Davina became depressed. She knew that she couldn’t make Betsy feel the way she felt about her, but what about her feelings? Didn’t her own feelings count?
She wandered aimlessly throughout the place, hating to think that soon enough she would no longer be there with Betsy.
A knock downstairs on the door jarred her from her depressing thoughts and wondering where she would end up and what the future held for her.
She went down the stairs and looked through the peephole. This was a habit Betsy insisted she carry on with, not opening up to anyone she didn’t recognize since she was still a detective, after all, and sometimes they were followed by enemies.
But it wasn’t a stranger or an enemy.
It was Rochelle.
Davina quickly wiped the tears from her cheeks and hoped her eyes didn’t appear red and that the detective wouldn’t notice she had been crying.
But she noticed right away. Kind of silly, she supposed, for her to hope otherwise since that’s part of what a detective did. They noticed things.
“Everything okay?”
Davina shrugged, not moving.
“You going to invite me in?”
Davina stepped aside.
“You sure you’re okay, hun?”
“I’ve had better days,” Davina said as she led Rochelle upstairs.
“Want to talk about it?”
“There really isn’t much to talk about, to be honest. Betsy just isn’t into the relationship, and she wants me to move out.”
Rochelle’s eyes widened.
Davina was a little surprised that she was surprised by the news. Didn’t cops and detectives talk about all kinds of things with each other?
“Oh,” Davina said sarcastically, “she’s being kind enough to let me take a little time to figure out where to go next.”
“And where might that be?” the detective asked.
“Well, unless I can find some trusted roommates, I can’t afford a place of my own unless it’s a tiny little dumpy studio in the worst section of town, so that probably means going back home to my parents. I love my mom and dad dearly, and they’re great people that I’ve always gotten along well with and have always been able to be myself around, but I’m twenty-two, not sixteen. I know many people remain with their parents well into their thirties, but I like the idea of being on my own, and I at least thought a relationship would be good for me even if I still have plenty of time for that.”
“Well,” said Rochelle, “I think you should go by how you feel and not your age. Age is just a number for the most part.”
“But I can’t always act on how I feel if someone doesn’t feel the same way.”
A flicker of empathy crossed the normally stoic features of the detective’s face, and she said, “Yeah, I know. I’ve been there. I think we all have at one time or another. I’m sorry, hun. I wish I could fix this for you, but if it’s any consolation…”
“Yeah?”
“I have a pretty good-sized house, and you’re always welcome to hang out with me and my four-legged buddy until you get things figured out.”
Davina was both surprised and grateful for the offer. “Oh, wow, thanks. I’ll definitely keep that in mind. What four-legged buddy do you have?”
“An aging but still fit and protective Golden Retriever.”
“Good. I’d be worried if you’d said it was a pit bull, Rottweiler, Doberman, or even a German Shepherd or something like that.”
Rochelle smiled, and Davina thought she had a very lovely smile.
“Anyway,” Rochelle went on, “I just came to drop this off.”
It was the first time Davina noticed Rochelle was carrying a small brown envelope. “Oh, okay,” she said as she took the envelope.
“It’s just info on a case we’re working on.”
“I’ll give it to her, and thank you so much for your offer. I might take you up on it since I can’t see Betsy and me working things out, and I would still prefer not to return home.”
“Give me your cell phone,” Rochelle said.
“Huh?”
“Your cell phone.”
Davina stepped into the living room and retrieved it for her.
Rochelle took it and tapped some buttons. “Now you have my number. Call me anytime, day or night, if you need anything.”
Davina thanked her again and followed her back down the stairs.
After Rochelle left, she locked the door behind her and soon got ready to head out to catch the bus for work.
When she was dropped back off at the apartment by a fellow performer just after midnight, she found Betsy still awake. She sometimes worked late from home on her laptop.
“Hi there,” Davina said with a smile. She was tired and still depressed over their inevitable split but felt a little better knowing she had Rochelle to fall back on.
“Hello,” the detective said without emotion.
Davina mentioned the envelope Rochelle left.
“Yes, I saw it.”
Then she told Betsy about the detective’s offer.
Davina wasn’t sure what she saw on Betsy’s face when she was done telling her about it. She wasn’t sure if it was jealousy or resentment or maybe she was just surprised. Davina wasn’t sure she cared either way. Unless she could give her a good reason why it wouldn’t be a good idea to go to Rochelle’s, Davina didn’t really give a shit what Betsy thought. Betsy didn’t want her, so why should she worry about what she might think? She supposed it might seem a little awkward to her since they were friends as well as in the same line of work, but so what?
“There’s a week left in the month, and I’ve paid my share of the rent until the first, so I think that if we’re sure we’re done with each other by then, then that’s when I should move out if you’re sure that’s what you want.”
“I’m sure of how I feel, Davina. I’m sorry, but I just don’t have the feelings you do.”
“Oh, don’t worry. I don’t have any feelings that you don’t have. At least not anymore. I’ll be gone soon.”
“And please sleep on the couch until then.”
“No problem.”
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