Owen noticed and felt an urge to tuck it away.
It was a fleeting moment.
The young man caught himself quickly before getting too absorbed in the trespassing thought.
The woman didn't show any intent to move the loose hair away and simply looked straight at him, not showing any intention to remove her hands until she got a response.
Seeing her unwillingness to yield, Owen did a quick nod to acknowledge the girl's words, not trusting his ability to produce the right words if he opened his mouth at this moment.
She lifted her hand at last and Owen promptly removed his from the table, too.
Lucy was left alone in the cafe, sitting, trying to absorb what happened in the span of a few minutes. She checked her phone for the time and they were just talking for just a little over 5 minutes but the tension she felt was unreal. She looked ahead to see people in front and her peripheral, walking, talking, moving as usual. The scene is grounding. She regained her composure and recapped the events calmly.
She got into this thinking the proposal was all good before she met Owen but was suddenly thrown into a pit by his words.
Then he took it back, well, not really took it back but that was a definitely a 360 turn, like a twist on a predictable ending. And then she's reassured by the same man that it will work out anyway.
Owen can be really confusing. Why did he have to say it like that in the beginning?
Worry and confusion washed over her until she felt a tinge of static at the tip of her fingers from the hand she used to stop Owen.
She must have been extremely nervous, she thought.
Lucy finally let her body loosen up, attempting to rid of the tension caused by the conversation a while back. She stretched her legs under the table and inhaled a big chunk of air, filling her lungs to the brim, holding it there as much as she before releasing it slowly through her mouth.
She scanned the cafe one last time before leaving. Nana must be awake now.
A *ding* was heard as she opened the door leading to the outside. It feels like the starting mark of another fight, another struggle, another challenge, but in reality, just another day.
Days carried on as usual with daily visits to the hospital and regular shifts at the clinic.
Lucy is starting to rest more. She felt hope every day since the issue with Nana's operations was settled. The contract with Owen was finalized, too.
She was reluctant to receive such lenient terms from the other party but the lawyer who met her was steadfast in their stand to have the contract signed as is.
She felt like being scammed even though she was the one gaining a lot from the agreement. Words like family, life, and obligations were mentioned throughout the conversation. Lawyers really do have ways with words.
Treatments with Owen went as usual. Except, she was getting more and more conscious each time. It's not that it shows, her skills are as excellent as ever, but sometimes her thoughts trail a little bit during the sessions. She catches herself observing the man when he interacts with Jimmy or other gym members.
He looks mean but she hasn't seen him snap or yell or get aggressive at all, things she finds typical for arrogant pricks. She feels a bit sorry about judging the man too fast as they spend more time together. He still says and does insensitive things but it's generally harmless.
Maybe he's just not good with words. The deadpan face also isn't helping. If I massage his face will it loosen his facial muscles and make him smile. Random thoughts like these grab Lucy's brain cells at random times.
She got involved with Owen as an employee but felt their personal lives got entangled because of Nana. And although she did her best to make the connection professional through the contract and all, she can't deny that the kind of link they have is not possible if it was solely based on impersonal sentiments.
It was personal to her as much as it was personal to Owen.
He became more than an employer to Lucy. Now she saw him in a different light each day.
Owen got closer to Nana in only a couple of visits. She can't stop talking about the young man even when Owen just mostly stays quiet during his stay.
Nana's operation is set in a few days, nothing major, the doctor assures. She signed a few more papers at the hospital before heading out. She left Nana asleep. She decided to get more things at home so she could prepare fully during the operation.
The familiar uphill street led her to her home. She felt comforted thinking they would be back here soon. Her and Nana.
A few yards away she noticed their residence's gate was open. The squeaking gave away even at a distance. Her pace slowed down but didn't stop.
This never happened before. She was taught to be mindful of house locks from an early age. She was sure she closed it the day before after picking up a few clothes.
Her body tensed.
She hears footsteps from the inside make their way toward the entrance. Somebody is going out. She looked around and hid herself behind the abandoned lot beside their house. Its walls were perfect for hiding except the upper half was made of louver blocks.
She felt the blood escape her body as she heard multiple footsteps pass their entrance.
"What the hell!" She heard someone exclaim.
They stopped in front of the wall Lucy was hiding on and she instinctively bent her knee to avoid being seen through the gaps of the wall she was hiding at.
Her fear made her move as fast as possible but before crouching down completely, her eyes caught a glimpse of the trio who trespassed their home.
Those are the same thugs who harassed Nana.