"Locklear, we don't need anything fancy, you should save the money."
"Screw that! I'm gonna take you on the most romantic vacation any girl could hope for! Then after that, we'll use the rest of the money to get a nice place together, alright?" he said before grabbing her hands and cupping them in his own. "And no more boxing, I promise."
Nina rounded the corner to his apartment building, but as she looked ahead, all she could see was the flashing lights of an ambulance and police car. She clutched at her purse around her shoulders. Police stood at the stairway leading up to the front door. Nina ran to the steps only to be stopped by a officer.
"I'm sorry ma'am, but you can't go in there."
"What do you mean? What happened?!"
"Nina?" his uncle called out. "It's okay, please let her through." The officer allowed Nina into the apartment. She was greeted by his uncle seated in his easy-chair. "Nina...please sit down."
As she stepped closer to the old man, two EMTs carried a stretcher with a sheet covering a body past them. She spun around as her face went white. His uncle stood from his chair and rested a hand on her back. "I'm so sorry, Nina. It looks like he must've fallen. Might've had somethin' to do with the fight last night; the coroner can't tell yet."
Nina's knees gave way and she crumpled to the floor in tears. His uncle leaned down by her, a hand still on her back.
Reborn Tigrean
Lantern
