At Seven Oaks Branch Clinic.
(The last call to the number was on Friday by 1600 hrs and from 44 16… The phone is switched off for now. If you want to locate the user, you have to contact the authority. I hope this meets your needs.)
Louis was already in sweat before he was through with the message. He looked at the doctor with teary eyes and asked, “What do you advise me to do, Doctor?”
“Do you know the last number that called her?”
“Yes. It is my number.”
“I feel your pains, Mr. Bailey. Now, the only thing I feel you should do is to be calm. Who knows, she must have traveled to see her parents abroad.”
Louis bent his head, groaned, and let out, “That would be suicidal for her. Meeting her parents with pregnancy outside wedlock?”
“That is all right. Don’t be too hard on yourself, either. The deed had been done, and you have to stay alive to solve it. Just be positive.”
At Denise’s Apartment
Denise dropped her cup of tea by her side and moved. Olivia looked at the tea happily and looked at Denise, who was walking to take his seat on the couch opposite her, before she appreciated him, “Thank you, Denise.”
Denise was already seated and sipped his tea, placing his teacup back into the saucer before he replied, “Consider it as nothing. It is good for you.”
Olivia began to sip her tea, and Denise said, “You must be famished by now due to the prescription. Would you like to have brunch?”
She smiled at him and declared, “Fruits will be enough for now. Thank you.”
“It is all right. Caleb,” he called out.
Caleb, who was in the kitchen, appeared at once and answered, “Yes, Boss. You called me.”
“Yes. Get some fruits for her.”
“It is okay, Boss.”
Caleb left and returned with two bowls of assorted fruits. He dropped them on the center table and returned to the kitchen where he was preparing lunch.
“You can have the fruits,” Denise informed her.
“Thank you.”
She took the last sip of her tea and after a while, she began to munch her fruits of watermelon with a skewer stick with great desire. She remembered the first day that she met Louis and how he was by her side all through her stay in the hospital and she began to sob uncontrollably.
Instantly, she dropped her bowl of fruits on her couch and bent her head. She was not mindful of her environment. It was as though she was bent on pouring out all her anguish at once. Denise, who was mindful of body contact, rested his head on the couch and watched her cry while he fought hard to control the tears that were forming in his eyes from falling.
When she calmed down, he looked at her with empathy and spoke, “You can cry freely. It will help you a lot to ease both physical and emotional pains.”
“Thank you for your concern,” she appreciated him and calmed down.
She dried her tears before she continued with her fruits while they watched the Television. Then, she began to feel sleepy, but Denise stopped her. He had to do what he needed to do.
“Angel, come with me to the dinner table.”
She jolted forward when she heard him and locked eyes with him. Now, he was standing. He walked to her side and helped her.
“Get up. You need to have your drugs before you go to sleep.”
She obediently stood up and followed him to the dining table. He made her sit comfortably before he announced, “Wait for me.”
He walked to the shelf where Freya kept her drugs and card, picked up the pack, walked to the kitchen, got a glass of water, and walked back to the dinner table.
“It is time for your prescription. I would not have you sleep off without taking your drugs.”
“Thank you, Denise. I’m so grateful.”
Denise ignored her appreciation and began to sort out the drugs for her. She took them as prescribed. Subsequently, Denise took the pack away and returned with two plates of chips, fish, and sauce. He dropped one plate in front of her and sat down opposite her. He observed that she had a heavy appetite and could finish her food.
Immediately, he called out, “Caleb, get another plate for me.”
“I got it, Boss.”
Just as Denise anticipated, before Caleb returned with the plate of fish and chips, Olivia’s plate was empty. Denise collected the plate from Caleb and dropped it before Olivia, who showed surprise and wanted to protest.
“I am all…”
“Just a moment. Let us do it this way.”
“Okay,” she answered and focused on him.
“I know you are all right, but let us share this third plate. You take half a portion, and I will have the rest. Let’s go.”
Denise presented it as though it were a game, and Olivia began to play to be the winner. She forgot the rules of the game and finished the food before she realized that she had goofed up. She looked at Denise, who had been watching her and volunteered to report herself.
“I apologize, I ate your portion.”
Denise smiled and teased, “That was the idea. Keep it up. By the way, may I have your contact? I am on PM Shift today. I may leave before you wake up.”
Olivia looked at him and showed worries. He wanted to avoid stressing her, so he dismissed the idea. He had forgotten that he picked up her shattered phone and threw the pieces into the car trunk.
“Do not bother. I will always contact you through my staff.”
She nodded in the affirmative. Then, Denise got through with his meal, and they left the dining table.
At Seven Oaks
Louis, who had accepted the inevitable, went back to his house after he was discharged. The only ray of hope was that Olivia must have traveled to see her parents and probably apologize to them. The conviction helped him to keep his head above water. By Monday morning, he had partly recovered and was only battling with loneliness and guilt.
Not only that, the hope that she would be back someday with his baby, and they would live happily ever after kept him going.
Olivia’s Perspective
She had waited for Louis’s call or message all the night after she returned home, but none came. While she was booking for cabs after she got to Dover, she was making mistakes because she was hysterical. She had not used her phone since she regained consciousness and did not wish to because the thought that Louis did not call her would drive her crazy. Besides, the phone was a gift from him on her twentieth birthday, and seeing it would make her weep. Therefore, she never bothered to search for it.
Concerning her family, she had made up her mind to stay away from everyone until she had her baby. The stress she would go through when her parents discovered may make her lose the baby, and that would make Louis happy.
At that point, she rubbed her stomach and said, “Baby, I will not abort you. You are precious to me.”