Lea's POV
***continuation of the narrative from the past***I had no idea how long I had been out. I was a little baffled, being surrounded by so many people and lying on a hospital bed. But it gradually dawned on me the level of my stupidity.I was so embarrassed that I didn't even clarify when the nurses told me that my handsome boyfriend had brought me in.After a few minutes, I could hear a scuffle outside. It turned out to be Jake. He was having a heated argument with the doctors and the nurses about being sent away last night. Apparently, he was so exhausted that he had overslept and missed the call from the hospital when they were taking me to the operation theater when I was going into cardiac arrest. Luckily, they were able to revive me just in time, but Jake still needed some reassurance. He was so overwhelmed by everything that I put him through, from the moment I landed, that I was feeling guilty.I knew how overworked he was. How could I put him through so much more with my petty jealousy?" Hi... "I could hardly look at him when he finally got in. He was wearing that visitor's uniform and had a protective mask on as well.He didn't answer back. He came straight at me and shook me by the shoulder."What the heck, Lea! What were you thinking? Were you trying to kill yourself? What were you doing at the beach at that time? Why did you not receive my calls? Do you have any idea how much I worry about you?"and he went on and on, completely breathless, non-stop."I'm sorry... "I murmured, too shy to even counter.He paused immediately. He bent over and cupped my face between his palms."Don't you dare, Lea. I am warning you. Don't you dare make me worry like this ever again. I'm telling you. "His eyes were glistening with moisture as his breath fell on my nose.I tried lifting my arms to hold him, but I was strapped with plenty of wires and needles."Careful, Lea. Don't you go bleeding on me now."He immediately put my hands gently down and then kissed me on the forehead.Just then, somebody came into the room and cleared their throat aloud."Ahem... ahem! I am afraid the visiting time is up."They declared.The next few days went very slowly because I was kept under observation. Jake wasn't allowed to visit very often, and that made it a hundred times worse.Finally, it was time for me to leave, and the doctor came in with my discharge papers.It was the same doctor whom I had seen that day when I opened my eyes in the operation theater. He hadn't been around since then and had completely slipped my mind as well."How are you feeling today, Lea?" He began by flashing a smile that was identical to Jake's."I am alright. Thank you. " I said, trying to sit up.I guess I wasn't yet strong enough because my eyes immediately blacked out for a moment, and I had to grab the pillow for support." Careful. No sudden movements.You have a bad crack in your skull, and your pneumonia doesn't help either. Your body is very weak. Even though you are being discharged, you still need to take proper care of yourself. That is, if you don't mind running back here again. We wouldn't be particularly delighted to see you again."I knew he was joking, but the fact that he was holding me by my wrist wasn't helping.Somehow, everything about him kept reminding me of Jake, and it was very uncomfortable in a very peculiar way."Lea... "Jake's voice made me sit up again, and the doctor slowly let my hand go. Jake stared at him with unease and subtle hostility in his eyes."Time to go home." Jake announced before scooping me up in his arms and carrying me like that to his car, even though the wheelchair and the ward boy were waiting.He helped me like a baby as we made our way inside the house.He made me sit down, gave me a warm cup of tea, and then sat down beside me with another cup in his hand."Would you now like to tell me what was going on in your head, Lea?"He asked with a little smirk on his face.It was not a normal smirk; he had something unholy in his intention." Nothing. I guess I got lost when I went to take a small walk."I tried to normalize the situation, not wanting to get trolled for my silly behavior for the rest of my life."Were you jealous of Rosa?"He finally asked the question that I dreaded the most.I should have denied it or laughed it away, but instead I went inside my shell. I turned away and tucked my face inside the armrest."Don't tell me, Lea. You were jealous. I knew it. Look at me now. Come on, here. Look at my face."I was trying very hard not to blush and give myself away, but I could feel the blood rushing to my facial blood vessels." Jake No, you have it all wrong. Why would I be jealous? I have... I don't have any feelings. I mean, I have, but it's not like that. Jake, it's not…""I knew it!"Jake jumped so hard that he ended up on the floor."I always knew there was something wrong with you, Lea." He was laughing like a maniac."Why else would you be hanging around with boys? I knew it, Lea. I knew it. "I was flabbergasted."What is it all about, Jake? What are you going on all about?"He was flashing that sinister smile once again."I knew it, Lea. I knew when you were hanging around with that tomboy. I always wondered why you were never interested in all those boys.""Jake enough…"I was sitting up at this moment, really affected at what Jake was blabbering to my annoyance."That is it, Lea. I knew. I knew you were interested in girls. "Author's POV***completing Lea's last bit of narration before she takes over her story***Jake was the most clueless guy out there. He had no idea what was going on in a girl's mind, though he was ready to fight the world for her sake.He wasn't very keen on show business. It was Lea's encouragement that pushed him on. When they went riding their bicycles up on the mountain tracks, Lea would often stare at the valley spread in front and wonder aloud how wonderful it must be to be a bird."Why would you want to be a bird? They are so fragile and easy to smash. Like you! Jake would shove her and joke, You should want to be something like an elephant or a lion."Lea would watch him and smile slightly.She would toss him the apple that she was carrying, and as he munched on it, she would say,"I don't need to be a lion or an elephant, silly. You will always be there with me. Protecting me. I just want to be a bird that can roam freely. I want to travel the world without any boundaries. I
***Back to the present ***Phill was walking down the corridor, doing his usual rounds when he got mistakenly shoved by the ward boys, because they were in a hurry. There was a new arrival at the emergency ward. It was an accident case and the patient was gravely