Chapter 105 Like a brother to me
Heaven had a hectic day. Her shoulders ached, and so did her back. She had taken close to a hundred interviews and was sending emails to the doctors and nurses she selected. Since her specialty was neurology, she needed a doctor with a specialty in gynecology and another who specialized in general medicine. She chose three doctors, two of whom were highly experienced so they could take shifts, especially since she might not always be around.
She also selected ten nurses so they could rotate shifts evenly too since the hospital will work for 24 hours a day.
It was 4 p.m. when she was finally done. She clutched the file tightly. Fabian hadn’t come; it was unlike him, maybe he was still angry with her. What she had told Maverick she needed to do was talk things out with Fabian. She didn’t want to discuss it over the phone.
She slipped the file into her tote bag and headed out.
“Vera, Fabian is not at home right now,” Rayan told her, not meeting her eyes.
Her face fell. Her shoulders slacked. She knew he was lying, but she didn’t want to push further. She stared at Fabian’s door. He held a special place in her heart, and she hated that they hadn’t talked in weeks.
“Tell him I was able to employ the staff for the hospital, and these are the people I chose,” she said, handing Rayan the files.
Rayan watched her walk away then stop abruptly. She turned and walked back toward Fabian’s door. Rayan wanted to stop her, but he let it be.
“Fabian, I know you’re in there and you can hear me. I was wrong. I’m really sorry for the hurtful words I said…” She paused.
Fabian stood on the other side of the door, his palm resting against it as if it were the only thing keeping him upright.
“I can’t do a whole lot here without you. I miss you so much.”
She took a shaky breath. His chest tightened. He had missed her too.
“I do feel shameless sometimes, but that isn’t all. I feel love, care, gratitude… and a lot more.”
Those were the words he lived for, the ones he had always wanted to hear from her. From the sound of her voice, he knew she was close to tears. In that moment, he forgot seeing her kiss that man.
He had built his entire existence around being the man she could lean on. He was about to open the door but her next words shattered him.
“You are like a big brother to me. Can you not be angry anymore?”
The words didn’t land gently. They detonated.
Rayan almost coughed out blood at the mention of brother. Was Fabian being brother-zoned?
Fabian’s fingers froze midair.
Something inside him cracked so sharply he almost gasped. His chest felt hollow, like everything he had poured into her had finally drained out, leaving behind nothing but echoing space.
Seven years and in her heart, he had never been anything more than that.
Fabian stepped back from the door. Slowly. Carefully.
He pulled out his phone and sent a text.
Rayan’s phone pinged.
‘Send her away.’
Rayan wondered why Fabian was putting him in such an uncomfortable position. Luckily, Heaven turned and left.
Rayan entered and saw Fabian standing by the window, watching her walk away.
“Don’t say it, Rayan,” Fabian warned.
“You think I would say it’s your fault for being late to confess your feelings?” Rayan sighed. “I would say you’re a fool for letting her go again instead of telling her you want to be seen as more than a brother, instead of sulking because you saw her kissing a man.”
“Stop!” Fabian raged.
“At least the man she kissed isn’t as laid-back as you,” Rayan tried to provoke him.
“Rayan! You would not understand because it’s not you” Fabian snapped and gripped Rayan’s shirt.
“It’s not me, but one thing I wouldn’t do is push the woman I love away,” Rayan said, removing Fabian’s hand from his shirt before walking away.
Heaven thought maybe Fabian wasn’t at home, just as Rayan had said. He would reach out to her later. She got home around 7 p.m. She entered the house; the nanny was with Liam.
“Mama is back!” Liam ran to her.
Heaven bent and picked him up. “My munchkin is getting bigger than me. I can’t pick you up like this anymore.”
“Welcome home,” the nanny said.
“Thank you. I hope Liam didn’t stress you?”
“No, he didn’t. I’ve never seen such a well-behaved seven-year-old.”
Heaven laughed. Even when Liam was little, he barely cried. Sometimes she pinched him just to make sure he wasn’t numb and alive.
The doorbell rang.
Heaven’s brows creased.
“Mama, are you expecting anyone?” Liam asked curiously.
She shook her head.
As she moved to the door, a big box greeted her, big enough to block the face of the person carrying it.
“Delivery for Miss Vera Johnson.”
“I’m not expecting any package,” Heaven said, but the delivery man was certain this was the address given to him.
He handed it to her, took a picture of the house address, and left. She stood there, confused.
“That's Jack's delivery,” the nanny pointed out. “They’re a very expensive delivery company because of how thorough they are. I don’t think he would deliver to the wrong address.”
She nodded toward the box. “So it’s for you. You should take it inside.”
Heaven took the box inside and closed the door.
“Mama, what if it’s a bomb inside?” Liam didn’t like the idea of bringing in something she wasn’t sure of.
“You watch too many movies, Liam,” the nanny rolled her eyes. “How would we know if we don’t open it?”
“You help my mama open it,” Liam told her, clutching his mama’s hand.
“Okay, the suspense is killing me,” the nanny said as she moved to open the box. “Good thing it has a note. Should I read it, or..”
“Read it. My mama is not moving an inch near that,” Liam said, his small frame standing protectively in front of Heaven.
The nanny opened it. Her brows knotted.