Chapter 16
16
AMELIA
I was up at the crack of dawn.
At first, I was completely disorientated.
Where the hell was I?
Then I remembered the night before.
The storm, the wine, the conversation.
And the kiss. That damn moment in the lab.
I couldn’t stop thinking about it, about him, and it was driving me insane.
Even though nothing happened last night, I was still feeling ashamed.
I didn’t want to see him as I snuck out.
I wanted to make a grand escape and hopefully not have to look him in the eyes for a few days.
I was not embarrassed that I was terrified in the storm last night.
But I wasn’t not embarrassed.
I crept through the house, careful not to make a sound.
Jared’s bedroom door was still closed.
My heart was pounding as I tiptoed downstairs, my bare feet silent on the polished wood floors.
I found my clothes in the dryer and quickly changed out of the borrowed shirt and sweats.
I didn’t dare toss the clothes into the washer.
I was certain he had a way of doing things, and I didn’t want to mess with that.
I slipped out the front door.
The humid air hit me like a slap.
The storm had passed, leaving the world feeling heavy and very wet.
I started the walk back to campus.
It was only a quarter mile along the beach, but it felt like an eternity.
I noticed the beach was littered with driftwood and seaweed, more evidence of the storm’s wrath.
I felt like I was on a walk of shame, even though nothing had happened.
I was so lost in thought that I didn’t notice Clair until she was right in front of me.
She was out for her morning run, her hair pulled back in a ponytail, her face flushed with exertion.
She stopped when she saw me, her eyes widening in surprise.
“Amelia?” she said, her voice tinged with disbelief.
“What are you doing out here so early?”
I froze, my mind scrambling for an excuse.
“Uh, just… um, taking a walk. Clearing my head.”
Clair raised an eyebrow, her expression skeptical.
“A walk? In your pajamas? At dawn? Coming from Jared’s house?”
I looked down at myself, realizing too late I was wearing my pajamas.
My cheeks burned. I knew there was no way to talk my way out of this.
“Okay, fine. I was there. But it’s not what you think!”
Clair’s eyes widened, and she let out a squeal of excitement.
“Oh my God, Amelia! Tell me everything!”
I groaned, shaking my head.
“Nothing happened, Clair. I swear it wasn’t like that. The power went out at my place, and I got scared, so I went to the lab. Jared found me there and insisted I stay at his house. That’s it.”
Clair crossed her arms, her expression skeptical.
“That’s it? You expect me to believe that?”
“Yes, because it’s the truth.”
“Amelia, I have eyeballs. You two have the hots for each other. The chemistry between you absolutely sizzles.”
I sighed, knowing there was no way to avoid this.
“Okay, fine. We… kissed. Once. In the lab. But it was a mistake, and it’s not going to happen again. Last night was innocent. He took pity on me. I’ve never been in a storm quite like that and I’ll admit I was a little nervous. I was going to stay the night in the lab. It was far quieter, but he insisted I go to his house.”
Clair’s eyes lit up, and she grabbed my arm, pulling me toward the residential area.
“Oh, no. You’re not getting off that easy. You’re coming back to my place, and you’re telling me everything.”
I tried to protest, but Clair was relentless.
She dragged me back to her condo.
My phone was ringing off the hook in my purse, but I ignored it, too focused on trying to convince Clair that nothing had happened.
She wasn’t buying it.
“Come on, Amelia,” she said, plopping down on the couch.
“Spill. What’s he like? Is he as intense at home as he is at work? I’ve always wondered what the pull was. I mean, I know he’s attractive, but I have never felt like I wanted to kiss him. He’s like a big brother.”
I groaned, running a hand over my hair that was completely rebelling in the humidity.
“Clair, I’m serious. Nothing happened. It was just… a moment. A stupid moment.”
Clair rolled her eyes, clearly not convinced.
“Uh-huh. Sure. And I’m the Queen of England.”
My phone rang again.
Clair reached for my phone before I could stop her.
Her eyes lighting up with a silly grin.
“It’s Jared! He’s calling to profess his undying love!”
“Stop,” I groaned.
I lunged for the phone, but Clair held it out of reach, answering it with a grin.
“Hello, Dr. Welch. What can I do for you?”
I froze, my heart pounding as I listened to Clair’s side of the conversation.
Her expression shifted from playful to serious.
She handed me the phone without a word.
“It’s not Jared,” she said, her voice soft.
“It’s someone else.”
I took the phone.
“Hello?”
“Is this Dr. Amelia Pritchard?”
“Yes,” I said, my stomach twisting into knots.
“This is Nurse Collins from the Miami Memory Care Facility. I’m calling about your mother.”
I felt like the floor had dropped out from under me.
“Is she okay?”
“She’s stable,” the nurse said, her tone reassuring.
“But she’s been having a rough few days. She’s been… agitated. We thought you should know.”
