Broken Soul

Chapter 44 (edited)

Duffy had carried my bags up to the twins room and while I was unpacking they said they were meeting with Angelo and to come down when I was done.  I nodded but didn't say anything.

  I got all of my dresses, work pants, and blouses hung up and shoes in the closet and then I got all of my jeans, sweaters, tee shirts and boots and tennis shoes put away and the final thing was placing my toiletries in the bathroom and my sleep wear, panties and bras in my part of the dresser.  

Once that was done, I grabbed my faded sleep shirt that said TAXI on the front and pulled on some black leggings then walked into the bathroom and washed my face.  I called and left Monique a detailed voice mail about what had happened and told her where I was so she wouldn't worry and then headed to Angelo's study.  I needed a drink and a smoke.

I got to the study but found it was empty for the time being but noticed a pack of cigarettes sitting on the desk, snagged one and poured a hefty glass of scotch and parked my ass outside on the ledge of the balcony, losing myself into dark and deep thoughts. 

 I knew for sure that the nightmares would come back it would be just a matter of how severe and how long each one would last.  It had been a year, 2 months and 22 days when I had my last cigarette until tonight; I didn't want to hide myself in the bottom of a bottle so smoking was the only other way I knew to relieve the stress I was feeling right now.  I was so into my own thoughts that I never heard Angelo, the twins, Sylvia and Duffy come back into the study and they had a guest in tow...Detective Chance.

"Chels" I heard a voice call out and then again before I looked around to see six sets of eyes glancing at me, all in various states of worry.  I stubbed out the cigarette, downed the rest of my drink, climbed off the ledge and walked inside.  

"Chelsea" he said sympathetically as we hugged.  

"Detective Chance, you still look the same.  I thought you were going to retire, at least you told me you were thinking about it" I said to him. 

 "Naw, I love the job too much and decided they'd have to wheel me out of the squad room before I'd retire" he said laughing.  

"I guess you were filled in on the latest developments?" I asked him.  He nodded.  

"Adrian forwarded me the pictures from your apartment bathroom and I have taken possession of the note that was dropped off as well" he said patting his jacket pocket.  "I have a man at the building speaking with the night security guard, Tony, and another detective looking at the security footage.  Why do you think after all this time, Mr. Livingston would be showing up again?"  I shrugged. 

 "I hadn't seen him since that night and all of a sudden he popped up here, at a family gathering, with Adrian and Aiden's ex-fiance, whom he married, Angelo ran him out on a rail and that was the last I'd heard from him, until tonight.  I still can't figure out how he got past Tony and into my apartment.  That makes my skin crawl" I said shivering.  

He assured me that he was handling it and he would be getting back with Angelo on anything new and then it would be passed on to me.  I walked him to the door and as he was leaving he turned around and said "You look amazing Chelsea.  Whatever you're doing it's working for you."  I gave him the best smile I could muster and told him thank you for looking out for me.

I walked back into Angelo's study where everyone stopped talking all of a sudden and that made me paranoid and pissed.  

"Well don't stop talking on my account" I said a little pissy while I fixed another scotch and downed it. 

 I started to fix another when Aiden took the glass from my hand and asked "How many of these have you had?"  I shrugged and said "I don't know, I'm still standing." 

 And with that I walked away, out the door and headed upstairs.  I knew that I needed one of my anti-anxiety pills but I'd been drinking scotch like water and you aren't supposed to mix those with alcohol but at this point I really didn't care; I didn't want to close my eyes because that meant the nightmares would come but I was so tired I couldn't hardly keep my eyes open.  I sat and stared at the bottle for a long time before I stood up and walked over to them.

(Twins POV)

Adrian and Aiden both sighed and rubbed their faces in exasperation at the exchange that had just taken place between me and Aiden. 

 "Boys, it's late" Angelo said, everyone in the room looking exhausted.  "Go to her and take care of her; we'll deal with this in the morning.  I do know that I don't want her going into work in the morning, not until we can figure out what Livingston is doing and why" he said tersely.  

The twins nodded and bid everyone goodnight and started up the stairs, both of them deep in their own thoughts of how to help Chelsea so this didn't consume her.  When they opened the door to their room they were relieved to see Chelsea already asleep in the middle of their bed but they both frowned and moved towards the prescription bottle that sat on the bedside table. 

 The label said Chelsea Claire Sinclair, dosage 0.5 mg, three times daily or as needed for anxiety, Do not take with alcohol as alcohol may increase the affects of this medication. 

 "Well shit" said Adrian. 

 "She was drinking like a fish tonight" said Aiden.   "I guess we're sleeping light tonight, baby brother" Adrian said ruefully.  

"Yeah, looks like" Aiden said, stripping off his clothes and getting into bed.  Adrian took his clothes off, turned out the light, hoped and prayed for a quiet night but deep down inside he knew better and just prepared himself.