"He can do my job since he's a know-it-all. I quit!" She angrily said. She picked up her suit and boots with her leather-head and pushed it on Alden's chest. Everyone on their team was stupefied. No one dared to speak even Alden.

Alden couldn't take his eyes off of her. He knows she is beautiful, gorgeous even. What he didn't know is that she's a temptress, a goddess. His heart went on a wild rampage. It feels like a stampede of wildebeest wanting to escape. Fǚck! All he could do is curse himself.

He dropped the fire suit to grab and hug her but Maine turned to Leon to take the crying child away and started walking away without her shoes on. All she's wearing is her tight jeans and a white fitted shirt.

"Maine, where are you going?! Come back here!" Big Mike' booming voice called out to her. She didn't look back. Her concentration at the moment is on the child and to get away asd far and as fast as she could from Alden. She did not like what he saw in his eyes. It made her confused.

Maine was able to get to the corner when she felt her feet hurting. The adrenaline might have worn off that's why she's feeling the pain and exhaustion but the child wasn't crying anymore. She checked her and found her asleep hugging her tiny arms around her neck. That's why you're quiet, little one. She smiled

"Get in!" Maine was surprised to see the ambulance in front of her. It was Leon.

"What are you doing here?" She asked with a smile. Leon just shrugged his shoulders and smiled back.

"Get in. I'll take you both to urgent care." She's tired and her feet are hurting, she didn't argue anymore and got in. "I ask Big Mike to follow you. Nathan got it covered. The child is more important right now." He added on. She smiled.

"Good thing the know-it-all didn't oppose." She sarcastically said. Leon chuckled a bit.

"Nah. He's the one that told me to follow you." Maine took a fast glance at Leon. He was serious. There was no trace of a joke from what he just said.

"Seriously?" she asked. It was too late for her to stop herself. Leon turned to her and gave her a knowing smile, she didn't like it.

"I don't joke with that kind of stuff." He said then concentrate on the road.

"Do we have anyone in the back?" She asked veering the conversation away from Mr. I-know-everything. Leon shook his head side to side. "Thanks." She simply said trying to fix the little girl to rest comfortably on her lap.

"No problem." Leon said. "I'm sorry for blurting it out." He added on apologetically. Maine smiled. She knew, sooner or later it would be out in the open.

"Don't worry about it. It'll come out eventually anyway." She coolly said and gave him a weak smile.

"You were brave back there." Leon continued on. "The best part was, you heard her crying from afar. It was amazing." Leon has all admiration towards her. Maine just smiled.

It was the last of their conversation since the little girl woke up screaming and squirming from what seemed like a nightmare.

"Ssshh. It's okay, baby. I'm here." She said so lovingly. "You're safe now." She patted the child's shoulder towards the back.

Again, as if the little girl understood and recognized her voice, she slowly stopped crying as she started singing the only lullaby she knew, Hush Little Baby Don't You Cry. They reached the clinic.

"Hush little baby don't say a word. Mamma 's gonna buy a mockingbird. If that mockingbird won't sing, Mamma 's gonna buy you a diamond ring..." Maine continued singing to calm the child down to sleep.

"What's wrong?" Maine was a bit startled at Luisa's voice. Luisa had this worried look on her face. "Did you run her down?" Maine stopped on her track and glanced at her friend with an angry look.

"Really. Luisa?" Maine simply answered then walked past her. "I didn't run her over, she was one of the fire victims." She slowly put the girl down on one of the beds.

"What's her name." Luisa looked at the child lovingly. Maine raised her head to face Leon.

"I don't know. I heard her cry, went and got her.12" She replied without looking at Luisa. She's busy trying to figure where she'll lay her.

"I got to go." Leon announced from behind them. She turns to Leon.

"Thanks, Leon." Maine held her hand to him. He took it with a smile and they shook hands.

"Goodnight, Maine. Keep me posted about that angel." He said. Maine gave him a weak smile. All of a sudden she felt tired. He saw that Maine was done for the night, he bid his goodbye to the two ladies.

"He's nice." Luisa teased. She rolled her eyes at her.

