Fatima didn’t go to work the next day, making Grian worried. Christopher isn’t here today and told Grian to go to the coffee shop for him. But today, both Fatima and Philippe didn’t go. He’s worried something could’ve happened to her as he waited.
“Can you manage here alone?” he asked Nikki and she nodded. He grabbed his coat before going outside on the cold windy day and getting in his car. He started the engine and drove off in the direction of Fatima’s house.
A couple of minutes later, he arrived at her place and got out of his car, and knocked on her door. A couple of minutes passed and no one was answering. He looked around and saw another house next to Fatima’s and he knocked there. The door burst open and saw a woman getting pushed outside. “Leave them alone,” the middle-aged woman told the other woman who has bags under her eyes and her eyes are a bit red.
“They’re my children, how dare you!” The woman was pushed outside and Grian didn’t know what to do. “Excuse me?” he uttered and both the women looked at him. Both gained their composure and the middle-aged woman asked why he was there.
“I’m looking for Fatima Mendez.” The other woman walked in front of him and eyed him up and down. “Why are you looking for my daughter?” He took a good look at her and squinted his eyes. (Daughter?) He finally recognized her face. It’s been so long since the last time he saw her and her face changed so much.
“Get out of here before I call the cops!” The other lady pushed Fatima’s mother away till both women were in the streets. He stared at her in curiosity before looking at the house of Fatima.
The place she and her brothers are living in is not the best place you can stay in. The walls are damaged with cracks and the roof has holes in it. A one-bedroom house for 3 people is really not a great situation to be in.
A couple of minutes later, the older woman approached him before catching her breath. “Who are you? Friend of Fatima?” He nodded to her question. She nodded before eyeing him head to toe. He felt a bit intimidated by this.
“Ah, I remember now. You dropped her off last time, correct?” she asked as she eyed him again. He gulped before nodding his head.
“Y-yes?” he answered, still with his eyes furrowed.
“I’m the owner of this place,” the lady said and smiled. He lowered his head and smiled a little. “Nice to meet you. Is she not here?” The lady shook her head.
“She’s in the hospital right now.” His eyes widened by the thought of it. There are countless possibilities why she’s in the hospital right now. He went back to his car and drove to the nearest hospital from where he was. After arriving at the hospital, he went to the front and asked for her.
“We don’t have a patient with that name,” she said and he calmed down a bit. He looked around and saw patients walking down the halls together with nurses and doctors.
“How about Philippe Mendez?” The nurse looked through the records and shook her head. He struggled to remember the name of her youngest brother, Fatima hadn't mentioned it when he met the youngest one. While he was looking at the counter, someone tapped his shoulder.
“Sir?” He turned around and saw Philippe and he sighed heavily. “Where’s your sister?” he wondered and Phil squinted his eyes before pointing up the ceiling.
“At my brother’s hospital room, why?” Grian’s mouth agape before he scratched his head.
“Is she okay?” Her brother nodded.
“I was going to buy food for her.” Grian nodded before placing his hand on his shoulder and pointing at the hospital exit. “Let’s go,” he said and Phil felt a bit awkward being treated like a friend by his boss but he went along with it.
They went to the busy streets near the hospital and the heat of the sun was challenging while the smoke coming from the cars was suffocating. Eventually, they entered a store with an air-conditioned room so their feeling was quickly refreshed. The color theme of the store made them feel relaxed and happy.
“Give us sandwiches, pasta, fries, that’ll be good, right?” He turned to Phil who was scratching his head because of his orders.
“I don’t have the money for that, sir,” Phil murmured and Grian patted his back.
“Who said you’re paying? It’s on me.”
“But sir—“ he tried to argue but Grian shushed him.
“Give us drinks as well.” He smiled at the worker who listed his orders before handing his card. Phil scratched his head as he watched him. “Also, call me by my name from now on. I don’t like formalities between friends.”
“Right, friends..” Phil murmured.
While waiting for the food, the pair sat down at a table. “Were you close with my sister years back?” Grian looked up at the ceiling because of the sudden question and he nodded. Philippe also nodded before leaning back on his chair.
“What was she like?” Grian smiled because of the question, remembering how it was back in their college days.
“She was wonderful. Very smart, kind, and probably the first person I can always come to when I’m having trouble. Beautiful before and still beautiful now.” He chuckled at the last part of his explanation. Fatima’s features are very soft and cute. She almost looks Korean in a way and Grian finds her attractive.
“You talk about her in a way I don’t think I like, Grian,” Phil intimidatingly said while raising one of his eyebrows and looking Grian dead in the eyes.
“What?” Grian chuckled in amusement at how he acted.
“Didn’t you say we're friends now? I can talk how I want,” he explained, making Grian laugh even more. His eyes filled with amusement.
