"Dad, I finally caught a fish." Kiev ran through the clinic sporting a wide grin on his tiny adorable, but still, slightly wet face.
She also followed closely behind, entering the waiting room where Jace was sitting with his phone in his hand. The little boy quickly sat on his lap, jumping and clapping, thrilled to tell him about his experience.
"That is wonderful," Jace responded with equal eagerness. It was easy to believe that Kiev was his son just by watching their interaction.
"Where is the fish? Maybe we could eat it for dinner." Jace suggested, staring into the little hands and then at her, raising his eyebrow in question, finding no sign of the fish.
"It got away." The boy answered disappointedly. "But I swear my trap work." Quickly bouncing back, convincing the doctor that he had caught one even if he had no proof to show for it. "You can even ask Ava. She saw me holding the fish before it slipped through my fingers."
Kiev quickly looked in her direction, pointing at her as if waiting for her to support his claim. She could tell that he would not give up until she had said something.
"It is true. Kiev did a marvelous job of making an effective trap and catching one." She smiled at the little boy, tapping him gently on the head. "He would have caught more, but it was getting late, and he and his friends needed a quick bath."
After catching the small fish, it was impossible to snare more from the frantic excitement of the kids. The two little girls also started creating their trap, but with the constant bickering and shouting, it was simply impossible to lure more fish into their traps.
"Well, yes." Kiev looked up to her. "But I will catch more next time we play on the river." He promised before running away.
She had learned that Kiev mostly stayed with Cathy because Jace could not watch him with his busy schedule. As the only doctor in the entire village, he had many responsibilities aside from taking care of a young child.
"I hope that he is not too much. I knew Cathy kept saying that he is a handful, but he is just a curious child with a lot of energy." Jace told him as he turned to face her this time as she decided to take a seat on the lone chair adjacent to him.
She could see why Cathy would say that since she must be younger than her by a year or two. She was not ready for such a responsibility of taking care of a child just like her.
"Don't worry about that. I enjoy spending time with Kiev. He reminds me of my younger sister." She did not intend to reveal much of herself to anyone since she had no plan to stay for long in this place.
But somehow, her instinct was telling her that she could trust this man. Still, it also reminded her to take a bit of caution because she still sensed something different about him, his sister, and the little boy.
"Having a sister had its perks, but it could also drive you crazy most times," Jace admitted to her, but his eyes showed only love and admiration while talking about his sister's contribution to his work and taking care of the little boy.
"I guess I can agree with you with that," Ava told him, removing a dry leaf stuck in front of her cloth while missing her sister.
"Wait." The doctor said as he leaned forward closer to her and lifted his hand toward her face.
She was slightly surprised by the gesture, unsure if she should move and get out of his hand's way, but she stayed and waited for what he would do a little anxiously.
"What is it?" She thought that maybe she had something on her face when he slightly smiled at her reaction.
She watched his hand pass her face and extend on top of her hair before he retracted it back, pulling a piece of leaf that clung to her hair.
"I think it is time that you also take a bath." He told her, showing her the piece of dirt that must be all over her hair.
She was slightly embarrassed, but when he smiled at her. She could not help but smile, too, suddenly feeling more comfortable around him.
"Let me get myself cleaned up, and then I will help you with dinner." She offered, knowing that she could not keep staying in this house without doing much to help.
Maybe she could at least clean up and be an assistant until she could learn how to cook even the most basic meals.
"Go!" Jace said to her as he stood up to proceed to the kitchen. "I will wait for you in the kitchen." The doctor said as she went straight to her room and used the adjacent bathroom to clean herself up.
Hurrying, she returned to the living room only to hear voices coming from the kitchen. She recognized the one currently talking as the doctor, but who was he talking to at the moment.
She strained her ears, and then her nose also picked up something in the air. She was not entirely sure, but she believed she remembered that scent. It was vague but familiar.
She strode towards the other room, slowly walking down the narrow hallway. She could hear Jace talking about Kiev to the guest as if he was familiar with the boy.
"Ava, join us," Jace called to her when he saw her peeking into the room. " I want you to meet a friend of mine." The doctor beckoned her to come closer inside the kitchen. Then, she saw the guest sitting on the stool with his back on her.
She stared at his back, wondering why he seemed familiar, but she needed to see his face to know who he was. "I hope I am not intruding." She told them as she walked further inside the room until she was a few feet away from them.
"Of course not," Jace answered her. "But I want you to meet a friend of mine. He was one of the people who helped me set up this clinic. I am glad that he finally had decided to visit us."
The guest slightly turned to her, revealing the side of his face. She was familiar with his scent because she had smelled it before. But she knew that face too, having seen him before.
This time, she was positive it was him.
The man that was supposed to have gotten away. As she stared at those green eyes that kept her in her place, she could only think she might be dreaming again. Because she only pictured him in her dreams.
What was he doing here? Was it a coincidence or fate?