Mr. Lawson's Assistant

Chapter 66

I woke up around three in the morning, still beside David, and woke him to send him off to my bed. He'd been sleeping on the couch for a while now, so I decided to let him sleep in my room for the night.
*
When I woke up the second time, it was only three hours later, and I knew I wasn't going to fall back asleep. I rolled off the couch, stiff and groggy, before I stood and glanced down at myself. I was still wearing my dress, and I was sure my makeup was smeared across my face. I hadn't taken it off last night. Inwardly groaning, I walked into the kitchen and splashed a few handfuls of water on my face. Sighing, I trudged over to my bedroom and managed to make it into the bathroom without waking David. He was snoring soundly, laying on his side with my spare pillow crushed inside his arms. I almost laughed to myself when I saw him and imagined him sleeping with a real person.
Yikes.
Actually, more like ouch.
I corrected myself, shaking my head as I moved around my bed.
As I shut the bathroom door behind me, I winced when I turned on the light, then grimaced when I saw my reflection. With the makeup wipes I found in my drawer, I scrubbed my face free of makeup and slipped out of my dress into a bathrobe. I tied my hair out of my face and into a loose bun behind my head. When the bun wouldn't stay, I braided my hair instead.
Hoping to help myself wake up, I brushed my teeth and splashed more water on my face, but to no avail. I guessed it was lack of sleep or increased stress that was making me feel so slow. Shutting off the light in the bathroom and slipping back out into the living room, I settled back on the couch and turned on the TV. I didn't care which channel I watched, I just wanted to lull myself back to sleep. Sleep was what I needed, but my body refused.
For an hour I listened to the drone of the TV, but my tired eyes insisted on staying open. Too frustrated to sit still and try to sleep after the hour, I stood and did some mild cleaning, tidying up the living room and kitchen. When I ran out of small things to clean, I decided to go clean out my car. Part of me wanted to go for a run, but I didn't want to wake David by going back into my room to change.
So, in my bathrobe and a pair of flip-flops that I found next to the front door, I trudged down to the parking lot. The morning sunshine and misty air improved my mood as I made my way to my car, but I still felt dazed.
It felt good to re-organize my car; shaking out the mats, wiping down the interior and pulling out the stuff that I'd left in the backseat. After my car was relatively clean, I threw the odds and ends that I'd cleaned out of my car into a bag that I'd brought with me, before I started back towards the house.
Today was Saturday which meant that I likely wouldn't be working. I hadn't heard from Greyson or Damon, so I assumed that I wasn't. Instead, I hoped I could spend some time with David. It still made me uncomfortable to think about the discussion we'd had last night. I felt horrible for lying to David. I'd done what I'd needed to do to keep him safe, but I still felt guilty for hiding the truth from him.
I put the few things in the bag away once I'd made it back to my apartment, leaving the things that went into my room just outside the door. As I walked around the kitchen quietly putting the few lunch dishes that I'd left in my car away, I thought about everything that I'd been through in the past few months.
It's over, Oana, calm down.
But I knew that wasn't true.
Sara.
I inhaled and walked towards the living room, suddenly feeling extremely tired. Trying to distract myself from my racing thoughts, I settled back down on the couch. The moment I leaned back against the back of the couch, closing my eyes, I felt a wave of nausea pass over me. Frowning and sitting forward quickly, I winced when my head spun.
Calm down, Oana.
I scolded myself, reaching up to massage my temples.
Inhaling slowly, I closed my eyes, hoping the wave would pass, but it didn't. Instead, a pounding in my head began, and the more I squeezed my eyes shut, the harder it seemed the blood was pumping into my temple. I groaned quietly, suddenly aware of just how sick I felt.
Food poisoning?
I thought, shifting lower on the couch and grimacing when my headache worsened.
"Hey- woah. You look horrible..." Soma's croaky morning voice sounded behind me and I grimaced. 
I heard her footsteps come around to my side of the couch, and seconds later, Soma's cold hand pressed against my forehead.
"No fever..." She clicked her tongue, pulling her hand away and prompting me to open my eyes. Soma was no longer standing in front of me, but I heard her clamoring around in the kitchen. I sighed, leaning forward to try to stand up, but my head swam. To combat the dizziness, I closed my eyes again and slouched over. I felt my chest constrict, and I coughed, suddenly short of breath.
Soma was back in front of me soon enough, waiting until I caught my breath, before forcing a thermometer into my mouth. "Now keep your mouth closed and don't talk!" She ordered, crossing her arms and leaning on one leg. It was amusing to see her serious for once. She'd been like this last time I'd gotten a cold, and she hadn't left me alone for four days afterward.
When the thermometer beeped, Soma pulled it out of my mouth, replacing it with a popsicle. I frowned, pulling the fudgesicle from my mouth.
"Where did you get this?" I asked, staring at Soma skeptically.
She was doing the same for the thermometer.
Soma waved her hand dismissively. "In my room..."
I blanched. "Where?"
Soma glanced at me, rolling her eyes as she put the thermometer back into it's case. "I have a mini freezer in my room. It's where I hide all my unhealthy food so you don't throw it out."
"I wouldn't throw out your food..." I said half-heartedly, closing my eyes again.
"You totally would," She snorted, padding back into the kitchen.
I sucked on the popscicle for a few minutes, wishing I could enjoy the chocolate, but feeling as though I was sucking on cold nothingness.
