Chapter Forty Six

Saturday;

The next morning, Lea and I pulled into the hospital parking lot. She looked practically giddy, her eyes wide with excitement. She had no idea what she was in for, and I couldn't help but smirk at the thought of her eventually giving up, overwhelmed and exhausted. This is going to be good, I thought. Hopefully, a few patients will be nauseous enough to make her regret volunteering today.

Yesterday, after grabbing my phone from Montgomery's office, I shot Lea a quick text letting her know I had to swing by my place to pack before heading over to hers. The drive to her house was only about fifteen minutes, and when I arrived, her parents welcomed me like I was family.

From the moment I stepped inside, I felt instantly at home. Her parents were warm, kind, and easy to talk to, making me feel like I'd known them for years. There was no awkwardness, no hesitation—just an instant connection. I couldn't help but adore them. It's been a long time since I felt this comfortable around anyone.

I had also told Lea that I decided to go back to the TA job, though I conveniently left out the part where Montgomery had practically threatened me, saying she'd fail me if I didn't return. Oh, and I mentioned that I found out she wasn't the one who scared Octavia away.

Lea's eyes went wide in shock, and before I knew it, she was firing off questions faster than I could answer; Who did it? Do you actually believe Montgomery? How are you feeling about all of this? Her voice was frantic, and I had to physically place my hand over her mouth to stop the barrage.

"Valentina?" Lea's voice snapped me out of my thoughts, and I looked over at her, catching her raised eyebrow. "Oh, sorry," I chuckled awkwardly, rubbing the back of my neck, "I got lost in my own little world for a second."

We reached the nurse's station, and I grabbed a volunteer badge for Lea, handing it to her with a sly smile. "You ready for this?" I asked, watching her clip it onto her shirt, trying to suppress the urge to laugh at how confident she still looked.

The first task was cleaning a room after a patient had been discharged. Lea, with an exaggerated flourish, twirled the mop around in her hand as if she were performing some grand routine, while I focused on stripping the bed and changing the sheets.

"Please tell me you're going to introduce me to Montgomery's mother," Lea grinned, eyes sparkling with mischief as she spun the mop once more.

"Of course," I nodded, giving her a quick smile. "When we're on break."

Lea gave me a playful thumbs-up and continued mopping with renewed enthusiasm. "I wonder if Montgomery will be here today," she mused, her voice casual but her eyes watching me for a reaction.

I shot her a look, my expression flat as I rolled my eyes. "I hope she isn't."

Lea hummed, pausing just long enough to narrow her eyes at me suspiciously, but she didn't push it. Instead, she returned to cleaning, though I could feel the curiosity lingering in the air between us. Honestly, the last thing I needed was to run into Montgomery today. If she was here, I could only hope we'd manage to avoid each other.

After we finished cleaning the room, leaving it spotless and ready for the next patient, we made our way to the laundry room. I tossed the dirty bedsheets into the basket, while Lea swung the mop like it was a baton as we headed to the janitor's closet. She stored the mop with a dramatic sigh, clearly enjoying herself a little too much.

On our way to the nurse's lounge, I heard a familiar raspy voice bark from a nearby room. "Water! I need water!" The voice was unmistakable—it was the same old man who always demanded water with the persistence of someone who thought we worked just for him.

I peered into the room and saw him sitting up in bed, his face set in a permanent scowl. Before I could respond, Lea marched right in, her face a picture of irritation. "The only thing you need, is a wig for that bald ass head," she shot back, her voice dripping with sass.

My eyes widened in shock, and before she could say anything else, I grabbed her arm and practically dragged her out of the room. "You can't say that to patients!" I hissed, trying to keep my voice low but firm.

Lea glanced over her shoulder, glaring at the old man like he'd just insulted her personally. "Dude, he was being rude!" she snapped, crossing her arms defensively. "I just gave him what he deserved."

I shook my head, fighting back a laugh. "Yeah, well, let's try not to get kicked out today, okay?"

We fetched the water from the fridge and headed back to the patient's room. But just as we were about to enter, some snotty nurse, who I didn't recognize, blocked our way. He had an air of self-importance, his nose practically in the air as he looked us over.

"What are you two doing?" he asked, his tone dripping with superiority. I sighed internally, trying to keep things civil. "We're delivering water to a patient," I replied, forcing a polite smile.

His eyes narrowed. "It's not a two-person job."

I could feel Lea tensing beside me, her mouth already opening to deliver some sharp remark. Without missing a beat, I grabbed her arm, dragging her away before she could escalate the situation. The last thing I needed was for this guy to run off and spread gossip about how rude the volunteers were. I had a reputation to maintain, after all.

