Morningstar Manor

He had the pass tucked away in his pocket as he walked through the carnival, hands in his pants pocket, close to his wallet. Even though he knew these people knew who he was, he didn't trust them to not try taking his wallet.

Chad wound his way through the people, watching the couples play silly games for stuffed animals and seeing children traumatize goldfish with ping pong balls. What he was after was past all of this. ( Read more... )

Emily turned the key in the lock and opened the door to their new 7th floor apartment for the very first time. Audrey was right next to her, and the girl ran inside the moment the door was open.

"Oh my god, it's so big!" Audrey's voice echoed in the empty flat.

Emily followed in and pulled the door shut after her. Her eyes widened as she now saw all the extra square meters. She wandered around the apartment slowly, stood in the kitchen for a longer time, visited both of the two bedrooms and their own bathrooms. It was fantastic. She hadn't lived in anything so big and wonderful since she moved out of her parents' house.

"Which room do you want?" she asked Audrey, who went to examine the bedrooms to make her choice.

Emily was already placing items in the living room - TV there, couch there, book shelf on that wall. As she thought about it, she took out her cell phone from her purse, and idly searched for Gregori's number. His name and number were on the screen, but Emily's thumb lingered on the green button without pressing it.

She couldn't believe he was suddenly back in her life, and she couldn't believe she had accepted a gift so big from him. But it was for Audrey, Emily reminded herself. Perhaps she was stubborn and proud, but she wasn't ungrateful, especially as the man was going to buy Audrey new furniture as well. She sighed, and finally pressed the green button to make the call to Gregori, and walked to examine the kitchen further.

To say that Andy was NOT a fan of having to work on her own doorstep was an understatement, but she was hoping all this could be sorted out quickly and this young woman was the closest thing they had to a witness. Possibly she'd be more likely to open up to a sympathetic neighbour?

Yeah, right.

Andy knocked on Sybil's door and leaned against the jamb, badge in hand.

In hind-sight, letting Mr. Thomas Avery make a scene probably hadn't been the best idea. Jazz hadn't considered that word would get back to Papi and that he'd come looking for the spoils. She'd meant what she said, of course, and when he asked where the goods were she'd lied. Told him she'd been caught before she'd been able to get away with anything.

The bruises would take a while to fade, but at least he'd remembered to leave them in places she could cover this time.

Even without that small boon, she decided as she stood in the cramped kitchen of her trailer pouring herself a bowl of cereal, it'd have been worth it. He'd offered to help her, had smiled at her....She cradled those memories close and smiled even when she stretched to put the cereal back in the cupboard and her back protested violently.
( Read more... )