บท 34: Returning the Favor With Gratitude (2)
When Samantha stepped out of the shower, only covered with a huge towel, she found Adrienne and Myrtle waiting in the small living area. Adrienne gestured for her to sit beside her, to which she easily complied. She flinched when Adrienne suddenly held her bare arm and took a good look at it.
She was ashamed to show them the faded scars and new bruises on her body, but Samantha knew it was pointless to hide it from them since they had already seen what her classmates did to her. There were cigarette burns on her arms that had just healed. Some still visible scratches came from the sharp pins her classmates used on her skin.
Samantha saw Adrienne's eyes darken before hearing her say, "I should have beaten them more if I knew the extent of your injuries. I'll make them pay for doing this to you."
Samantha was moved and couldn't stop herself from shedding tears again. Her eyes were already swollen from crying, but she didn't care to hide her tears anymore.
Her mother abandoned her and rarely came home. If she did, she was always intoxicated with alcohol, and always gave her a beating. Her teachers didn't care about her and when she told her homeschool teacher that her classmates were bullying her, the teacher just shrugged her off. She thought there wouldn't be anyone to help her, to save her from this misery.
Adrienne and Myrtle didn't tell her to stop crying. She expected them to look at her with pity, but there was none. Instead, Samantha could see the cold rage simmering in Adrienne's eyes, while Myrtle had a thoughtful expression.
She allowed Myrtle to clean her visible wounds and applied ointment on her bruises while Adrienne stepped into the kitchen and made a phone call in hush tones. Samantha wasn't sure why Adrienne saved her earlier, but it seemed like Adrienne was involved with the Qin family.
The Qin family…
Samantha had only met her father once and she didn't like him. She also didn't like how desperate her mother was to convince her father to take her into the Qin family. She never cared for him, hence, when she heard the news of his accident and death, Samantha didn't even shed a tear for him while her mother was wallowing.
Samantha was worried that Adrienne would get in trouble because of her, so when Adrienne returned and joined them again, she apologized to her.
Adrienne looked at her, before shaking her head. She raised a hand and wiped Samantha's tears with her thumb. She touched her with such gentleness Samantha had never received from anyone, not even from her mother.
"You shouldn't apologize for someone else's actions. It's not your fault. It was them who invited trouble to themselves. As for why I helped you just now, it's because I made a deal with your brother, Lennox Qin. He wants me to retrieve you and make your mother give up your custody to him. However, even if I didn't make a deal with your brother and you're not Samantha Qin, I would still help you."
Adrienne then informed her that a doctor was coming to check on her. Samantha felt uncomfortable, but seeing that Adrienne and Myrtle were both willing to help her, she conceded. Myrtle allowed her to borrow some of her clothes because Samantha's uniform was too dirty to be used again.
Half an hour later, a lady doctor knocked on Myrtle's door and introduced herself as Dr. Ye. Dr. Ye frowned upon seeing Samantha's injuries but didn't comment on it. She then proceeded to photograph some of her injuries with her consent and gave her some medicines to help her recover faster.
Samantha watched as the doctor privately talked with Adrienne before leaving. She wondered what was spoken between the two but didn't dare to ask Adrienne. Once the doctor left, Samantha sat with Adrienne and Myrtle at the dining table, with several dishes in front of her. Myrtle had been cooking in the kitchen while Samantha was being checked by Dr. Ye.
"Sorry, I haven't done my weekly shopping yet. These are the only things left in my fridge." Myrtle said, but it was already a feast in Samantha's eyes. Tears started to run down her cheeks again.
Her tears caught both Myrtle and Adrienne off guard. None of them expected that Samantha would suddenly cry.
"What's wrong, Sam? Is it alright for us to call you Sam? Are you in pain?" Myrtle asked with a hint of panic in her voice, while Adrienne was already considering calling Dr. Ye back. Perhaps the doctor missed something during the examination earlier.
"N-no…." Samantha continued to sob. "It's just… It's been a long time since I had a complete meal and have someone to share it with."
They were stunned hearing her words. Myrtle recovered from her shock and patted Samantha's shoulder.
"Then from now on, you can drop by anytime and have a meal with your Sis Myrtle and Sis Addie. You don't need to sleep through the night if you are hungry. Just find me at the coffee shop where I work and accompany me for dinner. You're not the only one who eats alone, you know." She said, trying to lighten up the mood around them.
Adrienne nodded, but didn't say a word. They started to eat dinner with Myrtle occasionally putting meats and vegetables into Adrienne and Samantha's bowls.
"You two are still growing up." She reasoned out. "Addie, I didn't know when you started training again but eating more meat would help you build some muscle."
She then turned to Samantha. "Little Sister, you should also eat more too. Even if my cooking isn't to your liking, you should finish what's in your bowl. Don't waste even a single grain!"
For the first time in years, Samantha Qin cracked a genuine smile. The warmth of having someone to rely on and the feeling of being cared for filled her heart.
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