"Come in!!!" A red faced Abigail peeps in clutching the clipboard tightly to her chest.

Truly, this girl is beginning to annoy me.
If she can't as much as look someone in the face while talking, she shouldn't have signed up for the job of an assistant in the first place.
I sigh inwardly and go back to my typing.

"You've been asked to attend a board meeting by 2 o'clock ma'am."

My head creases in confusion and then slowly, realization hits me.

A board meeting?

It has to be it, nothing else would make them call a meeting by this time.

Oh dear, I hope not.

In my bewilderment, I recall she's still standing there.

"Is that all?" I look up at her.

"Yes ma'am."

"Alright, you're excused." I pull out my schedule from the drawer.

One appointment and a surgery, all before 2 o'clock. I hope I have enough time to catch lunch before the meeting, I think to myself.

I heave and take a long swig from my mug of coffee as I lean back in my chair and wait for the next appointment.

                          ※※

The door creaks loudly and I push it open causing the heads of the nurses to fly in my direction.

I straighten myself and dart my eyes towards the door through which I just entered, silently telling them to give us privacy.

The door creaks loudly again as they leave and I wince in annoyance.
Next to roses, the thing I hate the most are noisy doors.
I'll have to talk to the maintenance crew; we can't be having creaky doors all over the place.
With a sigh, I make my way to where he is sitting bent over the hospital bed on which his wife is breathing peacefully and gently tap him.
Instantly, he jolts up and blinks two drowsy grey eyes at me.

"Doctor?"

"Mr. Blake. It's good to meet you again."
I extend my hand in a handshake and he takes it, motioning for me to sit on the chair beside him.

"So, good news?" He prods drowsily.

What?

This guy just saw his daughter being wheeled into the emergency ward in all haste a few hours ago and he's asking if I had good news?

He really doesn't understand, does he?

I drop my head and shut my eyes, hating this aspect of my job. (The part where you have to break the bad news to the patient).

I remember that verse of the Bible we were made to memorize in Sunday school while growing up......

"......... the expectations of the righteous shall never be cut short."

I let out a deep and sad chuckle; well theirs is about to be.
Looking again into his determined grey eyes, my heart shatters into a million pieces.

As a doctor, no matter how many times I have to do this, I never get used to it. I suck in a huge column of air and let it out forcefully.

"Your daughter has a hole in her heart Mr. Blake....." I whisper.

I hear a gasp from the hospital bed and we both turn to see Mrs. Blake teary eyed and cupping her mouth with her hands.

In a beat, Mr. Blake strides over to the bed and wraps his sturdy arms comfortingly around his petite wife.

My heart immediately goes out to them; a young couple who definitely hasn't done anything to deserve such an unhealthy child.

Thank goodness I found out how truly alone we humans are in this world as early as I did. In such a situation, it'll be even more devastating and frustrating to hope in a being who doesn't even care at all about what you're going through.

Tears begin to blur my vision and I furiously blink them away, quickly vearing away from that rocky line of thought, but the next few words I hear throws me into another state of confusion as I try to process it.

I jump in my seat and stare disbelievingly at the couple.

"Do you know how critical her condition is? She's going to die for goodness sake and you're here saying she'll be fine?" I spit.

"She is not going to die, doctor. My wife and I know that our daughter will emerge from all this healthy and sound, ready to live her life ahead of her."

They really are naive.

Veronica already informed me earlier that they're a Christian couple hence what I'm about to say.

"Mr and Mrs. Blake, I know you feel God is going to heal your daughter but..........."

"We know He will, and we do not doubt that fact."

The confidence in his tone tone totally announcing its presence and I think I can see something flickering in his eyes.

Boldness, of which I have never seen before.............

It was intimidating to look at, firey even and I wonder where it's coming from.

He can't be doing it by himself.
I literally can't describe it like I see it but I know that whatever it is in his eyes, it's just a glimpse of what he holds inside and I shiver slightly.