injured. " We are so sorry Dr. Rodgers..."one of them turned around, trying to apologize while they ran with the stretcher. " Go ahead. Concentrate on your job, " Phill reprimanded him but followed it with a thumbs up and a smile. He was going for a short coffee break so he took the right. He came back walking with his favorite Espresso in one hand and holding a file in the other. But as soon as his eyes fell on the patient that was being rushed in, his coffee cup went flying and so did his file. " Lea... Oh my goodness... Lea.... what happened? Why do we keep meeting like this... "He ran along with the rest of them as the others watched him closely but none of them dared to utter a single word. Phill kept stealing a
Jake's POV***lament***I couldn't tell reality and haze apart. Ever since she left, my life wasn't mine anymore.I was just living like I was being told. " Jake, the team head wants to talk. Take it in a good sense... It's nothing severe but it is important."My manager thumped me twice in the back before I was pushed inside the board room. The first and last time I was in there was when I had signed my contract. I was too nervous back then. It's been months since then. Seemed like nothing changed. My hands were as sweaty as it was on the first day. I still remember that day. The day was etched in my memory, like a bullet. The conference room was dimly lit as I took my seat at the head of the sleek, modern ebony table. Mr. Reynolds, the big shot in charge of our entertainment group,AandC, had his laser-focused gaze locked on me from across the table. The whole setup sent chills down my spine, and I couldn't help but feel the high stakes of the meeting.I was just an ignorant boy
Jake's POVI parked the car beside his little cottage. I sat on the armchair that was worthy of being an item on display in the museum. The scent of tea brewing in that kettle, mixed with the scent of soil and the dung, filled my nostril with a strange blend of repulsive temptation. If that even makes any sense. " Here you go dear boy! " As we sipped on that perfectly handmade porcelain crockery he smiled at me as my eyes wandered around the place. There was wide stretched pasture with the hint of another house anywhere near. " You stay alone here? " I asked. " Now? Yes... but was not always like this. " His sipped as he said. " You have a family? Do you own all these lands? "I know I was bombarding him with unwanted questions. He had been too kind to me already without having to deal with all that interrogation. But I was being selfish. Anything to keep my kind busy for the moment. I didn't want to think how I would face Lea. The old man smiled. " Yes, I do. Like all human.
Phill's POVI knew I had a special spot for Lea from the first day that we met. It was beyond the relationship of a doctor and patient. I was not the type to swoon over random women but Lea felt different. It felt like I knew her, perhaps from another life, another dream. Don't know exactly what this feeling was. But it was building up, slowly. Fate, you could blame it all on fate. She kept bumping into me now and then, and every time she looked miserable. I hated that. I hated seeing her in pain. And it always turned out it had something to do with that jacka*s boyfriend that she had. Though she never admitted that he was her boyfriend. They seemed more like an old married couple without the physical part of the relationship, or so I thought. Now she was again in front of me and I was staring at the images being shoved in my face. A live foetus in her womb. She was pregnant with her bones broken, and could perhaps remain in the icu for a couple of days. It definitely belonged to
Phill sat in Lea's cabin. " She is in her first trimester but we will do a detailed ultrasound later when she regains consciousness." He had personally talked with the gynecologist assigned to her. Her phone was in his hand. He had taken it from the concerned department which had the rest of whatever was found on her body. The phone was still switched off. Phill looked at his own reflection, repeatedly on the screen before finally making his mind up and turning the phone on. He had to immediately turn the volume off because her phone's speaker began blasting the room with constant, incoming notifications. " As expected! " Phill retorted. " This was a bad idea. " He murmured after looking at Jake's messages -" LEA WHERE ARE YOU? "" LEA CALL ME BACK? "" LEA I CAN EXPLAIN. "" LEA I AM SORRY, COME BACK. "Phill couldn't read till the end of it. He switched the phone off and slid it inside his pocket. Just then he noticed Lea's fingers moving. He ran up beside her, checking if all
Phill's POV" Doctor Rodgers? " The police extended his hand to shake my hand as soon as I entered. " How's everything at home, son? How is your mother? "It was none other than the superintendent of the police and behind him, stood the loser actor. " All good! " I kept it as brief as I could. My mother's acquaintances always irritated me. " I believe, you might already know the reason for my visit? " He asked. " I am sorry but I don't. " I wasn't going to give Lea away so easily this time. I mean how could I, after seeing the state she was in, because of that irresponsible rockstar. " Umm, well. You happen to be treating this young man's girlfriend I presume? " He turned towards Jake but the loser looked around at the other people who were there standing in the room. After which, to my utter surprise, he uttered, " Friend, not girlfriend. "I wanted to smack his face and paint that pretty face of his with some red. After getting her pregnant, ( I had no doubt in my mind that
" Jake , you simply cannot take a day off. This is the final sketch before the last day of shoot. You need to come for practice. "Rosa was short of yelling on the other side as Jake hung up. He had locked himself up in his apartment and refused to go to work. He was still standing in front of the mirror in the washroom. The water that he had splashed on his face for the hundredth of time, took its sweet time dripping down his neck. He looked at broad shoulders. The scratch marks from Rosa's nails, still looked fresh and prominent. His eyes looked red as they kept glaring at his own face. He tried to focus on what he was doing. But the images from that night were still vague. How much alcohol could make him loose his rationale? He thought his alcohol tolerance was good. He couldn't even remember drinking past that one glass. He immediately picked up his phone and called Rosa back. " Hello Jake! So you finally decided to come, didn't you?" Her voice was cheerful this time from