Fan Fiction |
by Jenny Tran
He found her down the street waiting for a taxi. Taking slow steps as he walked up from behind “If you show some leg, maybe you’ll catch one quicker.” He offered. She snapped her head at him and prepared to storm off when he reached out for her hand “I’m kidding!”
Erin glared down at their entwined hands and back at him. Getting the hint, he let go but continued to smile “Wipe that smirk off your face.” She snapped and turned to walk down the street.
He followed her heels with ease “Didn’t you have something important to tell me? Professing your love to me, perhaps?” he teased.
“In your dreams, Devin.” Erin snickered.
“I don’t have to dream, that look on your face when you saw Nancy walk out of my bedroom, that was my answer.” He continued to push her buttons “Admit it, you’re jealous.”
She halted and turned to him with a sarcastic laugh “That’s what YOU want to hear. But I am not jealous of your little girlfriend. I don’t care what you do with your life. Let’s get that straight.”
Crossing his arms as he nodded “Okay…it you want to deny it.”
Erin rolled her eyes “You’re hopeless.”
He laughed “So, are you going to tell me what’s so important that you had to come personally to my apartment? I figured the first time you ever knock on my door is when your groins were burning for me.”
Calmly, she raised her brows “You can’t be serious for one minute can you? The commissioner was murdered today. I came in to see Ted for information on the suicide assassins. We suspected that Kwong Sir was being threatened, by the time we reached his office, he was murdered. With one poisoned assassin in the cabinet of his office.”
Devin frowned thoughtfully “You think this Hung Gor got what he came for?”
“The only reason why he would finish off the Commissioner.” Erin agreed. He appeared to be deep in thought “What’s next on the agenda?”
“Dinner.” He said casually and turned to walk back to his apartment. She stood there appalled “You coming?” he asked when noticing she was not behind him.
“No, I don’t want to throw up my dinner.” She said before catching a taxi driving by. Getting in, she didn’t bother to give him a second look while he stared until she was no longer visible.
************
Early the next morning, Doug arrived at the hospital to see how Jessie was holding up. She had another patient when he knocked on the door and opened “I’m sorry.” He apologized.
Jessie shook her head “It’s okay Doug, I was just finishing up. Thank you Mr. Wong for coming back.” She said with sincerity. The man smiled briefly and got up to leave.
“Live happy!” Doug cheered while the man stared at him strangely.
She laughed while shaking her head at him “He’s not the suicide victim.”
Doug raised his brows “Oops.” She pointed to a chair as he sat down “So, how are you?”
“Since the last time we saw each other? One day ago? Hmm...I’ve been the same.” She leaned herself over the table “What did you really come for, Doug?”
“I…eh…I was wondering…if you could help me.” He stuttered.
“With what?” Jessie was curious to know.
“With my problem. My fear of women.” He finally admitted “My fear of committing again, of loving again and letting myself be loved.”
She raised her brows, impressed “Wow, I didn’t even have to use psychology on you. How did you come up with this conclusion?”
“A certain female shrink helped me.” He hinted obviously.
“I see.” Jessie grinned happily. She nodded to the leather patient couch “Let’s move to the couch.”
Doug dropped his jaw “Why, Dr. Lai! Do you tell that to all your patients?”
“Yes!” she flicked a brow up playfully “Lie down.” She ordered.
He sat on the couch and looked up at her with puppy eyes “Be gentle.”
Jessie rolled her eyes as she took a seat on the swivel chair next to the couch “Close your eyes.” He did as she said but the sly grin was still on his face “And stop picturing stuff!” she scolded. Doug quickly cleared his throat and put on a serious face “Much better.” She nodded and began the session, her voice soothing and calm “I want you to clear your mind, push out any worries…stress…questions that you might have. It’s a blank sheet of paper ready to be drawn on. Doug, if she was here today in this room, what would she tell you?”
“Watch my back and she would come back to get me in full revenge—”
“No, I meant your first love, Jessie.” She cut in.
“Oh…” Doug’s forehead wrinkled “She would say…I want you to be happy, whatever you do.”
Jessie nodded “How does that make you feel?”
“Guilty.” He replied after little thought.
“Why?” she questioned.
His expression saddened “Because she always wanted the best for me, yet I couldn’t do the same for her. Eventhough she’s gone, I always felt like I never appreciated her enough or did things for her to make her fully and truly happy. Yet, even before she dies, she remembers to leave me a message that she only wants me to be happy.”
She listened intently with a small smile “That’s what unconditional love is. You think this guilty conscience will ever go away?”
“Maybe…I hope it does. I realize how wrong it was being with Becca, I let her control my thoughts and I told myself that I really did like the girl…but in truth, I was lonely and needed companionship. I know I can be a goofball at times, but most of the time it’s just hiding this inner me dying to cry out.”
