Shock Part 2

We went to a nearby block at a restaurant but I could not eat as I was so worried my tummy hurt. Ann and Mike took a glass of milkshakes each. After a few minutes, I returned to the office as it was already two o'clock.

Minute by minute, I kept checking the clock. Time was not just moving and this made me more anxious. We had agreed to meet with Mike and Ann after work then head to the hospital. Five o'clock on the dot, I was on the stairs running out of the building. Mike was in a white Prius along the road. I hoped in and went to the upper side of town to pick Ann. The drive was ten minutes away but it seemed like an hour. We were silent on our way to the hospital. No one knew what to say or what we would expect.

At the hospital, it was chaos. The nurses, sick people all over and our anxiousness made things complicated. Mike went and asked a nurse on the room number that Fred was in. We were told to wait a few minuted while she checked the registry.

"You can come in this way." The nurse said.

We followed her through the corridors to the room number 11A. She opened the door for us and Mike entered first. I waited for Ann to enter too so that I could be the last one. My heart was pounding so hard it scared me. I looked across the room as I entered and focused on the bed. I saw Fred's legs covered in a sheet. His upper part of the body was a little bit covered by Mike and Ann bodies. I stepped a little close.

"Oh my God!" I shouted.

"Kate, you need to be strong for him." Mike held me on the shoulders.

"I can't believe this." I said in between sobs.

Fred's face was horrifying. He was not the same man I knew. His face was so bruised he looked like he was part of a horror movie. Patches of blood was still plastered across his face. He was so swollen that you could easily mistake him for someone else. His left arm was in bandages and held up by some metal things.

"Are you family?" A voice behind me asked.

I turned around and saw the doctor. He was an older fellow with thick spectacles.

"Yes she is." Mike answered. "She is the fiance'.

"I'm so sorry madam. He has suffered a lot of internal injuries and a broken arm." The doctor started. "We tried to stabilize him and he is doing okay."

"What about his face?" I asked.

"Those are just bruises which will go away soon." He replied. "The police brought him yesterday evening. He was involved in an accident when two cars collided with each other along the highway."

Shock..

‎"What?" I asked.

"Yes Kate. He was involved in an accident on the way to watch the rugby game." Mike answered slowly as if to make sure I heard it properly.

I couldn't believe it. I left him just fine when we went home! I was about to ask Mike more questions but I saw Ann from the corner of my left eye. She was walking in our direction with a worried expression. I was surprised as she worked from the other side of town and had not called to let me know she was coming over. 

"Hi Kate, how are you?" Ann asked.

"Not good." I replied.

"Yea, thought so too. You know about what happened to Fred?" She asked.

"You mean you knew? Was I the only out missing the info?

"No. Mike was the one who told me a couple of hours ago."

"Couple of hours ago? Is that going to make me feel better Ann?" I shouted.

"I'm sorry. I just didn't know how to break to you."

"Where is he now?" I asked Mike.

"He is at the General Hospital. You can go visit him in the evening."

"Why not now?" I asked.

"Because you will not be allowed to. And you have to ask permission to leave work." Mike replied scratching his head.

He was right. I had forgotten I was working now. Oh my God! Why did this happen to him? My boss could not just let me leave at this time.

 

"Kate, are you alright?" Ann asked. I hadn't realized I had started sobbing infront of them. I just could not hold it anymore. I loved Fred so much and was afraid I was going to loose him.

News

Around Ten o'clock, I decided to retire to bed and get some sleep. I was so damn sleepy even though I had taken a nap a few minutes ago. I woke up in the middle of the night with a sense of urge to call Fred. I didn't understand why at first but the events that followed gave me a definite answer. I gave him a call just to check up on him again. It rang but no one was picking. I tried again but still, no one picked it. I thought he was already asleep so I gave up and returned to bed.

I woke up the following morning and prepared myself for work. It was a really beautiful morning with the sun appearing as if it was peeping at the horizon. I arrived at the office on time and quickly went to the office to start my work on the way. The hours seemed to move as quickly as I wished. Just before noon, I texted Fred if we could catch up for lunch in around forty minutes. I didn't get a reply.

What was wrong with him?  Why was he not picking up or replying my calls and texts? I decided to call him again. Still there was no answer.

Around fifteen minutes to one o'clock, I received a call from Mike.

"Hey Kate?"

"How you doing?" I replied.

"Not really good. Are you at work?"

"Yes."

"Would you mind meeting me infront of your building in five minutes? I have something to tell you."

"Ahh, okay. Hope it is nothing serious?" I said.

"Ill be near the entrance." He said and hang up.

I took my bag and headed downstairs. We could even have lunch with him as he tells me on the matter, so I thought. I saw him on the entrance and approached him. I gave him a hug but the look on his eyes made me worried.

"So what is this you want to say?" I asked.

"Sorry Kate for coming without saying before but its about Fred."

"What about Fred?"

"He got into an accident yesterday night."

Of Hunger Pangs

The funny thing with plans is most of them don't see the light of the day. We never went out to buy food at the kiosk. I thought i should change my outfit into something more relaxing before we head out. As i finished changing, I rested on the bed and fell asleep. Apparently Ann had taken one too at the couch.

