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Genevieve wasn't sure what it was. Maybe she ate something bad, or she was getting sicker than she'd presumed, but it was becoming an irregular routine to throw up every morning and feel empty and weak afterwards. Perhaps she'd come down with malaria, but she'd had malaria in the past and she'd never had to throw up as many times as she did now.
She rinsed her mouth and somehow made her way out of the bathroom. Once she shut the door, she leaned back on it to catch her breath. Her legs felt weak and threatened to give up soon. Gene dragged herself back to the room. She knew she needed to go to work and yet; she felt too exhausted. She could feel a headache come on.
Maybe a little more sleep would do.
She told herself as she crawled onto her bed and laid curled up. Sooner than she expected, she was fast asleep.
~ ~ ~
Elliot stepped into the compound and as he headed for the gates, he sighted Gene's car and gradually; he drew to a stop. He stared at it as his brows furrowed. He looked up, the direction of her window.
Hasn't she left for work?
He wondered as he lowered his eyes away from her window. He spared his wristwatch a glance, and it was a few minutes past seven. She would always leave in her car before seven in the morning. Elliot worried that something might be wrong, or maybe she'd left without her car.
He reached into his pocket for his phone, but then realised he didn't have her phone number. There, he took a mental note to get it soon. Elliot sighed and could only hope the latter was the reason. He turned away and continued on his path towards the gate.
~ ~ ~
Genevieve woke up to the sound of a ringing tone. She barely opened her eyes as she reached out to her phone on the bedside table. Without having a look at the caller ID, she slid the call to answer and brought the phone close to her ear.
"Hello." She called, her voice faint as she wasn't over with her sleep yet.
"Genevieve, it's Doris." The caller on the other side made mention and Gene's eyes gently fluttered open.
"Doris." She repeated, although still drowsy.
"Yes. I... I just wanted to check up on you. I mean, I'm not used to seeing you come in late for work and today... are you alright? Are you going to make it to the office?"
Gene withdrew the phone from her ear to spare the time for a glance. She'd left well over three hours and was running late. Yet, Gene didn't seem quite spooked out about her tardiness or a little prepped to get on her feet and find her way to the office right away. She felt too exhausted and sick to try any of that. She simply wanted to keep lying down. Gene sighed as she stuck the phone to her ear once more.
"I don't think so. I think I'm sick but... but I'm going to see a doctor and get better. Hopefully, I'll be there tomorrow. Please let the others know and I'm sorry for the trouble."
"No, you don't have to be. If you never take a day off because of an illness, I would have concluded you aren't human." Doris commented and added a light chuckle in the end. Gene barely conjured a smile.
"Thank you." Gene appreciated. Soon they said their goodbyes, and the call got disconnected.
She turned on the bed, trying to fall back into sleep. Gene hated feeling this way. She knew she would have to see a doctor soon and get over whatever was wrong with her.
~ ~ ~
They both stared at the drawing on the tracing paper for some time. Eventually, Elliot drifted his eyes to his friend, Victor.
"Well, what do you think?" Elliot asked and watched as his friend shifted his eyes to him. A smile curled upon his face.
"It's great. It's much better than what they asked." Victor commented excitedly and Elliot smiled at his words just as he relieved a sigh of relief.
"In a bit, we'll head out to the site," Victor added, and Elliot nodded to his comment before Victor stepped away.
"I brought this for you." A young lady that worked in their midst announced to Elliot, as she stood by his side, a bottle of water in hand stretched out to him. He shifted his eyes to her; one look at the bottle of water and another at her. He collected it with a smile.
"Thank you, but you didn't have to." He added, and she smiled a little broader.
"No, it's okay. You're doing splendid work and I'm having fun learning from you. Let me know anytime you need something." She addressed in a calm voice. Her smile never faded.
Elliot simply nodded at her gesture of kindness as he opened the bottle. Soon, she was walking away, and he gulped down some of the water. Victor, who'd been staring at the brief scene for a while, now made his way back to his friend.
"A bottle of water." Victor started and Elliot nodded as he took notice of his presence.
"Funmi got it for me," Elliot explained, and Victor nodded.
"I'm thirsty too, but she didn't get her boss any," Victor mentioned, and Elliot momentarily stared at him.
"You want some?" Suddenly, he offered.
Victor let out a light chuckle as they were on their way out of the flat they occupied at the company's headquarters. "Guy, I'm trying to say she's giving you special treatment."
Elliot lightly furrowed his brows. "No, she's not." He defended, but Victor just chuckled some more and placed a hand on his shoulder once they were outside the building.
"I'm telling you, she likes you. Funmi has worked for me for nearly three years now and she doesn't just give out favours. Trust me, she's into you." Victor explained before venturing further towards the park where he'd left the compact car he drove around, not often.
"I think you're wrong. People don't always want something in return." Elliot felt the need to defend some more just as Victor unlocked the car and pulled open the door.
Victor sighed. "Fine, believe what you like, but if you decide to accept her advances, she's cool. She's a nice person." He got into the car.
Elliot couldn't help as a slight frown surfaced between his brows, quick to disappear afterwards. An image of Gene flashed across his mind and he was quick to shut his eyes. He rubbed his face with his hands, an attempt to stop his random thoughts before he hurried off to the car.
~ ~ ~
Genevieve drew in a deep breath, releasing it at once. She sat in the waiting room, legs crossed and arms crossed below her chest. She hated hospitals. The nostalgic smell of drugs. The waiting and the annoying silence. Also, the sick feeling that something had to be wrong with you for you to be here.
She hated it all, but she knew she needed to get better so there she was, in a private hospital, seated close to a corner on the very last seat, even though the people in the waiting room were less than five and there were empty seats ahead of her. She simply didn't want the attention.
"Miss Genevieve Ukaji." One of the station nurses called with Gene's supposed folder in one hand. Gene stood to her feet.
"Yes." She answered, and she didn't need a prophet telling her that was her cue. Soon, she was following the nurse down a short hallway and waited as the young woman placed a few knocks on the door.
"Yes, come in." The doctor replied on the other side of the door and Gene watched as the nurse gently pushed open the door. She walked in and Gene followed her behind.