♡
On a sunny morning, the heat was more than expected from the local news channel forecast. It was a capris and short sleeves type of day, no jackets necessary; the type of day that if you stood in the sun too long you felt the sting of its rays as the moisture of sweat accumulated. If it was up to her, Mina would have worn sandals all day, but it was frowned upon in hospitals and the workplace. Still, she was prepared with a duffle bag in her trunk. Better safe than sorry; she always thought.
The air-conditioned halls of the hospital were like a godsend on days like these. She will miss these halls tomorrow, Elijah had reminded her she could come back anytime she pleased because the nurses had such an appreciation for her. He was right about that and she was sure to return when her life wasn't as hectic. Volunteering was a way to help others in the simplest of ways, though the impact it had was invaluable.
She prolonged her pace to enjoy the day ahead, her mind wandering a thousand miles off. Her destination coming closer, thoughts fled as she heard voices. None too familiar at first but then as she tucked herself back behind the door she heard his voice clearly.
"What're you going to do then? You need to stay and work the contract, its a great opportunity."
There was an edge to the woman's promulgation, but the sense of pleading was there as well. This was evidently an important task.
"Je le sais; I'll do what I can, but I have a life and it isn't here."
She heard the distinctive firmness of Mr. François. He had an accent appearing in every other pronunciation of a word, this woman was upsetting him and herself.
"Jean-Noel, you haven't even given it a chance. Monique would love to spend more than a fleeting week with her only oncle et peut-être devriez-vous acheter une maison—"
"Non. I'll be at a hotel as soon as the contract is set up, but I won't be staying. Tu ne peux pas me convaincre de rester, Emrie," He cut the woman's exclamation short with an asserted refusal. Both their sound of words came out stressed in a french coating.
Mina walked in at the moment no more words were let out as if she had not heard the ending of their conversation just seconds ago. The door was ajar so she validated her actions on that alone.
"Hi, sorry to intrude Mr. François and miss..," she looked towards the woman in question with speculating eyes.
"Hello and it's misses actually, but you may call me Emrie and you might be?"
Emrie had a beautiful face it wasn't just a face of makeup and tweezers, but with highlighted features of an exotic french woman. Oval shaped with a sharply angled jawline but not as sharp as her eyes. The woman's eyes were perfectly aligned to her eyebrows, her cat-eyes flawless. Stunning and added onto a runway she could be a supermodel.
"Mina, it's a pleasure to meet you," She withdrew her outstretched hand after a quick shake with a faltered smile, not meaning to stare.
"Likewise."
She barred eyes with her ex-patient, knowing today was their time for farewells. For it was his last day here too, the freedom was just placed in a couple of signed discharge papers. Her memory served to remind her just how happy he is on this day and how long he had waited for it. Although from what she had heard, the day hadn't started on a high note.
"You heard the conversation we were having, did you not?"
She was caught off-guard by the declaration but chose not to show it, instead, she responded with a calmness only she could pull off, "Not entirely, no."
His expressionless stare showed he was unimpressed or that of aggravation. She couldn't know what the conversation was about even if she had arrived minutes earlier. To explain herself further she looked towards Emrie again, "But that wasn't my intention, I didn't know you'd have company."
"Yes, only standing by while the conversation was finished."
Emrie placed her hands on her hips unpleased by his tone. The woman's eyes switched left to right as if watching a basketball game. The ball of the conversation was carried on from one side to the other to no end.
"No. It's impolite to interrupt."
Mina was simply stating her faults. She frowned at his need to bicker over nothing.
"So is listening in," he finished for her. "Words that do not concern such a—",
"It's not as if l know much of what was going on anyway, I don't know french, remember?"
She wanted to call him something nasty but checked herself before doing anything rash in front of this stranger.
He threw a small huff of air and glared at Emrie as she stayed silent all the while. Mina looked at the woman as the tone of a bird whistle entered the room. It was coming from her pocket that was noticeable.
“It doesn't matter petit frère, que ce soit.”
Thinking nothing of it Emrie extinguished the route of the conversation. Not two seconds later she heard more noise come from the woman's phone this time it was classical music. Emrie sighed in what she thought was annoyance and took it out just in time to answer.
"Well Mr. François, I just wanted to see you off," she clasped her hands in front of her as she stood head to head with him, though he was about two inches above her height.
"Really?" His tone guarded
"Yes, as hard as it is to believe, I'm glad you're finally leaving," a smirk played on her lips.
He narrowed his eyes, keenly catching it. "Thanks, I guess it is hard to believe."
Emrie glances between them then her phone. Held in one hand she lifted an index finger towards them. "I'll be back in a minute."
They watched her leave the room while none too happily greeting someone over the phone. Mina stared at Mr. François for a moment, her head tilted in false wonder. He was oblivious to her.
"You're not going to say goodbye Mr. Grumpy? I know you'll miss me."
He only scoffed not giving a thought, "The only thing I'll remotely miss from this damned place is the view. Outside."
In hopes to lift one single eyebrow trying to make her look quizzical, she lifted both in failure. "And the food provided by yours truly," she pointedly gestured to her standing figure.
"Of course I could not forget the pounds of sugar I ingested while you recited your life story on more days than one."
"You're welcome," his half smile made her beam at his unspoken gratitude she knew was there.
He sighed softly, "Enfin libre."
