Keep you safe from me

Chapter 3: Concealment

KEEP YOU SAFE FROM ME

CHAPTER 3

CONCEALMENT

The first two weeks were a struggle for Emily. After the incident with their inopportune meeting, Oliver became ubiquitously trying to ease the air between them. One thing that Emily had already decided that she couldn't do. No matter how many preparation she did to calm her for that day, she still felt unsafe.

It was a good thing she knew that her self-defence trainings had fruition. That calmed her nerves a bit. Lucas expressed his awe at having to witness the incident and badgered her endlessly for its possibility and necessity. All she had managed to say was to find a hobby. Thank goodness he seemed subdued by that answer.

After that, she felt determined to avoid both or just 'the' one. Probably out of her embarrassment or saving him the possibility of embarrassment too. But more to control her troubling nerves. She had taken all the nights shifts in the hospital for the foreseeable future. Sometimes even going on straight shifts.

That happened smoothly for the past two weeks. Unfortunately, her almost flawless plan was just almost. It was bound to catch up with her.

Emily woke up at around 11:30 in the morning after another late night shift that got her coming home at 6 in the morning and waking up at mid-day. It was still a weekday so she could roam around the house freely. Emily came down the stairs still stretching and clad in only her nightgown.

"You might want to put on a more conservative dress for our guest."

Emily looked up to find Lucas eyeing her sharply and Oliver feigning covering his face with his hands, suppressing a grin. Both were at the dining table, eating lunch.

"Eeh!" She only managed to let out before she ran back upstairs to change into something more appropriate. She decided on a loose shirt and shorts and contemplated whether going down.

No choice since they had already seen her.

When she had dragged herself back at the dining room, the two friends were quietly eating.

"Why are you here?" Emily asked, with puzzlement and disappointment both in her tone.

"We live here." Lucas answered tersely.

"I remember... honey," Emily answered. "I also live here," stressing the last words more.

"Oh you do, don't you? Coz it seems for the past days that you don't."

"Just..." She paused for a bit contemplating which words sounded more apt, "schedule at work."

"No matter," Lucas innocently (and nonchalantly) cut in, "you're here now so let's make the most out of it."

"Why? What do you plan on doing?"

"Not me. You two."

"What?!" Almost instantaneously, Oliver and Emily exclaimed and looked at Lucas. Emily attempting to pull out the chair at the far end of the table but stopped mid-pull.

Ignoring the apparent bewilderment in both his best friend's and girlfriend's faces, Lucas continued, "Grocery."

"What about it?"­ Emily asked.

"The ref says you're going shopping for goods." Oliver chimed in, saying it as-a-matter-of-fact-ly.

"Yes," Lucas supported. "You might want to call for help with the bags judging by that paktura (list) pasted on the ref door. And since I'll be out this afternoon for the client meeting, I'm volunteering Oli instead."