Amelia had everything- family, friends, a promising future- the sky was the limit. But just like that everything was taken from her. One moment she's planning her high school graduation party the next she's laying on a therapist's couch. It was as i...
Thank god the stairs let out right next to the bathroom on the fourth floor, because while taking the stairs seemed like a good idea at the time- it made me rethink my choice about half way up. I quickly ducked into the ladies room where I touched up parts of my makeup and pushed back any loose hairs from my face.
The floor seemed quiet. Too quiet. For a Friday afternoon that is. Where the hell was everyone?
I stepped into the reception area and placed my bag down on my desk. Not one person to be seen. Last I checked, Elijah's morning schedule was packed.
My head turned towards his office for any indication as to what was going on. Nothing.
Should I have told him that I was back? Should I knock on his door? Shit. What if he sees the patch on my head? What will he do then-
"Amelia." I heard my name being called from across the room. My body snapped around to find Elijah hanging in the frame of the doorway to his office. His arm was flexed above his head to support himself, revealing his toned muscles underneath the thin white material. His chiseled features were darkened by his unshaven jaw. He was breathtaking.
"Dr. Broderick," I swallowed, clearing my throat. "I apologize for my lateness."
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His face was dismissive. "I'll let it slide for today," he said, stepping closer. "It's good to see you didn't get swept up from the insanity down in the lobby," he commented.
"Yes, I managed to slip away and take the stairs."
He pointed to my heels in disbelief. "You walked all the way up here in those shoes?" I crossed my arms over my chest and nodded.
"I can guarantee you that I would still be waiting for the elevator if I hadn't." And my feet were screaming because of it. I knew that if I tried to take them off, it would've taken more than one person to do so.
His voice grew hushed. "I see."
Silence filled the room. But it wasn't an awkward silence. It was a moment where the two of us were using to examine the other. From my point of view, Elijah appeared exhausted. Whether it be from the amount of hours he puts into his work, or perhaps the lack of sleep he gets on a daily basis. His clothes, although framing his body perfectly, were disheveled and wrinkled. It almost looked as though he had just been running up ten flights of stairs as well.
I didn't want him to examine me so closely as he had done so before. Not when I'm trying to hide a head injury. I was afraid that if he were to spend another minute studying me he would eventually come to a conclusion that I was hiding something.
A distraction! Give him a distraction.
Clearing my throat before speaking, I calmly asked him, "What happened to your morning appointments?" I asked with sincere curiosity.
"I moved them to a later time," he answered. Well so much for finding someone to replace me.
He must have noticed the bewildered expression I was wearing because he began explaining his reasoning.
