Espera | R. Grayson ✔

[15]

Barbara had gone to her bathroom when her eyes got caught by the silver necklace resting on the sink. She recognized it to be Richard's and recalled that she had taken it off along with his shirt so that she could treat his wounds.

She lifted it up from the sink, noting that it was of sterling silver, in the shape of a popular symbol from Egyptian mythology.

The Ankh.

Richard was eccentric and sometimes he spoke as if he had traveled considerably in the past. She wondered whether the necklace was such a souvenir from one of his travels.

She knew it was important to him since he always wore it around his neck. So she decided that she would return it herself whenever she saw him.

Unluckily for her, she didn't get the chance to see Richard at all. 

He did not turn up in the lockup for almost a week which was a surprising fact and neither did he turn up at his club. She knew about the latter as her friend Helena frequented the club and she had asked about Richard from her.

Coming to the conclusion that she would have to go visit him to return the necklace, one day after her shift ended at the GCPD, she headed to East End.

She knew where he lived since she had a habit of keeping track of the people she associated with. So she parked her car at the start of the street he lived in, then walked to his small house.

There was no doorbell so she knocked. A young voice came from inside, "who'd you wanna meet?"

"Is Richard at home?"

The door opened immediately, revealing a fifteen year old boy with the stormiest blue eyes she had ever seen. He had jet black messy hair and a wide grin on his face as he saw her.

"Of course, he's at home. Come in."

He opened the door wider for her and she stepped in, eyes sweeping around the place subtly.

The boy closed the door and called out, "Dickiebird, your girlfriend's here to meet you." Barbara stiffened at the remark and was about to correct him, when he asked, "you're Barbara, right? Have heard a lot about you."

"He's messing around, don't listen to him," Richard's voice addressed her and she turned to see him standing against the doorframe of his room, a smile playing upon his lips.

"Wow, that's rude, Dickie. And here I was hoping you would give an introduction."

"Oh yeah sure," Richard shrugged, "Barbara, this is Jason, my younger brother. Jay, you know her. Now get out."

"Geez, of course man, it's not like I have any wish to stay," the boy backed off, heading towards the door, "I'll be next door, call me when you need me."

"Yeah sure, out."

Barbara watched the interaction between them with slight amusement. Jason left and closed the door behind him while Richard stepped forward, "so... I had no idea my eyes would get blessed today by seeing you but I'm definitely not complaining."

She shook her head, a smile tugging on her lips, "always the flirt, aren't you?"

"Never in front of that kid you just met. He teases me enough already, I wouldn't want to give him an open invitation."

She laughed, "he seemed nice."

"Nice? You have no idea... He's a little devil!" Richard shuddered but his tone was adoring, as if he was proud of that little devil.

"You forgot this at my place," she took out his necklace from her bag, "I thought I may as well return it."

His eyes widened in surprise to see the bracelet then a relieved smile creased his features, "oh so I forgot it there. I thought I lost it in the fight. I checked that alley twice and by now I was almost convinced this beauty might have gotten drowned in a sewer. Thank you so much, Barbara."