Opus Veda

"Now there are two types of women you must learn about if you are to ever understand lesbians. The first likes a party. She will stay up all night, out-drink everyone, and is generally fun to be around. She is the ideal candidate for discussing sex and relationships, and will gladly trade complaints with you about the faults of your respective lovers.

The second does not like to party. She is an introvert. She will talk to her girlfriend and no one else, and at precisely 9:30pm she will go home - possibly complaining of a headache, possibly after fighting with said girlfriend."

Luis squinted at Eva and breathed in.

"Enter: Detective Gemma Alderton."

The door handle turned. Gemma paced in.

"All sorted! I swear Eva, the paperwork for your rabbit took twice as long as yours did. It gave our sergeant a job he liked doing though, I've never seen him so happy. I-"

She caught Eva stifling a grin - the first sign of response the girl had given.

Luis looked up at his partner with staged worry.

Gemma's eyes narrowed.

"Luis? What have you been telling her?"

"Eva my dear, wait outside for a minute would you?"

Eva ran outside, spluttering with giggles. Luis wheezed laughing and shrugged. Gemma tutted.

"Good to see her picking up at least."

"I'm sorry it's taken me so long to visit her," Luis joined Gemma at their desk, "how's her health?"

"Deteriorating. I'm taking her home with me; don't want to leave her here overnight."

"Agreed. Any sign of her mother?"

Gemma scrolled data over their desk - the ongoing forensics of Opus Veda's attack; the charred swimming pool stuffed with charred bodies.

She blew from her vape.

"The likelihood of Kasia Szymanska surviving this is nil. I'm worried Eva will figure out that's how she died."

"Let's wait for forensics before assuming. I'll get Webb to collect Eva's stuff from Kendi when he's finished playing with that stupid rabbit."

"Did you find her grandma?"

"Oh I found her..." Luis bared a menacing scowl, "she's in Scotland, leeching off their free healthcare in a rehab centre. And did you know she claims benefits for having a daughter? How much of that money do you think made it to Kasia? I'll tell you: she's made several statements about how abusive Kasia was to her, how Kasia is dead to her, and how Kasia won't get a penny of anything. The witch even goes to a parent meeting for those who've lost their kids…"

"God some people really know how to play the system," Gemma stroked the image of Kasia on her desk. 'Declared Missing' panned under her mugshot in red. The clock ticked for the next status: 'Declared Dead in Absentia'. Gemma sighed.

"Poor woman... You should have seen the state of her when she asked to meet. She really made it clear she didn't want her mum reaching Eva."

"They will not be meeting," Luis's nostrils flared, "I've made sure of it, and I will keep making sure of it."

"Thank you Luis," Gemma smiled at him; her eyes were tired, "Eva!?"

Eva came back. Her brief happiness had gone; her vacant shock returned. Gemma took her hand.

"Let's go back to mine now, alright? I'll make us some tea and we can watch some content together," she turned to Luis, "will you come over for a bit? You can tell Eva rude things about me again."

"Heh. Not tonight, I need some alone time," Luis snatched Gemma's vape and leaned back, "let me finish up here. You girls get yourself off early."

"You're going to regret saying that. Look what our next task is," Gemma swiped the file out, a complaint against the detectives from Ali Hogarth for their stagnant Kendi investigation. Luis let off a long, agonised groan.

"I cannot put up with that damn woman any longer I can't do it Gemma! Will someone make her fuck off and die!"

"You can make a start by confirming receipt of her claim," Gemma beamed and left, "ciao partner."

Gemma drove back with Eva. The girl sat unresponsive. Gemma considered putting a playlist on, but worried the wrong track may remind her of Kasia. She instead waffled stories about times Luis got in trouble.

They made it home. She put Eva on her sofa and turned the kitchen on.

"I'll tell you one thing, your landlord's going to win my 'worst person of the year' award. Luis and I pick one every Christmas and find ways of rattling them over the holidays. Ping them a deepfake of themselves or something."

The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

Eva said nothing; sat stiff and alert. Gemma lined her effects on the breakfast bar and checked the fridge.

"Do you think you can eat something now? How about a drink? We've got hot chocolate!"

Eva burst into tears. Gemma had triggered her. She hurried over and knelt down.

"Eva we have to feed you something! If all you have is Luis's coffee you'll end up with his personality!"

"I can't I don't want to I can't!"

"Please Eva! Do it to help me out I'll be so happy to see you eat something! Whatever you want!"

Eva sniffled, "do you have a noodle pot Ms Alderton?"

"There we are!" Gemma patted her, "I have egg noodles, will a stir fry be okay?"

Eva nodded gently. Gemma put cartoons on the TV and prepared dinner. Eva stared into nothing and switched off.

"Oh hello."

She jumped. Another woman had arrived, one with kaleidoscopic hair and a torn outfit revealing tattoos and piercings. The opposite of Gemma. She slid along the sofa and plumped the cushion behind Eva.

"Have you been arrested?"

