5: Seeking Closure

Levi went after Faith, but by the time he went out – she was already gone. He looked around the area of the club, but she was nowhere to be seen. Levi guessed that she found a ride back to her home, but still to make sure he drove around the area – just to see if she has truly gone or not.

After looking for her in his car for about half an hour, he concluded that she had found the ride and came back to the club to tell Mateo. The sun was already shining in the sky, which might have made it easy for Faith to catch a ride. Levi was too tired to talk to Mateo in detail, so he just went into his office and informed him that he couldn’t find Faith.

Levi saw Mateo, laying straight on his black leather couch with his elbow resting over his eyes. Mateo didn’t even bother to take his shoes off – he must have been truly exhausted to be able to sleep in such a state. Levi decided not to disturb him. He slowly closed the door to Mateo's office and walked up to his own office. He was in desperate need of sleep as well, so he took his shoes and jacket off. He placed his shoe in the corner and put his jacket on a wall hanger before he dropped it on the couch in his office. It didn’t take long for Levi to drift into slumber.

The cab stopped outside a police station. Faith sat in the back of the cab, with her fingers intertwined. She stared at the police station from in the car. Ethan turned his head to look at her, “Do you want to go in?” He asked.

Faith averted her eyes at him. Her heart was racing – she didn’t know what she truly wants to do. There was so much on her mind that she couldn’t talk about. There was a part of her that wanted to walk into that police station and spill everything that she has been keeping in while on the other hand, she was scared of doing this might drag her into a ditch. She heaved a sigh, “I don’t know what I want to do,” She shrugged.

Ethan, who still believed that it was about an abusive relationship offered her a small smile, “Listen to me if it's fine. How about I buy you some coffee? If you make up your mind by then to talk to the police, we can always come back here again, okay?” He offered. Ethan was truly the kindest man she had ever met.

When Faith walked on the cold sidewalk, bare feet – looking for her way back to the police station or her hotel room, she received a call from Ethan. He called back to the number to make sure he didn’t miss the call from someone important. When he came to know that it was the same girl, who was his last ride for the night. He didn’t think twice to go and pick her up. Ethan had picked and dropped his fair share of ‘off’ passengers, but Faith was one of the passengers that seemed to be in a lot of trouble, someone who needs help.

He didn’t even change his clothes, he quickly hopped in the cab and rushed twenty-five minutes away from where he lives to pick the girl up. She was sitting on the sidewalk when he arrived. He quickly let her in and increased the heat in his cab. It was too cold and this girl was bare feet. She asked to be driven to a police station, but not to the closest one. She gave her address to a police station that was much closer to her own house – or what she used to call her house. She knows that with her family gone, the ownership of the house will be transferred to her, but it was too early to process this.

Ethan bought two cups of coffee and brought them to his cab. The steam held a bittersweet smell – it felt good to her face. She held the cup with both of his hands – warming up her cold fingertips. She squeezed her legs together as she curled her toes in.

She was cold but with the scorching hot beverage in her hands, she was slowly warming up. She thanked him and took a sip of the coffee. “I always come to this place for my morning coffee,” Ethan pointed towards the small café at the corner of the road. Faith sighed as the warm liquid went through her throat, this was what she needed. “This is good. Thank you, Ethan.” Faith said to him.

Ethan grinned, “It is my pleasure,” he turned and replied. Faith smiled back at him before she took another sip. There was silence between the two of them as she glanced at the back of his head.

There was a question that rang in her mind and so she asked, “Ethan, can I ask you something?” She questioned. Ethan nodded his head and once again turned to look at her. She hunched as she traced her tongue on her lower lip, “Why are you helping me?” She asked.

Ethan snickered, “Because I believe you need help,” He shrugged. Faith didn’t buy his answer, “That doesn’t answer my question,” she replied. Ethan turned his back around and rested his wrist on the steering before he heaved a sigh, “Fine,” he mumbled.

He once again turned his head to look at her – the playfulness in his eyes was long gone. “My elder sister, uh – she went through some domestic violence from the hands of her ex-husband. Just like you, she fled from her husband’s house in the middle of the night. Badly beaten, cold and – bare feet.” He paused. He gulped and looked away, “No one came to help her,” he shrugged. “I just couldn’t let the same thing happen to someone else,” he added with a small smile.

