Chapter 52

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Early the next morning, the residents of the apartment building were beginning their morning routines. Some were heading to work and were surprised to see Wendy standing in the hallway with a police officer, who was examining the red stains on the door. A few of them stared for a little bit but none of them said anything as they left. A few of them did hear her shouting and footsteps running down the halls. But they also knew who Wendy was and what her son had done to Kai.

In their eyes, she deserved everything she got.

While Wendy finished giving her statement to the police officer, Misako and Lloyd appeared and were shocked at the damage. The door looked worse in the daylight, and they could see it had also stained a bit of Wendy's carpet.

"Are you alright?" Misako asked and Wendy nodded, clearly tired after a night with no sleep. "Did you see who did it?"

"No, I rushed outside but I didn't see anyone."

"You did what?" Lloyd gasped.

"I know, I didn't think."

"It's lucky you weren't hurt." He said and turned to the officer. "Think you'll catch them?"

"No, I'm afraid the hallway cameras a broken and from the looks of it they planted the smoke bomb and ran." He replied and they all looked defeated.

"'They'? This is down to Kai Smith and his friends so you better arrest them before they do something worse." Lloyd warned as he ushered his mother and Wendy back inside...

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Later that afternoon, Kai and his family were all gathered at the cafe in their usual booth, talking about what happened last night. As they were leaving, Wendy tried to corner them and accuse one of them of planting the smoke bomb, but they all denied it. The police officer was still there and decided to speak to them alone individually. Kai said that he and Skylor were at home all night. Zane, Jay, and Cole were all at the CIA base, catching up on some work they missed.

No one knew where Nya was that night.

Before they left, Skylor also added that it was very unlikely someone six weeks away from their due date would be up in the middle of the night, bending down, and sneaking a tiny smoke bomb under a door. Nya was the last one to give her statement and they all said they would meet her at the cafe. After ordering and waiting another ten minutes, Nya finally arrived and sat down without a care in the world.

"What'd you say?" Cole asked.

"Not that I did it, obviously, but I did." She shrugged and they all stared at her in horror.

"Nya!" Skylor scolded.

"What're you thinking?" Jay asked, a hint of irritation in his voice. Before she could say anything, the bell on the cafe door rang and they saw Wendy and Misako enter. It only took the two women a few seconds to see the group and begin to make their way over to them. Skylor quickly got to her feet and rushed to stop Wendy before she got to Kai.

"Hello again, how's your hand?" Wendy asked.

"Fine thank you, I'm sorry to hear about what happened last night." The red-haired woman apologized for Nya's actions without telling Wendy who did it.

"Back again so soon?" Kai asked mockingly.

"Look, I'm sorry," Wendy said, looking very sympathetic, but also stubborn. "I respect how you feel but I live here too now so you're gonna have to get used to seeing me around." She explained and this caused the group, including Skylor, to glare at her.

"He doesn't have to do anything, you do! Pack your stuff up and go!" Cole growled, but neither woman backed down.

"You're the one you planted the smoke bomb aren't you?" Misako asked with a disappointed scowl.

"I was working last night, ask Master Wu."

"Just leave it Misako, there's no point." Wendy urged as she frowned at the group. "We're not gonna be able to have a civilized conversation and sort this out."

"That's cuz there's nothing to 'sort', so get lost!" Nya exclaimed angrily.

"Wendy's not going anywhere, but I'm moving in to make sure she's safe," Misako told them before she managed to lead Wendy out of the cafe and back to the apartment, reminding her that they still needed to clean the door and carpet. Nya seemed satisfied and proud as she sat back down and drank her coffee, that is until she saw the withering scowl her friends and brother were all giving her.

"You do realize you made things twice as bad?" Zane frowned. "She's not gonna leave now that she's got Misako and Lloyd living with her as protection!"

"I didn't ask Misako to move in with her did I?!"

"Are you fucking stupid or are you just trying to piss me off?!" Kai snarled. "They're only here because of what you did, they're staying to PROTECT her!"

"Then I'll up the pressure and I'll get them to move her out." She shrugged. "It's a better option for them and us, but trust me, they're not staying." She promised, only to nearly spit out her drink when they saw Misako return, alone, and walk over to them.

"Oh for fuck's sake." Cole groaned as the woman sat at their table, uninvited.

"Right, there's something you all need to know so I need you all to listen and not jump down my throat." She implored them to listen and when none of them said a word, she continued. "I had a long chat with Wendy yesterday, I thought it might help."

"But it clearly didn't." Kai huffed.

"Well, I don't agree with what she's done but I do get it." She replied. "Her son is dead and this baby is all she's got left of him."

"Her son who she still thinks is an innocent victim!" Jay cried and Misako sighed.

"Yes, I just think it's taking a while for her to come to terms with what he did, what he really was."

"So you keep saying, but she's deluded and that's not fair on Kai!" Nya hissed.

"No, she is grieving and she's in denial! She is not a bad woman!"

"She might have sucked you in with her sob story, but she is not doing it to me!" Kai stated and the others all voiced their agreement. Misako sighed in defeat before deciding that she was wasting her breath and she needed to make a start on moving her things into Wendy's new home...

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NEXT CHAPTER: Wendy oversteps the mark...

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