He sat with her for hours without any interruptions. Before he knew it, he too was fast asleep on the couch. Not a very productive day, but sometimes that's just how it goes. His cell phone goes off, disturbing him awake. Adjusting just enough on the couch, he pulls it from his pocket and looks to see who is calling him.
NIH.
Max picks up the phone frantically and listens carefully.
"Hello, Dr. Goodwin?" A dominant male voice sounds on the other end of the receiver. Max sits up a bit more in his spot.
"Yes?"
"Hi, this is Daniel Green, CEO of NIH. We were informed one of our researchers in your Oncology department was participating in malpractice."
"Yes, Valentina Castro- she's currently head of Oncology and we have a major issue going on over here." Max doesn't want to wake up Helen, but he feels she should be apart of this conversation too. Looking down, he finds Luna wobbly trying to stand up. He scoops her up and remains on the phone.
"I see. Well, we are trying to work out the kinks on our end. NIH will still support your hospital funding, but all the patients effected by this drug, needs to be put under special care until we can start fixing the problem."
"And what am I to do about Valentina?"
"She's here with us now- having a discussion about her research and reviewing her process of producing the drug so we can try to make essentially a cure for her cure." Daniel says with a bit of annoyance in his voice.
"Yes, but what am I going to do with her?"
"I suggest you start pulling files together and making a case. This is going to court. Her license has to be stripped from her and there's a possibility of jail time. She won't be allowed in your building with all this going on."
"Yes, well, my one doctor is very concerned about her wellbeing because of accusations found against Castro. She fears for her life. What do I tell her?" He's a bit annoyed that all they can do is tell Valentina not to go back to the Dam. He's frustrated that they can't just nail her to the wall on this one.
"I don't know exactly. We're doing everything we can on our end and trying to get this done and over with quickly." That's all the man says before saying goodbye and hanging up. It's not helpful or reassuring. Looking at his phone, he decides maybe it's time to call the one person he knows who can take care of everything.
"Hello? This is Joe Klins." A rough voice comes into his earpiece and Max thanks the Lord this is still an active number.
"Hey! Joe- it's Max." Joe laughs on the other end and Max has to pull the phone away from his ear, so not to be deafened.
"Haha! Maxy Pad! Missed you brother! It's been a long time. What's up dude?" Max knows if anyone can help, it's Joe.
"It's been a tough one, which is why I'm calling. Do you still have the Mega Com?" Max asks and Joe gets quiet.
"Whatcha need it for?"
"I know you only like to use it for actual States of Emergency and I have one. A doctor at my hospital found out something that can not only derail another doctor's research, but also put her away for a very long time. My friend leaked the info to NIH and now she's worried for her life because this other doctor has a bunch of inside hands willing to kill for her. Is there any way..."
"Max, I know what you're asking and I agree, I should help...but if you think your friend is in danger, you should probably contact..." Max cuts him off and feels once more frustrated with the situation.
"No, Joe. No police. I don't know if there's a mole in there or if it's just a coincidence that Helen got picked up by the cops a while ago, but..." Joe makes interested noises over the phone.
"Ooo, Helen...hmm- so the doctor, friend- has a name. Ooo..."
"Enough. Don't do that. Listen I was wondering if, with your vast military background and now CIA access and hackery- can you delve through the system on Valentina Castro and find me everyone she has immediate access to. Cell phone pings, satellite imagery- anything. I want to know all I can about this woman, so I can keep my doctor safe." Joe contemplates this request. It's a serious enough matter for him to get involved. He has put in extensive time and effort learning hacking so he can hack into anything he wishes without a trace. He knows all the codes for government run systems and satellites, plus he's tactical so if need be- he could essentially take someone out without any indication of it being a murder. Max is definitely happy to have met him back in college.
"Only on one condition." Joe states boldly.
"Okay?"
"Tell me what this girl means to you. Give me a little inspiration to work my hardest cause I know there's something more." Max glances down at Helen asleep on his lap and can't help but smile.