“What would you say to Jessie?” she whispered, the lump in her throat forming with each confession he made. She had never been touched by a patient’s story until that minute.
Doug sighed, “I don’t know.”
“Yes, you do.” She pressed. Leaning into his face, she whispered “Open your eyes.” He did as she said “Pretend I’m her…I’m Jessie.”
Eyes intensely staring at him “Jessie…” he stared at all the features of her face “I’m sorry. I never told you how important you were to me. I always regreted not asking you to marry me sooner. From the second I saw you, I knew that there would be ‘us’ in the future.”
“But things don’t always go your way.” She replied, tears welling up as she gulped back the lump.
Doug smoothed the tear away from her cheek “I wished and prayed for a second chance, but I realized after this divorce that I might never get it.”
“You can have it…just be true to your heart. Listen. It talks to you.” Jessie smiled after a long moment of silent as he stared at her “What?”
“I never got a last kiss…” he leaned in slowly and she closed her eyes. Before he had a chance to kiss her, there was a knock on the door. Startling their session as she pulled away and he was snapped to reality “I’m sorry.” He apologized.
Jessie smiled with a lowered head as she got up to open the door “Ted?” she was surprised to see him with a few of his men standing behind him “Is there a problem?”
“Jessie, I’m sorry.” He cleared his throat and straightened his face “Miss Lai, you are under arrest for the murder of Commissioner Kwong and possibly a 26 year old woman by the name of Cheung Ga Lai.” She gasped while Doug stood up and stared in shock “You have the right to remain silent, but what you say or do can be used against you in the court of law.”
“Ted! You can’t be serious! Jessie didn’t kill anyone.” Doug shook his head vehemently.
“There was a girl that recognized Jessie yesterday morning, she came to see Kwong Sir.” Ted said shortly.
“I did. But only to take back my things. He was sitting in with a woman that I didn’t recognize. I left within minutes because they seemed to be in the middle of an important conversation.” Jessie explained.
Ted shook his head “No one saw you leave.”
“I took the back door to the stairs because I was too embarrassed to go to the front.” She shook her head in disbelief “I…I can’t believe this…”
“Jessie…” Ted pulled out the handcuffs, it hurt him to put it on her, but he needed to. She looked up slowly and understood that he did not want to do it “Thank you.” He said when she brought up both hands for him to cuff.
“Doug…” Jessie turned to him “Could you help me call my lawyer? His name is in my rolodex.” She nodded to her desk while Ted began to lead her away.
“Don’t worry, Jess. I’ll get you out.” Doug promised. She nodded while Ted escorted her out. Pulling out his cell phone, he called for Devin “I need to call an emergency meeting.”
Devin answered “Okay, I’ll page everyone.” They hung up and within half an hour, everyone showed up at headquarters.
Mia lied lazily on Darren’s shoulder “This better be good, I was still sleeping.”
“It’s almost noon, Mia.” Erin pointed out.
“She usually doesn’t wake up until one sometimes.” Darren shook his head.
Jenna laughed, “It’s a miracle she can still keep her figure. I’d blow up like a pig—”
“We don’t have time to make fun of Mia.” Doug cut in.
Mia opened her eyes and stared strangely “But you always make time for me. This must be serious. Oh my God…you killed Becca didn’t you? Didn’t you?!”
“No, smartass.” Doug said curtly “I was in a session with Jessie when Ted came in and arrested her for the possible murders of Commissioner Kwong and a 26 year old female.”
Erin and Devin quickly exchanged glances “He was murdered?” Reina asked.
Doug nodded vigorously “That was my reaction too. Jessie didn’t kill anyone. That damn bastard cheated her like twenty times and she never once lost her temper. May God rest his soul.” He quickly did a sign of a cross “We have to get her out.”
“Do they have witnesses?” Devin questioned.
“A girl saw Jessie walking towards the commissioner’s office.” Doug replied “It doesn’t look good.”
"No one heard their conversation?" Carmen asked "Or did they see her leave?" Doug shook his head.
“So you think she did it?” Mia asked in surprise. Doug sighed with exasperation and she quickly put up her hand “Okay, sorry. You’re sensitive today.”
Darren shook his head at his wife to quiet her “Hey, if she needs a lawyer, we have a good one.” He offered.
“She already has one.” Doug nodded gratefully “She’ll be okay right?”
“The law is accurate, I’m sure if she didn’t do it, nothing will happen to her.” Matt assured “Was there anything missing in the office?” he asked looking around.
Erin shook her head “Not that I noticed.” The group turned to her “I was a witness.”
“You were there?!” Ryan asked, “You mean you saw his…body?”
She nodded and turned to Devin “I want to go down the station and see if Ted found anything new.”
“I’ll go too!” Doug volunteered.
Devin nodded “Okay, you two go. Everyone else, lets do some more snooping…”