Time continues to make new standards. Steven enjoys driving Viola around. He likes hanging out with her. Talking while they cook together. He’s very happy they are so casual and secretly hoping to hug her instead of cradling her when she collapses. He rocks in his office chair daydreaming about it, ‘She didn’t seem to mind me kissing her on the cheek. She seemed into the idea on my birthday.’ He leans back onto his desk, “But what’s with that girlfriend explanation? Maybe she isn’t actually that comfortable with me. Perhaps I should follow her lead,’ he thinks as he flips through different websites.

It is only a couple of days till she pushes herself to exhaustion again during training. This time though she admits to getting a bit of nausea and being very tired recently. “Come on, you can rest in the office,” Steven offers before helping her off the bench. She wraps an arm around him as they walk towards the office.

“Man, did you knock her up on birthday? That’s what took you so long!” one of the guys tease as they walk by causing Steven to glare.

Viola plops down on the couch barely in enough time to hold her head. He pulls an ice pack out of his fridge and his coat. He covers her up, “Rest. I’ll check in on you.” He leaves the office.

Viola’s eyes drift close as something catches her attention, “Is that a plant?”

Viola finally twitches before stretching out. “How are you feeling?” a familiar voice asks. She looks up to see Steven sitting behind his desk.

She smiles and begins to make way across the room. He greets her at the corner of the desk, taking the icepack and coat, ushering her into the chair, and leaning against the desk. “I’m feeling a lot better now thank you. I thought I imagined this,” she says picking up the African Violet. “When did you get a plant?”

“On my birthday,” he promptly answers. She glances at him. “The guys like teasing me,” he explains. Viola takes the opening to tease him about taking better care of it if he wants to keep it. “Oh~ How do I take care of my violets?” he banters as he scoots closer to her. She gives him a dirty look but does answer how to take care of the plant, otherwise, Mr. Marrigold will be angry at both of them. They chuckle for a moment at the comment as she sits next to him.

Josh goes to tell Steven a delivery is there when he hears laughter through the door. He stops for a moment with a smile at the concept of his friend having fun when he hears a deep voice, “Do you want to tell them?”

A heavy sigh comes through. “No, I get why you’re suggesting it really. But I don’t want it hanging over their heads. It is so nice to be around everyone right now. I don’t want to change that,” Viola explains.

Josh’s mind begins racing. The delivery driver startles him. Josh knocks on the door before going in, “Hey. There’s a delivery.”

Steven and Viola turn around as though it is a normal day. “Ok. I’m coming. Do you need a ride home?” he asks before leaving the office.

“I’m good now. I’ll head out,” Viola answers. Steven and Josh say their goodbyes before heading out to deal with the deliveries. Josh watches a little longer to make sure she is driving fine.

Josh heads home at the end of his shift with the conversation is looping in his mind. He starts making a list of things he recalls Viola doing and the times he recalls Steven leaving early. A disturbing pattern begins to remind him of something but he still wants to do more research.

Josh is not the only one doing research. Steven continues his research at the library because everything online is overwhelming. He tries to scan the book spines to figure out what he needs. “You’re not looking in the right place,” a sharp voice shatters his focus. He spins in place at the declaration. “You want to know about her ‘condition’, correct?” Ms. Ivy leads him through the question.

Steven straightens up but turns sideways, “I don’t know what you mean.”

Ms. Ivy steps in front of him, watching his eyes go down to her breasts. He skims the book title under them, ‘History of Massive Muscle’. Steven’s eyes shot up. “So, you do know something. When you are ready to learn about that flower come back for another visit. Till then follow me,” Ms. Ivy shows him to the medical books.

He checks out the books she indicates. ‘What did she mean by that? Why does she know?’ Steven leaves with more questions.

After reading at home and online during lunch his nervous energy grows. He starts hiding snacks for Viola at the gym in his office. The next time they met, he asks if he can be brought up to date on what the doctors are saying. Viola ruffles his hair, they banter a little, and she agrees and tells him when the appointments are.

Josh’s research confirms his own suspicion, something is medically wrong with Viola. He starts bringing in healthier snacks to conveniently offer from the gym’s snack bar. Each time they talk with her he wonders about her eating; at home or out. When he offers to refill Viola’s water bottle she grabs his ear, “What is bothering you?!”

“What?” Josh squeals.

“You are nagging me worse than a kid that wants something! Did Steven say something?” Viola glares at Josh.

“No!” he chirps. He sees the glare. “Really he didn’t. You’ve just missed so many days lately,” Josh runs off quickly trying not to admit what he guesses. Viola’s gaze drops as she releases his ear. She turns away from him. “I didn’t mean to bother you. I just want to make sure you’re ok,” he begins. Her mouth opens. “Because it is nice to have you around,” he adds as he rubs her back.

