Two in a Week

"Yes, I assume he's fine," Zoraida said quietly, rather surprised herself to see and hear Frederick's concern at the fact that Broen had disappeared. For some reason, she had assumed he'd gloat that his assumptions about his son might be true, or worse, not care that Broen had left. His unexpected, but genuinely concerned reaction made Zora realize then that despite everything, he did actually care for his son.

"Broen has just kinda been out of sorts for a while now, quieter, less motivated or interested in things," she confessed, sort of relieved she could talk to someone about it. Jude was a good sounding board, but in a way, he was still a teenager in many ways, and she felt she couldn't be as forthright with him with some things.

"I genuinely thought it might be stress with school or a combination of that and what had happened before," she told him, politely referring to his altercation with his son.

"But now, I honestly don't know," Zora told him as she brushed a piece of hair out of her eyes, "He just left everyone a text or a note saying he hadn't been feeling like himself for a while now and needed time to figure things out."

Zora listened quietly, giving Frederick her full and undivided attention as he spoke, absorbing and just comparing and sort of analyzing what he said. Trying to put together pieces of a puzzle she had mentally been trying to solve as to why Broen had left as he had.

"I can understand that," she admitted after a fashion, "If I had to sell or give up my businesses, I'd go stir crazy with suddenly not having anything to do."

Looking at Frederick again, she just shook her head in a resigned sort of way.

"It is rather unfortunate. I mean, I'm sort of used to going at it alone. Business sort of tends to be that way, you know..." she sighed as she uncrossed her legs and repositioned herself, "I just sort of wished he had told me or confided a bit more in me," she told Frederick.

"It is not like I wouldn't have understood, or even kept him from going. Just the way he left, not telling anyone, not even his friends, concerns me a bit," she said, openly admitting the fact she was worried.

"Sorry, I really shouldn't be burdening you with all this," Zora told Frederick politely apologetic, feeling a bit bad dumping everything like she had on him. It had not been her intention when she came that afternoon. She had just wanted to see how he was, not burden him with her personal problems.

"True on both accounts," she agreed with a grin, having forgotten that Frederick like his son, Jude and many others had come to the island from a world that no longer existed which was a crazy idea in itself.

And yes, he was right, money in the bank was nice, but if she rarely got to enjoy it as much as she probably should, what was the use in having it?. The only treat she had allowed herself was her car and a trip to Fiji with Broen. And as she chatted with Frederick she became painfully aware of just how much she could travel and experiences things, but didn't because of some absurd notion that her company needed her.

"A good team? What a novel idea," she joked. Then, still smiling, "No, you are right, of course. I probably should have formed one months ago," she admitted. "Unfortunately, before my brother passed on, we were sort of always pitted against one another, encouraged to outdo the other all the time, by ourselves without any help... and I'm afraid it has become somewhat of a habit." she admitted sheepishly, "a bad habit probably."

Just as Zora was going to reply, one of the prison guards approached her and informed her that her time was almost up. Nodding her head at this, she informed him that she'd be leaving in a moment, after she said her goodbye to Mr. Crawford.

Once the guard was gone, Zora smiled somewhat apologetically at Frederick.

"That is my cue to leave, I probably also should get back to work," she confessed as she got to her feet and then pushed her chair in a bit.