The Traps of the Black Swan

4

In Ruby Jane's bedroom.

In a simple black slip top and shorts, Ruby Jane was working on her laptop sitting on a single black armchair resting her foot on the footstool.

Lisa knocked on the door and entered inside the modern and simplistic complete black room. Just a little amount of white and grey details were used to balance the artistic look of the room.

As much as Lisa knew from ten years back, she loved colors and now she sacrificed all the colors.

Before Ruby Jane, her oriental black cat stared at the intruder sitting on the arm of the chair. Its eyes always caught Lisa's attention but he couldn't understand why it always gives a resentful look to everyone excluding Ruby Jane.

Ruby Jane saw the first aid box and her medicine box in his hand. He was more like her caretaker than a doctor. Even though both avoid talking, Lisa never missed attending her.

Seeing him point to the bed, she obliged and sat down beside him while her cat, Laze followed quickly and circled her marking its territory. Then it curled on her lap glaring at Lisa as if a third wheel entered on their date night.

She was about to take her daily dose of medication for the heart but heard "Fur." Lisa didn't have any OCD, he was just a clean freak. He was double conscious due to her health.

Like many other days, he fed her the tablets, handed her a glass of water to drink.

He had just held her right hand to disinfect the wound, Ruby Jane's left backhand reached his forehead feeling his hand warmer than usual. Lisa was surprised and she blurted out "You are burning."

The roles swapped in a second.

Ruby Jane left Laze on the floor sending it towards its bed which again glared at Lisa walking regally to its bed with a look of, 'Housebreaker! Hmph'

Ruby Jane fetched a thermometer from the first aid box and placed it in his mouth. She quickly washed and sanitized her hands to avoid making him uncomfortable.

Lisa rarely gets to see her real emotions so he was late to react looking at her running around in the room. "Your hands are cold, I am fine."

Ruby Jane pulled the thermometer out to see the reading. Her brows furrowed and showed it to him, "Are you a quack?"

Lisa: "..."

Okay, he agrees he has a fever but quack? He didn't want her to worry but he liked it.

Popping a fever table from the wrap, she handed it to him with a glass of water. Lisa was obedient as a puppet who followed without a word.

He was ready to do anything for her but he just needs her by his side. He was watching her without realizing she had called his assistant.

"Speaking. What did Doctor..."

Lisa sleekly pulled her mobile from her hand and spoke completely changing the topic. "Reschedule my morning meeting." His voice was crisp and stern void of emotions unlike how he speaks to Ruby Jane. Then he hung up the call.

Seeing Ruby Jane waiting for him to speak, he briefed, "Long flight and I had emergency surgery at noon."

One second passed...

Two seconds passed...

Three seconds passed...

Ten seconds passed...

Both stared at each other in the eye until Lisa spilled out, "Skipped last three meals and didn't sleep last night."

Ruby Jane had expected it. he works all night just to return back soon from the business trip. Her low yet unyielding tone sounded in the room, "Go to bed."