Trying to forget after the interview

Over the next hour you spoke to both Furrows and Mitchell, who were grilling you about everything that you could remember. Try as you miight, you couldn't remember quite a few things. It turned out that you were the person who had been the very closest to the event the cops kept calling the incident. As a result, you'd seen everything from pretty much the front row seat. This, Furrows figured, caused you to go into shock, a result of your brain trying to process something traumatic.

"Have you been looked after by a doctor?" he asked.

"I don't know" you said. "Like I keep saying, I don't remember a lot."

"He was. Before I took him home I swung by the paramedics that had just arrived. They said the same" Mitchell said.

"I honestly don't remember anything right after the thing happened" you added.

"Well, then you can go, I suppose. If you do happen to remember anything, give us a call, okay?" Furrows said. He handed you two business cards. "This is mine and this is officer Mitchell's."

You thanked him, shook hands with the both of them, then were shown out of the room and back to the main lobby. A little frustrated that you could not be of any more help you went back to your car and drove home afterwards.

A few days later Rebecca took you aside after dinner.

"Baby brother, I can't stand seeing you this down. You know what you need? To get laid. Or get hammered, at the very least" she told you.

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" you asked, not at all happy to go clubbing.

"It'll be good for you. I'm taking you and Jessie out tonight" she said.

Without any good reason to say no, nothing that Rebecca would accept at least, you were left with no option but to go with her. A few hours later you were waiting outside of the club, still moping.

"I don't know why you're grouching so much" your cousin Jessica said. "You're out clubbing with two gorgeous women on your arm and I'm sure there'll be plenty of other women happy to buy you drinks when they realise we're family, not your squeezes."

"That's not the point" you said, "I saw a .." you started.

"Yeah, you told us. But you can't keep being a grouch. Everyone's fine, nobody got hurt, and the guy was arrested" Jessica said.

"Remind me to tell you not to become a psychologist when we sober up" Rebecca said. "I mean, it was poorly put, but I can't disagree with you."

"Urgh, can you just shut up about it?" you said, trying your best to keep calm. They just didn't seem to get it, but you didn't want to get angry at them. So you bit your lip and clenched your fist, counted to ten and just let them talk. When you were finally in the club you pushed past some assholes chatting up girls and immediately went to the bar. You got two glasses of rum, their price be damned, and went to find a place to sit. As you looked around you found you couldn't even see your sister and cousin any more, but you didn't particularly care. You wanted to be left alone and drink your rum. Perhaps an ****-induced stupor would set you right. You were halfway through your first glass when there was motion in front of you. Somebody sat down on the lounge chair across from yours.

"I thought I told you that.." you said as you looked up, figuring it was Jessica or Rebecca. Instead, it was somebody else entirely.

"Hello John" officer Mitchell said.

"Officer Mitchell" you said.

"I'm off duty, John" she replied. "Here, I'm Natasha. How are you doing?"

"My sister and cousin **** me to go out with them but I don't feel like it" you replied.

"Are you still in shock?" the cop asked, shifting over to sit next to you. She was awfully close to you, making you smell her perfume. As she checked your pulse you were only dimly aware that a gorgeous young woman was touching you. She looked good, she smelled good, she cared about peoples' well being, what was not to like? Your mind wandered but you always returned to the entire situation that had unfolded in front of you only half a week ago. "Hey? John?" Natasha asked. She snapped her fingers in front of your face. You were seeing it, but not really registering it. You only heard about the conversation that followed because Rebecca told you the next day.

"Hey, doofus. There's a pretty girl sitting right next to you and you're not even noticing it" your big sister said.

"Who are you?" Natasha asked.

"I'm his sister" Rebecca said. The two women introduced themselves. When Natasha explained why she'd come to talk to you, Rebecca's eyes widened. "You're saying he's not overreacting?" she said.

"No" the young policewoman said. "He's still in shock, Rebecca. Taking him out to get drunk is a bad idea."

"Oh...no" Rebecca said. "John, I'm so sorry" she said after that, putting a hand on your shoulder.

"I think he's disassociating" Natasha said.

"Should we take him home?" your big sister asked.

"I think that might be best. But you're in no state to drive, are you?" Natasha asked her.

"I've had two drinks" Rebecca had admitted.

"I'll take him home, then" the blonde said. Apparently she hadn't had anything to drink, because before you knew it you were in her car and being driven home.

"Again?" your mom asked as you showed up at your house with Natasha for the second time. By then you'd come back from whatever space you'd gone to and were surprised to find yourself at home with Natasha on your arm.

"I'm sorry to disturb you, mrs. Doe. Your son went clubbing with his sister and cousin, but he wasn't ready yet."

"What do you mean, officer Mitchell?" your mom asked.

"She's saying I'm still having emotional shock" you told her. You turned to the young officer and offered her your hand. "Thanks for looking out for me, officer Mitchell."

"I told you, though you probably missed it, when I'm off duty I'm Natasha" the young officer told you.

"Thanks, Natasha" you said as she took your hand and shook it.

"You're welcome. Now, you should probably talk to your family doctor about getting some therapy. If not, I can give you the name of a good therapist" Natasha told you. "You have my card already."

"I...think so" you said, having honestly forgotten.

"I found it, honey" your mom said. "I put it on your nightstand."

"Thanks mom" you told her. "I guess I'm still a little out of it."

"Just get some rest, John" Natasha told you. "And do what I told you, or else I'll have to take you home again. People are going to talk" she added with a smile. This made your mom laugh.

"I'll say. This is twice you've brought him home" she said.

"Well, I'd best be going. Do try and get some rest, John" Natasha said again. "Good night" she said. You watched her go, watching the petite blonde get in her car. She gave you a wave and drove off.

"She's pretty, isn't she?" your mom said.

"Mom, she's a cop. She's supposed to be looking after people" you said, hoping to preempt her from doing her usual 'she's a pretty girl, maybe she's someone you'd like?' shtick.

"Well, I didn't see a ring on her finger" she added with a grin as she went inside and you followed, closing the door behind you.