"Don't even, Lu. He's engaged." She said to shut her up, putting a period to it. Here she is, the doctor, teasing her with a co-worker. She almost lifted her arm to swat her but went against it since she was very tired. "Check her vitals. I need to change into something clean." She said. Turn around. She did not wait for Luisa to make a smart comeback.

"Oh. My. Gosh!" Here comes the rainbow colored siren. "What happened to little Ms. Periwinkle?" He dramatically asked with both his hands on his chest. She smirked. How can you get tired when you have these people around you?

"Wait. Gerald, you said, little Ms. Periwinkle. Is that her name? Do you know them?" Maine got so excited. Gerald made a face at her and glanced at Luisa.

"Are you on crack? or you just inhaled too much black smoke from that fire?" Maine wasn't sure if she was going to ignore Gerald or hit him with an oxygen tank.

"And you called yourself my friend? Puhlease!" Luisa laughed at the two of them. Maine's heavy heart a few moments ago became light and gay. She's happy that she's back in her other world.

"No, seriously. I don't know that child, haven't seen her before, haven't had the chance to be her mother." Gerald gaily said. She almost choked on his last few words.

"Haven't had the chance to be her mother? Whatever." She said."You're the one crack." She laughed, he frowned, Luisa was dying and choking with so much laughter.

"Why did you call her Periwinkle then if you didn't know her?" Asked Luisa. Gerald raised his brows at the two ladies staring at him.

"Stop staring at me like you're striping me." He held his one hand in front of him and the other to his chest. "I'm a Filipina lass, I'm conservative." She dramatically covered his body with his arms and hands. Maine quickly laughed and slapped him hard on the arm.

"Stop being stupid right now, Gerald." She snarled. "I am serious, Bakla!" She added on.

"Okay fine. I was just making things light, okay." He said, massaging his numb arms. "You hit hard, girl. You hit like a guy, no wonder you don't have a boyfriend, you're more manly than them" He added. She didn't pay attention to his drama. She went straight to the little girl.

"Are you going to tell us or not?!" Luisa raised her voice a bit. He flinched.

"Okay. I will!" He then said trying to duck for another hand flying smack from either one. "Between the two of you, I'm a battered girl." He said dramatically/ Maine rolled her eyes.

"Hurry up then!" Maine snarled.

"Sheesh! Okay fine! Eto na! Amazonas!" Maine quickly turned to him and he flinched again. He took a deep breath when he didn't feel that body numbing punch from her. He tries to relax himself or he'll get a beating from either Luisa and Maine.

"Since you both are smart independent women, I assumed that you two got what I meant when I said Periwinkle." Gerald starts off, folding his arms over his chest and putting all his weight on one leg. "Look at what she's wearing." He pointed out the pair of pajamas the little girl was wearing. She's wearing a white top with unicorn and periwinkle flowers around it's head and her white pajama bottom has the same flower designs on it.

"I don't know her name, but that's where I got it as a joke." Gerald is now serious.although she's covered in soot and dirt, you can still see the color and design of her pajama set. Luisa and Maine nodded in unison. They're impressed, he's quick to see that.

"So, are we naming her that for now?" Maine turns to Luisa. Since she's the doctor then probably she needs to decide what to call the patient.

"What about a relative of her?" Luisa asked before she could actually answer Maine's question.

"There's no one there but her and her mother." Maine remembered the child's mom and felt a tight knot in her stomach. "Her mother just passed. Dragon team will get in touch with me about the mom's funeral." Maine added. Luisa and Gerald looked at each other with misty eyes.

"What are we going to do now?" Gerald asked, traces of sadness flickers in his eyes

"We need to call child protective services, we can not just keep her here without documenting how we got her." Maine agreed with what Luisa had said. She also knows that if they didn't report it they could be charged for kidnapping, although she was just helping the child.

"Well, we can call whoever we need to call later, but for now, let's make sure this cute little dolly is taken care of. I bet she had inhaled some smoke." Maine nodded. She agreed with Gerald.

They prepare the child for x-ray and some breathing exercises. The little girl, whom they decided to name Periwinkle, is now awake. She's just staring at Maine and wouldn't want to go with anybody.

