Page 67 of Fighting Conviction
“Mhm, mhm… sleeping?”
“Yep.”
“Eating?”
“Yep, yep, yep, and going to class, and training, and studying. All the good things.”
“That’s great, girl! I’m proud of you.”
Ellie shimmied her shoulders with excitement before bringing her phone back to her ear. “So I can come back full time?”
“Hmm… what? Oh, no way.”
“Ugh, come on, Nora. I need to get back in there.”
The pixie on the other line chuckled. “The fact you think I have any say over this is effin’ hilarious. Your brother and Devil are calling the shots. Apparently, I’m the damn messenger.”
Ellie groaned again, louder to match Nora’s growing laughter. “Okay, fine. But who went last night? I checked the email this morning before class and there was a confirmation from the SANE nurse at the ER that a kit was sent off to the Ashland County Sheriff’s Office lab?”
A sigh resonated on the other end, and when Nora spoke again, she’d sobered for the topic. “Yeah… Naomi actually went to the hospital and spoke with the sexual assault nurse and helped explain the rape kit and process to the survivor. She’s got a, um, history with the woman, so she took the reins. She’s been pretty godsdamned invaluable here.”
Ellie sighed. She was glad Naomi was having a bigger role in the clinic, especially considering how her relationship with Sasha Saves started on such a tumultuous note. But Ellie still couldn’t help feeling like she was doing the survivors a disservice by not being there for them when they needed her.
“I feel… I don’t know. I feel useless when I can’t be there.”
Noratskedon the other end. “Ya gotta let it go, babe. I get it. Trust me. I don’t get exactly what you’re going through, but I’m pretty sure I get the gist. Every moment I’m not doing something for the clinic or sitting at the hospital beside the comatose man who saved my life? I’m fighting with the part of me that screams I’m being lazy or I’m failing them. Those are my own issues, but for you? Taking care of you, going to school… Hades, girl just being a frickin’ college kid… That’s your job right now, ‘kay?”
“I know, I just—”
“Bup-bup-bup. Brace yourself for some harsh words comin’ at ya, sister. I’m sure Little Miss Barbie and that redheaded devil of yours don’t want to be picking up pretty little Ellie pieces from the floor anymore, capeesh? Does that help put it in perspective? When you weren’t taking care of yourself and only worrying about others, you made it so others had to worry aboutyou.”
Ellie paused, her mouth open. She hated to admit it, but it made sense. Nora was always down for the tough talks and sometimes when they burrowed under Ellie’s skin, Ellie dug her heels in right back to withstand the truths. But this one…
“I-I never thought of it that way…”
“I know. We love ya, girl. It’s time for you to join the party.”
Ellie nodded as if Nora could see her on the other line.
“Listen.” Nora coughed on the other end and whispered into the receiver. “I gotta go. I’m about to have lunch with Matt.”
“Matt? Draco’s nurse from the hospital?”
“Yup.” The word came out slow and popped at the end.
“Bowchica—”
“Abso-effin’-lutely not, little girl. He’s just a friend.”
Ellie snorted. Nora commenting on anyone’s size was hilarious considering she wasn’t much bigger than Tinker Bell.
“Well lunch sounds… nice? It’s always good to have friends, I guess,” Ellie offered, only to have Nora grunt on the other end.
Ellie looked at the watch she’d been patiently attending to the past hour and a half and hopped off the stool. She’d be fifteen minutes early, but since Dev had BlackStone business to take care of before her classes, she’d had to wait all day to find out whatever “special training” he’d planned that night.
The last ‘special’training they’d had a month and a half ago, he’d given her the best orgasm of her life while he held her up on his shoulders. It was too bad she’d kneed him in the balls so hard she couldn’t reciprocate, but since then, she couldn’t get the thought of returning the favor out of her head.
“Yeah, yeah, friends are great. Gotta go, babe.” Nora already sounded distracted.
