Chapter 27

When you are burdened with grief and sorrow, that is the time you come around with friends that you should value!!!

Stacie broke into hysterics of tears. Apart from being hurt and broken she couldn't just believe what she had heard. The notice mentioned that Stacie was charged with an Attempt to murder case where she purposely hit  Elbiet's car to kill him and me and Cairo were her companions in the crime.

"I can't believe anyone could come down to that level. That bloody s#n of a bitch. How fool I have been to fall for him. He's such a jerk of an ass. "Stacie blurted out with her throat being caught due to spontaneous crying.

"Oh my god, first he tried to separate us and now that b##tard is way off in ruining our lives. And what the hell did you do to him to involve you in it.

 What if we are proven guilty?

Would they send us behind the bars?

 What do we do?” Cairo also added couldn’t stop, her tears flowing.

I could feel tears built in my eyes too.

"My mom she is going to go through lot. Why did I do it? It's all my fault and you all have to pay for it. "Stacie kept mumbling and cursing herself.

"Stop Stacie. Stop blaming yourself. You also bloody well that you did not do it on purpose." I said as I rubbed her back in circles.

Cairo was moving around the house taking small but hastened steps in sheer tension.
"Will you stop doing what you are doing Cairo?" I shouted as I hugged Stacie tightly. She was now shivering with fear.

"What am I doing to stop?" Cairo shouted in frustration throwing her hands in the air.
My phone rang making all of us jump
"hello" I answered the call meekly.
"Hi babes"
"Dexter. Can I call you later? I am not feeling good." I tried to abduct his call.
'You sound low Pearly. Were you crying?" he asked worried.
"I was. I'll call you later." I was about to press the red button when
"Wait Pearly you know I won't be okay till I know what is bothering you. So instead of calling later why don't you tell me what is troubling you?
"You are not going to let go. Would you?" I asked sighing.
"you know me very well. right." though I couldn't see him through the phone I could feel his smirk. Anyway I’ll tell him otherwise he won't hook up and I won't be able to think till then.
"Right then Dexter this is about one of my best friends." I said uninterestingly
"Who Joshan?" he asked in a spontaneous reaction.
"No Dexxie. This is about Stacie my very old and close friend. She had a boyfriend and he broke up with her. Stacie in frustration drove very fast. In that she hit that Devil’s car but it was only an accident. No purpose involved and now he has sent a legal notice claiming it o be an attempt to murder and me and another friend of ours as companions in crime." I now lost my control and was softly crying so that Stacie and Cairo could not hear me. “We are completely zapped. I don't know what to do?"
"SShhhhh pearly first of all stop crying. What you are doing is the right thing." he said calmly
"What the F##k, you feel crying is the right thing?" I almost shouted.
"No babes speaking to a successful practicing lawyer is the right thing and you are doing it." he said assuringly.
"Holy cow!!!!! I just forgot you are a lawyer. Damm you can help us through" my voice now had an excited edge.
I asked with my puppy dog eyes which I knew he cannot see but "Would you help us? Is there any way out?'
"Well I can help you if you want." his tone calm as if it was just a casual thing.
"Really! You are such a darling. I promise to pay you if not all amount together but in little installments. I know it is an expensive affair but we will work through." I said the dull mood now long gone.
"Pearly you hurt me. Do you think I'll charge from you? I know I am shit of an a##hole but I don't expect fees from friends." I could feel honest pain in his words.
"Sorry I didn't mean to hurt you but it is going to be difficult for you to spare time from your work." I asked guiltily.
”Anything for you Pearly." He said from the other end making me smile.
"Thanks Dexxie," relief passed through me as I was sure he's an expert and would take us out of this mess. "I'll pass it on to Stacie and Cairo. Bye"
"Hold Pearly first e-mail me the copy of the notice so that I can take necessary action." He instructed.
"Yopes I will do that. Thanks and bye for now."

"Stacie.... Cairo......
Stacie..... 
Guess whom was I talking to on the phone." I said in my most cheerful voice.
"You sound as if you were talking to the judge and he is already made the decision in your favor." Cairo said in a flat tone.

