Will You Stay (Part 3)

Ashton walks out from the hall and meets up with her husband to tell him about his wife. He kept calling his wife’s name as he bursting into tears. His children are there and they’re hugging each other as soon they heard the news.

            He’s looking for Anne but he seems can’t find her. He searches at the locker room, cafe but she is nowhere to be found. He decides to fill his lung as he is longing for his cigarette and he off to his favourite place. The rooftop.

            He takes out his cigarette from his pocket and he let the smokes out from his nostril. He stands still at the rooftop when he heard what sounded like a sob in the rooftop. Then, suddenly, silence. That is strange. He continues with his smoking and he heard it again. Shit, it sounded like Anne.

            He follows the sound along the corridor. There is no one else about. There is less sobbing now and more laboured breathing. He turns one more corner and there is Anne.

            “Who goes there?” she asks. She spotted Ashton. Her mascara streaked down her cheeks. Ashton saw her as her eyes looked gloomy, sad and he sat next to her. Her sobbing was getting harder when Ashton put his arm across her neck and let her head rest on his left shoulder. Anne lifted her head up and look intently towards Ashton. The moment that her lips touched him, he fell in love for the first time.

**********

The next day, Anne didn’t show up at work. Ashton knew Anne tried to gather back her strength after what had happened yesterday.

The day after, she shows up. Leo saw her and asked her to enter to his office. As a psychiatrist, Leo has the ability to spot someone who has a problems and he did spot Anne’s problem. Anne doesn’t say a word as she follows Leo into his office.

            “How are you?” he asks as they both has seated. Anne looks at him. “I know this is hard, Anne, but I need to know what had been lingered in your mind,” he pauses.

 “I don’t want any problems bothering you as it’ll affect your performance as a trainee,” he says.

            “I’m sorry, Doctor Leo. It was my fault that the old woman passed away,” her eyes in tears.

            “I shouldn’t lose my focused during the operation,” she pauses. “I..., I... could’ve save her life if I gave Doctor Ash the cauter immediately,” she trembling.

“But I didn’t.” There is a silence.

            “Look Anne.” “You shouldn’t act that way. I know you felt guilty towards it, but you just can’t blame yourself for what had happened,” he pauses. “People come and go. You just can’t do anything if it has meant to be,” Leo looks at her.

            “I’ll try my best, Doctor Leo,” she looks at him. “I got to go.” “Doctor Ash is waiting for me to go through my med reports,” she smiles.

            “Thanks,” he nods his head.