After sitting for the whole day, my back was killing me so I decided to pack and leave for home.
I shut down my computer and started arranging the stuffs and TJ looked at me as if I was doing something absurd.
I knew that we all needed to put in our efforts but I could always complete the work from my own place as well, and right now, with my back hurting me from prolonged sitting, I could not concentrate in my work ,so it was pointless in me staying there.
I didn't pay any heed to TJ's questioning look but still decided to let Zeke know about my departure.
"Zeke, can I continue to complete my work from home?", I said, not wanting to explain the details on why I wanted to work from home.
He looked at me and answered,"Issy, is everything alright? I mean, you can do your work from home, but I hope nothing is wrong?"
I smiled at him and replied,"Everything is alright Zeke. I just thought that I would function better if I were to work from home".
He didn't seem to buy my excuse, but nevertheless, let me go. I thanked him and added,"I'll try to finish it asap and I'll call you if I need help with anything"
He nodded and I left for home. Since the apartment wasn't far away, I decided to walk home.
My stomach was beginning to sport a small baby bump now and the tee shirts I owned were now beginning to grow tight, so I decided to buy a couple of loose fitting clothes for myself.
Just as I was going to enter a boutique, I saw Joshua with a beautiful, tall blonde, coming out of his clinic, which was on the other side of the road.
She had a perfect hour glass figure, and with her blonde curls let loose, she looked like a human barbie. The two of them looked like they had just walked out of a cover shoot for a magazine and looked perfect for each other.
I felt a sting in my heart, to see Joshua with someone else, and I wondered why I felt hurt at seeing Joshua with someone else.
Just as I was looking at them, Joshua looked in my direction and our eyes locked for the briefest moment. I smiled at him, and without waiting for him to acknowledge my smile, quickly went inside the boutique.
While inside the boutique, I quickly scanned the clothes but my mind was on the blond lady. 'Was she Joshua's girl friend ,Elizabeth?',I wondered.
The sales lady came to me and showed me all the latest trends that were all the rage now."Try this one on Miss. This red dress will really make you look like a celebrity", she said, showing me a beautiful red mermaid dress and I actually liked it, but I wasn't here to buy the fashionable stuffs, I only needed something which would be comfortable enough for me.
"Thank you, but I am actually here for some maternity clothes",I said and she nodded and showed me where I could find them and left me alone.
I quickly scanned some oversized tees and got them, without even trying them on. After I made my purchase, I went out and my eyes went to where Joshua was earlier, but he was not there anymore.
Not surprised, I made my way to cross the road and get to my apartment as I was now exhausted and my back pain was becoming worse.
While I was only looking forward to reach home and treat my back with some rest, I didn't notice a car coming to a screeching halt, just a few inches from hitting me and an arm grabbing my waist to protect me.
In the fiasco, I dropped my bag and the shopping bag containing my tees. Since my bag was unzipped, some of my files and documents fell off as well.
I was shocked but my hands went instinctively to my stomach to protect my baby. The driver came out of his car and I saw that it was Joshua and beside him was the lady who had been with him earlier.
"Are you alright Issy? You gave me a fright. What were you thinking?",Roy's concerned voice sounded over my head. He picked up my stuffs and I took them from him quickly and wondered what was he doing here.
His concern filled eyes were looking at me worriedly and said, "Issy? Are you hurt anywhere?"
"I'm alright Roy. You can let go of me now",I said and tried to remove his hands from my waist.
I couldn't stay here under their watchful gaze, so I quickly turned to leave but another pair of hands held me and I stopped to turn around.
"Are you really alright Issy?", Joshua said and the lady who was with Joshua said impatiently, "Ms. You should at least be more careful while crossing the road. Had it not been for Josh, you'd have..".
"Elizabeth, it was partly my fault too, so don't blame Issy",Joshua cut in between before she completed her sentence.
So that was Elizabeth, Joshua's longtime girlfriend. 'Were they back together now?',I wondered.
But it wasn't my business to know who Joshua was dating so I let go of his hands and said,"I'm really alright. Thank you for not running over me, and like Ms. Elizabeth here said, I will be more careful from now on. Now if you excuse me, I need to go home".
I know I probably sounded rude but I couldn't help it. After saying my piece, I left the three of them standing there and entered the building to get to my apartment as quick as I could, without even giving a second glance.
I reached the apartment and fumbled for the keys in my bag, but as luck would have it, my keys weren't in my bag.
'Did I misplace it somewhere?',I tried to recall but nothing came to my mind. I had clearly left my keys in my bag but where had it gone now?
Just then I realized, I might have dropped it on the roadside, when my bag fell off. I couldn't go out to search for the key now so I sat down by the corridor, and gave Gabby and Aurora a call, and decided to wait for them.