13 Breakfast

Emily smiled. She did not ask her about him anymore. She sat beside her mother. She pulled her closer and gave the biggest hug she could muster.

"Mom, it's okay. What else happened? This shouldn't be the reason you called me to hospital this early, did you?"

"No," Phoebe said.

"Then, tell me. Because I need to rush back to work. Please Mom, tell me."

"They said that the price of the whole package has increased due to the complications. You know the tests they did a few days back?"

"Uh huh. What about them?"

"The results came out today. They do not seem optimistic."

"What did the doctors say?"

"The doctors said that they need to move the date of the surgery a week ahead."

"What?!"

Emily's eyes widened. How would she get the money in just three weeks. Even if she managed to please Gerald at work, he wouldn't pay before the month ends.

Emily rubbed her forehead. Why was everything bad happening to her?

"Em, you okay?" Her mother was startled at her loud outburst.

"Mm hmm. Mom, I'm fine. I'll go speak to the doctors. Did you eat? Want to accompany me to the cafeteria? You can't sit here all day long. Walk around a little, you will feel better, I promise."

She managed to convince her mother to take a walk along with her to the cafeteria. Both of them walked downstairs, not realizing a pair of eyes following their every move.

"Mom, what do you want to eat?"

"Anything is fine."

"Okay then, let's order two sandwiches."

She went to the counter to order two sandwiches when she saw Dr. Nina Lockwood was having a heated argument with someone. She wanted to rush towards her and say something, but she saw Oscar heading their way. In no time, he resolved their arguments and walked towards the counter himself.

"Ma'am, here is your order."

Emily muttered a small thanks and walked towards their table.

She placed the sandwiches on the table and sat down. She lowered her head and started gobbling her sandwich when she noticed a shadow on them.

She took a bite from the sandwich and lifted her head, slowly chewing them, the mayonnaise spilling out of it and covering her lips, making her look funny.

She did not gulp her sandwich down, but rather, stared at Oscar with her mouth wide open.

He found it quite funny, but did not say anything further. He looked at her mother and said, "Ma'am, may I sit down here for a while?" He had a tray full of cereal and fruits. He eyed the room and added, "This is the only empty seat in the entire room. I hope you don't mind."

Phoebe looked into the hopeful eyes of the young man, and nodded. She motioned him to sit on her right and Emily's left.

A pair of eyes watched their every move.

Oscar did not behave like he knew Emily at all and she was relieved. She did not want to answer her mother's so many 'why' today.

Three adults sat on the same table, lost in their own thoughts, munched on their respective food in silence.

Emily was almost done with her food when she noticed that Phoebe had only eaten a single bite out of her sandwich. She gave her a nudge and said, "Mom, don't you like this sandwich? Do you want me to order something else? What happened, Mom?"

Phoebe shook her head and said, "Your father hasn't eaten a sandwich for three months. How can I eat it?"

"Mom, you have to understand. Even if dad isn't eating it, you have to eat. Dad can't have it now because of his health. Do you wanna fall ill too? Tell me? Actually, nevermind, let me book a bed for you too. Do whatever you want and I won't tell you anything else. Actually, you two don't want me to be happy, no?" Emily's voice rose along with her temper.

Oscar sat there, staring at Emily who was close to throwing all the food off the table. She stared at him with angry eyes and then walked off.

Phoebe stared at her daughter. She felt guilty. She knew her daughter was working hard just for them, but she couldn't help but put pressure on her.

What could she do? Emily had always done everything single handedly. That girl had always endured everything for her sake, but all she did was add worries on her shoulders.

In the fit of anger, Emily did not know where she was walking. Why couldn't anyone understand that she too had a life. She cared for them, but it did not mean that everyone would keep expecting things from her.

She walked towards the fountain at the center of the facility. She looked at the water slowly rising up and then sprinkling everywhere, creating an illusion of never-ending gains.

She bent down to touch the water. Fishes were swimming in it happily. She was so lost in their happiness that she did not realize when she stopped being angry. She took a few deep breaths and realized that she overreacted.

She shouldn't have said so much to her mother. Even though they were the truth, she shouldn't have said so much aloud.

But the guilt did not make her go to her mother and apologize. She walked towards her home. The purpose of coming here was to listen to her mother.

She listened to what she had to say. Now was the time to go to Innovation.

Gerald saw her angrily coming out of the cafeteria and then briskly walking up to the fountain. He thought she would notice him standing there, but she didn't. She played with the fishes for a while and walked away. What a weird girl. He shook his head. After all this was the girl he had fallen in love with and he was probably still in love with her.

Seeing her board a cab, he straightened his collar and followed her. She went to her apartment, while he waited in his car a few yards away.

In an hour, she was ready. She boarded another cab and went to the Sun Designers.

'What the hell!' Gerald was enraged. She said she was going to go to the Innovation. Why did she go back to the Sun Designers? Besides, it was not time yet. He saw Mr. Sun descending from his car and following Emily into the office.

Anger coursed through Gerald's mind. She said so much to him in the morning. He wanted to follow her in, but he knew he must not do that. 'Patience, Gerald,' he told himself.

Emily and Mr. Sun sat down inside the ground floor conference room as Emily started to present her new idea to him.

Mr. Sun listened to it attentively and hoped Gerald would like it. It was different from her previous ideas and he was really happy. Even if Gerald rejected the idea, Mr. Sun decided he would use it later. He could not let this idea go to waste.

He encouraged Emily and went to his office. Emily came out of Sun Designers and boarded another cab to rush to Innovation.