London Bridge

[TheCakeIsAlive]

"You're going to sneeze Troy don't fight it." She chastised playfully.

Like a little child that had been caught in the cookie jar, Troy stopped rubbing his nose and soon enough a sneeze began to build.

"What did....huh...you do?" He asked again as his breath hitched. His eyes were halfway shut and his nostrils were flared.

*melts into a puddle*

Hope you like it!!!!!!!!

YES! Very much.

[jezebel215]

oh man, don't stop there! you've totally hooked me :-)

[Aprilcot]

DAMN GIRL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

CONTINUE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(sinks to ground whilst still staring at the screen)

I need therapy...

(passes out)

[ichixshiro14]

OH. MY. WORD. I THINK I JUST DIED. This story is officially as addicting to me as drugs were to Reina. Thanks for continuing it!!!

[PollenFairy]

one word: ngh

and lol it be funny seeing him sneezing in chuck e cheezes

[obsessed]

whoadamn... I sure missed something. XD

Such a hook! I'd enjoy seeing more.

Sorry for the late reply, aha.

[StarryView]

WHOAH! You're amazing at this.. I love it! Thank you

[LetMeBe]

Thanks for all of the comments! I know it's been forever since I've updated. I went on vacation so I was away! Had to unwind a bit! If you all are still interested here is part 7!!!

Part 7

Words couldn't have eluded Jada at a more inopportune time. She stood with her back to Troy, phone to her ear, unable to breath, analyze, or respond to much of anything. So she stood there. The figurative burn from Troy's eyes peering into her with bewilderment was barely enough to bring her back into focus.

"Who is it Jada?" Troy asked hastily walking towards her.

"Jada? It's me." The voice on the other end of the phone repeated with great desperation. Desperation that unnerved Jada's already faltering composed demeanor. However, the desperation provided a little more clarity. The person was calling from Reina's number...but this was not Reina. That Jada knew for sure.

"I'm not sure I know who 'me' is," the moment the words left her mouth Jada felt like an awkward 12 year old. "I mean, who is this calling from Reina's phone?"

She could see Troy out the corner of her eye bringing his fist up to massage his nose as he did his best to fight of the imminent sneeze. Relaxing his once flared nostrils, Troy lowered his fist. He managed to buy himself a little more time before the tickle returned.

"Oh Gawd, Jada! What was I thinking calling you from her phone?" The voice on the other end began to cry. Relief swept over Jada as she fully recognized Ms. Yates voice on the other end of the line. Sometimes Reina and she sounded exactly a like. Jada didn't know whether to be grateful or nervous.

"Is everything okay Ms. Yates," she said clearly for Troy to hear. Contributing his delayed response with his preoccupation with relinquishing the urge to sneeze, Jada turned her back to him fully so she could continue on with the conversation without distraction.

There was a long pause from the other end of the line. "Ms. Yates?" Jada repeated.

Without word or warning, Jada could sense the severity of a situation she didn't yet understand. Why did Ms. Yates have Reina's phone? Where was Reina? What was going on? Sick panic crept up dismembering her poise. Jada sat on the couch and ran her fingers through her curls in an attempt to mask her strain.

Silence on both ends. The only sound was that of Ms. Yates quiet whimpers.

"You have to come here," she finally whispered after two minutes of silence.

"Tell me what I'm coming for." Jada whispered back tears springing into her eyes for reasons beyond her knowledge.

"It's Reina, Jada. She's gone." Ms. Yates wailed uncontrollably. "She's really gone this time Jada! You have to come! I can't! I can't bury my baby!"

Warm, salty rivers of tears slid down Jada's face, dripping down into her lap. She thought about all of the countless conversations she and Ms. Yates had about when or if Reina returned what either of them would do. Those conversations mostly consisted of Ms. Yates fantasies of how remorseful her daughter would be and how she'd turn into a sweet, god fearing woman as Ms. Yates had hoped. Jada was willing to guess, this wasn't how the story had gone.

She hadn't heard the intake of breath but the barely stifled sneezes that were released shortly after, reminded Jada of his presence. "Huh-NXGT-Chew! Hugmb! Huh NGxt!" All of Troy's effort to keep quiet was gradually wiping him out. Jada looked over her should to find his head resting in his masculine hands as he stifled into the open air. The jerk of his body at the start of every mini explosion sent a fire ripping through Jada's body. She was so overwhelmed by the moment that it was almost too much.

