Unholy

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qA0MMwfylqc

Penelope walks into Jasmine's Baby Shower on the first Saturday in July. Everyone was wearing pink. All the decorations and balloons were pink. "It's a girl!" was written on banners with frills. Almost everyone from their sorority was gathered around Jasmine, who now stood up, to give a welcoming hug and kiss to her newly arriving friend, Penelope.

"There's wine and cakes, and friendly people all around. Go enjoy yourself, have an extra glass for me." Jasmine suggests to Penelope.

The mood of giving and family was apparent. Many mothers and grandmothers surround the expectant one. The single and divorced friends had already got together like a clique in the kitchen, around the wine. And a few of them laugh and brag about their recent adventures.

Carol cackles as she pours another glass of wine. A Recent divorce had been good for her. She was now well to do and seeing multiple partners. "Five of them, one for every night of the week, and then I take weekends to myself."

Gloating wasn't enough for Carol, she wants to really rub it in the nose of her lessers. What else was good fortune for? Classy lady as she seems so far, it was Penelope who comes into view at that moment. "So what about you Penelope? Are you still slumming it with that low life you wrecked your marriage over?"

A room full of fake eyebrows raise, and look towards the person who was to answer the question. She knew Carol's divorce went as well as her own, but that Carol was in Nick's shoes. Picking on Penelope was an easy target.

"Yes, he's fine. He dropped me off here, in his Mustang." Penelope was able to take it in stride. It was a respectable way to dodge her attack. Carol wasn't done though, she wants to see, capitulation, in her prey. "Anything new about Nick, since his accident? How's he doing these days?"

"I haven't heard from him since the accident. He either changed his number or blocked me. I'm fine with that, I don't need his holier than thou attitudes." Penelope responds.

Carol and a few others chuckle. Carol begins singing "Somewhere over the rainbow." As she leaves the kitchen to use the restroom. Penelope is confused. Half of the other ladies' jaws drop, the other half were all gossiping quietly in whispers.

"What was that all about?" Penelope asked her friend Janet about it. Janet takes her in to another room. She shows Penelope her phone after looking up a video. The video began to play. It shows a beautiful, young, naked, college aged girl, with pink hair. "What is this? Janet, why are you showing me po....rn." Penelope is now in shock, she can't stop watching, even as the pain of her vanity sinks in.

*Gut Punch.

Her ex husband, was fucking this little girl, and she was loving ever second of it, they both were, she knew that look on Nick's face, she'd seen it many times before.

Penelope gives back the phone to Janet, and with as much dignity and speed as she could muster, leaves the baby shower, in a quiet fit of rage. Because what better revenge is there, than to live better than your enemy. Right now, she felt like Nick was doing that.

When she gets outside, she calls her boyfriend. "Come back and get me, the bitches at this place are evil."

"I don't care that you just got home, you come right back here and get me, right now!"

"Thank you, I love you." She hangs up the phone and waits at the bus stop with the overhang.

***

In less than twenty minutes he was back for her and they drive home. During the ride, she googles everything about her ex's new business. By the time she makes it home she is about to have a mental breakdown over her jealous rage. Penelope can't believe what she is looking at. She begins to cry, it hurt so much.

***

Sunday morning, Violet wakes up feeling nauseous. As she throws off her covers, she knew, she wouldn't make it. Thankfully she had a little rubbish can next to her bed. She threw up into the can, twice.

Her head was bothering her but it wasn't like a migraine. She thought about what she ate last night. Chinese food from her favorite place. It couldn't be that. Then it dawns on her. What if what Charlotte asked the other day was true?

Violet started to think about when her Aunt Flow came for a visit last. She thought back for a month, then two. It had been almost ten weeks since the last time she could remember having her period.

***

It's Wednesday night, and after a few days of obsessing, Penelope had seen dozens of videos. Researched where the studio was and cased the place buying food nearby. It had seemed closed for days. So tonight was the night.

Penelope and her boyfriend are standing on the stairs in front of the door. He picks the lock and they enter.

As they laugh like children, they run through the studio looking for the rainbow room. In moments, they find it and slip in to the room. He closes and locks the door as she falls onto the bed, lifting her dress.

***

She begins to cry it hurt so much and on so many levels. Violet couldn't believe what she was looking at. But there it was, her second pregnancy test to come back positive. "What was she going to do?" Violet said in third person.

***

Nick answers his phone. "This is Nick." They had his attention on the other end. Dinah continues to eat her food and patiently waits.

"Excuse me?" Nick said. To Dinah, it sounds like Nick is being given some unbelievable news. Nick's face goes white, Dinah thought he might pass out.

"I understand, I'll be right there." Nick said.

Dinah could tell he was nearly in shock.

"She's dead, he's... they are both dead, at my studio!" Nick could hardly think straight, let alone speak.

"Who's dead?" Dinah asked.

Nick still stammering, "p-Penelope. I'd smile if I wasn't so scared. The police want to talk to me, my studio, they are dead, at..."

Dinah is as confused as Nick seems. They get the check, pay and Dinah, being of sound mind, drove Nick to the studio.

***

The investigation was in full swing. Press vehicles and cameras were all aimed at his studio. Nick answers questions while he and Dinah show proof they were at dinner together, catching up.

Apparently it was bad inside. A double homicide, they were shot nine times in the rainbow room with a Glock, at close range.

But, who did it?

Steve is contacted for all of the video footage. Steve also gave his alibi. He shows the feds and cops where there were multiple people who had made violent threats against Violet, Nick, and the company.

A few of them on the list turn out to be religious extremists just screaming into the void, they each had alibis as well. The investigation would continue, but the studio turned crime scene is closed, indefinitely. Violet was never once considered to be a suspect, but a possible intended target, like Nick.