Belinda grew wide as she told the story of how the drunk loon was looking for her, and how she lead him to the basement, jabbing his neck with a pen and sending him down the stairs to his death. Alice tears rolled down her cheeks and Belinda’s grip on her hands only tighten when she finished.This scared Alice more than the reaction she was expecting. A frantic Belinda running out on the beach to tell someone about the murder confession she just heard, screaming and crying, but no, she stood her ground and stared into her eyes.

“What was it like?” She finally asked.

The question stunned Alice.

“It-it was horrible. I had pushed him down the stairs. I went to see if he survived,but-” Alice was shaking a bit remembering the sight.

“Oh I’m sorry, Alice.” Belinda gently wiped the tears off Alice’s cheeks. “I know what it must feel like.”

“What?”

“Taking a man’s life.It’s not ideal, but when men are out there to hurt you, it’s only natural you defend yourself. My fingers were a terrible loss for me when it happened. The acid did so much damaged that I had to stop.”

“Stop? You mean-those mean missing in Paris.”

“Yes. Who could believe? I can only blame both my fathers for the mayhem I’ve made. One I killed out of rage, pushing him off a cliff after hurting my mother, and the other supplied me with what I need to getting rid of those bodies.” It seemed to be a joke to her and Belinda suddenly embraced her, her hands firm on her upper back and head. “Oh Alice, I know I should have told you the first time we saw each other, but I saw that love and hope flash back into your eyes again. I couldn’t take that away. But I’ll feel truly awful if I don’t tell you this now. I thought of never telling you. I almost of thought disappearing from your life forever.”

“No, don’t say that.”

“How could have I ever face you after what I did? What you did was for me, I did it for myself.”

She let go and looked Alice in the eyes.

“You hid it in the basement?”

“Yes, no one knows about the basement except me.”

“A basement.” Belinda thought for a moment. “Are you sure it’s hidden?”

“I’m sure. Even the padlock is hidden and no one will smell anything it’s so far down.”

Belinda sighed. “I hope you’re right.” She held Alice tightly again, but this time it was more comforting. “Just know that I will always be there for you.”

Alice buried her face in her neck, holding on to her and said the words she whispered to herself each night when no one could hear.

“I love you.”

She responded with something so much sweeter than what she could have imagined.

“I’ll always love Alice.”

There was never news of any murder of a drunken man, the body was never found and he was marked as a missing person before people forgot about him. The theater was sold for a good amount. Alice gave Jeffery a good portion, she heard that he started his own business in America. Harold found that he couldn’t find another job after that, she was his only connection to any jobs he would have found promising, Alice never knew what happened to him.

Living with the lies and tragedies in their lives, happily.