It was too much. Reina. Ms. Yates. Troy.

"Ms. Yates, how soon do I need to be there?" Jada asked hesitantly.

"As soon as you can. We have to plan the funeral. I can't..." Ms. yates broke off into another wail.

" A funeral." Jada tasted the words and let them sink in before overtaking her completely. This time it was both of them weeping on the line clinging to one another's sorry to make it through the moment of realization.

Having recovered from his fit of sneezes, Troy had sat down beside her and rested his hand on her knee. "What is it?" He whispered firmly.

There were no brave faces in this moment. Troy himself could not keep the worry from overpowering his will to be strong.

"I have Troy here with me. I'm going to bring him too. And I'm sure the kids will come down as well-"

"No!" Ms. Yates objected vehemently. "She left instructions Jada. I spoke to her. I spoke to my girl. My beautiful little Ray of Sunshine. Oh dear God, you took my baby. Oh my little Reina."

Ms. Yates was losing it. There were instructions. What instructions? And why wasn't she thinking of little Ariana and Robby, who's mother left and then...

"What happened? How did she die?"

"How did who die?!" Troy shouted angrily. "What is happening Jada?"

"I thought she was finally coming home. She came home two nights ago. I thought she was coming home to stay, but when I woke up I found her..." Whatever composure Ms. Yates once had completely vanished as she hollered out in emotional distress. "I found her in the bathtub! I found her in her own blood! My baby! No! Jada you have to come! You have to come."

"Reina's dead Troy," Jada clamping her hand over her own mouth as if she hadn't meant to say it.

Troy gripped the couch and stared at the wall across the room where the family portrait of the four of them hung. He stared at it in silence.

"Ms. Yates. Are you sure he can't come."

"You listen to me Jada! You fuckin listen to me! My baby wanted it to be this way. You do this for her Jada! You do this for her! You come here! And you don't bring anyone else Jada, you just come here!" Ms. Yates implored with an aggression that created a genuine fear within Jada.

"I'm coming." she whispered in agreement. "I'll be there soon."

The moment Jada hung up on Ms. Yates, Troy grabbed her hand and squeezed it so tight she yelped out in pain. Immediately, he loosed his grip and pulled her into his embrace. At this point, Jada couldn't tell who was consoling who. She only knew of her own tears, and the silent pain Troy harbored. Heat radiated from his feverish body, causing a growing concern for Jada who didn't know how to tell him that his help nor his presence was desired. He had been her husband. The father of his children. The constant rejection he was receiving broke Jada's heart but Ms. Yates had been clear, she was to come alone.

"Huh-Hih-Huh-ATSCHOO!" Troy sniffled with great fatigue but somehow managed to hold Jada tighter as she whispered "Bless you" through her tears.

"Was she murdered? Raped and beaten?" He asked stifling another miscellaneous sneeze.

"No," Jada managed to say. "She killed herself."

"How?"

Jada began to weep profusely at the thought of her best friend, her sister, the one person that had known her best lying in a pool of her own blood in a bath tub. And the thought of Ms. Yates excitement at the return of her daughter only to find her dead in the morning. Jada could hardly stand it. Nerves spinning out of control her stomach began to itch. Every noise was too loud. Every movement felt ominous. Jada attempted to break out of Troy's grasp but he held onto her.

"What are you doing?"

"I have to get out of here," she said pushing him away to no avail. Troy grabbed onto her waste and engulfed her in his arms.

"Don't leave me here to deal with this alone," he implored in a hushed whisper. "Just stay with me for a moment."

Drowning in her own emotions was not an option right now, and yet there was nothing to keep her from going under. Everyone needed her to do something. Everyone was counting on her to be their support, and yet the only thought that brought any sense of calm was the thought of her razor blade in her bathroom. It was waiting for her. It would slow everything down. Maybe she should call Dr. McCoy? Maybe she should stay here with Troy until she could trust herself not to resort to self-mutilation.

No, she thought to herself. What Reina did was self-mutilation. I just need pain I can handle. I don't want to die.

