The Silver Lining

THREE

ODDLY silent, was all Lisa could discern when she gained consciousness.

In an instinct, she attempted a movement of her eyelids and tried to lift her head, only to regret it pronto. She felt the stinging pain in head as if her whole body was playing Metallica.

She sure cringed at that thought.

She managed to open her eyes for a brief moment to take in her surroundings and her eyes lingered on the metal railings on her sides. Her body was covered in white sheets and the room was dark; though streetlight crept around the blinds covering the window. She observed the tubes dangling to her right and running down to her hand.

She inhaled sharply as she slowly comprehended why she was covered in those plain white sheets. She groaned loudly as the bolts of pain hit her skull.

"Oh good, Brother, look who's awake!" said a familiar voice with all the dramatics and clapping like a five-year old child.

"Oli, if you can't be polite, then I would recommend leaving hospital premises, NOW." Mr. Spade ordered his brother before turning towards Lisa. "Ms. Hall, how are you feeling?"

"Horrible, mostly." Lisa groaned in raspy voice while attempting movement of her eyelids. "Why are we all here?"

"You were attacked, yesterday. You were out for the WHOLE day!" Oliver musically replied, amusement flashing in his voice.

Lisa sighed heavily at that comment. "Well, I am glad my injuries amuse you." She retorted while closing her eyes for a brief moment.

"Lisa, oh, you are up!" Ashton exclaimed from the doors and rushed towards her bed to hold her face in his palms. "How are you?"

Lisa nodded and waved the ring gesture, although she flinched due to the pain. "Grandma... I am hoping that you have got it covered? "

When Ashton nodded a yes, she glanced at Mr. Spade. "What exactly happened? How did I end up... here?"

"Well, cameras failed to capture exactly how. All I know is... he..." Mr. Spade pointed out at Oliver and continued. "...left a minute after you did. He was walking towards the parking and suddenly heard a screech. By the time he reached up to the front door of our building and out across the street, you were laying there on the ground, with a little pool of blood around your head. He reported the matter to 999 and also called for ambulance."

Lisa heard every word Mr. Spade spoke. She tried hard to recollect what had happened but got nothing in response from her brains. She closed her eyes again with a sharp inhale. She wanted to just sleep for hours and hours until every bit of this present vanishes. She tried to shut her system to avoid every vision and every voice... including the reassuring words of Ashton.

The words, that she knew wouldn't calm her mind until she learns what and why this incident had happened.

"Speaking of calls," Lisa suddenly remembered her last 999 call and glanced at Ashton in anticipation, "The 999 call... yeaterday... Good Lord... Do you think those guys might have done this?"

"They are my prime suspects, already!" With a head bob, Ashton pulled out cell from his jeans and walked out of the room to make calls.

"Well..." Mr. Spade contemplated for a brief moment before continuing. "Get comfortable here, Ms. Hall. You are going to be here for at least three days."

Mr. Spade walked closer to the door while glancing back at Lisa. "We should get going. Get well soon Ms. Hall." That was an indirect order, which was duly obliged by Oliver.

Lisa smiled at the level of obedience Oliver had when it came to his elder brother. She shook her head in negation when she remembered that her first ever actual trial was tomorrow, with her first ever client waiting to breath freedom.

"Wait... What about Mr. Zacco?" Lisa enquired, concern glinted in her eyes. "Tomorrow's the trial."

A small smile crept on his face when Mr. Spade glanced at his brother. "Dedicated, aren't we?!" He briefly smiled before continuing. "Well, I still need your help, Ms. Hall. So, while I handle the trial, Oli here will give you a company. When I will update him on the case, like I always do, you also would get to know how it is going."

There was a silence in the room... The silence that was so bold and loud... The silence Mr. Spade could clearly hear but intended to ignore.

He couldn't decipher the reason behind the grudge they both held against each other and it intrigued him to lengths. His brother had told him about his little accident with Lisa on the day when the interviews had to be rescheduled. But he couldn't comprehend the depths of this hatred.

"Ugh.. I will be sleeping throughout the days, Mr. Spade. It's totally unnecessary." Lisa finally found her voice to resist the torture Mr. Spade wanted her to babysit. However, her voice and protest was silenced by Mr. Spade when he flashed his right palm.

With a loud sigh from Oliver Spade, The Spade duo left the hospital room, leaving Lisa in skull-crackling pain and hint of horror she knew she would be facing tomorrow when Oliver Spade would bless her with his presence. She closed her eyes and inhaled sharply, as if preparing herself to tolerate the pain.

She pushed her brains to re-play what had happened that night.

She remembered Mr. Spade drawing her attention to the time. She also remembered how hurridly she had left his office.

She remembered walking out of the building and trying to call the restaurant to book a table for two.

But then...NOTHING...

Everything was a big blank after that!

She pushed her brains again and again to re-play that whole evening but every time she did that, she came up with the same blankness.

She tried until the buzzing machine indicating her high pressure invited doctor to the room who put Lisa to sweet sleep with help on an injection.

The sweat covered her forehead and back. The effect of what had been injected, took a bit of time to kick in and Lisa's brain just needed that kick to vividly recollect the last bit of last night.

Her brains played the whole evening again.... and it halted at a voice, until the words materialised.

"Boss.. The job is done!"

Those exact words.... They echoed in her brains continuously and made Lisa re-live the whole incident.

She shivered as the bolts of pain travelled through her veins. Her body ached but a smile crept around her lips, because she had made her brains deliver what she wanted.

The numbing components of the fluid injected by the doctor finally kicked in and Lisa welcomed the darkness; saving all of her thoughts, rejuvenated memories and excruciating efforts aside for tomorrow's torture.