Meanwhile, returning to Jake, who had (for now) finished spiralling.
Even as Nicklaus had given his… stimulated shout, and whipped it out…
Jake too, had whipped out his phone, and a number was dialling…
"F-Fatteus." Jake's voice (much like he had been earlier) was strained. He'd been put through the wringer, after all.
"Jake." Fatteus' voice was perfunctory, clipped. Did Jake still have use…? Well that would depend on whether he still had some juice…
"What can I do for you."
"Listen, my guy, I-I've had a long think... about it all. I don't know if giving my statement was quite the right call…"
"I-I want to take back what I said. Is there a chance?"
Fatteus laughed inwardly. "In this circumstance?" Outwardly though, he channeled his usual paternal facade. "Jake… you're making it hard…"
"For yourself, and considering your mental health, I'm afraid it's not a thing… where we can just pretend you never said anything."
"But. Tell you what. If there's anything else you want to add, you're welcome to tell me - You're a good lad…"
Jake let out a strange strangled choke, even as Fatteus skillfully stressed that he was just being a good bloke.
"Jake… I know it's been tough. But I know that you're made of sterner stuff. That person [Ly Ly] took advantage of your goodness, with her wile and guile… and now we have everything we need, right here, on file..."
Fatteus knew that Jake right now, needed reassurance. After all, his confidence had been shattered. He just wanted to know that everything had mattered.
"…"
Jake wasn't sure how to respond.
Was it true? That Ly Ly had just waved her magic wand? Putting him under a kind of spell?
Now, he felt caught between two kinds of hell.
"Well, if there's nothing else to say, I'll leave it there, have a good day… Jake."
*click*. The sound of the phone quietly being hung up.
*doot.. doot.. doot..*
The line went dead, even as Jake agonized in his head.
He knew that if he said any more, Fatteus would be able to add to the score…
He… possibly wasn't in a good mental space.
*breathe.*
He told himself. In. Out.
Go through it one more time. He told himself.
Ly Ly… was it truth or a lie?
And then. The question that he deep down feared, once again, as always, reappeared.
…Could I... have been better?
And that was when… he got the letter.