Always Been You

~Lola~

The mansion was illuminated by dazzling lights, which were complimented well by the view of the mountain and the ocean. I took advantage of the fall’s crisp air by standing on the balcony and appreciating the season’s change. I was staring off into the distance while holding a cup of coffee in my hand, and all I could make out was the reflection of the light from my home on the water. I grinned and smelled Dante’s hoodie. There is still a whiff of him here. While I was reading a book to the little children, I drew up a chair and sat down. The cool wind touched my face only lightly, yet it was enough to bring down the temperature of my overheated body. I looked at the time on my wristwatch before heading back inside to continue my sleep.

The following morning, when I had finished making breakfast, I made the decision to search for the nearest hospital in order to begin my prenatal care. As I made my toast, I was busy searching online for the nearest hospital, and I found one that was not so far away from me. As I sat down to have my breakfast, a grin spread across my face. After that, I walked back to my room on the second floor and showered there. When I went to the hospital, I made sure to wear something that was comfortable. When I got to the hospital, there weren’t very many other patients or visitors present. After that, I walked to the waiting area and generated a file, which, thankfully, didn’t take up too much of my time. After that, I proceeded to the reception area. I was preoccupied with contemplating the doctor. Taking into consideration that everyone is coming for check-ups with their significant others, I fervently wished and hoped that he or she wouldn’t question me where my husband was, as everyone else is doing the same thing. It’s a bummer that Dante can’t be with me right now, but I made the decision to go in this direction, so I have no choice but to continue. I went inside because it was my turn to do so and drew a chair for myself to sit on when I got there.

“I ask that you please recline on the bed. I will be with you shortly.” This voice was familiar to me. I turned around to look for the person who had spoken. I had been correct.

“Mason?” I gawked. When he faced me, his eyes widened, and he moved his head to look at me.

“Lola? What are you doing here?” He asked, then cursed, “Fuck, of course, you are pregnant. What an idiotic question coming from such a good-looking doctor like me!” That statement made me laugh. Mason seems confident-overly confident if you ask me. He continued, “So, little thief, who is here with you?” He inquired as he sat on the edge of the table. I laughed at him for calling me a little thief, which is not bad considering that I stole the house he has been eyeing.

“Just me.”

“Aah, fantastic! One second,” he remarked before returning to one of the drawers in order to retrieve some gloves. Damn it, male medical professionals, in general, don’t bother me, but this one does. To be honest, I have no idea. He looked like a flirt, and I’m not sure if I want to carry on with this. Don’t get the wrong idea; this is going to be an uncomfortable situation.

“So, how long have you been a doctor?”

“Almost 5 years, or going to 6 years, not sure.” He turned to look at him with an anxious expression on his face and asked, “Are you worried?” I smiled and shook my head. Perhaps he wouldn’t be as terrible as I had anticipated he would be. Then he went on to say, “Is there still a large number of people outside? I’m famished.”

“It was just me.”

“That’s wonderful since I really should eat. In order for us to take a look at them, would you kindly lie down and pull your dress up a little bit?” To my astonishment, he didn’t even want to make me feel uncomfortable; instead, he offered me something to close my lower portion and examined my babies while he did it. Then he flashed a grin.

“Three, your husband seems to be quite the sharpshooter. They are doing well and staying healthy, but I would like for you to drink more water since I am concerned about your health. You are not taking enough for three; I mean four, including you.”

I started laughing and then stood up. He took off his gloves and went behind the table where he was sitting. When he was in a solemn mood, he sported a dashing appearance. It seems that I had an erroneous impression of him.

“So, now that I’ve taken your house, have you been able to buy another one?”

“Yes, I did pick up another one not too far from where you did. However, the view of the ocean from that property is not quite as unobstructed as the one from yours. You know, I really have no reason to complain. However, I still favor yours more. Do you want to eat lunch with me today?” I gave in after he made a face at me. He then directed his assistant to call off all of his appointments for the day and shut the door to his office. We decided to eat at a Korean restaurant, so we made our way there. The restaurant was so warm and inviting that I almost forgot I was in Ozark. It screamed South Korea-the feelings and everything made me think I was in South Korea. After locating a comfortable spot on the terrace, we placed our orders.

“So tell me, why do you choose to live apart from your family?”

“Because they used to socialize so much in my business, I made the decision to leave. Let’s just say that despite the fact that I’m a fully grown adult with a beard, they continue to treat me like I’m only 16 years old.” It made me laugh. “How about you? Why did you move to Ozark? I mean, New York is classy and everything, which is not to say that Ozark isn’t, but you know what I mean. There is a significant distance separating the two cities.” I gave a little pause. After that, though, I grinned and responded.

“I’ve never been one to put down roots in a single location. Because I have seen the rest of the globe, thanks to my parents, I was ready to leave New York.” He gave me a harsh look and then nodded his head while he was looking at me.

“Are you a stay-at-home wife, or should I say, mom?”

“To be honest, no. My flower store is located in the downtown area, and it has been operational long before I even moved to this location. And I’ve been thinking about opening a bakery, but right now I’m considering all of my alternatives.”

“What did you do before?”

“Umm, this is a complete departure from what I’m doing right now. I used to be an accountant, but these days, all I want to do is focus on myself.”

“That’s a huge gap, just like the gap between Ozark and New York. Well, let’s eat. This one is on me.” Even though I have no idea what I’m doing, I can say without a shadow of a doubt that I like being in Mason’s company. It seems like he’d be a lot of fun to hang out with. And I suppose it means I’ve done it again and made a new friend.