“Our young master does not really like going out of his house”

Mr. Ken said standing at the front door of the house I was about to leave.

“Mr. Ken, just bring him to the clinic anyhow. I’ll manage the rest. Good night, sir”

With a smile, I could actually leave this time.

*

I had some groceries to be bought before I went back.

Also, I had some really interesting research to be done at home so I decided just to buy some essentials like coffee and meat.

I was paying the bill when my phone started ringing.

I saw it was mom so I did not pick it up before I was done with all the billing procedures.

“Hello Mom”

I called while making my way out of the crowded store.

“Hello, Eri. I was just sitting on the terrace and having some tea so thought of calling you”

She says. I could hear the breeze.

“Is it not cold there? There was a snowfall yesterday so here streets are pretty cold. Where is Dad? Why are you having tea alone?”

I shot her a number of questions to buy me some time to pay attention on the road while I crossed the road.

Ever since the accident, I have been super skeptical about driving so I mostly avoid it.

“Your dad is out, meeting his friends. Don’t worry I am not lonely. I was free so thought of calling you. That’s all plus Anne is coming house tonight”

She says and I can already imagine a smile on her face.

“Yea she texted me a few days ago that she is coming back with Andy. Why is Dave not coming this time?”

Andy is Anne’s sweet little kid and I adore him so much. This makes me want to go back soon.

“Exactly why you are not coming, Eri! He must be busy with his job”

She almost shouts sensitively at the receiver.

I understand her emotions but I can’t help it, I am stuck here.

“No worries mom. Atleast one of your kids is coming back home for Christmas!”

I say trying to cheer her up.

“Excuse me…”

I whisper as I walk past a few men infront of the apartment lane.

“Oh Eri. I think your dad just came back. I’ll go check on him. Good night baby”

She kisses on the phone.

“Love you too, mom”

With that, I hang up the call.

I hold my bag with the freshly free hand and open the door lock with the other.

Walking inside, I switch on the lights and start my coffee machine.

After freshening up, I take my coffee and the cake I made yesterday.

I sit on the sofa and suddenly the silence in the room brings me back to when I did not spend a single day here alone.

I was about to switch on the TV but my phone rang preventing me from doing what I previously intended to.

“Good Evening Mr. Thomas! I was going to call you about some queries later. It is great that you called”

I almost jumped.

“Good Evening, Erica. Before you ask me something I have something to discuss about”

His voice did not sound very serious so I did not let my anxiety kick in.

“Yes sir?”

I ask.

“It’s about Vivian Carter”

He began.

I thought so.

“Would it not be possible if you could do all the procedures in their house itself? You know it might be difficult for them to bring him to the clinic”

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He explained.

“Sir, I would have done that if I had not met Vivia personally today”

I said.

“You did?”

He seemed surprised.

“Yes sir and that is exactly why I was going to call you today. Vivian does not look like a severe TBI patient. In fact his true self seemed to be peeping out very often.”

I explained my part.

“That sounds impossible. How would you know in one sitting, Erica?”

He asks.

“He was not stuttering, He did not for once search for words to construct sentences, he was very fluent in fact which pretty much explains that he has no face paralysis as well. His aggression although is getting in the way of studying other details but I am sure I’ll note down everything soon after I meet him again”

I breathe to take in some oxygen after speaking continuously.

“That is a great observation, Erica. According to your description, it looks like his condition has indeed improved a lot since I last diagnosed him last year”

He says.

I wait for him to speak again but he doesn't.

“Okay sir, It’s tomorrow then. Good night”

He hangs up before I manage to on the screen of my phone, being as clumsy as I have always been.

I get up to bring some of my books and open up my laptop to do some research.

This is going to be a long night it seems.

*

I reached the clinic pretty early today.

I needed some more sleep to function at my best today but this is not bad as well.

“Good morning, Mark”

I greeted him as soon as I entered the building.

“Good morning. I heard about your off-chamber case. It sounds... great!”

I smiled and shot him a thanks.

