The taxi carrying Ziggy and Fara pulled up at the hospital. Ziggy began his "exercise" again, lifting Fara with ease. Luckily, her weight was nothing compared to what he lifted at the gym every afternoon.
The ER doctor and nurses quickly responded to Fara's condition, while Ziggy waited in the waiting room. Not long after, Sean finally arrived.
As soon as Ziggy spotted him, he stood up.
"Where's Fara?" Sean asked without bothering with introductions. Clearly, he was annoyed that his girlfriend, well, ex-girlfriend, had just been whisked away by a stranger.
"And you're really Ms. Fara's boyfriend?" Ziggy asked, crossing his arms casually. He wasn't exactly suspicious. Fara and Sean actually looked like they fit together, the old money couple, Ms. Beauty and Mr. Handsome. But something didn't sit right. His boss had passed out in tears, and that raised some red flags.
After what he'd seen that morning and now this incident, Ziggy felt he had every right to be cautious. And besides, he didn't know the guy at all.
"Yes, I am. And you're one of Fara's employees? How long have you been working there? You should know who I am by now."
Ziggy eyed Sean up and down, shaking his head.
"I work as photo and videographer."
He barely saw Fara, maybe only a few times, and only this morning had he even spoken to her directly. Even though he'd been with the company for almost a year, he was hardly ever in the office. His role kept him working outside, making content in the studio or filming at scenic spots.
Sean ran his hands over his face, sighing. "What did the doctor say?" he asked, hands on his hips.
"The doctor hasn't come out yet. They said they'll call us when she wakes up."
Before Ziggy could finish his explanation, Sean's phone rang loudly. Flustered, Sean gestured to Ziggy to continue their conversation outside and hurried off to take the call.
Ziggy went back to his seat on the metal bench, the other seats around him empty as people bustled by.
His own phone buzzed in his pocket. He answered quickly.
"Hey, Boy?"
"Dude, I can't talk right now. I'm on a life-or-death mission here, seriously. I'll get back to you as soon as I'm done, alright? Bye!" Ziggy quickly hung up as he saw Sean approaching.
Perfect timing, he'd actually been meaning to head back to his other duties anyway, leaving the "boyfriend" to keep watch over his boss.
"Hey, think you could stay with Fara for me?" Ziggy wanted to say, but Sean cut him off and said it first
"Yeah, yeah, I'll stay. But shouldn't you stay here instead? i am just her employee," Ziggy replied. He was annoyed. This guy, who claimed to be her "boyfriend," was leaving her with one of her employees?
What kind of man he was?
"I've got urgent business, but I already called her family. They should be here soon. Just keep an eye on her until they arrive," Sean said.
Did this guy even care that his girlfriend was lying unconscious in there? If it were him, he would've busted through the ER doors to make sure she was okay. At the very least, he'd wait with her if he respected the hospital's rules. But here he was, off to take care of other business.
Ziggy was stewing with frustration. A whirlwind of speculation ran through his mind. But despite it all, he couldn't help feeling responsible. If not him, then who? He knew if he ever passed out and ended up in a hospital, he'd want someone by his side when he woke up.
"Fine, I'll stay," he said curtly.
With that, Sean left to deal with his "urgent business," leaving Ziggy sitting back down on the bench, grumbling under his breath.
"Ungrateful fool. A girlfriend as stunning as her, and he's more interested in other things. And maDe her cry, really a fool!" he muttered.
Just then, a tap on his shoulder made him turn. A nurse in green scrubs smiled at him.
"Ms. Fara's awake now. You can check in with the doctor at that desk for more information," she said before walking off to continue her duties.
Ziggy followed her instructions and located the doctor's desk in the room. The doctor, young-looking, probably mid-20s, he guessed, welcomed him to sit down. Ziggy's rule of thumb was to address anyone in a hospital by "Doc" or "Nurse," no matter how young they looked.
"You're Ms. Fara's guardian?" the doctor asked, glancing at the large logbook on his desk.
Ziggy nodded with a friendly smile.
"Are you family?" the doctor asked again.
Ziggy quickly shook his head. "No, but her family should be here shortly," he clarified.
"Alright then, just pass this along to them. Ms. Fara has symptoms of GERD, which shouldn't be taken lightly. She needs to eat on time, avoid caffeine as it can trigger acid reflux, and try to manage stress, as that can also be a factor. That's all, it's simple, right?" the doctor said with a kind smile. Ziggy nodded in agreement.
