Chapter 19: Seeing Old Faces

Bea stood in the bathroom, wearing regular clothes Brian had gotten her.

Today, she was getting released from the hospital.

She stared at her reflection in the mirror, seeing how her hair looked, she tried fixing it up a bit, tilting her head.

She leaned closer to the mirror, taking under her eyelids, seeing dark circles, sighing as she knew wasn't getting enough sleep and if she could see, then others would too.

Taking a step back, she walked out of the bathroom, seeing her Uncle Brian and Roman standing as they were talking.

It looked like a heated argument as they were talking discreetly, though they were not good at whispering as Bea could hear what they were saying.

"Look, man, this could be bad," Roman said. "I mean, we are working for your niece's friend's uncle." Bea's eyes widened. "And he came here yesterday, who knows what he wants."

"You're making it a bigger deal than it has to be," Brian told him. "You've got to relax, nothing bad is gonna happen to Bea, I'll make sure of it."

Bea decided to make her presence known. "Trying to protect me?"

Roman and Brian were startled as they turned around to see Bea with her hands on her hips.

Brian sighed in relief. "Bea."

"Newsflash I don't need your protection," Bea told him. "You'd suck at protecting me, momma was always better at keeping me safe."

"Bea now is not the time to argue," Brian told her. "Do you have your stuff?"

Bea rolled her eyes. "What stuff? All my clothes are burnt."

"Right, we still need to talk about that," Brian told her. "You need to explain everything that happened that led up to the house being blown up."

Bea crossed her arms over her chest. "I don't have to explain anything to you, after all, you think I'm delusional, so I must be making stuff up right?" She received no response. "So, I see no need to tell you anything as you most likely won't believe what comes out of my mouth."

Roman saw the tension rising between the two, chuckling awkwardly. "Alright, mini Gabriella, let's get you checked up and take you to your temporary home."

Roman opened the door for Bea as she walked out of the room, he turned to Brian, shaking his head in disappointment, following after Bea.

Brian follows with a sigh that escapes his lips.

༄༆꧁❁꧂༆༄

Bea walked with Brian and Roman towards Tej Garage.

"Man, Tej's garage I'd ridiculous," Brian said. "He has everything. Snap-on tools, these lifts are more." Brian explained as Bea look around, making sure they weren't being followed as she was still anxious about everything. "They're only a couple of months old." Brian walked to Jimmy. "Hey, you, Jimmy. What's up, man?"

"What's up, Bullitt," Jimmy said. He looked at Bea who gave him a smile. "Hey, Little B."

"Sup, Jimmy," Bea said.

"Hey, that's Rome there," Brian said. He points towards where Roman is. "Do me a favor, when you get a second, I want you to check out the Evo and Spyder and make sure everything is copacetic."

"Evo?" Jimmy asked. "Where'd you get an Evo from?"

"Well, it's a long story," Brian told him.

"I got you, man," Jimmy said.

"All right, thanks Jimmy," Brian said.

He and Bea walked away as Roman followed.

"It's so hot and humid out here," Roman complained. "I can't even wear drawers."

Bea made a disgusted face. "Ew, too much information, man."

Brian chuckles. "Tell me about it."

"Look at all this potential out here," Roman said.

Bea watched the scene in front of her as Tej was having another one of the games for the people.

Bea's eyes lit up as she saw Suki, walking over to her.

"Ray, don't do that, man," Tej yelled through his megaphone. "You're making me lose money. Come on, stop that. I know you're better than that. Come on, Ray, Come on."

Bea reached Suki, taking a seat beside her.

"Hi Suki," Bea said. She looked at Tej. "Sup Tej."

"Little B," Tej said. Bringing her in for a side hug. "How's it going?"

Bea shrugged her shoulders. "It's going." She turned to Suki and gave her a hug. "I miss seeing you."

Suki smiled softly. "I miss seeing you too, Bea. How's everything? Are you good?"

Bea nods her head. "I'm fine, a little tired but fine."

Suki notices the dark circles under Bea's eyes. "Have you not been getting enough sleep?" Bea stayed silent. "Bea."

Bea looked down to see Suki's sketchpad. "That looks really cool."

Suki gave Bea a look. "Bea, you didn't answer my question."

Bea sighed. "It's hard to sleep when I get nightmares."

Suki frowned. "I'm sorry to hear that, Bea." She moved the sketchbook away from her lap. "Come lay down here." Bea laid her head on Suki's lap. "Now get some rest."

