I was looking at an empty space, stirring my now cold green tea over and over again. Been waiting for almost an hour for Eric to pick me up but still I didn't received any calls from him. It's been that way for the pass two weeks. Either I take a cab home or he'll sent someone to pick me up. He's been so busy working and I'm so missing him.
'You're still here?', Jodel, came back in the pantry to get a sandwich after receiving a long endorsement.
'He didn't call me yet', I frowned, getting worried.
'Do you want me to take you home? I can excuse myself for awhile.', she frowned. It's late, almost nine at night and she knows I don't have a car with me.
'No it's okay Del, maybe he'll send someone soon or I'll take a taxi'.
'There's a storm coming Nic, I don't think it's safe for you to ride with a stranger'.
'I'll be fine. I'll just wait another ten minutes then I'm gone. Don't worry about me. How's bed 42?'
She sighed, a sad look crossed her features. 'Dr. Raymond said he wouldn't make it'.
'Oh sorry to hear that', I was stricken. That little boy of seven is losing his battle with leukemia.
She took a deep breath. 'Well that's life. Sometimes you lose, sometimes you win'.
I smiled. 'That's what David used to say to us', referring to our previous patient of 13, who passed away a year ago due to the same condition.
'Yeah. He's an angel. They all are. Well, I gotta go now, need to check the narcotics. Call me when you get home, okay?', she kissed my cheek.
'I will', and waved her goodbye.
When she was gone, I stood up and threw my cold tea on the sink. There's no point of waiting here. I got to go home.
I washed my cup and headed over to my locker and took my things.
While inside the elevator. I leaned over the glass wall and closed my eyes tightly.
God, I miss him. He has been working so much that we don't see each other anymore in that big house of his. For two weeks we didn't sleep together. It's either he sleeps in his study room or in his office in which for four nights he slept there, calling me that he won't be home for the night.
Am I losing him? Oh my, why am I saying this. He was never mine in the first place.
My heart aches, I'm getting paranoid thinking about him. About us.
Maybe he's really busy, didn't he told me that before?
The elevator door opened and the cold night wind was blowing so wild. There's a storm alright. The rain was pouring heavily. I hugged myself and clutched my shoulder bag towards my chest, covering it with my jacket which I wished was thicker.
I headed towards the entrance door. The security guard nodded his head at me and I smiled at him.
By the time I was out, the cold wind almost blew my umbrella off my hands.
'Shit!', I cussed. Now I'm all wet. I squinted my eyes against the water and wind. Wishing to get back to the ICU but it would be embarassing to walk the lobby with my clothes soaking wet.
I run towards the waiting shed not far from the road hoping to hail a cab.
I was all alone and no one was around except for the few cars that passes by. My teeth were chattering incessantly. The cold is seeping thru my skin.
'Oh Eric', I feel like sobbing now. I wanted to go home to him. Then a thought occured to me, I'm going to call Tori.
I immediately looked for my phone inside my now wet bag and to my dismay, its dead. It's been damaged by the water.
Now I felt like crying, self-pitying.
'Eric', I sobbed.
Then like an answered prayer, a familiar car stopped infront of the shed. The owner of the car run towards my direction carrying a bigger black umbrella.
'Nicolaa?', the tall handsome man called my attention. It was Shawn, Eric's brother.
'Shawn', I never felt more relieve in my life.
'I'm here to take you home. Come now. Here, let me take your bag. My! you're all wet!'.
He assisted me on the seat beside him and drove off.
'Here', he handed me a big orange towel.
'Thank you', I started rubbing my hair with it.
'Eric called me, he was very worried about you. He's in a meeting and he--'
'I know', I said in a quiet voice. I wasn't able to keep the bitterness off.
'I'm sorry Nic', he explained. 'That's why he called me to fetch you. Knowing my broter he will come to you if he could just leave'.
I remained quiet.
'Hey! Why is it I can't call you?', he asked, changing the subject.
'My phone's dead'.
'I see, Tori was worried--'
'Tori?', that got my attention.
'Er- yes Tori. Didn't she tell you, we're friends now?'
'No', I smiled, he sounded like a cheerful little boy.
'Well, we're getting along pretty fine', he cleared his throat.
'I see', hmm... I need to have a one-on-one talk with my little sister. These Morisson men aren't good to trifle with.
***
'You want some hot cocoa?', I asked Shawn, he went inside the house with me, taking off his jacket which were soaked. The raging storm outside has no plans of dying down.
'Yes please', he grinned. 'Hey, can I go upstairs and get some clothes from my room?'
I frowned. What is he talking about?
'Oh sorry', he laughed. 'Eric never told you I used to live here with him--'
'He kicked you out?!', I shrieked, mortified. Oh my! it's because of me Shawn left this house.
'No, no, I used to sleep over sometimes that he gave me one of the rooms at the left wing of the house'.
I nodded, still blushing.
'Oh sorry. Of course you may, his house is your house too'.
He shrugged and grinned then off to the stairs he went.
I really need to have that 'talk' with Tori A.S.A.P. coz that smile can make women swoon. Just like his big bro's does. And we James' aren't immune to those.
***
I took a long hot dip in the bathtub, trying to calm my raw nerves. Missing him, that I ended up using his soap. I got up and slowly rub my naked body with his towel and donned his bathrobe. I walked towards the room and was about to wear his huge house shirt when the bedroom phone rang. There's no mistake who's calling. My heart thumped with excitement. It's him.
'Hello', my voice sounded awkward coz I tried not to sound elated.
'I miss you', he said and my heart started weeping. I bit my lip and closed my eyes tightly.
'Babe, still there?', he asked when I didn't answer immediately.
'Yes I'm here. I miss you too', I swallowed the huge lump on my throat for I felt like crying again.
'I'm sorry', he apologized.
'It's okay'
'I'll make it up to you. Alright?'
'I know. What time will you come home? It's still raining outside. Do you have a raincoat? Umbrella? Did you eat your dinner?', questions of worry flowed freely from my lips.
'Around midnight. Yes and yes and yes, we ordered tacos', I can sense him grinning from the other line.
'But those aren't healthy', I pouted.
'It's a veggie taco', amusement laced his voice.
'Oh okay', I smiled, he's teasing me. I took a deep breath and blurted out,
'I wish you're here, cuddling with me all night long', my sleepy state made me vulgar.
'I know baby. Don't worry, I'll be home soon'.