Page 26 of Shadowed Obsession

I decide to withhold exactlywhyRegina is grieving. That information has nothing to do with Deirdre, and I’m not exactly comfortable with it being used against her. Regina’s husband, Cidro Delvecchio, disappeared eight months ago after a supposed deal went wrong.

The search continues as a body has yet to be found. Speculation is that she had something to do with his disappearance, but her actions following his death state otherwise.

Dara stiffens, biting her lip as her eyes widen. She asks, “Is she local?”

“No,” I assure them, shaking my head.And it’s a good fucking thing she isn’t, for their sake.“She resides in Brooklyn but travels here often. Rumor is she’s interested in opening a casino right here in Austin.”

They stare in horror, and I resist the urge to snort.Mira los maldito blanquitos.Scared that their antics will actually have consequences.

“Absolutely not. All the more reason we need you to get Deirdre to withdraw her bid,” Dara states, lifting her chin in indignation.

“Maybe we should consider making an offer to buy her out of their current location? If they don’t have business here, we could put a stop to that casino early. What do you think, César?” Dax suggests, staring expectantly at me.

Their uncle would have never suggested something like this. He respected this community and enjoyed being a part of it.Livelihoods shouldn’t be toyed with just because you’re at risk of losing something you don’t even need. But of course, the Hales throw money at any issue without a care in the world.

“This isn’t my fight, but it’s worth considering the economic impact an acquisition could make. And they may not even be willing to sell. The Klarkes were here first and have contributed more to this community than y’all have. Do you plan to displace their current employees? Or offer them gainful employment? I’d suggest the latter. Otherwise, people will likely come after your company.”

I’m surprised at my cool response, but I refuse to bite my tongue, opting to keep it as professional as possible despite my anger. They have the audacity to come to a country that’s foreign to them and speak as if they have a say over whoreallybelongs here. Theyalmostsound like white Americans.

Regina opening a casino here would bring a lot of job opportunities and money to the area. Crime would also follow, but it’s already here. The Klarkes and Piñeros are the most powerful families in Austin, and if the Hales even attempt to fuck with their current ecosystem, they’ll have a lot more to worry about than losing bids.

I eye my watch and excuse myself, seeing we almost went over time. “I have an appointment I need to make, so I’ll get going.”

“Alright, mate. Thank you. Cheerio,” he says, pushing his chair in to see me out. As always, we part with handshakes.

I get one foot out of the door and stop myself, choosing to give them another piece of advice. They don’t deserve it, but if these idiots get themselves killed, that affects my livelihood.

“I think you need to call Theo for insight on how to handle things in this city. He took the time to learn, and you should, too.”

Dax nods in agreement, and Dara stares contemplatively.

“I’ll reach out with any new findings, and we’ll schedule another meeting. Take care,” I say before closing the door behind me.

11/

mind yours

Deirdre

9:21 p.m. | 8 days after ‘the incident’

Iwrap myself in a terry cloth robe as I step out of the shower and begin what I like to call my nightly rounds of self-care. It ends with me curled up with a book until sleep eventually takes me.

My tedious skincare routine has me groaning at the thought of it, but tomorrow I’ll be thankful that I put in the effort tonight. My skin is improving greatly thanks to my new esthetician and products to target my hyperpigmentation.

Maybe someday soon, if I’m lucky, I can leave the house makeup free without a care in the world, hoping my dark spots continue to fade. As far as the skin picking goes, I can’t make any promises, but focusing on one thing at a time is the best I can do for now.

Once I look like an extremely glazed donut, I retrieve the small mirror at my vanity and begin my search. I tilt my chin upward to check for hairs, and sure enough there areplentydespite the fact that I plucked them all a few days ago.

It’s only one of the annoying symptoms that come with having PCOS. When Alora was diagnosed with endometriosisa few years back, it actually led me to my PMDD and PCOS diagnoses.

After I had opened up to her about my irregular periods, weight fluctuation, mood swings, and annoying chin hairs that I couldn’t stop plucking, she recommended I make an appointment with her OBGYN, and I’m glad I did. After handfuls of appointments and some lab work, I found clarity and began treatment for both. It was extremely validating to finally speak on what I was battling and be heard, rather than being told I simply needed to lose weight.

Finding a doctor you can trust as a Black woman is a different kind of struggle. Especially when you’re experiencing infertility issues and would like to have a family someday. The maternal mortality rate for Black women is exceptionally high and is enough to scare the thought of motherhood right out of us. But I am grateful to have found a good doctor, one that I don’t mind hopping on a plane back to New York for, but I am glad she’ll still treat me virtually between my regular checkups.

I grab my tweezers, angle my magnifying mirror to get a close up, and start yanking out every hair in sight. Medication can help to slow the growth, and I suppose it does a tad, but I secretly enjoy removing them. Strange, I know.

As I flip the mirror to the magnified side, a faint red flash somewhere behind me catches my eye, and I freeze. The volume of my heartbeat increases until it’s all I can hear. I turn to find the source, and it’s above my closet, giving a view of my entire room and facing my bed.

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