"Hi, baby." Maine greeted her with a loving smile. Periwinkle smiled back. She was taken back by how beautiful this little girl's eyes were and she had a small cute little dimple on her left cheek. Just like Alden. She froze where her mind took her.

"Aww. She's so cute, so adorable." Gerald said in a very loving way. "When I get pregnant, I hope my daughter will be as beautiful as she is." Maine turned to him and burst out laughing.

"You mean, IF." She continued laughing. The four or five year old little girl was just watching them with her big sad brown eyes.

"Hi, baby girl." Luisa greeted Periwinkle. Luisa was greeted by the same smile and eyes as Maine. Luisa's face softened. It's cuteness overload.

Maine steps away to get some baby wipes to wipe down the soot from her face. Periwinkle sobs. They all look at each other. Luisa came to stay closer to her but she pushed her. Gerald did the same, she also pushed him but this time, she cried till she started coughing hard.

Maine quickly cuddled her. To their surprise, she hugged Maine tight and continued crying, like she's telling her that someone was mean to her and not to leave her. She coughed some more. Maine hugged Periwinkle a little tighter and patted her back. She quiets down a bit.

"It's okay. I'm here, I won't leave you." Periwinkle stopped crying but continued sobbing. She coughed a few more times but not as hard as earlier.

"Her throat is still raspy and itchy. It may be inflamed due to smoke inhalation." Luisa said. "We need to have her lay down so I can thoroughly check her." Maine nodded and turned to Periwinkle.

"Baby, will you lie down for me so we can see if you have a boo-boo." Gerald choked a laugh behind her but held it back. The next thing she heard is a muffled "ouch!" She shook her. Luisa surely gave Gerald a smack upside the head.

"Gerald, will you get the nebulizer for me? And also get some albuterol solution. She needs her airways clear." Luisa said.

"What do you want me to do?" Maine asked. Luisa lovingly stared at her and smiled.

"All I want you to do is stay with her. We need her to be calm and collected. Everything that happened to her is traumatizing, from the fire and losing her mother and being taken away from the only safe place she knows and it happened so fast and all at once, she sees you as her savior." Luisa explained. She understands it. As a nurse, she studied those and she had seen few cases in the past before she started working here.

"Okay. Thanks, Lu." She gratefully uttered. Her eyes started to become misty.

"I won't be surprised if she started calling you Mom." Maine looked up from Luisa down to Periwinkle and smiled. She wouldn't mind, would she? "The way I am looking at you right now, this little girl has already captured your heart." Maine didn't say anything at Luisa's remarks. So what if she captured my heart.

Gerald came not only with the nebulizer but with Big Mike and of course, Alden and Allan. She heard them talking but did not look up. Mike knew she was mad at him and Alden, so he did not greet her at all but talked to Luisa.

"How's the little girl?" Big Mike asked, his eyes on Maine

"She has a mild inflammation on her throat due to smoke inhalation but so far, no further damage except for a visible and obvious trauma." Luisa started off.

"Capt. Escallion from the Dragon post said he assisted Maine in extracting the child and the mom out of their unit, unfortunately the Mom did not make it. She's been dead even before Maine got there. She's now lying on the Dr. Zamora's table for autopsy." She heard Big Mike explain. She looked up to Big Mike but Saw Alden instead.

He had the saddest eyes she ever saw since she knew him. She didn't understand why her anger flew out of the door. She wanted to get up and hug him but stopped herself on making a fool out of herself.

"I'll pay for her funeral as long as you help me figure out how am I going to keep her." Mike wasn't able to say a word. Alden was taken aback. Gerald just stood there like a real man, him and Luisa already knew that this would happen.

"I told you." She simply smiled at Maine, teasing her.

"You can't keep her. The social services wouldn't let you." Big Mike said, but Maine has this determined look on her face. Before Maine could react and say a word, another person's voice came out from behind Alden. A female's voice.

"Good morning." She greeted everyone since it was past midnight. "I'm Lucille Ortiz from the child services. We were told that one of the victim's children is here? I am here to stand in as her temporary guardian until we are able to find someone to take her in." Maine brows raised.