Faith couldn’t return him the smile. The story of his sister sunk her heart. She gulped, “How – how – um – Is she okay?” She asked in a whisper – too scared to know the answer.

Ethan chuckled, “Oh, she is okay now. She ran to the closest police station, filed a complaint, and then divorced his sorry ass. Now she runs this café,” He grinned and pointed towards the café from where Ethan got them coffee.

Faith couldn’t help but smile, “Oh, that’s great.” She chuckles. She put her hand over her chest, “I was really scared for a second,” she told him truthfully.

Ethan laughed, “Yes, I could see that. Sorry about it. I didn’t mean to freak you out,” He bit the tip of his tongue. Faith wanted Ethan to know that her case was very different, but it was so complicated for her to explain – especially when she was unsure of what was happening. She decided to keep it to herself for now.

Mateo didn’t sleep well all night. He did hear someone opening the door to his office – it was probably Levi, but he didn’t move. He kept on pretending that he was asleep, to escape the questions Levi must have in his head.

Although one thing that Mateo likes about Levi is that he doesn’t ask too many questions, this might have steered some wheels in his head. Mateo knows that he cannot run away from them forever. Mateo was tired from the long night and around noon, he decided to drive back home and rest before he comes back to the club for usual business.

He was tying his cufflinks when he heard a brief knock on the door. Mateo let out a sigh, he knew who it was. Levi’s shoes clicked on the tiles as he walked into the office. Mateo had his back to Levi. “Do you need a ride home, Levi?” Mateo randomly asked as he picked up his coat from his chair. Levi wasn’t new to Mateo’s world. He knows that his friend always does this when he is trying to escape.

“No, I have my car here,” He replied shortly to which Mateo nodded his head. Levi decided not to ask him any questions that he might not want to answer so, he decided only to inform him that he didn’t find that girl earlier. “I tried looking for the girl, but she had already left. I drove around for a while, just in case she was around, but she wasn’t so I came back,” Levi informed.

Mateo’s eye averted to the window of his office, he looked down at the street that was on rest as it will be busy and full of patrons by evening. He hummed, acknowledging that he had heard him. Levi twists his mouth and bobbed his head, “All right then, I will see you later.” He told Mateo, to which he nodded before Levi walked out of his office. Mateo placed both his palms on his desk while his eyes were fixed on the window, he leaned forward and closed his eyes before he inhaled and exhaled deeply.

Faith decided against going to the police station. Ethan didn’t say it aloud, but he did seem disappointed by her. But what did he know about it? He still believes that Faith was running away from an abusive ex.

She gave him the address of the small hotel she was staying in. When they reached the main entrance, Ethan stepped out of the cab and opened the back door of the car for Faith to step out. “Thank you,” Faith appreciated. She stood on the sidewalk, still no shoes on her feet. “Ethan, I cannot thank you enough for your help. I am so sorry I disturbed you, but if you give me ten minutes, I will go and fetch some cash to pay for your troubles,” She said to him.

Ethan smiled and shook his head, “Don’t worry about it. I wouldn’t have accepted money from you even if you had any,” He replied. “That is too nice of you, Ethan. I feel like I am ripping you off,” She voiced her concerns. “You are not.” He said before he heaved a sigh, “I hope that things get better for you.” He spoke.

“I am proud that you are taking a stand for yourself and that you ran away from someone who was hurting you. Just never give up, okay? You are very strong. You will get through this. And if you feel like you are alone and that you don’t have anyone to rely on, then remember – you made a friend today on whom you can count on,” Ethan said.

Faith’s eyes filled with tears, “I had the hardest couple of days of my life,” Her voice wobbled. “You are the first positive thing that happened since – my life took an ugly turn,” She told him. “Thank you for your unbounded kindness,” She added.

After Ethan left, Faith walked back into the hotel. Upon reaching the reception, two policemen walked toward her. Her breath hitched as she saw them. They stood by her as she took a step back. The policeman from the other night, that broke into her room came to her mind. “Miss Merchant, are you okay?” One of the policemen asked her.

