The doctor took his seat as well and allowed him to calm down before he asked questions that would distract him from Olivia.
“I’m not aware that the President got married today?”
“Yes. He did. It was a low-key wedding.”
“I see. Then you should be happy.”
Louis just smiled. The doctor was happy to see him smile and proceeded with his questions.
“Have you had your lunch?”
“No. And I don’t wish to have lunch from the canteen.”
“Which one do you wish to have?”
“Tea and biscuit would be OK.”
The doctor laughed dryly and asked again, “Can we go to your house for lunch? Since you like homemade food.”
Louis laughed softly and asked him, “Are you inviting yourself over to my house for lunch?”
The doctor laughed, too, and responded, “Certainly. Since I offered you mine, and you declined. So your homemade food would suffice.”
“Well, if you are not too busy, I would not mind.”
The doctor, who had been writing while they were chatting, dropped his pen and inquired in an officious tone, “Can we talk, Mr. Bailey?”
Louis looked down before looking at him and said, “I think I am fine…”
The doctor refuted his claim and asked him, “If you say that you are fine, are you aware of how I got to know you were distressed?”
The baffled Louis opened his mouth and gazed at the doctor. When he failed to answer his question, the doctor continued, “Your secretary sent for me.”
“What? How did she get to know?”
“I would not know unless you tell me.”
“Did she …?”
Dr. Quain did not allow him to ask his question because he knew that it was not necessary. He made him comprehend the gravity of his action.
“I will advise that you should be more discreet about your emotional problems, especially before your staff. Last time, it was your domestic staff members who brought you to the clinic and today, it was your secretary.”
“Thank you, doctor. I appreciate your advice. I will be more careful.”
The doctor only looked on and he pleaded with him, “Please, don’t get tired of me.”
At the Government Hospital.
With the help of social media, the news of Nichole’s marriage spread like wildfire in the city, especially among those in the medical circle. Arthur did not know that he had many secret admirers, who Nichole’s attachment to him had destabilized. Between 1 PM and 4 PM, the security guards had turned down five women of different sizes and shapes.
At 4 o’clock, he closed for the day and his secretary greeted him, “Good night, Boss. Send my best wishes to Nichole.”
“It is all right. Good night,” he responded.
After he bade his secretary farewell, he drove to the Government Hospital to pick up his wife. Since she was not with her phone, he planned to drive to the vestibule and walk to her office.
Fortunately, when he drove into the premises, the janitor spotted him and walked to Nichole’s office to inform her, “Mrs. Bailey, you have a visitor. The man who brought you in the morning is here to see you.”
“Oh! Thank you, Rachael.”
She picked up her purse and walked to the vestibule. Before her husband could park, she was already waiting. Then, she got into the car and gave him a peck.
“Good to see you, Hubby.”
“I’m delighted to see you, my dear. How was your treat?”
“Wow! It was a surprise to everyone.”
“That is good to know. How was your work?”
“My work was fine. And yours?”
“Work was fine. Mrs. Felix sent her best wishes.”
“Oh! That is awesome. How is she?”
“She is fine.”
Arthur turned on his ignition and drove away before Nichole’s haters came to see who the janitor talked about.
However, the team for the Night Shift got to work that day and learned that Nichole had gotten married to an ugly duckling. They were dumbfounded not because she was married, but because Arthur did not make himself available to her.
Then, they burst into mocking laughter.
“Wow! After the babysitting.”
“She could not even trap him with her beauty.”
“Now, this is an opportunity for savvy women like us. Nichole is off the way.”
“Yes, the monopolistic Nichole.”
They were disappointed when they got to the vestibule to discover that she had left with her ugly duckling, and they laughed the more.
“She did not want us to see the ugly duckling.”
“Yes. That is why they left at once. But for how long will she hide him?”
At The Bailey Native Home.
Arthur parked and was distraught when he did not see his wife’s car.
“What is the matter with Zoey? Does she want to keep your car forever?”
To answer his question, Nichole took a deep breath, and called out, “Hubby.”
“Yes.”
“The Medical Director said that Zoey did not report to work yesterday to swap with me.”
“What does that mean? Who swapped with you then?”
“He said he got another nurse to stand in for me.”
“That is nice of him. Did Zoey give you a call?”
Nichole looked at him before she reminded him, “My phone is…”
“Yes. I remembered.”
They got out of the car and walked quickly to their room and Arthur picked up her phone at once. He turned it on to the booth before he began to undress. Now, Nichole undressed too and put on casual wear while waiting for her phone to boot up.
Subsequently, Arthur called Zoey, and he got an automated message.
(The number you dialed is switched off)
He looked at Nichole, who was at a loss as he was.
“Let me call Oscar,” he announced and dialed his number.
Mr. Oscar Bailey, Zoey’s husband, was a sixty-year-old lecturer and a member of another branch of Bailey’s family. He chose to live at Arthur Bailey’s Native Home instead of his family estate due to a family feud.
Furthermore, he had an understanding with the late head of the Arthur branch of the Bailey family, who permitted him to live with them. Now, Arthur waited after dialing his number and when the call connected, he spoke calmly.
“Hello, Arthur. I am delighted to hear from you.”
“Hello, Oscar. I want to get across to your wife, but could not because her phone is switched off.”
“You are right. I have tried to reach her since yesterday but could not. I am on my way back from my trip.”
“It is all right. Fair trip.”
“Thank you for your wishes. I will be back soon.”