We returned to the old man's room, and Lea, still fuming, shoved the bottle of water toward him with barely disguised sarcasm. "Here you go," she said, wiggling the bottle a little too close to his face.

He didn't budge. Arms crossed, he simply glared at her, his eyes narrowing. "Are you blind too?" Lea snapped, her patience gone. She waved the water bottle in front of him like she was trying to tempt a dog.

"Open it," he demanded, his tone as gruff as ever.

Lea rolled her eyes, "Bitch, I ain't opening—" Before she could finish, I swiftly took the bottle from her hand, twisted off the cap, and handed it to the patient with a forced smile. He took it without so much as a 'thank you,' and I shot Lea a look, silently telling her to keep quiet. She huffed but remained silent, shooting daggers at the old man behind my back.

Back in the hallway, I spun toward Lea, crossing my arms tightly and pressing my lips into a firm line. She caught my expression and frowned, glancing over her shoulder as if to check if I was staring at someone else.

"Uh, what?" she asked, confusion knitting her brows together.

I pinched the bridge of my nose, trying to keep my frustration in check. "Lea," I sighed, "you can't be rude to patients, even if they're rude to you."

She pouted, her lips pressing together as she huffed dramatically. "But—"

I raised an eyebrow, giving her a knowing look.

"Fiiiiine," she groaned, her shoulders slumping in defeat.

I couldn't help but chuckle a little at her exaggerated misery. I looped my arm through hers and gave her a nudge. "Come on, let's see what else we can do."

We wandered down the hallway, stopping by the nurses' station to ask if anyone needed help. One nurse flagged us down, explaining that a patient needed assistance getting to the bathroom. Lea and I exchanged glances, silently agreeing to take the task.

When we reached the patient's room, my eyes widened a little. The woman in the bed was larger than we expected, and I could already feel the struggle ahead. We did our best, though it quickly turned into a wrestling match just trying to get her upright. Sweat dotted my forehead, and I could see Lea was having the same issue, her cheeks puffing as she heaved with all her might.

But after some awkward maneuvering, and with a lot of effort on our part, we managed to help the patient to the bathroom. When the door finally closed behind her, Lea leaned against the wall, breathless, giving me a wide-eyed look. "How... how do nurses do this all day?" she gasped, her face flushed.

I chuckled, wiping my forehead. "With more practice than we have, apparently."

After helping the patient back into bed, Lea and I left the room, feeling the slight strain of the task. We exchanged a tired glance but didn't say anything, heading straight for the nurses' lounge, eager for a quick break.

As we stepped inside, the familiar sight of my Aunt Grace greeted me. She was lounging comfortably on the worn couch, her legs crossed, engrossed in yet another crossword puzzle, the faint scratching of her pencil filling the room.

"Grace!" Lea's voice rang out in her usual boisterous way, arms thrown open dramatically as if we hadn't seen my aunt in years. "Fancy seeing you here!"

My aunt looked up, her face instantly brightening with a wide smile. "I work here, remember?" she chuckled softly, setting her puzzle down on the coffee table. Her voice had that warm, familiar tone that always made me feel at home. "How are you two holding up?"

I plopped down into the nearest chair with a tired but satisfied smile. "Always good," I replied, while Lea slid into the seat beside me, nodding in agreement, though the slight slump in her shoulders told a different story.

Grace's eyes twinkled with amusement, clearly noticing our exhaustion. She leaned back against the cushions, folding her arms across her chest as she waited for us to say more.

I glanced up at the clock hanging on the wall and felt a small wave of urgency. "We need to start delivering lunch to the patients soon," I said, rising from my seat and nudging Lea to get up as well.

Lea groaned dramatically but obliged, pushing herself up from the chair. As we made our way to the door, I waved quickly at my aunt. "Catch you later, Aunt Grace!"

She smiled warmly, waving back. "Take care, you two. Don't work too hard!" she called after us, already reaching for her crossword again.

We made our way to the kitchen, where the staff had already lined up the meal carts, each one stacked with trays of food. I grabbed one cart, Lea took another, and together we started pushing them through the bustling hallways.

Each room was the same routine. We'd knock, enter, place the tray on the patient's bedside table, and offer a smile, though most of the time it wasn't reciprocated. In fact, I think we received a single thank you the entire time, and even that was half-hearted, mumbled beneath a furrowed brow.

