I was stunned. More than once?I simply had no idea what I wanted. I was definitely into him, that I was sure of, but I couldn't understand the magnitude of it. Would my cravings be sated once I had sex with him, or were my romantic feelings unimaginably involved too?I was at a loss of words when he stared into my eyes intently with his. Trying to form words that would best describe what I had in my mind, I utterly failed when I found myself in a deep complex mess of overwhelming emotions.Sighing, he hung his head low, dejected. "I know you're not there yet." he mumbled, "But I know that I'm not just drawn toward you because of mere lust. I'm more invested in this. Honestly, Rachel, if we were not married, this is the stage where I'd ask to be your boyfriend."Seeing how his words were just adding to my misery, I burst, "Alan, this is way too fast." I said, "We don't know anything about each other and-""Which is precisely my point." He cut me off. "I want to get to know you before
Rachel's POVA week passed by since that night.Things had indeed taken a turn for us ever since. Living under the same roof became relatively easy as we learned to communicate more. The brief window that we let each other share to look into each other’s mind since that night had helped us overcome any hindrance that previously stalled us.On another note, April was discharged from the hospital and that was when I last saw Douglas.As he made it abundantly clear that he didn’t want anyone around him for the next few days, I heaved a sigh of relief. That also meant I didn’t have to be in frequent contact with him regarding April’s treatment, as they intended to start another doctor who they personally knew.Coming back from the present moment, I heard two gentle knocks, “You ready yet?”“Give me a couple of minutes,” I replied.“Alright.”Only yesterday did Amy ask me if I’d like to bring Alan to their engagement party. I’d actually seen it as a golden opportunity as Alan had never had
Rachel's POV“He’s such a gentleman.”It was expected of Emilia to say such a thing when my husband checked all the boxes on her list when we arrived at the party.To say Alan was on his best behaviour would be an understatement.From the moment we walked in, the entire vibe around us seemed to change. Perhaps because I rarely went to parties with my husband, but something about him was definitely intriguing to me.My previous worries of how I’d manage to include him in my group without forcing his presence into it had seemed to vanish into the thin air as Alan’s charms seemed to work their way through everyone.“Yeah, he kind of is.” I agreed. “The first time he met my dad, he was on his best behaviour and won his approval in mere seconds.”“Honey, he won his approval when he made him aware of the size of his wallet.” Emilia had always been aware of the kind of person my father was, although she met him personally just a few times.The fact that father barely called me when I was in
Rachel's POV “Fine.” I forfeited, seeing as she’s clearly not going to be a good judge when it came to him. Seeing that it was something I should do solely on my own, I tried to divert the topic. “How did your date go with the dermatologist?” At the mention of him, she beamed. “Well, turns out Tinder isn’t that awful after all. We actually had an amazing time.” In a desperate attempt to get rid of her single life, Emilia signed up on Tinder upon Mark’s advice. Since the dating apps mask the real personality and only provide pieces of superficial information like his looks, Emilia was never convinced with her matches. One day, she happened to tell me how she’s intrigued by this guy she matched with, who also happened to work in the same hospital as we did, however in a different department. “Dermatology, Rach. It’s like a pin against a sword. He’s not hardcore or a workaholic like me.” “It won’t hurt to go on a date, would it? And undermining other departments just because we trea
Rachel's POVShrugging, I took lazy steps toward him. “Nothing. I was just remembering the times I spent the nights here. It was mostly when we got too drunk and Henry’s place was the closest from the bars we went to so all of us ended up spending the night here. Good old days.”Seeming to have noticed the longing in my eyes as nostalgia took over, he frowned. “What changed?”“Um, nothing. Except that I got married and depressed.”That drew a laugh from him, “I wouldn’t have had any problem if you wanted to go out here.”“Didn’t you hear what I said? I was depressed after marrying you. Having fun with my friends didn’t occur to me as I was busy hating you.”“If it’s any consolation, I wasn’t in my best spirits either after our marriage.”“Yes, because you were busy chasing me in clubs worried someone might kill me.”He didn’t look pleased, “Now who is talking about death? I thought you hated it.”Reclining backwards, somewhat, I said, “Alright, sorry. Just kidding.”“Don’t repeat it.”