Amidst her thoughts, she felt Troy's chest expand abruptly. "ITscho! EATSCHOO! (sniffle.) Huh-Aptschoo!" Blatantly weakened, Troy stumbled slightly before Jada helped him regain his balance.

"Look, I'm really sorry you can't be there-"

"I don't want to fuckin be there!" Troy spat out angrily. "Do you think I want to go and pay my fuckin condolences to that stupid bitch?! Do you have any idea what she did to me? What she's done to kids? And fuck her mother too!"

"You're just upset Troy you don't-"

"Yes I do." He fired back firmly. "I tried to take the kids to visit their grandmother. I would have done whatever was necessary to keep that relationship going, but you know what she did to me when I arrive Jada? She asked me what I did to her baby? What I did? And for the last year I have been staying up countless nights trying to figure that out. Maybe I made her go. Maybe I pressured her too much to have a family. Maybe I did this to myself. But I didn't. She did this to me. She did this to us. And I have a right to be upset about it!"

Anger had choked out the oxygen in the room. Jada stood there consumed by his sudden burst of emotion. Consumed by the one tear he allowed to slip past his right eye lid. They stared at each other conflicted, at an impasse. Neither of them was truly bound by the other and yet Jada felt obligated in some way.

"You have every right to feel how you feel Troy. We all do."

"Do I have the right to want you? To genuinely want you? In the best and worst type of way?" He confessed take a step closer.

Jada sighed in exasperation. This was getting to be ridiculous. Unable to answer Troy, she grabbed her purse and headed for the door.

Troy ran after her and gently grabbed her by the waste. Jada spun around angrily. "Let go of me! She's dead. My best friend is dead. And I know you hate her but I don't. I never did. I never could."

"This isn't about- Hih-ETSCH! ETSCH! huh- NGXT! Huh-HEATSCHU!" Troy took one hand away from Jada's waste to rub his nose furiously to stop the tickle. "huh-UPTSCHOO!"

"Bless you." Jada's hand impetuously went to his face. When she realized the tender way she was comforting him she pulled away. "Get some sleep."

"Jada," Troy called out in a raspy voice. "Please don't leave me in the dark."

"I'll call you when I know more."

"That's not what I meant."

Jada couldn't do anymore. She looked at him apologetically before rushing to her truck and pulling out the driveway.

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Let me know your thoughts. If you are bored with the story because it's taken me so long to update feel free to let me know!

J

[Butch]

What an update..what a STORY. wow.

[Scion]

Hm, this is very good! Jada is kind of annoying me, though LOL. She puts all this pressure on HERSELF and doesn't even realize it. But her character seems very real.

[obsessed]

Pssh, bored? Because someone dying is boring, duh.

SO INTERESTING.

[starpollen]

Yeah this is pretty damned epic. I love it. I love how there's such depth of plot as well as great wrongness.

[sillystarsmoons]

Wow great chapter! I loved it. Can't wait to read more soon.

[LetMeBe]

Thanks for all of the support ya'll! I'm glad there is still interest! Thanks for sticking with me. @Scion- Jada is a total wreck which makes her character very frustrating sometimes, but I have this thing for tragic people. lol. It can be overkill I know! :0

Here we go:

Part 8

Thinking things through used to be an integral part of Jada's personality. Today, she was anything but thorough and thoughtful. Less than two hours since Ms. Yates had called her Jada arrived at her small town home. The very place Jada sought refuge every time her father started beating on her mother because she had been "naughty". And it had been Ms. Yates that offered to take care of Jada on nights her own mother was too drunk to stand.

Nostalgic, Jada glanced down the road in the direction of the forest green fourplex she once occupied. It felt like a lifetime ago, and yet Ms. Yates had never left the lower middle class neighborhood. She had many friends in the neighbors and was accustomed with the important people in their community. To Jada, Ms. Yates always represented a safe sense of permanence she didn't find anywhere else. Life so swiftly snatches people, moments, and happiness away but there had always been her second mother who welcomed her like one of her own. Reina had been Ms. Yates soul reason for being. She dedicated her life to giving Reina everything she could, especially after her father abandoned them. An explanation was not needed, Jada knew that Ms. Yates would be a wreck. Any parent would be a wreck.

