Harriet sat on the corner pavement outside the hospital, about to take a sip of her coffee when a commotion caught her attention. She glanced around, spotting two women not far from where she was sitting. Tilting her head, she squinted, recognizing a familiar figure. Her eyes widened slightly as she watched the other woman slap Zoey across the face. Harriet sighed, feeling reluctant to involve herself, but the woman's voice grew louder, clearly intending to make a scene.
Chuckling to herself, Harriet stood and strode toward them, quickening her pace as she saw the woman raise her hand for another slap. Just in time, Harriet caught the woman's wrist, her voice firm as she said, "Hey."
The woman froze, and Harriet tightened her grip, recognizing Zoey's sister. "If you want to talk to your sister, then talk. There's no need to get violent," Harriet warned, her tone calm but laced with authority. "And just so you know, we don't tolerate that kind of behavior on these premises."
"Harriet..." Zoey mumbled weakly from behind, but Harriet didn't take her eyes off the woman, her gaze sharp and unwavering. She watched as Zoey's sister gulped, a mix of fear and frustration flashing across her face.
With a harsh wave of her free hand, Zoey's sister spat, "And who the hell do you think you are? Why are you butting into our business? Get lost."
Harriet chuckled softly, stepping closer, her voice dropping dangerously low. "Me? I'm one of the owners of the building where Zoey works," she replied, leaning in. "Touch her again, and I'll make sure you're banned from here for good. Now, fuck off."
After Zoey's sister stormed off, Harriet let out a sigh, turning to face Zoey. "Just what are youâ" She paused, her initial irritation fading as she saw the tears streaming down Zoey's face. "Why are you crying?" Harriet's voice softened, concern replacing the scolding she'd planned.
Zoey crouched down, pulling the hem of her skirt tightly over her legs as she buried her face in her hands, trying to muffle her sobs. Unsure of how to comfort her, Harriet quickly shrugged off her coat and draped it over Zoey's head, shielding her from the world. She stood silently for a moment, then turned away, giving Zoey some privacy to cry in peace.
Harriet took a long gulp of her coffee, her grip tightening around the cup as Zoey's quiet sobs filled the air. It tugged at something deep inside her, leaving her feeling helpless as she stood by, uncertain of what else to do.
Harriet leaned on her desk, resting her chin in her palm, deliberately avoiding Zoey's gaze. After Zoey had finally stopped crying, Harriet had brought her into the office. Though she wasn't entirely sure why she did it, she felt a pull to offer some kind of comfort.
Zoey sat quietly, her head lowered, occasionally sniffling. "Sorry for bothering you again," she mumbled, her voice still shaky.
Harriet shot her a quick glance before turning away. "What are you apologizing for? It's not like you meant to," she responded, her tone neutral, though she was silently concerned. Zoey's face was still swollen from the slap, and Harriet winced at the thought of how hard it must have been. She wondered how she would react if Nyx ever hit her that hard.
Suddenly, an idea popped into Harriet's mind. Tilting her head towards Zoey, she asked, "Do you want to go clubbing?"
Zoey blinked, surprised, lifting her gaze toward Harriet. Harriet quickly cleared her throat, avoiding eye contact again. "I mean, Nyx and I are playing at a bar tonight. Just thought maybe you'd want to come... you know, to relax a bit."
Zoey let out a soft scoff. "Are you pitying me?"
Harriet raised an eyebrow. "Why would I?" she shot back. "If you don't want to join, just say no," she added, rolling her eyes as the familiar irritation started bubbling up again.
"Fine, just tell me the place, I'll go," Zoey sighed, standing up as if giving in. She made a move to excuse herself.
Harriet, suddenly panicking, shot up from her chair and instinctively grabbed Zoey's wrist. Leaning forward, she blurted, "Where are you going?"
Zoey blinked in confusion, her eyes slightly widening. "Uh, back to work, I suppose?"
"Oh." Harriet quickly let go of her wrist, her face flushing slightly as she cleared her throat. "Yeah... makes sense." She turned to her desk drawer, fumbling a bit before pulling out a small ointment. "Here, put this on your cheek. It's still swollen. You don't want to look like that in front of your boss's clients, do you?" She held out the ointment casually, trying to shrug off her awkwardness.
Zoey hesitated, then took the ointment, her brow furrowed in confusion. "Uh... thanks?" She gave Harriet a curious look. "You've been acting kinda weird lately, Doc."
Harriet stiffened, avoiding her gaze. "Weird? Me? What's weird about me?"
Zoey tilted her head, still studying Harriet. "I don't know... something feels different, I guess."
Harriet was momentarily caught off guard. She looked at Zoey, then quickly sat back down, trying to compose herself. "Different? What do you mean? I'm not exactly the type to change or anything like that," she said, a hint of defensiveness in her voice. Keep it cool, Harriet, she mentally reminded herself.
Zoey just shook her head with a small smile. "Anyway, thanks for what you did earlier... and for this ointment," she said, bowing slightly in gratitude. "I've been a nuisance, really. Dragging you into my mess, making you deal with my issues." She laughed awkwardly, brushing off the tension.
Harriet swallowed and chuckled lightly. "It was my choice to step in. I couldn't just stand by and pretend I didn't see anything. Besides..." She paused briefly, glancing at Zoey. "You're my mother's employee. It's only right that I protect you."
"Right," Zoey murmured, her voice softer now. "An employee," she repeated, the words hanging in the air like a quiet echo.
"You were saying something?" Harriet furrowed her brows, unable to catch Zoey's last words.
Zoey looked at her, then smiled faintly, shaking her head. "No, nothing important. But still, thanks for standing up for me when I couldn't even stand up to my sister."
Harriet sighed, rubbing her brow in mild frustration. "Well, I guess you're welcome? But seriously, maybe you should try talking it out with your sister if you two have issues. You know, siblings talk and all that."
Zoey let out a hollow laugh as she turned away, as if preparing to leave. "How can I talk to Ellie when she's the reason my life's been a nightmare? What's there to discuss when she's about to marry my supposed-to-be fiancé?"