"Beth?" Nora focussed her vision on the figure who was sitting in her room.

"Good afternoon mother!" She smiled as she looked up from the screen. "Had a lovely nap?"

"Yeah."

Beth typed to more letters before hitting enter and then shut down her laptop. "You were sleeping when I came in." She planted a kiss on her mother's forehead.

"Yeah, felt very tired. I was having a little headache."

"What? Did you tell Lucy?"

"I will when she will come for her evening rounds."

"Mother, you should tell-"

"Beth, I will when she comes for her evening rounds." Nora reassured her. Beth knew her mother was stubborn, so she decided not to argue anymore.

"So, how is Alec?"

"Good."

"You both started talking?"

"A little. Enough to fool the counsellor. That is what is required."

"Beth....."

"Mother, you know we both won't speak more than this."

"Why?"

"Mother, we aren't talking about this."

"But I just don't understand why you two are being like this! I mean you two are young, go live a little."

"Mother honestly! We would have enjoyed each other's company if circumstances had been different."

"But you two are living together and this is not healthy. How long will you both hide from each other like this. How long will you keep hiding Beth?"

Beth's mind raced back to the old memories that had caused her mother to say something like this. "Mother-"

"What? How long will you be avoiding this Beth? How long?"

"Mother please...."

"How long will you keep that love inside you locked and pretend its not there. Because I know it is there and it is begging for attention. Let Alec see it, don't keep it locked inside. I understand after everything you have gone through you won't be willing to move on, but baby girl you have to because it has been far too long."

Beth could feel the tears in her eyes. They would fall if her mother continued to talk.

"I have told you this before mother, and I am telling you this now too, I won't move on, because I don't want to! That is all. We are not having this conversation and I am leaving." She began collecting her things.

 "How long are you going to run, Beth? How long are you going to run? It has been two years now!"

"As long as I want to" She kissed her mother's cheek to bid goodbye and closed the door, blocking Nora's voice inside.

She stood outside the door, regaining her composure and took deep breaths to blink away the tears. You can't block the love out, she could hear her mother's voice in her mind. "I can and I will." She said out loud and she walked back to her office.

•

She opened the door and the Alec was greeted with a surprise look from Beth. She stood at the door for five minutes before recovering from the shock. He was sitting there in his office clothes. He had directly come from the office to meet her.

"Yeah, he is here." Her friend said. It is only then she notices Lucy n the room.

"What are you two doing here?" She was standing on the doorway of her office in blue scrubs.

"Well, I saw him here, so I decided to give me him some company. Poor thing was getting bored. Plus I wanted to see why you dislike him."

"No, I don't." She slapped her arm.

"Well, he is kind of cute."

"Lucy!"

"Okay okay... I am leaving. Enjoy your wife's company Mr. Mason. It was a pleasure meeting you." She shook hands with Alec before Beth pushed her out.

From how Lucy introduced herself, Alec gathered that the two were old friends. Lucy was also Nora's surgeon. She had seen him sitting alone in the office while she too was looking for her friend.

"Sorry about that." She rolled her eyes. "Anyways, what are you doing here?" She asked.

"Nothing, came to pick you up."

"What?" she looked surprised again.

"A friend of mine wanted to meet you, I thought I will pick you up directly from here, if it is okay with you?"

"A friend?"

"Yeah, she is an old family friend. She heard about the wedding and wanted to meet you?"

"Me? Okay.... When?"

"In another half an hour or so. She called us over for drinks."

"Today?" She looked at her husband appallingly. Alec simply shrugged.

"I know this is all of a sudden, but she told me as I was leaving my office. I tried to cancel but she insisted. I am sorry."

"Okay. Fine. I have finished all my work today, so let me just change and collect my things then."

Five minutes later, dressed in a pale pink shirt and black pants, Beth was walking out of the hospital with Alec. It was a short drive till the bar, but enough for him to notice Beth's style. He had always seen her in plain pastel coloured shirts and trousers. Unlike Melissa , her style was very simple. She dressed like this every single day as far as he remembered.  Melissa's closet was more on the brighter side. She wore all the colours of the rainbow. And if they had to go out, she would dress her best.

Alec opened the door for Beth and they both entered the bar.

•

Alec searched for his friend for few minutes before he waved at a lady who looked as old as Beth was. Dressed in a grey backless dress, she waved back at them. She sat on the table across the bar. 

"Hello Alec!" She gave a peck on his cheek. "And you must be Beth. I am Jaqueline. It's a pleasure to meet you. " She smiled at her. Beth politely offered her hand and she shook it. "So, what would you like to have?"

