2 2.The sudden engrossment

Officer Dawson, a retired FBI agent who is in his late 60's. His wife died early due to cancer and he did further bother to remarry. He has a son who lives in Los Angles with his wife and rarely visits his father. He was friends with Mr. Miles ever since he was an agent in his younger days. He spends most of his time with Miles Couple and takes care of Alisha as his own daughter.

Mr. Miles stepped out of his garden and entered into the premises of Officer Dawson. The house represented the architecture of the old English homes of the great Lords. Mr. Miles went to the front of the door and pressed the switch which had bell symbol imprinted on it. He waited and slowly the door opened the door. A man with his hand stick slowly walked over and opened the door. "Johnson?"He smiled at him but soon his smile dropped seeing his friend Mr. Miles face. "Come, sit." He gestured him towards the small old sofa. The elders made themselves comfortable on the little sofa while Mr. Dawson rested his hand on his walking stick in the midst of his legs, and turned to Mr. Miles, "What's wrong? Why are you like this?"He could see Mr. Miles sweating and he was restless. "They are after us again." He blurted out. "Who...What are you talking? We have taken care of everything in the past itself. Then what now? " He asked shocked as he placed. "Just engage our little angel in your house for time being. We should not let her see what her parents were. She only knows me as a retired bank manager and my wife as a home-maker. They called to my old number and wanted to meet us. They may be here anytime. We sent her to the market to get eggs. She should be anytime here now can you engage her till she gets home. Please", he begged. "Yes, John I can. But I cannot manage her for a long time, you know." He said thinking. "Thank you Glenn."He stood up from his seat. "Now, it's all up to you. I'll take my leave." Mr. Miles said and went towards the door. "Sure, Take care John" Officer Dawson said placing his hand on Mr. Miles shoulder. "Everything will be fine. Time heals everything, remember" Said Mr. Dawson and Mr. Miles nodded in response and headed out of Mr. Dawson's home and entered back into his garden.

Mr. Dawson helped himself out of his house and started walking towards the road to go to market. He walked slowly until the end of the road and took the left turn. But to his surprise Alisha was coming in his direction to head home. "Alisha", he called out to her. "Oh! Uncle Dawson. Why are you out? You must be resting. Do you need something?" Alisha Miles asked him smiling. "Yes dear, I was bored staying alone at home so I thought of taking a walk to the market."He said smiling. "Oh, Uncle. Doctor said you to rest and the market is far, you'll be tired by the time you return home."Alisha Miles said concern in her face. "You are right. But my old soul is still young. I want to enjoy the things around me. I don't want to go home back!"He grimaced like a little kid. He glanced over to the bike which Alisha was sitting."Can I ride one, my lady", He smiled at Alisha who was seeing him as if he has something on him. "No uncle, If Mom knows about this, I'm a dead meat!" She said folding her hands across her chest. "Then give me a ride till the market and I know you'll take good care of me. Now take a U-turn." He said smiling at her as if nothing is wrong except for his lonely life. She sighed, "I have no choice." She took the U-turn and helped Mr. Dawson board her bike. "I'm driving!"She started the engine," Hold tight uncle," She raised the accelerated making the bike to put itself in motion. Mr. Dawson held onto the rim of the bike behind him along with his stick. He laughed the whole ride as he enjoyed the breeze that hit his face. "Alisha today is the good day. Don't you think?" He said excited as they pass through the road with further more old English homes. "Ha-ha...your enjoying it uncle. But If Mom's got any slight hint, you and me are dead."She said smiling slowly controlling her bike on the stone built road which made her bike go all ups and downs shaking them on their bike. "Alisha, can you take me back to my home?"He asked in a grimaced tone. "Uncle, are you alright. We are almost near the market and you really wanted to go. Don't you?" She asked concerned as she pulled her bike to halt. Mr. Dawson held his head as if was about to faint. "Oh my God!" Alisha exclaimed in shock. "I'm alright dear. I just need to rest. Let's go home." He said in a weak voice. She slowly changed her direction towards her home and slowly kept him engrossed in her talks talking about various things.

