Pace My Heart (A sequel to *Happy To Meet You*)

Chapter - 58

Pace My Heart

Chapter – 58

Mandy

   I made a point to check the OR list for neurosurgery. Daniel had a Micro vascular decompression procedure scheduled for a patient with trigeminal neuralgia which may take 2 to 3 hours. Making a rough guess that it must be likely over, I went to meet him at his office. But on finding that he hasn't returned to his room yet, I decided to wait a little longer and let myself in.

As I sat down, I found myself smiling while looking around the room. Like always, the bookshelves will be full, the filing cabinets and the desk overflowing with his case files and stack of papers. And unlike his colleagues who like to display their achievements framed and hanging on the wall, his wall stays bare. Others might say, he was letting his body of work speak for him. But people close to him knew that he care less for it all. For him, he just believed in working hard and nothing beyond.

*

"Mandy,"

Daniel seemed surprised, finding me waiting for him on entering the room.

"Did Jack send you to check on me since I didn't show up the day before?"

He questioned me with an amused smile while hanging his white coat on the stand as I realized what he was referring to about.

"Of course not," I replied as we both laughed over it.

Jack did tell me yesterday that Daniel didn't turn up for a get together. They had actually planned to meet with few friends over drinks.

*

"I actually came to talk to you about something else," I said bringing up the real reason why I came today in search of him. We were both sitting now in the office couch.

"It's about Ava..."

"What about her? Is she okay, Mandy?"

The concern was unmissable in his voice as he inquired about her. I contemplated for a while about whether to tell him or not. Jack thought I might be anxious over nothing. But I couldn't help being worried after the last conversation I had with Ava before she left for home.

 It was only right to let Daniel know. He has made every effort, the length he went to find anything that could help her case, bringing Dr Anderson all the way from Atlanta. And Ava doesn't have any knowledge about it because he asked me not to tell her.

"Daniel, Ava...She went home yesterday morning."

"Wait, what are you saying," Daniel sounded confused by the sudden news I shared.

"She called me up right before she boarded her flight...It was a short call...She didn't say much...Just that she wanted to visit her parents," I sighed relaying the hurried conversation I had with her. It was so out of blue and unexpected.

"Why would she go now at this time? The result of the committee meeting isn't out yet and she should be here waiting for it," Daniel was as perplexed as me pacing the room back and forth.

"There's another thing..." I began telling him.

"I think Ava and Minho aren't speaking to each other...I tried asking her about it but she wasn't telling me anything."

I know it was something between Minho and her and they should sort it out themselves but how I could just stand aside and not to do anything seeing how badly it affected her. She was evasive, not willing to tell me when I asked her about it before the committee meeting.

Daniel stopped walking, "Why the hell is he not speaking to her?"

"I don't know Daniel...I'm just worried that emotionally Ava seemed distressed...Why would she leave without telling beforehand ...It's so unlike her."

"Why...Why would she do that?" Daniel was mumbling to himself pacing back and forth again, the news unsettling him too.

"When I asked when she will return...She didn't reply instead she told me that her number will be unreachable...It makes me worry Daniel...Why would she do that unless..."

Daniel turned around hearing me.

"Unless...She has decided not to return...Regardless of the result of the review committee what if she has already given up," I shared my fears with Daniel and I could see the same in his eyes as he realized the same.