I couldn't help but ask, "What's going on here?" The look on their faces was intense. I stared as Raymond quickly pushed her away and became visibly nervous like he had done something wrong. He apologized and left, which honestly I didn't think was necessary.
I turned to Bela and asked what happened. She explained that she had tripped while reaching for a plate and ended up falling on him. He couldn't join us for dinner because of the incident. For the rest of the night, I couldn't shake the image of what I had seen earlier.
Later that night, I woke up, planning to discuss work with Bela, but she wasn't in the room. I went outside and saw her talking to Raymond in front of his apartment. Irritated, I approached them.
"What are you two doing here at this time of night?" I asked.
"Jasmine, I came to apologize to him for earlier," Bela explained.
"Oh really? If you're done, let him go to bed because we have an early day tomorrow."
Raymond left quietly, but I couldn't help but think that Bela was moving too quickly. She glared at me as he walked away, but I ignored her and returned to bed, still unable to understand why I was so bothered by them speaking to each other.
The next day, on our way to the hospital, I kept sneaking glances at Raymond as he drove, trying to gauge his reaction. He was focused on the road, but I knew he could feel my eyes on him. I just wanted to fix whatever was happening between us before it escalated into him handing in his resignation.
He barely spoke to me unless it was work-related, but when he was with Dad, he seemed like his old self. So, I decided to take him to a Turkish restaurant after work, hoping to reconnect and fix our friendship. But when we arrived, he stood outside, saying he wasn't hungry.
"Raymond, what's going on with you lately? You've been distant and acting so serious," I asked.
He just stood there, head down, silent. Frustrated, I got in the car and drove off, leaving him at the entrance of the restaurant. As I parked at the villa, I saw Bela standing outside, staring at my car. I thought she was coming to greet me, but then I saw her stretch her neck, clearly hoping to see Raymond.
She asked where he was, but I ignored her and walked inside. Later, while having supper, I heard whispers from the poolside. Sure enough, Bela was talking to Raymond. I hurried through my meal, then called out to her.
"Bela, come inside. We need to talk about why you traveled halfway across the world to see me."
She shrugged. "Did you come for love or work, Bela? You're not taking the reason you're here seriously. I had a meeting with the board today, and you'll start next week as the hospital's lawyer. I chose you because you're my friend and I trust you. Please don't disappoint me."
"Jasmine, have I ever disappointed you? Trust me, I'll handle the lawsuits with no problem. But why do you always get upset when it comes to Raymond? I know he's your secretary, but he's a grown man and can make his own decisions. Stop acting like I'm trying to take your boyfriend away."
"I'm not acting up, Bela. I just don't want you to forget why you're here and start chasing love when you haven't even proven yourself to the board yet. You can live your life, but your relationship with my secretary better not affect your work."
She hugged me, planting playful kisses on my cheeks. I smiled and pushed her away as I turned on the news. But every time I saw her with Raymond, it made me uncomfortable, though I knew I had no right to feel that way after all, I considered him like a younger brother.
As days passed, it became more frustrating to watch Raymond smile and laugh with her, while he remained serious and focused when it was just the two of us. I kept asking myself, "Why does it bother me to see my best friend talking to my secretary, who I claim to love like a brother?" I didn't understand it, so I went to the kitchen, grabbed a beer, and tried to clear my head. But when I walked back, I overheard them giggling in the hall.
After work, I took the wheel from him and told him to sit on the passenger side. I drove fast, heading towards the coast. He was scared but didn't say a word. I asked him to watch the sunset, as it was one of the city's beautiful sights.
"Raymond, how many times do I have to apologize? How did we end up like this?"
He stared ahead, silent, and finally said, "I don't know. I've just learned to stay in my lane."
"This is what I'm talking about," I said, kissing him deeply. "Is this what you want?"
"No, Jasmine. This isn't what I want, but I understand my place as your secretary now. It's fine."
"Raymond, can you give me another chance to make it right? I feel something, but I don't know what it is. Please, be patient with me while I figure it out."