"But hard to follow," he added. Ziggy nodded even more emphatically this time. He wasn't even a CEO, and yet he struggled to maintain a regular eating schedule. And minimize stress? Ziggy chuckled inwardly. Working in this field meant stress was a constant companion. He was just thankful he hadn't gone bald yet from all the pressure.
"Ms. Fara can go home now, don't forget to pick up her meds over there," the doctor said, gesturing toward the pharmacy visible through the glass window.
"Got it, Doc. I'll let her know. Thank you and have a good day," Ziggy said, shaking the doctor's hand before heading toward Fara's bed. He saw her sitting up weakly as the nurse removed her IV.
"Hey, Boss..." Ziggy greeted, his voice deep and steady.
Fara turned slowly to face him, looking pale with her makeup completely worn off. She actually looked prettier without it, he noticed.
"What are you doing here?" Fara asked, confused. The last thing she remembered was being with Sean amid all the chaos, his voice echoing in her head as he called out to her.
"I was the one who brought you to the hospital," Ziggy replied casually, his smile peeking through his beard.
Fara's brow furrowed even more.
"Wondering where your boyfriend went?" Ziggy teased as he took a seat on the empty bed next to hers.
"Ex!" Fara cut him off in an instant.
Ziggy covered his mouth with his hand, feeling a bit tricked by the "Effortless Man."
"I wasn't asking about him. I'm asking how you ended up bringing me here."
"Before I explain, maybe you should call your family first. Your ex already called them, said they'll be here soon." Ziggy emphasized "ex," trying not to slip up again.
Fara grabbed her phone to call her dad as Ziggy suggested.
"Yeah, Dad, I'm fine now. No, I'm not going back to the office. I didn't drive today anyway," Fara said over the phone.
Ziggy tapped his long legs, waiting for her to finish up.
"Why are you still here?" Fara asked when she'd hung up.
Ziggy rolled his eyes. So the rumors were true, Fara was the boss, cold, blunt, and tough.
"There's still a bill to be settled, Boss. Can't just leave until it's paid," Ziggy smirked.
"Fine, I'll handle it myself. Why don't you get back to work?" Fara ordered.
Ziggy stood as the nurse finished removing her IV line.
"Nope, your ex—uh, I mean, ex-boyfriend, asked me to stay and make sure you're okay."
Fara stood up and thanked the nurse while muttering under her breath.
"I don't need it. I can manage on my own," she insisted, feeling a bit embarrassed. The last thing she wanted was for Ziggy to spread rumors around the office. Meeting him twice in one day in such unfortunate situations was already bad enough, first catching her crying on the street and now passed out on the street again. She didn't need a third.
Ziggy lifted a handful of hospital paperwork. "I've got the prescription. You just sit tight in the waiting room. I'll handle the rest."
Ignoring Fara's protests, Ziggy headed off in the direction the doctor had pointed out.
Fara smacked her forehead lightly. How was she supposed to deal with this madman of an employee? Who hired him, anyway?
About half an hour later, Fara and Ziggy sat in silence, each glued to their phones, waiting for her name to be called at the cashier.
Suddenly, Ziggy broke the silence, leaning back as if he were in a smoke break.
"You still owe me, Boss," he said, causing Fara to look at him with a puzzled expression. "Did you forget?"
She furrowed her brows as he continued.
"You owe me a lunch," he reminded her, eyes locked on her with a seriousness that caught her off guard.
"Oh, right. I did say I'd treat you, but I never said I'd actually take you out to eat," Fara replied, remembering her words.
"Why not just make it both, Boss? The doctor said no skipping meals, no coffee, no stress. I'm doing you a favor by making sure you don't miss a meal, but you're buying."
Fara shook her head, deciding that she really did need to find out who hired this quirky alien. Even her assistant Bonita never spoke this casually with her.
"Fine, I'll eat with you if you promise me one thing," Fara said, an idea popping into her head.
"What's that, Boss?" Ziggy asked, his face lighting up in a way that made Fara almost want to laugh. His usually tough, rugged look could actually be… cute?
"Promise me you won't mention what happened today to anyone!"
"Don't worry. Nobody at work or anywhere else will hear that I found you crying in the street or passed out on the sidewalk," Ziggy said, pretending to zip his lips.
"Hey! Watch it!" Fara scolded, annoyed at his teasing.
"So, Boss, is he still your boyfriend, or is he really your ex?" Ziggy teased, breaking into laughter.
"Ziggy!"