"I love her...she doesn't know it and I won't tell her, yet- but I love her more than I've ever loved someone." Max says quietly into the phone. He finally verbalized his feelings and it felt good, but he won't tell Helen them. If she doesn't feel the same way and he's totally off, he doesn't want to lose her to his feelings.
"I knew it. You never call in the big guns unless it's a matter of the heart. I got you boo. Just text me the name of the target and I'll get started right away."
"Thank you. I feel so much better about this now. I owe you man."
"You can pay that debt later by inviting me to the wedding. Haha" He snickers and Max just scoffs.
"Haha, alright...deal. Thanks again man." They hang up and he texts Joe Valentina's name. If someone is going to do something about all this, it's Joe. Helen stretches out a bit and then snuggles closer into Max's lap. He doesn't want to think of possibly losing her. If Helen wasn't around, he wouldn't know what to do, because he was right before- when he said his plans only work because of her. He was right. He wouldn't even be alive if it wasn't for her. He doesn't know if this feeling for her is because he genuinely loves her or because of their situation as doctor and patient. Whatever the case, he feels strongly for her and that isn't going to change any time soon. She stirs again on his lap and he feels himself giving way to her. Before he can start pitching his tent, he pinches his arm once more very hard for at least a minute. The feeling subsides and another bruise is left on his arm. By the time this is all over, he's going to look like a leopard.
Helen's eyes slowly open and when she sees him, she smiles warmly at him. It's nice knowing that he stayed while she slept. It's relieving to know that she's safe with him. His eyes catch her peeking at him and he just smiles down at her.
"Hi..." He says quietly to her. She takes a long blink and rolls onto her back and stares up at him from his lap.
"Hi. Thank you...I needed that." She says through a yawn and stares at him in this new angle. A huge smile forms on her face and he looks at her, curious as to what she is so giddy about.
"What?"
"From this angle, your beard looks like it's one big nose hair extending down your face...you should pluck it." She jokes and he laughs through his nose and shakes his head.
"That's not cool. Haha, it's not. You can go now." He teases and she reaches up and feels the hair upon his face. He hasn't shaved in a while, but he isn't as ragged looking as he was when his cancer was at it's worse and she sent him home. He freezes as her fingers push through the course hair on his chin and then extending upward to his jaw. He takes in every inch of her finger and the feel of them deafly feeling his face.
"It's gotten longer..." She says to herself and he just sits there and lets her explore. He wishes he knew what to say to her, but he doesn't: his mind is absent from him at the moment and all he can do is sit there and try not to think about her touching his beard and laying on his lap and the way if he glances down just a bit, he can see her clavicles pressing against her taut skin and her sternum pressing hard against her breast plate. He tries to ignore all of it to avoid embarrassment. "You look very nice with your beard. More grown up and handsome."
His lips part a bit and he has the feeling in the pit of his stomach like he had last night when he thought of her. He can't possibly pinch himself now without her suspecting something, but he doesn't necessarily want to move and have this once in a life time moment be lost. He forces his eyes to close and he imagines Sandra Full from billing naked and yelling at him. The feeling of arousal leaves him and he finds Helen's hand has left him as well.
She sits up and scoots down the couch a bit- giving them a bit of space between them. He looks at her curious covered in the blanket, with her knees pressed to her chest and her eyes cast forward. He looks down to make sure he isn't standing at attention- which he isn't and then looks back at Helen.
"You okay?" His voice is low and sweet. She looks back at him and nods. Her mind racing about the thought of her there on his lap, playing in his beard. Her whole inside twisted and turned in a way she hasn't felt before. Something about him being protective and handsome and everything else- has pitted her stomach in boiling water. She finds him intoxicating and her body is telling her that she needs to explore him a bit more. However, she ignores her internal naughty thoughts and stays in her spot, a good two feet away.
