Mary Oceans Hurts

Nightmares

A month since the Anniversary party.

"Mr Macallister, There is someone here to see you. He has no appointment. Would you like to see him?"

"What is his name?"

"Benjamin Price."

"Send him in." He laughed.

Mr Macallister had stopped being so harsh on Mary after learning a bit about her past. Mary took note of this and didn't take it for granted. Although they were related outside of business they passed each other off as simple colleagues.

"Hey!" Benjamin exclaimed entering the office. An average built man with extremely short brown hair.

"Ben!" A wide smile formed on Mr Macallister's face. His arms opened wide to receive a hug.

"How is the family?" They started.

Mary had her work interrupted by a call from the hospital. Lola Blakes had a seizure. She felt terribly ill but didn't want to ask Mr Macallister for permission to go check on her during work. She did ask to leave early.

"It was a pleasure." said Benjamin to Mary and took his leave after three hours of aimless talking.

"Mr Macallister." She called softly, hesitating.

"Yes?" He didn't look up from his work, and she remained silent.

"Mary." He called to her. He found her in a state of thought. "May- may I leave an hour early?" She hesitated.

"I must know the reason for your early departure." Mary folded her arms into her cardigan; Autumn had arrived.

"Mary?" He questioned again. Mary inverted her gaze and decided to let it out without thinking. "My grandmother had a seizure."

"When? Why didn't you say it sooner?" She was surprised at his sudden concern.

"I didn't want to interrupt-"

"Nonsense! Go. Go check on her." He ordered her away and away she went.

The seizure didn't leave her with any side effects other than dizziness which she was experiencing from chemo as well. Mary couldn't help but worry and stress. She didn't have the money for the surgery and refused to ask her mother for help.

"How is Lola?" Was his first question to her when she entered the office the next day.
"Better." A simple answer didn't seem out of place for Mary, but her mood the whole week had been off; And that worried Mr Macallister. He had been visiting Lola Blakes without the conscious of Mary. He knew that she wasn't in her best health at all.

"Your Grandmother needs surgery." He said later on while they were sorting paperwork. She looked up at him, how did he know she thought. She looked back at her papers, as if she hadn't heard him.

"Mary. Look at me please." She furrowed her brows, she'd never heard that word leave his mouth, Please. She did look up at him, and found those gentle black eyes she had learned to love.

"I will give you an advanced pay, if that's what you need."

"No." She didn't let the words linger in the air for half a second. It was her pride.

"Do not be stubborn Mary." His voice lowered and his tone became stern.

"I am not being stubb-"

"You are." A moment of silence fell between them as they looked into eachothers eyes, finding little details they hadn't noticed before.

"How do you know she needs surgery?"

"Your grandma and I are close friends." Mary was flabbergasted at his statement.