As we left the room, Lea's frustration finally boiled over. "These people are so damn rude!" she scoffed, pushing her cart a little harder. "Do they even realize I could just spit in their food without them knowing?"

I shot her a shocked look, but she quickly held up her hands in mock surrender. "I'm not going to do it," she clarified with a smirk. "I'm just saying, I could."

I couldn't help but chuckle, though I knew she was right. It's a dangerous game to be rude to someone who handles your food—you never know what they might do.

We'd finally finished delivering food to all the patients on our list, except for Elizabeth's. I always saved her for last, not just because she was my favorite patient, but because I liked to spend extra time with her. Naturally, I grabbed an extra pudding cup for her, tucking it into my pocket as Lea and I headed toward her room.

I knocked softly on her door before stepping inside, and Elizabeth's face immediately lit up with a wide grin. "Val!" she beamed, her eyes crinkling with joy, "And a friend too!"

Lea, ever the social butterfly, didn't waste a second. She pushed past me and grabbed Elizabeth's hands, her smile just as wide. "It's so nice to finally meet you, ma'am," she gushed, her words tumbling over each other in her excitement. "My name's Lea, and let me just say, you don't look a day over forty. And another thing, Val speaks so highly of you!" Her voice softened slightly, as if sharing a secret. "I'm just so glad I can finally put a face to the woman Valentina always talks about."

Elizabeth chuckled warmly, giving Lea's hand a gentle pat. "Nice to meet you, Lea. And please, call me Elizabeth," she said, her gaze shifting to me with a fond smile. "Any friend of Val is a friend of mine."

I smiled softly as I handed Elizabeth her tray, pulling the extra pudding cup from my pocket and placing it in her hands. She grinned up at me, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "You're going to make me fat," she teased with a wink.

Lea scoffed playfully, crossing her arms. "Elizabeth, you'd look amazing either way." Elizabeth rolled her eyes in a lighthearted way and gestured for us to sit down.

Lea flopped onto the middle of the couch, stretching out comfortably, while I sat more neatly on the edge. Elizabeth took a bite of her sandwich, chewing thoughtfully as her gaze flicked over to Lea. After swallowing, she asked, "Lea, do you study too?"

Lea nodded enthusiastically. "Yep! I actually have two lectures with Val. That's how we became friends."

Elizabeth narrowed her eyes slightly, a teasing smile tugging at her lips. "So... are you seeing anyone?" she asked, her tone full of curiosity.

Lea let out a chuckle, her eyes twinkling. "Elizabeth, I'd happily be your girlfriend, if you ask nicely," she said with a cheeky grin.

Elizabeth burst into laughter, nearly choking on her food as she tried to recover. "Maybe if you were a bit older," she said with a playful wink.

Lea smiled, sitting back against the couch. "But yes, I do have a girlfriend."

Elizabeth nodded thoughtfully, her eyes drifting back to me as she took another bite of her sandwich. She seemed to study me for a moment, analyzing my expression before swallowing. "What about you, Val?" she asked casually, though I could sense the curiosity behind her question.

I scoffed, waving my hand dismissively. "No, I'm not seeing anyone."

Lea rolled her eyes dramatically and slung her arm over my shoulder, pulling me into a playful half-hug. "She may not be seeing anyone," she smirked, "but she definitely likes someone, don't you?" Her eyes sparkled mischievously, clearly enjoying my discomfort.

Elizabeth's eyebrows shot up in interest. "Oh? Do tell," she encouraged, leaning forward slightly.

"There's nothing to tell," I insisted, shaking my head. I could feel the heat creeping into my cheeks, but I tried to play it off.

Elizabeth pursed her lips into a thin line, letting out an exaggerated sigh. "Fine, keep your secrets," she teased, though her tone was light-hearted.

Lea, never one to miss an opportunity, pointed toward the extra pudding cup with a grin. "Are you going to eat that?"

Elizabeth snorted, clearly amused. "Take it," she said with a wave of her hand.

Lea chuckled in that overly dramatic way she always does and stood up from the couch to grab the pudding. "Thank you," she said with mock villainy, clutching the cup like it was some grand prize.

Lea, now fully relaxed, leaned back into the couch and tore into the pudding cup with a dramatic flourish, taking an oversized bite. She held it out toward me, her mischievous grin intact. Figuring I might as well join her, I took the cup from her and scooped a smaller bite, savoring the sweetness.

Suddenly, the door creaked open, drawing all of our attention. The relaxed atmosphere shifted as Montgomery stepped into the room. Her gaze instantly locked onto us, her irritation evident. She scoffed, "Great, might as well invite the whole campus," her tone dripping with sarcasm as she rolled her eyes.

