don't get me wrong () prodigal son SLOW UPDATES

Forty Eight

Chapter Forty Eight:

"So this isn't really my mother, is it?"

Hugo pushed the metal table back into the wall, closing the door with a thud. "I thought you'd be happy about that."

She shrugged, "Yes, but then that only means she's still out there lying dead somewhere."

"You don't know if she's dead, Theodora."

"I'm pretty sure she is."

Hugo sighed, peeling off his blue latex gloves. "Pretty sure isn't a solid yes."

She knew he was right, but accepting it now before anything could truly unfold was better. If Jay Fletcher, by some miracle, returned to her, she wouldn't know what to do. When the time came and Theodora truly knew that her mother was dead, it would be long since accepted. Well, with more crying and breakdowns but that was the usual these days.

Hugo shifted on his feet, "Why are you so determined to think your mother is dead?"

"It's easier." She pursed her lips, "To believe that. That she didn't just run out on my father and I, she could never do that anyways. If you accept it early, it won't hurt as much when the time comes and the truth comes out."

"That's not necessarily true."

Theodora raised an elbow, "Huh?"

"I thought the same way before Will passed away." Hugo began, leaning against the wall. "Will was my younger brother, he um, passed away when he was seventeen. Car accident— more like a semi crashed into the side of his car after going through a red light."

"I'm—"

"Sorry?" He quipped, "Don't be. They all are, aren't they?"

Theodora pursed her lips, "May I ask what happened afterwards?"

"He survived the crash, was cooped up in the hospital for weeks on end. The doctors said he'd be out in a month, but I knew Will. He didn't look like himself, not the way I've always known. I thought about the idea of life without him, my mother cursed me for thinking such a thing. He got worse, I could tell. And one day, he closed his eyes and never opened them again. I sat next to him, holding his hand until the end."

Theodora remained silent, unsure of what to say. Hugo sniffled with a big sigh, "Anyways, the point of that whole story was to say that it doesn't get easier. No matter how much I tried to prepare myself, to accept it, never was it easier."

Look what you did, Theodora. You're gonna make him cry. Good going.

"How long have you worked here for?" She asked, taking off her own gloves.

"Right after university. I had my co op here and Edrisa happened to like me so I was offered a full time job after one of the other employees retired."

Theodora nodded, "Well, thank you for showing me the, um, the bones and stuff."

"Did you want to take a look the file? I thought that's what you mainly wanted to look at, I'm sure just staring at bones won't tell you much at all."

"Oh, yes." She closed her eyes, "That would be smart."

"Come here." He told her, walking to the other side of the room, opening a white painted door into another. It was a small little office, with each wall lined with filing cabinets. He walked over to one and twisted a key, sliding open the metal drawer. "This is the file." Hugo muttered lifting up a thin beige folder and handing it to her. "Most of it is just information about your mother, but it will have to be looked at again since the victim isn't your mother."

She opened it up, a large photo slipped out against her hand. It was the one they used on the news, a family picture.

"How old were you when she... when she left?"

Theodora glanced over at him, "Little. I don't even know, really."

"Well, if you were the little I'm imagining, it's amazing that you still remember her as vividly as you do."

"How do you know I remember her vividly?"

Hugo smiled, "The way you talk about her. Even briefly, it's beautiful."

A voice coughed from behind them, "Hearing her talk about her dead mother is beautiful?" Malcolm's voice rang out.

She turned to see him leaning against the door frame, she smiled. "Malcolm, hey."

"We lost you, at the church."

Theodora nodded, "That body that was recovered at the woods, she's not my mother."

"What?"

"Edrisa called and told me. You can't tell anyone, especially Gil. She wasn't supposed to tell me."

Malcolm pursed his lips, eyes still on Hugo.

"Okay." She turned back around, handing Hugo the file. "I think I've seen enough. Thank you for showing me everything, I appreciate it."

"No problem. See you around, Theodora."

A hand landed on hers and yanked her out of the room, she stumbled backwards as the door swung shut, blocking Hugo's amused look.

"What was that?"

"Huh?" He questioned, guiding her towards the elevator. "What was what?"

She pulled her hand away, "With Hugo. Why did you pull me out of there so fast? He was helping me."

Malcolm shrugged as the doors open, guiding her in as well. "I thought he wasn't leaving you alone."

"He's my friend, Mal. He's just helping me."

"He kept looking at you."

She glared at him, "What? Other people can't look at me now?"

"No, that's not what I meant." He shook his head, "He had this look in his eye, and that stupid smug smile."

Theodora sighed, "I can have other friends than you, Mal."

His brows furrowed, looking down at her. "Did... did you just friend-zone me? While we're dating?"

"Yes." She gave a curt nod, a small laugh. "Yes, I did. What are you gonna do about it?"

He smiled, leaning towards her. The kiss was short and sweet, and she smiled against him.

"You're a dork."

"I know." He leaned down again, this time differently. A hand landed on her cheek, the other grasped her neck as she was pressed up against the elevator wall. A minutes later a ding went off, but Theodora was to distracted to care.

"Oh my god."

Malcolm leaped back, and Theodora shared the same shocked expression as JT did from across the threshold.

"Why, god, did I have to witness this?" He slowly turned, a blank expression on his face. "Why me? Why does it got to always be me, man."