Xavier sighed as he looked at the work on his computer. He did not feel like going to work because of how overworked he made himself there. And doing so didn't mean he stopped thinking about her, it only got worse.
He needed a change of scenery, somewhere that brings about a calm and peace to prevent any distractions while he worked. The sunroom. Basking in nature and the sun woukd be something refreshing to expose himself to.
"Oh!" He stopped in his tracks when he saw Amy and Roserie lying on the long sofa. "Sorry sis", he whispered.
"It's okay. We're both awake actually", Amy said, inviting him back in.
"No, I'll leave you guys. I hear this has become like a sanctuary, a no-go zone when you're in here", he said as he walked to the sofa opposite and set up his laptop.
Amy chuckled, "It's true that we like to have our naps here but it's still free for anyone who wants to come in."
"Cool", he smiled before looking back down at his laptop.
"Ah! I feel like we'll be disturbing you", she said whilst getting up.
"No. You're alright. You guys can stay", he assured her with a nod and she lay back down. "Where's Zach?"
"Attending to a few calls", she said whilst caressing Roserie's face and he hummed in response. "How's Albany?"
"It's fine", he answered. He looked up to find her smiling and he gave her a sad one. "What?"
"You tell me", she nodded at him.
He looked back down and went about typing only to stop seconds later; letting out a heavy sigh before he closed the device. His smile was gone and his true emotion showed: sadness. "I'm questioning myself whether it's right for me to actually be with her."
"Why's that?" Roserie made a complaining almost crying noise and Amy subconsciously started patting her to comfort her.
"My breakup with Nicole is still fresh, I don't know if I genuinely have feelings for Lorraine or I'm just using her as a rebound", his brows furrowed at this.
"Hm."
"Yeah. It's fu- messed up", he quickly corrected himself making Amy chuckle. "I don't want to start something that I can't finish. I don't have it in me to break her heart. She deserves better than that."
"I think I have the answer. I could tell you but I think you should figure that out yourself", she said with a smile.
"Helpful", he grumbled and playfully shot her a glare.
"Don't scold my wife", Zach walked in with a tray of refreshments. Amy smiled while Xavier rolled his eyes.
Zach set them down on the coffee table and leaned down to peck Roserie on her forehead and then pecked Amy's lips. Once. Twice. Thrice. Amy giggled as he stole kisses from her. Xavier could only sigh. Why can't his life be that simple and beautiful?
Back in Albany
"Still no word from him?" Savannah offered a canned drink to Lorraine as she sat down next to her. They were in the waiting room at the hospital.
"I think I can accept that I'll never hear from him again", she replied with a sad smile as she opened her drink.
"Hey, it's only been, what? A week? No. Four or five days? Let's not jump to conclusions. Besides, his bodyguards are still around, yes?"
"Maybe it could be out of.... Pity?"
"Lorraine", she warned, getting annoyed with her self deprecating behavior.
"What? He may not know the facts about my situation but he has an idea. Maybe he's afraid to take away the one thing that's keeping us safe just for pity's sake."
"Stop it! My gosh, if it's about this guy, you're not the tough cookie that everyone knows you to be", she pulled her in for a side hug. "Stop doing this to yourself. I'd tell you to call him but I already know the answer to that."
Both girls sighed. Lorraine looked around at the medical personnel and patients moving around, going about their business.
"How many more times do you have to do this?" She frowned.
This was the third check since being discharged and she was yet to attend the court hearing as a witness. All she wanted was for her best friend to have less stress yet more hospital visits fueled just that.
"I know, I'm sick of coming to this place", Savannah grumbled as she also looked around.
"When's your next therapy sesh?" Lorraine asked.
"Thursday. Another thing I'm dreading. I think I'll spend more time crying than shooting my shot. Again", she let out a dramatic sigh.
"I think that's how it's supposed to be", Lorraine giggled.
"Savannah White?" A nurse called out, carrying a file in her hand, earning their attention. "The doctor will see you now."
"Alright", she blew out a shaky breath.
"Should I come with?" Lorraine grew worried seeing how nervous her friend was.
"No, I'm fine. Plus, it shouldn't take too long."
Lorraine gave her a hug and an encouraging look before Savannah followed after the nurse. Savannah felt her heart pound against her chest making things worse for her nervous self. Her palms were growing sweaty and wiped them against her trousers.
The nurse knocked at the doctor's door before letting themselves in. The doctor was looking at a his computer monitor when Savannah was brought in. The nurse excused herself giving them the privacy they needed.
"Savannah White", he looked away from the monitor to smile at her. "How are you?"
"Good", she smiled back.
"Good. Tired of the hospital visits?" He teased, guessing her thoughts.
"A little", she demonstrated showing a tiny gap between her thumb and index finger.
"I understand. There's a reason for that and I'll explain. I just need you to mentally prepare yourself, it's a lot as you know your case is special."
She nodded at his words, sitting up straighter and her expression showing her seriousness and attentiveness despite the nervous wreck she was inside. He also nodded to himself and turned serious.
"So, the feds have been trying to figure out not just the drug components but also its purpose and effects. They put the best scientists on the job because the doctor who was working on you during....", He silently hinted at the experiments and continued. "He didn't exactly understand what he was working on except for results. So that's why it took so long and so many tests to get to the bottom line."
Savannah's hands balled into fists almost drawing blood against her soft palms once reminded of the horrid experience. Although the man was also facing the consequences of breaking the law, she still wanted to physically vent her anger and frustrations on him for everything.
"Now, I have the results", his serious expression turned into grave one with eyes full of sadness and sympathy. Her heart started to beat much faster than before but she forced herself to remain calm. He did tell her to prepare herself. "Savannah, you will not....."
Her brain shut down the moment she heard the next words. It's like a deadly bomb exploded in her head, no, her entire being. She felt empty, numb, suddenly cold, and as if her body was not hers.
"Savvy!" She was shook out of her trance to find Lorraine kneeling before her and shaking her by the shoulders. Lorraine frowned seeing the state she was in. She gently cupped her cheeks with worry reflecting in her eyes. "What's wrong?"
What's wrong? What's wrong? What did the doctor say was wrong? The girl broke out in a heart breaking sob as hot tears streamed down her face.
"Lorrie- Lorraine", she sobbed making Lorraine tear up as well.
"I'm here." She tried to wipe her tears but they kept falling. She felt a constriction in her heart at this heartbreaking sight. She sniffled, "Talk to me."
"Lorraine, I can't- I can't", her dropped as she cried out. She hit her own thighs with her fists not believing that something so unfair had happened to her.
"Savvy please. Tell me what's wrong", she sobbed softly.
"I can't..... I can't have kids."
Lorraine's jaw and heart dropped at the same time. She too felt like an explosion went off in her head and all over body. She lost all the strength to hold her friend as she just stayed there, kneeling before her.
"They destroyed me!" Savannah started hitting her stomach when she remembered the blood that pooled between her legs as well as the other girls. So that was it but what was the point?
"They destroyed me!!!"
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