Secrets In The City

36: Charmed

WHEN Brena closes the door, she hears a scream. With her hand placed over her chest, her back against the door, the anger rooted in the outcry startles her.

"Damn it!" Steven cries out, kicking the wooden chair aggressively.

Justine sports a sympathetic look on her face as she stares directly at Brena. Aaron and Avery were too busy bickering so they didn't hear anything but their voices. Brena uses her sleeves to dry her tears and walks past them without making eye contact.

Lillian's eyes are starting to shut close until Brena sits next to her, tapping her arm. Lillian flinches and turns to see who had the audacity to touch her.

"That was too fast. Are you alright?" Lillian says, surprisingly.

"He has kids Lillian." Jealousy and pain weaken Brena's voice. "Two of them. The little girl is 13 and the boy is 16."

Lillian's brows fall with pity. "Oh wow...this just took a different turn."

"Ya think? God!" Brena exhales deeply, raking her hands through her curls. "Lillian, am I selfish for being upset?"

"No, you're not. You need time just like the rest of us."

"Yeah..." Brena trails off, drying her tears. "Where do you want to go next?"

"My school. I need to give them the doctor's note and other documents. You wanna come with me?"

"Shit. I have to get in touch with mine too." Brena groans, tiredly. "Desmond just got back this morning and we need to catch up so I can't. Sorry." She pouts.

"You two are so cute." Lillian says in awe. "Fine. I'll drop you off."

"What about Damien?" Brena asks as they stand up.

"He's fine. I told him that I needed space."

Brena presses the elevator button and shifts her gaze to Lillian. "But y'all are texting at least right?"

"Here and there." Lillian gestures her hand, bending it sideways. "I'm not really up for long conversations."

They step into the elevator and there's already a nurse inside. The same one Lillian stopped earlier. Lillian's heart races apprehensively, hoping that the nurse wouldn't utter anything about her previous question.

"Oh hey." She acknowledges Lillian's presence. "What floor?"

"Hey." Lillian responds with a stiff smile. "1st please."

Brena and Lillian both say thank you as the doors slowly slide shut.

"Like I was saying LJ. I feel you on that but don't completely ghost him. You know? He's been really sweet throughout this whole thing." Brena replies.

Nodding in agreement as they go downstairs, Brena's words plant a guilty seed in Lillian's mind. She understood that not talking to Damien would portray her as ungrateful. Unfortunately for him and her, the demons that live inside of her weren't ready to be stopped just yet. In the car, Brena tells Lillian exactly what was said between her and Steven. Lillian advises her to talk to him again when the dust settles instead of completely writing off the idea of rebuilding their relationship.