After Aaliyah shifted from the conversation to take a nap, I decided to get dressed and ready to leave. After wearing the Khaki trouser and the short sleeved white shirt, I carried my black hood, my bag pack from the bedroom. However, instead of directly choosing to leave, I went straight to the living room, and kissed Aaliyah on her cheek and then just left.
The drive to St. Francis Memorial was, of course, short or long depending on one's car and driving skills, but it never exceeded thirty minutes. If it did, I knew I had slowed down significantly on that road.
On arrival at St. Francis, it was 6:30, and I was expected to start my shift at eight. It was an hour and a half early. I didn't think we had any other pending surgeries for the day. So, instead of just waiting for time to pass, I decided to have a conversation with Dr. Heung about finding someone to start taking my night shifts. I knew the contract stated that one should be willing to work night shifts and overtime, but I didn't think he would not decline my request, as I had consistently done the job without seeking anyone else to lend a hand.
As I entered the lawn, I came face to face with a pacing Kate. God! I had forgotten about our meeting.
"Hayzen!" she exclaimed, catching her breath by holding her knees, as if her whole life depended on the air she was gulping; and of course, it did.
"Kate, are you alright?" I asked.
"Take me home," she pleaded. "Please, Zen, take me home. We had a fight with Funky, and he drove off without me. Please take me..."
With Kate pleading this much, how could I leave her? 'Shit!'
"Okay," I agreed, "but on one condition: I don't want to become an intruder between Funky and you." She nodded slightly, as if understanding. "Let me first sign in, and then I can take you."
She led me to the receptionist where all the activities took place. I signed the staff entrance book and then requested the receptionist not to let anyone know I was around. If anyone knew I was there, they might reach out, and physically I would not be there. That was bad office protocol and greatly condemned.
Due to Kate's request, I escorted her to my car, opened the door for her, and then got into the driver's seat. I fastened my seatbelt and started the car.
"You'll have to give me directions," I said.
"Yeah, turn right and then..." she explained at every point we arrived. She was very natural when it came to directions; I had to give her credit for that. "How is your wife?" she asked out of the blue, just as we were approaching the last sharp bend towards what I believed was their apartment's residential area.
"She's fine." I didn't want any conversations about me. My primary reason for being there was to get her home since they had a fight, so yeah.
"Doesn't she feel lonely if you always take night shifts? Aren't you afraid she might cheat on you?" Kate asked, and I just shook my head. The head shake wasn't even to refute whatever she was saying, but I think it was to stop the memory of Aaliyah with that boyfriend of hers. When did it get to the point where I started seeing Aaliyah as my wife? Jeez.
"I trust her," I stated, and Kate laughed.
"You never learn, do you?" she added, still laughing.
"What do you mean by that?" I questioned, now fixating my eyes firmly on the road and sharply listening to what she was saying. I know she messed with me once, and I hate it. But she has no right to tell me that I never learn.
"Don't you want to know what happened? Between Funky and me, that is?" she asked, and I shook my head. Despite how much I would have liked to know about their little friendship that turned into something more, I was in no mood to hear about it. I wasn't ready to deal with my past after taking so long to finally move on. Additionally, I have Aaliyah.
"I know you do," she added.
"Which area? Are you staying in a hotel?" I asked, but she directed me to enter Layson's Hotel. It was a well-built, multi-storey building with luminous lighting around the entrance door. I carefully parked my car after entering. It was now night; I wasn't sure what time.
"You should come in," she said, and I shook my head.
"I have to go back to work."
"C'mon, aren't you going to at least accept my invite even for once?" she questioned, and I sighed a fine, unbuckled the seatbelt, and got out of the car. She did the same.
"Where to?" I asked after a few steps.
"Follow me," she said, waving her hand for me to follow her. I did so silently, observing the surroundings of the hotel. It was beautiful. If I brought Aaliyah here for our first real date, she would really love it, I think. But what if she declines my desire to spend a day with her? God! What if she surprises me with a 'no'? Anyway, where the hell was I being taken to?
After taking three turns—left, right, and then straight on the fourth floor of the hotel—we arrived at room number 1657. Kate opened it, and there didn't seem to be anyone in the room. It was well-cleaned and smelled as fresh as all hotels do. This took me back to my hoe phase, which I hate remembering. I will never tell anyone about that, I promise.
