Love-Obsessed

7. FRIENDSHIPS

Chapter five

FRIENDSHIPS

One week later, Gabriella sat on a small wooden chair at a large table with her friends, Joy, Bella, Liz, Jamie, Octavia, and Claudia. She stared outside the large rectangular windows of the Docklands Cafe, watching passersby. The smells of fresh coffee beans, hot pastries, cinnamon, mixed spice, and nuts filled her nostrils and made her peckish for a sweet dessert. The open counter displayed assorted pastries and various styles of coffee. The women ordered their drinks and pastries.

Gabriella looked over at her friends. Bella, Liz, and Jamie had their own trauma-filled pasts. Octavia, she didn’t know much about, having met her through Claudia. On a professional level, she had been impressed with Claudia’s clinical skills and had got to know her well on a personal level too.

“A penny for your thoughts, girl,” said Joy.

Gabriella turned to her high school friend. “I’m thinking how you guys are great and always help each other out.”

Bella lay a hand on hers with a reassuring smile. “We’re here for you, Gabriella. Day and night. But whatever is going on in that head of yours, you are not alone. Asking for help is an actual strength.” Bella flicked back her shoulder-length brown hair and fixed her green almond-shaped eyes on Gabriella.

“Yes, and know that, whatever the police find out about your client, we’ve got your back.” Liz was the tallest of the women. She had glowing jet-black hair and long, dainty fingers. Gabriella admired Liz who served as her mentor and was a passionate social worker.

“Thanks, Liz. You’ve always been there for me, but it’s going to be hard accepting what happened.”

Jamie leaned forward with a frown. “Sometimes going with your intuition is the right thing. Angelo and Marco know what they are doing. They’ll get to the truth.” Barely a year ago, Jamie had faced a traumatic trial within her own family, but she had survived and now had the love of a good man in Angelo.

“I’ll be able to give you general information about my assessments, Gabriella, but not anything that’ll compromise the investigation. We will get to the truth.” Octavia drew a hand through her long, auburn highlighted brown hair. The mole on her right upper lip and deep green eyes enhanced her beauty. Gabriella often wondered about the burn scars on her hands. Octavia unconsciously covered her hands to hide them.

Claudia toyed with her fingers as if pondering. Claudia’s strawberry-blonde hair was tied up in a bun, and she was petite with grey eyes. Her expression turned serious and she looked downcast. “I was looking forward to working with Nora again and couldn’t believe what I heard. I know I’ll be interviewed next, given my history in working with Nora.”

Gabriella shook her head. “I cannot get my head around this. What did I miss?”

Claudia cleared her throat. “Nothing. You did right by Nora. Let the police investigate. We can only tell them what we know and leave the detectives to do their job. I’m certain they’ll find the answers soon.”

The waiter interrupted, handing coffees to each of them, and a tray of pastries. The women sipped their drinks and dug into their pastries in comfortable silence.

Bella broke the quiet. “How’s your brother, Jesse, doing?”

Joy shrugged. “Not too good. He’s still hung up on Erica. He cannot accept her suicide, especially with how similar Nora’s death was. He’s thinking of getting in touch with the police to get them to reopen Erica’s case.”

Bella nodded. “I know we spoke about this a year ago, but does Jesse have evidence that Erica’s death wasn’t a suicide?”

Joy’s eyes turned a shade darker. “No, he doesn’t, but he believes it’s the detectives’ job to find the evidence if they look hard enough. I know different detectives were assigned to the case back then, but I’m sure they did everything they could.”

Jamie squared her shoulders. “Angelo will not rest until he solves Nora’s death, Gabriella. He will do a thorough investigation.”

Octavia sighed. “It is strange how similar Erica and Nora’s deaths are, but we cannot assume anything until we have all the facts.”

Bella faced Octavia. “Facts or not, intuition plays a big role in this too. It can lead to finding new evidence, given that a murder can be staged as a suicide.”

Octavia nodded. “I hear you, Bella, and I agree with you, but we need evidence.”

Claudia touched Bella on the shoulder. “You are an amazing psychologist, Bella, and if only I possessed one-tenth of that strong intuition of yours, especially with what you went through with Marco.”

Bella chuckled. “Are you getting soft on me, Claudia?”

“I think she wants to apologise again for how she treated you,” said Liz.

Claudia grinned. “I’m glad it all worked out in the end. You and Marco had a close call with that psychopath.”

Bella stared at Claudia. Due to a shared harrowing experience, the two women had grown from rivals to friends over the past year. “Thanks, Claudia. I’m glad we both survived. You were a great help then.”

Liz put her hands together. “Listen, lovely ladies. How about we change the subject and talk about more positive things like Bella’s wedding in the next couple of weeks. I am so excited you’re finally going to marry your hunky detective.”

Bella’s eyes glittered and her cheeks flushed. “I cannot wait, Liz. Fiji here we come.”

Gabriella listened as the girls continued their banter and discussions around Bella and Marco’s wedding. Anything to take her mind off her troubles.