Maite's POV

I'm slowly getting things rolling on the financial division within the hospital. I have redirected some people from IT to my division since some of their jobs became obsolete. I made sure to take people with some finance and business in their background to the new division. So far we haven't had any net loss in jobs. It is important for me to not cut jobs unless I really have too.

Being reassigned can sometimes grate on an employee but showing the employees how they will be contributing to the hospital has not garnered me any ill will.

I finished both jobs today and to say I am tired is an understatement. I want to crawl into my bed and just sleep forever.

I get my stuff to go pick up Keke from the nurse's station on the 14th floor.

"Hey some of us are going to grab a drink… would you like to come?" Alfonso has the decency to ask me but I don't want to be outside anymore than I have to on a day like today…

"Alfonso… estoy tan cansada… how do the Americans say it raincheck?" He just laughs at me and I push him so weakly which shows how tired I am. I even put on my flats because I know I will not make it to my car in heels. But that moment stepping out of my heels hurt but I needed to be out of them. I use Alfonso's body as support

"I'm going to hold you to it you know… you're always tired…"

"I'm only tired on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays… I foolishly chose to have two jobs…"

"Well I for one am glad you took this job. I'm so happy to work alongside you…" I just look at him through my tired eyes and he doesn't smile like ever. His eyes just looks at people like he is seeing through them and I don't know how it makes me feel.

"I'm really happy you could join the team. We wouldn't have made as much progress if you hadn't been here." I close my office door and I walk with him… it's not the longest walk but it seems like he likes rituals because it's just something we do now…

We talk about dumb stuff usually. When we get to the station I notice la cabrona Nelle with Michael and I always wonder what the hell does Michael see. She only has a façade of niceness.

"Oh my goodness hello Maria!" All of a sudden she has started to greet me more which annoys me because we aren't friends but I am sure Josslyn told her I was one of Michael's exes.

"Hello Janelle… Michael…" It is definitely awkward but that is what Nelle wants I'm sure of it.

"Pardon my manners are you Alfred…" It annoys me that I know Nelle knows his name but she pretends to get it wrong but she is trying to bait me but I refuse to fall for it.

"Nelle his name is Alfonso…" It seems Michael is also annoyed at this. Michael and Alfonso shake each other hands.

"You know it's so hard to find people our age to hangout with… you know we should have a double date sometime…"

"Alfonso that sounds like a great idea I'm sure you and Sandra would have a great time… I'll see you tomorrow… Nice seeing you Nelle… Michael…" I excuse myself because I didn't want to be there anymore but I also couldn't give Nelle the satisfaction for thinking she could rile me up.

"Hey are you ready?! I saw your tete-a-tete with Saint Nelle I'm surprised you didn't rip her head off…" It seems Kiki saw the whole thing and I am glad only one of us had to deal with Nelle.

"Yeah, and give her the satisfaction I don't think so. Yeah I'm ready… I have so many exams to grade and I'm hungry…"

"Seeing as it is Tuesday it is only proper to have tacos…" We start walking to the elevator and don't pay anyone else any attention.

"Kiki you do realize that's not a real thing. First of all you can have tacos anytime and second I can't make anything tonight. Let's just order something… I have to feed my sister I think." It sounds really bad when I say it like that…

As we get in the elevator of course we are joined by the people I just left. We should have taken the damn stairs.

I text my sister to see if she ate and she ribs me about being terrible and forgetting to feed her but she tells me she is at Kelly's right now eating with Cameron and Joss. I ask her to order some food for us to eat when she gets home and she huffs about her spending her money.

"She's eating with her friends. I asked her to get us some food and she's huffing about us spending her money. I told her I would pay her back but she sent me emojis but I don't know what they mean…" I show Kiki what my sister sent me.

"It looks like she's saying I'm telling Mom…"

"Damn!" One minor uncomfortable situation has passed. The elevator has opened and I don't have to be around Nelle any longer.

"My mom is going to kill me!" It seems minor but if my sister snitches my mom will be annoying.

"Why would your mom kill you?" We walk to the car as Kiki keeps talking…

"My mom has this thing about she's kind of neurotic about. Like your sister shouldn't be running your errands… But if it is me she will be like you have to take care of them because you are the oldest."

"Meh I guess I can't relate I was raised as an only child…" Kiki just shrugs and I text my sister before I start driving telling her I can get my own food.

I was just kidding I already put your favorites in. I'm no snitch and if I wanted to get you in trouble, I would make it more epic. -Catarina

When we get to my apartment I read the text she sent and I just roll my eyes.

You do know that you are a real life troll… -Maite

Te amo. -Catarina

I had only gotten through half of my students exams and I had already promised that they would get their grades next class.

Kiki and I fall into the rhythm of our respective courseloads and we don't even talk but it's nice. It's such a contrast between her and Nelle. Kiki has also dated Michael but she isn't catty.