Jada had sobbed the entire drive over. It was one thing to know that Reina was gone and living her life elsewhere in the world. There could still be hope that she'd return-that she would rectify her wrongs and do better and be better. A dead Reina, could do none of those things. A dead Reina was just...dead.

The house was painfully still. Jada had let herself in with the extra key she had but now regretted that decision. There next to the stairwell was Reina's black Kathy Van Zeeland bag, only a few of the rhinestones were missing and stains of filth were scattered throughout. Where had she been? Jada asked herself.

"Ms. Yates?" The sound of her voice echoed throughout the house. Emptiness. Nothingness. No movement. No sound. An eery sense of vacancy alarmed Jada as she called out to Ms. Yates once more. Again, no response.

Before taking another step, Jada pulled out her phone to check her messages. Two text messages from Troy. Nothing from Ms. Yates. Sweaty palms, gripped the railing as Jada proceeded to go upstairs. The second she began her ascent a putrid odor only decay could produce nearly knocked Jada down. Instantaneously, her weak gag reflexes kicked in as she brought her hand to her nose and turned back down the steps.

"Ms. Yates?" Jada could feel herself panicking. She could feel herself losing a grip on the situation. Something wasn't right. The smell. That smell was death. A rocket scientist didn't have to tell her that. Jada stared at the stair case in alarm as she began to wonder: Reina had come home to nights ago. Ms. Yates found her the next morning. That would have been yesterday, but I didn't get the call until today. What happened yesterday? What happened after Ms. Yates found Reina. Wouldn't the neighbors have been swarming the house sending their condolences? Ms. Yates was well known in the community, people would have come to support her. What is this? What is that smell? Where is Ms. Yates? I need something sharp.

Fear had settled in and made itself at home. Jada's indecisiveness was in full throttle as she bolted for the kitchen and pulled out a steak knife. Ms. Yates being the meticulous woman that she is kept the entire set together on the kitchen counter. Two of the knives were missing. Two.

Nausea kept slamming into Jada over and over again as the reality of the situation began to sink in. She wanted to be strong. Six months of therapy had helped, she didn't want to start over. In a manic state, Jada pulled open the dishwasher and found it to be empty. She checked the sink. No dishes were there. She glanced at the counters and the table tops. Nothing.

Where were the other two knives? The thought alone made her drop to her knees as she lifted up her sweater and brought the knife approximately 3 centimeters above her navel. She had a habit of cutting over existing scars as if to conceal how often she actively hurt herself. The knife felt cool against Jada's warm skin. Already she could feel her breathing begin to steady as she pressed. Before she could break the skin, the shrill sound of her phone ringing jolted her.

Scared shitless, Jada didn't move. She just listened. No stir in the house. Who was calling her? Eventually, the phone stopped ringing only to start back up again. Crazed Jada raced to pick up the phone and saw that it was Troy. Annoyance and relief surfaced as the concern in his deeply nasal voice unveiled.

"Are you okay?" He asked instantaneously. "You weren't responding to my Aptschoo (sniffle)...to my texts so I wanted to check in. Huh-Itschoo! Excuse me."

"Are you okay Jada?" He repeated when she didn't respond.

Was she okay? Knife in hand, rancid smell permeating the air, pending loss of sanity, Jada was a lot of things...but she was not okay.

"I think you should come," Jada whispered in a hushed voice as tears fell down her eyes. She stared up at the stairwell waiting for a ghost to appear. It was too much. She knew what was up there, and she couldn't. She just couldn't.

"Okay. I'm on my way. But talk to me, Jada. How is Ms. Yates doing? Did Reina leave a note?"

Jada began to cry harder. "I (gasping) ... I don't think she's...I don't think she's here."

"Are you alone?" Jada could hear the sound of him starting the car. It would be roughly an hour and a half before he got to her. An hour and a half was too long.

"Troy the house smells like death." her voice was barely audible between the hysterical sobbing and her hushed whisper.

"Jada...where are you?"

"By the front door. Looking up at the steps."

"Is the smell coming from upstairs?" he asked.

"Yes," Jada wailed clutching the knife in her hand and pulling up her shirt.

"Jada. Get out of the house. Go to your car. Call the police and wait there. Do not go upstairs! And please get out of the house."

