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She quickly turned around, but her normally bright and cheery face was one of distress. Her cheeks were red, and so were her eyes. Her eyelashes were damp, her eyes a little swollen. She looked like she’d been crying.
I immediately rushed to her side.
“What’s wrong, darling?” I wrapped my arms around her waist and pulled her close to me so I could cradle her petite body in my arms.
Carmela rested her head on my chest and sighed. The sound of her breath releasing was one of fatigue and sadness.
I stroked her hair. “Tell me what happened,” I whispered when she didn’t immediately elaborate on what had her so upset.
Carmela shook her head and put her head down. She stared at the robot parts that were spread out across the table.
“Carmela?” I whispered soothingly. I began to stroke her back to comfort her and make her feel safe. “I can’t help you if you don’t tell me what’s wrong.”
Carmela’s eyes became red again and pooled with tears. Her somber sigh devastated me. I gave her a moment to compose herself, and little by little, she gradually began to walk me through the problem.
“I don’t want to feel like I’m ‘tattling’ on Amada,” Carmela began. She still wouldn’t look at me, but at least she was talking. “I should be able to handle these issues on my own. I mean… Ididstick up for myself, but it never seems to be enough.”
“What do you mean?”
Carmela released another exhausted sigh that made my heart break for her. She seemed like she was enduring a vicious emotional battle within herself and that it was taking her an extreme effort to keep herself composed. I wanted nothing more than to help her through her struggle.
“I had a terrible encounter with her earlier.”
“Where? What happened?”
Carmela swallowed hard and stared at her lab table. “I… was in the communal lavatory.”
“Okay…”
“I was… using it… when Amada came in.”
I stiffened. “Did she violate your privacy?”
Carmela slowly raised her head and met my gaze. She licked her lips and nodded. A single tear slowly rolled down her cheek. She hastily brushed it away with the back of her hand and she sniffled softly.
“What did she do?” Anger boiled inside me.
Carmela grimaced and shook her head. “It doesn’t matter. It’s done now. I survived it. I’m a survivor, just like everyone else.”
“Itdoesmatter,” I argued. “Tell me what she did to you.”
“She… confronted me. While I was using the bathroom.” Carmela looked so uncomfortable that part of me told myself to just let it go. "She was so patronizing. She seemed to take delight in the fact that she was making me so uncomfortable.”
If she didn’t want to talk about it, then that was fine. However, theotherside of me wanted to know exactly what Amada did so I could exercise revenge.
But then I realized that it wasn’t my responsibility to extract that revenge unless Carmela was comfortable with it. Yet somehow, I knew that I would probably have to take matters into my own hands anyway.
“I’m so sorry, darling.” I wanted to be there for her and show her that I supported her no matter what. I continued rubbing her back comfortingly.
“It’s okay.” Carmela tightened her jaw and stared straight ahead with a stony look on her face as if she knew she had no choice but to be as strong as possible. Navigating these challenges were difficult for her, but she never complained.
“No, it’s not. I’m not going to let Amada continue to get away with this.”
Carmela searched my face. Her eyes had a reflection of worry flickering inside them. "What are you going to do?”
I took a deep breath. “I will handle it.”
Carmela nodded stoically but she didn’t say anything to protest otherwise. That was the green light I needed.
