Shauna overheard the female cop talk to the arresting officer. She felt her emotions calm to the point of understanding things, and conversations around her. She never realized how worked up she was until she calmed her emotions down. Never in her life was something so upsetting, and now she questioned herself. She was arrested twice before and not once did she even flinch, and now she was an emotional basket case.
Shauna answered the questions about the car, and what happened with not following the officer's orders. Shauna kept thinking that she should have been able to handle this whole situation without getting so worked up. She just wondered what her PO was going to say, and what Jack was going to say or think.
When the officer did walk out of the room after questions, Shauna was more upset with how she fell apart than the fact of being hauled in on bullshit charges. Within an hour she was just waiting on a bench without even being handcuffed. She was told she was free to go, and that someone was going to pick her up.
Shauna wondered if Layla knew where to go, and how she was going to get the car out of the impound yard. The police told her that she can pick it up today and that there was no charge to retrieve the vehicle. Shauna just thought about getting home.
When Maurice arrived Shauna was worried that Jack sent him, and that he was only there to pick up the car. When he handed her the purse the police had, she wondered how she even forgot it.
Shauna wanted to say something, anything about what happened. She stepped out and the limo was parked right in front. Maurice did not even flinch or give any other officers the time of day when they complained about it blocking two other cars. It was like he could not care about anything else. Shauna took this as he was mad, and that she was going to get dropped off and forgotten about.
"Don't worry about the car. I already had it picked up," Maurice said in a calm, soothing voice. This gave way to Shauna wondering what was really going to happen.
"Does Jack know?" Shauna said cautiously.
Maurice started the car, and was backing up when he replied, "He is going to know something is up, if you left him a voice mail."
"Oh fuck. The police did not call him? There was no charges pressed, those bastards better not call," Shauna spat out feeling her body get animated from the anger.
"I handled it Miss Jackson. The car is already back in the parking garage, and no police will call your parole officer," Maurice stated as his calm attitude seemed to soothe Shauna from worry.
"So, Jack is not going to find out?"
"Well, he might. Not from me or you though. Seems the ex now knows about you, and I heard she called his office asking about him."
"Fucking bitch!" Shauna spat as she adjusted herself in the seat.
Maurice turned while waiting at a light. "I have to ask. What were you doing there....what were you really doing there?"
Shauna looked at Maurice and knew she provoked the incident with Jessica. The thought of lying was an option too, but it held the risk of getting Maurice mad. Maurice was nothing but honest since they met and Shauna knew she should be the same with him.
Shauna looking down felt her voice give into the real answer. "Buying a purse....and seeing who she was. I mean I knew who she was and all, I just needed to see her in person is all."
Maurice gave a smile as the real answer came out. "Don't need to worry yourself who she is. Just know I seriously doubt she will be back in his life. She will try, but it will not go far. Just know there was a trail of damage done when she left."
Shauna felt some relief but still felt compelled to push further. She wanted to know more, and also knew that digging up the past was something dangerous. "How bad?"
"Let's just say she burnt the bridge...and some people with it. Enough about the past... I have a friend who can help you out shopping. Not just tell you where to shop, but help you buy the right things. Before you say no, I need you to trust me."
Shauna was about to say no, but then again knew that Maurice was honest and forthcoming. There was always the possibility that he could put an end to more speculation too.
The fact that he was best friends with Jack, and he was being nice to her meant a lot to Shauna and she knew she did nothing to really deserve it. He kinda had a cool charm to him, as if nothing fazed him. In the end, she still owed him a favor and was not about to say no to the person who has been helping him out since they met.
Still wondering his real intentions, Shauna felt compelled to push Maurice into a position of choosing sides. "Ok. I still owe you for handling that shit with my halfway house, but I gotta know why you so interested in helping? I mean, I did nothing but cause trouble."
The idea of owing someone was still foreign to her in many ways, and it was usually given after a trade of some kind in the past. Shauna felt there was no real trust given by her or him, and that he just did something nice for the hell of it.
"Let's just say that the ex and I never saw eye to eye. That and I feel there is another side of you people don't see. I sense it from you, and I definitely know Jack sees it in you."
Shauna smiled as she heard Maurice compliment her, but still wondered if it was a race thing too. Maurice was darker than she was and just had a quick thought that Maurice would try to steer another black person into Jack's life. It was a far flung idea but she had to ask. "This a black thing, you want Jack to be with a black girl?"
"You still don't understand. Not everything is black and white. People are people, and the sooner you see that, the sooner black and white means nothing to you."
Maurice parked the car in front of a tall building office building, or what looked like one from the quick view she saw. She tried to see what it was but missed her chance as the car pulled up close. Maurice stepped out to let her out. Shauna got her things, and wondered where he took her.
"Text me when you are ready. I will have someone pick you up," Maurice said as he closed the door.
Shauna looked up in a small flash of fright "You're not picking me up?"
"I am going to spend time with my family. You will be fine, she is already expecting you."
With a sarcastic look. "So you were going to take me here no matter what?"