Kiki has been my best friend here. We hang out so much and I had thought she would have been so different. The way Michael described her was a lot. I spoke to her about it and she did admit she used to be like that but she had to grow up and stop making excuses for her mistakes. She is owning up to it and trying to make her life better which I definitely am proud of. She seems to be on the right track and I'm glad she's my friend.

I do speak to some of my former colleagues… I actually am reaching out to some to see if they would like to join the team. I worked so well with my crew from the ELQ intern pool. I wish Akako stayed because she would have been such a great asset to the team but she is killing it with her job at Sony.

I'm so concentrated in getting the exams graded I didn't notice that my sister came home.

"Earth to Mai! You are not hungry enough if you can't smell this food…" Catarina's voice filters to my brain and I realize the food is on the coffee table.

"I am so hungry herm! Thank you for getting this food. You can take what I owe you from my bag."

"Umm no… I have to charge a delivery and service charge for this." I can't believe this girl and Kiki doesn't even back me up she just laughs as she eats her fries.

"Are you kidding you live here?!" What is with teenagers these days?

"Should I add a convenience fee?!" Where is she getting all of this spunk.

"You are annoying… you know that right?!"

"That maybe so but that is the cost of favors…" she goes to her room laughing and I think too myself I'm never going to send her to get us food again.

"Kiki, I don't know why you are laughing… this goes on your tab…" She has a lot of nerve to not even say anything considering half the order was for her.

"That's fine but you got schooled by your kid sister and it's just funny…"

"You are a traitor you should be on my side…"

"I'm easily bribed with the promise of food and you know this already…Anyways I wonder why was Nelle acting so rude to you. It was almost like she was treating you like you were me…" I was waiting for Kiki to ask this.

"She might as well…" Read between the lines best friend…

"Does she know about you and Michael?!" There you go Kiki use those deduction skills.

"I have to assume she does… Michael's sister is Cata's friend and Michael is not a sleuth. I guess she went through his phone and maybe saw pictures or messages from me. Anyways she had an attitude with me and Catarina checked and even Michael got involved and made her apologize. And best part his parents saw most if not all of it so they know too. Anyways I'm sure she told Nelle. I was happy to have Nelle not pay me any attention but now she wants to be on my radar. She's like a bug who never wants to leave. She insinuated that Alfonso and I go on a double date with her and Michael…" It still makes me laugh that she is so nosy yet she didn't have all the facts.

"But he's with Sandra?!" I just nod to Kiks answer and she laughs.

"I left Alonso by himself to deal with her. He ended up taking the stairs…" I can't believe he took all those stairs to not be trapped with speaking to Nelle. He and Michael seem friendly but Alfonso hates her because we all know she knows his name but she keeps calling him something else which could be tied back to me but I can't be too presumptuous. Kiki is wheezing from laughing so hard.

"Poor Alfie! I'm definitely going to tease him about this."

"If Nelle only knew she would hate me more than she does already…" I don't usually keep secrets from Kiki.

"What does that even mean?" She pinches me and it freaking hurts.

"Ouch much!"

"Don't even start with me! Tell me what you meant just now?!"

"Well I might have been having how do you say extracurriculars with Michael a while back. I also might have told him if he wanted to be with me again then he would have to get therapy. Long story short instead getting therapy Nelle played hero."

"How do you feel about that?"

"I was sad but not upset if that makes sense. I was sad that Michael isn't processing the grief or maybe he has but I refuse to see it. I told him I wouldn't take him back unless he did. He seems happy with Nelle and that's what I want for him…"

"He would be happier with you… Like with Sabrina I could see him being happy Sabrina was a good person and she had a kind heart but Nelle is such a bitch. You are the love of Michael's life and the fact he came to you showcases that once again. What do you want?" That's the million dollar question…

"I love Michael and I always will but he needs to figure himself out if he wants to be with me. Like I still have battles with myself with my own grief and it's been years. After what happened with my dad and Catarina it crippled me. It took so much to get back where I was. I know how hard it is and I don't know how to help him. The sex was incredible but that was a distraction. Three big tragedies happened so quickly he couldn't recover from one when another was dropping.

"I get what you mean… with Morgan dying it just took so much out of me we had been through so much together but I know it was different for Michael. He had known Morgan his whole life and I think about Avery and I just would lose it."

"That torment lives with you daily even if you don't think about it every moment of the day… sometimes it creeps up on you and it breaks you down bare. Sometimes I can still feel my broken arm… coming home to find one of my sisters gone, another confused and having to face my grandfather telling him that his son is not coming home."

"How did you deal with it?"

"I'm still dealing with it. I am trying to learn to be a butterfly again…"

"Well I'll help in any way I can…"

"Just continue to be my overbearing best friend with a penchant for tacos and tequila."

"I can definitely do that…" I just roll my eyes at Kiki and grade the last of my papers.