Rachel's POVThe entire while I walked back to join Emilia and Amy by the bar, I was thoroughly aware of the heat that climbed to my cheeks. If someone had taken a look at me right then, I was sure they’d think I had been in a steam room.Trying my best to avoid glancing behind my shoulder, preventing myself from taking one last look at him, I made sure I kept my head straight the entire while I walked toward the bar counter. Amy was playing with her glass, which was brimmed with liquid, while Emilia was nowhere in sight.“Where’s Emilia?” I questioned as soon as I reached her.“Oh, she’s having a chat with Mark in the hall.” She said. “What took you so long?”If she hadn’t taken the hint already, I was sure my blush right now would surely make her aware of the reason why I was late, “Yeah, well, I met Alan on the way so ended up having a little chat with him.”“Oh,” She nodded and sipped on her drink. I almost widened my eyes at her obliviousness but realized that it was indeed for t
Rachel's POVWhen we approached everyone at the table to wave them goodbye, the tables have turned against poor Alan.His attempts at dragging me back home from indulging myself in more alcohol have proven to be futile when I strongly insisted on having some more fun. He knew better than that, and he also knew that if he’d let my drink more - she’d get completely out of control.Knowing that he’d drive a hard bargain, I teasing said,“I miss having drinks with my friends, are you going to take that away from me too?”“Smart one, aren’t you? You know exactly how to get things done your way.” He said as he watched me hop onto a stool by the bar.“Yes.” I grinned, “You think you don’t have a weakness? Hell no! I’ve learnt that guilt is your one huge weakness. And I’m going to make use of every opportunity I get to exploit it.”“Mind your actions, you’ll render me immune to it if you over-use that tactic,”“Oh, I know you won’t.”“You know me that well?”“Yes.”“Well, if that’s the case,
Rachel's POV“Does it really have to be now?” Alan groaned from beside me as I eyed the sight before me with a huge grin on my face.“Yes.” I said. “They say now or never.”“I don’t think that quote applies to ice-cream cravings in the midnight.” He protested. “You’re drunk as fuck, how are you craving for an ice-cream now?”“Is there a rule that says you can’t?”Shaking his head, he held his hands up in surrender and reclined back, “Please.” He said and waved his hand toward the ice cream parlor as a welcome for me. “After you.”“No, after you.” I frowned at him. By this point, I was well aware of his intentions to hover behind me.Rolling his eyes at me, he obliged. I sighed in relief and followed him as he led the way.Right after we left the party, Alan made sure I stepped right into the cab before wandering about. I was certain by now he knew what I was capable of once I’m wasted and I was almost glad for that. It was only when we reached our house that my eyes fell on the ice cr
RachelMy eyes widened in disbelief when I looked at the screen. Three brand new emails had made their way into my mailbox last week and I had finally kept some time aside this weekend to respond to them. All of them had the same message - that they would be pleased to have me as their Cardio Fellow.To be honest, I wasn’t counting on Ingard and Boston Medical to even consider me for the job, let alone offer me one. Hence, I assumed that the only option available for me was to continue my service at Weston Hale Memorial hospital here in New York. I wasn’t sure what I was feeling about this.“What’s wrong?” Alan asked as he walked toward me with two cups of coffee in his hands. After placing them by my side, he hovered over me to peek a glance at the screen.It had become his routine to make me breakfast and coffee every morning. Ever since I was discharged from the hospital two months ago, Alan had made sure he was doing everything he could to give me a smooth recovery period.Knowing
Alan's POV“Oh, my God,” Rachel’s mother froze in her step at the sight of her daughter. Beside her, her husband mirrored her expression of absolute astonishment.“Rachel...” She frantically cried and rushed to her side, “Oh, my God, look at you.”Seeing as her father wanted to have a closer look at his daughter for himself, I quietly stepped back to stand by my mother, "Rachel, are you alright? How are you feeling?”The new found love and affection in her parents caught her completely off guard. Looking quizzically at me, her eyes sought answers regarding how to proceed with her situation at hand. It was perhaps the first time she was watching her mother cry for her and that essentially caused a wave of panic to rush through her.“Mom,” She hurried to say, “Mom, I’m okay. I’m completely fine, please don’t panic.”“Oh, my God, am I scaring you? I’m sorry, Rachel, I just-”“Mrs Windsor, it’s alright.” Emilia spoke, “Rachel is fine. She’ll get better in the next few days. I assure you s
Alan's POV While I waited for the news of Rachel’s surgery, Emilia, Henry and Mark decided to accompany me. The four of us were in a similar mental state dominated by angst and fear, and the only person keeping us from sinking into waters of lost faith was Dylan. Though I hadn’t acknowledged his involvement then, I have grown to appreciate his support more than anything. From a distance, I could recognise Emilia and Dylan approaching me. Their faces showed evident exhaustion after a tiring day, supplemented by sleep deprivation. Soon enough, they reached me and propelled down beside me. Emilia took the spot beside my seat and Dylan, the one beside her’s. “Is she asleep yet?” I asked as I peeked at the view of her tired face. “Finally,” She nodded, “She was exhausted. She’s not showing it but I could sense that she was in a lot of pain. Pain meds don’t ease everything.” Dylan wrapped an arm around her and drew her closer to himself, “Good thing she’s asleep then, yeah? She won’t fe
