Bad Boys Rule

by Naughty Aphrodite

  “You’re not eating it all?”

  “I’ll finish it after midnight. I just had dinner with Miss Joan.”

  “Oh,” she sighed and helped him to continue packing up the plates. “I’ll leave this in the staff room fridge,” she said and placed the food aside. “I want to talk to you.”

  “Go ahead,” he said and listened attentively.

  “The Director...” she began, “he has been here for three days already and you are yet to pay him a visit.”

  “I’ve been exceptionally busy.”

  She paused at his lackluster defense and continued as though he hadn’t said a word. “He has undergone multiple tests and observations thus far, to which you have the results. Go see him to address them before he loses his temper. He might have been your father’s best friend but he is also a high authority figure. Our hospital is under the management of his.”

  Caleb nodded in agreement.

  “Put aside whatever reservations you may still harbor. You’ve already agreed to his surgery.”

  He nodded again.

  “Another thing,” she began, “Miss Joan.”

  Although he tried, he couldn’t help the tightening of his insides, and the tension that stiffened his spine at her mention.

  “Are you aware that I have in the past come across her picture in that drawer over there?”

  Caleb nodded.

  “Are they the same person?”

  “They are,” he replied, “but she is refusing to acknowledge it. She is claiming partial memory loss.”

  “Perhaps she is telling the truth?”

  “Perhaps she is. I will find out either way. I know her, so she is bound to give something away sooner or later.”

  “How certain are you that she is the one?”

  Caleb chuckled. “There is no doubt in my mind that she is.”

  “Alright,” the nurse said and rose to her feet. I hope you handle it properly.”

  “I hope so too.”

  She gave him an encouraging squeeze of his hand and took her leave.

  Against his reluctance, he knew that he could not prolong the visit anymore so he stood up from his seat and left his office. A few minutes later, he arrived at the room of the Doldam Hospital Director and slid the door open.

  His daughter Kate was sitting by his bed, her phone in her hands, while his eyes were shut. She lifted her gaze at his entrance and although it slightly widened at his presence, a scowl of offense followed.

  Caleb ignored her. “Mr. Hades” he called and the man’s eyes flew open.”

  “Caleb,” he called. “You have been rude. I’ve been here for a few days already and this is the first time I am laying eyes on you.”

  “My apologies. I have been busy.”

  He picked up the chart and began to read it but Director’s daughter recited out his progress sourly.

  He blocked out her voice and concentrated, and when he was done, he pulled out a chair to sit. “I want to go through the risk of this procedure once again. You are-”

  “I am an alcoholic,” the Director recited, “therefore although my surgery for ischemic colitis is not a complicated one, I stand the risk of delirium tremens. I have also been diagnosed with pneumatosis intestinalis which you will have to cut out. All these you have already mentioned. You still have the bad habit of treating everyone around you as though they were slow-witted.”

  Caleb didn’t have a response. Instead, he reminded him of his promises. “Only two of the equipment you ordered for us have arrived. There remain four more, and until they arrive it will be difficult for me to continue with preparations for the surgery in good faith. Also, you promised us an increase in fund allocation and more doctors. I would like to see some fulfillment of these as your surgery date draws nearer.”

  “Are you arranging a business deal or treating my father?” Kate scoffed in disgust. “Caleb, you have become too bold. He literally watched you grow up.”

  Caleb ignored her and turned to the Director, his eyes as cold as his memories of them both.

  “It will be done,” the Director said. “Be rest assured.”

  “Alright then,” Caleb said and rose to his feet. “We have a few more tests to take after which you can return. I’ll contact you soon on your allocated surgery date.”

  He turned around and went on his way.

  He thought to head on to his office, but then he found himself heading down the dim corridor towards Aisha’s room. When he arrived, he looked through the glass door and alarm bells went off within him when he found that she was no longer there. He opened the door and upon confirming her absence, turned around and went down the hallway. He quickened his steps, his heart racing in fear. When he reached the end of the corridor and had still not sighted her, he pulled out his phone to make a call and turned towards the right.

  “Manager Hogarth, quickly alert security,” he said.

  “Why, what’s wrong?” the manager asked but as he was about to explain, he sighted her peeping into the Oncology Room.

  “Never mind,” he said into the receiver and ended the call. He allowed himself a deep breath of relief and watched her as she moved away from the door and continued walking suspiciously down the corridor, rolling her IV stand along. She opened yet another door and fully entered the room. He walked over and leaned against the wall to await her. A few minutes later, she appeared at the door, her face full of disappointment, and gasped in shock when she saw him.

