Mandy was in a bitter and almost vindictive mood. She didn't even bother hiding her distaste for the man in front of her. As she looked at Harrison, she remembered how he was almost always late when she was concerned. And that alone explained a lot.
She was in such a mood, she didn't spare him with her words even though she saw him pale slightly.
He once looked like some handsome model out of a magazine cover. Only, now the model looked like he hadn't slept in a week, and had thinned out.
The moment she taunted him with her words, "I cannot help but wonder what can possibly move the glacier into action and make him lose his composure?" The unmovable glacier looked like he couldn't go any paler.
She questioned his wellbeing almost as if she couldn't help but care about him. And truth be told, she could hide it and deny it all day long, her feelings for the despicable man had yet to fade away.
Indeed, if she could hate him, then it was because some part of her still loved him.
He didn't answer her question and then fell unceremoniously on the booth.
She knew Harrison enough to know he wouldn't go to such lengths to get attention, much less attention from her.
He had truly passed out.
And thus, she rushed to his side and called for Dino who arrived in a rush…
Soon enough, an ambulance came to take them to the hospital.
If she were to be honest, Mandy had considered not accompanying him, but she wasn't that heartless. She was she could be a heartless and ruthless bitch, who had a devil-may-care attitude – maybe her life would be easier then? – but she wasn't.
Admittedly, she was too worried not to go anyway.
In the two years she had been with Harrison, he had never once gotten sick. Workaholic as he might be, he wasn't one to neglect his health.
In the ambulance, after pretending she was his wife, she fished out his cell phone.
He had two cell phones, one for business and one for more personal matters. He had never bothered locking his personal one.
Ergo, it wasn't long before she called Anthony, his sole friend.
The man picked up almost immediately.
"I'm guessing you two didn't make up if you're calling me this early," the man said in a half derisive tone of voice.
Make up? Mandy's mind went blank at once.
Did Harrison want to make up with her? Did he think she was foolish enough to take back a cheating partner? Did he care about her at all, or did his reputation suffer for some reason, hence the attempt at a reconciliation?
"Harrison?" There was suspicion in Anthony's voice as he said his friend's name.
Mandy giggled humorlessly, "Guess again, Anthony."
"Did something happen, Mandy?" He asked in a voice that was all kinds of panicky.
"We were having dinner, and he passed out on me. We're in an ambulance now, going to the hospital."
She the told him which hospital they were going to, and he said he'd be there soon.
"Thank you for calling me," he said after a small break.
She was almost taken aback by how considerate and how polite the man was. Although he was the glacier's best friend, he was not quite the same.
"Anytime," she said almost on reflex.
** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** **
After a thorough examination, and some questions addressed to Mandy – questions which she answered as truthfully as she could – the doctor concluded that Harrison must have been overworking and also sleep-deprived.
"Sleep deprived, is that it?" She wondered out loud, almost in disbelief.
"You know, Mrs. Michaelson," the doctor said as he was about to part ways with her, "even the strongest body cannot hold onto life if the brain is not well-maintained."
Anthony arrived just as the doctor left.
Mandy sat on the uncomfortable hospital chair, sagging against it, feeling like her very world was crumbling in front of her for some reason. It was almost as if every belief she held onto was no more.
"Are you okay, Mandy?" Anthony's voice was that of a concerned man.
"I'm not the one laying on the hospital bed," came her sarcastic answer.
"What did the doctor say?" He then asked.
She repeated what she recalled, along with the last sentence which struck her like lightning.
"He has always been a little bit of a workaholic, but he was indeed suffering from insomnia lately," he told her pensively.
She nodded, not wishing to know more. She didn't want to get involved – again – with a man who only cared for his business.
Then, she rose to her feet, rearranged her hair mechanically, and then announced, "I'll be going now, Anthony."
He didn't try to stop her or utter a single word of objection, he just smiled at her, and then thanked her anew for calling him.
She mirrored his smile and then was on her way out of the hospital ward.
Sure, she was angry, bitter and feeling vengeful… but having gone through a mild depression after the divorce, she didn't wish he would suffer even a burn out.
She wouldn't want that upon her worst enemy.
And Harrison was no enemy.
He used to be the love of her life. But that all changed the day his mistress barged into the penthouse like she owned it.
The doubt, together with her insecurities, and admittedly her pride too, hadn't allowed her to even confront Harrison about the matter. She now wished she had as that would have brought her some semblance of closure.
Healing would take her a long time. Forgetting the man seemed like an impossible task at the moment, but she was still hopeful… the heart was after all fickle.