Page 145 of Nocere

"No, Sami. But Alice knows I'm worried about you and it upset her a little."

"I don't want you to tell anyone." Sam covered her face briefly before dropping her hands.

"I won't. I promised you that." Stella gripped Sam's hand. "Now answer me for real. Are you okay?"

"I don't know. I'm overwhelmed." In Stella's presence, Sam presented somewhat frozen, but she draped her arm around me. "So is Rosie."

"Ainsley told me about the parole hearing. Do you know the outcome yet?" Stella met my gaze and I shook my head.

"Not yet. Sometime this week," I said, and the dread of it pitted in my stomach. I'd managed to distract myself from thinking about it until then.

"We also found out that Rosie's psychiatrist is dating the first woman I ever slept with who is also my friend. So there's that," said Sam.

"Marita?" Stella's brows lifted as she glanced between us. "Well, looks like Jordan has a few chart amendments to make."

I smirked and nodded. "Except Anita will probably not see me anymore. It's a conflict of interest. And I don't want a different doctor."

Both of us kind of spilled our guts to Stella as if she were our own personal three-in-the-morning sounding board. It seemed to quell her worry though.

"Do you feel like it's a conflict?" asked Stella, glancing between us.

"No. She's been my doctor forever. Just because we now know about something doesn't change anything. It was already happening beforehand."

"Tell her that, Rosie. It's important to tell her how you honestly feel."

"I will." I leaned my head on Sam's shoulder and she hugged me, her chin atop my head. Stella drew her gaze back to Sam.

"You two look totally drained. Get some sleep and we'll talk when it's light out. Okay?" Stella gave both of our legs a pat before standing. We both nodded and watched as she headed to the door.

"Stell," called Sam. When she turned back around, Sam said, "You can tell Alice."

Stella's brow furrowed. "What changed your mind?"

"If she knows you're keeping something from her, it'll put a strain on you two. I don't want that." Samirah glanced to me then repeated Anita's phrase, "Primum non nocere."

Stella's smile made it to her eyes and she blew us a kiss. "Night, ladies."

"Night."

***

The week began as it always did. Monday dragged us down, Tuesday beat us up, and Wednesday offered hope. Sam worked her regular shifts, and I resumed my standard nine-to-five. I returned back to my apartment each night, as Sam's twelve-hour shifts kept us apart, though we made sure to text.

Ainsley and I met Jordan for lunch on Wednesday at the pizzeria across the street from our work and she brought Alex along as a surprise.

"I wish you would've let me go with you," said Alex after I told them about the parole hearing. "But I'm glad Samirah went with you and Rebecca."

"I'm sorry, Alex. I just...I didn't want you seeing that after everything you've been through." I set my pizza crust down on my plate.

"Stop trying to protect me and let me be your friend." Alex stole the food right off my plate and tore off a bite. "Let all of us be. You never do."

"Okay." I scowled and helped myself to another slice. "I get it."

"I have to say, Rosie, your cheeks are pinker than usual." Jordan grinned and wagged her brows at me. "Both sets."

Ainsley's eyes widened with the snicker she attempted to hide behind her glass of soda. Alex's perplexed expression didn't match the others. "What is she talking about?" she asked me.

"Oh nothing." Jordan swiped a mozzarella stick from the dish beside me. "Just some salon gossip that you missed, Alex."

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