Day 5: Healing

(Author’s POV)

Denzel and Olivia had the morning of their lives as they snuggled in bed after showering and having breakfast together. Denzel video called Sterling and everyone got into the conversation.

“So, have you too losers made up yet?” Sterling asked with a bland expression.

Phoenix laughed before saying, “Babe, if they didn’t make up, they wouldn’t be close to each other like this and from the look of things, I know that they both had make up sex,” Phoenix said, making Olivia to blush and hide her face in the crook od Denzel’s neck.

Denzel sighed, “Not cool, Phoenix, now see what you made her do now,” Denzel said, bursting out into laughter, causing Olivia to hit him hard with her hand, “Ouch, babe that hurts but it is true. You don’t even want to see your face right now; it looks like a ripe tomato,”

Phoenix scoffed at Denzel and his antics, “Tsk, Denzel you are so mean,”

“Shut up, both of you,” Sterling said, signaling to Phoenix and Sterling, “I don’t need any more perverted talks from any of you,”

“Tsk, you are such a party pooper,” Phoenix said, rolling her eyes at him, “But Ollie, I am so glad that you guys got to work things out or else I would have gotten grey hair from trying to make peace reign for both of you,”

“Yeah, thank you for the advice, now I’ll get to meet his parents,” Olivia said, lifting up her head from the crook of Denzel’s neck before speaking.

“Yeah, his parents are so cool and I am sure that they will love you but be weary of his kid sister,” Sterling looked at Denzel before looking at Olivia.

Olivia looked at Sterling before looking at Denzel and back at Sterling, “Why do you say that?”

“Well, his sister is very protective of him so just be careful with your answers when she throws questions at you, that’s all,” Sterling shrugged like what he said didn’t mean anything but it did to Olivia, “I remember when she had a thing for me,” Sterling bellowed in laughter.

“Yeah, that was the worst year of my life. She literally followed me everywhere just to get a glimpse of you,” Denzel faced palmed himself.

“I would have been considered a pedophile and she was just too underage,” Sterling flung his left hand over Phoenix shoulder.

“Yeah, you could have been but Denzel, what did your parents do?” Phoenix asked

“Probably shipped her off to a boarding school,” Olivia shrugged and Sterling and Denzel busted into a fits of laughter, “What is funny guys?”

“You got it right, that is exactly what they did to her but now she is done with high school,” Denzel said.

“Speaking of sad occurrences, Denzel, what about Brianna; has she made any moves yet?” Phoenix asked, ruining the once peaceful atmosphere.

“Yeah, Rex reached out to be 2 days ago when he couldn’t reach you and gave me a report. I forgot to reach out because of that phase but he sent me some couple of pictures that his guys took about some meeting she had with a woman, a week after her release,” Denzel said, straightening up from the bed.

“Okay, if you have it then send it right now,” Sterling said.

“Yeah, I am doing that right now,”

A few seconds later and series of pictures entered Sterling’s phone but he couldn’t recognize the lady in the picture so he showed it to Phoenix who recognized her after racking her brain.

“I know her, she is Allen’s girlfriend, Lisa Myers,” Phoenix said, dumbfounded

A livid Sterling responded, “Are you sure?”

“Is it this Lisa Myers?” Olivia said, showing them the results of the search she just carried out.

“Yeah that is her,” Phoenix nodded, “Could it be that Allen sent her to the house to ruin us?”

“Knowing Allen, I wouldn’t rule that option out of the way,” Sterling replied.

Denzel chipped in, “So, what do you suggest we do?”

Sterling was upset and he didn’t think rationally anymore, “Kidnap her and interrogate her in our stead. Prod her long enough for her to provide an answer. No one messes with my family and goes scot free. Make sure that Rex gets the job done,”

Everyone was silent and didn’t utter a word until Phoenix bravely broke the silence.

“Babe, calm down and let them handle it in our stead and I trust Denzel to handle this discretely without spooking her father and Allen and if Allen is indeed the one pulling the entire strings, then he will go under, trust me,” Phoenix placed her left hand on his thigh and tried her best to steer every one off the matter. The situation concerned her greatly but she knew how to handle the situation a lot better than Sterling was doing at the moment, “Hey Ollie, you and Denzel are babysitting Emerald next week and I’d like for you both to keep your nasty selves away from my kid when you both are getting your freaky on,”

Olivia sighed before eyeing Phoenix, “You know, for someone whose sexual drive is so high, you are one to talk,” then winked at her, “You are only inactive now because of that scar you have or else you both wouldn’t mind having sex all day for days and you know that it is true; sometimes I wonder how Sterling copes,” before placing at left hand Denzel’s chest and snuggling in more.

Sterling’s eyes bulged a little before defending himself, “What did I do? Don’t bring me into this,” he further demonstrated with the spin of his hands, “Whatever this is,”

Denzel broke out in laughter and couldn’t stop laughing and in between laughs, he said, “I can’t believe that that just came out of your mouth Ollie, I never knew that you were one to talk dirty at all,” then turned to Phoenix and apologized, “Phoenix, I apologize on her behalf, she just gets wild sometimes,”

“Yeah, well, I take no offence to that at all and yes, my baby is coping just fine; we know how we do our things in a very special way,” Phoenix chuckled and looked at her wristwatch before speaking, “Oh well, guys, I guess this is where we bid you farewell for now,”

“Are you guys going somewhere?” Denzel asked

“Yeah, to an art exhibition and if I like what I see, I might get a painting or two,” Sterling replied before adding in a hush tone, “Look, we are already dressed; if our host rings any moment from now and we aren’t ready, we’d be done for; she is such a vibe,” Sterling said, smiling and leaving Phoenix with the guys.

“Have fun you two and don’t forget to get that issue sorted out for us,” Phoenix said and then hung up.

**************

“So, guys, this is the art center and I don’t know about you but I am not getting any piece of art for now; I have already got loads of them all over my walls at home and office including that of my husbands’,” Debbie said, getting down from the car and leading the couple towards the double doors of building that wasn’t so big was elegant enough to host an art exhibition.

Stepping into the building, a huge chandelier hung from the ceiling, giving the whole room an elegant and expensive vibes. People could be seen on different outfits that screamed money and the fact that the exhibition wasn’t a mediocre one. The trio walked through almost all the partitions in the room that displayed different art but only one caught Sterling’s attention.

The art work was a very detailed one. A painting of almost dead red rose petals sprawled all over the canvas, with the picture of a broken heart and a blood stained dagger beside it and to Sterling, it held a lot of meanings to it and it struck a chord in his heart and it reminded him of his mother.

Stabbed by the one who was supposed to love and protect her and faded into eternity like a wilted rose petal. The art spoke volume and he was getting it. After staring at the picture long enough, he spoke up, “I am definitely getting this one,”

“Yeah, I was about to say same but I guess you beat me to it. It clearly pictures my dad and I, being betrayed by him,” Phoenix said, caressing the painting.

“I am so happy right now that somehow, you both are healing in your own way,” Debbie said, clapping her hands together with a bright smile on her face.