MEMORIES OF THE HEART

SECOND CHAPTER

That night, with the loom of Destiny interweaving the threads, Lauren's fate would cross with someone who would leave a tattooed mark on her soul. She didn't know, no one knew, only Destiny knew.

Lauren insisted on going home and resting in her apartment, in her bed, away from the smell of alcohol, away from bright lights, visits from nurses, the beeping of machines; away from all that comes with a hospital. Dr. Campbell had no choice but to comply with her request and provided her with the discharge order. So, Lauren and Ashley got in the elevator and waited at reception to sign out.

"Lauren Jaoguar," Ashley informed the receptionist to search for her status on the computer and allow them to leave. "We've been authorized to leave."

The receptionist nodded and immediately began searching the records on her computer.

Lauren's phone suddenly rang, stealing her attention while they waited at the reception, and she didn't have a good reaction to the name she read on the phone screen.

"Who is it?" her girlfriend asked, separating herself from the reception desk.

"It's Samuelle," she responded with reluctance, stepping away to find a more secluded spot. The best place for her was outside the building so that the voices from the speakers wouldn't interfere in the call with her boss and she could discern where she was.

"Take the call, I'll take care of the paperwork here," the green-eyed woman nodded and answered the phone while moving away from the reception area.

"Good evening miss, could you please tell me where Regina Hamon's room is?" Karla asked when she arrived at the reception desk with Peter.

Lauren never saw her, nor did Karla see her; they were in the same building, but their gazes never crossed paths. However, Destiny did cross their paths.

"Excuse me? I was being helped first," Ashley reproached Karla, who now stood in front of the receptionist due to her momentary absence. "Don't be disrespectful and wait your turn."

Karla was taken aback by the hostility of the dark-haired, long-haired, fair-skinned woman whose hazel eyes glared fiercely at her.

"Well, the reception was empty when I arrived."

"Yes, because I stepped away for a moment."

"How was I supposed to know?"

"Karli, it's okay. Let's leave the young lady alone," he said, holding his girlfriend's hand to guide her away. "Excuse us," he apologized with a smile, while Karla looked at Ashley with a scowl.

Ashley gave a fake smile and turned her attention back to the receptionist, rolling her eyes with disdain and tossing her hair over her shoulder, leaving the Cuban woman boiling with anger.

"But Pete, how was I supposed to know she was first?" she protested as her boyfriend pulled her hand.

"Let it go, it's okay."

"She's a snob who needs a good knock on the head to straighten out her brain," she said with a very pronounced furrowed brow.

"And what's with that expression? Do you plan on intimidating her like that?" Peter teased, taking her waist. "Because you're more likely to make her melt with cuteness."

He managed to make her change her scowling expression into a curved smile.

They paid no more attention to the woman and let her finish the paperwork; it didn't take long, so she soon left through the door to meet Lauren, who was still talking on the phone outside the clinic. Then Peter and Karla took their place, but before they needed to request access, Jane appeared through the elevator doors, her eyes filled with tears. And as soon as her gaze met her friend's, she ran towards her for refuge.