"Were you visiting the patient here?" Leo asked kindly as they reached the bus stop; the rain continued to pour heavily, and they were the only ones waiting.
Leo shook his umbrella, getting rid of excess water before folding it. Serena seemed to ponder for a moment, weighing her response. Would she explain her profession, or was it something unnecessary for a stranger she might not meet again?
"Um... yes," she finally answered, choosing the latter option.
Serena then distanced herself from Leo, choosing a spot farthest from the man, glancing around while waiting for the bus, which seemed delayed from the schedule.
Leo smiled inwardly, grinning in annoyance, 'Am I facing a robot? She's the first woman unimpressed by my charming smile. Instead, she moves that far. Damn, she must think I'm a weird guy.'
"Are you, by any chance, also waiting for Line 803?" Leo asked again, glancing at his watch, showing a worried expression.
"No, I'm waiting for Line 873. If you're waiting for Line 803, I think you've missed it. It left 30 minutes ago," explained Serena.
Leo could sense her concern for someone in distress. From their brief conversation, Leo concluded that Serena didn't like a personal conversation, especially if it involved her.
"Oh, damn, I have to miss the promise I've made to read a story for him again," Leo muttered, cursing the situation with a disappointed tone. He covered his face with both hands.
"Um... you can take the same route as me. After that, at my stop, you can wait for Line 856; they follow the same route," Serena suggested, her face showing concern.
'Hahaha, gotcha; this way, I won't be suspected of stalking because I'm taking the same bus as her,' Leo laughed inwardly.
"Wow, really? That's very relieving. I just arrived in this city, so I'm unfamiliar with the bus routes. I think the rain has blessed me, especially in meeting a kind person like you. Thank you," Leo said.
"You're welcome," Serena replied, then shifted her gaze back towards the rain, which was starting to ease.
'I don't want the little child waiting for his daddy to come home to be disappointed because his dad couldn't keep his promise. He must be eagerly waiting all day...' Serena thought, unconsciously smiling at the image of a child impatiently waiting for his parents.
Hope that is bright enough to keep him excited all day.
She was very familiar with children's behaviour due to her profession. She was witnessing the children's smiles when their parent kept their promise. She knows too well that hope can be a medicine, but it can also turn into poison if it is in the wrong dosage.
'How delightful it would be if someone is waiting at home...' Serena thought again.
Suddenly, her heart felt painful. The image of her dark, empty, and silent apartment consumed her thoughts like a black hole. She quickly dismissed the image so that the black hole wouldn't drain more energy from her life and her desire to live.
The bus approaching from its lane illuminated her face, bringing her back to awareness. She stood and waited at the edge, ready to board. Leo also stood, waiting behind her.
The bus door opened, and the driver greeted Serena warmly. "Sorry, doc, I'm late. It was traffic due to heavy rain, so the car was moving slowly," he said.
Serena replied to the driver's greeting, "No problem, Dorothy. No one is waiting for me at home; I'll patiently wait for you," Serena said as she tapped her card on the machine, then patted Dorothy's shoulder in a friendly manner.
"Oh, shoot... I forgot my card, ma'am. Do you accept cash?" Leo asked with a panicked expression.
"Sure, but not in large bill because I don't have change..." her words hung in the air as she saw Leo pull out a $100 bill.
"Sir, the fare is only $1.75..." Dorothy objected to the large amount Leo was offering.
"Oh, come on, Dorothy, I'm exhausted," complained one of the passengers behind them as the bus still didn't move.
Serena approached and gestured to Leo, "Let me handle this," she offered and tapped her card on the machine once again.
"We're good now, Dorothy," Serena said, and the driver responded with a smile.
The bus started moving again.
"Thank you. I'll make sure to repay you," Leo said. They walked to choose their seats.
"It's okay, don't worry about it. Let's consider it even," Serena replied, referring to Leo's earlier kindness in offering her the umbrella.
She walked towards her regular seat, in the fifth row on the right side, next to the window.
Leo walked to the back and sat right in the middle. He had observed the bus before and knew the seating habits of the passengers, which is why he chose that particular seat.
Behind the bus, a black Bentley followed at a constant distance. When the oncoming vehicle illuminated the driver's side, the driver's face appeared cold.
'Who was that earlier? Was it the agent I asked to approach Serena? I haven't met him yet... Damn, he stood too close to Serena earlier...' Zake hit the steering wheel hard, feeling foolish for his current behaviour.
'What am I doing?' he wondered, realising that he was secretly trailing Serena like a few nights before. 'Tsk, this is stupid,' he cursed himself and then looked for a manoeuvre to turn around immediately.
From the reflection in the driver's rearview mirror, Leo could see Zake's car turning away. 'Hmm... Yes, that's right. I can't move freely if you still have doubts,' Leo commented silently.
The bus stopped at a bus stop near Serena's apartment, and she got off. Leo followed suit. Upon reaching the platform, Serena remembered to remind Leo.
"Don't forget, your bus is 856; it should be arriving shortly," Serena said while checking the time on her watch.
Serena's glossy black hair fell to the side as she bent down. Leo's hand reached out to fix it, but he quickly realised, so he withdrew his hand and combed his hair instead.
'Damn, I almost crossed the line. She's not the type of woman you meet at a club, fool,' he scolded himself.
"Yes, thank you. You've been a great help," Leo said, nodding and smiling.
Serena didn't return Leo's smile; she only nodded in response and walked away. Leo knew her apartment was only a block from the stop, but he watched her until her figure was no longer visible.
Bus 856 arrived, its door opening right before Leo, who was standing there alone.
"Hey, are you getting on?" the driver asked because Leo was the only one at the stop.
"Oh, no, good night," Leo bid farewell and left.
Leo crossed the road right before the stop, entered his black SUV, and drove quickly towards home.