Rachel’s POVThere was an unknown hesitation in me that didn’t allow me to acknowledge him. Why I felt the fear was beyond my understanding. Perhaps it was my subconscious preventing me from looking at him, although my racing heart was looking for him to sate its pace. Deeply buried, a memory from when I last saw him. It was then that I had slipped into the darkness. The vacuum of nothingness.Long after Henry and Emilia exited the room, I refused to turn my head toward the door. Waiting for his touch, I stared blankly at the wall clock. But it never came.Giving up, at last, I desperately let my eyes search for him. Looming over my figure by my side, he stared at me. There was a look of restored hope in his face, as though he was watching a miracle unfold before his eyes. Utterly heartbroken, his face spoke to me of his exhaustion and grief and that seemed to paralyze him momentarily.After his initial shock seemed to subside, he took a seat beside my bed. Carefully then, he reached
Rachel's POVWith heavy eyelids, I attempted to catch a whim of the world outside my brain. The white light that had previously blinded me, dispiriting me from trying again, had managed to dim in its intensity.I heard noises around me again, but their coherence remained a mystery. Blinking my eyes, I tried to focus on the clock on the wall opposite of me but it was a futile attempt. All that seemed to matter to me right then was to be able to comprehend the words.In desperation, I felt moisture pool in my eyes. Defeated, I closed my eyes. My persistent effort to keep myself conscious was deemed counterproductive as that very attempt was wearing me out. I was afraid of reliving the dream should I fall asleep again and I couldn’t afford it. But there was little in my body that was still in my control, and my mind sadly wasn’t one of them.‘Keep your distance for the next ten seconds’ I typed.Immediately, I shut down the phone and ran my eyes over our surroundings for another quick in
Alan's POV“Emilia?” I shrieked out, “Who are you talking about?”“Douglas,” A chill went down my spine, “Rachel told me that he was responsible for the attack last night and that I should tell you-”“Did he say where he’s taking her?”“He just said his wife needed a doctor and asked if Rachel could come and see her.”“Fucking hell,” I groaned, “Did you give Rachel the phone I gave you?”“Yes, she has it with her.” She said, “Alan, is she going to be okay?”“Yes, she will.” I said, “I’ll call you back.”“What the fuck?” Bruce asked once I cut the call.“Page Cameron to send in more people,” I said, “I know where Douglas is.”“Is it that black car?” Bruce asked me.My eyes that were previously fixed on the GPS on the screen flew up to see what he was talking about. Answering his question, I nodded, “Yes, that is it.”“Has Rachel texted back?”In dismay, I shook my head, “No. But it does say that she’s seen the message.”“What did you tell her?”“That we’re following closely behind, an
Rachel’s POVFreezing in my step, I looked at him with a frown. Noticing me, a hesitant smile latched onto his face, “Hey.”“You’re here early.”Shrugging, he clumsily scratched his neck, “Well, yeah...”“You didn’t give him a choice...” Emilia muttered from behind him as she stirred some vegetables on the pan.Instant guilt cruised through me. He was there because he was worried about me. He was worried that I was upset with him.“Alan, I didn’t-” I stopped myself and looked hesitantly at Emilia, silently gesturing her to leave us alone for a while.My dear best friend caught onto the message and decided to oblige. “I’ll be in my room.”After I heard the room door close after her, I approached him with a guilty pout. Understanding my intention of straddling him, he welcomed me with open arms. Position my legs on each side of his, I felt his hands travel up waist to hold onto me.“I’m sorry about earlier,” I mumbled. “I didn’t mean to upset you or get you worried. I should have been m
Rachel’s POVWhen I had woken up the next morning, my mind had paused in perplexity. Everlasting pain remained within my chest, making even the most fundamental movements difficult to perform. Enervated by the events of last night, my body yearned for some more rest. But the questions in my mind needed answers.Groaning, I peeled the warm duvet away from my body. It was only after I had stepped onto a familiar carpet along the bedside did I realise my current location. What was I doing in Emilia’s Bedroom? More importantly, how did I get there?Ignoring the pain in my ribs, I rushed out of the bedroom. The hallway was calm except for the noise coming from the living room. When I’d entered into it, the news was running on the Television. In front of it sat my dear best friend with a bowl of cereal in her hand.“What are you doing?”“Having breakfast.” She said and mouthed a spoonful of it. “Want some?”Clutching my head, I walked to the couch and took a seat beside her. With my head in
Alan’s POV"Of course, we did." I smiled back and looked out the window. A feeling of overwhelming triumph took over me. Douglas was the first big project that I was assigned to. When I started working, like any agent, I was mostly assisting in cases of theft, murder, harassment and domestic violence.I had always craved for more, as any officer would, and having my dad as an idol didn't help at all. All through college, I had been in the loop with him as to what he was up to, the kind of work he was doing, the risks that he took and the saves that he made. I always wanted that. I wanted to be like him, if not better. But I wasn't sure if I would be trusted like his superiors trusted him.Not that I questioned my ability, but just that he was better than me in a lot of things that I could only dream of. Perhaps he had his experience to steal some credit in that regard.When I was assigned Douglas' project, I had very little knowledge about those kind of cases. But since I had already