Burned By The Pages

Chapter Seven: Unforeseen

Danielle looked at her watch as the taxi driver kept honking at a bunch of teenagers skating by the road. They were causing this huge traffic every weekend. It was 9:45 A.M. already. Danielle called Doctor Michelle Randy two hours ago after buying a new phone. They agreed to meet by 10 A.M. at the doctor’s clinic which was still 30 minutes away.

‘Can’t you go a lil’ faster? I’m in a real hurry.’

She asked the driver while taking out her phone as it buzzed.

‘Can’t do anything about these kids, Ma’am.’

Yelled the driver with his phlegmy voice. He was old and looked more exhausted with the brown moustache on his chubby face, probably one of the many factors that contributed to the slow moving of the Taxi.

Danielle shook her head in disappointment then answered the call.

‘Doctor Randy, I don’t think I can make it in time. I’m stuck in the traffic, can you…’

She asked Doctor Randy for more time but the latter already suggested they would meet at 11 A.M. instead.

‘Oh, okay. I’ll be there soon.’

Before she could hung up, Doctor Randy spoke in the phone again.

‘Yep, I’ll call her.’

Danielle said then ended the call and looked out the window and realised the traffic was still crawling.

I should’ve come earlier. This is sick.

She thought then dialled her mom’s number but no answer.

She was probably in a meeting, which Danielle really expected. It was foreseeable. Her mom was not the kind of mother who could answer her only daughter’s phone call. It was an unfortunate fact for having a mother who owns a corporate company.

If Danielle was not 20 years old, she wouldn’t have had the freedom to roam around without a bodyguard especially after the traumatic incident she went through.

*******

Before Danielle could knock on the door, a tall middle-aged woman opened the door. She wore a vibrant smile on her face that was giving off that certain optimistic fatalism people could usually see from carefree, easy-go-lucky ones.

‘Danielle!’

Doctor Randy said in a soft tone. Although she did not seem like it, she actually had a mellow voice.
Danielle smiled back and came in to the room.

‘You look really exhausted, honey. I think you should take a break before we start the session?’

‘What’s worse than getting stuck in traffic?’
Danielle giggled.

Dr. Randy handed her a glass of water.

‘Here you go.’

‘Thanks.’

She then approached her messy desk and started sorting out some papers while still trying to focus on Danielle.

‘Have you called your mom? She asked me if you came in last week and you bet what I told her ‘cause I’m pretty sure she didn’t call you, huh?’

‘I called but no answer. And I know you told her I came last week.’

Danielle said with a grin. Every time with Doctor Randy was like a happy mother-daughter time. After hanging out in her clinic for a year already, Danielle thought Doctor Randy could be that reliable friend she could have had after Tracy’s death.

‘No, I told her the truth. Half-truth.’

Doctor Randy winked. She sat down on her chair after finally taking the papers off the table.

‘That’s lying.’

Danielle raised as she put down the glass of water.

‘It’s prudent, honey. I told her you couldn’t come because of some matters you had to do last week in the university so I think she understood what a struggle young people like you have nowadays.’

‘Oh, come on!’

‘But, tell me the truth Danielle. Did anything happen? Like, a trauma attack or something? Everything alright?’

Dr. Randy spoke as if she was in a hurry. Concerned expression in her eyes was obvious.

Danielle recognised that same expression whenever Dr. Randy knew something already. But Danielle was sure there was no way for Doctor Randy to know that she collapsed the other day.

It was odd but Danielle still managed to stay calm.

‘Whoa, are you a psychic now, Doctor?’

She joked but Dr. Randy’s concerned expression had not changed.

‘But, yep. You’re right. I fell unconscious yesterday during my English class.’

She confessed.

Dr. Randy took down some notes as soon as the atmosphere went serious. Danielle could never predict Dr. Randy’s strategies to keep the casual conversation going even when she started doing her consultation.

‘There might have been something that triggered a shock in your brain. Can you recall any sort of evidence that could’ve caused your dizziness or made you head felt heavy before you blackout?’

Danielle looked down and remembered Jake’s devilish smile and the poem he made.

‘Yes, there is, are…’

she started and looked at Dr. Randy.

‘…It was a poem. I don’t know, when I read that poem, it brought back memories flashing before me. I couldn’t really recall but it was some images that happened on the night of my birthday party last year, the night of the incident. ’

Danielle’s voice was starting to shake. Doctor Randy’s eyes were more like trying to convince her to speak up more but it was difficult.

Recalling such event was hard, especially when there was Jake in it. No matter how vague her memories of him were, Jake was like a threat, a deadly one.

Danielle could not keep her gaze on steady anymore. She ran her eyes on the desk until she noticed a familiar silver pendant on one of the open boxes on the table. It was unexpected. She ran her hands on her neck just to remember that the necklace Tracy gave her had been lost since the day she first saw Tristan.

Doctor Randy noticed Danielle’s alarming expression and realised she was looking at the pendant. She reached for the box that held the necklace and handed it to Danielle.

‘Why is this here?’

‘Danielle, there is someone you need to know.’

‘What? I don’t understand.’

Danielle felt a throbbing in her temples. It was hitting her hard.

‘Tristan came and gave this necklace back to me. He couldn’t talk to you.’

Danielle’s mind was in a swirl again. Tristan’s name was ringing in her ears repeatedly.

‘Tristan? Why would Tristan give this to you?’

Everything was colliding and she almost could not grasp the reality but somehow managed to when Doctor Randy continued.

‘Danielle, he’s my son.’

*******

There you go, Chapter 7! I’ve been extremely busy these days. Being caught up with this biology stuff in a university is a real thing, adding up with a major writer’s block. LOL.

I hope you enjoyed reading!

Tysm for patiently waiting and for still reading.

Don’t forget to vote and drop some comments! ;)