Wide eyed, Hazel moved away from the woman who was standing behind her.
"Who are you?!" she asked, almost yelling at the top of her voice. If the chatters of the crowd had not overshadowed her own yell, she would have earned the undivided attention of everyone in the mall that afternoon.
"What’s the problem, Miss?" The woman in front of Hazel asked, confusion evident in her eyes. "Is sothing wrong?"
Hazel frowned, regaining her composure wen she noticed the unfamiliarity in the woman’s tone. How was it possible though, that the woman looked like Miss Anderson this much? If the woman did not look older and have wrinkles, she would think it was Shikera!
"It’s nothing," Hazel smiles nervously, waving gently at the attendant. "I will be on my way now."
She bowed at Shikera’s older look alike and was about to leave when the woman held her by her wrist.
"I don’t think you look okay, Miss. Why don’t you have coffee with at the cafe outside? I will think I’ve offended you if you refuse," the woman offered.
At the woman’s gentle offer, Hazel could only say yes. At most, she would just use this opportunity to know more about the woman who looked a lot like Shikera.
★★★
"How often did this happen?" Ruthlyn asked Cyprian, whose eyes were complete fixed on Shikera’s face. The way she was quick to adjust Shikera to be comfortable whenever the latter shifted or frowned a bit, was what made Ruthlyn know that this was more or less a common occurrence with the two friends.
And though Ruthlyn mightn’t have known her for more that four months, she had chosen to be Shikera’s friend too, and she would do everything to gather enough information about her.
Cyprian looked up from Shikera’s face to Ruthlyn, registering the slight resemblance to Raymond. She found it weird that she was actually talking to her boyfriend’s sister in this very weird situation, even though Ruth seed not to care.
"Just once in a year or so. Sotis, Kera gets tired of having to take note of what she eats and how she lives, so she just decides to defy the doctor’s rule. She escapes from ho and eats as many ice cream as she want, drink wine and all...But she always makes sure to co back ho before breaking down. But when she wakes up the very next morning, she will be back to her normal cheerful self and everyone forgets about it."
Ruthlyn nodded at the answer, before asking another question.
"How long have you known her?"
"It will be ten years in two weeks, and Kera will also be 25 then," Cyprian answered. Though her tone was excited, her eyes seed to be sad.
"Really?! We have to celebrate her birthday then..." Ruthlyn trailed off when Cyprian shook her head.
"Kera doesn’t celebrate her birthday. In fact, she buys only a white chrysanthemum on her birthday and that’s the only kind of gift she accepts. Either lilies, white roses, or any other flower like that; as long as it’s white."
"And why—Kera!"
Ruthlyn rushed over to the bedside to confirm that the movent she had noticed just now was real. She hovered above Shikera and waited until the latter opened her eyes again, squinting at the blinding ray of the sun streaming in from the window.
"Hey..." Shikera greeted casually, just like soone who was waking up from a very normal sleep.
Ruthlyn who was speechless, simply stared at Cyprian and when she saw that the latter was not surprised, she rembered what she said earlier. Shikera would be back to her normal bubbly and cheerful self whenever she woke up, after getting to death’s door and back.
"How are you feeling now?"
"Great! I’m feeling refreshed and rejunevated," Shikera raised herself to sit up on the bed, with Ruthlyn’s help.
She looked around the room and smiled.
"Did Hazel bring here?" she asked, thinking Hazel might have contacted Ruthlyn and sohow, the news got to Cyprian.
"Hazel? Was she with you when you fell or rather, was she at ho then?" Ruthlyn questioned, suspicions growing in her heart.
"Yes, I think I was telling her what groceries she should get. Didn’t she bring here? How did you know then?"
Her answer ca when the door opened and Ethan stepped in, wearing only a black shirt and black slacks. His signature facemask was on him, but he looked even more handso than that morning to Shikera.
"Ruth, you can go back with Enoch, and Miss Leigh, Raymond needs you outside."
Without anyone telling them, the two woman he had addressed knew they were being dismissed. However, they didn’t argue and walked out of the room. Not like they could dare to argue, or even win the agreent if the dared.
Ethan removed his facemask and walked towards the smiling Shikera on the bed, a frown on his face.
"What did you eat?" he asked.
"Why? You want to eat ?" Shikera asked back, her blunt tone taking Ethan aback.
If he had not hardened his heart before trying to talk to her, he would have been moved by now.
"Cut the crap, Kera!" he hissed.
"You called Kera, then it ans you want to eat ...or, you want to eat you?!" Shikera asked again. Her flushed cheeks gave Ethan an idea of what she ant by her cryptic words.
"Stop it, Shikera. What did you eat?"
At his strict tone, Shikera could not bear to joke any longer. She had to answer him seriously.
"Nothing much. I simply tasted the cookies I was making for Esther, that’s it," she said casually.
Ethan’s lips set in a thin line, and it was obvious that he was trying to hide his anger.
"Don’t make Esther’s snacks again. Hazel will make—"
"Hazel again?! Ethan, why do you think Hazel can do this better than I can?" Shikera had shed off her smile too, and was having a battle of glare with Ethan.
"It’s not about doing it better than you. Hazel won’t be at risk just because she tastes the—" Again, Shikera cut him off.
"And that’s your excuse? Is it my fault that I get sick because I tasted a little sugar? It would have been better if you just said it is because Hazel can make the snacks better than I can. At least then, I will be consoled by the fact that she has been doing this for years while I just started!"
Ethan sighed, trying to change his tactic. He couldn’t afford to fight her when he had barely settled one fight with her.
"That’s what I’m saying. You haven’t even learned how to cook your own al, why learn how to make Esther’s snacks?"
Since Shikera said she would feel better if he had ntioned her lack of skills, he didn’t expect her to get even more angry at what he just said.
"Ethan, why go roundabout when you can simply co straight to ? Just tell that you are tired of cooking for and I will just—"
Ethan crashed his lips on hers, shutting her up. He just understood what so n said about not being able to win argunts against their wife. To him, it even seed like his wife was a master.
He sat on the bed and pulled her closer, nibbling on her lower lips as his black clothes contrasted against her white patient uniform.
Reviews
All reviews (0)