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“Tricia,” something blocks my airways after calling her.
She’s been the new nurse in our department for almost a week, but I haven’t approached her. I always make excuses about meeting her. I don’t know if she still remembers me. And if she does, who does she remember? The older brother who promised to give her the world or the brother who forgot his promise? And there’s another reason, too.
Monique.
And her urges.
No matter how I tell her that I'm not interested in Tricia or believe she's my "somebody better," she keeps urging me to try it. Nothing will be lost, she says. But I'm afraid to take the risk. I might lose Tricia again if things don't work out. Now that she's closer to me, I want her to be okay and have somebody protect her.
“Can we talk?”
Tricia doesn't reply for a while. She fakes a smile and says, "If I remember you? I do, but I don't want to."
“Tricia.”
“You and Uncle... Terry forgot about me,” the anger in her eyes bursts my heart.
It's understandable. At eight, we became Tricia's hope to have a family, but we were torn before we could start. My father tried to help her, but bad luck happened to her. I think we're her bad luck. Every time we try to help, things go the wrong way for her.
Tricia wants to say more but stops and looks in a different direction. I find Monique walking towards us. Tricia glares at her and frowns at me. "Tell your girlfriend I'm taking her deal. But it's the last time she'll use the video she took of me against me."
“What?”
“She didn’t tell you?” Tricia’s lips twitch. “Monique is the one who reported and shared my video. All because she wanted to be the best.”
“No. Monique won’t....”
“It’s okay, Damon. I mean, Dr. Cowell. It’s nothing new to me,” Tricia follows up. “I’ve done it before as my job. Now, I’ll do it to save my job.”
“You don’t....”
“Let’s just do it and be done with it,” Tricia cuts me off again when Monique reaches us. She looks at Monique and adds, “I’ll see you tonight.”
Monique becomes confused. I want to explain to her, but Tricia suddenly walks away. I run after her but stop when she glares at me. What has she gone through? Her job involved a threesome? Did she become like her mother?
“Did she remember you?” Monique asks.
I look at her, and anger sprouts in my heart despite the doubts clouding my head. Monique is the jealous girl who ruined Tricia? Is that why she's confident to deliver her to my bed because she has something against her? No. Monique doesn’t hold back anything from me.
“Is it true?”
"What? Did she tell you I caused the scandal?" Monique looks at me before laughing in disbelief. "And you believe her."
“I just want....”
"You want to know the truth but still choose to believe her, right?" Why do they love cutting me off? Monique glares at me and adds, "Fine. Believe what you want."
“Call this thing with Tricia off, Monique. I’m telling you,” I warn.
Monique blows an angry breath and frowns while looking away from me. Her eyes become convicting as she turns to me. "Or what? Tell me, Damon. Do you still see her as a sister or as something else?"
“Monique!”
She rolls her eyes. I see the mist sparkle as she holds back her tears. Monique must be angry, and it pains her to hold it back because of where we are. My heart sways towards her again. She hates getting blamed for anything, but I can't or refuse to doubt Tricia. The pain in her eyes is as genuine as the anger in Monique's.
"Since I'm getting accused of it, why not make it real," Monique forces a smile. My anger explodes when she says, "She'll be with us tonight. Just as she said. Let us do it and be done with it."
"Are you sure?" I counter while keeping my voice low and level. "You will end up regretting it." For I plan to punish her. For what she did to Tricia, she's about to do to her and us.
Monique looks straight into my eyes. As if irking me more, she says, with much confidence, "I don't regret anything."
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