Lana's POV
It never made sense to anyone why I wished that they took me with them, I would have preferred that to this feeling of loneliness and sadness. All alone and just by myself is something I can never get used to.
I should gather myself together for fuck sakes! I'm at work and here I am about to break down over something I should have been able to get over with by now. It was then that I realized that the phone in my hand was still ringing, so all this time I hadn't picked up.
Maybe after this shift, I'd ask Mr Gonzalo for a week off. I could feel my body getting weaker and weaker as the days rolled by. I picked up the phone and I heard the familiar voice of the hospital ward who has been so helpful to me but sometimes I can't help but think the reason she is, is because of the small tips I usually leave with her.
"Good evening Lana, how have you been?" I breathed in before replying, "I'm fine ma'am, did something happen to my mom?"
"Nothing yet unfortunately, I called for a different reason…." "I'm listening" I say with my hands on my temples. "Your mom is being moved to another unit, I fear she's not responding to the treatments and methods and the hospital management decided that it would be better if we moved her to an advanced facility."
"So she's not going to be at your hospital anymore?"
"She will but we'll be moving her to another unit, I thought to inform you because I know you usually have a lot on your plate and finding time to come to hospital everyday must be a lot for you, I'd suggest that you take your time, there's no cause for panic or worrying because we'll be taking care of her so if you visit the hospital again, all you need to do is inquire about unit 5 at the receptionist and they'll show you to the place."
"Thank you so much ma'am, I sincerely appreciate your support and helping me out in your little own way, I'll be sure to do all that you've said and I pray that everything works out in the end."
The line went dead and a tear fell from my eyes and it was then that I realized that I had been tearing up the entire time. I looked around and luckily there was no one watching but that's when I knew that I desperately needed a break and if I kept this up, I'd have to be prepared to pay more hospital bills because I'd definitely be ending up there one way or another.
I carried on serving the customers and I paused to check the time; it was already 10pm. I usually leave or clock out around 10:30 but in this case, since it's Friday, I'd have to leave by 11pm. On most occasions, Mr Gonzalo tells me to sleep over, initially I was pretty scared because it was rare for such things to happen in the bartending world but I'd always reminded myself that Mr Gonzalo was different. The first time I slept over at the Three Pigeons, I was shocked at the room he set up for his workers. It was a very standard room and was way bigger than my own room.
When I got into the shower that night back then, It was the second time I almost died from nostalgia because even though life was so cruel to me and took my favorite people, I knew that having a place like that wasn't a far fetched dream because I used to live that dream until my parents were brutally taken away from me.
Then the bed was another feeling all together.
"It's okay regardless of the situation", I say to myself in a bid for me to cope. I'm going to find my way out of this soon, as long as I'm determined to surpass all the obstacles in my life, I'm definitely going to. Just then I felt like I was being watched but not in a way that would make me panic, in a way that I was supposed to know that someone was watching me. I was way too exhausted for the night to think about any other thing but just when I was about to head back, I heard my name.
"Lana" I turned to the voice and there he was; but this time he wasn't leaning on the door and so I could see his full height and oh the sight before me was intimately enchanting. He stood there staring at me like there was nobody else in the room and I knew that my mind wasn't playing games on me this time. It was him who called my name and just before I could react, he closed the gap between us and now I stood face to face with him.
"You know you've got a pretty name for a lady who likes to eavesdrop on people's intimate moments."
I froze to a spot. His eyes burned into mine and my body refused to move and that's when the realization hit; he knows the truth about that night.
I was so scared at that moment, I wanted to run away but my legs wouldn't budge and he stood so close to me I could almost taste the fragrance of his breath.
"My apologies for bumping into you back there," I said hoping that he doesn't bring up the restroom incident.
"You know very well what I am talking about Lana, and just to clear whatever thoughts you have in your head, I'm not here to try and ruin things here at your job I'm just trying to get to know you."
That didn't sound like a lie but at the same time it sounded unbelievable because why did he suddenly want to know who I was? What was his plan exactly?
I step back in hopes of trying to maintain a good distance but he covers the space again.
"There's no running away this time Lana but I need you to try and keep your defenses low. I'm not here to harm you nor do I have ill intentions towards you, at least not yet". What did he mean by "At least not yet"
"What do you mean by your last sentence?" His eyes suddenly softened in a way that looked dreamily dangerous but instead of being afraid, it made my blood boil in a way that sent shivers down my spine.
"Lana", he called out my name in such a familiar way that you'd think we had known each other for so long but I knew I had to snap out of it soon, whatever this was I had to get back to work and make it back home so I can get up much earlier for tomorrow's shift at my other job.
"I'm sorry sir, but I need to get back to work now, I've got a lot on my mind and I wouldn't want to let that get in the way of my job but if there's something you'd like to have, I can simply just get it for you." But he didn't budge, he stood there still, his piercing gaze and aura, unfazed by my dismissive attitude.