When she came back, Heather was carrying a couple of grocery tote bags; one had a few boxes of tissues and bandages while the other was filled with a gallon of bubblegum ice cream. She went to find Martha and she practically searched the entire building, but Martha was nowhere to be found.
"Hey, Franklin. Have you see Martha anywhere lately?" Heather asked.
"Yeah, I think she's in the ladies' room." Franklin said before he spotted the bags. "What's all that stuff for?"
"It's lady stuff; none of your business." Heather said before briskly heading in the direction of the ladies' bathroom.
The moment she entered, Heather could clearly hear loud sobbing and heavy breathing coming from the last stall; Martha was in there. She knocked on the door.
"Go away." Martha said in between sobs.
"Martha, it's Heather. Johanna sent me. Can I come in, please?" Heather asked.
"...Just you."
Heather reluctantly opened the door and what she saw nearly made her gasp; Martha was crouched over the toilet with rivers of fresh tears falling from her eyes and down her cheeks. Her makeup was running and Heather could now see the fresh black eye and healing cuts. Martha noticed the look on Heather's face and sighed.
"That bad, huh?" She asked.
"Uh, I wouldn't say that." Heather replied, trying not to sound nervous.
"No, I get it. I look horrible... and you can thank August for that." Martha said before she noticed the tote bags. "What's that for?"
"Johanna told me to buy you these." Heather set the bags down and gave her a family-sized box of tissues, which Martha reluctantly accepted; she wiped her eyes and blew her nose. "I also get you this." She took out the large tub of ice cream and slid it over to her co-worker, along with a small bowl, a spoon, and a bottle of chocolate syrup. "I hope you like bubblegum."
At that point, Martha didn't care. She tore open the tub, took the spoon, and viciously ate from it, still crying all the while. Heather hesitantly sat down in another corner of the stall before closing the door and locking it shut; she uncomfortably watched Martha eat like a pig, unsure of what to say.
"So... how bad was it this time?" She asked after a minute of silence.
Martha stopped eating and paused, her mouth full. "I don't want to talk about it."
"O-okay. Next time, don't speak with your mouth full. It's very unflattering."
Martha rolled her eyes, set the half-eaten tub of ice cream down, and ran a hand through her hair; she swallowed. "...Why?"
"What?" Heather asked.
"Why? For sixteen years, I've put up with it now. I must get away from this pain... but HOW?" She screamed into the toilet before continuing to cry.
Heather just sat in silence, unable to find a proper solution. Martha reached out and flushed the toilet a couple of times, not sure why. Then she sat up straight; she got an idea, an awful idea. Martha got a wonderful, awful idea.
"That's it. That is it." Martha whispered as she stood up. "I know just what to do." She smiled and giggled wickedly to herself.
"What?" Heather nervously asked, standing up.
Martha looked at Heather with a sly smirk on her face. "...I'll leave." She then headed out of the bathroom.
"Wait, wait, wait... WHAT?!" Heather shrieked, running after Martha.
"You heard me, Whomont." Martha said, sounding determined. "I'll leave Who Runway and Who York and never look back. I just can't believe I didn't think of this sooner! It's brilliant, and yet so obvious at the same time!"
"Martha, no! You can't leave us! Please! Who Runway needs you!"
"No, it doesn't. You all did perfectly fine before I came along. I'm sure you'll be so much better off without me."
"But-but Johanna—"
"I don't care what Johanna thinks anymore! I don't feel at home in this city, I never have. The only place I truly feel at home is... is..."
"Whoville?"
"But I can't quit; August will surely find out. What I really need is a plan... and I know just how to execute it." Martha then headed in the direction of Johanna's office.
"That can't be good." Heather muttered, trailing after her.
0-0-0-0-0-0
Martha was already standing in front of Johanna's desk when Heather finally caught up with her.
"What's happening?" Heather whispered to Frieda.
"I have no idea. Martha just walked in without saying a word." Frieda replied. "It doesn't look too good in there, though."
"Oh no..." Heather muttered.
"Martha, what's going on?" Johanna asked. "Did he hurt you again?"
"Yes, he did." Martha reluctantly answered. "And that's what I need to talk to you about."
"I'm all ears."
"I need to leave."
Johanna's eyes widened. "What? Leave?! Why?"
"It's the only way for me to escape this endless cycle of pain and torture. I'm sorry to do this to you Johanna, I really am, but this is something I really need to do."
"But... but what if August finds out what you're doing?"
"If he does, he won't find me."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean I'll go to the one place he would never dare to go."
"And where is that?"
"I'm afraid that has to remain a secret. It's nothing personal, Johanna; I just can't take any risks like that."
"If you say so. But... what do you want me to do about it?"
"I want you... to fire me."
"Hold up, FIRE you?"
"It's the only way, Johanna."
"But for me to fire you, you're gonna have to—"
Before Johanna could finish, however, Martha had grabbed a cup of coffee and splashed it into Johanna's face. She screamed and Brenda and Heather watched in shock and horror.
"Is that enough for you?" Martha smugly asked, setting the cup down.
Johanna opened her mouth to speak before she paused. She gave Martha a conspiratorial smile, then a wink. "Enough? Enough? Are you kidding me?! You gave more than enough reason! Martha May Whovier, you are FIRED!!"
Heather gasped and nearly fainted.
"Thanks, Johanna. You're the best." Martha whispered before grabbing a glass bottle; she shook it up. "Oh by the way, that comes out with club soda." She then sprayed the bottle's contents into Johanna's face, which caused her to cry out in surprise. She dropped the bottle, which crashed on the floor. "I'll go clean out my office right now, then I'll get out of your hair."
"Yeah, you do that." Johanna said, spitting the coffee and soda water out of her mouth and grabbing a towel.
And with that, Martha left without saying another word. Heather and Frieda looked at each other before looking back at Johanna... who didn't look angry at all.
"Johanna?" Heather asked. "Is everything okay? Are you hurt?"
"Me? Oh, no I'm fine." Johanna said nonchalantly, wiping her face.
"Really? Because Martha just—"
"I know what she did, Heather... and it's okay."
"What?! It's okay?! Martha just walked into your office, sprayed you in the face with coffee AND soda water, and YOU'RE SERIOUSLY COOL WITH THAT?!"
"Yeah."
"WHY?!"
"Because I helped her."
"Wait, helped her? ...You knew?"
"Of course I knew, I'm not stupid. She asked me to fire her; it was clear she was pretty unhappy working here and I didn't want to see her suffer in silence anymore, especially because of terrible people like Augustus May-Who. Besides, someone like Martha May deserves a workplace that better suits her own tastes. And honestly, I'm kinda glad." She put the towel down and smiled.
As Martha walked out of Who Runway, she couldn't help but smile. For the first time in a very long time, she felt happy.
"Look out Whoville, Martha May Whovier is coming home..."