They were about take right turn towards their home but Mr. Dawson was afraid what will happen next. "Stop! Stop!"He said as she stopped her bike to the side of the road. "You're bike ride makes me dizzy! I'm going to walk now from here."He said slowly getting off the bike. And started to walk with his walk stick along with him. She stood their concerned for him, "How can he get dizzy after riding a bike and enjoying it?"she said to herself. "She glanced at her wrist watch."Yikes! I'm already one and a half-an-hour late?" She yelled to herself. Mr. Dawson listened to her conversation to herself and stiffened. If she goes in there, she'll find out everything and that's the least I expect to happen to that family, he thought. He was about to turn but pretended to fell down on his knees clutching his left side of his chest. Alisha who saw her uncle fall on his knees rushed to him leaving her bike and the groceries scattered on the road."Uncle, Uncle Dawson!" She said kneeling down by his side. She groped her pockets for her phone and felt it in the lower pocket of her coat. She dialled the hospital number and after few rings "Hello, please send the ambulance to 23-F, Baking Robert street. My uncle is having a heart attack. Please come fast!" She said. She went back by his side and he clutched onto her arm as he couldn't bear the pain. After few minutes, the ambulance came to halt, but till then Mr. Dawson felt unconscious.

Alisha parked her bike to the side of the road and hurried into the ambulance and the vehicle took its leave to the hospital. She clutched onto her uncle's hand worried. Small droplets of sweat started to form on her forehead, "Is anything serious?" she asked desperately to the emergency duty doctor. He did not mind her and continued to check his pulse and placed the oxygen mask after checking his pulse once again. "May be this was a mild one. However, we are going to hospital, let's get him checked up!" He said checking his wrist watch. Soon they arrived to the hospital; Alisha got down the she stood aside as the nurses pulled out the stretcher from the ambulance and started scrolling towards the ER room. She pulled along the stretcher along with the nurses but one of them stopped her at the entrance, "Please stay here ma'am."She said to Alisha who was on a verge of crying. The Doctor entered the room and Alisha looked inside as the doctor entered through the sliding doors.

"Nurse, how's the condition?" He asked her holding the wrist of the old man. "I'm perfectly fine Doctor." Said Mr. Dawson sitting up straight still wearing the oxygen mask." Doctor looked at him, wide eyed, shocked with his patient's sudden recovery. "He seems to be perfectly fine!"The nurse exclaimed. Doctor was impatient and was above to turn around to exit, Mr. Dawson said removing the oxygen mask," I'm a retired FBI agent Doctor, but there seems like some of my pending work got me off guard." Doctor spun around to see whether the old man was just messing up with him or he is telling the truth. He walked few steps until he reached the stretcher, and looked into Mr. Dawson's eyes. "Sir, we have many patients and if you finished with your child games then, I'll take my leave." said the doctor in a frustrated tone. "Here" Mr. Dawson said handing his card. "And I'm not joking. I need to put the girl with me undercover and there is no other choice. I only ask for your cooperation till tomorrow morning."He said in a steady tone. The Doctor sighed heavily due to his helplessness. "OK, I agree but on one condition, at least pay the hospital fees for the fake treatment!" He blurted which made Mr. Dawson to chuckle a little. "That will be done by my niece if you just make up something and put me in some room and tell they can only meet me only when I regain my conscious. How's the idea? "Mr. Dawson said casually placing back the oxygen mask on his nose and lying down.

The doctor stepped out as Alisha rushed to the doctor. "Doctor, How's my Uncle?" She asked worried. "He's got a mild attack and is still unconscious. We just need to keep a close eye on him and will wait for him to regain his conscious till tomorrow morning. So, please fill out the formalities to be done." He said with a straight face. "Thank you Doctor. Can I visit him?" She asked desperately. "No, but we need few injections that needed to be given in a dose per two hours for his heart stability." Doctor said and left the corridor. Alisha went to the reception to complete the hospital formalities.

"Nurse, can you cut the apple." Mr. Dawson asked the nurse who was making sure no one entered the room. "Sure, sir. But why this type of hide out?" She asked peeling the apple. "This is a sudden engrossment that I planned to save my family, a friend." He said in serious tone yet with the confirmed look on his face to save his niece Alisha.