It was already 6 pm, so I knew Licia was probably going to be home. Even if she wasn't, I was going to stay and wait.
It took about twenty-five minutes before I finally located her house. It stood out from the others in the neighborhood, with a well-mown lawn and picket fence.
As I walked up her patio, I hoped for the best alone… not going to expect the worst. I can't be the one to jinx my luck. I could hear soft music coming from her living room, so I knew she was home.
I pressed the doorbell and waited for her to come to the door. Minutes passed, but there was no sign of her. I dialed her number a couple of times, but I was directed to voicemail.
As expected. I resorted to knocking and calling out to her, like it would make any difference.
“Licia, I know you are in there. We really need to talk, please.” I walked to the window, but the blinds were down, so I couldn’t peer through. I limped back to the patio.
Could she possibly be sleeping? I tried the doorbell again, accompanying it with relentless banging on her door, this time more furiously. There was no way I was leaving without seeing her.
“I am going to stand here, till you come out. It's going to cause a build-up of pressure on the leg, which will hurt so much, but I will take the risk.” I shouted.
If asking nicely didn't work, just maybe, emotional blackmail might be the trump card.
Her door finally creaked open. It worked. She stepped out in a large white T-shirt and denim shorts. She looked adorable in whatever she wore, no doubt. She looked me straight in the eye.
“Why are you here?”
“I wanted to talk to you.”
“Who gave you my address?”
“Can I at least come inside?”
She wasn't eager to let me in, so I decided to use the pain as leverage. It seemed to be effective the first time. “The leg is beginning to hurt.”
Her features softened up, making me smile inwardly. She was a nurse for a reason. Couldn't stand to see a patient in pain. She moved to the side, making room for me to come through.
“Thank you,” I said, following her in.
“You said you wanted to talk. You have the floor,” she said, trying to sound aggressive.
“You have been avoiding me,” I alleged.
“I haven’t. I have just been busy,” she retorted, fiddling with the hem of the toss pillow.
“Really? So, what about your resignation? Is that also because you are busy and can’t juggle things?”
“Kevin, it's not that simple.”
“Help me make sense then. One minute, I get the feeling that we are good, the next, you shut me out. It's confusing, honestly.” I sighed with my whole body.
“What do you want me to say?” Her eyes were already getting misty.
I hoped I wasn’t being too hard on her, but I needed to get answers.
“Tell me what’s going on, please? And not that you have been busy. We both know that’s a lie,” I pleaded with her.
“Kevin, if it makes you feel better, I have forgiven you, okay? We are good…”
“So, what’s with the avoidance then?” I wasn’t going to go easy any more. We have to hash things out once and for all. “I just found out this morning that I have a new nurse assigned to me. You didn’t even give me prior notice.”
“It wasn’t in my place to do that. I am sure Dr. Shepherd did the needful.”
I couldn’t believe she just said that. “Are you being serious? Fine, let’s say we aren’t close, don’t you owe it to your patients to at least tell them that you won’t be administering care to them anymore? Courtesy demands that at least.”
