Burning Passion

Chapter Four: Bad News 

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"Nikki? What are you doing here?" 

"Hello, Aunt Maria. I was on vacation leave now. How was Mama this afternoon?" she asked the woman in her 60s. 

Maria and her family are very close friends. They had been neighbors ever since she was born, so then they were like a family.

She's very grateful for how the woman helped her watch her mother while working during the day and refusing to receive a payment in return.

Maria replied, "She had a seizure two hours ago. But don't worry, Nikki, she's just resting now." Concerned flash on her face. But at times like this, Maria knows that she has to show strength for her friend.

Nikki, on the one hand, her heart squeezes with pain hearing this. Her mother needed surgery as soon as possible. And she must take care of what is required.

"Nikki, Doctor Ben left a message if you could see him in his office once you are off from work," Maria informed Nikki afterward.

"Oh. I better see the doctor then. Thank you, Aunt Maria. You can go home once I come back."

Nikki headed to the 10th-floor where Doctor Ben's clinic was located. She knocks on the door, and his Secretary lets her come in.

"Hi, Tracy. Doctor Ben wants to talk with me?"

"Ah, yes. But he has a patient at the moment. Please, kindly wait. They entered the room just now, so it will take a little longer."

"Oh, no problem! I was just too early coming today."

Tracy nodded at her then went back to typing something on the computer. Nikki quietly took the sofa and did not disturb Tracy anymore. Nikki patiently waited while secretly observing the whole clinic.

How does it feel like while working with a handsome boss? She mused.

Doctor Ben is still single all these years. As she knew, he was in his mid-30s.

Ben Ryan was also a famous professor at Mainland University, and all the female students had a crush on him. But she never heard he was in a relationship.

Ugh! And why is she caring about this stuff now? She is not one of those women dying to sleep with a handsome man like Doctor Ben Ryan. She has no interest in joining the long line of women fantasizing about the doctor or any man she knows around. 

She had nothing else to think about but only her mother's medical condition and settled their hospital bills. That was too much to care about already, rather than looking for a boyfriend.

Nikki distracted herself by browsing her phone. She read some articles regarding her mother's condition about what she could do when her mother had seizures and when they were alone.

A half-hour passed, Doctor Ben's office door opened. Nikki heard a loud screeching on the floor when Tracy instantly got up from her chair.

"Goodbye, Master Shang." Tracy bows.

Nikki notices a frantic tone from Tracy's voice. Her left brow pushes upward, and curiosity bites her. As she keeps her head down, staring at her phone; thus only a wheelchair she got to see passing her, followed by a giant black leather shoe, belongs to the man following the person riding the wheelchair.

She was about to lift her head when Doctor Ben called out her name, and her attention shifted to him. She has forgotten to check out who is Master Shang is...

"Nikki! Glad you were here already. Have you waited that long?"

She stood from the sofa and strode toward Doctor Ben as she replied.

"Nah. I just arrived too early from work," she laughs softly. Blushing, she can't look at him straight in the eyes. 

Nikki follower Doctor Ben to his office and sat on the seat he offered.

Sitting opposite him, she did not have to stare at his face to determine how handsome the smile plastered on his face, which she is not yet immune to until now but still gives a slight shake to her knees.

What does that mean? Her heart flutters every time she sees Doctor Ben. She was still like a teenager seeing her crush. But that's not all. There's more to it.

"You got an early off from work?" Doctor Ben asked Nikki after sitting in a chair in front of his table prepared for his patient.

"Yes! Boss allows me," Nikki smiled timidly.

"Hm, Michelle is considering Aunt Lucy's needs."

Nikki nodded. She praised her boss. "Sister Michelle was truly a great boss. She even offered me a vacation leave with a full month's salary, which I couldn't refuse."

"Sounds great!" Doctor Ben was delighted to hear this. In these passing months, he witnesses how Nikki attends her mother during the night and then works during the day.

After a moment of silence, Nikki uttered, "I hope you did not encourage her to do so? I mean, you mentioned to her about Mama's condition, is it?"

"Ah, yes. She was asking about the progress in Aunt Lucy's condition. So, I did mention it to her. I'm sorry if I—"

"Oh, no! I was grateful. You were helping us more than you should do."

Doctor Ben pursed a warm smile, but then his eyes turned apologetic. "However, what I am about to tell you is bad news."

She breathes. She may already prepare herself for any bad news she could hear, but still, it is depressing to hear them out. "Okay, I'm all ears," she retorted. It sounded more like a cheer to herself.

"Your mother had a seizure once again. We need to perform the surgery sooner. We found people with RH negative," Doctor Ben began stating. "Bad news is, one is too old already, and the other one is ill. We cannot get some blood from these people."

What unpleasant news. Nikki sighed sadly.

"Don't lose hope, okay? I will inform you once other reports arrive."

She forced a smile, nodding at the doctor. "Thank you so much, Doctor Ben. I also keep looking for someone willing to give their blood. I also ask my relatives if they can find someone too."

"We can find someone soon, I'm sure of that, Nikki. So, cheer up!" Doctor Ben's encouragement always helps to lighten his patient's troubles.

Doctor Ben Ryan truly is a remarkable person not only because of his profession but also his personality. He never abandons all of his patients. Talks were circulating about how he would help all of them from the very beginning until the last fight of their lives. That is why she stays positive and hopeful. 

Despite the bad news, Nikki left the clinic with hope. It won't help her mother if she shows any weakness.. There is no room to worry or be sad every time, but she must try harder to find that person.