"MAINE, what would your schedule be like in the coming days?" Luisa asked as she loaded herself in Maine's car. She carpooled with her.

"I have Monday, Tuesday and Friday morning classes. Tuesday night to Thursday night and Saturday morning till 10 pm, duty at the hospital." She replied not even glancing to see Luisa's distorted face.

"Aren't you getting tired doing what you're doing? You have no real rest." Luisa worriedly asked her. Maine just smirked before replying.

"Yes, I do. I have all day Sunday to rest." Is her only reply and didn't say any other words after that. Luisa just shook her head. There's nothing else she could add to that.

She knows Maine too well, if she doesn't want the conversation, she'll let you know without telling but a person will feel it. She has that kind of aura.

Maine and Luisa met at a symposium where Luisa spoke about transmitted diseases to a bunch of high schoolers.

What better way to cure these transmitted diseases? By preventing them. And where better to start? Young high school kids where curiosity strikes and the explore the world of the forbidden.

Luisa was walking out of the campus across the quiet, somewhat eerie parking lot, when three young men blocked her way and harassed her. Maine was also getting into her car not far from where the four were when she heard the maniacal laugh and a pleading voice.

Maine couldn't be seen by anyone because she came in from a different way.

As Maine got closer and closer, she recognized the young doctor as one of the speakers. Without any hesitation, Maine made sure to catch those men by surprise. Good thing she had been learning self defense in her spare time.

She rushed towards them with her immobilizing moves that she learned from her self-defense instructor to help Luisa. She successfully immobilized the three without any further punch thrown or worst, her being hurt.

Luisa broke down and cried when her ordeal was finally over. She was so afraid, she's shaking. Nothing like this happened to her before, good thing that there's this good samaritan girl who came to rescue her.

Maine saw Luisa's clothes somehow ripped on some parts, so she offered to take her home, Luisa agreed.

Luisa thanked Maine and asked her to join her for a cup of coffee which she had obliged at that time and Maine was so glad that she did because they became best of friends and became inseparable since then. She found herself an older sister in the person of Luisa.

Today, they were at a symposium again at a university talking about obesity, depression and suicide among teens.

It was a very touchy topic for both of them, good thing that Luisa only discussed the medical side of it. The psychological side of the discussion was made by the other speakers which made more sense since the two others are mental health doctors, one is a psychiatrist and the other is a psychologist.

And since it was in the afternoon and Maine's classes were done, she went with Luisa. She always has fun listening to all the speakers whenever she gets the chance to go whenever the young doctor gets invited to speak in schools or workplaces.

Luisa is a very driven young doctor. She's passionate and caring to a fault, a simple characteristic that Maine so loved about her since she was a product of a broken home.

Her parents separated when she was very young. Her parents could not get along and agree for a moment to even look at her or be with her... it's sad.

She wanted to rebel against them but decided against it. She realized, ruining herself won't do her any good, and her parents, any difference.

They will just keep throwing blames at each other, spewing awful words and redundant nonsense. The ending will be more disastrous than how it started.

She doesn't know where her parent's anger and hatred originated between her parents. She grew up seeing hatred and hearing yelling and screaming and senseless anger from them.

All she knows is that, she went to bed the night before seeing her parents love each other so much, giving each other goodnight kisses to waking up the following morning to two parents wanting to kill each other.

Before the day's end of absurd, nonsensical banters, she saw her Mom packing up and leaving their home; along with her Dad packing her stuff up to send her to a boarding school. The rest wasn't clear to her after that.

She then poured her time and energy into studying. She's burried herself in books and school works and did not make an effort to get to know her classmates and schoolmates, let alone have a friend. But that doesn't mean she wasn't friendly and candid because she is. She just doesn't keep any of them as friends.

She's famous academically at school but other than that, she's not a party person. Nobody knew her obsession with bikes... motorcycles to be exact.

They were about forty-five minutes away from their condo when the rain poured hard like the heavens were angry and ready to wash out the days dirt and negativity, including humanity. It was too thick that they can not see the road in front of them.

Luisa held Maine's arms as the flash of lighting crossed their eyes. She knows Maine is not really good with mad flashes of lightnings and a murderous clapping of the  thunder. Maine just glanced and gave Luisa a faint smile.

"MAINE!" Luisa yelled in horror as Maine swerved on the road. Good thing there's not a single vehicle anywhere.

"Geez, Luisa! Calm your jets down!" She counter yelled. "I can control the wheels, alright!" She added shaking her head.

She knew Luisa will always be the nervous wreck between them two and she's the one with a lightning and thunderstorm issue.

She held a contemptuous smile. A trauma doctor who's afraid of a fishtailing car. Her mind was teasing Luisa in secrets.

"I know you have an effing control of the wheel but the road doesn't know that!" Maine took a quick glance towards the young doctor and burst out laughing.

"And you called yourself a trauma doctor?" She finally blurted out what her mind was saying, laughing so hard, she can't breathe.

