Chapter 12: There You Are

Chapter 12: There You Are The soft thud of the apartment door closing behind Abigail as she hurried in sent a wave of relief rushing over her. She leaned her back against the door for a moment, her chest rising and falling as she caught her breath. Genevieve wasn't home yet. Good. She needed to prepare herself before her sister's inevitable arrival. Without wasting another second, Abigail pushed off the door and hurried to her room. She moved swiftly, shedding her clothes and stepping into the bathroom to freshen up. The cool water against her skin washed away the tension from the night and the remnant of Jamal's cologne on her. After drying off, she slipped into a simple dress that helped her blend into the background as always and then quickly put on her wig and contact lenses. As she looked around the room, her eyes landed on the stuffed panda sitting on her bed. Its button eyes stared back at her, a silent witness to her most cherished memories. She felt a strange tug on her heart as she picked it up gently, her fingers brushing over the soft fur, which felt oddly familiar. 'From your color, I can tell you're female. What should I name you?' She mused silently as she looked into its eyes. As she tried to figure out a name, the first name that came to her mind was Lucy, and she smiled. 'How about Lucy? I think I like it. It sounds fitting and simple enough.' As she held Lucy close to herself, her brows pulled together when it occurred to her that Genevieve would most likely try to take Lucy from her if she saw it. This was a gift from Jamal— a fragment of love she refused to let Genevieve tarnish. Without thinking twice about it, she opened one of the drawers in her closet and carefully tucked the panda away beneath a folded scarf. Safe. Out of sight. With her heart feeling lighter, Abigail lay on her bed, staring at the ceiling. A small smile tugged at her lips as her thoughts drifted to Jamal. Their time together had been perfect, a stolen moment of happiness she hadn't thought possible in her strictly controlled world. Her cheeks warmed as she replayed the night in her mind— the way he made her laugh, the way he looked at her with his smiling eyes and told her she was special. It was, without a doubt, the best night of her life. The vibration of her phone pulled her from her reverie. She picked it up, and her stomach twisted when she saw Genevieve's name on the screen. For the life of her she could never understand why Genevieve preferred to call her instead of sending a text when she knew very well that she couldn't talk to her. Swallowing hard, she answered the call and held the phone to her ear. "Finally!" Genevieve barked, her voice annoyed and impatient. "You're so lucky you decided to turn on your phone. Where the hell were you? And why wasn't your phone on all night?" Abigail stayed silent, her throat tightening. She hated these moments when her inability to speak became a weapon in Genevieve's hands. "Yeah, right. You can't respond because you're mute," Genevieve hissed, the sound grating. "Whatever. I'm lost, and I don't remember the address. Text me the location and share your live location so I can find the damn apartment." Abigail rolled her eyes, though she tapped her phone screen twice as she always did to let Genevieve know she'd heard her. Genevieve sighed dramatically. "Hurry up," she snapped before hanging up. The moment the call ended, Abigail let out a deep sigh, her shoulders sagging. She quickly sent the requested information and set her phone aside. Just as she began to relax again, the screen lit up with an incoming video call from her father. Her heart skipped a beat, but she answered immediately, wondering why he was calling her on video call. He never bothered with her. Ryan's stern face softened slightly when he saw she was still on her wig and lens and noticed from the background of her room that she was home. "There you are," he said, his voice surprisingly warm. "How are you doing, Abi?" Abigail nodded and offered a small smile, typing a quick response on her phone: [I'm okay, Dad.] He sighed, leaning back in his office chair. "You left for school without informing me," he said, his tone carrying a hint of reproach. "Do you have any idea how much I've been worrying about you? I thought we were closer than this." Abigail's smile faltered, and she typed: [I thought you knew I was leaving ahead of Genny. I didn't mean to worry you.] "Well, I didn't know," he said, shaking his head. "How was your first night there? Did you go out or do anything fun?" He asked curiously. Abigail hesitated before shaking her head. She typed: [I was too tired after cleaning. I just went to bed.] Ryan chuckled softly, pleased with her response. "You're always so responsible, unlike that brat. That's why I'm going to send you some money to get yourself something nice. You deserve it." His tone shifted, growing more serious. "Listen, I need you to keep an eye on Genevieve for me. I'm sure you saw the news of her mess. We can't afford for her to keep getting into trouble like she did last night. It's bad for the family name." Abigail nodded slowly, her fingers moving across the screen: [I'll try my best, but you know she doesn't listen to me. If she finds out I report her to you, she'll make my life miserable.] Ryan's expression hardened. "Don't worry about that. Just do as I tell you. I'll handle the rest." A sudden chime from the doorbell made Abigail sit up straighter. She quickly typed: [I think she is here. I need to go.] Ryan nodded, a small smile returning to his face. "Take care of yourself, and remember— if you need anything, just let me know. I'll make sure you get it." With that, the call ended, and Abigail slipped off the bed, smoothing down her dress as she walked to the door. She opened it to find Genevieve standing there, a scowl on her face and her handbag thrust out toward Abigail. "I'm tired and hungry," Genevieve said curtly as she stepped inside. "Did you make breakfast?" Abigail sighed inwardly, signing quickly to indicate she hadn't prepared anything because she didn't know what Genevieve wanted. Genevieve stared at her blankly. "Are you stupid? Haven't I told you not to do that nonsense with me? I don't understand what you're doing. Stop trying to get on my nerves," she hissed with irritation. Abigail sighed inwardly, wondering why Genevieve had never made an effort to understand sign language. Abigail pulled out her phone and typed: [What do you want to eat?] "Waffles or pancakes. I don't care. Just make something," Genevieve said with a yawn. "I'm going to rest. Bring breakfast to my room. I hope it's sparkling clean." Before she could walk away, Abigail stopped her and typed another message: [How are you feeling about the scandal? I saw the news.] Genevieve froze, her eyes narrowing as she turned back to glare at Abigail. "Are you trying to get on my nerves?" she snapped. "Mind your business. I'm fine." Without another word, she stormed off, leaving Abigail standing in the doorway.