"A glass of whiskey. You?" Alec looked at Beth.

"A cosmo."

"Waiter!" She called to place the order. "so, Beth, Alec tells me you are a doctor?"

"Yes. In St. Teresa."

"Wow, what do you specialise in?"

"Cardiothorasic surgery."

"Wonderful. I am interior designer. I worked with Melissa. Here you go, your drinks." She offered it to them. "A toast, to the newly weds?"

The three of them raised their glasses. "May you both have lovely years ahead." She said and they clinked their glasses.

"So, here is the thing Beth. I am going to  be very blunt with you." She looked directly at Beth. "Honestly, the moment you walked into the bar, I knew you were completely opposite of my dear old friend. Melissa was very different from you, it is pretty evident. Even though I love the fact Alec found someone to spend his life with, I need to ask you a few questions, just for my satisfaction. I really care about this man and I am not sure if you are right for him."

"Jaq!" Alec warned.

"Shush Alec. So Beth, did you marry Alec for money?"

Beth nearly chocked on her drink. "Excuse me?" She coughed.

"Jaq!" Alec tried to stop her.

"Did you marry him for his money?"

"Why would you think that?"

"It is not about what made me think that, just answer."

"Of course not! I would never do that!" Beth was disgusted at the question.

"Then, how come you both got married so suddenly?"

"That Ms. Jaqueline is our personal matter. We wanted to get married, so we did. That is all."

"Really Ms. Beth? Who do you think you both are fooling? It is clear that you both can't stand each other and I know him well, if he was in love, I would have known. So, what is going on here?"

"Nothing! I told you we wanted to get married so we did."

"Okay fine. I accept your answer. Now, next question, tell me you do realise that he will never put you before Melissa? He will always love her most and you will always be second-"

"Jaq enough! Is this why you have called us here? To humiliate my wife?"

"Not to humiliate, to know the truth! I know there is something fishy going over here and I need to know what? A month back, there was this man who still couldn't move on from his wife's death even though it had been two years since the incident. Now the same man is telling me he is married to another girl and says he is in love with her and even he knows it is a lie! So, what is going on here?"

"Nothing. We got married, get over it!" Alec shouted. The bar fell silent for a minute. Beth kept a hand on Alec's shoulder. "Alec, don't create a scene. Calm down. Ms. Jaqueline, we both are married whether you like it or not. We got married because we love each other and that is the end of it. Now, if there isn't anything more," She finished her drink and got up, "I would like to leave."

Jaqueline just looked the other way. Understanding the answer, Beth said to Alec, "I will be waiting outside by the car."

"I am coming too. Goodbye Jaq." He too got up and they both prepared to leave.

"I am sorry, I didn't know she would react in this way. We never had a proper conversation about the whole thing, I guess that is why she took it this way. I will sort it out."

"Alec, whatever it is, it is between you two. Right now, I just want to get out of this place."

"Yeah sure." He gestured her to walk ahead of him towards the car when her phone rang.

"Yeah Lucy," She said.

"Beth, you need to come quickly. Your mother..."

"What happened to her? She said she had a headache. I had told her to inform you about it."

"She had seizure. Clot in the brain. You need to come."

"Alec, get in the car quickly, need to go hospital!" She said as she hurried towards the car.

"Is everything okay?" He asked.

"Lucy, are you taking her in the surgery?" She asked Lucy, getting distracted with the consequences of her mother's illness.

"Beth, she collapsed before I could even operate. I am sorry Beth."

Hand frozen on the handle of the door, Beth's legs gave away.

"Beth? Beth are you okay? What happened?" Alec rushed to her side.

Clutching the phone in her hand, she looked at her husband with teary eyes who was kneeling beside her. He knew exactly what had happened.

****
Late updates Alice, very bad.... Tsk tsk tsk.
Sorry I know I promised you guys two, that too last week but it is becoming such a busy month. I am sorry guys. I am trying my best to give you guys updates on time but studies are also there. I hope you all understand.

In this particular chapter we do see that Beth's life isn't as simple as it looks. Hmmm... Wonder what it must be? Keep reading to know.

Also what do you all think about Alec's forensic, Jaqueline? Write it down in the comments below.

And for that cliffhanger at the end, be patient guys. Be patient.

This chapter is dedicated to heroesofhowarts. Thank you for supporting me previous works. I hope you will enjoy this too.

Thank you for reading this chapter. I hope you all enjoyed it. Put down your reviews for it in the comments or on the profile. Vote and share everyone.

Until next time you lovely people,
Cheerio.

Love,
Alice.

****