"I'm tired, Adrian. Please let me in. "
She decided to avoid any arguments with him because he was not the only one who would be hurting in the process but also herself. Every single whip she leashed at him would only strike back at her twice. All because she would be reminded of her struggles, of her pain and of those times when waiting for another day to come was like conquering the tallest mountain. Now, that she had survived and had been used to his absence, she no longer wanted to start all over again. She no longer wanted to hope when it would only mean hurting in the end.
"Allie, please talk to me. "
"Let me get in first. "
"Promise me, first. "
Thinking of Anne who was waiting for them, she sighed and gave up.
"Let's both get inside. "
When Anne left few minutes later, Ajie got hopeful. He thought he already got the chance to mend up with her.
"Just go to sleep. I'll take care of Chloe. I will just wake you up when it's time for breastfeeding. "
" Are you trying to pay me with it? I can do it. I can survive all by
myself. " Allie promised herself to speak calmly as she had thought of ending whatever ties they had, once and for all.
Ajie did not reply anymore. This conversation seemed to lead nowhere. With that angry lines of hers just now, he realized that this was still not the right time yet to settle things out, contrary to what he hoped for earlier. However, he could also not afford to leave it longer as he dreaded the possibility that the longer she would be spending her time with Andrew, she would be lured into his advances. If only she would listen...
After every dressing, he would stand up and go to the living room, avoiding to talk to her. He waited until she fell asleep before he stayed with her daugher, carrying her into his arms and feeding her with milk formula instead of waking Allie up.
In the morning, Allie's mom woke her up.
"Allie, you need to do the dressing yourself now. "
She looked around and glanced at her watch. It was then she realized that she fell asleep the whole night.
"Where's Ajie, ma? " She couldn't help but ask, feeling guilty for making him sleepless the whole night.
"He said he has work interviews this morning. "
Work interviews? Ajie was applying for work? Why? Then, she remembered that he gave a big amount for Chloe's medical expenses. It could only mean that he
was already running out of budget.
____
At Beautiful Haven
Andrew felt that his heart was already drowned by the loud thuds of his pulses. He couldn't imagine how he would feel when Dr. Jane would sit beside him in his own car. It was such an honor of a lifetime to be able to personally serve someone who was looked up by the world.
As cars were not aloud inside the school campus, he just waited by the entrance for Dr.Jane to come out. Lost in his thoughts, he was unaware that she was already around.
"Daydreaming? " A big smile erupted in her face as she caught him drifting into his imaginations.
"D-dr. Jane... " He stammered as he suddenly felt ashamed.
"Andrew, let's go. " She smiled and her charm mesmerized him once again.
An hour drive to Allie's place felt like just few seconds as Dr. Jane was very good in carrying out a conversation, stripping off the sense of awkwardness he felt inside.
They got so hooked up with topics of their common interests, not realizing that they were already in Allie's house. And just as how shaky as Andrew was, the same nervousness was heaping in Allie's heart.
"Please, come in, doc. " Allie greeted them with a wide grin before she ushered them into the living room where Chloe's crib was placed.
Dr. Jane's eyes fell right away to the child and instantly, drops of tears gathered in the corners of her eyes. She couldn't understand herself. Of the many sick children she had seen, this was ever the first time she got so emotional. Even during the first time she watched those video clips Andrew played during his concerts, she already felt drawn towards her.
"Miss Allyza, may I carry the child in my arms? "
"Sure, doc. " Allie replied, too awed by the fact of her seemingly too sudden attachment to her daughter.
"You're sooo cute! " She mumbled happily as she lifted the baby into her arms.
And soon, she drifted into a different world where it seemed that only she and Chloe existed.
Placing the baby reluctantly back into her crib for her change of dressing, she turned to Allie.
"Miss Lyz, if you won't mind, may I ask about something sensitive?"
"Go ahead, doc. " Allie said, her beatings became faster.
"Is her dad not around? "
Before Allie could think of an answer, a voice broke into their silence.
"I was not around when this happened, doc. She chose to hide her pregnancy. If it were not for a certain incident, I would have not found out. "
All eyes turned to him. While Allie glared at him and Andrew cast his angry glances, Dr. Jane got fascinated. She stared at him intently as if she remembered something. Then, then her eyes sparked in excitement.
"For a while, you look familiar. Your Adrian James, right? "