Abigail pushes open the door and I look up from my laptop at her.

"Mrs. Blake is outside ma'am."

"Oh okay, send her in." I shut my laptop as she nods and disappears behind the door.
A few seconds later, she appears again, this time with Mrs. Blake behind her.

"Hello Cecilia it's good to see you." I extend my hand in a handshake.

"It's good to see you too." She takes it and I gesture for her to sit down on the chair in front of my desk as I do the same.

"How is your husband?"

"He's great, very great. I'm sorry, he couldn't make it, he was stuck at work." She smiled apologetically.

"It's alright, I'm just happy for you two."

"Dave and I can't thank God enough because without him, I'm sure Sophie would still be suffering  or might even be dead by now." I smile softly and nod my head slightly.

"What happened still is a mystery to me but I guess you could say God healed her." I smile.

"He did. I really feel like we should hang out sometime you know, just you and me." Her blue eyes twinkling as she smiles, exposing her pretty teeth behind her rosy red coated lips.

"I think that would be great. It's just that I have a quite busy schedule but I'm willing to cancel a few things." I smile and she laughes softly.

"I don't want to be a bother really."

"No you're not, I don't do that for many people." I smirk.

"I am honored doctor."

"It's Maya." I correct.

"Maya then." She giggles and I nod in agreement.

"Ooh, I think I'm forgetting why you're here in the first place. Don't mind me." I bend down and pull the file out of my desk drawer and open it, shoving it towards her. She takes out a pen from her bag and I show her where to put her signature.

After she's done, we shake hands and share a hug.

"Now, let's go see Sophie." With that, we leave my office hand in hand and towards Sophie's ward.

A few minutes later, I am pushing open the door to Sophie's ward with Cecilia right behind me, and a few meters away from us is Sophie in a white crib by the window.
Cecilia, once she's inside, rushes to the crib and reaches out to cradle her little girl in her arms.
I can see tears glistening in her eyes as she cuddles her lovingly to her chest. Baby Sophie just cooes softly and nuzzles her nose fondly into Cecilia's white blouse.
I quietly come closer in order not to interrupt their moment but unfortunately, Cecilia notices my presence and lookes up smiling before looking back at her baby.

"This is Aunty Maya." She says in motherese and I just laugh.

"Yeah, it's Aunty Maya." I aceed and reached out to stroke her rosy cheeks. She is dressed in a pretty baby pink dress, covered from hem to hem in shimmery silver, making her look like a little diamond sparkling in the sun. "You are looking so beautiful my dear." In response, she grips my finger with her little pink hand and squeezes it hard, her tiny lips turning downwards and her face bunching up as she let's out a wail. "Aww, I'm gonna miss you too my little ray of sunshine. Don't worry, I'll come around to see you sometime." It seems like she understands my words, because she immediately calms down and smiles, exposing her toothless gum and little pink tongue.

"She is so cute. She looks a lot like you you know." I tell Cecilia and she nods.

"Yeah, David says so too. She seems to really like you." I reach down to pick up her bag of baby supplies as we both exit the ward.

"We are very good friends." I laugh and she seem to find it hilarious too.

"Yeah right you are."

The hallway isn't as crowded as usual so Cecilia and I don't have a problem finding our way to the large glass doors that lead out of the hospital and into the parking lot.

She pulls out her car keys from her pocket and presses the unlock button so that the car beeps loudly, flashing it's headlights in response to the signal.
I hasten my steps towards her car in order to assist her in opening the back door so she can strap Sophie in.
After placing the bag in the passenger seat, I go around the car and take Sophie from her so she can adjust the safety seat. Once she's done, I gently place the now asleep Sophie in the seat as Cecilia straps her in.

"Thanks Maya, I'm glad we met you."

"Don't mention it." I nonchalantly brush off the compliment and pull her into a tight but short hug.

"Come visit sometime Maya."

"Definitely; you know I will." I tame a few wandering locks of my unruly hair behind my ear and fold my arms over my chest as she secures herself in the driver's seat and shuts the door behind her.
The car gently purrs to life as she backs out of the lot, not before waving so furiously that I'm really afraid she may bump into the kerb, so I call out.

