The Affection Multiplier - Ch. 234, Ch. 235 & Ch. 236. (Patreon)

Chapter 234: Consulting with the older women:

You use that same recess to act as a messenger. You go to Mia’s office and tell her of your idea to have the girls help her out.

“I was just trying to shake suspicions off of us.” Mia says. “But this is a good idea. I was worrying about not being able to spend time with them, as well.”

It’s always good to know the girls share your worries.

“It’ll be better if we spread a little. Send Olivia my way during lunch.” She tells you. “I don’t know how long we’ll do this for, but we can have them rotate helping us. And let’s add Anzu to the list, too. I know she’s been having troubles keeping up with work because of training.”

“Right.” You nod. “Yeah, I think that’s good. I’ll tell them.”

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“Yup. I like it.” Emma nods after you tell her the same thing you told Mia. “And if we’re doing that, I can think of a few things they could help me with. Send Jessica my way. I was going to ask you, but she might be a better choice. There’s something specific I could use her help for.”

“What? I’m offended.” You joke, sharing a quick laugh with her. “Try not to work them too hard. Or throw all your late work on them.”

“Mr. Walker, you wound me.” She says in mock offence. “I’ll have you know I have midterms nearly ready.”

“Shouldn’t you have them ready by now, though?” You ask her.

“Shut up. Go away.” She shoos you out of her office.

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“Oh my god, that’d a be a lifesaver!” Julia sighs heavily in relief. “There’s some stuff I’ll need an extra set of hands for. I was planning to ask you, but having one of the girls works just as well.”

“An extra set of hands? What for?” You ask, curious.

“I need to move some equipment. Nothing heavy, but doing it on my own would take too much time.” She tells you.

“Alright. Is it okay to if it’s Lilian? Mia and Emma already called dibs on Olivia and Jessica respectively.”

“Sure. All I need is someone with good disposition.”

“I’ll try to talk her into it then.” You chuckle nervously. You hope Lilian doesn’t mind a bit of a workout.

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“I don’t want to impose.” Anzu tells you, looking hesitant. “It’d be best if they use their time helping the others. I’m sure they have a lot more to do than me.”

“Anzu, you have bags under your eyes.” You point out with a disapproving scowl. She looks really tired. “If you don’t want their help, then let me.”

“No, no. It’s not that I don’t want their help.” She shakes her head and sighs. “Fine. You can tell them to come here whenever they have free time.”

“I need to give you the Seldom Sleepy trait.” You say, taking out your phone. “You look terrible.”

“Don’t! I’m fine.” She says, standing up from her seat behind her desk and taking away your phone. “You’re close in points to the other trait, right? Save for that. I’ll be happier if you do that.” She says, pecking your cheek.

“At least get some rest. Please.” You tell her. Seeing her like this hurts your heart.

“…Okay. I’ll have a break for tea.” She tells you with a small smile.

“Can’t you come to my place after work?”

“Sorry. I have training again.” She apologizes with a wry smile.

“Anzu, I’m gonna get angry.” You groan. “Please get some rest and tell us if you need anything. You have eleven people willing to help you and all you have to do is ask.”

She takes a deep breath “Fine. Fine. I’ll take a break.” She giggles. “If I don’t, then I have eleven other people to nag me like you’re doing now.”

“And don’t you forget it.” You nod.

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Chapter 235: Mia and Olivia:

“Hello, Ms. Owens.” Olivia greets the English teacher as she enters her office.

“Ms. Hughes. Thank you for coming.”

Though their tones are formal, they both know what they’re here for.

“So? What will I be helping with?” The younger girl asks.

“Sit here.” Mia says, motioning to the chair opposite to her at the desk. There’s a laptop there. “I’d like to ask you to copy these as a document in that laptop.”

Mia passes a few sheets of paper to Olivia, who gives them a quick look.

“Are these lesson plans?” She asks, curiously.

“Yes. I wrote them by hand, but I need to hand them over as a digital document.” Mia explains.

“Okay. I can do this.” Olivia nods, confident. “I’m not finding anything related to midterms here, though, am I?” She asks with a hit of hopefulness.

“I’m afraid not.” Mia chuckles. “At most you’ll know a bit of the topics we’re covering after.”

“Worth a try.” Olivia shrugs. She takes her seat opposite to Mia, opens the text editor software and gets to work. All she has to do is copy what’s in the paper, and Mia already wrote it in such a way that’s easy to translate to computer, so it’s all just mechanical work.

“We can talk with little issues here, so long as we’re not very loud.” Mia says, getting to work on her own desktop computer. “So let me ask. How have been things with your new friends?”

“Way better than expected. Way better than we deserve, too.” Olivia says with a soft sigh, but her hands don’t stop typing.

“Self-deprecating comments don’t suit you, dear.” Mia says, shaking her head.

“I know. And that’s the only one I’m letting through. David already gave me his speech.” The student nods. “But yes, the girls have been great. It’s like they’re really trying to make us feel like we belong.”

“I’m glad to hear that.” Mia chuckles. “Though I wouldn’t have expected less. They’re good girls.”

“I’m worried that we haven’t been able to be with you and the others, though.” Olivia admits. “Makes me feel like I’m doing something behind your back.”

“David feels the same way. Which is part of why we’re doing this, right?”

“Right.”

“Then let’s use this time to get to know each other better. Is there anything you want to ask me? Don’t hold back.” Mia encourages.

“…This might be too much for a first question, but… is it true that you were married?” Olivia asks, looking away from the computer screen just long enough to look at Mia when asking.

“Yes, it’s true.” She nods. “Anything in particular you want to know?”

“A lot of things, actually, but… How did you recover from the break up? How do you trust someone again after that? You already feel ready to get married again, right?”

