Burning Passion

CHAPTER 14: SHARE HER HAPPY DAYS

Nikki, reading a book when her phone vibrated. She glances at it and wonders who will send her a text message at this hour. Putting down the book, she picks up the gadget to look at the text message.

The recent text message she receives is from an unknown number. Her forehead wrinkled while pondering who it might be, which the mobile number is not familiar with, causes her chest to pound frantically. 

Who could it be this time?

The text message may be just plain, "Hi" still, it was suspicious enough.

Nikki places down her phone and returns to reading. After 15 minutes, another text message arrives. She ignores her phone but retired to sleep on the long couch instead: her bed these passing two months, although she tried not to sleep fully to watch her mother. But tonight, strangely, she was carried to a beautiful dreamland.

Nikki opens her eyes. She realizes it is already morning. She quickly sat up from the couch and looked around. Stood on her foot, she strides closer to the bed and observes her mother. She felt relieved that Lucy was sleeping soundlessly.

She glances at her wristwatch. The time is 5:00 in the morning. She heads outside and walks toward the Nurse Station.

"Hi, Caitlin!" She greeted the nurse from the night shift.

"Good morning, Nikki," she greeted back. The pretty nurse shows a gentle smile on her lips.

"Looks like I slept more hours last night," she mumbles while leaning on the Nurse Station counter. She was still sleepy; she placed her arm on the counter and rested her chin on top.

"Yeah. So, I didn't wake you up, or Aunt Lucy."

"Ugh..." she groans while stretching her arms. "Thanks for watching Mama."

Caitlin visited Lucy every two hours interval to check her vital signs and temperature. "Don't mention it. I'm happy she hasn't any attacks lately."

"Yep. Want coffee? I'll buy you guys."

The other two nurses in the night shift cheered but quickly covered their mouths as still very early in the morning. Nikki went down to the 3rd floor of this building to buy a coffee at an exclusive Coffee Shop. She ordered four black coffee and some muffins, and cinnamon bread.

"How about my coffee?" a deep tone voice whispered behind her ears.

She was occupied paying for the coffee when someone spoke behind her. Cold sweat crawls on her nape, down to her spine; Nikki makes an abrupt turn.

"Theo!" she burst out shockingly.

"Good morning, Nik. Oh, I'm sorry to startle you." he apologizes, but a cute smile plastering on his face.

Nikki studied Theo and noticed that he was freshly showered and wearing casual jeans and a blue t-shirt. Compared to her, she just woke up recently. Gladly, she gargles some mouthwash before she walks out of the room.

"You do startle me often," she accuses him.

Theo let out a sexy laugh that revealed his dimples. She then notices that he has cute dimples on both of his cheeks. She's praying she doesn't look obvious, like blushing when seeing her crush.

"Miss Nikki? Here's the coffee you ordered."

"Oh, thank you, and let me add one more coffee! I owed—" she told the cashier and then turned around at Theo. "Brewed coffee?"

"Sure."

The cashier made another cup of coffee and prepared it as a to-go.

"Let me help you."

Theo takes the coffee cups from her hand, helping her to carry them. She thanked him.

Walking toward the elevator, he even opens it for her, and even the one presses the buttons.

"Thank you," she said overwhelmingly when the elevator almost reached the 7th floor.

She steps outside, and Theo carefully hands her the coffee while he uses his body to block the elevator door from closing. Such an effort, so she thanked him once again before the door closed.

Nikki places the cups and the box on the counter. She then notices that the nurses are giving her a teasing smile. "What?"

"And what were we witnessing now?" they tease her.

"About what?" confusion showed all over her face.

"That sweet scene in the elevator!" Jay and Nancy burst out, which Caitlin just shook her head and tried to settle down the two nurses.

"Huh? Oh, Theo just helped me to carry the coffee."

"And calling the first name!" said at once of the other two nurses who teased her.

Nikki just shook her head but holding not to show that obvious smile playing on her face.

"Do you even know who that is?" asked Jay.

"Hmm?" she reacted innocently. But she truly has no idea who Theo Shang is.

"He is a grandson of the Chairman of Shang Holdings Inc..."

* * *

Seated on the couch, Nikki recalled her conversation with the nurses outside. She slowly sips her hot coffee while contemplating something. So, Theo's family is part owner of this hospital? Her thoughts.

It was a little shocking to her to learn something like big gossip. She heaves a long sad sighed.

Nikki did not notice that Lucy, her mother peering at her with fondness. She believes there is something new to her daughter's expression, and it seems related to love.

"Mama, you're already awake!"

"Yes, I am already awake." She smiled teasingly to her daughter, who was startled after realizing she caught her doing a minor crime, and that was daydreaming.

"You want breakfast now, Ma?" Nikki asked her mother.

"Hot milk is fine. But tell me, you were thinking about your boyfriend, is it?"

Nikki paused from taking another step and turned around to face her mother. She pouted. "Eh? Why would I think of him? When I don't have one, Mama?"

Lucy laughed when her daughter tried to say it hilariously. "All right, if you say so."

Honestly, her heart is beating crazily. She wondered if Chris ever mentioned to her mother about Theo.

"Mama, like what I once said before," she rants while making Lucy a cup of hot milk.

"Love will arrive magically. It is not something to find so desperately," Nikki quoted.

Lucy tore a smile. "Hmm... Why do I have a feeling you sounded like having a sense in love?"

"Mama? Spare me with the tease, would you?" She already teased earlier.

"Why would you dodge this topic? Tell me, did someone you like now?"

"Huh? Isn't this way more a tease asking your daughter about this matter?"

"Because if I would never mention, you would never even try searching."

"It is the truth! You silly, Mama!" They both laugh.

Nikki can consider her mother as her best friend. When her father was still alive, there were the two of them who would tease her to the point they would laugh with her stomach on the floor.

She was close to her parents. That is why she was more attached to her family than going out with friends. Spending her time with her parents is what she loves, and knowing that there are only two of them, she's getting closer to her mother. The reason she is not desperate to look for a boyfriend, especially this time around that her mother needed her the most.

"Honestly, Ma. I don't need to be an expert or inexperienced in love. But just seeing you and Papa? I already learned a lot."

Lucy squeezes her daughter's hand.

"I love you, Mama..." While saying this, Nikki sits on the bed and places her right hand on Lucy's shoulder while resting her head on her mother's left shoulder.

"I love you too, darling."

"I missed papa so much."

"I do too, Nikki. I missed your Papa so much." 

Nikki knows this as she witnesses how her parents have a good marriage life; it is not perfect, but she witnesses how they help each other get through the circumstances that came to their life.

It is what she desires, too... a credible man on her side. Not to help her out during her stormy days, but someone who deserves to share with her happy days.

Could she even meet a good man to be her husband?