"Be careful!!" I don't think she hears me because she just zooms off towards the check out point, and checks out.

                          ※※

I tried to leave work early today partly because mom and I were going to watch a few Netflix movies together. I told her I was going to be home by 5pm because I felt I would be through with work by then, but unfortunately I finished later than that and had to stay out till 7pm, which is actually still early for a workaholic like me.
As a result of this delay, I had to call off our movie night because since mom was discharged, I have been really strict on her sleeping early.
Speaking of mom, I had been noticing something really strange… her speech has been becoming smoother.
I don't know if it's just my imagination or if it really is true because there's no logical reason why that should be happening.
I mean she didn't have the surgery, neither is she on therapy.
It's just so confusing really, I think as I drive into the garage.

I turn off the ignition and grab my bag from the passenger seat, getting out and checking my phone for the time.
It indicates 7:45pm meaning mom has already had dinner and is preparing for bed.

I push open the kitchen door and place my bag on the kitchen table, enter the sitting room and walk across towards the room my mom is temporarily using.
Once I get there, I gently push open the door and peer in.
Stella is carrying an empty tray which was most likely used to bring in her food and she sees me.

"Oh hey Maya, you're home already." She chirps cheerfully and I nod.

"Yeah, finished work early." She just giggles and resumes stacking the empty plates and cup unto the tray.

"Is mom awake?"

"No, she slept off just before you drove in."

"Oh.....well in that case, I'll just go find something to eat because I'm starving." I gesture towards the kitchen with my thumb.

"Okay." She shrugs before returning to her work.

   ••••••

Even though there are quite a variety of things to eat, I'm not in the mood for any of them. My tongue is really craving ice cream and chocolate pudding.
As a doctor, you'd think I would be really skeptical about sugar, considering how not so good it is for the body but that's where I missed my cue.
So instead of dishing myself some of the mutton sauce and Chinese rice Stella pepared like a normal person, I change into a black T-shirt and some blue wash jeans with my favorite black leather boots. 
I grab my car keys and a coat, off to get some ice cream and chocolate pudding from the nearest Chocolate Room restaurant to my house.
I know this sounds really stupid and unsafe to drive out by 8:15pm just to get chocolate pudding and ice cream when a simple order would have done the trick, saving me the stress and risk.
Well firstly, I am pretty used to driving very late in the night so this isn't new.
Secondly, St Petersons street is one of the busiest streets in the entire Brooklyn road. It's almost as busy during the night as it is during the day so even now that it's not yet so late, it's still pretty much a buzz.
Also, Cobble Hill, (the town in which Brooklyn road is situated) is one of the safest places in the whole of New York city. And thirdly, I really need some fresh air; so there you have it.
In a couple of minutes, I roll into the garage of The Chocolate Room and I park my car, getting out.

"I would like a medium sized chocolate milk pudding and a bucket of plane vanilla ice cream." I nod to the waiter that comes to take my order and he just nods with a smile, scribbles something on his clipboard and leaves.
In the meantime, I pull out my phone and check my messages.
Just then, there's a sound from the entrance doors opening, indicating that someone has just entered.
I don't look up partly because I don't think I need to since a couple of people have entered since I did and I don't think this fellow is any special and also because I am too engrossed in my phone.

But a few seconds later, I begin to hear the footsteps getting louder and it seems as if whoever it is is coming in my direction.
I still don't look up because my table isn't the only one on this side of the restaurant and this person could just be planning on taking one of them.
My assumptions dissipate however when the footsteps stop right in front of me and I hear my name.

"Maya?" I furrow my brows and look up only to have my eyes widen and a smile appear on my face at the sight of the stranger.

"Oh my days, Brian!" I dash up and push my way out from between the chair and the table and rush to hug him. He wraps his sturdy arms round my torso as I hold on to him briefly before pulling away.

"How come you're here and… in your work clothes?" I examine him from head to toe.
He is in a black suit, probably designer from the looks of it. His hair is tousled, white shirt is unbuttoned at the neck and his cufflinks are off, making him look really  tired.

