Chapter 64

The next morning, Owen cooked breakfast in the kitchen. Mary sat at the dining table, hand cupping her cheek and smiling. Still in her fancy robes, she waited for her food to arrive. 

He readied what was called an "esmorzars de forquilla", a fork breakfast. To put it simply, it was a rich breakfast consisting of stews and no pasta or rice. Mary was Catalonian and a very prideful Catalonian at that. She wanted fried pig ears, stewed oxtail, sausages with beans, a porrón (porró, Mary would correct) of red wine, and a slice of tomato. A real hefty breakfast.

Mary was ready and waiting with a fork. Owen served. Mary tested his food and smiled.

"Excellent. You should become my chef."

Owen flashed her smile. "Aren't I already?"

"I suppose the responsibilities of a boyfriend do fall under it."

It was early in the morning. Luckily, since on the weekend, Owen wasn't awake for work. He was awake because he wanted to be; because he wanted to wake up early like Mary did. If Ophelia and Isabella were the definition of heavy sleepers with terrible schedules, Owen and Mary were the opposite: early birds with discipline.

"Big drama!"

Except this morning, Isabella was also awake. Her feet pounded against the flooring as she ran. Bags hung under her eyes. She must have been awake all night.

"What?" Mary asked. "Did you learn to flush the toilet?"

Isabella grimaced, slightly disgusted, and ignored her. She turned to Owen. "You know EmilyDoesStuff and Floppy?"

Uh....

"Yeah, they've been doing collabs recently." Act unfazed, act unfazed! "Really been popping off."

"Well, guess what? They were visiting the Bay—yes, our Bay—and apparently, Emily and Floppy were assaulted by two people at a restaurant!" 

Ahem. Right. "Wo! Really?" Owen widened his eyes and did his best to be surprised. "Are they hurt?"

"Floppy had to get stitches."

'Sorry, dude.'

"Deserved," Mary commented.

"You don't even know them," Isabella shot back.

"I know enough. EmilyDoesStuff has a boyfriend with a floppy dick. How amazing." 

"Jesus, Mary."

"Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain and thou shalt not call him Floppy Dick."

Isabella rolled her eyes. "Emily has seventeen million subscribers and Ken is on his way to ten million. They're not some nobodies. This is is super big drama."

'Drama? Or an actual crime?' Owen questioned.

Mary checked herself out with Owen's phone, which had been charging on the dining table. "You never know, Izzy."

"Please don't call me that."

"Sorry, Bella." 

Owen swooped between them. "But, uh, he'll be alright, right?" 

"The internet is going crazy trying to find the assaulters. What sucks is that it was a fancy alcohol type restaurant and they don't allow phones there."

'Except I saw people with phones there....'

"They got that much reporting already?" 

"Oh no, this stuff I learned from Maki. She's sort-of in Emily's circle. Sort-of. It's more like they're in the same Discord server where a bunch of WuTubers are."

"Ah." Maki, her new online friend. Owen smiled. He was glad to hear her really striking up a friendship. His focus shifted again when Mary spoke up.

"Discord? Really? What, don't you go outside anymore?"

"It's a safe safe," Isabella retorted. "That's all. I have friends there."

"Mhm, sure." Mary turned off the phone and went back to eating. "Mm, imagine going up to someone and being like, 'What's your Discord tag?' Go touch grass." She proceeded to drink the wine glass pitcher, the red wine going down her throat. Apparently, Mary's appetite came from her father. Ophelia had a decently large appetite but even she was an ant compared to Mary.

Isabella sighed. "I hate you."

"Me too."

"How long are you staying here?" 

"Till my lawyer can remove my arrest warrant. He's talking to the authorities as we speak."

"So…?" Isabella gestured.

"A month, I think? My lawyer is among the top five best in the country. He won't lose."

Isabella sighed again. "A month of suffering."

"Shut up, I got you your stupid drink."

"A six-pack crate! That's nothing, I can drink that in a day."

"Addict," Mary said.

"Spoiled brat."

Owen stepped back into the kitchen. "Do you want anything specific for breakfast?" he asked Isabella.

"Sandwiches," Isabella said before telling Mary, "Silver spoon."

"Floppy."

"That's not an insult."

"I decree it to be," Mary said.

***

The soft glow of the TV illuminated the cozy living room as Mary, Ophelia, and Owen settled onto the plush sofa, each armed with a bowl of popcorn. Recently, Mary had gotten addicted to Turkish dramas. So tonight they indulged in her addiction and began binge-watching a brand new show. 

Evening arrived as they watched nearly eight episodes. Ophelia asked a lot of questions which Mary often had to answer. Mary talked a little too much and Owen was dead quiet.

A perfect combination if Owen had anything to say about it. If Isabella wasn't so busy with her next script, there might have been another bit of spice. Shows were better watched with friends and family. Owen could not agree more. 

"Look, it's Owen," Mary said, smirking. The male lead was a brooding man with an attractive moustache and an incredible sense of fighting. He was a bodyguard for the female lead and was currently carrying her dramatically through the hospital. She was shot. 

Owen shook his head. "I am nothing like that."

"Whatever you say, babe."

Knock! Knock! Knock!

"Jesus," Isabella murmured. "Why is so loud."

"Thou shall not—"

Knock! Knock! Knock!

Mary immediately paused the drama. "Okay, that was obnoxious—"

Knock! Knock! Knock!

"Seriously, who is that?" Mary asked, annoyed. Owen's breath hitched. Ophelia's expression fell.

Knock! Knock! Knock!

"Oh my god. Shut the fuck up, we're trying to—mmmph!" Ophelia covered Mary's big mouth and nudged at Owen to go. They knew what was up.

"Must be the landlord," Owen muttered. "What does he want this time?"

"Go check," Ophelia said.

"Mmmph!" Mary, meanwhile, was still being muffled. Ophelia was too strong to break through as well and Mary understood that. Slowly, she calmed down, arms crossed and not at all happy that her boyfriend was being taken away.

Knock! Knock! Knock!

"Coming, coming!"

Mary was released and she grumbled under her breath, "Knocking like that should be illegal." Ophelia agreed. Dare she say, it should be…banned.

Owen prepped himself for a one-sided conversation. He opened the door and saw a gun.