The evening air was warm, carrying the faint scent of flowers. As soon as Rafael left, Celia stepped out of his room and pulled her phone from her pocket. She called Lilly, needing the sound of a familiar voice to bring her back down to earth.
They talked for a while, laughing, venting, and catching up. Lilly shared the chaos at work, while Celia spoke about her recent experiences, carefully leaving out anything that might put Lilly at risk.
After hanging up, Celia wandered toward the staff quarters. She found a chair near the front and sat down, stretching her legs out as she watched cars roll through the gate, almost all leaving.
A staff member passed by, and she called out casually, “Do they have meetings often?”
He paused and turned toward her, “Yes, ma’am. They do. Usually in the