"Yes...I just...I thought I heard something." She lies and feels stupid. Shouldn't she just tell him how she feels? She would love too, but he has a new friend that he undoubtedly likes. She can't interfere with that; with the happiness that he deserves. He deserves to find someone who isn't attached to this hospital. Someone who doesn't know medicine or works so many hours a week. He deserves someone he can go home to and find them intoxicating and wants to continue making a life with. Max deserves someone who isn't her. She knows his secrets and his wishes. She knows when he's frustrated just by looking at him. Though it's nice to be able to know someone so well, she feels Max would be more successful and happy if he could find someone who doesn't know him the way she does and can start a new journey of discovering each other. They know each other so well that their relationship would be nothing more than talking shop and gossiping. There's nothing special about her. She's shared all of her deepest fears and desires- all except the one about loving him so much that it hurts. Besides, she wouldn't want to start anything with Max and then lose him. Work would be different if they stopped being friends because of a break up. She wouldn't want to work at the Dam and have a constant reminder that she lost the one man who made her feel the greatest. So she sits there, two feet away from him, telling herself that they can be nothing more than friends. Telling herself that he already has someone he likes and wants to be with. Helen Sharpe will not be the one to hurt Max Goodwin, not again.
"I talked to a pal of mine. He's really high tech and knows how to find even the deepest secrets about someone. He's going to scout for us and find out all he can on Castro and her minions. It should only take him a day." Max shares with her, filling the silence of pain they both feel.
"That's great. I feel much better knowing that."
"I also talked to NIH." He sighs heavily and slouches on the couch with Luna against his chest sleeping. "They said they are taking her to court and that we need to pull all her files to have as evidence. She's not allowed back in this building. She could potentially go to jail."
"That...makes me feel less good. I don't trust her." Nodding, Max looks at Helen- frazzled, still tired, and worried.
"Hey," he calls her attention to him. "I got you. Always."
"I know..." She smiles and feels her heartache. He doesn't know what those words mean to her. How significant they are and how comforting.
"Shall we start pulling files then?"
"I believe so." He gets up off the couch and lays Luna down on it, so he can get his baby holster on.
"I'm not letting her out of my sight...not with this going down."
"Smart move. Castro knows how close we are, I wouldn't be surprised if she tried something on you." She stands up as well and lets the blanket fall to the couch as she stretches. Max sees her shirt slowly rise and a small tattoo peeks out on Helen's right hip. He quickly looks away and focuses on Luna. "On a side note, your couch isn't as comfy as it looks."
"Yeah, I know. It's a trap." They smile softly at each other and leave his office to head for the Oncology department. Adele comes scootering up to them. "Adele. So nice to see you."
"Max, you've been hiding all day. Please tell me it was for something important." The old woman looks between him and Dr. Sharpe and wonders what those two have going on between them.
"It was very important. In fact, it's so important that I can't possibly take on anything else for the rest of the day." They start walking away from her and Adele just watches them go. They stride close together, both seeming such a natural fit against each other.
**Oncology File Room**
"It has to be here somewhere. They were here just yesterday!" Helen fumes as she tears through another stack of files, the floor now littered with every patient from the last few years.
"Maybe she got to them before us. She must've known this was going to happen so she trashed 'em." It wasn't a pleasant thought, but both knew it was most likely true. Valentina seems to be one step ahead of them and they have no idea on how to get in front.
"She might have something in her office...but I don't have a department key." She frowns feeling inept once more for losing her titles.
"No, but I do." Max says and they both quickly leave the file room- not even cleaning up the stacks of files before going- and head down the hall to Castro's office. Looking around for anyone coming, Helen waits as Max opens the door. Once inside, they shut the door and flick the lights on. Her office just feels tainted and wicked. Helen looks at the pictures on the desk. There's one in particular that stands out to her. "What is it?"
"I can't believe it." She says starting to feel like a fool. "That's the officer who detained me...um...Wyatt Jackson! That's his name."
