall guy from the hockey team Kat and Bea introduced me to. I've even rewatched some of the old detective shows that I thought he might be named after. Maybe it's some misguided attempt to normalize his name so if I hear it again, I won't do something dumb like break my neck to find out which way he comes from. Or fall. Yet again.

I am picking things up to put in the washing machine when I overhear my brother talking on the phone. I shouldn't stand around and eavesdrop on my brother, but I can't help it. I'm fucking nosey.

"Yeah, I heard about that. How did it feel, hitting that son of a bitch?"

My heart starts thumping too fast and my palms go all sweaty as I take a step closer to the half-shut door.

"He deserved it. He's a real asshole."

My brother laughs at something the person he is talking to says. Damn, I wish I could hear the other side of the conversation. Is it who I think it is? And why the hell has no one given any consideration to the fact you can't pick the phone up to listen in when they use a cell phone? I pull back a little and try to get myself under control.

Maybe I've been watching too many old movies. I'm starting to act like some of the bad girls in them. My brother deserves his privacy and I need to stop being such a nosey bitch. What does it matter who he is on the phone with anyway? What difference does it make to me? I grab up my clothes basket and head away from the door.

"That's kind of what I wanted to talk to you about actually. I was wondering if my sister could spend a couple of days with you."

I turn right back around and sit the basket down. Now it is my business. Who the hell is he talking to? Because if it is who I think it is, there is no fucking way I am going to ‘spend a couple of days' with him.

"Yeah, I have to go to Europe to clear some shit up and I hate to leave her by herself. I mean she's already been uprooted and treated like shit by my parents."

I cover my mouth, so I don't audibly gasp and give my location away.

"I just…I heard what you did for her, and I trust you, man. You're about the only person I trust with my baby sister."

Oh great! Call me your baby sister to the hot guy, Roman! Why don't you put me in pigtails and give me a lollipop so you can drive the image home harder, damn it? If that is Spade on the phone I will just die. Roman makes it sound like I'm freaking ten.

"Oh, that's great! Thanks man. Thank you so much. I owe you. I owe you big time."

Did…did Spade just say yes? Is…is he okay with me coming to stay with him? My heart is pulling double time as I lean closer to hear anything else, but just as I get as close as I can the fucking door slides open.

And I fall in the room. I have no femme fatale in me. None at all.

"I…," My brother looks at me with his head cocked sideways and gives me a little smile. "I'll talk to you later, Spade. Thanks again, brother."

He hangs up after giving me the one hundred percent confirmation that it was Spade on the other end of the call. I get to my knees and try to act as normal as I can.

"Are you alright, sis?"

"Yes." I finally find my feet and stand staring at him. Might as well accept the crime and move on. I straighten my spine - to make myself taller - and tip my chin up in clear defiance.

"I assume you heard."

"I…some of it, I suppose. I heard enough to know you don't trust me by myself." I don't even try to pretend to be all dignified any longer. "How could you ask Spade to… babysit me like that? I'm not a little girl, Roman! I can take care of myself. I don't need someone watching over me all the time."

I don't look too closely at what is making me so mad about the whole thing. There is a bunch of wrong shit with this whole thing, the fact he didn't tell me and wasn't going to until…what, he left? The way he called the cute guy I am secretly crushing on to babysit me like I'm nine isn't really going over too well with me either. Or how about the fact he doesn't trust me to take care of myself? All of it is utter bullshit.

"It's not like that, Pearl. You know it's not like that. I just…I just don't want you to be lonely while I'm gone, and I"m not sure how long I will be."

"You…you told Spade it would only be for a few days." Now all the fight goes out of me.

"Yeah, I know. I just… it should only be a few days, but it might be longer and I can't stand thinking of you here all alone. Trapped in my apartment like some modern-day Rapunzel. I would just worry all the time and couldn't do any of the things I need to do to get done. Not to mention it would take me twice as long because I would be so distracted."

Damn it. Roman is good. He's much better at this whole guilt thing than I am. I give a heavy sigh before relenting.

"Alright. I don't want you to worry."

"You mean, you don't mind staying with Spade for a couple of days, so I won't have to worry myself sick the entire time I am away?"

I know when I am defeated. "No, I don't mind. I'll go stay with Uncle Spade."

My answer pulls a laugh out of him and he comes over to give me a big hug. "I love you, sis."

"I love you too, Rome."

No use trying to fight Roman. He always seems to win. I keep myself busy for the rest of the day, so I don't have to think about the ramifications of my brother's actions. But late at night…when Roman is asleep and the apartment is quiet, I don't have anything to keep me distracted and all of the what-ifs come flooding into my mind keeping me up all night long.

How am I ever going to be alright sleeping under the same roof as Spade Davenport?