Ed pursed his lips “Ben isn’t as bad as you think.”Lara hooked her eyebrows as if to ask, ‘What does it have to do with me?’“He is very sincere to her. I have never seen his like this. You should have seen him those two weeks he promised you…. Zombies are better company!” Ed decided to brainwash Lara.“I know he is sincere. I have seen it. But…” Lara paused, shook her head and shrugged “It will depend on how he can convince her.”“True.” Ed couldn’t agree more.“I will not interfere. I respect whatever choice she makes; however unreasonable it is.” Lara made her stand.“Yes, as friends that’s all we can do.” Ed slouched back.“Actually, you’re not too bad.” Lara smiled.“You’re alright too…” Ed smiled “I had fun today. I rarely do this sort of thing. You’re not daft and might have already figured it out, but if it was not for Ben dragging me here; I wouldn’t come.”Lara shrugged as she swung in the hammock.An hour passed with the two contemplating amiably about Ben and Dana’s fate.
Sarah decided to show their pictures to dispel the awkward atmosphere. Lara and Dana gathered around Sarah. Ed passed the ones in his hand to Ben and Frank.“AAAwwwhhhh” Dana and Lara sighed in unison.“You two are so lovey-dovey” Lara giggled.“We haven’t done something like today since the kids came around.” Sarah smiled blissfully.“Kids??” Lara shrieked.Sarah put 3 fingers up proudly “One in university, one finishing high school and the other one was with you guys the other day.”Lara repeated 3 kids and looked at the pictures again…. she hugged Dana and mumbled “Why are some people so lucky?”Dana and Sarah giggled.Sarah spotted the ring on Dana’s promise finger. She held her hand with wide open eyes and stared at Dana “When???? Treat???”Dana pulled her hand in embarrassment and mumbled “I can’t even take it off.”“I can’t either.” Sarah smiled meaningfully as she raised her hand and showed her wedding ring.“I will tell you the story of this unremovable ring some other day” S
“Are you sure you don’t want your share of the prize?” Dana checked with Ben again.Ben shook his head.“Then come with me. Let’s give it to Dr Ericson. Coincidently he is also here.”Ben nodded and followed. He was happy even to go to Hades with her, let alone Dr Ericson.“Wait.” Lara stopped Dana seeing that she was about to go.“Major General” Lara called out to Ed.Ed looked uncomfortable; He preferred it when she didn’t know him and rebuked him as the drug lord. At least she called him by his name!“Can you give me your account number?”“What?” Ed knew this woman’s brain wasn’t connected properly but why did she…“I want to go with Dana to handover the prize money. I will transfer your share to you.” Lara explained politely before Ed’s thoughts could fly.“No need. I don’t need it.”“Then…. Shall I give your share as well?” Lara asked hesitantly.Ed nodded “Also, please call me Ed. Any friend of Dana’s is also a friend of mine.”“Alright.” Lara agreed straightforwardly. She wasn’
A week later on Thursday, Dana had just finished her shower and was lying lazily on the sofa watching her favorite movie when her phone rang.“Dring…Dring….Dring…”She felt really tired today, she was going to ignore it. Her day had started at 6 in the morning today as there was an important meeting with clients who were overseas; She finished her session with Kim and got back only around 7pm. She was exhausted. She didn’t even have the strength to make diner. Luckily Lara forced her to buy take-away. Now all she wanted was peace and quiet. But the phone seemed relentless.“Dring…Dring….Dring…”Dana looked at the unknown number and frowned. While she was thinking whether she should pick up the call, it ended. Just as she was about to put it down the phone rang again.“Hello”“Ms. Williams.” An unfamiliar deep male voice came from the other end.“Yes.”“Ms. Williams, I am officer Quinn from the Dorsen police department.”“Yes.”“My chief Mr. Jenkins wants to have a chat with you. Woul
Ben explained that these Tyson’s people following her since the last 4 weeks. He had ordered his men to take action if anyone came near her.Dana shivered when she thought that she had been followed for the last 4 weeks. At the same time, she was grateful to Ben protecting her even without her knowledge.Ed noticed Lara shaking in fear and patted her shoulders comfortingly.“But those 3 men, only spoke at the most 1-2 sentences.?” Dana looked helplessly at Ben. ‘Were those three sentences worth a life?’“They weren’t killed for the sentences.” Shadow stepped in. “The guy on Monday followed you all the way to your house. He waited outside till all the lights were turned off. We thought he was just tailing at first and didn’t pay much attention. He was silenced only when he tried to break into your house.”“Enough” Ben growled. He could feel Dana trembling. He pulled her into his embrace.Shadow lowered his head. He knew Ben was angry.Dana tugged shirt with a pleading look “I want to k
“Baby… baby look at me.” Ben called gently as he held her face. He lowered his head to kiss her when he didn’t get a response. He kissed her gently, then deeply and passionately. It was more like he was pulling her soul back to him. Dana came around in a daze.Ben pulled back when she responded. He knew she was back.“Ben, I..” tears ran down her cheeks.“Don’t cry. He is not worth it.” Ben wiped her tears gently “He deserved to die.”“That is a soldier’s perspective.” Dana shook her head “But he was not killed as a traitor, he …” Dana broke into sobs.“No. It is not a soldier’s perspective. It is a father’s perspective.” Ben stared into Dana’s eyes and spoke with conviction.“Dana, I know you don’t believe me. But from the moment I have decided on you, everything about you is mine… including your pain.”Dana looked at him in confusion.“There is something I’d rather you never know. But I can’t see you like this.”“What is it?” Dana had a bad feeling.“Do you remember when we saw Davi
Dana was still scribbling when Steve finished his story. Lara had tears streaming down her cheeks, she was a sentimental idiot.“I seem to have offended Lara.” Steve laughed in self rebuke and offered tissues to Lara.Dana rolled her eyes at Lara and comforted Steve “Just ignore her, this is her first time.”Lara laughed awkwardly and took the tissues trying to make her existence merge with the wallpaper.“I need to ask a few more things about the past although it is a painful memory.”“I have long got over it. Ask away, its just a distant memory now.”“Has Kim received any psychology treatment before?”“Yes.”“I mean before she came to you.”Steve frowned in confusion and shook his head. He still picked up his phone and dialed an old friend.“Redford, its Steve.”“Can you pull up the database and check if Kim has had consultation with any specialist in the past in Titan?”“Give me 10 mins.”“I will hold.” Steve kept the phone and shook his head.“This might seem odd, but your rival,
Steve and Kim were waiting for Dana when she arrived at the Steve’s consulting rooms.“I will leave you two to it then?” Steve smiled as he got up.“Have you eaten?” Dana asked Kim as Steve left the room.Kim was still looking around unconvinced “How can you be hungry after having breakfast at 10:30?” She looked at Dana with a bored expression as though she expected her to reprimand her, however Dana never played according to rules.“Aha…. The joys of being a child!” Dana sighed twisting her lips with a hint of jealously.“You mean you are not going to lecture me?” Kim asked in surprise.“Nope….but I really do want to …” Dana nodded with a serious expression and then added with a deflated tone “However, I am not qualified. But don’t worry, if you are sad about it, I can definitely let Lara have a chat with you any day.”“Ha…. Ha… ha… Is this that friend of yours who came the other day?” Kim asked animatedly “Do you often get lectured?”Dana nodded pitifully and pointed to her ears “I