“So, how are you two ladies doing,” Rosemarie entered the shop with a sweet tone, then groaning at the utter mess that was left at the shop like it was just hit by a typhoon. “I wanted to ask who the fuck robbed the store instead, but yeah… I think it would be more like me if I asked how you guys are.”

“I’m awake,” Verdell replied weakly with her face still laid on the table. “I just ate too much cheese, and probably meat… and bread.”

“Wow.” Rosemarie sat beside Penelope while cradling her left arm, examining the scattered confetti and wine bottles on the floor until she caught Vertdell groaning. “Let me guess,” she chuckled. “you’re already besties, huh?”

“Definitely,” Penelope answered, stroking Verdell’s head and making her groan.

“She stuffed my face with so much meat…”

“And you already made her talk, apparently.” Rosemarie rested her back on her chair and placed her leg over the other.

“Except she didn’t…” Penelope shrugged. “She’s a tough cookie.”

Rosemarie pursed her lips and laughed. “You fattened her like a pig, that’s why.”

Verdell raised her head and rested her chin at the table. Her stomach was so full that she felt like puking if she ever moved. She groaned once again, making Penelope and Rosemarie chuckle.

“Anyway, what happened to your arm?” Penelope asked Rosemarie.

“Oh, it’s the usual; those bastards drugged me with a truth serum, and I’ve dealt with it when they injected it to me. It’s not like I would sell out the—” Rosemarie froze with her mouth open.

Penelope sighed and tapped Rosemarie’s cheek. “You sure it didn’t work?”

“I mean,” Rosemarie shook her head and massaged her arm. “I mean, it’s not like I’d sell out my friends again or anything. I could still remember what happened in the interrogation room, you know?”

Verdell flashed Rosemarie a tired yet relieved smile. “You look like you’ve been through a lot. I’m sorry we started the party without you, Miss Rosemarie… Sir Aaron went out and just started the party somewhere else while I and Penelope are talking.”

Rosemarie flinched and frowned. “Are you worried about me?”

Penelope squinted as she saw Verdell’s color. She massaged her eyes as soon as she felt Verdell’s hostility that darkened the more she widened her smile. Her breath wavered, but she chose to say nothing.

“Yeah,” Verdell commented with the same smile.

“Are you—”

“Speaking of being fine, listen to me,” Penelope blurted out to interrupt Rosemarie. She patted Verdell to stop her as well. “My best friend right here isn’t. I’ve been trying to make her confess or at least give me a name, but she’s not talking.”

Rosemarie regained her composure and chuckled. “And you’re talking about?”

“Girl had a breakup but won’t fess up…”

“That explains the pizza, and you’re sure that it’s about heartbreak?” Rosemarie shrugged and leaned towards Verdell to meet her gaze. “Well, what do you say, wanna tell me what happened?”

Verdell pouted and looked away. “I don’t want to, and I don’t know what you guys are talking about.”

“She’s lying,” Penelope raised her brow, making Verdell and Rosemarie share a bit of a laugh.

“Well, I guess I’m right about worrying” Rosemarie pinched Verdell’s cheek and smiled. “and if by some chance Penelope is right, this makes the two of us.”

“Which I am,” Penelope declared.

Verdell smiled. “Well, thanks, mom.”

“Hey!” Penelope knocked Rosemarie’s hand away. “I was slowly making my way there! Don’t you go on jumping levels.”

“Relax,” Rosemarie enunciated as she leaned back to her chair. “I won’t go stealing your newfound best friend from you.”

“You…”

“Fine, fine, so here… I’ll just copy you.” Rosemarie looked into Verdell’s eyes. She brushed Verdell’s stray bangs and tucked them under her ear. “Look, I feel like you’re the type of person that sorta broods over these kinds of things, but don’t worry, I won’t force you to talk. Unlike your best friend over there, I’ll just wait out here until you’re ready. I want you to know that I know what you’re feeling, so, at the very least, I think you should treasure this feeling and focus on what you could do instead, okay? We’ll be here for you by then.”

Verdell widened her glistening eyes. She let out a long breath and glanced at Penelope, looking back at Rosemarie a moment after as her lips curled into a broken smile. “I,” she chuckled. “I think I love you.”

“I’m right here!” Penelope screamed before breaking into a laugh.

The three girls spent their time talking to each other until it got late. Verdell listened to Penelope, one-upping herself with the most interesting cases she had solved before Rosemarie shot her down by sharing a bit of her love life. Penelope was the one who went out first, saying that she had things to take care of until Rosemarie stood from her seat and told Verdell that she’ll clean the shop for her and that she should head home.

Verdell followed her instructions. A long breath escaped her lips at the moment the tea shop’s door closed behind her, her smile melted into a frown as well. The fact that she might have ruined her own party caught up to her; it made her feel terrible. She laughed at Rosemarie’s words as she walked home alone.

“Focus on what I could do instead, huh?”

Verdell placed her hand over her chest. She kept it there as though it was her own heavy heart that was branching out from her chest. It didn’t take her long to realize that she was being dramatic and that she’s already facing her apartment’s door.

The hole in Verdell’s heart deepened as she caught the welcoming scent of her home. She passed through a dark and plain room to get to the fridge. Emptying a cold bottle of water and pressing its side against her tired eyes, she smiled and booted her laptop that was resting on her table.

Verdell drew a long breath and groaned. She set her bed on the floor next, changed her clothes into an oversized shirt that covered her thighs, and turned to the corkboard that was hung on her wall. With the faintest light coming from her laptop, she traced the line of yarns that webbed the five silhouettes of people together. There was a huge question mark written on each of them.

She stared at it for a good minute, wrote Lt. Higgins over one of those photos, and smiled as she put it back on the board.