"This is Eva!" said Gemma, "I'm cooking for her."

"No… you must have done something well bad Eva… can't you order her a takeaway Gem?" she took Eva's hand and shook it, "my name's Scarlett. For some reason, despite not being arrested myself, I decided to marry that woman. Do you think I'm mad?"

Eva shook her head. Scarlett stole Gemma's aviators from the bar and jumped back on the sofa.

"Eva do you wanna see something well cool?"

"I'd appreciate it if you didn't-"

"Hush Gemma. Eva, try these on."

Eva put the glasses on. Her mouth dropped open. Panes of data flitted around the lenses, crystallising where her pupils went, blurring where they weren't. Scarlett waved.

"Take a look at me!"

Eva saw Scarlett's life zoom out: a student of subjects she had never heard of. Her photos painted a provocative woman interested in arts and politics. And she shared Eva's love of singing. Eva's heart skipped.

But the glasses were making her dizzy. Whenever her eyes moved a new pane maximised over the old. The screen glitched out.

"You lost your focus didn't you?" Scarlett took the glasses back, "I never manage it either. They're actually really hard to use."

Eva folded her arms and huddled.

"...what's that thing you study?"

"My doctoral thesis? It combines evolutionary social science and aesthetic philosophy. Why do we end up with the tastes we have? Why do some people see something beautiful where others don't? Is it to do with how we survive and adapt, or is there something more than our biology? Perhaps we prefer art that confers higher status, or art that needs the right amount of effort to obtain. Hmm… imagine if no one had heard of the Mona Lisa, and you saw it one day in a charity shop for £10. Would you even notice it? Would you buy it?"

Eva looked as if she had lost the thread. Scarlett apologised.

"What sort of art do you like Eva?"

"I wanna be a singer like you…"

"No way! Okay so we have to do Karaoke later don't we!?" Scarlett gave her a fist bump, "when Gemma and I started dating she wasn't impressed with my interest in music."

"I was impressed!" Gemma wielded a wooden spoon from the kitchen as food sizzled, "I was worried because I had nothing classy to say about it."

"She went like this," Scarlett sat rigid and narrowed her eyes as Gemma did, "I think it's great people do music but I hardly see it as a realistic career path given AI's won the battle. I sat there like 'fucking hell this is gonna be a long night'.

But I had fallen for her already really… you know what it was? It was her bum. Look at it! Doesn't your mind just immediately think of mint sauce?"

A green bean flew from the kitchen and slapped Scarlett's cheek. Eva giggled.

"Do you see why I work so much Eva!?" said Gemma, "she lies more than a politician. The real reason we're engaged is because I saved her life once and she became obsessed with me."

"It's true! We met during one of those fascist riots. They'd taken out the trans folk and enbies and us gays were in the queue ahead of abortion. Gemma saved me from a bunch of these gigantic thugs, she completely walloped them I'd never seen anything like it."

"Men like them trained themselves on podcasts. I trained on MMA," Gemma flung a high kick out, "I won."

Scarlett flung back into the sofa and poked Eva's arm, "are you okay Eva?"

"Mhmm…"

"Do you wanna watch something with me?"

"Yea…"

They ate and watched TV. Eva listened to the fiancées mock each other for her amusement. They competed to do their best Luis impression asked her to judge.

Eva leant forward as if to announce the winner, and flared her nostrils.

"I cannot put up with that damn woman any longer I can't do it Gemma! Will someone makes her fuck off and die!"

Scarlett choked on her drink. Gemma covered her face and snickered.

"Holy shit Eva you have to show everyone at the station, the superintendent would give you a medal for it."

Eva bit her lip and looked away. She said nothing for the rest of dinner, and no one made her.

Gemma cleared the plates away and offered Eva the shower.

It gave her the moment she needed.

"We'd be pretty good at this parent thing," Scarlett flexed with pride, "whatever she's here for let's keep her."

Gemma's smile was gone.

"It's about the terrorist attack Scarlett. Her mother was there. I have a strong certainty she was inside it burned down."

"Gemma I'm so sorry I didn't know…"

"I have to go back to work. I hate to ask this but I need you to stay here and take care of her."

"Of course I will! I want to help."

"Don't let her out the house. Keep her away from anything she can hurt herself with and don't let her use your phone. Hers is with me. She'll ask about someone called Sermon - he's a revolutionary, possibly dead. She'll ask about an Imany too - definitely dead. I can't have her finding out without-"

"I of all people would understand what she's going through. I know the person she needs, I'll be it. Go."

"You were amazing by the way. Nobody else got through to her like that."

Scarlett fluttered. Her eyes glistened.

"Gemma are you in danger again?"

Gemma hugged her, "I might be... but isn't that your favourite thing about me really?"

Scarlett grabbed her by the head and covered her with firm pecks.

"You're like a drug to me. Come home quick."

Gemma left. Scarlett felt sadness descend.

She picked herself up for Eva's sake, and went to make her a hot chocolate.