"Looks like they're pretty close. It makes sense how the police figured you out so fast. You were right about the mole thing." Max says looking over her shoulder. He starts looking through her filing cabinet and Helen sits at her desk. She opens drawers and goes through every thing. She gets to the bottom drawer on the right and tries to open it, but it's locked.
"Max, this one's locked." She says and Max comes over and kneels beside her. He opens up the middle compartment and finds two paper clips. "Please tell me you're not going to try and James Bond this."
"Goodwin, Max Goodwin." He says as he puts the unfolded paperclips in the key hole and in a matter of seconds the drawer clicks open and Helen looks at him- impressed and extremely turned on. "Impressive, I know."
"If you say so." She plays it off as if she wasn't impressed by his skills and pulls the drawer open all the way. Inside there is nothing. "Well, your skills were a waste. Huhhh"
Max sighs as well and then notices something in the back of the drawer.
"Don't count me out yet. What's that?" Shining his phone's flashlight to the back of the drawer, they see a tiny corner of a piece of paper. Max looks under the drawer and finds nothing. So, he takes out his tiny pocket knife and wedges it between the back of the drawer and the bottom. It takes a bit of hard pressing and finagling, but eventual the bottom pops off and a whole slew of paperwork and files are found. "A false bottom. I only thought those were in movies."
"The idea had to come from somewhere." Helen says and starts pulling out the paperwork. The first file she finds is on Fatima. She leafs through and finds Castro's notes. "Listen to this,
Patient 2X has been giving the pill. She seems to be reacting to the drug normally. If dosage is higher, she can give us the lazarus effect that will enable the drug to reproduce higher levels of oxycodone which can be extracted and transfered into other patients to produce the LD1-6 virus.
Patient 2X receives radiation soon. The effects should give life to LD1-6. Extraction of virus will begin shortly after development cycle.
"Max, she's not curing people, she's producing a virus. We need to do something. She's going to kill hundred of people if this escapes."
"I found one here. Listen to this one...
Patient 4x-1 has developed the similar reaction as M. Ambiola and subject L. Callahan. If this is done correctly Patient 4x-1 will die of the virus. Virus appears like a brain aneurysm and is undetectable by physicians."
Helen's eyes are as wide as they can be and she crumples to the floor from the seat and starts shaking and crying. Max pulls out three pictures. One a a young boy, one of a white old man, and one of a young black man in a lab coat. Max flips over the photos and finds the names of the victims. Jeremy Renner, Lawrence Callahan and Mohammad Ambiola. His eyes shoot to Helen, who is in tears and shaking so hard she can barely breathe. He connects the dots. This Mohammad Ambiola was her fiance. His death, wasn't natural, but plotted by Castro. Max sets the photos down and goes to Helen, Luna still full strapped to his chest sleeping.
"Helen, I'm here. Okay. I have you." He rubs his hands up and down her arms and she just can't stop her tears
"She killed him...4 years ago...she killed him because I fired her..." She gasping for air and yet can't find any. Max doesn't know what to do for her. "It's...it's all...mmmy faulllttt."
Stuttering her words, Helen grabs the photo of Mohammad and holds it close to her chest. All the pain in the world is inside her right now and Max can't relieve it.
"It's not your fault, Helen. It's not. She's a sick person, who did this. She's going to pay...for all of it. I promise." He pulls her close and as she's looking over his shoulder, she sees something else worth exploring. Wiping her eyes, she pushes back on Max to release her and goes to a black folder on the floor beneath all the other patient files. Opening it up, she finds photos of herself, eating at a restaurant, in her office, in her bed sleeping. Her eyes widen and then she finds something even more disturbing.
"Valentina,
The plan is going great so far. She doesn't suspect anything. We went to Philly for that concert and after words went back to a hotel room. We had sex in the diner bathroom the next morning and she seems really comfortable with me.