"Troy you have to hurry." Knife to skin.

"Baby, I'm going as fast as I can. Just do what I say. Jada?" Pressing.

"Yeah?" Skin separating. Skin cut.

Jada inhaled and exhaled deeply ten times as she had practiced in therapy. Tears stopped. Blood dripped. The sting was welcomed with a deep exhale.

"Are you out of the house yet?" Fingers catching the dripping blood. Tastes sad. "ETCH! ETCH! I wish I'd stop sneezing," Troy mumbled to himself.

"Bless you," Jada said with a calm she didn't recognize. She stared up at the stairwell with intense trepidation and yet...intense wonder. "That's some cold you have there Troy." Mind on autopilot Jada rose to her feet and climbed the first step.

"HUH EASTCHO! It is. But Jada, are you out of the house and in you're car?" Her sudden change in demeanor was frightening him.

Third step. The smell was unbearable, but Jada had to see. Possessed Jada made it to step four. From there she peered down the hall and could see that the bathroom light was on and the door was closed.

"Kind of." Jada's reply was baseless and nonsensical.

There was a pause from Troy's end of the line. "Okay Jada. I'll see you soon. " he said abruptly and then hung up the phone.

Unfazed by Troy's dismissal, Jada climbed the fifth and final stair. "Ms. Yates?" she called out in vain.

Standing there listlessly, Jada was at a fork in the road. All she had to do was pass Reina's bedroom and open the bathroom door. Or she could turn around and wait outside as Troy instructed. But as Jada's mind debated, her footsteps took her closer and closer to the bathroom until she found herself in front of the door.

Pressing against the cut on her stomach Jada turned the knob and pushed the door open slowly, and immediately wished she hadn't.

The mirror reflected their colorless, lifeless bloodied reflections engulfed in pools of blood. More blood than Jada had ever seen in her entire life. Reina's gauntly hollow face was covered in splashes of blood as it rested in Ms. Yates lap whose lifeless body leaned against the wall soaking in a pool of her own blood, cradling her babygirl in her blood stained arms.

Eyes open, Ms. Yates seemed to be looking into Jada and smiling as if happy she found them and came alone. Haunted by the stare of a dead woman, Jada turned her attention to the three envelopes sitting on the bathroom counter. Dutifully, Jada picked them up and saw that two were addressed to her and one was addressed to Ms. Yates from Reina that read... "Mommy" on the empty envelope.

Instantaneously stuffing the letters inside her braw, Jada pressed the cut on her stomach as she scrutinized the scene once more. Bath tub full of blood. Splashes of blood on the tile, a trail leading to where Ms. Yates now sat with Reina in her lap. The blood from the bathtub to Ms. Yates was clearly Reina's.

And then Jada saw the missing steak knives. In between Ms. Yates legs they both rested. One for each of them. Feeling shortness of breath, Jada continued to press on her cut in hope for relief. The physical pain would distract her from the emotional pain. She needed relief.

In the background she heard police sirens. But she wasn't done. She wasn't done analyzing. There was too much blood on Reina for her to make out where she had made the cuts. But Ms. Yates...Her body was still warm. She had made deep cuts to both her left and right wrists. Bloodying not only herself but Reina as well who has never appeared more pale and dry and...Dead.

Jada could also see a third cut on Ms. Yates body. Only it wasn't really a cut. It appeared more like a stab wound under her left armpit. Nausea returned. Panic returned. The police had arrived. Reina was dead. Ms. Yates was dead. The possessed state that lead Jada up the stairs kept her standing there in awe. The destruction. The pain. The chaos. So much blood.

"Hello?" She heard an officer call out.

Jada couldn't respond. She could only stare in wonder at the tragedy before her. She wasn't like them. She didn't want to die. She didn't want to kill herself. I'm not like them, she chanted over and over as new tears surfaced. And yet, there was something about the two of them lying there, as a result of their own destruction, that Jada recognized.

"I'm not like them...But I could be." She whispered, as her faint body fell to the ground.

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Okay. I just want to say that I know the scene where Jada finds the bodies is a little weak and poorly described. Really sorry! I'll have to work on making scenes like this more vivid in the future. My apologies. Although I hope you like this part of the story anyway.

