I was looking at an empty space, stirring my now cold green tea over and over again. I had been waiting for almost an hour for Eric to pick me up from work but still I didn't received any calls from him.
It has been that way for the past two weeks. Either I took a cab home or he would send someone to pick me up. He has been so busy working and I was busy missing him.
"Why are you still here?", Jodel, she came back inside 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 a while", she frowned.
It was late, almost nine at night and she knew I didn't bring a car with me.
"No, it's okay Del, maybe he'll send someone tonight 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."
"I'm sorry to hear that", I was stricken.
A little boy of seven was 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 tell to us", I was 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 remaining cold tea on the sink. There was no point of waiting here. I got to get home.
I washed my cup and headed over to my locker and took my things out.
While inside the elevator. I leaned over the glass wall and closed my eyes tightly.
God, I miss him.
He had been working so much that we didn't see each other anymore in that big house of his. For two weeks we didn't sleep together. It was either he slept in his study room or inside his office. For four nights he slept there, calling me that he wouldn'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 was 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 was 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 was all wet. I squinted my eyes against the pouring water and harsh 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 chattered incessantly. The freezing wind was seeping thru my skin.
"Oh, Eric", I felt like sobbing now. I wanted to go home to him. Then a thought occured to me, I'll call Tori.
I immediately looked for my phone inside my now wet bag and to my dismay, it was dead.
It has been damaged by the rainwater.
Now I felt like crying, self-pitying.
"Eric", I sobbed.
Then like an answered prayer, a familiar car stopped right in front of the waiting shed. The owner of the car run towards my direction carrying a bigger black umbrella.
"Nicolaa?", a tall, handsome man called my attention. It was Shawn, Eric's brother.
"S-Shawn", I never felt more relieved 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 at the driver's side and drove off.
"Here", he handed me a big, white towel.
'Thank you', I started drying my hair with it.
"Eric called me, he's 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, Nicolaa", he explained. "That's why he called me to fetch you. Knowing my brother he will come to you if he could just leave."
I remained quiet.
"Anyway, why is it I can't reach 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, puzzled. Tori never mentioned that bit of information to her and Shawn sounded like a cheerful, little boy.
"Well, we're getting along pretty fine",
he cleared his throat.
"Is that so?", now my curiosity was perked.
"I want to hire her in the company I'm managing."
I nodded my head. I couldn't agree or disagree on behalf of Tori.
Hmm...
I need to have a one-on-one talk with my little sister. Quick!
These Morisson men weren't good to trifle with.
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"Do you want some hot cocoa?", I asked Shawn. I invited him to stay and he went inside the house with me. He took off his jacket which was soaked. The raging storm outside had no plans of dying down.
"Yes, please", he grinned. "If you guys didn't change the interior design of the house yet, can I go upstairs and get change clothes in my bedroom?"
I frowned.
What is he talking about?
"Oh sorry", he laughed. "Eric never told you, I used to stay 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 sleepover 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.
I shook my head because his smile made him more attractive. Just like his big brother's smile had done to me.
That Morrison smile can make any woman swoon.
And, we James' women weren't unsusceptible 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 rubbed my naked body with his towel and even donned his bathrobe.
I walked towards the room and was about to wear his large, blue house shirt when the bedroom phone rang.
There was no mistake who was on the phone. My heart thumped with excitement.
I know it's him.
"Hello", my voice sounded awkward because 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, are you still there?", he asked when I didn't respond 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 for dinner", I sensed him grinning from the other line.
"But those aren't healthy", I pouted.
"It's a veggie taco", amusement laced his voice.
"Okay", I smiled, he was 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 want that as well. Don't worry, I'll be home soon."