The only problem I for see is the medical director. She's treating him personally and goes to him at his becking call. If you want to hit her hard, he's the next one I would take out. In the mean time, I'll start clearing the way for your arrival. It shouldn't be too hard getting her to let me in even more. I heard the rumors going around that she wants kids. I can dangle some bait for you and get her walls down much quicker than we expected. When the new line of oxy is ready let me know. I'll slip her some in her drink. It'll be seamless.
A. Penthaki"
Helen can't believe she was set up. Anger becomes her and Max can see her boiling over.
"She set me up! She and him were conspiring the whole time!" She stands up and paces the floor "He was in my home! He was in my bed! He had me right there and could've killed me and I wouldn't have suspected a thing! Plus they add your name to it. Plotting against you because you're close to me. Max, I can't do this. I can't have you getting hurt because of me. I don't want you apart of this any more."
"Helen, I'm not going anywhere. I won't leave you. I'm not losing you." Max stands and starts to walk to her. "We're taking all of this and we are stopping this whole thing. We have more than enough proof that she is making a virus for someone and we have proof that she killed Mohammad and all those other poor souls out there. But you're not going to be one of them. I won't let it happen."
He pulls her in close and feels how shaken she is from all of this. He would love to find Akash Penthaki and just kill him. Max has never wanted to harm another person in his life, but today he does. He feels the anger and rage coursing through him like wildfire. He doesn't care if he would go to jail for murder, he would kill anyone who threatens Helen. Over his dead body would someone take her life.
"I gotta call Joe and put a target out on Penthaki and that Wyatt Jackson. I want to know what they're up to as well." He takes out his phone and calls Joe on speaker. "Joe, I'm here with Helen. We just ran across all of Castro's secrets. She's working with Akash Penthaki and Wyatt Jackson. I need you to keep them in your cross hairs as well."
"Absolutely. Hey, while I have you. I found something interesting on Castro. Turns out she's been taking phone calls from Dax Wilson."
"Who's that?" Max asks and Helen looks at him surprised.
"Dax Wilson is on the board of directors for the Dam. He's one of the wealthiest contributors for us." Helen states and Max shakes his head. He understands now.
"Not only that, but Dax Wilson is linked to Mark Hannon. Hannon has his own company that's supposed to work closely with the CDC to produce drugs to heal serious diseases. I did some deeper digging on his company and found that back in 2009, his company was linked to the main outbreak of the Swine Flu. The CDC was curious of this outbreak, but before they could pin it on Hannon's company- Hannon put out a cure for it. Seems to me, that he's using your Castro to not only produce viruses that can travel fast and kill many, but also a follow up cure to make a profit off of what no one would suspect is their epidemic." Max and Helen both agree with Joe and the plot thickens even more.
"So you're telling me that a government assisted facility is putting out viruses and then cures them to make money? How does the CDC not know that?" Max asks and no one really wants to know the answer.
"Because someone at the CDC is also profiting off of this. It wouldn't be the first time a government in the world released a virus to trim down the population. It makes it easier to induce fear and get people buying into their vaccines." Helen states promptly and Joe backs her up.
"She's right. Isn't it a coincidence that in an over run country like Congo, Ebola struck them. Thousands of people died and then it just disappeared. However, they never suspected that it would get out into other populations. So this isn't as uncommon as you think, Max. But the fact that it's being tested on people is the bigger problem here. This woman has already demonstrated that she's using it for untraceable murders. She could put it on the black market for anyone to buy and use against their enemies. It's its own pandemic." The air stinks with murder and corruption. Max can hardly believe that a government would assist in killing thousands of people, yet, there are been far crazier things that have happened.
"Joe, do you think you could figure out who Hannon's contact is at the CDC?" Helen asks politely and Joe seems more than willing.
"Phhhh, of course I can. I'm logged in right now to the database. Hmm, let's see, Mark Hannon's number is often linked to.....phhhh where are you?" As they wait for Joe to find an answer for them, Helen glances at Max, who seems lost in his own head space. She knows he's worrying about so much right now and she can hardly deny she isn't a little lost as well with this whole rabbit hole conspiracy. "Got it! Hannon makes frequent calls to a Sandra Jenkins. 56 and has been with the CDC for over 30 years. She must be his in, but let me get back to you on that."
