“Just drive” Rachael yelled frantically at the driver. Endless questions from people were one of the reasons why she had stopped going to the place. She wanted to say more but the throbbing pain in her head hindered it. She had no choice but to rub her head, breathing deeply to avoid losing consciousness.
Meanwhile, the driver couldn’t help but glance at her from time to time, through the rear view mirror. He had his hunch which scares him from the bottom of his heart. The drive was a long one and when the driver got to the given location, he subconsciously breathed a sigh of relief and announced to her. “Madam, we’re here”
He stared deeply at the woman, thinking she had passed out, and repeated him words. “Ma’am, we’ve arrived at your destination. You can alight now”
The driver’s statement jolted Gina out of her subconscious state. She inhaled deeply and alighted from the car while giving the cab driver his payment with an extra tip to keep.
“Thanks, ma’am,” the driver said to her as she stood, gazing nostalgically at the hospital building that made her feel a sense of familiarity. With heavy and unwilling footsteps, Gina strutted into the building with a feeling of unease in her heart.
The first person she met at the front desk was a middle-aged woman who was also staring back at her with a shocked and fearful expression on her face which made her scoff. That was the same old stare she had always received when her life revolved around them.
“Good day, Madame Lily” Gina greeted with a reluctant tone, her gaze distant as she walked towards the woman who was still stunned by her appearance.
“Gina’s wave of her hands in front of her face brought her back to earth. She stuttered, embarrassed, “I.. I’m sorry, Mrs. Marino. Welcome back, it’s been ages.. how have you been?”
“As you can see, I’m doing great” Fine replied, her tone rude and her gaze aggressive, fully aware of what the woman was implying. “I can see you haven’t changed at all. Still the same lonely woman or are you married?”
Gina’s verbal attack made the woman blush in shame. “My personal life is none of your business”
“Oh! Then, I’ll take that as a no.. haha” Gina chuckled amusingly.. “that’s too bad… Anyway, I’m here to see Felix.. is he in?”
“Felix?… You mean Dr. Felix.” Lily frowned at the disrespect that was thrown at her boss. “He’s still the same doctor you know”
“I know, Lily” Gina responded with a lack of interest in her voice and asked again, “Is he in?”
“Yes, he is. But you know he doesn’t receive patients without booking an appointment” Lily replied, her voice laced with a hint of scorn. “Did you book one?”
Gina was furious at her words and snapped, ” I ceased being your patient years ago. Don’t belittle me, I’m more fulfilled than you are. just call him and let him know it’s something important”
Then a mysterious smile curved on her lips as she added, “I’m sure he wouldn’t dare ignore me when he hears my name”
Madam Lily gritted her teeth in anger but could do nothing to the woman in front of her because of the hospital’s policy. She loathly picked up the telephone and dialed a number, her gaze still on Gina who was absentmindedly picking on her nails. After a few minutes for exchanging words over the phone line, she abruptly placed it back on the table and faced Gina with a defiant expression on her face.
“The doctor will see you now. I believe you still know the way to his office?”
“Of course, yes. It was my favorite spot after all” Gina chuckled heartily, her tone full of mockery as she sauntered up the stairs which she recalled as the direction to the doctor’s office.
****
“It’s been a while my darling Felix, how are you?” Gina greeted the minute she walked into a simple office with no decorations but a white coat and medical equipment. Her gaze darted around until it rested on the lean man sitting across his desk, right at the center of the office. Sweat beads trickled down his forehead like he had seen a ghost. His history with the woman was something he couldn’t ignore as it had always haunted him all his life.
He coughed slightly and replied with his gaze elsewhere. “I’m good, Gina. I’m surprised, why are you here?… We never had any plan of meeting again shortly?”
“Chill, my dear” Gina smirked, enjoying his reaction beholding her presence. “Our friendship goes ways back. you can’t ditch like that. We…”
“We had an agreement” Felix interjected with anger. “We were never to speak to each other after the last incident, so please, leave”
Gina found his angry expression hilarious and couldn’t stop herself from laughing. She replied, “When did you become so cold, we were head over heels for each other, remember?… You couldn’t even do without seeing me for a day you made me your number one patient. I mean it was…..”
“Enough” he cut her short, almost breaking down from the painful memories he regretted making. “That was a long time ago. I didn’t know you were married with a daughter”
“But your obsession increased even after knowing that. You were more than willing to have me even if you had to take a life, which you did” Gina fired back enthusiastically, enjoying watching his breakdown. People thought she was sane but deep down her mental disability was off the charts. She acted like every other normal human, but her level of reasoning was beyond ordinary. Only a word could describe her- crazy.
“I know I made a terrible decision in the past which I’m still haunted by “Felix uttered with a pleading gaze, almost in tears. “But please, just let it go. You’re partly at fault too. Please”
“You see, Felix.. you’ve grown weak” Gina uttered with a disapproving nod, her gaze lingering with disappointment. “You aren’t the same vibrant man I used to know who would do anything to have what you wanted. What changed?”
Everything changed, Gina. Everything” Felix yelled out in frustration. “Just let me be”
“I can’t” Gina retorted. “I came here for a reason and I’m not going back without a solution but be rest assured, I won’t mention anything about “it” again”
Felix curiously asked, “What is that?”
“I had a relapse and this time, it’s strange” Gina replied, her playful expression now replaced by a serious one.