Just A Smile

Chapter 3 : A Walk in the Park

The next days, Max tried to not care about Jane and to let Boris do its job. It was hard for her, because she was still feeling that bond between them, but maybe it was just in a one way. She had too much work anyway. The center decided to organize a trip with all the patients in one month to congratulate their future progress. They had to find a place which would accept many disabled people, something not too expensive but not a dirty place either, and with lots of things to visit accessible to everyone. Of course, the patients didn't have to come if they didn't want to, but it was recommended.

But today was her day off, and she clearly needed to think about something else. She asked one of her best friends to hang with her. She arrived in front of the coffee shop where she asked him to wait and saw him.

- "Hey Will," Max smiled, taking the boy in her arms.

- "Hey Max," he answered, breaking the hug. "How are you?"

- "Exhausted! And you?"

- "Same. Wanna walk?"

- "Sure."

The two friends wandered in the streets together before finishing in the park. They decided to take a break and sat on a bench to enjoy the sun.

- "How is James?" Max asked.

- "Great, he had a promotion!"

- "Really? That's awesome! What does he do now?"

- "I'm not sure I understood. But he works more and has a bigger salary, that's all I can tell you!"

- "Well, I'm happy for you!"

- "Thanks," he smiled. "And you? How is it at work? Your new patients are nice?"

- "Oh yeah, they are. One of them even flirts with me."

- "Really? Does it work?"

- "Not really, even if he is good looking. And he is my patient, it's not correct anyway. But..."

- "But what?"

- "You...You remember when I got hit by a car?"

- "Oh yeah, I was so scared that day!"

- "Yeah, well, I finished in hospital, and there was someone else in my room-"

- "Jane, yeah, I remember."

- "You remember her name?" Max frowned.

- "You had a crush on her, you told me, remember?"

- "Um, yeah...I just thought you would forget!"

- "Why? I always remember what my friends tell me," Will said.

Max felt her heart getting warmer at this. She was so used to not being listened to that when someone was remembering something she said was always surprising her.

- "You're too cute for this world, I hope you know that," Max stated.

- "I know," Will chuckled. "Why are you talking about Jane?"

- "She is in my center."

- "Oh really!? That's cool!"

- "Um, yeah, no, not really."

- "Oh, what's wrong?"

- "I don't know...Lots of things happened for both of us, just because we had a good relationship five years ago doesn't mean it's still there, right?"

- "Yeah, I guess. How is she?"

- "I'm not really allowed to talk about my patients, even if she is not my patient, she is still a patient. But she is not okay."