"Whatever." Luisa retorted stomp her one foot the floor and pouting her lips. She huffed as she looked outside the window just to be greeted by a rhick mad rainfall and the strong lightnings, furiously flashing across their eyes. She closed her eyes as it felt like the lightning was inside the car.

Before getting to the last corner to turn towards the direction of their condo building, Maine saw a car weirdly parked in the middle of the inner lane, it was not properly parked on the curb, so she knows somethings not right.

She stepped on the brakes abruptly then slowed down to see what was on the road, lying. Since the rain was pouring hard, she can not see much, but she was so sure that she saw a person... well, she thought it was a person

She then gave another stump on her breaks, this time, she step on it harder, which almost sent Luisa thrown towards the dashboard.

"Nicomaine Mendoza!!" Luisa screamed, slapping Maine's arm. "What the hell is wrong with you?!" Luisa was so angry. She almost hit her face on the dashboard if not with the seat belt she's wearing, firmly latched on.

"Shut the fudge up, Luisa!" She snarled back without throwing her a deathly look. Her mind was on that person lying down on the ground next to the car. She is very sure that it is a person.

If that person is just unconscious, he or she will be dead in a few hours because of hypothermia. And if that person is wounded and bleeding for whatever reason, he or she will be dead in a few minutes. Either way, that person's life is critically in danger.

Without second thoughts, her adrenaline infused body and determination, she flipped a big U and drove back, which sent Luisa sideways on her seat, if  she's not holding on too tight, she'll slam hard.

Luisa was so scared that she just closed her eyes. She's a freakin' daredevil! Her mind screamed out, referring to Maine.

Luisa was taken back when Maine went out of her car, in the heaviness of the rain, to rush towards that something on the road.

Under the heavy downpour of the rain, Luisa went out to run after Maine.

Luisa was scared and frantic as it was very dark and dangerous for any women to be out on this part of the street this hour, but she'd rather be with Maine in this wet, dark night than be in the car by herself, leaving Maine out there by herself. After all, there is safety in numbers.

"Maine, where the hell are you going?!" Luisa said power-walking behind Maine. She is so scared and pissed at the same time, she wanted to strangle her.

Maine doesn't think, she just acts. She doesn't give second thoughts on any situation, she will go and take actions. The manners and attitudes that makes her so worry about her friend.

Then again, Luisa knew her friend really well. You think that Maine doesn't think things through, but she does. She's very quick to analyze the situation and that's why she's good at what she does and she's at the top of her class.

"Shut up, Luisa! I didn't ask you to follow me! If you want, you can go back in the car and call 911!" Maine is yelling out because she couldn't hear herself over the sound of the raging rain.

The wind didn't help either, since some how joined in to make things more difficult and way too impossible to hear other sounds.

Luisa turned around without a word and went back to the car. She's wet, yes, but she doesn't care anymore. She pulled her phone out and called 911 from her cellphone.

Maine was left to do her first responder's responsibility to the victim.

A few more moments later, Luisa was done and came back to Maine and the victim.

"What's the stats?!" She asked loudly bending down to get a clear view if the victim is a male or a female.

When Maine moved a little, she knew right there and then that the person is a male.

"See for yourself." Maine responded flatly.

"A male. About 26 or 27 y/o. What could have happened?" Luisa kneeled down to help Maine out. She's a doctor after all.

"I don't know yet but one thing is for sure, he sustained a blow in the back of his head. And wasn't breathing earlier." Maine calmly replied out loud.

Luisa pulled the little pen light from her pocket which she carries all the time. She gently forced the man's eyelid to open up using her thumb and forefinger while Maine was covering it with her hand to prevent a rain water getting in. She then trained the light straight to the man's eye, it contracts from the light.

"Maine, he's still alive." Luisa announced. Maine nodded.

"I know. He has a pulse." Maine replied. Luisa saw Maine's fingers on the man's pulse. "It is very weak, though." She then added.

"I already called for the paramedics." Luisa announced. Maine just nodd.

"Thanks." Maine yelled out. Luisa smiled and nod.

"They'll be here any moment now." Luisa was staring at the man's face.

Maine was so mesmerized at how handsome the man is. Despite all the bruises and scratches that he endured from a supposed mugging, she knows he is a good looking guy and it shows.

The man is mestizo and have a pinkish, soft lips that is so inviting. She knows it is soft because she secretly touched it. She felt a nudge from Luisa.

"Are you okay?" Luisa asked, somehow worried. Without this adrenaline powered situation, Maine might have cowered down somewhere to hide.

She knew Maine for about two years now and she knew what happened Maine and her parents. All her heartaches and pain and somehow she can sense that maybe this man reminds her of someone or something.

"Yeah. I'm fine." She unconsciously replied, eyes were still trained on the man.

"Hey!" Luisa nudge Maine again. She's still staring intently at the man. Luisa was about to say something but was interrupted by the sound of the siren.

The ambulance arrived. Behind it is the fire truck and two police cars. That gave Maine the chance not to reply or say anything. Luisa can't do anything but slightly pull her to the side as the men and women of the ambulance came to take over.

