-Shelley-

The pain from this headache is unbearable. Sarah will be my guest for an unknown amount of time. Day after day, she has kept me up at night. Ever since she found out that Clara was engaged to her ex-boyfriend. Her life has been depressing.

All she does is make me watch soap operas with her every night, resulting in me going to bed late. It's as if I hadn't had enough romantic sh*t. This newfound hobby of hers is affecting my day at the hospital since I don't get enough sleep, making me tired all the time. I don't know how much more I can take. She needs to leave, and I mean now.

Bringing her over to my apartment two nights before is beginning to make me regret it. Hopefully, this medication I picked up at the pharmacy will alleviate my headache.

"Shelley, is that you?" A voice calls out to me. As I spun around, I noticed Margaret and Dr. Blackson approaching me.

"Margaret, Why are you in this place? Oh, are the lads all right?"

"Yes, they are okay. What makes you think they are not?"

"The fact that I see you here makes me worry that everything is not okay, since I don't see you very often at the hospital."

"Aw, my darling. The boys are doing well. Visiting Matthew's wife is my sole purpose here. A quick trip to the emergency room was reported for her."

"Oh my God, what happened?"

"An automobile accident appears to have been her involvement. Despite taking a heavy blow to the head, she is doing OK." Said Blackson. "A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan of her brain will be performed to rule out the possibility of a brain haemorrhage. In order to show our support for Matthew, we visited her. Fear grips the helpless man."

"My goodness, I am so sorry to hear that. I wish there was something I could do."

"Well, remember her in your prayers, and if you could pass by and see her, that would help. I know you do not know her, but it will mean a lot to Matthew if you do," Margaret suggested.

"Sure, I will do that."

"Well, I will have to leave. The boys will be closing from school at any minute. I will have to pick them up," says Margaret.

"Wait up, guys. Seriously, you were leaving without saying goodbye."

At the same moment, everyone looks up to see Ben storming over to us, his face betraying his anger.

"Nobody told us you were here, Ben,"  Blackson responded.

"Where on earth did you expect me to be right now? Do you have any idea how Matthew ended up here? The news that his wife had been in an accident left the man in a terrible state of mind. He was escorted here by me."

"Then, where were you when we came to visit them?" asked Blackson.

"I went to get Matthew something to eat. The poor guy hasn't eaten anything since this morning. I need to get him something before he ends up joining his wife on admission."

"We are so sorry. Matthew did not inform us that you were around."

Ben took in a deep breath and then said, "Oh yeah, he must still be in shock. Anyway, I need to go home and freshen up because I have been here since dawn. I need to make a quick drop-off and come back here to keep him company. He really needs the support."

"Ben, you don't have to rush back. I will set off Margaret, and then I will go back to the ER and keep him company. You need to go home and rest."

Ben looks terrible. He seems completely exhausted. Take a look at the bags beneath his eyes. He clearly hasn't rested enough. To my dismay, he has paid me no mind at all. Talking to Blackson's is all he has been doing since he got here. Like I don't even exist.

"So sorry, Shelley. We completely forgot you were here with us." Dr Blackson finally recognised my presence.

"Ben, haven't you seen Shelley? You didn't even say Hi," Margaret complains.

"Oh yeah, I am sure she is okay," says Ben dismissively.

Both Blackson and Margaret look at us in shock, particularly Ben. They couldn't believe he said that.

"Is everything okay?" This time, it was Dr. Blackson's turn to ask the question.

"Everything is fine. I am sure Miss Dickson here has other important things to worry herself about than my mere greetings."

Standing there, I clenched my lower lip and stared at the floor. After he helped me drop off Sarah at my house while she was inebriated, Ben is obviously still mad at me for how I treated him. As for me, I can't say that I blame him. In his eyes, I was an obnoxious crank. So long as he treats me the same way, we can be fair.

"Benjamin Adam McLean, stop being an asshole to Shelly."

"It's okay, Margaret. I am sure he has a reason for acting this way."

"Well, I got to get going," he says.

"Are you sure you should be driving in this state?" Now it was my turn to ask the question.

"Why not? I drove myself here, and I can sure drive myself back." He barks.

"Yes, you did drive yourself here, but I am sure you were not in this state then. It will be wise if you get someone to drive you home."

"Why? Are you offering to drive me, Miss Dickson?" While he speaks to me, his eyes show rage.

With a smirk playing on my lips, I turned to Mr. and Mrs. Blackson. "Can you please excuse us for a second? I need to talk to him alone, if you don't mind."

"Of course, we will give you two some space. Later then. Oh, Ben, play nice, will you?" Margaret says as she makes her way with her husband.

With the two of us alone, he turns his attention to me and remarks, "Look, Miss Dickson, as much as I love to stand here and chat with you, I do not have the time or the energy to chat with you now."

"For fuck sake, Ben, don't you think that is enough? I understand I deserve this for being a jerk to you the last time, but don't you think this is a bit much?"

"I am so sorry for the way I treated you after you went out of your way to help my friend and me three days ago. Please forgive me."

"Listen, I understand that your history with men has not been one to write home about, but you should understand that I am not one of them. It pains me to know that you do not wish to get to know me before assuming the worst of me."

He is right, I have been treating him unfairly.

"I am sorry. Upon observing your snoozing around my living room, an impulse compelled me to respond in kind. I know it is not an excuse to behave the way I did. Please let me make it up to you."

"How do you suggest you do that?"

"I don't know. Whatever you want, how about I take you out instead for a treat?"

Can you believe her offering to take me out? "Are you listening to yourself right now Miss Dickson? You want to take me out? You can't stand being close to me. Yet alone, send me out for a get-together. Aside from that, this is not the right time to dine. Matthew needs his friends around him right now."

