Game of Passion

Chapter 4: Realization

Freira has to make certain that she cannot be seen by people who knew her. She does not want to make any trouble since it would definitely reach Doctor Harrington. Speaking of the man, he may have retired to his room in the hospital already. He has his own accommodation here since his expertise is always needed and having his own house is pointless when he spends most of his time here.

Thinking of what she has seen a while ago, she still cannot get over the fact that she is being affected immensely by the thought of Doctor Harrington while in bed. She feels quite uncomfortable and wrong just thinking of it again. For almost a year, there had been no problems with them together. They always have their appointments alone in his office and not once did she entertain the idea of him like that in her eyes.

Only now did she get to be affected since she saw beforehand what intimacy looks like with him. And it is alarming that she would think of him so obscenely which is something completely out of her character. Doctor Harrington is a nice person and she shouldn't be even thinking of him as an object of her own desire. Even if he is a beautiful man, there should be no complications between them. She is certain he does not view her as a woman but as a patient and she should be ashamed of the shameful thoughts she has been entertaining now.

She composed herself—focusing on her initial problem—as she looks around the third floor, carefully, in case Nancy is still around and hasn’t been off on her duty. With silent steps, she walked towards the cubicle where she had last seen the man who was the cause of her unconsciousness. Most of the candles were already blown off since it is already late at night and the patients have already settled and are sleeping. The reception on the floor is the only one that is brightly lit up.

When she got closer to the cubicle, she braced herself for what is to come. She doesn't know what might happen. There is a possibility that she might faint again upon seeing him. She did not even have a good look at the man a while ago but his effect was still alarming as it is.

Before she got to part the curtains, she heard the man on the other side groaning. It was followed by a rustle and a sharp curse. She took a peek and despite it being dim, she saw him lying on the bed and continuously shifting on the bed.

“F.uck this,” he hissed again then turned to his left but froze when he pressed too hard on his amputated arm.

“Let me help,” she cannot help but say and go to him.

His head snapped to her and she saw how he was taken aback by her presence. “I do not need any help.”

Fortunately, she did not faint upon seeing him and actually getting his attention. She smiled and went to him. Even if he refuses her help, he did not say more when she pushes her back on the bed and raised his head slightly so she could adjust his pillow.

“That’s better, right?”

He slightly nodded, his green eyes were on her but immediately looked away after a while. She was not ashamed that he has caught her staring. She wants to find out for herself what is with him that affects her earlier. Now that she is not feeling anything strange, she thinks that it might have only been exhaustion that caused her attack and not him.

Still, she has to ask some questions.

“My name is Freira," she started.

“I know,” he said which caught her off guard.

“You do?”

Then she was right? He does hold significance in her past life.

He breathed deep before replying, “I heard them call you out when they saw you fell.”

“Oh.”

She did not think of that.

“I take it that you were reeled back from the sight of me. You shouldn’t have applied to work here if blood and damages on the body such as mine make you swoon.”

She did not take offense to that, instead, she explained, “It was not because of that that I lost consciousness, Sir. I just thought you look familiar.”

“And that made you faint?” he asked, chuckling.

She sighed, knowing he cannot understand her so easily. “You should rest now. I won’t bother you anymore.”

The tug on his lips fell down and before he could say anything, she was already out of the cubicle. It was then that she felt embarrassed. Even with the short time she was with him, she felt pathetic for even expecting something. She shouldn’t have gone to him and expected that he has something to do with her past. For the past months, she had been struggling with a little bit of memory. Something that had only been clear was her name and that was so long ago already. Other than that, there was none because on her every attack—before she could even remember something—she would just blackout.

“How do you feel?” Doctor Harrington asked the next day as he checks on her vitals.

She can’t look him in the eye, considering what she has just witnessed last night. “I’m fine."

“Your vitals are good and you are fit to work but if you feel anything different and want to rest more then you should stay in bed.”

“No,” she immediately replied. “I want to go back to work.”

Flynn smiled, impressed with her dedication.

She only took a glimpse at his face before staring at the white curtain again.

Seeing that, the man unexpectedly realized her discomfort with him. “Is there a problem?” he asked the dreaded question. “You can’t seem to look me in the eye.”

Because I have witnessed a private part of your life which is something I am not expecting since I thought you never had a life other than work.

She badly wants to say that but of course, she held back. They are not that close for her to speak so freely.

“It’s nothing,” she said, instead.

Flynn stared at her longer than usual and she felt even more uncomfortable having all his attention on her. For almost a year, she has been used to his observation of her. It is a common thing since he cares for her because of her delicate condition. Besides, he had been there from the very start and his intentions had been good. He had never taken liberties with her or used his profession to control her just like the cases some suspended doctors in the hospital do with their patients. It was her who has been thinking obscenely about him, not the other way around and she wonders if she should be punished for it.

