章 27: She loves him? She loves him not! - 1

Her questions had been bothering him.

Morpheous went to the restroom and checked his eyes. Perfectly amber. He pulled up his eyelids, and pulled down his under-eye skin, but there was nothing blue in them.

'What the hell did she see?'

Resting his hands over the sink, he took a deep breath, replaying everything that had happened in the last fifteen minutes. He tried hard not to think about her, but his will lost the battle against his mind. He couldn't help but remember her face, slurred voice, insecurity, and questions that drifted inside his ears.

He closed his eyes, unable to understand what was so different in her that affected him so much. Why her single tear made him want to rip the universe apart? But seconds later, when he opened his eyes and watched his sin counter etched on the wall, he sighed.

'She will be the death of me!'

He knew he wouldn't be able to sit still until her surgery was done. Wanting to engage himself in work, he went back to the chamber even though his feet itched to go to the OT to check up on her. He did all the mundane tasks, but still, it wasn't enough to occupy his mind. An hour later, when he couldn't bear it anymore, he walked towards OT7.

"Are you looking for something?"

He turned left and saw Elora removing her scrubs.

"Were you assisting in Dr. Caroline's operation?"

"Yeah, I was," she replied as she removed her shoe covers.

"How is she?"

"It was just a mild hairline fracture. I don't understand why everyone was so worked up. They even got high-grade splints and platinum fixes. But nothing was needed."

"Is that so?"

"Yeah! Dr. Van got us all worried for nothing," and rolling her eyes, she put all the used coveralls into the bin.

"So, where is she right now?"

"We have shifted her to the general ward, but I am pretty sure Dr. Van will request a change in that too." She spoke sarcastically. "He was talking something about the private ward. Fancy, huh!"

"And what is wrong with that?" Morpheous instantly retorted. "She is an asset to the hospital. She deserves to be treated well. Don't you think so?" Morpheus questioned her. Every hair on his body disliked the way she spoke about Caroline.

"Huh! You don't get it, do you?" She asked, rolling her eyes again. "Jesus, this is so desperate. We call it unrequited love. Or, in simple terms, a one-sided love affair."

"A what?"

"Can't you see? Dr. Van has a thing for Caroline. I mean, everyone knows that. Well, everyone except for Dr. Caroline. Or maybe she does but pretends not to know. Who knows."

Each and every word that Elora had just uttered pierced Morpheous like shards.

"Do you think he will do so much for any of us?" And her question suddenly got Morpheous thinking. How he was so anxious when she was drunk, how fondly they talked with each other, and how he had rushed to take care of Caroline. But most importantly, how he called her Carol ...

"Does she like him too?" He darted the question, his desperation obvious in his voice.

"Well, she respects him a lot. That's for sure. But even though she never responds fondly, I think she has a thing for him too. I mean, it's impossible for her not to know about his feelings when outsiders like us know. Right? And yet she entertains him. That's some food for thought, right?"

Fixing her hair, Elora continued, "Maybe as hospital romances are frowned upon, they probably don't want to take things ahead."

He had no idea why the notion of her having probable feelings for Dr. Van was bothering him so much. He went against every natural instinct and started to believe every word that Elora had said because it made sense. But why?

He couldn't forget how her eyes had glistened, and her voice had become childlike when she showed her vulnerable side to him. He was so moved that he said words he was not supposed to. Was all that just a figment of his imagination? He knew humans played with hearts, but he never thought of her as one. Not until now.

"Hey!" Elora snapped her finger in front of him. "What are you thinking?"

"Erm… I think I better take a look at her since I am her assistant."

"Yeah, I guess an attendance will help you be on her good side."

His face had turned from concerned to sad. Faking a smile, he walked towards the wards. He was about to walk in when he heard her talking with Dr. Van.

And he instantly regretted his decision.

He heard her giggle in front of him and talk with a comfort level that she never had with him. Jealousy seared through him and rightfully his punishment for looking at her when he shouldn't have. For even thinking that he could have something with her. A mortal!

But what tore him apart was the words that he heard next.

"I am so lucky to have you around when I am drunk. I would hate the idea of anyone else taking care of me when I am that drunk."

'So was that all a lie?'

'Were those words she whispered into her ears meant for Dr. Van?'

In seconds, she made him feel alienated. He stood there in silence, balling his fists, for he didn't dare to go inside. He just had one purpose here, to heal people to be able to go to heaven. Yet ever since he met this woman, things had never worked the way he wanted.

She seemed well, and that was all that he wanted to see. But before he could turn back and leave, Dr. Van came out. He narrowed his eyes and looked at him in silence for a second.

"Go on in!"

"Erm... I didn't want to interrupt."

Dr. Van gave out a chuckle. "You had no issues interrupting in the imaging room." He gently tapped on his shoulder and left.

Swallowing the bile rising in his throat, he walked in, only to be welcomed by the barrage of her questions, thanks to Dr. Van.

"Why didn't you tell me that you took me home that night? Why didn't you tell me that you put me to sleep?"

"Would that have made any difference?" he almost barked but instantly regretted. 'Why does she always bring out the worst in me?'

But he could see her expressions change. He couldn't understand the mix of vibes that she was giving, heartwarming and heartbroken at the same time. Jerking his head off, he decided that it was paramount for him to go and heal others rather than reading her expressions. Anyways she didn't need him. She had Dr. Van to take care of her.

So not wanting to dwell any further on that conversation he left the room without even bothering to answer the questions that had set her heart ablaze.