[sneezelove]

this story is so well-written!! great job! i can't wait to read more

[sneezychick93]

Oh my goodness, had me on the edge of me seat the whole time!! Greatly written! Cant wait for Troy to get there!

[Butch]

WOW. This is intense, but I love it. Keep it up!

[Aprilcot]

CONTINUE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I AM DYING TO KNOW WHERE THIS GOES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(goes off to faint in a corner)

[foreverajerseygirl]

Wow..I'm addicted!!!! This is incredible.

[bless]

Wow..I'm addicted!!!! This is incredible.

ohhhhh... I dont know what to say. you are holding me in your hand!!!! totally in chock ..... you are suchhhhh a great writher. Thanks for giving us this story

[sillystarsmoons]

Wow this is awesome. I hope you write more soon? Great chapter.

[obsessed]

... oh wow. I have to go back and absorb that some more haha!

[Ciuty80]

please more!!!

[LetMeBe]

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR STICKING WITH THE STORY! I'm really glad you all are enjoying it!!!!

@Sneezychick93 I can't wait for Troy to get there either!!!

Part 9

It could have been the blaring sirens, or the gossiping neighbors clustered together across the street. It could have been the ring of her cell phone that had somehow managed to be put in her pocket. Or, it could've been the cool breeze that caused her to shiver. Either way, Jada aroused, unexpectedly finding herself on a stretcher in the front lawn of Ms. yates home. The minor throbbing in Jada's head caught her of guard as she tried to sit up and look around.

She barely sat up before the nearest officer called out to his supervisor and rushed over to her. Jada closed her eyes to help relieve some of the throbbing in her head but quickly opened them with images of Ms. Yates and Reina lying on the bathroom floor flooded her memory. Completely, discombobulated Jada stared up at the two officers that were standing before her. The elder of the two seemed strangely familiar.

"Good afternoon Ms. Johnson. I'm Sargent LeRoy and this is Officer Peterson. How are you feeling?" Jada surveyed Sargeant LeRoy cautiously. Where did she know him from? He was a man of mid height, with a forgettable face with the exception of a small scar above his right eyelid. The warm smile on Srgt. LeRoy's face seemed genuine enough. Even so, Jada had a bad feeling about him.

"You fainted Ms. Johnson which is why you may be a little confused right now. You've been out for about 30 minutes. I know you must be going through a lot but-"

"I remember you," Quiet rage ignited within Jada as she stared at the Sargeant's hands. They were big with many minor cuts all over as if he had been in some type of accident. She'd never forget those hands. His face, yes. She had been just a little girl then and there are parts of the memory her brain hides from itself. Not those hands. She remembered them.

"Oh?" Srgt. LeRoy asked curiously. "The name doesn't sound familiar. Jada Johnson." He repeated to himself.

"You were friends with my father. Max Johnson." Jada pressed on her stomach but the cut had already begun healing and the sting wouldn't suffice.

Srgt. LeRoy's smile diminished slightly as he acknowledged the painful recognition. "You're that Jada Johnson." He said as if there were 20 of them all on the same block. In spite of Jada's immediate hatred for this man, the emanating remorse that spread through him was much appreciated in that moment.

"Ms. Johnson would it be okay if I asked you a few question regarding Lidia Yates and Reina Garret?" he asked politely.

"What would you like to know?" Officer Peterson took out his notepad and prepared to scribe.

"Tell us what happened. In your own words."

Jada recalled. She recalled everything. Tell us what happened. Everyone wanted to know what happened. What happened when? What happened to who? The thoughts swarming her head threw her off balance causing waves of nausea to force her back down on the stretcher. Her back to the Sargeant LeRoy and Officer Peterson Jada waited for tears to fall and when none did she wanted a knife. Dr. McCoy would be so disappointed at the way she had unraveled. She'd be in therapy forever.

"Ms. Johnson if you could please answer a few questions-"

"Give her some space!" Jada looked up and found Troy quickly approaching authoritatively. Jada wanted to smile, to demonstrate she was happy to see him, but she couldn't move. She could only there while Ms. Yates eyes haunted her over and over. Nonetheless, the moment his hands caressed her arm, she found herself exhaling. Although she didn't remember holding her breath.