She made her way toward Elizabeth, her steps brisk and purposeful. Without pausing, Montgomery leaned down and pressed a quick kiss to the top of her mother's head. "Hello, mother. How're you feeling today?" she asked, her voice softening.

Elizabeth smiled up at her daughter warmly. "Good," she replied, her eyes gentle.

Montgomery nodded, but her focus quickly shifted back to us, her sharp gaze lingering on me and Lea. I felt a knot tighten in my stomach, hoping she wouldn't kick us out. Her eyes flicked toward Lea, and her lips curled slightly. "Move," she ordered, nodding toward the far end of the couch, leaving no room for argument.

Lea, clearly unfazed, raised an eyebrow at the demand but complied, sliding over without a word, the amusement in her eyes still sparkling.

Montgomery settled into the middle of the couch, wedging herself between us. Let me just say, it wasn't exactly spacious, so the side of her body pressed firmly against mine. I could feel the warmth of her skin through our clothes, and it sent a rush of heat to my cheeks. I swallowed hard, trying to keep my cool, but my heart was racing.

Montgomery's eyes shifted to the pudding cup in my hand. "Thank you," she said casually, taking it from me before I could respond. She scooped a spoonful into her mouth as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

I tried to focus on something else, anything else, but all I could think about was the fact that her body was touching mine. The room suddenly felt stifling. Was it just me, or did it get hotter in here? I resisted the urge to fan myself. Someone needed to open a window, fast.

Elizabeth's voice broke the tension. "How's Tuna?" she asked, her tone light.

Montgomery shrugged, still entirely too close. "He's fine, but he misses having a play date." Her words were casual, but then she glanced briefly at me, so subtle it was almost as if I imagined it. Then she returned her attention to her mother.

After taking another bite of the pudding, she handed the cup back to me, her fingers brushing mine in the process. "Here you go, swee—Ms. Wilson," she corrected herself with a slight smirk, her gaze lingering just long enough to make me blush even more.

She was definitely about to call me "sweetheart." The realization made my heart skip a beat, but I quickly forced a small smile and gripped the cup of pudding just a little tighter, trying to brush it off.

Montgomery leaned back into the couch, placing her hand casually between our legs, her fingers resting against the cushion. I took a bite of pudding, trying to focus on anything but her, when I suddenly felt the soft brush of her knuckle against my leg. It was slow, deliberate, and sent an electric jolt through me. I almost choked on the pudding.

Her smirk was subtle, barely noticeable, but there. She kept her eyes forward, pretending as if nothing was happening, while my pulse quickened. Elizabeth, sitting across from us, glanced my way with concern as I coughed, but I waved it off, forcing a smile. "I'm fine," I mumbled, praying she wouldn't ask questions.

But Montgomery didn't stop. Her hand, hidden beneath the cover of our legs, continued its teasing movement, a soft caress that left me breathless and flustered. I could feel the heat rising in my face, my breaths becoming unsteady.

"Do I need to open a window?" Montgomery asked, her voice deceptively innocent, but when she glanced at me, her eyes sparkled with mischief.

"W-why?" I stammered, my throat dry, trying to regain some control.

She tilted her head slightly, the glint in her eyes unmistakable. "You're as red as a tomato," she whispered, her lips curling into the faintest smirk, fully aware of the effect she had on me.

Elizabeth and Lea were deep in conversation, but their words blurred into the background as the blood pounded in my ears. All I could focus on was the slow, teasing movement of Montgomery's finger against my leg. My breath hitched, my pulse racing as I tried to keep my composure, feeling her lean closer, her breath warm against my ear.

"Breathe," she whispered softly, her voice sending shivers down my spine. Her touch was barely there, but it ignited something inside me, making it nearly impossible to follow her simple instruction. How was I supposed to breathe when her hand was doing that?

Elizabeth's voice cut through the haze, snapping me back to reality. Her eyes were on me, a friendly smile on her face, completely oblivious to what her daughter was doing right next to me. "Val, how's classes going?" she asked kindly.

I forced a smile, desperately trying to sound normal. "Fine," I managed, though my voice felt strained. "It's a lot of work, but I'm managing." My words came out more clipped than I intended, but Elizabeth didn't seem to notice, nodding in approval.

"That's good," she said, satisfied.

Before I could gather myself, Montgomery's hand slid more firmly onto my thigh, sending a fresh wave of heat through me. "I need to use the restroom," she announced, her voice casual, but the way she pressed down slightly on my leg as she stood made my heart skip a beat.

