Lena held the palms of both her hands over her forehead, trying to grasp all that had been transpiring. She did not like how Stef perceived her decision to forgive Carrie as some motive to hide romances that never occurred. She had honestly thought Stef thought more highly of her.
"Stef, I don't know why you have it in your head that something happened between Carrie and me," She paused, shaking her head from one direction to the other. "But I will not have this conversation with you at work."
The woman began to walk away, but turned herself around and faced the blonde once more.
"Here," She said, handing the other woman a few twenty dollar bills.
"What-what's this for?" Stef was confused, not understanding why cash was placed into her hands. She then folded up the money, placing it into the pockets of her clothing.
"A taxi," the mentor said back, beginning to walk away again. "If you're not going to be apart of group, then I have no choice but to send you home." She watched as the woman's face held a gasping mouth. "Get there safely, please."
Stef breathed heavily, seeing the other woman walk back into the direction she had came from. Truthfully, she wanted to follow behind her to continue the conversation they had started. She just couldn't get her mind at ease. If Carrie and Lena had shared something long ago, it surely were to devastate Stef.
Heading for her office, Lena passed through the cafe and the library just as she had done before reaching Stef. She couldn't help but to grow a bit emotional watching the women of the group home interact with their family and friends, being as it was the fifth and final day of Family Week. They were to say their goodbyes, and it would hurt them inevitably.
Growing closer to where her destination rested, the woman had finally made it down the hallway of which her private workspace was stationed.
Spotting a random physique standing near her office's door, Lena squinted a bit trying to make out whom they were. She had no set appointments, which meant she had no expected visitors. Who was this person?
"Candace?" The mentor called out, approaching the now familiar soul. She held a face of uncertainty, astonished to have seen who stood before her. "What're you—what're you doing here?" It had been a couple of months since the two women had ran into each other at a nearing dollar store, where they made peace. It was definitely a surprise to have them face to face again.
"Well," Candace began, holding an uneasy smile within her lips. "Hello to you too, Lena." She eyed the woman from head to toe, in disbelief that she had not received a proper greeting.
"Uh, I am so sorry," Lena apologized, opening the door to her office. She led both herself and her ex-lover inside, still taken aback by her sudden appearance. "How-how are you? How are things?"
Candace took a seat upon one of the chairs that stood before the other woman's desk, allowing her pupils to roam around. It surely had been quite a while since the last time she gave her presence to such place. "I'm alright, hanging in there. Are you okay?"
"Trying to be," The mentor sighed, her eyes falling to the floor beneath her. Recollections of moments she wished she could forget had stumbled upon her mind. She thought about Yara, Carrie, the vandalism done to her vehicle. It was all too much to maintain at once. "A lot of craziness has been going on around here lately."
The other woman breathed deeply, putting forth another faint smile. "Speaking of craziness, that is actually the reason why I am here." She then pulled her cellular device from the clothing she wore, then held it within the air above her. "I got a very interesting phone call from Carrie."
"What?" Lena was flabbergasted, shaken even. What could Carrie have possibly wanted with Candace? "Why would she—what did she say?" She eyed her ex-lover closely, anxiously desiring a response.