I closed my eyes, my chest tight.
“Thank you. I’ll be there as soon as I can.”
I hung up the phone.
Clair was watching me, her expression filled with concern.
“Amelia? What’s wrong?”
“It’s my mom. She’s not doing well.”
“Your mom? I didn’t know she was ill. I mean, you’ve never mentioned her.”
I took a deep breath.
I didn’t talk about her.
I didn’t talk about myself.
“She’s in a long-term care facility in Miami. Advanced memory care. She… she doesn’t remember me anymore. Most of the time.”
Clair’s eyes widened, and she reached for my hand.
“Amelia, I’m so sorry. I had no idea.”
I shook my head, my throat tight.
“It’s okay. I don’t talk about it much. Moving her to the States, to Florida, was my only option. The facility is amazing. I had to fly her here and I’m not sure it was the right move. I can’t say it made things worse, but it certainly didn’t make things better. But sometimes… sometimes I feel so selfish. Like I chose my career over her.”
Clair squeezed my hand, her expression sympathetic.
“You didn’t choose your career over her, Amelia. You did what you had to do. You’re taking care of her the best way you can.”
I nodded, but the guilt was still there, gnawing at me.
“I don’t know if I’m going to be able to keep her there.”
“Why?” she asked.
“The facility is expensive. Even with the insurance from Welch Labs, it’s barely enough. I’m trying to get the better insurance option, but even then it’s not going to be enough.”
Clair was quiet for a moment, her brow furrowed in thought.
“Why don’t you move her here? We have state-of-the-art healthcare, and there are people who could care for her. It would be closer, and you could see her more often.”
I shook my head.
“I can’t. I don’t want Jared to know. I don’t want to be a burden.”
“I get it. But you’re not a burden, Amelia. You’re doing the best you can.”
I didn’t know why I was telling Clair all of this.
Maybe it was because I was tired.
Maybe it was because I’d been carrying this burden alone for so long that it felt good to finally share it with someone.
“My mother has been steadily declining for years,” I said.
“She started showing signs of early-onset dementia. That’s why I do what I do. That’s why I’m so passionate about my research. I want to understand what happens to the brain after trauma. I want to find ways to repair it, to prevent the kind of cognitive decline my mum experienced. I know it’s too late for her, but maybe I can help others.”
Clair looked at me with a newfound understanding in her eyes.
“So that’s why you’re so driven. Why you’re always in the lab. It’s not just about the science.”
I shook my head, feeling suddenly vulnerable.
“No. It’s personal. It always has been.”
“What about your research? Could it help her?” Clair asked.
I laughed bitterly. “That’s the irony, isn’t it? I’m researching ways to repair neural pathways after trauma, but it’s too late for her. The damage is too extensive, and the dementia has compounded everything. I’m not going to find a cure in time to save my own mother.”
“I’m so sorry,” she said.
“Thank you.” I smiled.
“I guess I just hope I can save another family. But now you know. I’m counting on you to keep my secrets, please.”
“Of course.”
“Now, I’m going home to shower and change. I think I might actually do laundry today.”
She laughed.
“As long as you don’t go to the lab. Take the day off.”
The sun was bright when I stepped out of Clair’s condo.
It felt like the temperature jumped a good twenty degrees.
I shielded my eyes with my hand, squinting against the glare, and walked next door to my place.
I fumbled with my keys at the door, the metal warm from the sun, and finally let myself inside.
The cool blast of air-conditioning hit me instantly, a welcome relief from the oppressive heat outside.
I kicked off my shoes by the door.
I felt a little guilty for running the AC all the time, but it was a necessity.
It was going to take me a while to get used to the heat.
The shower was calling my name.
I stripped off my pajamas and stood under the spray for what felt like forever, letting the water rinse away the tension in my shoulders and the guilt that clung to me like a second skin.
I changed into a pair of soft cotton shorts and an oversized T-shirt.
I planned on spending the weekend cleaning and catching up on some sleep.
It felt like it had been ages since I actually slept more than eight hours consecutively.
The weekend passed in a blur.
I spent most of it sleeping, trying to recover from the emotional toll of the week.
By Monday, I felt more like myself, refreshed and ready to face the lab again.
But when Jared waltzed in, slamming a piece of paper on my workstation, I didn’t flinch.
I didn’t clam up. I just looked at him, my expression calm.
“Can I help you?” I asked calmly.
He smirked. “Pack your bags, Dr. Pritchard. We’re going to Miami.”
I blinked.
“What? Why?”
“There’s a conference,” he said.
“The brightest minds in research and medicine. It’ll be right up your alley.”
I frowned, my mind racing.
“Who else is going?”
He didn’t answer, just turned and walked away, leaving me staring after him.
I wanted to be irritated by his presumption I’d just go.
Then again, he was the boss and if he said I needed to go, I need to go.
But the man could truly use some manners.