There seems to be some force emitting from where the two of them are seated and I feel my head becoming dizzy as I try to steady my gaze.

What is happening.

                         ※※

I press my hands to my temple and clench my teeth.

"You're trying to say that the hospital is about to be sold off?" I repeat.

The director drops his head refusing to meet my gaze and I search the eyes of the other board members.

Pissed, I rise and slam my palms on the conference table.

"Are we just going to sit back and let this happen?" I yell frustratedely.

Boy, I can't believe that they are actually considering it.

"The offer is sensible Miss. Solana, we would gain a lot from it." The shame that I perceived from him earlier had obviously left.

"What more do you want, the company is doing fine, we don't need this." I push.

He straightens himself and squares his shoulders and I can sense he is offended by my comment but I really don't care and am not backing down.

This is absurd.

"Miss. Solana, this is our decision."

"Whose, if I may ask, because the last time I checked, I was a member of the board of directors in this company. I have to give my consent to this 'decision', and I refuse to give it!!"

"We will do this with or without your consent Miss. Solana, the majority of us have already agreed to it, you can be left out!"

Immediately, it was like someone put a pin to my balloon and I lost all willpower.
How can they do this.

I turn to look at the director in the face and pose my last argument.

"You and I along with some of us sitting here birthed this hospital, we watched it grow, we watched it become what it is today. This is just one of the problems we have encountered before, maybe more but it doesn't call for this." I plead.

They all avert their gazes and say nothing, letting the suffocating silence reign, and I feel a flicker of hope in me as I scan their guilt stricken faces.

"Alright...... " yes, I rejoice,
".......we will conduct a referendum."

Oh no!

"But....." I begin to object.

"In this way, it will be fair." He glares at me.

Annoyed, I cross my hands over my chest knowing this is a losing battle.

"If you are in support of the decision to sell the company, can you raise your hand please?"

The voice of the director rings round the silent conference room and I watch painfully as all the members of the board, slowly but surely put up their hands.

Unbelievable. Betrayers.

I rise, not wanting to make eye contact with any of them, even Veronica whose gaze is currently fixed on me.

"I wish to be excused." I bow curtly and without waiting for a response, grab my things and bolt out of the door.

"Miss. Solana......." I didn't wait to hear the rest.
Seriously, I need some air, the atmosphere in that room had suddenly become suffocating.

I hear the doors opening and closing again behind me and I quicken my pace.
The loud clank of heels get closer and I quicken my steps even more.

"Maya, please wait."

Discovered.

I roll my eyes and slow to a halt.

"What is it, Veronica?" I hiss, not once turning to face her.

"Calm down, you're acting out of course."

I scoff.

"So standing up for what I have worked hard for is acting out of course?" I finally turn to face her.

"Stop acting like you're the only one who's finding this difficult. We all are, the rest of us are just being practical."

"Really, because it seems to me you're all ready to throw away everything for money." I spit and resume walking away from her.

"That's not true and you know it Maya." She continues and I smirk.

"Isn't it?"

"Why....... "

"You know what, I need to leave, see you later." I cut her off, not wanting to hear what she has to say before disappearing down the hallway that is getting less busy by the hour.

I sigh, knowing that even if I don't want to, I might just have to let go of my life's work.

                         ※※

"Hey." I say to Tomi and she turns, with a smile on her wide lips which has some nude colored lipstick on it.

She's wearing an off shoulder red flay blouse on top of grey slacks with nude heels complete with a Prada purse, her brown curls bouncing as she turns.

No matter how casually she dresses, she always slays her look. I, on the other hand am not so fortunate, but I try.

I'm on a black sleeveless turtle neck sweater over equally black ripped jeans and a pair of black strap heels.
My black hair, I let loose over my shoulders. It took me three hours to figure out what to wear.

"Hey." She replies and we both embrace each other. I press the power button on my phone and it lights up revealing Clave's message from earlier.

