Dear Tressi [✓]

31

When Igna Peren entered the room, all three of them wondered the same thing.

How much had she heard?

Patty, for whom the consequences would be the most dire, looked appropriately terrified. But the warden's expression didn't betray anything but mild surprise. "What are you all doing here?" she politely enquired and all three of them let out of a collective breath. It looked like she hadn't heard anything that Patty had said.

Patty jumped up from the bed, stuffing the used tissue into her pocket. "I thought I'd bring the milk to all the rooms, Mrs. Peren. Only this one and Mrs. Waldam's left. I also cleared out the garbage from the first floor. Oh, and I'm gonna put the cake in the fridge later because it can't sit out the whole night. Would you like me to do anything else before I turn in?" she asked, eager to please, on the off chance that Igna had heard something.

Igna was startled for a second. Never once, in the ten years that Patty had been with the institution, had she asked for more work. She hardly did what she was supposed to do. But then, her expression turned cold. "No, Patty. I have something to discuss with you, and I think it's best if we do it right away. I came in here because I saw the lights were on, but I was actually on my way to your room; I thought you might be resting."

"I wasn't resting Mrs. Peren. I just went in for a sec to leave my milk there. I'll be taking Miss Edna her heat compress now. And I'll get her prescription filled tomorrow." Patty was clearly desperate.

"Well, we'll see. Would you come with me please? I'd like to talk to you in my office."

Patty looked horrified. Igna's clipped tone and forbidding expression, didn't seem like it'd bode well for her. Her fear was justified; even though Igna seemed calm and controlled, Patty had worked with her enough to know that this was just a show for the guests.

Her insistence on them talking in her office, could only mean that either Igna was still angry about what had happened with Mrs. Methro and was going to tell her off, or the far worse possibility, that Igna had heard what she'd been saying to Tressi and Des.

Tressi could sense Igna's carefully controlled anger, but she didn't want to involve herself in any more drama. She really didn't need distractions. And frankly, if she was being honest, she thought Patty deserved what was coming. She was a relentless gossip.

But the flip side was, she needed to try and get more information out of her. Patty was a gold mine when it came to scandals, old or new. Tressi was afraid that Igna's anger, might dissuade Patty from telling her what she needed to know.

So trying to change the subject, she asked, "Mrs. Peren? I was just wondering. It's almost half past nine now, and my mother still isn't here. Have you heard anything from her?"

"Oh, I'm so sorry, Tressi. I've been so caught up with what's been going on, and it completely slipped my mind. Mrs. Sakit called at five. Her flight was cancelled. She won't be here till tomorrow. I meant to tell you. I'm so sorry I forgot, and that you've been waiting for her." She looked apologetic.

"Oh," said Tressi. She hadn't been expecting that.

"When exactly will she be here?" Des asked, sounding rather rude.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Gemira, I didn't ask her that. She just said that she'd be here tomorrow and I had a million things on my mind so I didn't follow up. I'm really sorry to have wasted your time," she apologized once more.

"Can you just give me her number? So maybe we can check with her directly before coming." He took out his phone, and opened the keypad.

"Mrs. Sakit doesn't have a phone, Mr. Gemira. But I'll be sure to call you as soon as she gets here."

Des nodded and gave her his number. Having noted it down, Igna turned to Patty once again. "Patty? My office?"

Patty looked miserable. But what choice did she have? She dragged her feet trying to delay the inevitable. She removed the tray from the dresser and she moved to the coffee table to clear away Dala's glass.

Des tried to help her, but the glass slipped between their fingers. Patty reflexively bent down to grab it before it hit the floor, but she'd forgotten about the tray in her hand. She bumped it against the coffee table, and everything went down in a crash, dousing both Des and herself completely with milk. It spilled all over drenching the leather chair.

Igna and Tressi had covered their ears at the ear splitting crash and watched as the glasses hit the floor and broke into pieces. Patty slipped on the milk and fell hitting her head on the coffee table. Des got up hastily and tried to help her up.

All in all, it was a mess.

The blow to Patty's head hadn't knocked her out, but looking at Igna's expression she wished it had. Igna had abandoned all pretense of cordiality. She looked beyond mad. With eyes blazing in anger, she said, "You're fired, Patty. I'll give you two days to pack up your stuff and get out. I have put up with enough. This is where it ends."

She turned on her heel and walked out the room, deaf to all of Patty's pleas.

*

"Well, I don't think anybody is going to lend us an umbrella," Des said as he walked towards Tressi who was waiting for him at the foyer of Rothan's.

The rain was worse than ever and they'd get completely drenched even though it was a short walk to the car.

"Although," he continued, "it might help with the smell." He stopped next to Tressi and the stench of milk wafted off of him. "This place doesn't have soaps in the washroom, can you believe that?"

Tressi didn't answer. She was staring out into the rain. She hadn't even realised that Des was next to her.

"Tress?" he called, tapping her on the shoulder.

She gasped, and then relaxed realising that it was him.

"What are you thinking so deeply about?"

Tressi bit her lip. "Was I responsible for that, Des? For Patty losing her job? Do you think Igna heard what she said to us, and that's why she fired her?"

Des shrugged. "She could've heard. But it wasn't your fault, Tress. You didn't know Patty was going to say that, and you weren't even talking about Igna. Patty brought this on herself."

"Maybe you're right," Tressi sighed.

"When am I not?"

Tressi didn't reply. She continued to look out at the rain, her brows puckered together. Des spun her by the shoulder, making her face him. "Cheer up, Tress. You worry too much," he said, pulling her into a hug.

But Tressi pulled away immediately. "Ugh, you stink of milk. We need to get you out of these clothes."

*

Later that night, as Des lightly snored beside her, Tressi lay awake unable to sleep. She had a feeling that she was missing something. Something that she knew but couldn't remember. Something that was elusive. She tossed and turned trying to figure out what was bothering her.

And then it hit her.

She slipped silently out of the bed, careful not to wake Des, and took her phone with her. Stepping out onto the porch, she called Daxton Lepoci.