JOAN’S POV
The day had started like a lovely flashback to simpler times. Bea and I spent the morning playing games just like we used to when we were much younger. We laughed so hard that our breathing got heavy. Bea did her best to get my mind off things.
We went through board games and card games. We got a little competitive just like we always did. For a few hours, I could almost forget everything that had happened-my tangled feelings about Sir Derrick, the tension back at the estate, and the incident with the strange man.
I had nightmares last night. While I slept, I heard the sounds of gunshots echoing in my mind over and over. I couldn’t get over the fact that if sir Derrick had gotten his shot at just a wrong angle or if things went sideways, I would be the one dead and not that man. The thought of it made me shudder.
If I died, what would my mom do? She would probably have a heart attack all over again. There would be nobody to take care of her and she was in no position to work anymore. She needed to resk.
“Hey!” Bea said, pulling me out of my thoughts “It’s your turn”
I smiled at her, grateful to be with her. Bea was always good at distracting me from my worries, and today was no different.
We continued playing. As we played, the sounds of our laughter echoed around her apartment. The whole place was messy in the way that Bea’s spaces always were-clothes draped over the back of chairs, books scattered on the floor, and a stack of dirty dishes piled high in the sink. But there was something comforting about it too, like being wrapped in a warm, familiar blanket. I wouldn’t have it any other way.
“Joan, you’re cheating!” Bea exclaimed, laughing.
She accused me of bending the rules of our current card game.
I grinned back at her, holding up my hands in mock innocence. “I would never! You’re just a sore loser.”
Bea stuck her tongue out at me, and I couldn’t help but laugh. It felt so good to just be here with her, no expectations, no pressures, just us being ourselves.
After a few more rounds, Bea glanced at the clock on the wall and her eyes widened. “Oh crap! I’m almost late for work.”
She scrambled to her feet, nearly knocking over the stack of cards we’d been using. I watched as she rushed around the room, grabbing her work uniform from where it had been hanging over the back of a chair and quickly trying to make herself presentable. It was chaos, but it was Bea’s chaos, and I found myself smiling at the sight.
“You can take your time here, Joan,” Bea said as she finally managed to pull on her uniform. “Relax, do whatever you want. We’ll talk more when I get back, okay?”
I nodded, still smiling. “Sure, Bea. Don’t worry about me. Just get to work before you’re late.”
Bea gave me one last grin before rushing out the door, leaving me alone in her apartment.
The sudden quiet felt strange. Just a few minutes ago, we were making noise and having fun. I missed her already.
I let out a long breath, sinking back into the couch and letting the silence settle around me. I turned on the TV and watched some shows, trying to occupy myself and distract my thoughts.
But after a few moments, I started to feel restless. I couldn’t remember the last time I sat down doing nothing. I was used to always working and moving around.
Bea’s apartment was, as usual, a mess, and I knew she wouldn’t mind if I did a bit of cleaning while she was gone. It would give me something to do, and it might even help me clear my head.
I got up and started to tidy the living room first, picking up the scattered clothes and folding them neatly before setting them aside. The more I cleaned, the more focused I became. Instead of thinking about the horrible events of yesterday, I channeled my thoughts into what I was doing.
I hummed as I moved through the apartment, putting things back where they belonged, wiping down surfaces, and fixing the mess that Bea always.
It felt good to do something productive. As I worked, I thought about how much had changed since the days when Bea and I were inseparable, spending every moment together, sharing everything. Life had pulled us in different directions, but here, in her apartment, it felt like no time had passed at all.
I was halfway through cleaning the kitchen when there was a knock on the door. I paused, wiping my hands on a towel as I wondered who it could be. Maybe Bea had forgotten something on her way out and had come back to get it. Without thinking much of it, I headed to the door and pulled it open.
But it wasn’t Bea standing on the other side. It was someone I never expected to see again, especially not here.
It was Sir Derrick.
My heart leaped in my chest, and I froze, my hand still on the doorknob. He looked down at me with his usual cold unreadable expression. For a moment, I thought I was seeing things. But I wasn’t. Sir Derrick was in front of me, towering over me with his huge body, and he looked pissed.
Fear and surprise spread through me all at once. What was he doing here? How the hell did he find me? More importantly, what was his reason for coming here? Was I in trouble?
Instantly, I tried to shut the door. But Sir Derrick was faster-he wedged his foot in the door, preventing me from closing it.
I had a feeling that this wouldn’t end well. What do I do now?