"Yeah, I was just on my way from work and since it's too late for me to cook dinner, I just decided to get something from Chocolate Room and voilla you're here. So what are you doing here?" He asks, taking the opposite seat from me.

"I also came here to have dinner but it's not  like there wasn't dinner at home, it's just that I felt more like chocolate pudding and ice cream instead of mutton chops and Chinese rice which Stella prepared for mom." I shrug and he laughs.

"You always feel like chocolate Maya." He sighs, giving me a pointed look and my cheeks flush at how easily he could read me.
I trit to rack my brain for how he knew I loved chocolates so much and then I remembered that I must have told him one of the times when we were chatting.

"Yeah, you're right about that......but you're one to talk, why Chocolate Room for dinner instead of somewhere like McDonalds or Buddy's Burrito, or even Subway. Only obsessed chocolate eaters like me would come to Chocolate Room for dinner." I cross my arms over my chest, satisfied with myself for pinning him, or so I thought.

"Nah, the only reason I came here was because their service is really fast and since I haven't had chocolate in about two months, I thought that now would be a good time to at least give myself a treat."

"Are you seriously kidding me right now? You haven't had chocolate in two months!!"

"It happens." He smirks and shrugs nonchalantly.
Just then the waiter reappears, this time with my pudding and a bucket of ice cream.
I suddenly go all giddy and take them both from him and place them on the table before pulling out my purse to pay.

A hand clasps mine and I look up to meet Brian's green eyes. 

"Let me." I pull my hand away from his grasp and shake my head chuckling softly.

"No, it's okay, I...."

"Please, I want to." His calm baritone cuts me off and in order not to create a scene, I just nod and sit back as he pulls out a check book from his pocket and scribbles the bill before tearing it out and giving the waiter.

"I would also want some chocolate chip cookies and a cool milkshake, thank you." In response, the waiter dips to a low bow before walking away to carry out his order.

Once the waiter is well out of earshot, I speak up. "You really didn't have to do that you know."

"I know, but like I said, I wanted to." He smirks and I roll my eyes. "Since we met, I don't remember getting you anything, rather it's been the other way around."

"When have I ever gotten you anything?"

"Don't you remember the day at the park when you shared your dinner with me and Lilly?"

"Okay but that's different." I retort. 

"I don't think it is. What of when I came to help you prepare dinner for your mom and I ended up eating with you?" He cocks a suggestive eyebrow at me.

"Brian, I consider myself to be a lady and it would have been extremely rude not to ask you to stay. If it wasn't for you, there wouldn't have been any homemade dinner that night." I defend and he shrugs.

"Still doesn't change the fact Maya." He smiles mischievously, obviously happy he's won and I just shake my head.

"You're just so stubborn."

"Aww, don't be a grouch Maya." At that, my eyes narrow into thin slits and I lean foward to swat his chest.
He just dodges and my hand ends up swatting the chair earning a laugh from the both of us.
While we are busy laughing, the waiter reappears with Brian's cookies and drink.
 
After he pays the waiter, we both dig into our treats.

"Cheers to… friendship." I look up from my half eaten pudding and chuckle giving him a queer look as I look for what to cheer with.
He is holding up his shake cup and since I didn't get a drink, I pull out my steel spoon. Once I do that, he laughs and I shrug as we clink our items together.

"Cheers."
"Cheers." We both say in unison.

A few minutes later, I have downed my pudding and boy am I full, but there's no way I'm giving up on the ice cream so soon.

That's quite dramatic because I'm actually about two spoons to emptying the bucket.
I'm just overly dramatic like that.

Brian on the other hand is just finishing up his last chip cookie.

"Hey can I ask you something?"

"Yeah sure." I say between mouthfuls of ice cream.

"I am attending a formal dinner hosted by my company on Friday and I was going alone. I wanted to ask if you could be my escort - if you're free, that is." If I'm not mistaken, I think I see a blush creep up his cheek and I suppress a giggle.

"I think I can." I smile. " I'll call you later to let you know if my schedule would be free."

"That's great. I'll be waiting." I just shake my head and giggle.