The morning of my third interrogation came. I had gotten ready, knowing the end of it all. Two doctors walked me again to the interrogation room where I'd meet the detective as usual. To my surprise, it was someone else. It was a man, not a middle aged man, but a man that looked the age of my brother Marc. I had to admit he was very handsome and had very nice looks. For the first time, I felt something different from pain and regret, I felt shy.
One of the doctors brought out handcuffs and was about putting them on my wrists but then, he said he shouldn't. We both looked at him at the same time, that's never happened with the other detective before. The doctor obliged and left. I kept my gaze at him for a while, then he let a smile that made me bend my face down in shyness.
"Hi... I'm Steve Jones." He stretched out his hand for a shake.
I didn't know if to respond or not, it was odd. I'd never been treated that way with the other detective. It was weird for me but I nodded my head and he retrieved his hand.
"My senior colleague, detective Laura Lee, is indisposed and on an assignment somewhere else. So, I'll be standing in for her for now." He smiled, it was charming.
"Its nice to meet you." I managed to say. My eyes were swollen from crying all night so I tried not to keep my gaze on him. "You seem tired. Didn't get enough sleep?" he asked.
"I.. I did, I just couldn't sleep so well."
"Oh I see. Well, I won't take so much of your time. I'll just ask you a few questions."
"Sure..."
"So, how did you..."
"I didn't kill them." I interrupted.
"What?" he sounded confused.
"You're going to ask how I killed them, aren't you?" I sounded hostile and afraid.
"No... no of course not." he defended. I almost believed him.
"I was going to ask, how did you get here?"
My face lightened, "What?"
"Well, no patient here is here by accident you know... I mean, something leads to more things. I'm I right?" he asked humorously. I kept no expression on my face and I sighed, "I was charged for several murders. And then considered insane after claiming my dead twin sister did it and not me. That's how I got here."
"That means detective Lee got your reports right." he commented.
"Sure... she did." I rolled my eyes.
"Hey..." he leaned forward, "I'm here to help, not interrogate." he said looking in my eyes. For once, I saw some sort of hope in my plight in his eyes. We were locked in a short stare at each other before he coughed to break the moment. "I'm sorry. From what I gathered or was told, your sister died on your eighth birthday together right?"
I nodded. "And you didn't celebrate any birthday up until your eighteenth?" I nodded again.
"Might I ask why you decided to celebrate it then?"
I looked at him uncertain of what he might think of me if I said the answer.
"I won't think you're crazy." he said trying to make me feel better.
I breathed in deeply, "May had appeared to me after I'd constantly prayed she'd come back. And she did, just before I... we clocked eighteen. I decided to celebrate it happily knowing she was back. I never knew it would turn out like this."
"No one ever expects things to go awry after great expectations which in your case many would think is kind of absurd."
I sighed. "No offense though." he apologized.
"Its fine you know... I expect the worst out of this interrogation."
"You still think I'm out to question you. Come on, that Lee's job." he added humorously.
I giggled a bit and he did too.
Few minutes with this new detective and things were taking a different light. I was much at ease and felt I could speak and he'd understand. This might be a change for me. Who knows?

© Ese Naomi