"Alright, thank you so much." She sweetly says thank you and Joe is tickled pink.
"I like her Max. Smart and a lovely accent. You two have fun and stay safe." Blushing, Helen takes the phone from Max and cancels the call. He comes back to reality and wonders what their next step should be.
"We've just got to get the rest of Joe's information and then we can go to the FBI and file against all of them. This is the biggest case New York is going to be buzzing about. Are you ready for it?"
"I'm ready for a drink, I know that." She notices how quiet he seems all of a sudden. Something that Max rarely is.
"We just have to make it to tomorrow and then we can triage the rest of this...when I buried Mo...I thought it was because he was sick and didn't know. But this...this is beyond a nightmare. Murdered- because of me. That is the worst thing I have ever heard and I don't know what I'm to do. How do I fix this Max? How do I triage this?" She's calm enough to speak, but her body feels so weak and useless.
"You catch her and them. You stop them from continuing this. We have have too. For Mo and the boy and the old man and for Fatima. For every person on that trial. It needs to be stopped. It will be stopped." He holds her hand and squeezes it slightly. It's not the most comforting thing he could have said, but he couldn't think of anything more influencing and grand. She lost her fiance. The person she loved most in this world and it was more or less because of her actions- but how was she to know Castro is fucking psychotic? Max imagines if he was in Helen's shoes and Castro killed Georgia or Helen or Luna- anyone close to him- he wouldn't know how to handle it. He wouldn't know how to not feel guilty, which he knows is how Helen is feeling right now. She's feeling like she killed him herself, but that's not the case.
"I don't want you involved any more, Max. I'm serious and don't try to argue with me. You have a child and are very important to this hospital and her and to everyone else. I'm not going to stand by and watch them hurt you or her. So from here on out, you keep your distance from me and go on living your life." She clarifies this to him and he can't believe she's going to do this.
"Helen, I'm not..." She loses it.
"Go! I don't want to argue. Can you for once fucking just listen to me and follow directions!" She yells and he steps back. Both are surprised the baby hasn't woken up from the loud outburst. Max just stands there, hurt almost, but more or less angry. He's angry that she won't let him be there for her and carry her through this for once. He's angry because she does these stupid things that put her life in danger without even thinking. More or less, he's angry that he can't comfort her this time. He knows why she's doing this, but at the same time, he hates it. They both work better together and if she thinks he's walking away from her this time- she's wrong.
"Helen, do you realize you always do this? Put yourself in the line of fire to protect me. Why can't you ever just let me help you and be there for you?" Being angry, frustrated, and scared- Helen says something she doesn't mean.
"Because I don't need you like you need me. So you might as well go." She didn't want to say it, but she knows he needs to be mad enough to leave her there. He needs to leave and let her dodge the bullets. If she wasn't mean in this moment, he wouldn't leave and he would end up getting hurt because of her. She can't have that: not when she loves him more than life itself.
His eyes cast downward and he shakes his head. He can't believe she just said that. He can't believe she feels that way. They have always needed each other. She have always been by each other's side whether they knew they were needed or not. This stings worse than anything else. Turning around, Max sighs and leaves Castro's office without saying anything to Helen Sharpe. She has broke his heart and he doesn't know if he can fix it. After he's gone, Helen goes back to the black folder and opens it up. Underneath her photos is a bunch of pictures of Max and Luna. Shaking her head, tears form in her eyes. She can't lose them, not to Castro. If he hates her now, then fine. At least he'll be alive and well.