"I should leave," I stated, and she just looked at me.
"Funky isn't here yet. Please stay with me, I don't want to be alone today," she added. I shook my head, not directly refusing her statement, but my thoughts wandered to what I had gotten myself into. The thoughts became wild; I even wondered if she was planning to kidnap me or something. Maybe not kidnap, but perhaps rape me. I hadn't had sex in months, and I thought it might be hard for me to control myself. But I didn't think I would be aroused with Kate. With Aaliyah, I knew when the day came, I might not be able to control myself.
As I was lost in these thoughts, my phone started ringing. It was Dr. Heung.
"Hello, Doctor," I said in a jovial tone, hoping he wasn't calling me in for any work.
"Doctor Levin, today I will have one of my interns take the night shift. I need him to understand some working basics."
"Who will be staying with him?" I asked, hoping the intern wasn't being left under my care, which would mean I'd need to stay up and supervise. Being a role model was a significant responsibility.
"He'll be with Dr. David. You can rest today," Dr. Heung stated, and the smile that spread across my face was more than enough for Kate to imagine what was happening.
"Okay, Doctor. I hope he learns a lot about the demands of our work," I replied, and he hung up after saying his goodbyes.
If Aaliyah were here with me, I would hug her and tell her I was free. But I was here with Kate.
"I have to go. I'm needed at work," I stated.
"Can't you stay another thirty minutes with me, please?"
"No, I have to leave," I said, checking my wristwatch and wondering if Aaliyah was asleep. Suddenly, I was more invested in thoughts of Aaliyah. Maybe the fear of losing her was greater than anything I had experienced with Kate. Without another word, I rushed to the door and tried opening it, but she had somehow locked it.
"Zen... please... stay!" Kate pleaded and started walking towards me, locking her eyes with mine. I stood against the wall like a tree as she came closer and started running her right hand up from my stomach to my chest and then to my chin. "Did anyone ever tell you that you have the sharpest and cutest chin? Does your wife tell you that?" As she spoke, her hands began unbuttoning my shirt. When they started moving lower, towards my private area, I caught her hand and shook my head.
"Kate, you have to stop this," I said, though it came out as a whisper. I didn't know why. I needed to be more confident with Kate. I might be sending mixed signals. "Kate!" I repeated, this time with more confidence.
"Don't you want just one shot? I know your wife makes you thirsty all the time. I can tell you haven't had it in a while… for old times' sake, darling. Do you remember that night? We didn't care about anything. We didn't even bother with protection; you just slid in as if your life depended on it. That face, that face you had when you were taking off the last piece of my clothing, God!" Kate's words became increasingly seductive, and her voice grew raspy. But I... I felt less and less wanted here. I just wanted to leave.
"Kate, open the damn door!" I demanded, and she handed me the keys. I think she believed I wouldn't actually leave. But I opened the door and said, "I'm not the little Hayzen you used to play around with."
She sighed and, in one sentence, stated, "Can't you help us have another child?"
"Us?" I asked, pausing with the door slightly open.
"Funky can't reproduce. Won't you do what you did that day?"
"What do you mean?" I questioned, now fully closing the door.
"You helped us out, Hayzen. You helped us out," she repeated. "Please, sleep with me and we won't bother you again."
Whatever Kate was saying was becoming too much to process. What did she mean by 'us'? Did she and Funky have something, and I was just a bait? Who would be this evil to do such a thing? Why would she involve me in that sex, was it planned? God! Right then, my head was spinning with different questions. My eyes struggled to process whether to cry, and my heart was breaking bit by bit as my mind tried to comprehend the information.
"You used me?" I asked.
"Don't put it that way," she responded, and my hand unexpectedly touched my chest. I was hurting badly, but it would be worse to show the person who broke me that she really did that.
"Kate, you're evil!" I exclaimed as my eyes welled up, my heart ached, and my voice filled with rage. "Do you know how much I thought... do you just! What the fuck is... God! Thank you... thank you (clapping my hands) Thank you! Fuck, thank you... thank you!" I finished and stormed out, slamming the hotel door without caring. This was all so new to me. Who would do something like that to someone? Who would use someone like that? Who would use someone to have a child and then discard him later? Who would?