Tags
cafe, CharlotteCarrendar, collaboration, Doctor, drama, grief, Hawaii, holiday, Jason, Ladies Night., LadyBelz, loss, Pandora, roleplay, sadness, talk, writing
A few days later…
Pandora had been surprised when she woke up and discovered that her leg was cast-free, the offending piece of hardware poking its head out of the trash bin. She had sat on her bed, wondering how that had happened when she remembered her little rant the night before. Her face flamed in embarrassment. She had no reason to take it out on the Doc. He was just doing his job and she was being a bitch.
She had gone next door to try and apologize but she received no answer to her knock. She assumed he’d gone out to enjoy his vacation, something she should have been doing herself.
Through that whole first day, she tried to find him or catch him, but he seemed to be dodging her efforts to pin him down, frustrating her to no end.
Ignoring that for now (she’d catch him, she had a feeling she would), she decided it was time to take in the sites and had spent the rest of the day walking along the beach behind the hotel, testing the strength of her slowly healing ankle. She really pushed herself that first time, nearly in tears by the time she got back to her room. The pain was so bad, she had been forced to call the hotel physician, who had scolded her most fiercely for trying it on so soon after such an injury. He had wrapped her ankle in an ace bandage then told her to keep it elevated and iced for the remainder of the day, even managing to bring her refilled prescriptions for her. She bit her tongue, took a pill and followed his orders to the letter, ordering room service and watching TV, taking naps in between.
It was her second full day in Hawaii and she was starting to go stir-crazy. Gathering herself, she got her cane under her and hobbled to her feet, dressing for the day. She decided on a shoulder-baring sundress so she wouldn’t have to struggle with her sling and sandals that she could easily slip onto her uninjured foot.
She got a look at herself in the mirror and was surprised at herself. She actually looked good in colors other then her standard black. Maybe she would update her wardrobe when she got home. Slipping on a pair of sunglasses, she headed out. Melanie was on the desk and suggested that she might like to catch the bus into Honolulu. There was one boarding right outside the hotel and it was free for their guests. Pandora thanked the woman for the suggestion and set out.
Seeing her disabled state, a woman who had been sitting up front, gave up her seat for Pandora. It still surprised her how kind the people were here, as opposed to those she met at her job. She gave the woman a smile as the bus began its journey.
The driver had given her a schedule of times that he would be back and she headed into the town. Everything was so bright and colorful. She browsed shops and stalls, buying a few things here and there for herself. She saw a t-shirt that she thought Mark would like and snapped it up with a laugh. He would appreciate the humor of it.
Feeling more relaxed then she had in a while, she stopped for lunch at a sidewalk bistro, glad to be off her feet for a little while.
“What can I get you today?” A waiter popped up beside her with a jaunty salute. She picked up the menu to give it a look.
“Glass of Chardonnay…and…I’ll try that steak special.”
“You got it. My name is Raymundo and I’ll be your waiter for the day. You need anything, just shout and I’ll come running.” he grinned.
“Thanks.” she smiled as he went to put in her order. As she waited, she pulled out her cell phone and turned it on. There were a couple of texts from Mark, wondering where she was and if she was okay. She replied back that she was fine, that she was out of town, enjoying some much needed time to herself and that she’d come see him when she got back. There were no texts at all from any of her friends. She was shocked to see there was a missed call from the last person she ever expected to hear from; Brock. Her finger hovered over the dial button for only a moment, before she remembered why she was in Hawaii in the first place. Stabbing the delete button with a small amount of anger, she put away the phone and breathed deeply until the anger was once again a memory.
Jason had been enjoying the more adventurous sights by taking a day long trek up into the mountains, and was getting off one of the tour buses in the heart of Honoluu’s restaurant district just around tea time. He put down his back pack between his feet and reached in for a bottle of water, since he was feeling a bit parched. Rising up, he happened to notice Miss LaRue sitting in one of the side walk bistro’s talking to a rather handsome young waiter and ordering a meal. He had to smile to see her finally out and about enjoying herself after he cut the cast off her leg.
Strolling over, he leaned against one of the support poles for the awning, and said in a jovial tone.
“We really should stop meeting like this, Miss LaRue. People might talk.”
Not waiting for her response, he sat down opposite her and gestured for the waiter to come back so he could order. The waiter named Raymundo looked at Pandora, to see if it was okay for the tanned young man to be sitting with her now.