One EMT personal is cutting the man's shirt to connect him to a portable heart monitor and one is pulling the wet damaged clothing's and is wrapping him with the thermal blanket.

One of the paramedics came closer to Maine and she wrapped a thermal blanket on her and one of the firemen wrapped another blanket on Luisa to keep them both warm.

Luisa introduced herself as one of the trauma doctors of Emerald Memorial Medical Hospital and Maine is one of their interns at the hospital.

A policeman came and asked them few more questions about the incident. They both obliged since they were the ones to find the man and called the paramedics.

After all that questionings and answerings were done, they gave their names, phone numbers and was sent home.

Maine take a look at the man lying down on the gurney as she started walking towards her car. She felt bad for the man and she hopes he'll be alright.

Both her and Luisa sat in the car quietly for a while as they got in. No one dared to say a single word.

Maine started the car and drove home. The building is not that far from the scene.

She parked her car next to Luisa's parking space as soon as she pulled in. They both got out of the car without a peep. They both reached the lobby, still no words.

The guard and the receptionist were both surprised to see them dripping wet. They know it was pouring hard but who would have thought that Maine and Luisa would get home soaking wet. What happened?

"Good morning, Kuya Jimmy." Maine greeted the guard since it is technically morning already. "Good morning, Ate Ruby." She added facing the building receptionist, who happened to be the night manager, too and their friend.

"Que barbaridad! Maine, Luisa, you're both soaking wet!" She exclaimed in horror. "Who told you both that it is okay to bathe in the rain at this hour?" Ruby angrily added. Maine and Luisa just looked at each other and smiled. The mother hen, Ruby, is in maternal mode now.

"Ate Ruby, before you blow your gaskets, hear us out first." Luisa said first.

"We helped someone down the street and we didn't think of using an umbrella." Maine playfully replied. Ruby raised her brows. The lady knew that Luisa is a doctor and Maine is an intern nursing student at the same hospital where Luisa worked as a resident physician.

"That's beside the point. Go to your units, take a shower and change. I'll send some hot tea to your place." Ruby always sounded like a mother to them.

"Jimmy, order some for them." She then turn to the guard.

Maine and Luisa glanced at each and didn't say anything but nodded like two little girls and marched towards the open elevator shaft where Jimmy was waiting for them, cordless phone on his ears.

"Thank you, Kuya Jimmy." Luisa said. The guard just smiled and nodded. He waited till the door closed and went back to his post, the main entrance.

"What a night." Luisa retorted. She felt tired all of sudden.

"It's more like 'what a morning!'" Maine echoed, giggling.

She slowly slid herself down to the elevator cabin floor and sat down. Luisa just laughed at her and did the same.

"You are bushed." Luisa remarked giggling.

"I am. I was tired as it is even before the symposium got done, I got more tired after my adrenaline wore off." She replied. Her eyes were closed but smiling.

"Who was that man?" Luisa thought out loud.

"Beats me." Maine replied. They both fell in silence as they reached their floor and the door opened up, they lazily looked at each other and winced.

Luisa lazily got up first to help Maine get up but fell in instead. They both burst in a fit of laughter as they struggled to stand up.

Maine was the first to regain her composure and was able to get up. She then helped Luisa to get up. They turtle-walked towards their doors.

"See you later." Maine said. Luisa smiled and waved.

"Yeah. More like see you in a little bit." They both smiled. Maine knew what Luisa said was true. Ruby will not stop till she is sure that both of them are well dried up and warm enough.

They both got done with their showers and now, they are both wearing warm pajamas. Ruby came with three bags of chamomile jasmine tea, a small bag of calamansi and a small jar of pure wild honey.

Maine let her in. Luisa is right behind her. Ruby went to the kitchen and made three cups of the tea that she bought for them.

In a few moments, a knock came and it was one of the night janitor carrying two small paper bags.

"Jimmy said to bring these here." Ruby took it from the guy and brought it to them.

They talked a little, discussed the excitement of the night and the reason why they came home soaking wet.

A few moments later, Ruby bid them goodbye, so as Luisa. She waved them goodbye and locked the door behind her friends.

She is now by herself in her one bedroom unit condo. She was dragging herself to her bedroom.

As she lay down, she stared at the white ceiling thinking of the man's beautiful face. She can't get him out of her mind, especially those pink lips. Maine touched her lips and smiled. It was soft and she liked the feel of the man's lips on hers as she was giving him CPR before Luisa came back from calling the paramedics.

Maine had done CPR so many times in the past but she didn't think that giving this man a CPR will make her feel this way. She fell asleep thinking of the man and his lips against hers.

___________
End of The Periwinkle Affair

Thank you for reading the chapter. Please leave your thoughts, comments or just say Hi. Don't forget tap the 🌟 to vote, and let's share the story to your friends for some good vibes. CTTO Media used.

💖 ~ Ms J ~ 💖
09.15.19

The Periwinkle Affair
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August 26, 2019