I woke up and looked at my mobile to check the time. It was eight thirty four! Oh my! I slept for almost three hours and so damn hungry. After checking up on Ann, I woke her up and asked if she would mind a pizza for dinner. I was too tired to cook today. She accepted and called a local food eatery that was located nearby. They didn't have the regular sized pizza so we had to order the family size.

"Hey, you have to add me more money. They only have the family size pizza." I said to Ann.

"Okay, no problem." She said while waking up from the couch and to the bedroom where she came back with a few more cash. "I'm bored. wanna watch a movie?"

"Nah, I think ill go and iron clothes for tomorrow." I said while I returned to the bedroom.

"Can i add you some of mine?" Ann shouted.

"No."

As i was ironing my shirt, some thoughts came to me. Ann is really behaving weird these days. It is as if she had given up on life in general. Whatever the issue is with Mike, it was to be resolved as quickly as possible. On Fred, he had promised me earlier to call after the game was up. The game should have been over ages ago and I haven't got his call. I should call him.

It was on voicemail.

I decided not to leave a message for him but rather cal him later. I heard the doorbell ring and quickly went for it. It was the pizza. Mmmhh...nothing smells as good a hot barbecued pizza. I paid the guy and he left.

Now, I can indulge.

All in a day

"I told you it wasn't going to be that hard." Ann said.

We had met up with her after work as Fred had decided to pass through his pals place so that they could catch a rugby match later in the day. Ann was so excited for me to tell her more information regarding work. For her, she had found a perfect partner to be discussing work related stuff with.

"It was so tiring." I answered.

"You will get over it." she said.

"Okay. So how are you and Mike doing?"

"Why do you ask?"

"You guys seem so distance. When was the last time you guys spoke to each other?" I asked.

"Not long ago." she answered quickly while jumping over a pothole on the side of the road.

"Ann, don't lie to me."

"Okay!" she said lowering her voice. "We are just not close as we used to be."

"So what are you guys doing about it?"

"Guess we are afraid of facing the issues."

I was not sure of what to say. So we walked in silence all the way to the house. Shit! No lights. It is going to be a long day! I walked to the kitchen and directly to the refrigerator. I need food.

"Hey, come with a glass of milk for me." Ann shouted from the other room.

"There is no milk."

"Juice?"

"Nope. There is food if you want?"

"Urrggh."

"Yea. It is even tricky as the food is cold and no lights to heat it up with the microwave." I said while walking back to the sitting room. "I'm hungry!"

"Me too. Lets go and get food at the hotel downstairs." Ann said.

Tired

"So just friends?" I asked again just to be sure.

"Yes."

"I think they will definitely come to find out about it soon."

"They will get ideas but we will not confirm it. I'm just a friend of yours. You know, the company is against the employees dating so it wil really bring a lot of issues. Just trust me on this. You have just started working and I wouldn't want to cut it short." he said. I looked up his eyes and could tell he was really serious with this.

"Okay. We better get back to the office. Time is almost up!" I said trying to cut short the conversation.

"Okay. Are you sure you okay with the plan?" he asked again.

I nodded.

"Alright then. Just give me a few seconds." Fred said. He rose up and went to the sink where he cleaned his hands and motioned me to go with him out of the door.

Back to the office, I continued looking at the files and updating some of the information to the computer. Man, this was actually tiring than I had anticipated. The HR came and added me more data to be checked up and this kind of doubled up the work. I was really counting up the hours to the end of the day. I felt worn out already and it was only the first day.

I checked the watch again. One hour to go.

Gosh, this is really going more slowly than I thought. I decided to text Ann asking if we can meet in town then go home together. She replied a second later saying she was okay with it. Good, at least ill have someone to bug.

Just Friends

I received a text from Fred. He was asking me out for lunch.

I quickly looked at my watch. I couldn't believe it was already twelve thirty o'clock. I replied the text and told him we can meet at the reception in about five minutes. Meanwhile, I returned the files to the cabinet in the HR office and locked them up. I could not leave them lying on my desk as they were so sensitive. I picked up my bag and headed to the reception.

Fred was at the reception reading up the days newspaper. I tapped him on his shoulder and he turned around.

"You ready?" he asked.

"Yep."

We took the elevator to the basement of the building. The passed through the car park and came to a restaurant. I would have never guessed this. The restaurant was brilliant. The decor from outside was so splendid. There was three tables set up outside the venue with round center pieces placed on it. We choose to have the outside table. Fred placed an order and we sat waiting for it.

"So, how has the first hours been for you?"
 
"It was okay. I was getting to know to all the things in the office."


"Oh, hope it is not much." he asked taking a bit at his lunch that had just arrived.

I was just about to answer when a guy came and interrupted me. He was grinning ear to ear.

"Hey dude." He shouted.

Fred stood up and gave him a side hug. Wierd!

"You lost man. How are you doing." Fred asked.

"I'm good. Sorry, this is Kate. Kate this is Max. He works on the third floor. He is a really good friend of mine."

"Hi Max." I said extending my hand to him.

"Pleasure to meet you." Max replied while taking my arm. "Fred, have to go and sort myself up. I'm hungry!"

"Okay. Holla at me soon." Fred replied.

After Max went inside to grab something to eat, I turned to Fred and asked him about an issue that has been bugging me since morning. It was of us dating at the workplace.

"Don't you think it might bring issues?"

"Have you told anyone about it?" he asked.

"No."

"Then don't let it out. We are just friends here."