"I didn't do anything. Flavia was standing earlier but suddenly collapsed." Gladwin answered as he lifted Flavia's tiny body and took her into Abigail's room, which Abigail had opened previously. He laid the weak body down and quickly went to his room to get his medical equipment.
Abigail rubbed Flavia's forehead, which was starting to sweat coldly. She unbuttoned the top two buttons of her shirt to make the girl more comfortable and not suffocating when Gladwin returned with his medical equipment and started checking.
"He's exhausted." He muttered, but it sounded clear to Abigail's ears. Gladwin looked for the IV drip he always carried in his bag. He was looking for a place to change it before attaching the tube and needle to Flavia's arm. "What's wrong with her? Did something happen?" He asked without taking his eyes off Flavia's pale face while controlling the drip of the IV fluid. Then, inject something into the IV tube.
"Who did that question come from? Doctor Gladwin, Uncle Gladwin, or a man named Gladwin?" Abigail asked teasingly.
Gladwin looked up. His gaze turned sharp. "From one human being to another human being on humanitarian grounds." The answer was curt.
Abigail pouted. "Ah, Uncle, your answer disappoints me." The answer is honest.
Abigail covered Flavia's body with a blanket up to her chest before leaving the room to let her rest. Gladwin followed him from behind.
"A disaster has just hit our cafe. That's why Via is exhausted. She's taking on all the problems alone." She answered when they were in the kitchen area. "Drink?" Abigail offered, to which she shook her head.
"Hungry," Gladwin answered while sitting at the bar table.
"Soon. I ordered food online earlier. Be patient." Abigail answered casually.
He poured the syrup into his glass and added sugar before steeping it in hot water. Just as Abigail was about to put in the ice cubes, the apartment bell rang. "On time," she muttered to Gladwin. "Our food has arrived. This time, I will treat you; later, it will be your turn." She answered casually.
Gladwin winked. "Anytime, Moana." He answered as he walked towards the door. A man wearing a jacket and helmet with a restaurant courier logo was standing, carrying two bags of food and drinks from a restaurant Gladwin didn't know.
"Ms. Abigail's apartment?" Asked the motorbike taxi driver, to which Gladwin nodded. "Five packages of chicken, two burgers and three colas." The man handed the package to Gladwin. "Don't forget the value." Then, the motorcycle taxi driver politely left.
"Three people but ordered up to five chickens, aren't you wrong?" Gladwin put the parcel on the table, which Abigail immediately opened.
"This is Via's favorite food. Who knows, maybe she might have an appetite. She's had trouble eating for the past few days. She's already quite thin; if she continues not eating, she could become even thinner." Abigail complained worriedly. The girl had yet to answer Gladwin's previous question.
"So what happened to the cafe?" Gladwin started to shove the burger into his mouth. And the taste of chicken made his appetite increase.
"One of the cafe branches experienced a fire. There were no casualties. And the losses weren't that big. We can still handle it. It's just that, by going back and forth to the police station to make a report, the shop owner's demands and also thinking about the fate of her employees made Via don't get enough rest.
"Not to mention, she still doesn't know what caused the fire. Whether it was a pure accident or a deliberate factor, the police are looking into it. Uncle knows it's an alleged insurance game. And that's what makes Via's mind drained. Uncle knows what she's like."
Gladwin was silent. Flavia does have a personality that is inversely proportional to Abigail, and therefore, they both complement each other.
If Abigail is a typical optimistic person, then Flavia tends to be a pessimistic person. If Abigail always thinks about the best possibility, Flavia thinks more about the worst side. If Abigail is someone who doesn't care about people's opinions, then Flavia is someone who cares about what other people think about her.
Sometimes, it isn't easy, but there are some positive things about it. Flavia is a very caring person and cares for others. Easy to help and love without discrimination. She's friendly, she's tough, and what's more, she's also beautiful.
Yes, Flavia is beautiful. His father's Italian blood was powerful. Her face was a female version of her father. Flavia has bright and beautiful brown eyes. And if Antony's body size is big, like a giant child, Flavia is the opposite version. Her body is petite, even smaller than Abigail's.