“Is everything alright here?”
Jason took out a roll of notes and then said.
“Yes, I am her personal physician, and may I see the menu please?”
This made it sound more formal, and Jason took off his sunglasses and tossed them on the table as he waited.
<3>
Pandora was looking through a magazine she’d picked up when she heard that voice again.
“We really should stop meeting like this, Miss LaRue. People might talk.”
She slowly looked up into the face of the man she had been looking for most of yesterday. Before she could even say a word, he sat down with her at the table. Raymundo saw this and darted over.
“Is everything alright here?”
Pandora moved to speak again but Jason beat her to it.
“Yes, I am her personal physician, and may I see the menu please?”
Raymundo looked at Pandora.
“It’s fine Raymundo. He’s a friend.” she stated. Raymundo nodded and went to grab a menu for Jason. While he was gone, she looked at him.
“Do you always make it a habit of butting in to my life?” She grinned, amusement coloring her tone as she pealed off her sunglasses. “But…I am glad to see you. I wanted to apologize for snapping at you the other night. Sometimes my anger gets the best of me and you weren’t the cause of it. So…I’m sorry.” Her gaze was as honest as the words she spoke and she did not look away from him. It wasn’t very often she apologized to people, but when she does, she means it.
Pandora’s attitude seemed to be unchanged, even with the removal of the cast. Jason toyed casually with a drink coaster as he watched the waiter depart to fetch him a menu. All the while he listened to Pandora make claims that he was butting into her life. It may well seem to be the case, but it was more a sense of happening by chance upon the other.
Jason was about to just pick up his backpack and be on his way rather than sit through more of Miss LaRue’s abuse, when she finally admitted that she was glad to see him after all. This was a turn around from her usual behavior. Being handed a menu by Raymundo, he flipped it open and scanned it, whilst Pandora continued to speak more openly.
I wanted to apologize for snapping at you the other night. Sometimes my anger gets the best of me and you weren’t the cause of it. So…I’m sorry.”
Jason gave off a casual smile, only nodding in reply before putting his order with Raymundo.
“Light beer and I think I will go with the Ham steak with pineapple and salad please.” Handing back the menu he then leaned back and folded his arms. Both of which were rather muscular and it showed by the way they were positioned on his chest that he had something of an athletic build.
“No need to apologize Miss LaRue, in fact its all understandable for a woman in your condition to be a bit nasty. Trust me, its not the first time I have encountered a woman’s wrath over the lack of medication.”
He turned his head as he watched a young couple go by, arm in arm whilst whispering sweet things to each other. Clearly on their honeymoon in this island paradise.
“Yes…I know it all too well.” You could see by the expression on his face he was wistful about seeing the couple, almost sad in a way, before resuming his attention on Miss LaRue.
“Enjoying your holiday, Miss LaRue?”
<3>
A couple, obviously in love, picked that moment to walk by the two of them, making Jason get a wistful look on his face and Pandora very uncomfortable. After her own dealings with Brock, she clearly was not relationship material and was coming to realize that.
Jason shook off whatever was bothering him and looked at Pandora.
“Enjoying your holiday, Miss LaRue?”
“I think you can call me Pandora. And yes, I am actually starting to enjoy myself. This is the first time I’ve ever been here and despite my less then stellar start, it’s been great. Did some shopping,” She pointed to the bags at her feet, “And the hotel is hosting a luau tonight that I think I’m going to go watch. Would you care to join me?” After she offered the invite, she wanted to slap herself. “Nevermind, forget I asked.” She hurriedly exclaimed, her face flaming red in embarrassment. She looked down at her hands, wanting a hole to open up in the ground and swallow her away.
Raymundo returned with their orders and Jason’s drink and left them alone. Pandora cut into her steak and took a bite. It had been marinated in pineapple juice and tasted delicious. She looked up at Raymundo standing across the room, giving him a thumbs up sign. He grinned in response and went to serve other customers.
There was a delightful pause after Pandora had made the invitation to attending the Luau with her and then retracting it only seconds later. Such an unusual woman, who one minute was happy go lucky, then down in the dumps, doubting herself….then giving the waiter the thumbs up for the meals that had been brought over. Jason really didn’t know how to cope with this since Pandora was blushing so hard that she looked like a beetroot.
“The Luau that the Resort hosts is a very good one. I remember how much my wife enjoyed it when we were here last. And as much as I am touched by your invitation…or…not, I am sorry but I must decline anyways. It just wouldn’t be the same without her.”
