Chapter 27
Heather
On my way over to Troi’s, I cried. I couldn’t help it, because Mai didn’t deserve to die, and I prayed her son was all right. I didn’t really know how to feel about staying at Troi’s house, but as uncomfortable as I was, I was going to squash my issues with her.
As soon as Troi opened her front door, I wished I wasn’t standing there holding Niara while she was sleeping. I never thought we would have to come face-to-face ever again.
Surprisingly, her face was soft as she smiled. “Come in.”
Her smile could’ve been real, but I wasn’t sure. I preferred a fake-ass smile over a frown any day. I carried Niara inside. Troi bolted the door and secured the place behind me.
“What an impressive alarm system,” I said. “Doesn’t surprise me. Rocko has gotten himself in enough trouble over the years. It’s probably needed.”
“He made sure my place had the best security system. Get comfortable. He says you may be here awhile.” Troi led me into the living room.
Rocko’s mother was sleeping peacefully on the couch, with a blanket draped over her.
“Thank you. Where can I put her? She is getting heavy.”
“Um, actually, you can put her in my bed. Go upstairs, and it’s the last door straight back. Would you like me to get you some wine, soda, or water?”
“You have anything stronger? My nerves are all over the place.”
She nodded as if she understood where I was coming from. “I have a little minibar that I can no longer enjoy for a while. I would drink with you if I could . . . Um, will Grey Goose do?”
“Perfect.” I headed up the stairs, noticing all the upscale décor. The paintings, the vases, the Spanish tile on her floor . . . This was the way Rocko liked his women to live.
I laid Niara on Troi’s queen-size pillow-top bed and covered her with the comforter. Troi’s bedroom was decked out. Her bedroom furniture put my little bedroom stuff to shame. I wasn’t sure if it was Rocko’s influence or her own. After admiring the decor, I tiptoed out and made my way back down the stairs. I took a deep breath before meeting Troi in her kitchen, where she had my shot of vodka on the granite counter.
“I’m not sure if you need some juice or if you want it straight,” she said.
“I’ll take it straight.” I downed the shot quickly.
She nodded slowly. “You want another?”
“One more for now, but don’t take that bottle too far away.”
She poured more, and after I downed that shot, she motioned for me to take a seat at the table. She sat down across from me and stared at me, though I noticed she was trying not to stare too hard. This was the first time she had taken a good look at me.
“I’m sorry if I’m staring at you,” she said. “It’s just that you’re really beautiful.”
“Thank you. You are too.” My hands were shaking, and I clasped them to try to calm them. “I’m so shaken up over what Rocko told me about Mai, I don’t know what to do. I mean, I couldn’t stand Mai, but damn, why her?”
“I know, right? This shit is crazy. Rocko is so heartbroken. I hope they find the little guy. He’s such a precious baby.”
“Yes, he is. I wonder why this is all happening right now. The whole Greg Young murder thing just won’t go away.”
“Today was the first I’ve ever heard about Greg. He’s never talked about him. Were they friends?”
I nodded. “They were closer than close. Rocko was like his big brother.”
“So, what happened? Trying to get Rocko to talk about things is like trying to pull teeth. He’s too secretive,” Troi said.
“Tell me about it. All I know is that Rocko was there the night it happened, and it traumatized him. He told the police he wasn’t there.”
“Why would he tell the police he wasn’t there?”
“Street code,” I said. “He doesn’t want to be a witness, and he ain’t a snitch. Jared even said he wasn’t there, but I don’t know. The two of them lie so much.”
“Jared’s your boyfriend, right?”
“Jared was my boyfriend before I caught him cheating. I’ve always felt like Rocko and Jared fell out over something bigger than me, you know. They’ve gotten themselves into some deep shit.”
“Do you know anything about Cipher?” she questioned.
“I’ve never met him, but I’ve heard his name plenty of times. From what I have heard, he ain’t a good dude.”
“Rocko thinks he killed Mai.”
“He told me that too.”
There was silence between us. I listened to the house to see if Niara had got up. The house was perfectly quiet.
Troi broke the silence after a few moments. “I’m sorry about—”
I held my hand up. “It’s in the past. You were hurt, and you acted out of anger, and I should accept that. You had no idea what was going on. Rocko is one hell of a liar, and he made a fool out of all of us.”
“I know, but I wish I could rewind the hands of time and handle that situation differently.”
“Apology accepted. We don’t ever have to talk about it again. We don’t have to fight. Are you and Rocko working things out?”
“God, I don’t know. I can’t help that I love him, but he is just . . . ugh.”
“He loves you very much. He told me that, and I believe him. You have a way with him that I’ve never seen before,” I admitted.
As she sat in front of me, Troi let a few tears fall from her eyes. “Do you think he’ll come back to us alive?”
“All we can do is hope and pray.” I lifted my glass for a refill, and she got up to retrieve the bottle.
As soon as the shot glass was filled, I took it to the head. Deep down, I was more than nervous. Things would be so different if he wasn’t the father of our children. Rocko coming back to us alive wasn’t solely about us. It was about our kids too.