CHAPTER EIGHTY-ONE:
A Nobody
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Becca decided to stay with them until she finds an apartment and a new work. The haunt is awfully
slow, so bitten with the guilt of something she didn’t do, Althea was still paying for her when she
babysits Kai whenever she has to go out to do something. Before Becca was able to find a new job,
Jack expressed his sadness to Althea about what happened to the shop. He blamed himself for not
guarding the shop that day. If he did, he might even stop the fire before spreading or stopped that man
before he can even light a speck of fire.
Althea just shook her head and laughed it off, saying it was nobody’s fault. Although it was pretty ironic
for her to say that since she herself was feeling guilty. Later that day, he also passed his resignation
letter to Althea. She was worried at first, thinking that he might not see a job immediately, but Jack
assured her that he already found one, he even said that he can recommend Becca to it.
“Really?” Althea asked.
Jack nodded his head and looked at Becca on the opposite chair. They were in a restaurant, eating
their lunch. “Of course, we have been close friends since day one, so we should help each other!”
“That’s really great.” Now she will not have to burden herself from looking jobs for them. “I hope you’ll
have a good time there. If something happened, you could contact me anytime too.”
“Thank you for your help then.” Jack laughed. After his laughter died down, he casted his gaze on the
glass of water that was clasp between his hands. His lips were pressed into thin lines and his eyes
were hooded. There was silence in the table.
“We’ve been what… 3 years since we three worked together right?” Jack asked.
“…” Althea stared at him in shock. She has no idea that he can be emotional. Usually, he was just that
idiotic odd, ball of energy in the shop, delivering flowers from house to house with a smile. To think they
would see him like this, casting his eyes to the abyss while reminiscence the past.
Since it was a shock, she let out a small laugh- or so she thought.
Jack turned to glare at Becca. “Shut up! Why are you laughing?”
“Because you’re funny!” Becca continued to laugh. “Why do you look like we died or something?”
Jack went scarlet red; he gnashed his teeth at her and said angrily. “Shut up! Aren’t you also sad?!”
“I do- but I don’t cry!”
They were noisy, most of the costumers inside the restaurant looked at them, displeased, but none of
the two cared about that and continued their banters. Althea, on the other hand, looked at the two with
yet another surprised expression. It was like she was seeing the other side of the coin of her
employees. She was not used to this personality of them.
Nonetheless, she smiled and joined them for the last time.
-
They parted in the afternoon, before Jack left, he told Becca that he will guide her to apply in the same
company as his. After they agreed, Althea did not forget about giving him his payment for that month,
also a few bonuses. Jack didn’t refuse it, he accepted it with two hands and smiled widely at Becca
while fanning his face with the money.
Before Becca can even kick his face, he dashed away and disappeared.
“Let’s go?” Althea offered after a while; she carefully looked a Becca who was looking at where Jack
had gone to.
Becca was silent, but when she was asked, she came back to her senses and smiled back at Althea.
“Let’s go.”
They begun to walk towards the parking lot when Becca remembered something. “Right, what about
that arsonist?”
“Oh,” Althea said. “As usual, he didn’t say a thing about why he burned the shop. I explained what
happened to the police about the past and they concluded that it was nothing but an old grudge.”
“So, the case is almost done?”
“Yes,” Althea nodded. “It is. After this, we will go back to the town and resume Kai’s private classes.”
“I see…” Becca responded. “So, Mr. Tyler was just indeed over reacting.”
Althea laughed at this; her whole body was almost shaking. “Of course, he is! Who would spend their
time and money to dig on my past then use that man to kill me? I’m just no body!”
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