 Stacie was too upset to give any reaction.
"Cheer up girls I was talking to my friend in Florida Dexter remember." I said smiling
"The one who is the lawyer and was in the news last month?" Cairo asked with no emotion in her voice.
"Yes the same Dexter who is working for the multimillionaire Bridgestone’s and was in news for his good work.
"Is he really helping us?" Cairo asked a little relieved.
"But why would a person who is so busy and earning in millions would help us?" Stacie asked her voice still cold due to heart break.
"Because....." I took a deep breath. This was the first time I was talking about what Dexter and I were meant to be. Otherwise he was just a random friend from Florida. "He likes me more than a friend."
"What?" Cairo asked as if I suddenly had grown two more heads. "Why didn't you mention about it to us before?"
"Because when he proposed indirectly I denied him completely since then he's been continuously flirting and trying to convince me. We didn't get our girls bonding moments together after my trip to Florida and now this happened."
"So he's helping us now." Stacie for the first time was talking straight with concern.
"Yes sweetie now chill and give me your million dollar smile." I hugged her but I did not find any twitch in her lip muscle to see her smile.
I went to the kitchen where I could be alone and no one could listen to me. I flipped my mobile and called Joshan.
"Hi BFF enjoying the only girls cake." He said cheerfully.
"Josh things are not working fine here. Can you do something?" I choked my words.
"What happened? " he asked concerned
"When we were cutting the cake we got some silly notice from that ass of her ex and Stacie is so upset that, leave the cake cutting, she's lost the blood from her facial tissues. She's so upset. Please do something.” my voice again low due to the mental recap of the incident.
”Pearly we'll be there and we'll make it a point that Stacie goes to end the day with a smile on her face.” He promised.
"Josh you are the world's bestest best friend." I shouted excitedly. I trust him with his words.
"There you go."

There was a bell on the door.
Stacie and Cairo were so scared that they did not want to open the door. So I went because I knew exactly whom to expect. But when I opened the door even I was shocked to surprise to see whole bunch of Joshan, Deren, Mike and all other but the rhythm of loud techno version of ”Happy birthday to you from old friends and new." probably remixed by Carl who is good in music was playing in volume loud enough o reach Stacie and Cairo. Cairo ran to the door and was shocked to see them
"HI everybody!!!!!  What a pleasant surprise." Cairo shouted from the couch where she was seated.
"Hi Cairo and I think HI to Pearly too” Deren said waving to me.

I was so stunned and shocked of the thougtfulness of Joshan that I was actually speechless. “Oops sorry!!! Hi guys. I am more than glad to see you. Infact I love you guys. You are just awesome.”

“Is it something that boys are not allowed in this house” Deren mocked again.

“Sorry again but use your skills on the birthday girl and make her smile.” I shifted so they can enter the house.

They all entered with the same techno greetings and wished Stacie with a hug. Stacie responded with a forced smile.

Then Mike opened a massive cake which was three layered and vanilla flavored. Deren picked Stacie and placed her on the dining table. She was not allowed to walk with her stitches which were to be treated tomorrow.

Stacie was a bit reluctant initially but then Deren commented, “Don’t be a cruel host, your poor friends are too hungry and if I pounce on the cake like a hungry tiger, this ass of Pearly’s best friend would chop my balls off with the same knife.”

Stacie finally giggled to it when Joshan actually ran after Deren with a knife in his hand.

Then we played some games like why and because in which boys were writing all the whys and girls were writing because and were kept in separate bowls.

Every why was read aloud followed by because. If first why read ‘Why does Mike have smaller balls. The answer to because was read “Because Stacie did not feed him with enough cake’ 

We all laughed to it. Then there was a dance game in which we were dancing in couples and burst the balloon between them in minimal possible time.

The couple who danced for the longest time without bursting the balloon would win.

Since Stacie couldn’t stand on her feet, Deren lifted her and played the game with her. We then watched some comedy series till Stacie started yawning. The medicines were a little sedative and added on stress made her weak. So Deren picked her again and put her to sleep in her bed. He then kissed her on her forehead wishing her for the birthday. She said “thank you” and smiled as she closed her eyes.

I was watching her from outside the room when Joshan pulled me behind. He cupped my face and wiped off my tears which I didn’t realize were flowing and kissed me on my cheeks resting my face on his neck and hugging me tightly. “I told you she’ll go to bed with a smile on her face.”

“Yeah” I said as I faced him, still hugging him.

“Man I do get the credit for the dance” Deren added.

“What about the cake?” Mike pouted.

“We cannot miss Carl’s techno music too.” I added and he blushed.

“Together we did it” I said as I hugged Joshan full on and murmured ”Thanks” in his ears.