"Are you taking her to your home?" Maine asks so sweetly. Too sweet that you can actually feel the bitterness in it. Everyone suppressed their giggles and chuckles, including the serious Alden. His lone dimple showed.

"Oh no, that's silly. I will be taking her to our group home where we housed all children." Maine knew exactly where this woman was taking her child. She held her chest a bit. My child. She likes the sound of that.

"Okay. Will she be getting the proper care there?" Maine asks. The lady looked at her then to everyone in the room as if Maine is for real. Maine knew this lady didn't like the way she's coming on, but she would like to find out, it's Periwinkle we are talking about. She still kept a sweet smile, Luisa and Gerald, who knew her very well, are feeling the sharpness of that smile, it cuts through the toughest skin.

"Miss, we have been taking in orphans for quite a while now. We have all the resources we need to care for a two year old orphan child. It's a no brainer, Miss." Ms. Ortiz's eyebrow raised. Maine smiled, more like a smirk. She took a deep breath and opened her mouth. Alden and Big Mike winced. Allan who barely walked in felt the thick tension and he knew some invisible daggers and fire would soon come out.

"Okay. Thank you for that." Maine said. Luisa and Gerald almost laughed at her response because they know it has fakeness all over it. Big Mike and Alden's jaw dropped. "Do you guys have a psychologist or psychiatrist on your Rolodex?" She added. Maine is close to telling this lady to leave the room, like as soon as possible, or else.

"No, we don't. But that is not needed." Maine looked to Big Mike and Alden then to Luisa and Gerald. She was about to laugh when Big Mike said something. Since he's still wearing his fire suit, so as Alden, she shut her mouth.

"This little girl just came out of a burning building and was traumatized and you are telling us that she doesn't need psychiatric treatment?" Big Mike has so many words to say in his head but got overwhelmed by that particular short statement from Ms. Ortiz.

"Okay. If you think that this won't bother you then go ahead. Take her." Maine said in a very serious tone.

"Oh no. I can't take her yet. She's not done being evaluated by the doctor." She said and started looking around. "Where's the doctor by the way?" She asked looking straight at the door, as if she was waiting for a nurse to pop in on command. Maine jaw dropped.

"Is she for real?" Maine asked in astonishment. "She's taking this case nonchalantly." Maine let go of Periwinkle to sit down. That little girl became alert when she felt Maine loosen the grip from her.

"It's okay, honey. I will be just sitting down right here next to you." Maine lovingly said to the little girl. The little girl then relaxed.

"You're looking for the doctor?" Gerald asked in a very manly voice. No one knows his gay except for Maine and Luisa, his father will definitely hang him upside-down on a tree and hit him like a piñata when he finds out. Even his cousin, Big Mike, didn't know he's gay. So... No.

"Yes. Can you please tell me where she is." Gerald couldn't help but laughed. Maine elbowed him.

"She's standing next to you. Idiot." Gerald uttered the part in whispers but Maine heard it. She smirked. Luisa faced the lady trying to hold in her laughter and introduced herself. What kind of a social worker is she? Maine thought.

"I am Dr. Luisa Hidalgo. I am a pediatric resident doctor and also one of the general physicians here." Luisa didn't blink. Maine was holding a contemptuous laugh. This woman is so comical. I am entertained. Maine annoyingly thought.

They had encountered social workers in the past from different areas and districts but none like this, none like her. This woman is so full of herself and if Maine is guessing it right, she's new to what she is doing or she's here to impress some big wig in the office for a promotion.

Incidents like this, the child had just lost her mother in a traumatic incident, she may or may not remember it in a few years or months, but for the meantime, it is still in the child mind. The incident was so fresh, about six hours ago. Periwinkle can still see the fire, feel the fire, smell and taste fire, the thick smoke that killed her mother, and that part, the death of her mother. She may not remember how her mother died but her absence will be felt in a few days and nights to come.

Periwinkle may not realize that her mom died protecting her, but the thought of her mom is missing in her life now will eventually sink into her young mind. She will later on realize and will start looking for her. And this woman has no idea what damage the fire can do to a person, physically, emotionally, and mentally, oh and spiritually, too.

