RED HOPES

Chapter 7 Reverie

In a matter of minutes my face went from flushed to simmering in anger,  playing and replaying his words in my head. The tone, those few inches which hung on the fragility of my emotions and all of the unspeakable happening in my body.  Alanis was long gone but his icy words stayed growing a frosty pattern down my body.

Bold of him to just threaten me like that. Who does he think of himself? A stupid lawyer with zero sense of consent. He deserved no apologies or thanks, some daring jerk he was! All that concern from the last night dissipated in thin air hindered by the beeping of machines, my head took another painful turn, sleep was necessary. And so I decided to throw the bastard away from my head, even though his words still rung like sirens throughout the night I decided to give in to sleep.

I was kept for two more days in the hospital for observation, Kenna barged into my room the other day with concern brimming her eyes. She did half shifts to stay by my side even after a lot of insistence. No matter how nicely she hid herself, there was always eyes catching glimpses of her. I was thankful for her efforts but few parts of me were forced to push her out of my room for shoving such gruesome hospital food in my mouth For these two days I enjoyed some ‘me time’ before getting discharged.

But thank goodness I never got to see that dumb head lawyer though I spotted his partner around my ward sometimes. He would also bring some snacks and showed kindness whenever he was around. My heart said it was out of kindness but my brain reasoned there were other reasons why he was here What was it for? Did Alanis sent him? Was he keeping an observant eye upon me? The idea of Alanis wishing to kill me was better suited rather than him actually caring about me, hence whatever stuff bubbled in my head bursted. I left the battle to take place on the other day as my head was my first priority.

After a good rest for two whole days I was as good as new, my head did hurt a little but it was nothing compared to the first day. I no longer passed out, though my reports stated a close injury near my cerebellum, which I needed to be careful about in the future. It was finally the time to say goodbye to those white sheets and awful smell of the hospital.

We soon packed our stuff and left the hospital bidding goodbye to the nurses, who were very sweet. And on our way we found Ashton again, white shirt and pants with a black coat which signified his well built physique. His hair were nicely made and a thick frame set on his jade eyes. The sight to behold indeed, Kenna was almost speechless when she found him standing to take our luggage. “Already to go?” He asked passing a polite smile in my direction while his eyes lingered on Kenna for a little more then they should, I now understood the meaning behind his visits. Kenna.

“Yeah we’re done.” I smiled while my friend kept her eyes locked on the man. Embarrassed rose from my spine at my friend’s love struck behaviour. I mean yes he was handsome but this was a freaking hospital and you can’t drool over a man at such places, especially with soo many patients ogling at us.

“Ken?” I elbowed the girl saving us from more awkwardness, who was on the verge of stanning the guy.

“Let me help you.” He moved forward taking the mini bag Kenna was holding and started walking. A polite smile hung upon his lips all the time. There were people like him polite, charming and totally a gentleman, not my very type though, and then there were people like Alanis! Cunning, arrogant and full of themselves  ‘don’t spoil your mood ’ my inner sanity suggested as I  took a long breath before we exiting the hospital premises.  We did a small talk with Ashton under my building, before diffusing into our own worlds.

“stop with your drools, he could see it” I finally shook Kenna for her shameless stares at Ashton. The moment he walked in the room the girl kept hitting on him and to my surprise he wasn’t pissed at all, infact his eyes glazed with attraction if I was being correct.

“Come on babe, it’s a healthy flirt” there she was denying anything heart related, yet the admiration was evident on her face.

I took a good rest before resuming my work, with reports and a new script piling up my table, thank goodness it was a weekend or else I had take sick leaves which I hated totally. Though doctors said I was fine but too much stress and workload was to be held paused for atleast two weeks. Meaning I couldn’t shoot with the ugly mark covering my forehead soo the interview was pushed forward. Less office hours, early home, pints of ice creams and Netflix!! All of it fell in my palms. My cervical health didn’t improve either as I made double sure of it. “There’s something wrong in your brain than in your vagina” those were my gynaecologist’s Latin coated words which weren’t of much help. How was that related to my oral health? But we went through those sessions too. And all my therapist assigned me was trying to try new objects. So I vigorously bought items from the elicit sites Ken suggested me. I sighed in disbelief.

