chapter 12.

"As it has been said: Love and a cough cannot be concealed. Even a small cough. Even a small love "Anne sexton

Brown stairs at the door even when her figure is no longer in sight he still stares at it.

the spark in his eyes cannot be hidden

"Ahem!Ahem "she clears her throat loudly in attempt to catch his attention but in vain

Brown is still lost in his small imaginary world. With a smile spread on his plump lips one can tell he is having

wonderful thoughts.

"ahem !"she tries again catching him off guard

"what the f**k! He asks angrily 

"ha ha ha! next time pay attention to your surroundings

when are you going to accept your feelings for her?".

Brown "what feelings,?

"your feelings for  that beautiful doctor or do you hate her?"

Brown", I don't know what you are talking about or who you are referring to."He rises to leave.

"come back here where do you think you are going?"Grabbing his hand she pulls him to the couch.

"Unlike you", he pinches her nose,"I still have rounds to do." Saying that he shrugs her hands off his shoulders.

"Liar,which rounds? sweetheart do I come across as dump?

I have your schedule on my finger tips. Tell me for how long are you going to admire her from a far?"

Sighing rejectedly. He runs his fingers through his hair. He knows there is no room for escape.

"I must admit its frustrating.

I don know, How do I even start. What if she rejects me? She is there", he makes a gesture with his hand "while I am here".

"what are you talking about?

do you feel inferior because of how accomplished she is?

my dear you are no less. And clearly she is into you the same way you are into her.

See its written all over your face. What you feel for her is evident by the way you look at her and even how you talk to her.

Is it that obvious? Do you really think she has feelings for me too? Aren't we over thinking ?Look at her she is sophisticated enough to get any man of her choice.

 "Brown, "holding his face in her beautifully manicured hands she squats in front of him.

"in this world there are three things you cannot hide .You cannot hide a pregnancy ,a cough and love.

Hooking his hand to her neck he embraces her," when did my little pumpkin become this wise?" he kisses her cheeks yet he knows how much she hates it.

"eww brown you! She jabs him on his chest sending him in fits of laughter

"what's the the reaction. Why do you hate being pecked on the cheeks?'

"when you do that it makes me feel like a small girl and that I am not".

"But you will always be my little girl ,my sweet little pumpkin, the trouble maker that I love so so much". he kisses her once again.

Running out of the office she leaves brown dying from laughter. As she races though the  corridors she bumps into somebody.

mumbling a big sorry she doesn't stop to look back.

********

he touches his chest.

the place she touched she left a lingering smell.

his heart thumps loudly against his chest

smelling his shirt his stomach tightens into a knot. He finds her feminine scent alluring.

it is long since he felt this way.

"Hunie where have you been?

Aina sounds as sweet as ever. Standing in front of him it doesn't seem like he is aware of her presence.

Waving her hands on his face, Cleve doesn't even blink.

He stares blankly to the empty corridor where the lady disappeared to.

Following his gaze she finds nothing out of place.

"Hunie"she shakes him once again

Cleve"yes..yes. What are you doing her,what happened?"

Aina"I should be asking you that, what happened?

Cleve" what do you mean by what happened?"

Aina"you have been standing here for who knows how long staring weirdly into the empty space

did you see a ghost?"

Cleve"yes,i mean no.

Realizing where this is headed to he suddenly changes the topic.

Is the doctor back?

Aina"yes and we have been waiting for you.So what are you doing here?"

Cleve"ooh..that. I got a call from the office so I stepped out to answer it."Once again he looks towards the end of the corridor.

Aina "is everything alright? you look confused and out of place".

Cleve"yes..yes. Just a small anomaly". He touches his throat ,"I think I need some water".

stealing a final glance at the corridor they head to the doctor's office

Aina had become more doubtful of Cleve and his unpredictable moods.

Earlier he had shut the door on her face and now he had lied about receiving a call.

she had seen the way he had taken an interest in the girl with auburn hair even though he denied knowing her Aina could tell that their was more to her than meets the eye.

She could bet on the fact that whatever had made him step outside was related to the girl from the picture.

Her suspicions were further reinforced by the way he looked anxiously at the corridor, the question marks in his eyes and the way his eyes darted from side to side as though searching for something, the way his mood changed like the way a woman changes her innerwear.

All this led her to one conclusion

Cleve was up to something.

****

Hand on her heart she presses the ground floor button

still on her phone she redials the number again and again but she is directed to voicemail.

"what could possibly go wrong?"

she races the car as though she is a safari rally driver.

not waiting to find a suitable parking space she jumps from the car and runs up the staircase

waiting for the elevator would take too long and time is not what she has.

the house looks as though it has been ransacked

"Mei, Mei"

she calls as she moves from room to room.

with her heart beating loudly against her chest she tries to control her breathing.

each passing second her fears are rising

"meiiii,"she opens the wardrobe to be met with a blood stained disheveled Mei.

"pleaase I beg you don do it.I promise I will go far away.

I beg you whatever you were paid I will double it or even triple  but please don't hurt me..

don't hurt my child.."

"Mei,meiii,its me". She shakes her vigorously in an attempt to bring her back to reality

Realizing who it is, she throws herself into her arms letting all the bottled up emotions loose.

she had always been the strongest, offering advice and emotional support to her friends but now the tables have turned.

she had been trying to hold it together but today she had reached her limit.

The ever strong, jovial ,wild and tough headed Mei was gone and in her place is a broken woman who is at the blink of loosing her sanity.

Not speaking a word she cries her heart out and finally she falls asleep while still in her embrace.

The blue floral dress she was wearing is now soaked with her tears.

Mei had even turned her favorite scarf to her handkerchief, blowing her nose with it time and again.

Being of the same stature it takes time and a lot of effort moving her to the bed.

Tucking her in, she finally stretches her over exerted muscles that have almost numbing.

she doesn't know what happened but whatever it was must have really broken her.

In the kitchen she busies herself making  chicken and ginger congee ,she knows she will need some energy to face her situation or whatever it is.

"no.no.no stop it.

please you are hurting me stop"

she tries to lift her hands but they are too heavy

she continues to wriggle in her sleep shouting for help.

leaving the congee, she rushes to the bedroom only to find her covered in sweat ,shaking and kicking to the air.

Grabbing her it takes a lot of strength to restrain her moves.

"you are safe ,shhhhh,i am here.it was just a bad dream, relax "she whispers to her in a soothing manner while stroking her bob hair cut.

On a normal day Mei would have shouted or even hit her for touching her hair.

she loved the bob haircut  calling it her signature look but today she had gone docile and whimpered like a puppy while tightening her embrace

whatever had happened to her must have really shaken her up.

After some comforting words and reassurance she cleans up and heads to the dining area for something.

she needs to warm her stomach and her friends must need some answers

Tasting it her dull face brightens.

"thank you she mumbles

"Its ok .I know you will need something sweet to sweeten your life". She gives a dry laugh at her comment.

Taking two bites she cannot help but burst into tears once again she uses her favorite scarf to blow her nose.

'Mei that is my favorite scarf you know".

"Now it has become my favorite handkerchief "they chuckle as she blows her nose again.