Mr. Thomas was not there yet so I made my way to the canteen to have some food before Carter showed up. I have been eagerly waiting for him since yesterday.

It was not until early afternoon that the awaited turned in.

I looked at the door as soon as I heard the knock.

“Who’s this?”

I ask involuntarily out of practice even when I know who possibly can it be.

“Miss Martin, It’s me”

As expected, Mr. Kim stepped inside the room.

My eyes hovered behind him but there was no one and my heart sank thinking Vivian made a fuss to not come here after all.

“Where is Vivian?”

I ask stepping forward.

“Well, he’s on his way”

He says crossing his palms together.

“You did not come with him?”

I ask, almost shocked.

“Of course not. The young master is coming in his own car. I am just his manager”

He says.

“With whom is he coming then?”

I ask.

“The driver is there and we gave him a sleeping pill in the morning”

He says solemnly almost like he has to do all this even when he does not want to.

“I see…”

I went back to my table covered with piles of papers.

So he is coming here without anyone informing him beforehand. I wonder how will this affect our meeting here.

I was just thinking and then suddenly the door opened abruptly.

He was standing there with two servants holding him tightly to keep him in place.

I can see the anger in his furious eyes.

“Mr. Ken, you all can go out now”

I tell Mr. Ken looking at the two men.

“You are not going to possibly tie up him!”

Mr. Ken said with concern for the poor master of his.

I let out a tiny laugh.

“Of course not. He is not a prisoner. He will behave, right?”

I say looking at his angered master whose eyes were as if going to burn me alive if they could.

“He will”

I emphasize.

“Leave him”

I instruct the men and they do.

Mr. Ken smiled at Vivian once. I saw his hand lifting up to rub Vivian’s back but then he decided not to do that and left wordlessly.

The door closed behind Vivian’s back and he looked back at the door.

I step forward with audible footsteps to not surprise him.

His head turns toward my shoes.

His awareness is without doubt flawless.

“We will just talk, Vivian. There is no need to worry otherwise”

I say in a gentle voice.

This is my first time talking to a patient who is not a kid, not someone super old but a grown-up man with a strong physique whose anger issues do make me think back if I should be standing here alone with a lack of self-defense.

“Why am I hear?”

He says in a low voice breathing heavily.

“Why don’t you first sit down, Vivan?”

I say stepping ahead to bring a chair but his hand coils around my throat and it pushes me back until my back touches the wall.

I gasp for breath.

“Don’t you dare address me with that”

He does not shout but simply informs in a low yet stern tone.

“I-I won’t…”

I cough.

“It’s hurting!”

I try to push his hand away with my hands.

“Die”

He says in his breath.

His free hand grabs my right hand and pins it to the wall. His trained body makes mine look so fragile and timid.

Then suddenly, I feel his grip on my throat loses.

My eyes hover over to his face which is now looking at the wristlet I always wear. He is closely looking at that and his eyebrows tense up.

His hand leaves my throat but he holds on to my right hand with a gentler grip this time.

I press the emergency button and the sound catches his attention. The two men come inside the room but I raise my hand to make them stop.

“Won’t you tie me up?”

He hissed defensively with glaring eyes, turning his mood upside down.

I try to speak but end up coughing a number of times before I can actually speak.

“No. Instead, I will trust you. I will keep my faith that you won’t do anything here that will make me think you are some maniac and tie you up in a locker, Carter”

I say walking to my table.

It’s not like I have never experienced anything like this before but it has actually frightened me this time. I won’t, although, show him that I doubt him. He needs to think I am the rope, climbing whom he will get back to his life like it once was.

I turn around to find his eyes looking directly at mine but he seems so deep in his thought that I am not sure he is looking at me anymore or not.

Within a few seconds, he backs away in a more delicate manner than what I have seen him so far.

“Now then, Carter… Do you mind telling me what exactly happened on the day of the game?”

I finally asked the question that had been bothering me since yesterday.

TO BE CONTINUED