"And you would be sir?" Sargeant Leroy inquired incredulously.

"You okay?" Troy whispered stroking her hair and kissing her forehead.

Only when Jada managed to nod did Troy reply to the Sergeant. "I'm Troy Garrett."

"Are you the husband of Reina Garrett?" He asked imbibing the interaction between Troy and Jada with a new curiosity.

"Yeah. I haven't seen or spoken to her in over a year." He confessed matter of factly.

"Well Mr. Garrett I really need to get a statement from Jada and one from yourself as well. And we'll need to do this separately, if you don't mind."

"I actually do mind," Troy's retort reeked of irritation, but the cool breeze unnerved him as he balled up his fist and sneezed succinctly. "Tscho. NGXT!"

"Listen sir, we can do this the easy way or we can do this the hard way." Sergeant Leroy had been patient when it was just Jada, but Troy was making things difficult.

"Troy," Jada hardly recognized the sound of her own voice. It was as if she were watching herself go through the motions without any input. "We have to do this."

Nodding his head begrudgingly, Troy kissed Jada's forehead once more before going with two other officers. “If you need me I’ll be right over there.”

The fear of reliving the event induced an unwelcome silence, as she turned her attention to Sergeant Leroy who had softened at Troy’s departure. Jada pretended Sergeant LeRoy was Dr. McCoy. Closing her eyes and inhaling deeply she knew there wasn’t any more time.

“If you could Ms. Johnson-“

“Last September Reina Garret abandoned her family and friends and left town unexpectedly-“ Jada began. As she spoke, she relived the entire event, episode after episode until she had arrived to the present time. Both Sergeant LeRoy and Officer Peterson stared at her with a sympathetic admiration Jada didn’t want. What she wanted was to go home.

“Ms. Johnson, I’m sorry you had to witness this. I’m sorry for everything.” The Sergeant began.

“Eptschoo!” Troy’s violent sneeze snatched Jada out from her own thoughts, as she looked over at him. With a strong sense of calm, Troy spoke to the police while rubbing at his nose with a black handkerchief. He was supposed to be resting today, she thought to herself. Troy happened to glance over and catch Jada’s stare. “You okay?” He mouthed. Jada nodded her head and forced a smile, before mouthing back “Bless you.” An affectionate grin spread across his face.

“Ms. Johnson did you hear me?” Sergeant Leroy asked.

“Yes, you’re sorry about everything.” Jada responded promptly.

“And I do mean everything,” he confessed. Sergeant LeRoy stared at Jada as if looking through her. "That night...Well...Max was a friend of mine and your mother..."

"She was just a drunk right?" Jada concluded nonchalantly.

Sergeant LeRoy pursed his lips and looked back down at his notepad. "We're going to need to see those suicide letters for evidence."

Jada had nearly forgotten that she stuffed the envelopes in her bra. Self consciously she brought her hands to her breasts protective of the letters which caused Sergeant LeRoy and Officer Peterson to snicker. "I want to keep them."

"We need them for evidence. At least until we close the case. Perhaps you can make a copy."

"But they're addressed to me. They are for me! You make a copy! I haven't even read them yet." This was the only thing Jada was not willing to be compliant about.

"I'll tell you what Ms. Johnson. Give me the letters. I'll make a copy of them and you can pick them up tomorrow. This was an obvious suicide. This case should be closed no later than Tuesday."

Begrudgingly, Jada reached into her shirt and handed over the folded envelopes. Those letters weren't meant for anyone but her. She'd be sure to pick them up first thing in the morning.

"They treat you alright?" Troy asked bringing his hands to her shoulders.

Jada didn't answer him. "I'm tired. I'm going to get a hotel here in town and stay until the morning. I should probably make funeral plans or something."

"Let me help you. My mom will love watching the kids for a few more days." Troy suggested.

"Troy are you serious?" She asked angrily. "When are you going to tell Ariana and Robbey? When are you going to have a reasonable reaction to all of this? You're wife killed herself and you are touching on me and kissing on me as if...As if you haven't lost anyone. As if your sole purpose is to comfort me! She mattered to you. She's the mother of your children. She still matters to them dead or alive and you have to acknowledge that."