The fire, if it touches you, it will burn your skin and it can kill you, if not by the heat, it will kill you by the bad smoke it produces. The smoke will irritate your throat till it closes, then you will suffocate till you lose consciousness then eventually die. The thought that is running in Maine's mind is so morbid that she has to shake her head to make it disappear.

"Oh, hi." She said smiling widely. Maine can see through this woman smiles how fake she is. She is trying too hard to please everyone and be friendly, especially to certain probie, Alden. Maine saw her put away a few strands of her hair behind her ears. According to flirting 101, it is a sign of flirtatious. She shook her head and smiled.

"According to my evaluation," Luisa put stress on the last word. "Jane Doe here, whom we temporarily named Periwinkle, is suffering from a severe smoke inhalation which may trigger an asthma or COPD. The black smoke that she inhaled, which may also have killed her mother, is so strong, it was a miracle that this child survived the ordeal till volunteer Fire-woman Mendoza found her and gave her the first aid, since she's also a nurse." Luisa's lengthy explanation.

"If you take her tonight to that group home of yours Miss... uhm... what's your name again?" Luisa asked the lady pretending not to remember her name.

"Ortiz. Lucille Ortiz." She replied. Luisa giggled under her breath.

"Miss Ortiz, you can come back tomorrow. As her physician, I need her here tonight for a 72 hours observation." Luisa said with finality.

"But..."

"72 hours, Miss Ortiz." Big Mike repeated. She still wanted to protest.

"Miss Ortiz, you heard the doctor, she needs to be here for 72 hours." Gerald said ushering her out of the room.

"I can't leave without that child!" She adamantly said. Gerald stands 5'11" tall almost hovering over this lady who's about five feet-two inches tall, give or take.

"Miss, I know you are chasing a quota trying to impress your higher ups. But if you take that child out of here against the doctor's order, and that child's condition becomes severe, it will be in your hands." Gerald explains in a manly manner, at least, he tried to be. "And worse, she dies. Can you handle that? How will you be able to sleep at night?" He added in a serious, gentle voice.

Maine heard it all. Miss Ortiz went silent for a moment. Maine can not believe this lady's audacity.

"Okay, fine. I'll come back in the morning to check on here." She said. Her demeanor has changed. She wasn't the friendly kind anymore. She's more like the total opposite of Mr. Rogers, a bitch.

Nobody dared to give her a reply. Luisa went back on checking Periwinkle and Gerald went back on preparing the butterfly needle. Luisa wanted to put here on an IV to make sure Periwinkle gets hydrated properly.

Maine saw the lady giving her a stink eye at the corner of her sight. She smiled. Oh lady, you will jump through hoops before you can bring us down. She uttered on her mind. Big Mike and Alden move to the side facing Maine and Periwinkle.

After the lady, without a choice, finally left, everyone fell into complete silence. You can only hear the sound of voices coming from the other side of them and beeping sounds and commotions of people coming in and out. Good thing that Dr. Chaves, RNP Raymundo and a few other doctors are all in. Clansy was fast calling out all on call physicians.

Big Mike saw how Alden's demeanor towards Maine changed. He has a softer and gentler way of gazing at her now, it is more of I'm in love with you look. He's more relaxed and unguarded. He tapped his shoulder.

"We need to go and get something to eat." He quietly said. Alden nodded.

"Okay." He replied. "Let's use my car." He added. Big Mike one finger up saying wait.

"Babe, we're leaving. What do you want to eat?" He asked. Luisa just smiled.

"I want a psychologist or a psychiatrist or whoever. I want this child to remain in Maine's care." Big Mike laughed at her request. Pulled her in for a hug and a kiss on the head.

"Don't worry, I got that one covered already. I had texted the recorded conversation to Dad. He'll get back to me later." Luisa smiled at Big Mike's report. Maine smiled, too not realizing she's smiling at Alden.

Alden was so taken by her smile. His mind is going haywire. He needs to figure out his issues with her or he'll lose his mind.

__________
End of TPA 12: Figure It Out

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

💖 ~ Ms J ~ 💖
03.28.20

The Periwinkle Affair
©All Rights Reserved
August 26, 2019