STIFF AND BRUISED, Sydney got up from the hospital bed. A pain wave passed through her head and she steered. She held her head and headed to the hospital door.
She remembered everything that happened the previous night leading up to her encounter with Gabriel. He’d still brought her to the hospital after all. She silently thanked God he had, what if Emily and Ethan had seen her in that horrendous state?
She heard whispers coming from behind the door. She raised her head, and through the hole in the door, she caught sight of Gavin talking with Doctor Natasha, a bitter expression on his face.
Sydney stood, catalyzed. Why is he here? Maybe he came to finish what he started.
As if noticing her gaze on him, Gavin met her gaze. His eyes softened a bit but she still noticed the fire in it.
Gavin drove her home, they hadn’t said anything to each other since she got discharged. The somber music on the drive did nothing to mitigate the tension between them.
Gavin gazed at her as she stared out the window, ” Just so you know, hugging a woman is completely different from having sex with her.”
She stared emotionlessly at the trees passing by as he drove. She replied lifelessly, “Don’t say anything, just keep on driving.”
Gavin released a frustrated breath and muttered a vile word. He accelerated suddenly, causing Sydney to almost have a heart attack, but she didn’t stop staring out the window.
____________
A few days passed, and Avery stayed with Sydney to ‘take care of her’ since Gavin left and didn’t return the day he drove Sydney back home from the hospital.
Avery coerced Sydney into going to the mall. Sofia, who visited Sydney regularly, also went with them to the mall.
“When are you going to find clothes that interest you?” Sydney groaned, leaning against the wall as Avery and Sofia searched through the clothes hangers.
Avery halted her search and shot Sydney a look. “Number one, I’m looking for clothes for you because you wouldn’t stop behaving like an abandoned dog and look for clothes yourself. Number two, we’ll stay here an hour more if it means getting you all bibidi-bobidi-boo again.” Avery grinned frustratedly and resumed searching for clothes.
Sofia gave Sydney a confused look and then turned to Avery. ” I think Mrs. Reed looks good in everything.”
Avery held a scoff. ” Good is underrated. Finesse is the trend. Besides, look at her; I would give any man who dares give me a hard time peace of mind.”
Sydney didn’t doubt that. Avery continued scavenging for clothes, but she found quite a number with ‘finesse’. Sofia took them to the sales deck.
Avery leaned on the wall next to Sydney. She sighed and said, “I know things are hard for you but you can’t keep acting this way.
Sydney smiled and looked at her in confusion, ” What are you talking about?”
Avery made an eye roll. ” That’s the fakest smile I’ve ever seen. You’ll do terrible for an actor.” She reached into her pocket and took out a cigarette and lit it up then put it between her teeth.
Sydney stared at her in a daze. ” There’s a no smoking policy here.”
“Isn’t Gavin the boss of the manager of this mall?”
Sydney’s rubbed her lips together. “Not quite, but…” She stared at the cigar like it was some sort of sedation. “Can I have one?”
Avery looked at her in surprise. She had asked Sydney to try it a couple of times, but she would refuse and say Gavin would get mad if she did. A smile broke on Avery’s lips, and she placed a cigar in Sydney’s lips and lit it up.
She coughed for a while but smirked when she got the hang of it. “Remind me not to try something new next time.”
Avery chuckled. Sofia glanced at Sydney in concern. She could see Avery was up to no good.
“Doesn’t she know smoking would make Mrs. Reed’s condition worse?” Sofia thought. Something about Avery made her stomach churn.
_______
“Wait, what do you mean by you are moving to Berlin?”
Sydney and Kelly’s mother, Nelly, talked over the phone. Sydney put Ethan and Emily to bed before Nelly had called.
“Gavin had been so angry lately, Zayn had a document missed up for a board meeting, and Gavin got so mad, he demoted him to a smaller unit in Berlin,” Nelly explained.
“Oh,” Sydney didn’t know what to say. “When are you leaving?”
“Someone offered us a free flight to Berlin so we’d be leaving tomorrow.”
“That’s too soon. Um, have Kelly told Ethan about it?”
” She’s mad about us moving and hasn’t been in school since Zayn’s demotion.”
Sydney rubbed her brows stressfully, ” I can’t imagine how he would feel if he found out. Kelly is the only person he talks to in school. He said everyone else just flocks around him because he’s a blueblood.”
“I wish we didn’t have to leave so soon.” She said dismally.
Sydney sighed, ” I understand, Nelly; an opportunity comes but once.”
“I have to continue parking, Please Sydney, take care of yourself. If not for anyone but your kids.”
Sydney lingered on Nelly’s words and then nodded, ” I will. Goodnight.”