Jason offered a weak smile, then started to carve into his ham and pineapple steak, chewing quietly. What Pandora would not have been aware was that this was a trip to put his wife to rest in his mind. The trek he had just done was to scatter her ashes to the wind. They had been shipped over from the US, and he had gone out early to a mountain peak that they had enjoyed together over a year ago. It was a promise made…and a promise kept.
<3>
“The Luau that the Resort hosts is a very good one. I remember how much my wife enjoyed it when we were here last. And as much as I am touched by your invitation…or…not, I am sorry but I must decline anyways. It just wouldn’t be the same without her.”
Pandora’s eyes widened at his short story and her brain caught her mouth before she could say something stupid.
“I am so sorry.” she murmured. Here she was, whining about what a cock-up her life had become and clearly, this man was in mourning. She felt like a heel. “How long has she been gone?” She was genuinely curious about it now that he brought it up. Had it been an accident or something more sinister.
Doctor Jason Lumbard was a huge enigma…and she didn’t do puzzles very well.
“Thought you knew Brock pretty well, too. Shows what you know.” came that evil voice in her mind again.
“I thought I smothered you!” she growled.
“Ha! Fat chance, bitch!” the voice laughed. “Hate to tell ya, but this is one guy not chasing your hot ass. Get used to it.”
Pandora growled and locked that voice away in a safe before burying it in the deepest pit of her mind.
“Try and get out of that!”
“Six months. The cancer became aggressive and unfortunately though we tried everything her tiny body was just not able to fight any longer. Before she died, she asked me to bring her ashes back here, on the anniversary of when we met. So…here I am.” Jason said with only the barest of smiles. The Doctor who had been putting on such a brave face showed the side of him that he had remained locked away for so long. He went back to cutting up his food, then realized he had lost his appetite. Letting go of the cutlery he let it fall onto his plate with a clatter. A light dab to his lips with the napkin and he tossed that down on the plate as he looked away from Pandora momentarily – probably so she wouldn’t see the red rimming of his eyes.
Composing himself after a moment, he then looked back at the woman sitting across from him, and added.
“When you meet the one, and then lose them so suddenly…it’s very hard to let go.”
The Doctor had still not come to terms with his wife’s death, even after the six months since her passing. This trip was supposed to be part of the healing process.
One can be hurt terribly, and the scars are unseen.
“But enough about me…how is the pain medication? Is it helping you sleep?”
<3>
Pandora listened attentively as Jason explained about his wife’s aggressive cancer diagnosis and the real reason he was in Hawaii. She never expected to feel sympathetic for another person’s pain…but there it was.
She looked down at her plate, pushing around her veggies more in an effort to give him the time to compose himself. She would never admit to seeing the tears that lingered in his eyes as he turned away from her.
Her own appetite gone, she set her fork down much more gently then he had.
“When you meet the one, and then lose them so suddenly…it’s very hard to let go.”
She made the comparison of his words to that of her relationship with Brock and mentally snorted. Brock didn’t even try…just went out and fucked the first woman who paid him any sort of attention…that it was Simone disturbed her more then she cared to admit. You would have thought Simone would have at least been one of the first ones to call Pandora. Nothing – not even a text message. The bitch.
She came out of her angry thoughts. smoothing out the frown that had taken over her features without her notice to Jason asking about her medication and sleeping habits.
“Oh, yeah. It’s fine. I’ve been sleeping a lot since I’ve been here. Must be the air.” she smiled. She looked down at her watch and realized she need to get back if she was going to make the last bus back to the hotel. She signaled to Raymundo who jogged over. He frowned when he still saw the partially eaten meal on their plates.
“You didn’t like it?”
“Oh no! I loved it. We just got to talking about some things and lost our appetite. I was going to ask if I could get a box to take back with me.” she smiled, giving him her best charming look. Raymundo was all smiles again and he nodded like an overeager puppy, dashing off to the kitchen for take-home boxes and their checks.
She got to her feet, and gathered her things as she started pulling money out for the bill. “I’ll pay for his, too” she stated, handing over the required amount of money plus an extra $10 for a tip. Raymundo had given them excellent service. She looked at the Doc.
“I hope you find some peace while you’re here. See ya around, Doc.” She took up her cane and started to walk away.