“It does not seem like it,” Flynn pressed and upon glancing at him, he was already frowning.

She swallowed hard. In her attempt not to entice him on engaging more in that matter, he gets unexpectedly more intrigued. She does not want something to obstruct their relationship that's why it would have been best if she could have some time for herself to think things through and stick in her mind that she shouldn't be affected by the things she has witnessed between him and Hyacinth. But his curiosity only made it difficult to get over that and not let her think of him far from the doctor she always view him.

"I'm fine," she pressed. "I promise."

Unexpectedly, he sat down beside her. She feels even more distraught, not because he is invading her space but because she might do something untoward when he is close. He is beautiful but this is the first time she is greatly affected by it. She wasn't expecting that witnessing him and Hyacinth together would spark something in her that makes her feel differently about Flynn.

This is getting out of hand.

She immediately stood up and Flynn frowned at that.

"Did I do something wrong?"

"None," she immediately said. "There is none."

"Then why are you acting that way?"

Her mouth parted and realized she reacted rather harshly. "I apologize if I have offended—"

"You did not," Flynn said. "I am just not used to seeing you like this."

She inhaled sharply and occupied herself with fixing her uniform. "I should get going. Nancy would need the help she could get."

"Are certain you would be fine, Freira?" he asked and she pressed her lips tight as she nodded.

Thankfully, he has let her go before she makes something awful. She went to the third floor and immediately saw Nancy by the reception writing something. The woman smiled when she looked up and see her approaching.

"Good thing Doctor Harrington has finally released you."

"It was not a serious matter so there is no reason for me to stay in bed."

"Don't say that. Your condition is delicate, therefore, it is serious. Do not take yourself ever so lightly."

They went on with work after that—checking on the patients assigned to them, cleaning the unoccupied cubicles for future patients to stay there. She had been busy and she did not get to see Doctor Harrington since she has her scheduled appointments with him weekly and other than that, they do not cross paths since he is on the first or second floor.

As days went by, the number of soldiers going in had been lessening and it is a good thing because not long ago, they cannot take any rest for many are coming in.

The war has really ended so it seems.

"The Head Nurse is here," Nancy told her one day and she immediately finished folding a blanket before she hurriedly went to the hall whenever the nurses are gathered for some updates.

She settled on the corner because unlike them, she has been working here for some months and only observing the many ways of treating a patient. She wants to help but all that was ever assigned to her is checking patients' vitals, giving them food, and changing the beddings—light tasks that are essential but still make her feel useless.

"As all of you know, the war has ended and our country has been taken over by Patria," the Head Nurse said with a lack of conviction. No one could easily accept that known fact. "Many lives were taken as well as properties. But we must go on with our lives, mustn't we?" The woman grabbed a list from her pocket before continuing, "We will be losing many nurses this time since they shall start a new life now. Therefore, expect that the workload would be a lot more."

Some groaned at that but they never really had a choice. It was a volunteer thing before—when there was a war. Over time, the hospital manages to give income to them as they work. Hers were little than the others but it is fine with her since she gets to save something for herself and have something by the time she gets out of the hospital as well.

"Thank you for listening. You can all go back to work now."

Nancy went to her after that and they walked far before the woman told her something she was not expecting, "I just found out that you are assigned to patients needed with the utmost attention."

"You mean people who are in a traumatic state?"

"That and also other serious ones."

She frowned, slowly understanding what she meant. "You mean—"

"I mean you have been promoted from being a help and into becoming a nurse yourself."

Her mouth parted. "That is not a good jest, Nancy."

"Who says I am fooling around?" the woman asked, laughing. "You deserve it. You don't have to doubt yourself too much."

Indeed, it was the truth because when she looked at her charts and read the patients she has to attend to, she found out they are different from the last.

"Are these really mine?" she asked the girl at the reception.

"Yes, why?"

"Oh nothing," she immediately said. "Thank you."

She went on with work and though it was more difficult than her past job, she was enjoying it because she had to clean wounds herself and talk personally with the patients—something she cannot do before because she was only delivering their meals and other simple tasks.

She was on her way to her last patient and she was reading his details.

Adam Castellano

He has been here for only a few weeks and his most severe condition is an amputated arm. Her mouth parted when she reached the cubicle and absent-mindedly parted it, showing her the man who has been bothering her mind ever since she saw her.

Those green eyes were directed at her as well and they stared at each other for a while before she felt something odd that made her stagger. She massaged her temple and closed her eyes, only to be attacked by a memory.

Lovely green eyes on her.

A soft caress.

And lingering kisses.

"I love you, Freira."

"I love you too, A—"

She sharply inhaled when the memory was suddenly cut off. She was taken aback upon opening her eyes and saw Adam was standing in front of her, staring at her with concern on his face, in his light green eyes.

"Are you alright?"