XVII | Butt Dail

"She definitely has her mother's eyes." The sleeve of Halle's oversized hoodie covered her mouth as she stared down at the newborn baby swaddled in pink cloth.

The infant didn't stir, the pacifier in her mouth still as she slept in the plastic bassinet.

"And her father's hair." Violent let out a soft laugh before she winced, pressing a button to raise the hospital bed. "C-sections are a bitch."

"Take it easy." Halle worriedly reached out.

"Oh, don't worry about me." Violet closed her eyes. "I'm about to ask for another round of morphine."

Halle nodded, folding her arms underneath her chest before an involuntary shiver ripped through her core. She peered out of the small window of the room's door, her paranoia rising as Rowan and Karter spoke to each other in the hallway, just out of earshot.

What are they talking about?

Whatever the topic was, Karter was passionate about it. He waved his arms about, his back to Halle, as he conveyed his message. Rowan received it cooly, his hands in his pockets, his expression ever so neutral.

No more raised eyebrows, tense shoulders, and icy tones like during the car ride to the hospital. Rowan Belliar had already returned to his default robot setting.

Had his best-friend's erratic flailing wiped his memory of his girlfriend's suspicious fidgeting and dismissiveness? Halle sure hoped so. Rowan's questions were so quick when he was behind the wheel, she didn't know if she had kept exactly the same story or not. But how could she?

She was too consumed with worry about Chiko's well-being. Were those real cops? Would Izzy get there before something bad happened to his brother? Halle's thoughts surprised herself.

Or rather, her lack of concern for the alleged charge: murder. She didn't know if she believed Chiko to be capable of such a thing. She didn't even know if she would be bothered if they turned out to be true.

Who am I becoming?

She ran a hand down her features. The sterile hospital air had chilled the tip of her nose, leaving it cold to her palm's touch.

The room door was pushed open, and a woman of small stature rushed inside. "I got you some ice water since those lousy nurses were taking too long. It's like they get paid for nothing!"

"Thanks, mom." Violet slowly picked her head up. "Don't blame them though. I believe they're understaffed."

"Nonesense! I only want the best for my daughter."

Ironic, considering who she married.

"Okay." Rowan clapped, poking his head through the doorway. "I think we're heading out now. Congratulations, again."

"Thanks for coming out, bro." Karter shook Rowan's hand, and didn't spare a glance at Halle.

Somehow, that was more unsettling than his usual annoying banter.

She bid Violet and her mother a goodnight, and followed behind Rowan like a lost puppy, her eyes remaining on the tile under her crocs.

The silence between them was deafening.

Fuck it! Halle's conscience screamed. I can't keep this secret anymore. I've got to tell someone before I lose my mind.

The acceptance of her next decision immediately offered her nervous system some relief, and she exhaled deeply.

And I know just the person.

ꨄꨄꨄꨄꨄ

"I hate whores!" Sage spat, balancing a sliver of steamed fish with a tiny bed of rice with her chopsticks. "Cheating makes you a despicable person in my eyes."

Never mind.

"I-I mean the article says that it was a pretty bad marriage. Maybe she felt like she had no escape." Halle stuttered, picking over her seaweed salad.

"Even if that was the case, fucking another man and then coming home to lay down with your man of ten years? Awful. I mean, that doesn't justify the husband killing her, but still." Sage covered her mouth as she chewed. "I can't imagine betraying Brezdin like that or him betraying me. I too would be murderous."

"Yeah." Halle's voice was flat.

She exited out of the tab, and locked her phone, her stomach queasy from the sight of the food before her. She was too anxious to eat, but weak from the lack of nutrients in her body. And Sage's blatant distain for the her actions had made her mood worse.

She felt disgusting. It didn't matter that Sage didn't know that they were Halle's actions. She had spoken from the heart and that was that.

Thirty plus hours had passed since she'd heard from Chiko, or received any news about him. In a moment of desperation, she called his cell last night while the shower ran.

He didn't pick up.

"You never told me what Karter and Violet named their baby!" Sage grinned, hailing the server with a flick of her wrist.

"Aurora." Halle offered her friend a modest smile. "Like the princess."

"How adorable!" Sage swooned. "Excuse me, can we please get the check? And a to-go box?"

"Coming right up." The waitress nodded.

"Ugh, we gotta get back to the office in like fifteen, and the plumbing is down again. Guess I'll use the restroom here. You coming?"

"Uhh, no. I'm good," Halle declined.

"Okay." Sage shrugged. "Be right back then."

Halle watched until she bent the corner, and then unlocked her phone to check her messages for the hundredth time. Nothing new popped up besides a local boutique messaging her about an expiring promo deal.

She dropped the device on the table, and politely accepted the checkbook and a small plastic container from the waitress. She was almost done packing up her lunch when an incoming call came through. Hope soared.

"Oh." She sucked her teeth.

It was just Rowan. Hope crashed.

"Okay!" She mentally prepped herself to answer the call. One. Two. Three.

"Hello?"

Shuffling on the other side of the line met her ears. A second later, his muffled voice joined.

"Hello?" Halle repeated, dragging the word out. "Ro, I can't hear you."

"You've always been so clever, Rowan." a woman spoke, and Halle's heart rate increased.

Not this bitch.

Of course he would find himself around Nikita Fox while things were weird between them. And just Halle's luck, he'd be careless enough to butt dial her too.

"A real woman would recognize how fortunate she is to have you to herself, how valuable of a leader you are," Nikita droned on.

"I'm aware," Rowan gruffly responded.

"So when are you going to go through with it?"

"It will take a couple of months for obvious reasons, but it'll be worth it in the end."

"Cheers to new beginnings." Nikita snickered.

"Rowan!" Halle shouted into the receiver.

Her outburst earned more than a few looks from the patrons of the restaurant, but she was too agitated to feel embarrassed.

Nikita's laughter grew on the other line, and there was more shuffling before the call was ended in Halle's face.

She rang him back, but to no avail.

"What the fuck?" She gripped her temples, pressing the call button for a third time.

Straight to voicemail.

"All done." Sage's heels clicked against the floor as she sauntered back to the table. "Hey, you okay?"

A new text message dinged at the top of Halle's screen, and her mouth opened as her eyes scanned the two words.

Chiko

I'm good.

Then another one came through.

Chiko

Pick you up tomorrow?

"Yes!" Halle verbalized what her thumbs rapidly typed. She looked into Sage's confused eyes, and cleared her throat. "I mean, I'm better now. Let's get this day over with."

~

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