For American beauty standards, it can't be small. It's just that for mulattoes, who are usually tall, 160cm is considered short. Compared to Abigail, who has a body of 175cm. And again, if Abigail is a brave girl who tends to be shameless, Flavia is a shy girl who tends to have low self-esteem.
And Flavia's shy nature made Gladwin even more fond of teasing her.
But that was before when the girl was still a teenager. Meanwhile, now, Flavia has become an adult girl. Apart from her age and mindset, her maturity was visible from her body shape when Gladwin examined her.
But is Flavia still shy now? Gladwin didn't know. They last saw each other almost five years ago, and that's a short time to change someone's character, right?
Gladwin had quenched his hunger by eating two chicken pieces and two burgers. Abigail just looked at him with eleven eyebrows raised, a mocking smile on her gaunt face. "Greedy." She muttered, only to be answered by Gladwin's laughter. The girl cleaned up the leftovers and washed the dishes she used. "Go to sleep, uncle. So that when Via wakes up, she won't be surprised again."
"What does it mean?"
"I mean, it could be that the reason Via fainted earlier was because she was shocked to see an undead walking in front of her. Just look at your appearance." She said mockingly, looking at Gladwin's appearance from top to bottom. "Not neat at all. And eye bags." Abigail drew a line under her eyes. "More like a panda that doesn't sleep during the winter." She taunted, which made Gladwin laugh even louder.
"It seems you were right, Moana." He said while looking at his appearance in the mirror near the entrance. "I'd better sleep and get rid of the jetlag first. Wake me up when it's time for dinner." He ordered as he walked towards his room.
After Gladwin left, Abigail sat on a bar stool. She took a deep breath and exhaled slowly as if trying to release the heavy burden she had been carrying without realizing it.What did his uncle do this time? How long will the man stay? Why did that man come back without any notice at all?Abigail glanced at the two bedroom doors, which were closed alternately. She was sad for her friend. She was the only person who knew how much her step-cousin and best friend fell in love with her uncle.Yes, Abigail knows Flavia loves Gladwin even though she discovered it accidentally.She knew why her friend chose to leave Kansas and study in California. It was none other than the girl's attempt to forget her uncle, who suddenly decided to continue earning his doctoral degree in Germany.Heartbroken teenage Flavia. How could it not be the man she loved decided to leave after rejecting her love? A love that she hasn't even had the chance to express directly.FlashbackThat was the day Antony's famil
Flavia blinked and realized that she was no longer in the living room. She tried to get up from the bed and noticed something strange with her right hand. When she turned, she could see an IV needle attached there. What happened? Flavia tried to remember. Earlier, she was lying on the sofa, dreaming of meeting Gladwin. Gladwin? Flavia furrowed her brow. Yes, even though it seemed real, Flavia knew it was just a dream. But what about the IV in her hand? Did Abigail call a doctor for her? Flavia uncovered herself and slowly got out of bed. The marble floor beneath her felt cold on the soles of her feet. Although her body felt fresher than before, and her head no longer ached, she still felt weak. Flavia turned off the IV and removed the needle slowly. Her hand felt a pinch as the plaster and needle came off. She opened the door and saw Abigail sitting at the bar table, busy with her tablet. "Awake already?" she asked with a worried expression. Flavia just nodded. "Feeling better?"