And their they were...the tears. "I know she did a lot of fucked up things but...I loved her. And I loved Ms. Yates, but now they both are dead!"

Troy caught Jada's arm as she tried to pull away. Moving closer to her he kissed her full lips. Jada didn't know if she wanted to be angry or fall into him. Once he pulled away his eyes fluttered and his nose wiggled as he turned to the side and sneezed twice. "HUH IPTSCHO! ETSCHU!"

Jada started to bless him and then changed her mind out of spite. Nonetheless, every sniffle and sneeze he had left her yearning to tend to him. He needed to be looked after, and while she wanted to be the one to look after him. It all felt foolish now.

"Excuse me," Troy said nasally dabbing at his nose. "Listen Jada, I'm not indifferent about any of this. You know how much I loved Reina. A part of me still loves Reina until this day, and I've had the hardest ti...hardest time...huh-ETSCH! (sniffle)...I've had the hardest time getting past it, and I'm not sure I completely am. But the way that I see it, there are two of us here that are hurting, and I'd rather take this opportunity to be here for you and deal with my feelings later."

He was genuine. The way his eyes imbibed every detail about her was proof enough. Still, it wasn't the right thing. "I appreciate that Troy, but I'm not the most important person in this equation. I'm going to be fine. In the mean time, you have two babies at home that need their dad because their mother who abandoned them is now dead. Please don't forget that they are more important than the both of us."

With a small smile, Troy nodded his head in agreement. "You think about them more than she ever did."

"Stop comparing us!"

"It's hard not too. I was so in love with her that I missed how amazing you are. How loving and caring and attentive you can be."

Jada could feel her body temperature rising as Troy moved a little closer. "You are so many of the things that I've always wanted and I never seemed to get, not even when Reina was with me, alive and well. Is it wrong for me to see you and be close to you and want you for myself?" He inquired quietly, his lips gently brushing hers. "Let me comfort you Ja-" He couldn't turn fast enough. They had been to close and the tickle snuck up on him from nowhere. He could hardly turn his head before he sneezed wetly spraying Jada's face ever so slightly. "HUh ASTCHEW!"

"Whoa," Jada wiped at her face and took a step back.

"I'm sorry! EATSCHU NXGT!!" Troy turned his back to Jada and fumbled in his pockets for his handkerchief before he sneezed twice more. "Itsch! ASTCH!"

Jada stood their quietly watching Troy regain his composure and try to appear healthy in spite of himself. "Bless you Troy."

He smiled weakly and stifled a lingering sneeze. "Thank you Jada. I'm sorry about-"

"You're okay. But you're definitely still sick and-"

"It's just a cold Jada."

Jada couldn't handle any more of the objections. As much as she wanted him around, she knew that he would only induce a guilt she couldn't yet handle.

"I cut myself today, and you couldn't stop me." She blurted out impetuously. Troy stared at her quizzically. "I cut myself!" Jada lifted up her shirt exposing her brand new abrasion.

"Jada-"

"No! You can't fix what is wrong with me! You can't be there for me. I have problems that are too big for you. You have babies! You have your health! You have a family! And I have to figure out what I am going to do with myself now and I can't do that with you confusing me. You belong to my best friend."

"She's dead Jada." Troy said calmly.

"I don't care! You aren't mine to have. And I'm sick. A person that cuts themselves isn't a healthy person. Ms. Yates, Reina, they weren't healthy people. One day I could end up like that." The tears fell rhythmically, continuously, exposing her pain. "I could end up like that and you can't save me. Just like you couldn't save Reina. But you can save Ariana and Robby. And you should."

Troy wanted to walk after her. Jada prayed he didn't, and when she was safely inside her truck she found him staring at her through glassy eyes handkerchief still in hand. This was the right thing, she told herself as she tore her eyes away from him and pulled out of the drive way still swarming with police officers. Jada had to figure this out on her own, and he had to figure things out on his own.

After all, she couldn't be anyone's anything with cuts in her stomach.

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I really hope you guys like this section. It might be a little all over the place but hopefully you followed along okay. don't worry, we will find out later how exactly Jada knows Sergeant LeRoy!!!!

[Butch]

Oh my goodness. This story is excellent. So glad you updated!