“Be thankful for that day and today that you’re in this condition, you won’t be lucky next time” Alanis’ sharp threat rung in my ears, making my beat erratic. He was so close, I could smell kiwis and map the finest details of his face, those blue eyes..they contained an entire sky and ocean in them, sharp and clear.  A striking black mole stood just above the cupid’s bow of his kissable lush lips, I wondered what they would taste like?. “Wait??!! Nooooooooo…..” I was surprised at my own imagination? What was I doing? Admiring that bastard who insulted me at the press conference and tried to threaten me back in the hospital? How could fantasize Alanis fucking Carter!!?? Disbelief encircled my mind leaving doubts in it’s wake. I walked straight to my study, picking out a crime record, collecting data about the reports. It was one best way to unwind my head which was tied around Alanis for the past few days.

From the next day itself I joined office, and boy, it was not the same as before, many eyes followed my direction, few eyes were sympathetic while few just welcoming. New to ‘after the vacation’ treatment I got, with limo feet I dragged my self towards my cabin where two heads already awaited me. “welcome back Rev!!” Kenna in her usual cheery self while Mrs. Vesper with her newly found admiration towards me celebrated my return with flowers.

“I returned from home not a war.” In reality all I did was rest and work in the upcoming case. “ohhh and I did study these reports and evidences, final wiring’s still left.” I handed her the reports I’ve been working upon in my sick leave.

“Ahh about that…”

Twenty minutes passed, with Kenna standing right across my study, tapping her acrylics on the table, while I sat dumb founded. The amount of time she spent at my house was to be mentioned in some books. Even after twenty minutes I couldn’t wrap my head around the bombshell Mrs. Vesper has dropped. “Babe was your concussion that bad to slow you down?” Kenna observed me closely, lighting her flash light against my pupils to get any response.

Flinched by her light attack I responded with shock. “I’m fine, I just can’t wrap my head around what she offered me? A show! Fucking whole show centring me as their host?” yes Mrs. Vesper actually asked more correctly assigned a show to me, that was to interview featuring big shots in the crime industry. A totally different dimension for me.

“Oh come on, this isn’t any different from what you do except you get to travel along the city, even raid those filthy rich bungalows” Kenna giggled. “It would be fun.”

Ofcourse it would minus the fact that interviewing someone was poles apart from grilling their heads off! I was soo much been used to being myself that even the thought of deferential hellos made me gag. “I don’t know… besides I just love doing what I do, this is my comfort zone.”

“Seriously? This?? I think you need a  reconsideration about your path of career.” She flicked at the scab upon my forehead. “plus you will be the same Reverie in her pristine self, just a bit hot in those suits” she added convincing me in the process.

This was my work and she was the chief.

I was not a soft talk but the past incident did make me think twice about my choices, it was good in my teens when the blood’s all fresh and hot but the older you get the more security you chase. Hence persuaded by my bestie’s words I did accept the unknown challenge of being a host!

“But mind you, I’m not sure if the lethality of my tongue make them lose control of their temper as well as the steering wheel.” And we both laughed!!

Even with my decision clear, I took a day before saying yes. Going through all the paperwork and my contract three to four times which gave me a slight headache. Trust me when it came to ideas, my company was the best they literally grabbed any opportunity and made it into a hit show or something closest to this. I patiently waited for her to add more information on the topic

“Good morning Mrs. Vesper.” I nodded politely, her eyes trying to scoop the answer out of me yet she stayed calm studying my intentions carefully. If she could, she would squeeze the answers out of me but I wasn’t that weak to give into anything they would throw at me. Especially when it required for me to deal with certain crooks. I hurled the thoughts that were directioned toward Alanis’

“So, have you decided?” She questioned, her glazed nails tapped rhythmically upon the table.

My heart raced at the final thoughts, this was life changing, the people I would be meeting, many A listers crossed my mind and excitement kicked in before I spoke. “I think I’m ready to take this offer.”  I could bottle her smiles since they were rare and she somehow made her look less uptight, plus a part of me told that she already knew my answer. “But I would like to add some of my clauses in the contract.”

“I knew you’d do it, Have a seat Miss Ames.”  As I guessed Ana already prepared everything as she pulled the papers out from her drawer.  The woman wouldn’t waste her time if she didn’t see my interest looming.