From one of the stalls, I heard someone unwrapping a tampon and figured I needed to finish this call. “I’m so relieved. Will all the details be in your next email?”
“Correct. I’m about to hit send now. The only other information we will require is if your financial aid needs to be extended to include housing. But,” she laughed like we were old friends, “we’re all aware that it won’t be needed. I mean…you know.”
My smile dropped, along with my stomach. I felt oddly queasy, and my first thought was maybe I’d gotten the stomach bug Josie had had the weekend before when I’d babysat her for Howler. “No, I’m not sure I do know.”
“Well.” Her laugh became strained. “With you living with Judge Bennet.”
At least she hadn’t said I was having sex with him. Or that I was his sub. My fingers went to the collar at my throat. I hadn’t taken it off once since Judge had put it on me. No one ever mentioned it, but I’d gotten a few second glances because of it.
“I mean, because you’re Mabel Chambers’s daughter, and you’re like family to the Bennets,” she further explained when I still didn’t return her laugh.
“Right,” I muttered with a forced smile. “He’s just like family.”
Thankfully, she ended the call, promising to send the email soon.
From inside the stall, the toilet was flushed, and the door opened. Rita walked out with her briefcase in hand, looking like a total bombshell. I wanted to hate her for being so damn beautiful. But she was too nice for that. In the nearly two months I’d known her, we’d become semi-friends.
“Morning, beautiful,” she greeted as she passed me on her way to the sink to wash her hands. “Did I hear you say financial aid?”
I nodded and pressed my hand to my stomach, still feeling sick. “Yes, I start my senior year in a few weeks.”
“Then I guess you won’t be hanging around this old place as much?” I nodded, and she gave me a pout. “Too bad. So, Georgetown? I thought I heard Judge talking to someone about that last week.”
Fighting the nausea, I walked over beside her and turned on the second faucet, hoping a little cool water on my wrists would help. “No, I told him I don’t want Georgetown.”
Even though he’d said he could get me in, I didn’t want my dream school like that. Just like I hadn’t wanted his freaking “scholarship” money. If I couldn’t get it on my own, then I didn’t deserve it.
She snorted. “What, they don’t meet your standards?”
“More like I didn’t meet theirs,” I said with a shrug.
She stopped in the middle of fluffing her amazing hair. Slowly, she eyed me up and down. “Are you fucking playing me right now, Chambers?”
Tears stung my eyes, the memory of that rejection letter suddenly feeling as fresh as if I’d gotten it that morning. “Nope. They didn’t want me.” Laughing dryly to hide my pain, I waved my hand under the paper towel machine and tore off the section.
Rita just kept looking at me as if I were lying to her.
“What?” I finally snapped.
She shook her head. “I’m just wondering who to believe. You or my own ears.”
“Why would I lie about something that nearly destroyed me?” I cried, hating when a few tears spilled free.
“Shit,” she muttered before hugging me. “Hey, don’t cry, okay? I’m sorry. I must have heard wrong.”
“I don’t even know what you’re talking about.” My voice was muffled against her chest, but I could still hear the tears that lingered.
Damn it. Why was I so weepy all of a sudden?
Leaning back, she looked down at me with a frown. “I could have sworn when I heard Judge speaking to whomever about Georgetown, he said something about someone’s mind being changed.”
Her eyes became unfocused as she remembered. “No. I was in the elevator with him. I heard the other person say Georgetown was happy to provide a full scholarship for you. They said “again” clear as day. To me, that meant you had been accepted in the past. I figured you just chose the West Coast school.”
“No,” I denied, shaking my head adamantly, only to feel the bile rise. “No, you just misunderstood. Georgetown was everything to me.” My stomach began to roil unhappily. “Almost everything,” I amended, pulling away from her.
Her sigh made me feel defensive, but she didn’t argue. “If you say so, Ellianna.” She picked up her briefcase and offered me a smile. “But there’s a reason I’m so good at my job.”
After the door closed behind her, I stayed in the bathroom a little longer, waiting for my stomach to calm down. But when the door opened again and several other women entered, I hastily made my exit.
I didn’t think I could last the day without vomiting, and I didn’t want to risk getting anyone else sick. I sent Petra a quick text, letting her know I wasn’t feeling well, and then sent one to Judge.
Me: I think I have Josie’s stomach flu. Going home to rest.
He was already in court, but I wasn’t surprised when he responded immediately.
Judge: I’ll check on you at lunch. Text me if you need anything, baby.
Thankfully, the drive passed without incident. Both part-time housekeepers were in the kitchen when I entered. Patricia had returned from her vacation and was sitting with them as they took their morning break.
“Ellianna?” Patricia stood when she saw me. “Honey, you look ill.”
“Just a sour stomach,” I excused. “Probably Josie’s virus. I’m going to bed to sleep this off.”
“Of course, dear. I’ll let your mom know. She just popped over to check on Lindy. The poor woman had another dose of chemo yesterday and is in the hospital.”
I’d seen how drastic the changes were in my mom’s best friend, and my heart ached. It seemed like as soon as Miss Lindy recovered from one chemo treatment, she had to undergo the next, and the cycle started all over again. “Please don’t worry my mom. She has enough to deal with at the moment, and I’ll be fine by tomorrow.”
“Are you sure?”
“Definitely.”
Chapter 31
Ellianna
My first thought was to go to Judge’s room. With Mom at Miss Lindy’s for who knew how long, I knew the odds of her catching me in his bed were slim, and I was willing to chance it. I hated how sick Miss Lindy was, but her illness had kept my mom occupied enough that she didn’t suspect I hadn’t been sleeping in my own bed.
Not long after I crawled into bed, the nausea faded. It was as if it had never happened, but I felt exhausted and decided to just rest. Cuddling Judge’s pillow to my chest, I inhaled his scent and closed my eyes, falling asleep almost immediately.
I didn’t feel the bed dip, but as soon as someone tried to take the pillow from me, my eyes snapped open.
Concern darkened Judge’s face. “How are you feeling, baby?”
“Tired.” My eyes closed again.
“Do you need anything?”
I nearly smiled. “Just sleep, Zachary.”
“Maybe I should call the doctor. We can get you some meds for the nausea.” I felt him stroke my hair back from my face.