Welcome back to Steve and Linda.🥳🥳

Steve's POV

Wednesday came earlier than I thought. I stood up from my bed and began to prepare for my session with a friend and psychologist. My mind couldn't help but wander to Monday morning...

"Goodbye," I muttered silently and left Linda's office. Judging from how she didn't reply I concluded she didn't hear.

...Deep down, I wanted to hear her voice again before leaving. Her voice still had the same effect on me. How could a human's voice hold the power to make a person vulnerable?

I had been shocked to see her when I entered the office. As much as I wanted to turn and leave, her voice got me hooked. For a while there, I forget everything that had happened to me in the past week. That experience alone was enough to remind me of the kind of person Linda was. The owner of a voice I always ached to hear.

As soon as I was well dressed, I went out of the house.

***

Few minutes to seven, I stepped into JnK hospital. With every step I took, I wondered why I had agreed to do this with Linda. Inside the hospital seemed like the time was past noon. Nurses moved, chairs and beds were wheeled, the reception was filled with people and there was the familiar reek of drugs. I walked away as briskly as I could and soon found myself in front of Linda's office. Turning the doorknob, I walked in.

"Good morning, someone forgot to knock." Linda smiled up at me from her chair as she greeted.

"I'm sorry," I closed the door and took more steps in. "Good morning," I muttered in response.

"Have you had coffee this morning?" She asked and her voice played strings on my insides.

"No," I smiled and ran a hand through my hair.

"Cool, let's grab a cup at the clinic's cafe and take a morning stroll." She said, got off her desk and closed the files in front of her.

"I can't drink coffee," I answered and she stopped to look at me.

"Why?"

"It triggers my memories," I replied.

"That's a good thing. Let's go." she grabbed my hand and dragged me out of the office.

"Thanks for coming." She said.

"To where?"

"Back here."

We entered the cafe and she ordered two cups of coffee. She threw me into a seat and went back to collect the tray of coffee.

"Here," She said and dropped a coffee in front of me.

"What am I supposed to do? I can't even drink this. It is bitter."

"Of course, coffee is bitter. Drink up."

I watched her sip from the cup of coffee in her hand while I swung the cup in my hand, swirling its contents.

"Do you want to hear a story?"

"What story?"

"The first time I saw you."

"The day at the freshman party?"

"No. The first time I saw you was on my way to school, on a Monday morning. You sat outside that coffee shop in the middle of our street with this same gesture." She said, pointing at his swinging hand.

"Wow."

"Now that I think of it, you like coffee, you always drink coffee. But that day you held your cup and swung it. Were you heartbroken too?"

"Maybe I was," I said and stared into space.

"I proposed to Vanessa. She broke up with me."

"She broke up with you?"

"I proposed to her on my first anniversary as the official director. She agreed to the party. I was so happy. We got home and she announced that we couldn't get married. I was confused. That's when she spilt it. She never liked me. She used me. I was so stupid."

"What do you mean? You are not stupid."

"But I am Linda. I was a rabbit who put trust in a fox. My cousins warned me. They told me she was just like my sister but I foolishly fell in love." I said and slammed the cup of coffee on the table, spilling the contents.

"Should we stroll now?" Linda's voice was soothing as ever.

"No. I think I just want to sleep."

"Okay then. Go home, go to sleep." She said and I looked at her.

"You'll just let me go?"

"Yes. You'll come back when you're more frustrated."

"I am frustrated. I am so frustrated I don't know what to do."

"Let's take a stroll."

"I guess I have no choice," I said and we stood up.

We walked out of the cafe into the hospital's open lawn. We strolled in silence. Linda did not ask anything and I said nothing. I looked around instead. The hospital was big. The owner must have spent lots of money building it. The green grass glowed by the effect of the shining sun. The path was neatly cut and the side flowers were arranged beautifully. We entered into the hospital garden. It was empty except for the two of us. The place smelled like flowers and leaves. Linda remained silent.

"You won't ask me anything?"

"You will talk when you're frustrated enough."

"I guess you brought me out here to frustrate me." I hissed.

"No. I brought you out here to let go. To empty your mind and think afresh."

"Steve," she called and faced me, looking into my eyes. "Vanessa was not your life, is not your life and will never be your life. Why do you give her power enough to destroy you?"

I looked away.

"You think I gave her power? That lady gave me power and crush it like an insect right before my eyes. I love her from the beginning. She was in my heart before I met Susan. When I got back to California and she confessed her love, I was overwhelmed. What else did I need? I had a company, a great assistant and the girlfriend of my dreams. But it was all a facade. There was no genuineness. She played me for my company."

"It wasn't your company," Linda said and I gnawed at her.

"What do you mean?"

"The company. It was never yours."

"Looks like you don't understand." I hissed and walked away.

Maybe I was wrong talking to her after all. I was better off sleeping away. I thought as I headed back home, annoyed.

I know this is short. But it's the new beginning.  Expect better by Tuesday❤.
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