"He says he's just a few minutes away, maybe we should sit and wait for him." I point to a bench on the sidewalk.

Before we've made it halfway to the bench, I hear the loud hoot of a horn right behind me and I jump ready to flare up at whoever is driving so close to the sidewalk.

"What the......" and I stop when I notice the shining black saloon car screech to a halt.

The door on the driver's seat flies open and his familiar blonde hair comes into view, this time with a tinge of silver due to the moonlight casting it's rays on it.

"Hey there." I smile and roll my eyes as he approaches us.
To think I was about to get livid on him.

"Oh, my god, Clave!!!!" I heard Tomi scream from behind me before I can even get a response from him.

I turn around and she has her hand clasped over her mouth never leaving her spot.

"Hey, Tomi." I hear him say.

"Oh, my god." She blurts again still staring at him.
My cheeks keep widening until they begin to hurt, but I can't help it, this is just so cute.

She strides slowly over to him and hugs him tightly. "I've missed you."

"I've missed you too T." He smiles before he lets go and takes her left hand in his, raising it to the light.

"Whoa, is this an engagement ring?" His eyebrows furrow and he looks at me questioningly, a smile tugging at his lips. I just shrug.

"Yeah, to Max, a guy I met in college." She giggles, winking at me, her dimples coming into full view.

My best friend is so cool.

"Wow, I'd love to meet that lucky guy." She rolls her eyes chuckling and I walk over to them.

"So Clave, what do you have planned for this evening."

"You'll see, hop in the car." He grins.

Tomi immediately rushes for the back seat (I seriously don't know what she sees there) while I take the front seat and we drive off.

There's no need for tension or awkward silences because Tomi hasn't stopped asking questions since we left.

I just laughed occasionally and when I didn't feel like joining in on the conversation, I admired the view.

Like now.

It's drizzling and the tiny droplets of water stain the window and it sparkles because of the numerous street lights on our way.
I smile and let my head rest on the glass, remembering that rainy night that changed my life.

The screams... the blood... that bridge... that scarf...

Immediately, flashes of that night begin to ravage my mind and it's like I can actually hear myself screaming and grappling for all I was worth...

"Maya..."

"Maya... "

"Maya... ", a hand gently shakes me and I am no longer on the bridge but strapped safely in the passenger seat of Clave's saloon car.

The car had stopped already and Clave is looking at me queerly while Tomi is leaning over from the back seat.

Then I realize, I was daydreaming again and I quickly blink away the tears that had already begun to well up inside my eyes before anyone of them is able to notice.

At least I think so.

"Sorry, did you call me?" I look from Clave to Tomi.
They both are still looking at me like I am really crazy and I feel like the ground should just swallow me whole.

"You were just daydreaming." Clave points blankly.

"Yeah, like he called you three times and you only answered on the third call."

I shift in my seat and glare hard at Tomi willing her to shut up before turning back in my seat.

"You guys could have at least pretended you didn't notice. It's not like I don't realise that now." I murmur and cross my hands over my chest.

Tomi immediately bursts out in laughter and Clave, is gripping the steering wheel as hard as he can probably in order not to be affected by Tomi's outburst.

"What is wrong with you two." I hiss.

That did it; they both double over guffawing and I can barely hear myself.

Before long, I am also clutching my sides that are now aching and wiping the tears that had escaped my eyes.

Laughing really is contagious.

Who knew I would be laughing away at myself, seeing how upset I had been because they merely did the same to me.

"Oh, dear, this is crazy." I puff.

"You know, we'd better get going unless there won't be any space left for us."

I straighten myself and cock an eyebrow at Clave.

"Okay, where are you taking us."

"Yeah Clave, where are you taking us?"
Tomi pipes up from behind me.

"I'm not gonna tell you guys but I can bet that you'll both love it."

I roll my eyes.

"Alright, lead the way and before we go on, can we get something to eat - I'm starving."

"Maya!!"

"Maya!!"