Don’t Poke the Luna Chapter 140

Xena’s POV

"Let's see if you've eaten lunch. We're heading down right now," Ama said, poking her head into the office.

"We were just about to go too," I smiled, grateful for the interruption. My brain had been swimming with logistics for hours.

"Perfect!" Ama beamed, waiting as I grabbed my phone. I set my purse aside, and we left the office together, heading toward the kitchen.

The kitchen was packed with people, but we squeezed through the crowd to the buffet area. They had laid out the basics—pasta, salad, bread, and various sandwich meats. An entire section was dedicated to fruits and vegetables. I grabbed some bread, made myself a sandwich, added a little pasta, and sat down.

"So Ama, how's that pool project coming along?" I asked, eager to hear about something other than the chaos of the past few days.

"It's going well. We've finalized the expansion plans and construction starts in the fall."

"That's great. So what project are you working on now?" I took a bite of my sandwich, watching her face carefully.

"I have a feeling it might be a new library," Ama said, popping a strawberry into her mouth.

The corners of my lips tugged upward involuntarily. That was exactly what I'd been thinking about. Ama could always read my mind like this—it's what made her such an incredible friend.

"Well, let's look at all the libraries here and see if we can upgrade them or if we need to start over. I'd rather use existing buildings than build something new. You can't recreate that kind of architecture," I said thoughtfully.

"Give me this week. I took over Penelope's prom seating arrangements. I need to finalize those and follow up with everyone," Ama replied, her tone betraying a hint of exhaustion.

"Why didn't you tell me?" I asked, shock washing over me. Why did everyone think they needed to shoulder these burdens alone?

"It just happened this morning. She called me crying, saying she was struggling emotionally and wanted to know if I could take some of the work off her plate." Ama shrugged as if it were no big deal. "That system you organized for me really helps make it all run smoother."

"Come by the office this afternoon and I'll help you finish the seating chart and make the calls," I sighed, feeling guilt and concern spreading through my chest. "I wish she would have called me."

"She was going to, but she didn't want you to think she was a failure or weak. She idolizes you; she didn't want to disappoint you," Ama's words cut into my heart like a small knife.

"That's crazy," I murmured, pained by the thought of Penelope suffering silently just to avoid appearing vulnerable in front of me.

"It's not crazy at all. You pulled her out of that orphanage and gave her a new life. She's grateful to you. Others are too. You might not think it's a big deal, but you've single-handedly saved kids from a life of crime."

I fell silent for a moment, thinking of all those young faces. Then I remembered that Nolan still hadn't brought me his artwork.

"Ryder, can you tell Nolan to bring his work to me today?" He didn't answer, just nodded in my direction.

I realized I needed to basically relieve Penelope of all her duties to give her time to heal. She had taken over my shop, and now I needed to take it back. I just wanted her to recover and become the amazing person I knew she could be. If she was reaching out to Ama for help, she definitely needed a break.

We finished eating in silence. William took our plates, and we stood up, ready to head back to the office. Ama ran to get the prom materials while we walked into the office.

Picking up the phone, I dialed Penelope's number, my heart racing as I wondered how to start this conversation.

"Hello?" she answered. Her voice sounded sad and defeated, like a puppy left out in the rain.

"Penelope, are you okay?" I asked as I sat down, already knowing the answer.

"I'm fine. Just taking it one day at a time." Her voice was almost lifeless, like an empty shell.

"Penelope, I love you, but please don't lie to me," I said gently but firmly, hoping she would open up.

"I'm sorry!" she started crying again. "I—"

"Penelope, stop. You have nothing to apologize for. I know the pressure you're under. Where's Logan?" I asked, worried she was facing this alone.

"I'm right here," he said. The phone must have been on speaker.

"Good. Listen, I know you asked Ama to take over the prom stuff," I said, getting straight to the point, wanting her to know it was completely okay.

"I didn't want her to tell you. I can do it! I just..." Penelope's voice was filled with frustration and self-blame, which made my heart ache.

"Penelope, stop. It's okay. I'm not mad at all! In fact, I think it's pretty amazing that you know when to ask for help. Asking for help doesn't mean you're weak." I noticed Ryder pointing at me with his pen. I flipped him off and continued: "I'm calling to tell you that I love you, but I know you need a break. You need to focus on yourself and your relationship with Logan right now."

"What do you mean?" Penelope asked, confusion and a hint of hope mixing in her voice.

"I'm going to take over my shop. Basically, you've done all the work already! You've done such an amazing job that I just need to see the finishing touches. This isn't punishment; it's a reward. You helped me so much when my world was dark, so let me do the same for you now," I said sincerely, hoping to lighten her burden.

I could hear Penelope's sobbing on the other end, making my heart clench.

"Thank you, X. This will really help her take the pressure off right now," Logan's voice carried obvious gratitude.

"Of course. If there's anything else I can help with..." I offered, willing to do whatever I could to support them.

"Just keep yourself safe," Logan sighed, concern evident in his tone.

"I will," I promised, knowing they were worried about me too.

"Okay, love you," Logan said to me, warm affection traveling through the phone line.

"Love you both too!" I responded before hanging up, feeling a small comfort that at least I could do this for Penelope.

A knock sounded at the door. "Come in," I called.

Ama and William entered, with Ama carrying the materials.

"Here's a list of everyone who has RSVP'd and their plus-ones. I've divided them into four categories," Ama presented a list that separated members of each pack and some humans. "This is what I've arranged so far."

Ama pulled out a map to show me. It displayed circular tables that could seat six people each. The tables appeared to be staggered, and Ama had drawn a line dividing them into four different sections.

"Hmm, each section needs a head table. I suggest we put ourselves over here and Tatum and his crew far away. At our table, we'll have the four of us, plus Mike and his mate. At Logan's table, he'll have him and Penelope, then Leonard and Viola. Though I don't think she'll come, we need to account for her anyway. Let's put Vander and his mate at Logan's table. I'm guessing Logan will eventually promote him to Gamma or Beta, so it makes sense. For the rest, let's arrange based on who we know gets along with whom."