“You’re going to go through me first before you can do anything with my sister,” Phil said like he’s the older brother of Fatima but in reality, he’s younger.
“Well, damn. I guess it’ll be hard to pursue her, huh?” Grian said with an amused smirk on his lips.
“So you admit that you like her?” The cashier called Grian’s name before he could answer about his take-out order. Both of the boys stood up and went to the counter and grabbed the food they bought. The smirk didn’t leave Grian’s lips till they got out of the shop.
Philippe walked in front of Grian and he followed behind till they reached the hospital. They took a turn and rode an elevator to the third floor before turning a corner again and arriving at the hospital room. Phil opened the door and let Grian inside.
Fatima looked shocked to see her friend with her brother. She stood up from her seat and approached the pair. “Why are you here?” Grian shrugged before showing the food he brought with him.
“He’s here for the girl he likes or something, not sure,” Phil casually teased before giving Grian a look. His eyes widened and raised a fist at Philippe. (He likes someone?) Fatima thought to herself.
“I bumped into your brother at the lobby. Uh, here’s some food,” he said before smiling at her and she grabbed the food they ordered. Grian glared at Phil but he just made a face to tease him even further.
“Did you pay for these?” she asked as she looked at the bag of food and he nodded. She lightly hit him on the shoulder and said, “You shouldn’t have. I’ll pay you back, okay!” she insisted and he shook his head.
“No need.”
“I’ll pay it back!”
She handed food to her younger brother before going next to the hospital bed where Timothy is laying down. She helped him sit down and she opened one of the sandwiches and started to feed him. “You need a lot of energy, okay?” He nodded and slowly ate the food she gave.
After feeding her brother, she took out another sandwich to feed herself. She looked at Grian who was sitting down on a chair and she walked to him and handed him the sandwich. “You eat, Fatima,” he said and she shook her head and grabbed his hand and made him take the food.
“I’ll eat the pasta. You eat that as well,” she said and they heard Phil scoff in the background. Grian grinned before eating. Fatima sat next to him and started eating as well. “Why is he confined?”
“He had an allergy attack, we’re not sure what he’s allergic from so we’re waiting for the result. He was also lacking the nutrition he needed so he almost passed out earlier,” she explained shyly and he nodded.
“Sorry I couldn’t go to work today..” she said and he patted her back.
“It’s fine. You can come back when he’s better.”
“Thank you.”
After being in the hospital for almost all day, Grian dropped them off at their place. “I’ll see you soon, right?” Grian tilted his head sidewards and grinned.
“Of course. I don’t want my boss getting mad at me for not going to work,” she said and cunningly grinned. Grian smirked and nodded his head.
“Is this flirting?” he asked directly and she laughed and shook her head. “Oh please, this ain’t enough to be called flirting,” she answered and he smirked.
“What should I do to be called flirting then?” He raised an eyebrow, waiting for an answer and she laughed and was a bit flustered. She shook her head and turned around. “See you tomorrow, Grian.” She smirked at him before walking to her house. He smirked as he watched her walk away and his heart started to beat fast. He went back inside his car and drove off.
GRIAN AND CHRISTOPHER met up and he only told him the basics of what happened today. “You know I still want her, right? I’ve been waiting for her all these years,” Chris said while leaning on his chair.
“Why are you telling me this?” Grian raised an eyebrow and crossed his arms.
“I don’t know. You might get an idea to take her away.” Grian scoffed and shook his head.
“She’s not yours anymore, Chris. I’d say this is fair play.” Christopher’s jaw clenched as he looked Grian dead in the eyes. “Back off and don’t make things hard for yourself. You’ll just end up heartbroken like 7 years ago,” he provoked and Grian didn’t seem amused.
“You’re marrying someone else, you’re the one who should back off. Don’t hurt her again just like 6 years ago,” Grian clapped back.
THE FOLLOWING DAY, Fatima went to work with a frown on her face. She was done while opening the shop and once Christopher walked in, he noticed right away. “Anything bothering you?” he asked and she sighed.
“Hospital bills,” she said before she continued cleaning the counters. He nodded and sat down on a chair. “You’re here early,” she commented and he shrugged.
“I’d get my breakfast here today. Been a long day at work,” he explained and she tiredly nodded. She pouted her lips as she remembered something.
“You’re just like that seven years ago, always about studying day and night.” She chuckled softly before she moved on to prepare the coffee machine. Christopher stood up and walked across the counter. “Say that again?” She looked up and blinked a couple of times.
“What?” she confusedly asked, forgetting what she told him earlier. After thinking about it for a couple of seconds, she realized her mistake. Her eyes widened in shock as her mouth agape. She tried to find words to explain herself but she couldn’t.
“You said seven years ago, I was just like this. But didn’t you say we just met for the very first time outside the bar, Glen? Or should I say.. Fatima?”