Drunk

Caleb's large black SUV was parked in front of a convenience store. After a fight with the nightclub's security guards, he escaped, grabbed his car, and picked up Dawn and the girl. They stopped on the roadside, a little way from the city center, for a break. Caleb called Bob and, after buying some food and drinks, stood on the other side of the mini-market. He was so preoccupied he forgot about his colleague.

"Take him to the office, do what you need to do. I have an emergency and can't make it back tonight. Get Lucy and Ben to help you."

Caleb approached Dawn and the girl, who were sitting in front of his car. He offered Dawn a can of fruit drink.

"Here, drink this."

Dawn took the can and passed it to the girl beside him. Caleb sat down next to Dawn. He pulled his lips, the can supporse to be for Dawn. He opened another fruit drink and handed it to the kid.

"Here."

Dawn looked at Caleb, then took the cold can.

"Thank you."

Caleb gestured to the girl, whose makeup was smeared from crying.

"Is she your friend?" he asked.

Dawn shook his head.

"No."

Called almost choke on his drink which just enter his mouth. His surprise was evident. Not a friend? What was the girl doing there? Had he done the right thing to help them escape?

"Then what were you doing with her? Why did you grab her hand and run?" Caleb restrained himself from shouting; the girl could hear him.

Dawn casually raised his can and took a sip, while Caleb waited for the answer.

"So?"

Dawn looked at Caleb, whose brow was furrowed in curiosity.

"She's the funeral house's client's daughter; I'm just picking her up."

"The client… the funeral home's clients are… uh, you mean, she's one of the grieving family?" Caleb paused, realizing that "funeral home client" implied a connection to death, meaning the girl was a family member of a deceased person.

Dawn nodded.

"Yes," he replied tersely.

Caleb pursed his lips. This young man seemed remarkably calm and composed; he never expected to be involved in something like this. This kid act didn't suit his appearance at all.

"Does Miss Emily know what you're doing?" he asked.

"What does Emily have to do with it?" Dawn asked.

Caleb's eyes widened.

"Of course it does! She's your guardian. You should tell her everything before doing something like this. It's so dangerous. Do you know what could happen if those people catch you? They're not ordinary people; even the police can't catch them because they're so good at covering their tracks. If you made them angry, and get caught, they could make you gone without a trace, and even Miss Emily wouldn't be able to find you."

Dawn looked at the man, observing him intently. Caleb shifted, raising an eyebrow.

"Why? You don't believe me?" Caleb asked.

"I'm not a kid, Detective Caleb. Don't scare people like that. It's too much."

Caleb stammered. The young man gazed at him with sharp eyes.

"Who says I'm scaring you? That's the truth."

Dawn looked at the girl beside him and gave her his hand.

"Come on, Miss Adel, let's go to see your mother."

The girl looked at Dawn, hesitant.

"Am I… worthy of seeing her?" she asked in a rather shaking voice.

Caleb watched the young girl, annoyed by her attitude. How could a child not attend her own mother's funeral?

"If you don't want to regret this for the rest of your life, you need to see her. You won't see her again, ever. Don't you think this is serious?"

Dawn glanced at Caleb, his eyes conveying that he was being too harsh. Caleb pursed his lips; he knew he was right, he muttered to himself. The girl wiped away her unceasing tears.

"You could go back to your house for now. There are people at the funeral home, you can come back tomorrow. Your mother wouldn't want you to be exhausted. She was already very happy that you intended to forgive her." Dawn saw a shadowy figure sitting beside the girl. A middle-aged woman who now smiled at her daughter. She was the girl's mother, the middle-aged woman whose body now lay in the Black Orchid funeral home. The young girl's tears flowed uncontrollably; she sobbed hysterically.

"Mom, why did you leave me? I should be the one who goes. I'm so useless. Why did you have to leave me? What should I do now?"

Dawn didn't know what to do. Caleb looked at the young man, stiff and unsure.

The old woman's spirit embraced the girl, stroking her back.

"Sweet child, why do you talk like that? It's my time to go. Please don't cry, my baby"

Dawn finally reached out, taking the girl's hand. The young girl lowered her head and cried on Dawn's shoulder. Dawn is out of words, it's not something he could do, but he needs to act like his aunt at the time like this.

"She would be very sad to see you crying like this. Calm down."

The girl's cries intensified.

"I'm so useless! Why wasn't me? Why did it have to be you? Mom. Huks, hu…"

Caleb tightened his lips. He also didn't know what he should do with the girl who continued to cry. Several eyes looked at them as if questioning whether they had caused the little girl to cry like this.

Caleb scratched his head.

"Heh."

 ...

A large, black SUV splashed through the remaining puddles in front of the Black Orchid funeral house. It was almost midnight, and after dropping the girl off at her house to rest, Caleb was driving Dawn back to the funeral house. He'd been their driver all day. Caleb pulled the handbrake, stopping the vehicle in front of the complex.

"Dawn, we're here," he turned, noticing Dawn had been asleep. He hadn't spoken much on the way, so Caleb didn't know when he'd fallen asleep. Could half a can of beer get him drunk? Caleb didn't drink; the beer was just there, it's not his, and Dawn had been thirsty. The young man looked soundly asleep, his head resting on the seat.

"Hey, Dawn, we're here," Caleb said, trying to wake him. Carefully unbuckled his seatbelt.

"Dawn?"

From the house, Emily emerged after seeing the vehicle enter the driveway. She peered into the window. Caleb lowered his window.

"Miss Emily."

Emily saw Dawn fast asleep. She'd been trying to reach him all day without any answer. She'd almost called the police.

"This naughty brat," although it wasn't unusual for Dawn to disappear for the day without a word, she still wasn't used to it.

"Where have you been? How did Dawn end up with you?" Emily asked.

Caleb opened the door, got out, and approached Emily.

"Miss Emily, I met Dawn at a nightclub…" Caleb hesitated. Should he say it? What if this woman scolded Dawn later?

"Uh, it's…"

Emily pursed her lips, opening the car door.

"It's not unusual, Dawn's probably been up to his heroic act again. Dawn, wake up, go to your room," Emily said, trying to wake the soundly sleeping young man.

Dawn swatted Emily's hand away.

"Ah, let me sleep, Em, don't disturb me."

Emily glared. 

"This naughty brat! Look where you're sleeping! Get down and go to your room. How could you sleep like this? What if someone tried to kidnap you? Come on!" Emily tried to pull Dawn's hand, but the small woman couldn't budge the tall, grown Dawn.

Dawn swatted his hand away again. "Leave me alone," he mumbled.

"Excuse me, Miss Emily," Caleb interjected.

"He drank some of my beer earlier; he's probably a little drunk. Let me." Caleb stepped forward, grabbed Dawn's arms, and slid his other hand under his thighs, scooping him up.

"Dawn, let's go to your room."

Emily stepped aside as Caleb, tall and strong, easily carried Dawn out of the car. She closed the car door and followed Caleb.

"This kid! He knows he can't even drink, he's so stubborn. Does he even realize how big he is now? How old is he? Such a naughty kid."

Emily keep grumble all the way to the house.

"This brat!"