Just Between Us

106

Stefani's pov

"How's your head?" Lillian got acquainted.

"It's fine. Earlier today, something big came across my mind while talking about Cammery," I was turning pictures of the documents provided and sending them as pdfs to Lana.

"What happened with Carter?" Lillian grew curious.

Lana: thank you so much. You'll get the results back in a moment. 🙏🏽❤️

Me: that's literally a stack of papers but ok, do you.

Damn woman hearted the message and I was clearly sarcastic.

Combination of workaholic and alcoholic... I need her to rest. The more I talk about Lana's situation, the more I realize why she turned to drinking so much... she's a scientist, I know she knows alcohol is a slow death.

I reached for Lillian's hand and gave it a gentle squeeze as her eyes slightly widened, "one more phone call and I am all yours," I felt guilty.

"Yes ma'am?" Lana answered with no time to waste.

Lillian nodded with a worried look sitting back in her seat.

"Lana, this is your last assignment from me under my instruction. I know in public view, you work under my father's command but it was his final command to you that you'd be under my wing as my first and personal employee on my eighteenth birthday..." I started and I could hear Lillian gasp.

"You've been a great mentor and friend. Never once did it occur to me that I'd be in the position to be the same for you. As your friend, take the extra two week vacation in January. I will pay for your therapy sessions. I will pay for whatever expenses that go towards your healing. Hell, if you want to be out for two months, I will cover every expense. Go reach out to Carter," I heard Lana sobbing over the phone.

"Maybe I didn't word it correctly but I have always enjoyed working for you," she sniffled and my eyes were stinging.

"You fucking idiot, I'm not firing you. I'm forcing you to go take time for yourself. This is what it's going to take because I care about you... I want weekly updates with a max of two quality conversations from you," I tried to keep myself together.

But deep down, I know this is far more serious than what it looks like. I knew she was a drinker. She's worked under me for a year now and it's become crystal clear she drinks the heaviest towards the end of the year because although she has a family to come home to, she knows her first born child will never get to experience her embrace.. thanksgiving, Christmas, it's to wonder why she's been constantly drinking.. she won't come back until she's well rounded again.

"Y-yes ma'am. But what of our personal agenda?" Lana's voice cracked and it was a sharp pang.

"I will figure it out when we get to it. But right now, proper care for you is my top priority. It's not your job to worry about that, your job is to take a break and come back at your best. Don't you dare show up on the first of the month on Monday, security will escort you out," I made it clear.

"Y-yes ma'am... before I'm dismissed... I just wanna say- I've always look at you as a great leader. But today, on Christmas Day.. Stefani, you've become family. You'd be a great family woman," she made my hand clench into a ball at her words..

"Go tend to yours, dismissed," I choked in my own fears.

"Merry Christmas Ms. Edwards," Lana hung up...

"You know, she's not wrong," Lillian broke the silence.

"How can I be a family person and I never grew up in a functioning one?" I scoffed and stared out into the snowy parking lot.