Brian and Roman walked up

"Hey, Tej Parker," Brian said. Tej looked at him. "Roman Pearce." Tej and Roman fist-bumped. "Basically, he's the man to know in Miami. He's got his finger in absolutely everything. It's just the way it is." Brian looked at Suki. "What's going on, Suki?"

Brian kissed her cheek.

"What's up, baby?" Suki asked.

"How you doing?" Brian asked.

He looked down to see Bea who had her eyes closed.

"Good," Suki said.

Brian noticed her designs. "What's this? What's the latest?"

Suki showed him her design. "It's a work in progress. It's not finished yet."

"That's some artistic stuff," Roman said. "You got talent, girl."

"Yeah, she's good," Brian told him. "She's the best." He looked down at Bea smiling fondly. "Just like Bea is."

"Little B got some talent?" Roman asked.

"Oh yeah," Brian said. "You should see the design she did on one of my old cars, the kid is an artist."

"Ray, it's do or die right now," Tej yelled into the megaphone. "Bring it home, Ray! Bring it home." Tej stood turning around to the crowd. "Yeah, baby! Pay up! Pay up!"

"That's how they do it out here, man?" Roman asked.

"Every day," Brian said.

Roman smiled. "That's crazy."

"Right here," Tej said. He began collecting money from the people who placed down bets. "Right now, you don't look too happy. Expeditiously, man, I need it quick. Thank you, thank you." Brian and Roman walked towards Tej. "How you feeling, man? You all right? Thank you."

"Not too bad," Brian said.

"I'll see you about your money, homey," Roman said. "You race too?"

"No, man," Tej answered. "I hit a wall doing, like, a buck 20 couple years ago, you know? Ever since then, I've just been organizing and collecting, man."

"Hey, Tej, check it out," Brian said. "He's gonna be in town for a while. Is there any way he could use that cot?"

"What's wrong with your place?" Tej asked.

Brian scratched the back of head, awkwardly. "About that..."

"His place got blown up," Roman told him. "Barely manage to survive that shit."

"Shit, man," Tej said. "You okay? Is Bea good?"

"We're fine," Brian said.

"Fine my ass," Roman said. He looked at Tej. "His niece was in the hospital, and just got out today."

Tej looked at Brian.

"But not from the explosion," Brian told him. He gave Roman a look. "You see Bea has a medical problem, and she didn't take her pills, so I rushed her to the hospital before it was too late."

"Shit, I'm sorry man," Tej told him. "You need a place to stay?"

"Yeah, if you don't mind," Brian said. "I'll rent one of your boats."

"Yeah, man, that's cool," Tej told him.

"And I don't want to stay with him," Roman told him. "He got bad habits."

"All right, man," Tej said. "Show him around real quick, I'll be up there in a minute. And also take Bea to the boat, so she can sleep somewhere more comfortable.

"Thanks," Brian said.

"Sure," Tej said.

Brian walked back towards Suki, where Bea lay asleep on her lap. "Hey, Suki, mind if you take Bea where she sleeps somewhere more comfortable."

Suki looked up at him. "Sure." She lifts Bea up who slept soundly in her arms. She handed Bea to Brian. "Make sure she gets enough sleep, she hasn't been sleeping much."

Brian frowned. "Yeah, some stuff has been happening." He looked down at Bea. "I'll be sure to make sure she gets enough sleep."

Brian walked away as he made his way back to Roman.

"I see mini Gabriella is sound asleep," Roman said. "Are you taking her to the boat?"

"Yeah, man," Brian said. "You coming?"

"Yeah, let's go," Roman said.

They walked towards the dock.

Bea stirred around in Brian's arms, opening her eyes. "Uncle Brian?" Bea, she looked around. "Where are we going?"

"To our temporary home," Brian told her.

Bea rubs her eyes, closing them again.

༄༆꧁❁꧂༆༄

Night had come by fast as Bea had woken at the houseboat, sighing she stood from her bed, exiting the houseboat.

She looked around as she saw no one around, walking down the dock, and making her way to Tej Garage to see it was locked up.

"He keeps leaving me," Bea mutters. "Now that I think about it, the warehouse isn't that far from here." Her hands went to her pocket, as she pulled out medication. "At least I have this with me this time." She walked onto the sidewalk, making sure she saw no cars following her, she walked down the side of the road.

Unknown to her, a car had been following Bea around from the moment she was put in the hospital.