POISON
Chapter 17
Rated "M"
XVII - Alone
"So how is work going? You said earlier that you got a new partner?" My mother asked as she sat down with a glass of wine. I could see her glance over at Violet, who was currently opening her presents alongside Rachelle, her mother, and Constance, Zak's French girlfriend. She looked back to me, her eyes filled with hope that I'd answer efficiently."Um..." I spoke, not sure what to say. "Work's good... and yes, I got a partner..." I said simply. It was the least I could say to answer my mother's question without unintentionally bringing up how Roxanne was female and not only had I stayed at her place, but she had stayed at mine. It didn't exactly settle well with my parents, my mother being the one I was more worried about. Being twenty-eight and not married made my mother shutter. And I wasn't kidding.
"Tell me a little bit about him. Does he have a bad shot? Why were you partnered with him? You know, that kind of information." The middle-aged brunette said as she sipped her red wine. I hesitated.
"Uh..." I spoke.
"It's a she, and Alex can tell you the rest." Zak spoke as he walked behind Constance and put his hands on her shoulders. I turned to him and glared, thanking God that the rest of my family - with exception to Rachelle - couldn't see me.
"She?" My father pitched in, smiling slightly as he saw the look on my mother's face. She was biting her lip to keep from talking, but both my father and I - and probably everyone else in the room - knew that she wouldn't and couldn't keep her mouth shut like that.
"What is she like? Is she good with children?" Zak laughed from the background and I looked over to see Constance lightly punch him in the arm as he hugged her. This wasn't the most awkward thing I had been forced to talk about with my parents, but it was in my top ten. Talking about my ice-cold FBI partner wasn't on my list of things I found to be categorized with the delicate words my family frequently used.
"If there's one thing I know about her, it's that her job is the only thing she cares about."
"So she's a good worker. What's wrong with that?" My father asked. He had evidentially heard the emotions in my words and voice enough to question my underlined opinion. Zak suddenly laughed again and we all turned to look at the twenty-seven year old brunette.
"What are you laughing at this time?" I asked, eyebrow raised. Zak smiled, not a good one but one that told me that hell was about to break loose, and only caused by his next words.
"Ah. Alex doesn't mean that, he's just in denial."
"Denial? Of what?" I rolled my eyes at Zak. He looked at my parents with a smile that reminded me of the Cheshire Cat on Alice In Wonderland. Why did I know of that movie? Violet.
"Alex is merely in denial that he thinks Roxanne is totally hot and dissing her is the only way to tell himself that she isn't. Just be careful not to say that in front of people who've seen her in her normal clothes. You'll be looked at as a pedophile." I looked to see my mother's eyes widen.
"First off, I do not think that. And second I'm not a pedophile." I said. Zak just laughed again.
"Dude, you're seriously still in denial? Oh my God. And here I thought that you would realize this much sooner since you both have stayed the night at each other's places and everything."
I sighed as Zak spoke. Great. Just what I wanted. My parents to know everything about my partner. She was my partner! Not my girlfriend. And I did not like her. How could I? She was an ice cold bitch to not just me, but Zak also.
"How old is she?" My mother asked, curious as ever.
"Twenty-five." Zak answered. For some unknown reason, I could feel my face flush at the thought of Roxanne. The thought of her, my parents thinking about her, it was too much to imagine. I swallowed a lump in my throat as more questions flooded from my mother's mouth.
"And she works for the New York City Police Force?"
"FBI."
"FBI?" My father pitched in. "At twenty-five that's great."
"Is she from D.C.?" My mother asked, tilting her head slightly like a dog. Just seeing her reminded me of Cleo, which inevitably reminded me of Roxanne, who also reminded me that Zak thought with no hesitation that I was madly in love with the twenty-five, ice-cold, female FBI agent I had been partnered with only two weeks earlier.
"She lives here right, Alexander?" Zak asked. I sighed.
"Yeah." I said plainly, leaning back in the chair as I stared at Violet as she ran around with her new dress Rachelle had bought her and went to show her grandmother.
"Her hometown's Jackson, though."
"Jackson, Mississippi?" Rachelle asked, looking from Zak to me and then to my parents. "How sweet. A southerner. I've always wanted to meet one. Especially the Southern Belles."
"She's not a Southern Belle."
"How would you know that?" Rachelle contradicted me. I sighed.
"She's an ice cold bitch to everyone in the precinct. If she didn't work for the government she' probably kick your ass just for suggesting that. I'd be damned if she took off work for anything but an illness or wound."
"So she's a good worker. So what? That doesn't mean that she's not secretly a Southern Belle."
"Oh my God..." I muttered, sighing. I suddenly wished that Zak had never come. If he hadn't, I wouldn't have had to talk about Roxanne of all people with my parents and sister-in-law. "We are done talking about Roxanne. Okay? Let's just get back to Violet and her presents before one of us looses it."
By "one of us" I mean me. I was on the verge of leaving the room with not a single word. I knew it wouldn't go over well with anyone, including Violet herself, and I didn't want to do that, but talking about Roxanne Winston, the FBI agent who seemed to hate me more than the criminals she was putting away, just made me angry. I dealt with her every day at work. I wanted to go home and forget those icy blue eyes and that perfect body that was scarred and inked because of a life and a job that wasn't made for anyone to deal with.
There were no words as we all put our attention back to Violet. My mother smiled at her only grandchild as she showed her all the clothing she had received. Constance held onto Zak's hand and smiled warmly at the child. Rachelle looked at her only daughter with love and compassion. My father put an arm around my mother as they watched their deceased son's child smile happily.
I wasn't naïve. I still noticed. The way I was singled out. My parents had each other. Zak had Constance. Rachelle had Violet. And who did I have? A dead brother? A mortician that was head-over-heels in love with me? An FBI agent who despised me for everything I stood for? Maybe I was being too harsh on myself and everyone I affiliated myself with. Maybe my brother was dead, but he was still with me, figuratively speaking. Maybe Summer loved me too much, but she was still a sweet girl and would always be there for me. And maybe Roxanne hated me, but somehow I knew that I could always count on her in the difficult situations in life. Whether it be a criminal on the loose or a case that I just can't settle. I could always count on her.
I wasn't alone. I knew that. But still...
I was alone.
I apologize for taking such a long time updating! Writers block sucks... but you probably know that. :)
Anyway, please review! I'd love to know what you think so far and what you want to see! REVIEW! R&R! :D
✌lustfuleyes100
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