  “Oh My God!” she said and for a moment, it was as though he was transported back in time. The memories of the countless times she had exclaimed just like that out of fear or shock came back to him in waves of nostalgia that left him feeling as though he would melt into a puddle. Such hold she had over him and he truly wondered if she had ever realized it. He could not imagine that she had, and had still found the guts to run away from him.

  He finally got his brain to work. “What are you doing?” he asked, and she breathed deeply to calm herself. Thereafter, a breathtaking grin spread across her face and for a moment, he panicked that she had truly forgotten him. She was acting as though he were a complete stranger.

  “Sightseeing,” she replied and he cocked an eyebrow at her.

  She changed her tone. ”I needed the exercise,” she said and began to lightly kick out her legs. “It’s quite tiresome to remain in bed all day.”

  “That was what you used to love to do the most,” he said and her response was a blink at the disturbing comment.

  “What? Are you talking about me?”

  He sighed and straightened himself, then with a look to confirm that there were no incoming visitors, he stood in front of her and took a step closer. Just as he had expected, she responded with one backward.

  He stared down at her, making sure to look deeply into her eyes.

  “You’re not searching for an escape route are you?”

  Her blinding grin hacked bitter-sweetly at his heart. “Of course not, doctor,” she replied. “I am offended that you would suspect so. I might be poor but I am not irresponsible.”

  He took another step closer to her, his hands in his pockets, and she took one more back. He lowered his voice as he spoke his next words. “Do you truly not remember me?” he asked.

  She stared blankly at him and then shook her head. He retrieved a hand from his pocket and placed it upon the door above her head. Then he took another step closer and she crashed into the door from trying to avoid him.

  “D-Dr. Pace,” she breathed. “What are you doing?”

  He moved his gaze deliberately from her eyes, down her nose, and to rest on her mouth.

  “Reminiscing,” he whispered. He felt his hands trembling at her mere presence, and was more than grateful that she could not see them. He knew that he appeared calm but a tornado was tearing his insides apart.

  “D-Dr. Pace, I do not condone this,” she stuttered.

  He returned his gaze bac
k to her. “Condone what?” he asked, suddenly angry at her. He couldn’t tell if she was pretending or if she truly did not recall him and it tore his heart. She was giving nothing away.

  “This,” she said.

  “Push me away then,” he dared her and she gazed into his eyes. He could feel the air around him brimming with searing heat, and even though her eyes spoke of her reluctance, he could tell that her body refused to respond to the logic of her brain. Her free hand raised halfway to push him away, however it hung in mid-air as they both stared into the eyes of the other.

  He watched as her eyes moved down to his lips and she swallowed with longing. His heart did a little triumphant dance. She wanted him too.

  She licked her suddenly parched lips and his head inched closer to hers. She did not move. He felt her raised hand finally settle against his chest and then her fingers slowly curl his scrubs into her fist.

  She pulled him towards her, just a small, almost absent-minded tug, but it was all the permission that he needed. He brushed his lips against hers and the shot of pleasure down his groin made it hard for him to breathe.

  His eyes closed after hers but just as he parted her lips to taste what he had missed for the last four years, a sharp call rang through the deserted hallway like a bell.

  “Caleb!”

  She jumped in shock, her hands falling from his chest, while he clenched his shut eyes in anger.

  “I-I need to leave,” she stuttered, and he watched as her eyes turned to meet those of Kate. He watched and saw no iota of recognition in her eyes as she looked at Kate.

  When she saw that he was yet to move, she pushed him back a few steps and hurried off, hiding her face with her hair and rolling her stand along.

  After taking a few moments to compose himself, Caleb turned around to face Kate.

  She looked as though she had just seen a ghost as she stared after the exiting woman and then back at him.

  “Was that Aisha?” she shrieked in horror.

  Caleb gave her a sour look and placed his hands in his pockets.

  “Answer me!” she yelled and grabbed his arm just before he could walk past her.

  He glared furiously into her eyes, his eyes blazing with suppressed hatred for her. “Does it matter?” he asked. “You won’t be able to kill her this time either way,” he said. “I promise you.”

  He jerked his hand from her grip and continued on his way.

  Chapter 6

  Joan returned to her room in a state of panic.

  She tried to calm her racing heart after all that had just happened, and eventually sat on her bed. She was deep in thought when the door opened to reveal the woman that had walked into them in the hallway.

  Joan stared at her and watched as she walked slowly into the room. She was gorgeous. With a short golden bob, a white chiffon blouse and expensive looking charcoal slacks.