Her eyes averted from one policeman to others – both of them looking at her differently. Although her heart was racing in her chest, she slowly nodded her head. “Yes,” her voice came out as a whisper.

“We went to your room but you weren’t there.” The other policeman said before his eyes went to her bare feet. Faith unconsciously curled her toes as the policeman continued, “Is everything okay, Miss Merchant?” He asked.

Faith nodded her head, “Yes, I am all right. I was feeling claustrophobic so I wear for a walk,” She answered nervously. “Bare feet?” The other policeman asked. “I walked to the park and then lost my shoes there,” She replied dismissively.

“Is everything all right, officer?” Faith was quick to ask. The two policemen exchange glanced before they let it go and told her the reason for their presence, “Yes, we were here to inform you that your house has been cleared. If you need, you can move back in.” One of them said.

Faith exhaled and put her hand over her chest, “I – don’t – I don’t think that I can,” Faith’s voice wobbled as tears filled in her eyes. Her head spun as she thought about going back to the house that will haunt her for the rest of her life. One of the policemen brought his eyebrows together, “I completely understand it if you don’t feel like returning, Miss Merchant. You can extend your stay here as long as you need,” He seemed like he empathized with her while the other policeman stood motionless while he carefully observed her.

“Um, actually no – a friend offered her place to stay. I would like to stay with her until I figure out what I want to do,” She lied. Both of the officers bought her a lie and nodded their heads. After a couple of random questions, they both were about to leave when Faith called them out.

“Excuse me,” The two men turned to look at her. “Do you – I mean, the police check on – um, I mean did someone from the police might have been here very late at night to check on me?” She asked. Both of the men were quick to get closer to her with their eyebrows drawn together.

“Did someone visit you from the prescient, Miss Merchant?” The taller policeman asked. Faith didn’t take time to answer back. She shook her head, “Uh, no – I was woken up at night to what I thought was a door knock but when I went out to see – there was no one around.” She lied to them once again – this time more efficiently.

“Oh, but no, we would never randomly check on someone in the middle of the night unless it is an emergency,” The other policeman replied – confirming her suspension. The man that came to her room last night was not a policeman.

She went back to her room after she borrowed the spare keys from the reception. The room sends a chill down her spine. The window was wide open but the rest of the room was untouched. Her bed was just as she left – like no one ever touched it after her. Her eyes went to her shoes that lay on the floor just as she left them. The door to the bathroom was slightly ajar, she remembers leaving it as it is after she last used it.

The window to her room was opened and the wind rippled through the thin white curtain. Faith decided not to think much about anything and just gather her minimal things and leave as quickly as she could. She was not going to let anyone know where she stays, but her mind wanders at the same time – where was she going to spend her day? Faith was tired and was only fueled up on coffee, the first thing she decided was to shower and change in her room before was quick to change and the next thing she knows, she was checking out.

Although she has been surviving on coffee, water, and a single piece of toast from yesterday, hunger didn’t even cross her mind. The first thing she worried about was where was she going to stay. She could always go back to her house, but she was too emotionally distressed to see that place again. How could she walk the hallway, where her brother’s blood was spilled, or get to her room where once was his father’s blood over the wall while he lay on the floor – lifeless.

How was she able to get into her house and not call for her mother or not help her younger sister with her homework? It was all too much for her. She wasn’t strong enough to do that. She didn’t stop herself from crying – she had every right to. Every person that she loved and the ones that were possibly the only ones that would truly love her were dead. She was all alone.

The thought of her innocent mother and siblings dying at the bloodied hands of her father was enough to rush adrenaline through her body. She clenched her hands into a fist. She decided to go back to Xon’s club. It was an impulse decision.

She will possibly be humiliated or may be thrown out by Mr. Nixon but if she backs up now – she might never know what happened to her family – that is why her father did what he did. She needed closure and the only glimpse of hope she sees in achieving that is through the unbearable man she vowed not to see again. She didn’t want his help. He just has to give her something to lead on. Anything that will lead her to the truth. She refused to live her life with pulsating questions in her head.