Dr Anderson
Once Michelle left for the office, I began to prepare. For some reasons, Mr Crawford had requested an urgent meeting with me. Of course it was no request, but an order.
I passed by my kitchen, and went upstairs. The very thought of food caused me to feel sick.
I had a quick bath, the quickest I have had in a long time. Crawford had sounded almost as breathless as Dr Sofia had sounded last night, and I couldn't help but overlook the coincidence.
Within the space of ten minutes, I was headed towards my parking lot, ready to drive off. I needed to meet up with Dr Sofia later today so we can sort out our problem.
Soon, I was behind the wheels of my car, and driving through my gate, heading for Medcorp.
When I drove through the gates of Medcorp a few minutes later, it was with disbelief. I could not comprehend how I managed to make it to Medcorp in one piece when I paid no attention throughout the drive. In fact I realized that I was driving only when the gate of Medcorp was pulled open for my passage.
I parked in my usual spot, and headed inside the building, towards Mr Crawford's office even though his car was not in its usual spot which showed that he was not in yet.
What could be stalling him? I wondered within myself. It was unlike Mr Crawford to report late. Although he is the CEO of Medcorp, I have never reported to work before him since I started working full-time in Medcorp.
I continued my walk down the hallway, smiling and nodding in acknowledgement to the greetings I received. From the distance, I could see Michelle behind her desk, typing quickly on her system.
"Hey," I greeted, trying to sound as casual as possible.
"Hi." Michelle greeted back, casually. Her gaze shifted from her system and rested on me.
"Oh Anderson, you're early." She added when she saw that it was me.
"You look different. I mean not drunk." She added yet again. This time with a low voice even though there were hardly any body around.
"Thanks, Michelle." I replied with an eye roll.
"I guess you are here to see Mr Crawford." Michelle started to say. She has returned to typing quickly on her system.
"Yeah, but he is not in. I will sit with you instead." I said to Michelle but she hardly heard me. I watched her for a few minutes as she typed away in her laptop. Her eyes flashed towards the hallway at intervals and I could imagine why.
"Come on Michelle, give yourself a break. You've been typing like crazy since I got here." I chided. Her jerky movement showed that she had totally forgotten about my presence.
"I can't help it. I have to finish up with this before Mr Crawford arrives." Michelle explained. She was typing again.
"I was supposed to complete it yesterday but I couldn't because we... I left early." She explained.
"Oh," I mused, not sure what to say."
"It is my fault then." I added when she said nothing.
"No, it's not. If anyone, it's mine, and it was for a good cause." Michelle said with a wink, and I couldn't help but smile.
"About last night, Mr Crawford must not know anything about it." Michelle suddenly added, and I became confused.
"Does it matter if he knows about it or not?" I asked, not sure what this is about.
"Actually, yeah. Mixing work and pleasure isn't something Mr Crawford would approve of." She explained, and I began to see reason in what she said.
"When will I have you at my place again?" I asked.
"I'm not sure, maybe when I'm fully healed down there." She replied with a wink.
"Come on, you don't need healing. You're completely fine." I argued. I recalled just then how easily I had slid in and out of her the previous night.
"You seriously think so?" She said, feigning annoyance but I saw right through her.
"We can have a quick one in Crawford's office before he arrives." I winked.
"Wait, what? How could you say that?" She said in shock, and I looked on in surprise.
"Hey, I..." I started to say, but Michelle beat me to it.
"It is a nasty thing to say, and... And it's never going to happen. Ever!" She continued.
" Michelle, it's a joke." I announced, and watched as she breathed down in relief. strange!
"Oh, I didn't catch the joke. Sorry." She apologized. Her fingers moved across the keyboard deftly, typing away. All this while, she had continued to type, and was not distracted by our conversation.
"You must be very good at this." I complimented, pointing at the computer.
"I like to think so. It's what I do the most around here, so..." She completed with a shrug, and a comfortable silence ensued between us.
"Finally!" Michelle announced some few minutes later, just as Mr Crawford was seen in the hallway, taking one unhurried step after another, towards our direction.
"Perfect timing." I said with gritted teeth, and Michelle couldn't agree with me less.
Behind Mr Crawford was... Dr Sofia? I observed, and my uneasiness returned. Now I know for certain why Mr Crawford had arrived late. Dr Sofia wasn't easy to convince. Even though Stuart's recent behaviours were totally Dr Sofia's doing so as to get back on the mission, she still wouldn't jump at Crawford's offer easily.
Michelle who had left her table to usher in Crawford the moment she saw him, hastened back down with Mr Crawford's briefcase in her hands. She looked different. When our eyes locked briefly, every trace of familiarity was gone.
She fetched a bunch of keys from her locker, and opened the door to Crawford's office. She stepped into the office just as Mr Crawford got close enough.
"Good morning, Mr Crawford." I greeted, rising.
"Anderson," He replied, in response to my greeting. He sounded pissed, and I wondered why. It might have something to do with Dr Sofia not agreeing to get back on board easily.
"You can wait inside." Crawford said to Dr Sofia, whose presence neither of us deemed essential to acknowledge.
"We should head inside." Mr Crawford ordered, moving towards his office while I followed behind.
Inside Mr Crawford's office, Dr Sofia sat rather delusioned in a low sofa, while Michelle arranged some papers into a file.
"Excuse us, Michelle." Mr Crawford ordered, once he stepped into the office, and as expected, Michelle bowed out of the office and shut the door behind her.
"I can't believe the both of you were sexually involved with each other." Mr Crawford started, taking me by surprise. I felt my legs grow weak all of a sudden, and I grabbed hold of the sofa closest to me.
"It explains the reason behind Stuart's recent behaviours. You both were too distracted to do things right with him, and this is the result. Mr Crawford berated us both.
I let my mind dwell on how Mr Crawford found out, ruling out the possibility that Dr Sofia told him. She looked more shaken up than I did.
Except for the frequent flashing of her eyes, Dr Sofia was as still and lifeless as a rock.
"... I'm so disappointed in you both, and I have no choice than to call this whole thing off, and hand you over to the police." He said with finality. I was lost in thought, and hadn't got the first part of what he said.
In a split second, Dr Sofia was out out of the sofa, and was sprawled before Crawford's feet.
I felt out of place, not sure whether to join Dr Sofia at Crawford's feet or remain on the sofa which had long ceased to be comfortable.
"We will do anything, anything. Please don't hand us over to the police. If this gets out, we will lose our license. We will do any..." Dr Sofia was saying but a knock on Mr Crawford's door interrupted her. It was no knock, it was more of a bang.
With ease, Mr Crawford strolled to the door, and pulled it open. Outside, Michelle along with two doctors of Mr Crawford's inner circle stood, dazed.
"Sir, you need to see this." The doctors said in unison.