Sliding up my sunglasses over the top of my head, I come out of my car and look around. I've come to visit the site today where we're building our hotel. My other two partners are already here with their teams. I lock my car and saunter forward. The construction hasn't yet started. Only a small office has been set to provide details about the project and scrutinize what's happening here.It's a deserted, spacious area similar to some wide playgrounds. I can see small houses, but they are quite far. We have sealed our zone with tin metal sign that says 'construction in progress'.Luke waves his hand at me when he sees me. I pass him a smile, cross the yellow boundary and enter into the construction area. It's late afternoon therefore, the sun's heat is not scorching. Light wind is blowing too that's keeping the weather moderate. "Is it all good here?" I inquire as I go near him and look around. "As far as I know, yes." He answers, "We are starting the construction though from tomorr
"You're bleeding, Luke. It's better if we take you to the hospital." I assess Luke's face. It's full of bruises. His hairs and clothes are dishevelled and blood is flowing down from the corner of his mouth. "I'm okay." He says between breaths, "Don't worry." He touches his jaw, then wipes the blood from the sleeve. I feel bad and worried for him, "Okay try to stand up. I'll take you to the office. May be they'll have the first aid."He gives me a nod. I hold his arm and help him stand up from the ground. Guards also come for my help. "Take him there." I order guards and hint towards our office. They take him and I follow them. Rafe comes with us too. "You know it would be better if you let us take you to the hospital." I again say on the way, "What you say, Rafe?"I look towards Rafe who is walking at some distance from Luke. He doesn't respond, just stare at me with clenched jaws. I get annoyed at his cold behavior. "No. It's okay. I'm fine." Luke refuses."Fine. Then at least le
Once I talked with doctors, I sit outside the emergency ward. They said the driver has fractured some of his bones and would need to stay in hospital for few days. I'm still grateful because he's out of danger now. Seeing him in a pool of blood earlier on road-side was terrifying. I thought he would not make it. I was on my way to see Mona when I encountered with a car crash. It was not a car crash for me because I managed to save myself and turned aside so that the car coming towards me couldn't slam into mine. But the other driver couldn't control his speed and crash his car into road-side trees. He fell out of the car and rolled over in the middle of the street. I run to him and found that he already lost consciousness so I had to brought him to hospital. Rubbing my face with my both hands, I allow myself now to relax and be at ease. Then I check the time from my wrist-watch. Mona would be waiting for me. She has came to Seattle to see me and I'm stuck here. I'll have to go to her
"Excuse me, my name is Rafael Eastmond." I speak with the hospital's receptionist. "I registered myself as an accident patient. I brought another man with me an hour ago. I don't know the name of that man, but you would have probably found some things around his car as in a mobile phone? Please check.""Wait a minute, sir." She answers, then begins going through her system. She's a young woman with red, short hairs. After a few seconds, she responds, "Yes, we have found his ID and a mobile phone...Actually we found two phones at the accident site." "Two phones?" I repeat. One of them must be mine. "Yes. They are with me. I'm waiting for the patient's family. I'll hand them over once they come." "May I check the phones? I've lost mine too.""Okay, wait." She turns, goes to her shelves and picks up the phones wrapped in a transparent plastic bag. "Here." She comes back and puts the bag on the counter. "It's mine." I get angry, "That phone is mine.""Really? I'm sorry." I quickly o
I turn off the alarm from my phone and rise to a sitting position. I check the time while grabbing my plain, crew neckline tee shirt thst's placed on the bed. It's still half an hour till I've to reach the office. Once I put on my shirt, I head to the bathroom to do my morning routine. Last night I shortened my dinner date with Mona and thankfully she didn't mind. I was exhausted because of the car crash incident and I was also feeling some muscular pains in my back and left arm. The pains are still there, but they are not severe. I can survive them. I think I've gotten some unseen injuries too when I suddenly hit the brakes and stopped my car. I didn't tell anything to Mona. She just understood my condition that I needed a rest.The moment I come out of my bathroom, I hear a soft knock on my room's door. After a second, the door slowly pushes open, "May I come in?"It's Freya. I quickly straighten my tee shirt, comb my hair with my fingers then say, "Yeah, sure."I wasn't expecting t
Freya doesn't speak a word during the car ride and keeps her eyes fixed on the front. I glance in her direction after every few minutes while pondering on a lot of stuff. She's currently portraying herself as resolute and tough, making it hard to believe that she was the same woman from last night who looked vulnerable, looked as if she would do anything for me. I know she's right now trying her utmost to hide her weak side from me and I'm not going to push her for something she doesn't want to show. I'll play along. However, that makes me realize that I was deceived by her resolute facade for some time and did not consider her own personal feelings about our entire marriage situation. Last night, it was a glimpse of her weak side that she is feeling every emotion. She just doesn't want to disclose her vulnerabilities to anyone or...maybe only to me.I turn my head in her direction. I should have kept my eyes more opened. I should have considered her feelings too. I remember how I h
I run to him when I hear him yelp in pain and grab his arm. "It's bleeding, Rafe. Oh God, what to do." I cry as I see blood appearing on his white bandage. I briefly glance up at him. When I see his face is grimacing I get it that it's indeed hurting him. Panic surges through me. I curse myself for being blinded by my anger and not remembering his current condition. "It's okay." Rafe pulls his hand from mine, "It will stop. I think its just stitches got opened." He looks at the bandage then moves his hand down. "Stitches?" I stare at him in surprise, "You got stitches? You said the wound is not serious." My pace of speaking becomes faster as my panic mounts, "You said you didn't get any injury. But you complained in the morning about muscular pains and now you're telling me that you even got stitches. You lied to me. You have got injuries because of the accident.""I didn't lie to you." He narrows his eyes, "They aren't any serious. You don't have to worry." I know he's saying that
I scurry out of Rafe's office while contemplating what just happened inside. Rafe's civil behavior is bothersome. And my behavior? What was I doing? I could have moved back right away, but I was standing still and staring at him in a way as if it was my first time seeing him.I groan at my behavior. My embarrassment escalates. I have been unable to hide my stupid side from him. First at the hospital then today again.At the hospital, I have disclosed to him that I'm an emotional wreck. I have shown him that all those past months my resentment for him was just a facade, in reality, I care for him. It was true from the beginning. I just didn't want him to know that. Despite my anger towards him, I knew I could have never really hated him. I walk towards my office while thinking about hiding somewhere and not to face Rafe ever again. That false accident news had unshielded my vulnerabilities to me as well as to Rafe. Last night I understood what it's like to experience your worst fear.