She shows a little smirk before turning away, “Here I was just guessing you were being a great wingman.”

He gives her a soft pat on the shoulder, “Maybe. He’s a lot more fun to tease with you around. But I’m your friend too.” He squeezes her shoulder. She pats his hand. They separate just in time for Steven to return to coaching.

The next day is a treatment day. Viola enjoys talking to her nurse. The talk is always playful and nice but as Viola is getting taped up from the injection the nurse smiles, “There’s a handsome thing waiting for you.”

“Huh?”

Steven’s leg is bouncing up and down faster than the clock can tick. His thumb flicks off his finger. When the nurse shushes him again, he tucks his hair behind his ear…before his leg starts twitching. The treatment nurse rolls Viola out in a wheelchair, “Steven.” He leaps across the waiting area. “What are you doing here? You just asked to be kept up to date.”

He grabs her hands as they move towards him. He rubs the pale hands in his thumbs, “I’ve been trying to learn a lot. But got a bit nervous.” He tries to smirk as he notices that she looks more exhausted than after a workout.

“I’ll say,” the lobby nurse interjects.

The treatment nurse begins pushing her to the parking lot as he walks next to Viola. “You never message on treatment days so I thought maybe I could be your ride here too,” he suggests as they make it to the parking lot. Viola is about to say something but he takes off to get his truck. She pouts and the nurse laughs.

He pulls the truck up in the drop-off zone. The nurse opens the door. Viola begins to get out of the wheelchair but before she realizes it a pair of warm hands sweep her up. Steven is holding her in his arms for a moment before putting her in the truck. The nurse closes the door and waves them off. “Hey, listen to this!”

“Steven,” Viola begins with a sigh. “You didn’t have to do this.”

“I want to.”

“What about work? Don’t you have other clients to take care of?” her tone begins changing.

“Vi,” he starts glancing at her.

“You shouldn’t neglect them.”

“I’m not. They came in earlier today because of their schedule changes. Now stop trying to deflect,” he protests. He sees her twitch. “I know you’re mad. I can see it, Viola. I know you-“

“Oh, you know me!” she snaps. For some reason Steven could not put his finger she begins shouting everything, but as much as she’s shouting tears begin rolling down her face. He just lets her rant about whatever is bothering her. The sound calms down as she collapses on her knees, “I hate this. I hate it so much. I can’t even be me anymore. I wasn’t supposed to be a burden here. Why.”

He strokes her back as they finish the drive. After he pulls into the driveway, he opens her door. She looks at him when he takes her hands. “You’re not a burden. You’re part of a team now. Nothing wrong with asking for a little help,” he tries to encourage. He sees her about to protest again. “Plus, this is where I want to be,” he smiles as he moves in closer.

“Ok,” she sniffles. He’s about to cheer when she wraps around his neck. “But promise me this isn’t going to interfere with your work. I don’t want you to lose your dream because of this too,” she requests.

His eyes open as he realizes something new. He lightly hugs her, “I promise.” After a moment he slips her out of the truck, “Let’s get you inside. Then you can tell me your routine for the rest of the day.” Viola nods. He spends the rest of the day with her going over the process, eating together, and mostly resting as they pass another hurdle.

The days and treatments continue. After another round, the doctor decides it is best to add something to Viola’s chest. Exhaustion comes more often for Viola now. Even in this state, she notices Steven gets quite attentive when he’s nervous. The nervousness grew from the instant she comes out with the bandage and even spreads to his work. Josh tries to talk to him about it because it is affecting everyone. Only to have Steven stop under threat of calling Viola.

Viola shows up a couple of days later like usual but her head is under wraps. Most of them let her go without much question because of how she looks recently but then her wrap falls off, “Girl you’re bald! What happen?”

“You ever get overstressed, pass out, wake up and say FU to everything?”

“pfft Giiiirrrrl, you know it. I’ll bring you something better for your head,” Athena acknowledges while waving her fingers. “Wreck anything else?”

“Just some glasses and pans. Trashed a couple of things I’ll fix later.”

“‘kay.”

“Probably should get a new pillow and toothbrush on the way home.”

Athena snorts, “Really was everything huh?”

“Yeah...”

“Screw that! We’re going weave shopping after this,” Athena slaps Viola’s shoulder before returning to rowing.

‘Weave? Oh right, weaves,” Viola thought to herself a moment. “Sure, why not,” she shrugs. ‘Has to be better than what Mr. Marrigold offered me this morning,’ she recalls the brightly colored large-shaped wig.

After a moment of silent agreement, “Oh! While we’re out we could get some stuff for a trip!”

“Huh?”