Drowning Deep Into Love

A P P O I N T M E N T

"Sometimes, I find myself chained by unknown fragments of my past that haunt me in bed at nights... " 

⁕ 𝖩𝖺𝗇𝖾 𝖶𝖺𝗅𝗄𝖾𝗋 ⁕

I woke up sweating, my heart pounding so hard that I could hear it in my ears. It was just a nightmare, but it felt so real. I couldn't shake off the image of the little girl being locked up in a dark room by her father.

"I'm sorry Father. This won't happen again." Her painful cries echoed in my head.

"I have to teach you a lesson so that you should know how to behave in front of the guest next time." The man's harsh words cut through me.

"Paulo! Save me! Please help!" The girl's cries for help pierced my heart, but no one came to rescue her.

I felt sick to my stomach as I imagined the bruises that covered her body. I hugged my pillow tightly, trying to calm my racing heart. Tears rolled down my cheeks. It was just a dream, I reminded myself. They were all hazy and distorted but they still feel so fucking real.

_________________________

I was sitting in the cafeteria, sipping on my coffee when Taylor came over. As a 26-year-old new to this city, I was fortunate to have met Taylor Coleman. She has a dusky complexion and a radiant face. She was the first person I befriended when I arrived here a month ago. Although my social circle is not as extensive as hers, only a handful of people from the hospital, my landlord, and now Matt and his family.

"Hey, lost princess! What's up?" she asked with a wide smile, placing her coffee mug on the table. I forced a smile, but she could tell something was off.

"You had the nightmare again, didn't you?" she said, reading my expression.

"Yeah, it's like those blurry flashes are haunting me," I replied.

"You should consider going for therapy sessions, it might help you get through this," she suggested, taking a sip of her coffee.

"Yeah, but I'm booked solid this week. Maybe next week we could schedule something?" I told her.

Taylor asked me, "Okayy... heyy, by the way, what's your plan for this Valentine's?"

I shrugged my shoulders and replied, "I don't know. Back in medical college, I used to get roses and chocolates the whole pre-Valentine's week. But here, I haven't even gotten a single toffee," and we both chuckled.

_________________________

It was 2:45 p.m., and my shift for the day had come to an end. All that remained was to wait for Mr. Jackson and Matt. My thoughts drifted to Matt and his infectious smile. He was such a precious child. Strangely, I couldn't quite put my finger on it, but there was something about him that made me feel a unique connection, one I couldn't easily explain.

But, wait a minute, why am I feeling this way? I just met him a few days ago, so why do I sense that he is different, when, in reality, he is just like any other kid? After all, I'm not his mother, and these emotions and thoughts seem somewhat out of place.

When Denver shared Matt's tragic story of losing his mother in a car accident before he was even born, my heart just sank for him. I mean, he's only four years old, and life can be so damn unfair sometimes. It's tough to imagine losing a parent even before you get a chance to know them.

And then, it's bizarre how fate plays its part in our lives - first Samantha, who looks like my long-lost twin, and then Matt, whom I met on his birthday. The moment I heard about his birthday party, I didn't hesitate to say yes - I wanted to make his day even more special, after all.