Chapter 21 Believe it
AIDEN
The idea first popped in my head the day after she gave birth.
I thought of informing Dr. Lane about it immediately, but on a second thought, I kicked against the idea.
I'm just Dr. Aiden Korran, her head of department, and nobody special, and bringing up that idea was literally the weirdest thing I'd do.
Imagine organizing a welcome home get together with a few friends and colleagues.
The idea in itself was perfect, except that I wasn't in the right position to bring it up.
After days of sitting with the idea and a racing heart, I reached out to Dr. Lane, and scheduled a meeting with her.
“Dr. Korran, you're welcome” she said, the month I was seated across from her. “You said it wasn't really urgent, just an idea you'd love to share.”
I nodded slowly. “Yes ma'am.”
“What is it?” She asked.
I hesitated for a minute, thinking of the perfect way to frame it without giving her the wrong idea.
“It's about Dr. Whitmore” I started, deciding not to go through the first name format.
She straightened, and for a month I saw care flash through her eyes, although she had her glasses on. “What about her?”
Here goes nothing.
“She's just had her first baby, and from the look of things, she's been through a lot in the last few months.” I started, being as subtle as possible, “what if we organize a welcone back home get togetger for her?”
Relief flashed across her eyes once.
“You should have told me you had a beautiful suggestion,” she laughed. “You know, for a moment I panicked.”
I didn't know if to laugh or smile, because I knew for a fact that she wasn't done talking, she was still going to say something.
“I'm sorry about that, Dr.”
She was silent for about a minute,I was too. But I knew that uncomfortable questions rested behind the silence.
Although I wasn't sure how soon the questions were going to come, I knew they certainly would.
“Aiden.” She cleared her throat, adjusting her glasses. “Liana has been through so much, and she's still so fragile.”
I don't know why my fingers trembled slightly.
“I know this is you being thoughtful, but please, can you at least not rush her?”
My eyebrows twitched.
I knew exactly what she was talking about, that's the reason why I was counting my words. How did I still end up passing the same message?
“Dr. Lane…”
“You're not going to admit it now, I'm just letting you know, before the actual need arises.” She interrupted what I was going to say, then smiled. “Thank you for being very thoughtful,”
I flashed her a small smile, her words still lingering somewhere in my head.
“Let's make the get together work then, her doctor said she's getting discharged two days from now.” She continued. “That's enough time to put things in place right?”
“Of course, I'd just send a memo to the other staff.”
And that was how the conversation ended, with me not knowing how Liana was going to take it, but holding on to the certainty that it was going to warm her heart.
Earlier in the day, Dr. Lane called to remind me that she was getting discharged today, and the first thought that crossed my mind was to get her flowers.
Why flowers though?
I couldn't exactly tell.
Was it because they represented a new life, or hope sort of?
I did get the flowers, a bouquet alongside other stuff, I also suggested we all dropped out gifts, that way she doesn't know who brought what.
But…
Why was I skeptical about her finding out what I sent to her?
“You've got this.” I mumbled to myself, staring at the full length mirror in my bedroom before walking out of the house.
I wasn't the first to get to the mansion, other staff members were there, and the mansion was decorated.
A few minutes later, the door creaked open, and Liana walked in, the month she did, her eyes widened.
“W..w..” she stuttered, trying to find the right words.
“Welcome home, Miss Whitmore!” We chorused, and her eyes kept widening, that was followed by tears.
She burst out crying.
“I…I… I swear, I didn't see this coming” she sniffed. “Thank you”
Her tears did something in my chest I wasn't willing to come to terms with. And the fact that she was happy, was enough for me.
She raised her head up, and her eyes caught mine, she walked to me first, assisted by her friend, the one that talks a lot. “Dr. Korran, you came too,”
From the tone of her voice, I could tell that she was surprised.
“Of course, I wouldn't miss it for anything.” I smiled, patting her hair softly.
Dr. Lane walked towards us that moment, and flashed me a smile.
Okay… what's she about to do?
“Dr. Korran brought up the idea.” She grinned sheepishly, and went upstairs with the baby, before I could say anything else.
Did she just set me up?
“Wow… Dr. Korran, that's so thoughtful of you.”
What, Dr. Korran?
I thought we were now on first name basis?
“Oh.. it's nothing, Miss Whitmore. Birthing a baby is no small fit.” I replied in the same tone.
She nodded at me, and said. “thank you,” before moving to say hi to other guests.
Watching her move about, rather slowly, it dawned on me, that I might have made a mistake. She's still not strong enough yet, and having her greet guests didn't seem too ideal.
‘you were just being thoughtful, it's nothing much.’ My subconscious mind whispered, and I sighed, letting it go and trusting my heart to stop accelerating at the sight of her.
Was Dr. Lane right about those words she said earlier?
But I was just being thoughtful.
‘keep saying it, until you believe it.’ My subconscious mind whispered, and I ruffled my hair.
Knowing more than anything else, that the direction my heart was leading me towards, wasn't exactly ideal and going down that route might just be yet another mistake…