Taking all the files, Helen places them in her jacket and leaves Castro's office, shutting her light off and closing the door behind her. Making her way to her office, Helen can't helo but wonder if she's still being watched. Getting in her office, she locks the door and pulls all the blinds shut before she goes to her printer in her file room and starts making many duplicates of all of Castro's files. She takes pictures of then on her phone and sends every single one of them to Audra Iggy, Lauren, Floyd, and Kapoor with the tagline- do not delete, do not share. Don't talk to anyone! Sitting back down at her desk, she places the original files in a manila envelope and places them behind her book case so no one can see them. Then, she starts filing away all the other copies she's made. She hides at least 15 copies of all the evidence. She hides then in various files of other patients she works with. Is she being overly cautious? Most definitely. Is it smart. Absolutely. Her phone rings and she is hesitant to pick up, but, she does.
"Hello, Dr. Helen Sharpe." She says cautiously.
"This is war, Sharpe. I've tried being nice and I've tried to warn you about crossing me. Now you'll understand what it feels like to burn." Valentina says menacingly and Helen wants to respond so badly, but she doesn't. "This will never leak. You may think you have me pinned, but you don't. I won't see the inside of a jail cell...but you will see the inside of a body bag."
"Fuck you Valentina. You don't scare me." Which is obviously a lie, but Helen won't dwell on it.
"Oh I don't? Hmm, funny, from what I saw this morning- you don't have the balls you pretend you do. Stay in your lane, Sharpe- or get run over." Valentina's warning rings in Helen's ears as the phone disconnects. She is very scared of Valentina and what she can do, but she won't give into her fear. Not when she has loved ones walking around. Her cell phone rings and it's an unknown number. She picks up and listens.
"Hey, Sharpe, this is Joe. Hacked your phone briefly. Sorry. Anyway- got all my digging done- all the files and everything saved to a special kind of drive. We can head into the FBI tomorrow. Have a close buddy who will take this investigation over the top. I may be CIA, but he has higher clearances than I do. Where can I meet you tomorrow?"
"East and 5the Avenue at 8 o'clock. I'll be in a green coat and grey hat." She states and he smiles on his end.
"You wanna tell Max or should I?"
"Don't inform him. I don't want him getting hurt because of me. I said something terrible so he leaves me alone to do this."
"You're brave woman, Helen. Taking on all of this by yourself. Hell, I couldn't even do that and I was in the military for 15 years." She feels so alone in his statement, but maybe that's for the best. "I won't tell him if you answer this question?"
"Of course." She waits promptly, sitting against her chair. "Alright, what's your question?"
"How do you feel about Max? It seems like ya'll are close. What's the deal?" Helen swallows hard. She's never been asked about her feelings for Max before. She doesn't know if she should even answer him. She doesn't know if she can trust him not to tell Max. "Listen, I won't tell him, especially if you don't have feelings for him, don't need him crying like a baby."
"I've never said it out loud before." She pauses and feels her whole body shaking from being nervous. She doesn't owe him any explanation. Hell, she doesn't even know him, but sure enough, she tells a complete stranger how she feels about her boss. "Huh, I have loved Max for a very long time, but I can't tell him, because he has this new friend- a woman, he really likes and I think they'd be better together than Max and I. Besides, he doesn't have those kind of feelings for me. I wouldn't expect him too."
Joe smiles on the other end of the line and pretends like he doesn't hold all the aces.
"Damn, that's rough, boo. Listen, if it comes down to it, I got both ya'lls backs."
"I truly appreciate that."
"And one more thing Helen. Don't ever let anything stand in your way of happiness. Because you should be happy too." He hangs up, leaving her with that little tidbit of wisdom. She wonders why he cares about how she feels for Max. She gets a text message from Lauren Bloom.
Lauren:
Got your email! I'm so sorry
hun! Do you want to come
over and talk about it?
This is some serious shit.
Helen:
I appreciate the offer,
but I don't want anyone else
getting hurt for me. So I
will pass. However, can you
bring me some clothes to work
tomorrow. I won't be going home.
Lauren:
Sure thing!
Anything for my
main bitch!
Helen:
Thank you, Hen!
Helen sets her phone down and sighs deeply. Tomorrow is going to blow the lid off of New York and the Dam. She just hopes she's actually ready for it.