(translation: finally free)
Then picked up his bag and the purse she assumed was Emrie's, "Au revoir Mina." (translation: goodbye)
She definitely understood those words, they were as equivalent in french as said in spanish, of course, the accent was thick, but not indefinable. Freedom, there he went.
"Let's go, I need to pick up a few things along the way."
Just like that the moment was gone, Emrie returned, she waved as they walked past the reception desk and through the automatic doors.
All she could think was… Damn "Jean-Noel." She couldn't deny the sexual attraction to the man's retreating form.
It was past midday where the time flew to evening training and preparing with the new caterers. They didn't go a mile per minute but they did make it through without breaking anything. Surprisingly the best help was the youngest. Jacobi, the ex-delivery boy was showing he had a great knack for his new job. Yet another reason Mina got along with him.
Her mind was elsewhere by the time they had made it back to clean up. Besides the few instructions, she had given out the rest of the time was spent taking notes. The day was officially spent and she still couldn't stop her mind from running back and forth.
She didn't feel like having a heart to heart with Alden. Nor did she think it was a great idea right now or that he could be serious for it, but she itched to express her thoughts. Today he was the perfect ear to listen.
They sat on the chairs out front to rest a while. When she contemplated her words she let them flow.
"Has Geo been around today?"
"No, haven't seen him. Did he say he'd be here today?" He offered her some water from his bottle, which she declined. He had no problems with sharing, it was a good but also bad trait of his.
"No, I just thought," She shrugged, didn't even try to conceal any of her feelings, "Maybe he'd stopped avoiding me."
It was easy to read her as she was tired and she knew eyes didn't lie.
"He's not avoiding you, probably slammed with projects, assignments, you get the gist.” He cracked his knuckles loudly knowing how she hated the sound and watched her cringe.
"Oh I know he's avoiding me, he basically said it to my face the other night. I just want my little butthole of a brother to tell me what the heck is wrong." She sighed as she slumped in her seat, old fume leaving her system.
"Butthole?"
"You know I don't like swearing."
Mina waved a hand in dismissal and watched him as he leaned back and rubbed his fake beard as if in thought.
"And yet you swear to not swear, kind of a contradictory don't ya think?"
"Can you be serious for a second?"
She answered him in a flat tone as he chuckled to himself.
He pointed a finger at her and smiled teasingly. "I am, and you need to chill out before you get those stress pimples you get, again"
Shocked, she sprang up in her chair with a face of terror, she’d made a signal of a cross with her hands. "Heck no, sweet Jesus forbid it," with a pout pulled she held head up from her pleading.
"Okay, okay, what about your essay, that article thing, what's it about?"
A hard groan left her lips when she tilted her head back. "It's complicated."
"So un-complicate it for me," Alden placed his palms up on the table and motioned for her to continue.
As if it was that simple, she thought.
“It's like this, the magazine wants a love story. From everyone, I think I'm the one without a clue. I don't want to fake it and risk it not sounding like it's supposed to. Maybe not a story at all, more like facts, does that make sense? They didn't specifically say it has to be a fairy tale with a happily ever after. I doubt everything submitted will be peaches and cream.”
She had stood up without noticing, mid-rant and swept her hair to the side as her ponytail became more and more undone.
“Yeah I get that, but you do you. It's your work and it's going to stand out.”
“Really?” Mina looked at him as she leaned on the table with her hands grasping its edge.
He nodded, chin pressed to his palm with his arm propped onto the table.
"Your denial about your feelings about me," Alden smirked at her.
“That could be your inspiration right there, kitten.”
Mina scoffed and pushed away from him and his delusions, “You're really bad at cheerful conversation."
As a last minute thought, she took her seat to his left again and brightly asked, “Would you do me a favor?”
“A favor that you'll return?” He counter asked.
“I thought you said you'd always be there for me,” she inched closer with her arms crossed on the table.
“And I meant it, but favors don't come free with me.”
“Can you make sure Geo is not in trouble? That he's safe, make nice and talk to him,” She exploited her little plan to him.
“Do you know who you're talking about, he hates me.” Alden laughs, his cheek dimples shining as the sun sets.
“Just try, for me,” She placed a hand on his arm feeling air expel his body and his eyes closed for a second.

Her suggestion was for Alden to get information out of him. Instead, Geo and Alden went drinking and their little outing led to nothing but a stinky brother on her couch.
“You're the most beautiful woman I know, inside and out!”
“Stop talking Alden,”
He shushed her still holding onto the front seat of his car, “Listen, Romina, your name sounds like a goddess because you are,” a hiccup didn't stop him from declaring his nonsense thoughts at the moment, “are one, so that's why I ha—”
“Where are we going?” Geo whined from the back, eyes barely opened as sat with his head lolled from one side when she made a right turn.
She had to take the wheel for her brother and the loudmouth behind her in his car to his home because they were too wasted to drive.
“To bed, we're almost there,” She parked the car in front of Alden's shared home. The door opened and a burly guy in boxers came out with a smile.
“Great timing, is he shitfaced?”
“Yup, tell him he owes me an Uber ride and an explanation,” She commanded for the guy to take the keys and his roommate inside.
Not two minutes later the ride she had ordered from her phone had arrived and took them to her apartment. Mina left Geo in the bathroom as she got the sheets ready on the futon. After he exited she got herself ready for bed, when she came back he was face down on the futon with all limbs spread apart like a starfish.
She watched him closely as he snored on the couch. “I'm going to find out what you're hiding..de alguna manera.” (translation: somehow)