Consumed momentarily by his grief, Jason didn’t realize he may have put Pandora off her meal and this did bother him slightly. He listened thoughtfully to Pandora’s response about her sleeping habits saying that it was the air that attributed to a better sleeping pattern. Seeing her check her watch and call for the waiter, Jason pulled out his wallet since he thought he would shout her dinner, however Pan was quick off the mark to pay for both. She had the waiter in the palm of her hand, and he ambled about like a happy dog with it’s tail wagging at the slightest hint of approval for the meals they ate. Jason slowly put his wallet away, but didn’t say anything as Pandora got up to leave.
“I hope you find some peace while you’re here. See ya around, Doc.”
And there it was, the coldness resurfacing as his former patient limped away with her cane. Jason sat there a moment, lost in thought before saying a quiet “Goodbye Miss LaRue.” She was a patient, nothing more.
The last patient he got involved with….became his wife.
<3>
After dropping off her things to her suite, she received a message that the hotel’s physician wanted to see her. After getting directions from the desk clerk, she made her way to the man’s office. He greeted her with a warm smile before leading her to an exam room.
“What’s this about?” she wondered.
“I got permission from your Doctor to look over your x-rays from your injuries. While your ankle is going to take a few more weeks to heal correctly, that sprain in your arm is healing up quite nicely. How would you like to have that sling removed?”
“Oh thank fuck!” she grinned, not even the slight bit embarassed about her language. This stupid arm injury was keeping her from wearing the clothes she wanted and it was annoying.
“Now there are some rules to this. The moment you feel any sort of fatigue or aching sensation, I want you to put it back on. No ifs ands or buts or the sling stays on a more permanent basis.”
“I can handle that.” she chuckled. He grinned at her and helped her remove the sling. She breathed in deep when she immediately felt the muscles pull and stretch from being in disuse for so long. She hissed out in pain when he pressed a sore spot high up on her shoulder.
“There will be some tenderness for a time. Expected but not uncommon.”
“Story of my life.” she muttered. He had her do some slow rotating exercises on her arm and shoulder. There was some pain, but nothing she couldn’t handle…and now with the sling off, she felt she could speed up the process some with her abilities. Not that she was going to tell him that of course.
“Great. You’re free to go. And remember what I said. The moment you feel-”
“Yadda yadda. I got it Doc. Thanks.” Pandora grinned. He waved her off and she hobbled from the room, the smile never leaving her face.
She got back to her room just as the phone began to ring. She rushed to get it, nearly tripping over her cane as she did so.
“Hello?” she panted, breathless from the quick exercise. There was no sound from the other end. “Hello?” she repeated. Was that a breath she heard. “Who’s there?” she wondered. Still nothing. Shrugging, thinking it may have been a wrong number, she hung up the phone. Looking at the clock, she noticed she had a few hours before the luau began and decided a nap was in order. Pulling the rest of her body up on the bed, she was soon out like a light.
Jason had taken a taxi back to the resort after spending a good hour walking around the shopping district of Honolulu. It was not like he was looking for anything in specific to buy, more to kill the time before heading back. His mind was cluttered with thoughts about his morning trek and releasing his wife’s ashes at the top of the mountain. His therapist said it would bring him the closure he needed, but he was starting to think that it would take a great deal more time to heal the emptiness in his heart.
Soon the sun was starting to set, and Jason finally arrived back at the resort that was lit up like a fairy night. Glittering and beautiful. Jason paid the driver and threw his backpack on his back, heading into the foyer and offering a charming smile to the guest staff as he made his way to the lift. Another couple had arrived, and were waiting for the lift. Entwined in each others arms, sharing soft kisses as they waited for a lift to go up. Jason stood back with his hands to his sides – watching. A year a go that had been him. With her. A lift opened and Jason gestured for the couple to enter as he stepped back and would catch another. He could hardly stand it. Was this God showing him that love continued on? Would he ever find it again?
Another lift came, and he got in – wiping a falling tear from his cheek as he went to his floor. Coming out he passed Miss LaRue’s door and stopped a moment. Hesitating. No, she wasn’t interested in hearing a man’s cry for help? Looking down he kept on his way, reaching his room and inserting the key into the lock. The green light flickered and the door opened.
Alone again.
He walked to the bed where by its side her picture was near the alarm clock. Jason sat down and took the picture up in his hand and wept.
“I’ll never find someone like you.”
<3>
A Deal with God.Players:
