A Love found in Affliction

Chapter Three

“I am going to call it a night guys” Aaron shot over his shoulder as he made his way upstairs. He opened the door to the room where that woman was and saw her still passed out. He went to the washroom, filled a glass with water and kept a bottle of Advil next the lamp on the bedside table and retreated out of the room.

Aaron slipped into the other guestroom, stripped out of his suit down to his boxer and decided to skip shower as he slipped under the covers and fell into a fitful sleep.

Elaine tried to open her eyes but the light streaming in from the open curtains made it a great effort. She managed to peek and shot up in bed, her head protesting to sudden movement.

“Where the hell am I?” Elaine thought as she looked around the unfamiliar room. Then the events of last night came crashing back to her, the man at the corner and her attacking him in self defense.

Elaine threw aside the covers and saw that she was still in last night’s outfit and the other side of the bed was still made. Her denim jacket was folded and kept on the chair next to the window, her phone, cash and car keys were on the bedside table next to a glass of water and a bottle Advil.

She took out two tablets and drowned them with the glass of water and got out of bed. Her head still throbbed but her hangovers were never gut wrenching. She went to the washroom and freshened up.

She came back to the room and grabbed her stuff. The person who brought her home was not a thief or rapist but she still tip toed to the door and pulled it open slowly as she peered into the long corridor which was at the moment empty. She heard people talking downstairs and decided to go see where the hell she actually was.

Aaron looked up from his plate of pancakes as he heard the woman enter the dining room. She stood shyly at the entrance of the dining room.

Elaine took in the homey atmosphere
of the dining room. There at the table sat a man who now had his steel grey eyes on her with a poker face. Elaine’s breath hitched as she took in his appearance. The man was epitome of masculinity and good looked with his tousled sexy brown hair, broad shoulder encased in a perfectly tailored dress shirt with a tie. His biceps were outlined by the expensive dress shirt as he held on to a fork and knife.

Elaine was snapped out of her lust and shame overcame her as she watched in a very pregnant lady waddle in the dining room. Of course men like him were always taken.

Rose came into the dining room from the kitchen with a bowl of fruit salad and saw Elaine.

“Oh good. You are awake. Please join us” Rose said in her ever charming manner as she fixated her pearly white smile at Elaine.

Elaine blushed and chastised herself.

“Stop behaving like a hormonal teenager. You are in stranger’s house who saved your drunk ass last night form god knows who.” She thought to herself.

Aaron looked at Elaine as she settled down opposite to him. She didn’t carry herself with an air of self importance that most models did, well at least how Olivia did. Her auburn hair were now piled in a messy bun on top of her head and Aaron noticed that she wasn’t wearing a speck of makeup yet still her skin was glowing. Her green blue orbs fixated on him and he stared back at her and raised his eyebrow. He almost laughed as he saw a blush creep up her neck and cheeks and she looked down.

Even though his heart had sworn off woman for the time being as it still recuperated from the wounds Olivia had inflicted on it but his body stirred in response to the beautiful woman sitting opposite to him. He stabbed the pancakes with a little more force than necessary as he chased away those thoughts from his head.

“What is your name?” Rose asked as she settled down next to Elaine.

“It is Elaine. How did I—“ Elaine didn’t know how to frame her question.

“Oh sweety, Aaron helped you home after you had a little too much to drink.” Rose said.

“Thank you.” Elaine said to Aaron not knowing what else to do. She wanted to explain that this was not how she usually lived her life.

Elaine mentally cursed and then the reality of her life crashed on to her like tsunami. Her clouded brain, fogged even more due to this handsome married man in front of her, cleared up and she took in a sharp breath.

Even though it was a Sunday but she needed to go in check on her patients. She didn’t have any planned surgeries today.

“Are you okay?” Aaron asked as she saw the flustered expression on Elaine’s face.

Elaine got up and pulled out her phone and realized it was dead.

“I need a charger please” Elaine asked as she ran a hand through her hair.

“It is in the kitchen” Rose said but Aaron cut her off.

“You sit Rose. I will help her” Aaron said as he grabbed his juice and motioned her to follow him.

Elaine followed Aaron to the kitchen.

What was wrong with her? How could she be this careless and reckless? She completely forgot about her duties. She needed to pull herself together. She knew Will would have been disappointed at her current behavior. She tried to control the tears as they pooled in her eyes at the thought of her brother.

“Here” Aaron said as he handed her the cord with charger still plugged.

“Look I am so sorry for last night. Thank you so much for saving me from that man” Elaine said hurriedly as she plugged in her phone and waited for the phone to start up.

Aaron crossed his legs and leaned against the counter with his hip.

“I was that man.”

“What?” Elaine almost yelled as she grabbed her phone from slipping out between her fingers.

“Yeah, though I didn’t attack you. I was only steadying you as you crashed into me.” Aaron said as he shrugged and took in a sip of his juice.

He was intrigued by this woman and the thought that she was a model from her looks became a less possibility as he took in her demeanor.

“Jesus” Elaine muttered as a fresh wave of heat made its way up her cheeks.

“I apologize---“ Elaine paused

“Aaron Clark”

“I apologize Mr. Clark and I should apologize to Mrs. Clark as well for imposing on you guys last night. I just have a lot going on.”

“Mrs. Clark? That is my best friend’s Mrs.” Aaron said as he pointed towards the dining room and Elaine wanted the earth to open up and swallow her.

“Look Mr. Clark I apologize for everything. I just want you to know that this is not how I go around, getting drunk and passing out. I am grateful to you for bringing me home last night but right now I need to get back to work.” Elaine said as she looked at the messages and missed calls on her phone.

“You don’t need to explain anything to me Elaine.” Aaron said as he stood up straighter.

“I will drop you off at work” Aaron said as he tried to comprehend this woman. He was still sticking to the model theory and tried to keep his distance.

“I need to stop being so judgmental” Aaron thought.

“Thank you so much. My car is still
parked at the bar.” Elaine said as she made a mental note to get it after work.

“Where do you work?”

“Wentworth Hospital” Elaine said as she reluctantly pulled the plug out of her phone.

“Oh” Aaron said as he grimaced at the name of that damned hospital but his interest piqued as to what she did there. A nurse, a receptionist? Those roles did not suit her looks.

“Again with the judgement” Aaron mentally cursed himself.

“Yeah. I work as a neurosurgeon there” Elaine said absently as she pulled on her jacket.

Aaron was speechless.