As Montgomery disappeared into the restroom, I exhaled slowly, still feeling the heat of her touch lingering on my leg. My heart pounded, and my thoughts spiraled in a million directions, trying to piece together what had just happened—or rather, what was still happening between us.

Lea caught my eye, her lips curled into a massive smirk as she wiggled her eyebrows suggestively. Oh, great. She definitely saw everything. I could feel my face heating up again, and I quickly glanced away, only to meet Elizabeth's gaze. Her eyes were slightly narrowed, watching me with an expression that was somewhere between curiosity and suspicion. Fantastic. She saw it too.

I cleared my throat, desperately searching for something—anything—to break the tension thickening the air around us. "When do you want a picnic again?" I asked, my voice a little too eager, the words spilling out before I could stop them.

Elizabeth raised an eyebrow, but a smile tugged at her lips as she leaned back against her pillows. "I have all the time in the world," she replied casually, then with a mischievous glint in her eye, she added, "unless my heart suddenly decides to give up on me." She snorted at her own dark humor, her laughter breaking the unease in the room for a moment.

I let out a small laugh, thankful for her lightheartedness, but in the back of my mind, I couldn't stop replaying Montgomery's lingering touch.

Montgomery emerged from the restroom, exhaling dramatically as if the air inside had suffocated her. She crossed the room, her steps purposeful, and pulled open a window with a sharp tug. "I can barely breathe in this stuffy room," she muttered, her eyes narrowing as the fresh air seeped in.

Elizabeth, never one to miss an opportunity, pointed a finger at her daughter. "That's because you smoke too much," she quipped, her tone half-joking, half-serious.

Montgomery shot a weary glance at her mother, rolling her eyes. "Mother, I quit a while ago," she replied, her voice laced with irritation but laced with a subtle hint of pride.

Elizabeth's reaction was instantaneous, her eyebrows shooting up in disbelief. "You quit?" she echoed, her voice high-pitched with surprise. Her mouth hung open for a moment, as if grappling with the news. "What the hell made you quit? You never listened to me, no matter how much I nagged."

For the briefest second, Montgomery's eyes flicked toward me, almost too quick to catch, before she turned back to her mother. Her voice softened, almost vulnerable as she said, "My... heart told me it's gross, and I decided to listen to it."

Elizabeth blinked, the shock still evident on her face before a slow smile crept across her lips. She shook her head in surprise, chuckling under her breath. "Well, color me surprised!" she exclaimed, her voice a mix of amusement and pride.

A gentle knock tapped against the door, and before I could even register it, the door creaked open, revealing my Aunt's head peeking in with her usual bubbly energy. "Hello!" she greeted, her voice cheerful and bright, instantly lifting the atmosphere in the room.

Her gaze landed on Lea and me, her smile widening. "I need the two of you for a little help," she said, gesturing over her shoulder with a slight tilt of her head.

I stood up from the couch, smoothing out my clothes as I crossed the room to Elizabeth. She looked up at me, her eyes soft and full of warmth. "Goodbye, Elizabeth," I murmured, leaning down to gently squeeze her hand.

Lea followed closely behind me, her usual exuberance on full display as she threw her arms around Elizabeth in a quick, affectionate hug. "Take care, Elizabeth!" she chimed with a grin before bouncing out of the room, leaving the atmosphere lighter in her wake.

But as the door softly clicked shut behind them, the mood shifted again. I suddenly felt the weight of the silence, the room now heavy with the presence of Montgomery, who remained by the window. The space between us seemed smaller now, the tension almost palpable.

I turned to Montgomery, summoning a polite smile. "I'll see you on Monday, Professor," I said, trying to keep my voice light, but there was a distinct quiver in my chest that I couldn't quite suppress.

Montgomery barely lifted her gaze, offering a slight nod that felt more dismissive than anything else. Her attention shifted back to her mother almost instantly, as if I had already faded from her awareness. The interaction stung more than I wanted to admit.

Giving Elizabeth one final wave, I headed for the door, my steps quick and eager to escape the thick tension that lingered in the air. I could feel Montgomery's eyes on my back as I walked out, the door closing behind me with a soft click that felt like a release.

As I made my way down the hallway, my heart raced, the events in the room spinning through my mind. What had just happened in there? The whole exchange felt strange, unsettling even. I had no idea what Montgomery's behavior meant, but I knew one thing—I was relieved I left when I did. Another minute in that room, and I was certain she would've done something to make me lose my composure completely.