  She walked in and kept staring at her, and Joan looked down at herself in confusion.

  “C-Can I help you?” she asked.

  “Don’t you know me?” the woman asked, her hands on her chest. She looked horrified.

  Joan shook her head. “No, I don’t. Do you know me? Have we met before? I apologize if we have, I’m kind of out of sorts.”

  The woman didn’t respond but soon enough, she turned around with the incredulous look of amazement and horror on her face and hurried away from the room.

  Joan could not stay here any longer, so she began to pack up her things. She changed from the hospital’s gown and into her own clothes- a simple jeans and t-shirt. She pulled the needle from her arm, grabbed her ziplock bag of belongings and hurried to the door. On a second thought, she stopped and grabbed a piece of paper to quickly write down a note. She placed it on the table and was on her way.

  The hospital was older than she had thought. She was aware of it and had even come by countless times to make bakery deliveries, but she had never gone past the eerie reception.

  Hospitals were bright and modern but this one was dark and suspicious. With old linoleum flooring and dark walls, it was clean but was not a place she had ever expected or hope to be treated in.

  She lowered her baseball cap down on her head as she found her way down the grand stairs which made the hospital look like it had been converted from a decently old manor. To her relief, the reception was void of staff.

  She would have never been able to get past the hawk-eyed manager otherwise. She hurried out of the building, gave one last look to its equally dark exterior and clinging vines, and hurried as quickly as she could out to the main road. There she hailed a taxi and hurried over to the bakery.

  She felt so unwell and weak, the pain in her abdomen seeming to intensify, so she popped some of the pills she had grabbed in the hospital into her mouth, and endured the forty-five-minute drive to town.

  When she arrived, the bell above the door announced her arrival and she walked in to see that her manager was still at the counter. There were a few customers basking in the late evening ambiance, so at the approaching tray of desserts and coffee, she hurried over to the manager’s daughter and took the tray from her.

  She let it go instantly, surprised at first to see her and then frowned. Whether it was out of concern or otherwise, Joan could not tell. “How are you doing?” she asked and Joan gave her a bright smile. “Wonderful.”

  She served the customers and returned back with an empty tray to the counter. She went behind it and gave her manager a huge smile as he stood brewing coffee.

  He shot her a look. “You’re back.”

  Her smile never faltered. “Yes, I am. Let me help you with that,” she said and went over to him, but before she could put her hands on the machine, he raised his and stopped her. “Let it be. Come with me.”

  Her heart dropped into her stomach.

  She accompanied him out of the bakery, and they stood in a corner of a bustling town street.

  “I truly hope that you are recovering well,” he said to her.

  “Yes, John, I am. Thanks for all your support, it really pulled me through such a tough time. And I am so sorry about the van. I promise to pay you back as soon as possible, I will work even harder and-”

  “Joan,” he called interrupting her. “I’m afraid that I am going to have to let you go.”

  Her smile dissolved in a moment, but then hoping she had heard wrong, she brought it back up. “John…”

  “The damage to the van set me back a couple thousand bucks and you know how business is so slow around here. I can’t afford to hire another staff until things settle down for a while. I truly hope you can understand.”

  Her eyes filled up with tears but she restrained them from falling and nodded. “I do. No hard feelings. W-will I be able to return once things are more settled?”

  “Perhaps,” he said and gave her tight smile. The door opened then and his daughter came out to join them. She dropped her suitcase in front of the bakery and the tears rolled down Joan’s face. She stared at it as though she were dreaming, and refused to raise her head. Without anyone even speaking, she began to nod her head.

  “You also cannot remain in the room downstairs,” John said. “Jenny is graduating soon and she has decided to move in here for a little while to lend me a hand.”

  “Sure,” Joan croaked. “Thank you for everything.”

  “You’re welcome,” he said and both father and daughter walked back into their store.

  Joan lifted her head then for the first time and angrily swiped at her tears. She forced a smile to her lips and picked up her dark duffle bag. “You’ll be fine, Joan,” she said. “You’ll be fine.”

  She looked around, at the rest of the world in motion except her, and the tears came back in full force. What was she going to do? She had no money or a place over her head.

  Heartbroken, she turned around and began to walk. She didn’t know where to head but there was a bus stop a few miles from the town center, so sh
e began to head that way. She walked as quickly as she could but it was a painful battle.

  Her abdomen began to hurt more than she could endure, but still, she walked on the only way she had learned how to over the years.

  One painful, excruciating step, at a time.

  Chapter 7

  Just as Caleb had expected his door flew open a little while later.

  He shut his eyes to control his temper and took a deep breath.