"Of course, not now. How about whenever you are ready? You don't have to give me an answer now; just think about it."

"I believe I have taken enough of your time. You should get going, but I strongly suggest you take a cab home."

As Ben walks off, I watch him awkwardly tuck his hands inside his pockets. "This guy is going to be the death of me."

***

-Adam POV-

The three of us—I, Blackson, and Matthew—stand in the waiting room corridor of the ER with a grim expression. While Matthew paces around. Blackson sent a comment my way.

"Hey, Ben, I doubt your expression has anything to do with Miriam's accident. Am I right?" Says Blackson. I could tell he was curious to know what I and Miss Dickson had discussed.

Disregarding Blackson's inquiry, I look across at Matthew. "Matthew, you need to unwind. No worries; your wife will be just fine. She is a strong woman." I offered some encouraging words while I lifted my gaze to Blackson, giving him a frightening look as I warned him, not to mention Shelley.

Seriously, what is she playing at by inviting me out to a meal? I thought. She treats me as if I don't matter, then goes around and invites me to lunch. I really don't understand this woman at all.

"So, guys, what have I missed since I went home?"

"We have the M.I.R. result. We were informed that there does not appear to be any bleeding, Says Blackson. Trust me when I say that she was fortunate. I was anticipating the worst given the magnitude of the effect."

"My wife is doing fine, so that's positive news," he says. Moving back and forth. "Now she just needs to heal from her injuries. Your being here for me means the world to me, guys. Thank you so much." Matthew smiles at us as we hold onto his shoulders.

It was somewhere around 6 p.m. when I got home. All that time spent at the hospital has really drained me. Once I reach my room, I promptly collapse on the couch. Matthew and his wife will be taken care of by the medical staff at the hospital while I return home to rest. Visiting a hospital for an entire day must be physically demanding; I had no clue. 

You can't help but feel emotionally and psychologically affected by witnessing the stampede of patients on stretchers, the cries of grieving families, and the screams of those in agony. How is Blackson able to handle that? On top of everything else, I couldn't shake Shelley's plea. Does it look like she's ready for some alone time with me?

-Shelley POV-

Woken up to the sound of my phone ringing, I toss up in bed. "What?" I say as I reach my hand out in an attempt to find the phone on the side table by the bed; instead, I knock off the glass water on the floor. "Fuck! Who could this be?" Finally, I managed to pick up the phone.

Me: ...Yes? Who is this?

Caller: It's me, Sarah.

Me: "Sarah, for fuck sake, what is it you want?"

Sarah: A bit angry there. I am just calling to find out if you want to hang out today since it is the weekend.

Me: No! I don't want to hang out. Sarah, I want to sleep. You've been depriving me of it lately. I don't want to do anything this weekend. I just want to spend time by myself.

"You should try that yourself. Find a hobby or something. One that doesn't involve drinking, alright? Oh, and I mean that, Sarah. I don't want to be called that they found an inebriated woman by a street, and it ends up being you, please. Goodbye, Sarah."

As I hang up the phone, I move out of bed and head for the bathroom. In the bathroom, I look at my reflection in the mirror. "Men, I look like shit." Slowly shedding off my clothes, I step into the shower. The water cascades on my body as I turn on the tap.

"'There you are.' Aren't you looking ravishing?" I turned abruptly to find Ben standing at the entrance to the bath, naked. He steps in, slowly making his way towards me. "What do you think you are doing?" I ask as I move backwards. I found myself locked in, my back pressed against the wall.

"What do you think?" He responded. With him being close to me, he drank me in and gave me a once-over; his eyes lingered on my breast a little too long before he met my gaze.

Pulling me to his chest, he lifts my right leg and presses me against the wall, with him in between my legs and our groans pressing against each other.

Placed between his chest and the wall, I could barely breathe, and it wasn't due to his body weight crushing me. It has nothing to do with the way his manhood presses against my groan or how his body blocks my view, shielding me from the outline of the bath glass. It was his eyes. The desire in them. He captures my lips with his. The hunger and need with which he drinks from my mouth. "Christ! What the hell am I thinking?" With my forehead pressing against the wall, I can't believe I let my mind travel that far to the point of imagining an erotic scene with Ben.

What is wrong with me? This is not me. I sat on the floor of the bath as I bobbled myself up, letting the water run on me as if washing away my filth.

-Adam POV-

"I am curious about her current activities. On this beautiful Saturday morning, a day out would be perfect. Should I give her a call right this second to see if we can work out the details of the dinner treat she owes me?"

After all, I do not plan on going to the hospital today since Matthew assured me of the speedy recovery of Miriam when I called him this morning to check up on them. It looks like she is out of danger.

Picking up my phone, I place a call to Shelley. I wait as the phone rings. With the sound of the receiver up, I say, "Hello."

Shelley: No way; he is calling now. I was hoping not to speak to him now after the image I just had. With a sigh, she says, "Hello Ben, How are you?"

Me: Now that is interesting. This time she answers with a friendly tone. I can adjust to this. "I am fine. How about you?"

Shelley: Good!

Me: I hope I am not taking you away from anything.

Shelley: Not at all. Please go on. There must be a reason why you called.

Me: I was hoping this was the right time to accept your offer to have lunch with you.

Shelley: You mean now?

Me: Somewhere in the afternoon, let's say noon. That will be enough time for you to pick up a place for us to go. What do you think?

Shelley: Hmm, that's fine. Noon, it is. I will text you the place.

Me: Would you want me to pick you up?

Shelley: Nope, meet me at the location instead. See you later. Bye.

With that, She hangs up the phone. Just then, a notification comes in. It reads the venue for the meet-up. 'Joanne's Cafe.'

I texted back. "Nice, meet you there."