2 Chapter 2: Indecent Meeting
"Does the hospital look like a dating place?" He looked at her sharply before Dr. Tim who just smirked.
Nimueh frowned at the rudeness visible in his tone. She stood up straight and put her hands either side of her waist. She wasn't fond of him treating her with an unpleasant attitude especially when she's a patient here.
She clicked her tongue. "This doesn't look like a hospital nor a dating place. See the color of the walls, it looks like patients will get sicker if they confine here," she said and pointed to the walls.
"Why did I come here in the first place? I'm sick in the hospital!" She admonished as she stared at the man who's now looking at her—ready to throw her outside. Nimueh sometimes can't help but be a tackless woman when she gets annoyed.
"You little ..." He could not continue to say another word when she stuck out her tongue at him.
Nimueh's eyes widened as Dr. Tim put an arm over her shoulders and gently leaned down. "Okay, I find you amusing and hot now but don't you know who you are talking to?" He whispered.
"Should I know his name? This man doesn't know the words ``be nice to the patients``" Nimueh said calmly but deep inside she's raging with fire. She pushed Dr. Tim and pointed her forefinger to the man who was now arching his eyebrow.
"He's the son of the owner of this hospital."
Nimueh choked. The sudden news made her sweat even though the hospital was surrounded with aircon.
"S-Son? Oh my gosh! What am I going to do?" She whispered, pulling back Dr. Tim beside her. Her heart was pounding very fast.
"I'll talk with you later, Dr. Tim," the man said after a while. Nimueh didn't even have the nerves to turn around because for sure she will collapse in any minute.
Before the man could walk away, he turned to her and said "And you, little tactless, am gonna make sure you'll know who I am."
Nimueh bit hard to her lower lips. She followed her gaze to the man who was walking away, flashing his power through his walk.
Based on Dr. Tim, the new hospital CEO was known for having a different attitude. So nervousness ate her more not for herself but for Dr. Tim. She even answered the man with lack of politeness and criticized his hospital. Then he might even interrogate Dr. Tim and find out that they shared some things although it was all for the doctor. Dr. Tim will be in the bottom line instead. Feeling depressed, she sat on the floor—scratching her forehead.
"Stand there. I'll take care of it if he calls me to the office. You need to go home. Don't worry, I can handle this." Nimueh shook her head on what Dr. Tim had said.
***
Aiden stretched his arms. He is in a trance because he has been involved in signing documents for some time. Aiden looks at the time; It was almost ten o'clock in the evening–he did not realize. The sound of the cell phone tore the silence in his office. It's his father.
"Hello, Dad?" he answered the call. Praying that he won't force him again for staying long here.
"Aiden, son. How are you? I heard about what happened," he said. His father sounded unhappy yet concerned.
"The board members handled it. We're just waiting for the result. Don't worry about it," he answered, assuring his father.
"Thanks God. I just called you because of that. And come to our house, sleep here just for tonight, okay?"
He could not answer because the call had already ended. He has his own house here in New York so he hardly visits his father's house anymore. His father was already upset with him so maybe that's why he forced him to go home and made his condition an excuse so that he would not leave the country again. Aiden could not blame him because since his mother died, he barely came home. Until he worked in Australia and his father was left alone.
He stood in front of the window and looked out. He looked up at the sky and saw a few stars. When he turned his back, the color of his office met his eyes. It's painted with black and white. He frowned when he remembered the woman who had laughed at the hospital's choice of colour. It was the first time someone answered him that way. He could not help but smile. A corner of his lip rose when he saw in his mind the woman's angry face earlier. The woman surely didn't know him and tried to act brave in front of him.
He took another hour to review some patient's records before returning home. He is no longer on duty now so he can go home first.
***
Nimueh stomped her feet with annoyance. She left the hospital and headed to a convenient store to buy some groceries, went to an ATM machine to withdraw some cash and until now she is still on the road–waiting for a taxi. Her phone stated that it's already 9:47 in the evening. There are taxis passing by but they are always on board. She thought of just walking around so she walked at the sideway hoping that a taxi would come in a minute. When there's no taxi, she decided to take the alleyway.
"Miss turn around, don't do anything if you do not want me to slice your side."
Nimueh stopped breathing and froze when she felt a cold thing on her side. She was scared to move even a single thing. This was her first time experiencing it. She didn't know what she was supposed to do. Her heart was beating rapidly.
"Don't hurt me. I don't have enough fare to come home so don't take my money please," she said trembling. Coldness was spreading fast around her body.
"Give me your bag!"
She couldn't help but to move and hugged her bag tightly. The man behind her violently tried to steal her bag. When she still refused, the man put his arm around her neck and put a cold metal on her throat. Her tears began to fall down, she didn't have any choice but to give out her bag. He also did not miss to get the jewelry she was wearing.
She did nothing, she just let the man take everything she has. When he got away, that's the time courage came in her mind.
"Hey! Give back my fare to the taxi!"
Her muscle trembled as she backed away when the man who she finally saw–wearing a black overall mask, turned to her and made a dirty sign. With tears in her eyes, she just looked at the man walking away with her belongings.
"Lord, why did this happen to me?" Her lips were trembling, even her body was shaking in fear.
She did not know how to get home. She went to take the side of the road again in case she can ask someone for help.Her tears continued to flow when she noticed that she had already walked too far and there were almost no people or vehicles in the area. The houses are in a row but neither one seems to have people inside. She felt sorry for herself.
Nimueh froze when she heard the sound she hated the most. She slowly turned around. Behind her was a dog–barking and apparently ready to grab her at any time. She closed her eyes firmly and counted to three. She ran fast. She screamed because the dog chased her after. It was too late when she noticed that there was a roadblock so she stumbled and fell on the ground.
She screamed as the dog bit the hem of her dress. Her dress was torn. She saw a rock next to her and that was what she threw at the dog to make it go away. It runs away from her. She felt helpless and sobbed continuously.
"That naughty dog! Is that a rapist dog that wants to undress me?" She muttered. She cried even more when she noticed her look. The hem of her dress was torn. She could do nothing but tear it apart for good. Half of her thigh was seen because of the lack of dress.
Even though it looked embarrassing, Nimueh still walked. She found a gas station and rapidly went there to ask for help. There were two men there who looked like gasoline boys but that did not grab her attention.
The man in the hospital!
He is in the gas station mini-store. She wanted to ask him for help but the man was busy talking on his cellphone. "Maybe later when it's over," she whispered, too desperate for the call to end.
Nimueh encouraged herself to talk to him when the man was finished on his call. She followed him. He goes to a parked car. She continued walking and stopped when the man also stopped.
What is his problem and abruptly stop?
When the man walked again she walked too to follow. But she did not expect it when the man stopped and dealt with her. His eyes were glaring at her like she was some kind of bad guy.
"Why are you following me? I don't need a call girl," he said with his irritable tone. Nimueh wanted to correct him but he continued talking. "Here, take this instead of doing this job." The man picked his wallet in his jeans and took some cash then held them to her.
Nimueh gasped, crimson red color trailed her cheeks. She felt her body become numb due to embarrassment. She then rea what happened to her clothes when the man looked up and down on her body.
Her tears began to fall down again. She didn't expect herself to be mistaken for a call girl. It wasn't her fault that she encountered a bad situation. She choked on her cry and didn't bother to wipe her tears away.