“Believe me, dear, it took a lot of convincing.” Mia laughs. “David can be very persistent, and so can Emma. That man just kept showing me how much he cared. Still does, and I have a hard time believing he’ll ever stop. How could I say no to that?”

“I believe it.” Olivia laughs with her. “Okay. Your turn. Ask me a question.”

“I’m curious about your plans for the future.” Mia says. “I’m told you’re working with your father in the management of his hotel chain.”

“I am.” Olivia nods. “I’m mostly just working as his secretary while he teaches me how to manage everything. He’s been really excited about it since I asked him.”

“Oh?”

“My dad wants me to take over for him at some point. I’m an only child and he, well… He says he wants to secure my future.” She groans.

“And you’re against it?”

“…Used to be. It’s not like I have any personal goals and I found business management to be beyond boring. But now that I have to think about the future…” Olivia swallows. “Well, I’ve seen the numbers. Dad’s business brings in a lot of profit. A lot. And since… um…” Olivia starts fidgeting in place.

“Say it, dear.” Mia says with a teasing smirk.

“…Since we’re probably going to be a big household… Taking over the business might be for the best. Dad says I have a knack for it.” Olivia says, her cheeks heating up.

“Okay, we’ll leave it at that for now.” Mia chuckles. “Your turn to ask a question.”

“I’m kind of drawing a blank now.” Olivia admits. “What are your hobbies?”

“I’m starting to get back into painting.” Mia says. “Just a bit. I bought a couple of canvases and a set of oil paints.”

“Oh? What do you paint?”

“Landscapes. I don’t do well with human figures.” Mia says. “How about you? What do you do?”

“I… play airsoft once or twice a month. I like collecting airsoft guns, too.” Olivia says, trying not to look too embarrassed to admit it.

Mia lightly slaps her forehead. “Right. You took David there. Sorry. So how does airsoft work? How do you play?”

That question makes Olivia’s eyes light up. “You see, you divide all players in teams…”

The conversation continues as they work. They ask each other simple, but important questions that let them understand each other, not as teacher and student, but as just people.

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Chapter 236: Emma and Jessica:

“You said you had something you needed my help with, Ms. Campbell?” Jessica asks, sitting across from Emma.

“You can call me by name here. Let’s just remember to be formal if anyone else comes here.” Emma says with a grin and a wink.

“O-Okay.” Jessica giggles. She knows Emma’s always been a very approachable teacher, but somehow it wasn’t until now she realized that translated to her as a normal person, too. And speaking of translation.

“I know you’re fluent in Spanish. I wanted your help with these texts.” Emma turns her laptop so that Jessica can see. On the screen she sees a text in Spanish. She then reads the author’s name.

“Oh! Pablo Neruda!” Jessica exclaims.

“You know him?” Emma asks, sounding excited.

“J-Just by name. I haven’t read much of his works.” Jessica laughs sheepishly. “He’s one of the biggest names in Latin American poetry.”

“That he is.” Emma nods. “The second years are looking at poetry after midterms, so I was trying to translate some of his poems. I’m not a huge fan of translating poems, but it’s the only way to bring them to more people. The problem is that my Spanish is very, very basic and I have to use a translator to help me. David’s been learning Spanish very quickly, but he’s actually terrible with poetry.” Emma chuckles. “Do you think you can help me translate these while trying to stay true to the core message of the poems?”

“Yes, I think I can.” Jessica says. “It’ll be hard, though.”

“I think three poems will be more than enough. And we don’t have to pick the longest ones.” Emma laughs.

The two of them get to work immediately, bouncing ideas and suggestions for words to use in order to keep the author’s intended message.

“You know,” Emma says. “You have a gift, Jessica.” She nods to herself, confident in her own words.

“W-What do you mean?”

“Portuguese, Spanish and English. How many people can claim to be fluent in three different languages?” Emma says. “That’s something you’ll always be able to use to your advantage, no matter what it is you’re trying to do.”

“You think so?” Jessica asks, smiling weakly and not fully believing it. “It hasn’t helped me when trying to get into acting.”

“That’s right. That’s what you’re into.” Emma hums. “I’d say you’re looking in the wrong places.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean that small theatre groups in this town don’t much care for new blood since they’re formed by groups of friends, mostly. And there aren’t any TV stations here for you to try for soap operas.”

“So what should I do?”

“Have you considered voice acting?”

“Eh?”

“There’s this podcast I listen to while I’m working alone. It’s basically just radio drama. I even know that the actors live in different parts of the country.”

“A-Are you serious?” Jessica’s eyes open wide.

“I am. Does the idea sound appealing to you? If you look in the internet, your opportunities skyrocket.”

“…” Jessica is at a loss for words. Why didn’t she think of it? Was she too focused on it being theatre? And really, podcast acting would be incredible! It would solve so many problems, specially her biggest concern of what to do when it came to university.

And yes, there’d be no end of possibilities in the internet. There’re are so many options now!

She gets up from her seat, runs around the desk and gives Emma a tight, grateful hug.

“Thank you, thank you, thank you!”

“Ahaha! No need, no need!” Emma laughs, hugging Jessica back. “This is what teachers are for. To guide their students and help them find their path. Though I guess I have a more personal interest in your future now.” She chuckles.

“R-Right.” Jessica chuckles shyly as well, her cheeks blushing and steps away. “But I mean it. Thank you. I feel better knowing there are even more options available to me.”

“Good! And like I said, since you know three different languages, you don’t have to limit your search to only one of them.”

“Yes! I’ll start looking as soon as I get home!” Jessica nods.

“Why wait? We’re almost done here. Let’s finish with these poems and start looking immediately. I’ll help.”

“Okay! Thanks!” Jessica can’t wipe away the smile off her face. When David said Emma was very reliable, he wasn’t exaggerating.