Dear Diary Long time no see My greeting for you that I copied from someone who always greets anyone he knows, whether it's someone he loves or just a friend... Long time no see The first sentence he uttered with a smile that made my heart beat uncontrollably... The sentence that made me understand what admiration is, since I was 13 years old... And when was that? Ten years ago? I never thought that the owner of that sentence could be seen by me again now, after five years of not meeting... Yes, not with me, because with his core family, he always meets. It's just me who always avoids every time I find out about his whereabouts... Am I wrong, Diary? Ten years of harboring feelings that initially I thought were just admiration for his handsomeness, intelligence, and humor... He, whom I initially admired when I was just a naive little girl about what love is, only considered him as an elder brother figure that I never had. But these ten passing years have not changed the sp
Flavia noticed a foreign car in her driveway. It wasn't actually a foreign car, but Gladwin's car. So, her uncle had decided to inform Flavia's parents of his return. That meant the man was rested enough and ready to be teased by Flavia's mother and siblings. Knowing this, Flavia just smiled quietly to herself. Carrying her siblings' shopping items to the playroom, Flavia then chose to hide in her father's office. She had two reasons for doing so. The first reason was Gladwin, and the second reason was that she genuinely wanted to finish her work quickly. Flavia was majoring in administration at college. However, thanks to her uncle Altezza, a skilled architect, she learned how to create building designs and use computer applications widely used by talented architects today. Flavia had already measured the shop they were going to rent, and now she was planning its interior design before deciding on the workers who would execute it. Her work took time, so she only came out when sh
Flavia sat silently in the car driven by her private chauffeur. This morning, she had an appointment with Abigail at their new café to discuss the furniture they would buy before her friend got busy with her photography schedule. It had been several days since the dinner event with Gladwin. As Flavia knew from their previous conversation, her uncle had started working actively at a renowned hospital not far from the new café. This meant that soon, after the café officially opened, she might meet her uncle again and even his colleagues. But long before that happened, Flavia had to come up with a reason to avoid the party her step-grandmother was planning for her uncle. It would be a celebration for Gladwin's return and his acceptance at one of the prestigious hospitals in their city. It's not that Flavia disliked her step-grandmother or felt uncomfortable in her stepmother's family. On the contrary, she felt very comfortable. Even though she was Claire's stepdaughter, Claire's famil
Dear Diary, I want to vent again, after holding it in for some time. May I? Where should I begin this complaint? I just want to know, until when will these trials keep coming to me? After days of trying to avoid them, why do we have to meet again? It feels like I'm running in circles. When I think I've gone far enough, in the next step, I'm back to the starting point of my journey. Is this fate? I can't say it's fate. Not after the cruel fate separated me from him. Not after the cruel fate gave me a... I don't even want to say it because I don't want to remember it. Dear Diary, I promised that I wouldn't wait anymore. But seeing him again makes my determination waver. I'm entranced by his smile, and I fall in love because of his laughter. I'm trapped again, falling into his charm. I don't deserve to hope for him. It feels like, to fall in love with him, I don't deserve it. Maybe in the past, I dreamed of having him. Loving him for the rest of the life that God gave me. But
"Why is Uncle here?" Gladwin turned to look at his niece. Her beautiful face looked melancholic, her cheeks reddened by the hot sun. They were sitting on a bench in the courtyard of the orphanage, right under the tall mango tree. "Why indeed? Is Uncle not allowed to be here?" Flavia turned, looking back at Gladwin with her golden-brown eyes and shaking her head. "Not like that. It's just that I heard today Grandma is organizing a welcome party for Uncle at home," replied Flavia in her calm tone. Gladwin noticed the movement of the girl's skirt as she shifted back and forth. "So, if Grandma is throwing a party, I'm not allowed to be here?" Gladwin asked, raising an eyebrow. "Not like that," Flavia replied with a tone of resignation. Gladwin liked hearing the girl in front of him whining. It felt like seeing Flavia ten years ago when she was still a teenager. "I mean, the party is for your welcome. Uncle is the main star; how can the star not be present at his own event?" Gladwin s
Flavia gazed at the two-story house with a long sigh. The luxurious house that had been her second home for eleven years once again made her feel uncomfortable. For the past five years, the place always made Flavia nervous. Carrying a paper bag with clothes she had intentionally chosen for this occasion, Flavia walked in following Gladwin. Instead of using the front door, they opted to enter through the side door that led directly to the kitchen. The housemaid who already knew her greeted her warmly. "Is Mom already here?" Flavia asked, glancing towards the interior of the house. "Yes, Miss. Mrs. Claire is in front of the house with Mr. Antony," replied the housemaid, acknowledged by Flavia with a nod. "And Abigail?" "She's upstairs. Getting ready, she said." Flavia nodded again and chose to walk up the stairs to her friend's room. The room they always shared when they gathered there. Flavia knocked on the door as a form of courtesy. She never wanted to open the door directly, f