"Soma..." I sighed, moving to stand up, but my roommate was in front of me almost immediately. "I can't finish it." I handed her the remnats of the popsicle and she frowned.
"I think we should take you to a doctor's office." She tossed her black hair back over her shoulders, giving me a concerned once-over. "You're pale and you have no appetite-"
I managed a smile. "And nausous."
Soma's frown deepened. "I'm gonna call in to the medical clinic-"
"No, don't. I'm fine, just a little stressed and tired." I shook my head, quickly regretting it when my head spun. 
Soma wasn't even listening. She was half-way done dialing the office before I could say 'stop' again.
"Hi, yes, my friend is..." Soma's voice trailed off as she walked into her room and closed the door. I sighed, closing my eyes and wishing the pounding in my head would stop.
A few minutes later, just before I drifted off to sleep, I heard my phone ringing. Groaning, I opened my eyes and rolled over to grab my phone off the table. It was Amy.
Since when did I have her as a contact?
I thought with a frown, shaking my head and closing my eyes as I lifted the phone to my ear.
"Hello?"
"Hey, Oana! This is Amy! I was just calling in to see what days you're planning on working this coming week?" She said, a faint rustling in the background closing out her sentence. "Our scheduling system is down for maintenance..." Amy continued, her voice distant on the other line. 
I squeezed my eyes shut and tried to think of what I had planned this week, but my brain wouldn't focus. Amy stopped mid-sentence to ask if I was still on the line.
"I'm here... uhm... Amy, can I call you back later?" I blinked hard, trying to focus on the words that I was saying. The headache was making it hard to keep my train of thought.
Amy sounded a little taken aback, but she quickly agreed, her cheery voice echoing loudly over the line. I hung up before she even said goodbye. Grimacing, I dropped my phone on my legs and slouched back on the couch, closing my eyes.
*
Damon's POV.
*
As I set the desk phone back on it's holder on Oana's desk, I scribbled down a note for Greyson about the meeting with Kroger that he had tomorrow. Letting out a slow breath, I glanced over to the picture of David that Oana had set out on her desk and wondered how their conversation had gone last night. I hadn't heard a word from her since the phone call last night, and I'd not been able to think about much else. On the phone she had sounded exhausted, and I had a feeling that the thought of contacting Sara hadn't helped. She'd been through a lot in the past few months.
I reached down and grabbed my phone out of the top drawer of Oana's desk, opening the dial pad to call her. But I stopped midway through typing out her phone number. Again.
I slowly set my phone down and ran a restless hand through my hair. This was my third failed attempt to call her this morning. I'd already contacted Sara, and, so far, I'd gotten no response- but that wasn't why I wanted to talk to Oana.
It bothered me how she'd sounded on the phone last night. I knew she and David had probably had it out, but it was hard to imagine that they would stay upset with each other for long.
Groaning quietly, I stood and grabbed my phone, tapping the power button on the computer as I moved around the desk. I didn't knock as I walked back into Greyson's office.
My brother was sitting at his desk, studying a piece of paper that must have been some sort of contract, but when I let the door fall closed heavily behind me, he glanced up at me. I moved across the room and dropped the notes I'd just scribbled down on his desk, turning to leave.
"Damon," Greyson said, having me pause to glance over my shoulder at him. "What is it?" He sounded calm and collected, like always. I shrugged off his concern. "Has Sara responded?" He continued, seeing that I had no intention of answering his previous question.
"No."
Greyson raised his eyebrows.
I clenched my jaw, before I turned back and pulled out one of the chairs that were set up in front of his desk.
"Oana-"
I was cut off when a knock sounded on Greyson's office door.
He set down the paper he was holding and called for the visitor to come in.
"Mr. Lawson- Oh, I didn't realize you two were in a meeting! I can come back later-" Amy stepped into the office with a notebook, looking flustered.
Greyson shook his head slightly. "It's not a problem. What did you need?"
"I've been rescheduling everyone who's working this week, but I can't seem to find Malia Jenkins email or phone number anywhere. She works on floor..." Amy trailed off, glancing down at the notebook she was holding.
"Nine." Greyson supplied, reaching for his phone.
Amy paused and looked up at me first, then to Greyson in surprise. "Yes, floor nine."
Greyson must've pulled up her contact in his phone quickly, because he recited both Malia's phone number and email to Amy almost immediately. Amy, jotted down the information, something short of a smile on her lips, before she raised her head and nodded to us.
"Thank you. I'll leave you to it." She started to leave, before she seemed to have a second thought. "Mr. Damon?" She asked, turning back to face me.
I raised my eyebrows and lifted my chin.
"Have you spoken to Oana recently?" She asked, her expression dimming with concern.
My chest tightened.
"Not since last night." I didn't have to add the "why?".
Amy waved her hand dismissively. "Oh, I just spoke to her and she seemed very...out of it." Amy's eyebrows drew together as she thought about her choice of wording. "I just wondered if you might know why- It isn't a big deal or anything, I just thought she seemed a bit short is all." She sighed, flashing us a smile as she turned and left. When the door closed behind her, I stood. Greyson watched me without a word as I dialed Oana's number and allowed it to ring. She didn't answer.
"We'll talk later." Greyson said, seeing my face as I dropped my phone into my pocket. I nodded and strode across the room to the door. Oana's apartment was only ten minutes from here.