《Diaries of Kronos- Teasers》 Prologugue Prologue Realm of Nature Lightning filled the skies that hung over the realm that was home to Natura herself. Rain poured down over the flooding grassy green hills. High winds carried the rain spreading it across the fields. The heavy breeze carried the tall grass, pulling on it. A light splash could be heard, as an old man planted his wood colored sandals firmly down into the puddle. Water ran between his wrinkled toes, making it harder for him to hold his footing. He leaned on his golden staff for support, planting it firmly into the flooding hills of Nature¡¯s Realm. His legs shook, brittle and unsteady, beneath his silken white robes. Water trickled down his cheek framing his cheek bones and dripping from the tips of his long beard. He took another step up the steep incline barely reaching the top of the hill. His knees trembled and his toes slipped in his sandals, causing him to stumble. Before his brittle body fell forward a hand reached out and grabbed him. He planted his staff one more time, leaning on this delicately figured palm. ¡°Are you okay Kronos?¡± came the soft nurturing voice of Natura. Warm smile decorated her beautiful light skinned face. Her crimson red smile and deep blue eyes pierced his God like soul. Silky platinum blonde hair covered her head and draped down over her shoulders. Her features are shown through the heavily down pouring rain as if not affected by it in the least. Lush green vines strewn with small leaves wrapped around each of her ears. She hoisted his brittle arm around her shoulder in her attempts to hold him up with her petite frame. Kronos grabbed lightly onto the lavender colored dress; whose hems hung down over her feet. ¡°Thank you, Natura,¡± he chuckled, finally planting his feet again and straightening up. He smiled at her and fixed his robes looking out of the landscape. ¡°Of all the times to water the grass, why must you choose this one?¡± Kronos jested, extending his legs to let the water drip out of his shoes. Natura giggled and opened her mouth to speak, but was interrupted by another voice. ¡°He has a point, you know?¡± Came the all too familiar voice of Lachesis, ¡±Clotho almost slipped and caused Atropos and I to tumble down the hill. You knew this meeting was taking place today. Why of all times would you choose to do your garden care? Hmm? You have all of the of time to take care of nature.¡± Three old women poked their noses out from beneath the growing fog. All three of them were covered in black hooded cloaks. Lachesis, the shortest of the three women. All three with stringy silvery white hair. Rain trickling down between the crevices of their wrinkled skin. ¡°Time is irrelevant here sisters. Leave Natura Alone, it¡¯s her world after all.¡± Kronos said in a dried tone. ¡±She can do with her world what she pleases, just as you three can do with yours.¡± All three sisters flashed him an empty look.Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Thank you, father,¡± Natura replied with a warm smile. ¡°Nature itself is starting to thin out more and more each day. Is it really so wrong to take care of what I have left? Humanity has already chosen to tear down their patch of nature and soon their buildings and technology will become irrelevant due to their own lust for power. I can take care of my land how I see fit.¡± ¡°Do you mean to tell us you plan on letting my world exhaust its own resources?¡± A bright light shown through the thick fog. Natura¡¯s expression changed. Her eyes widened instantly recognizing the man¡¯s voice. The man chuckled, ¡°you can relax my child. I only Jest.¡± The light that followed him was angelic in nature. His voice was deep, yet calming. The Feeling the Kronos got in his divine presence was that of comfort and nourishment. At that moment feelings that plagued Kronos¡¯s ancient heart were set at ease. The sister¡¯s flashed Natura a serious look, before turning their attention to the man garbed in holy linens. ¡°We shouldn¡¯t joke about the fate of the world creator,¡± Lachesis spoke up. ¡°In Humanity''s current condition their fate is on a slippery slope. People only wanting, careers until they have them. The concept of love is lost to humanity. A human puts their faith into a few relationships and when they fail, they give up entirely. Committing themselves to some wild life of just sleeping around and having fun. Those few that do believe in it, get discouraged or doubtful. Then they divorce and let themselves become just as jaded as the rest of them. A lot more people are getting the idea in their head that reproduction is a terrible consequence, when in fact it¡¯s essential to the continuation of a species.¡± They¡¯re faces were blank as they finished their speech. The Creator¡¯s expression remained lightened. ¡°I should only expect you girls to take the fate of humanity seriously. Regardless though, I have faith in what I''ve created. They will prove you wrong, just watch.¡± He said with a hopeful tone. The Sisters all laughed for the first time since the meeting began. ¡°You are funny creator,¡± Atropos interjected.¡± The day you find us a mortal that can show the rest of the world such a rare thing as true love in this world. That¡¯s the day we¡¯ll have found another truly divine being. Humans these days only seem to believe in temporary satisfaction.¡± All three sister¡¯s nodded in agreement. Kronos rolled his eyes. He should be used to this. It happened whenever the World Keepers got together. He fixed his posture and violently stomped his time staff on the Ground. A Shockwave emanated from the staff, causing some of the Keepers to struggle with their footing on the dampened grassy hills. The Keepers all took a step back then turned their attention to Kronos. And heavy silence fell over the Sisters and the creator himself. Kronos cleared his throat and finally spoke, ¡°Speaking of Divine beings. That is why I¡¯ve called you all here.¡± Everyone gave him a bewildered look. He gestured to Natura. ¡°My dear, if you would please provide us all a means to make ourselves comfortable? I¡¯d like to get down to business.¡± Natura nodded and waved her hands. Several small wooden tree stumps began to rise up out of the ground atop the hill. Kronos nodded toward Natura with a warm smile. ¡°Now Then. I¡¯d like to discuss finding a replacement as the Keeper of time. I can¡¯t keep this up forever. My spirit has grown weary. My mind has grown tired. I¡¯m afraid my time as a keeper is coming to its end.¡± Chapter 1 Chapter 1 Realm of Earth-Brent Moore 34 years old Brent set his drink down on the table and sank back into the couch. He wiped his mouth and looked up at his friend Jeff. ¡°So tell me again why Katie couldn¡¯t come out tonight with us?¡± Jeff asked, taking a sip of Champagne from his glass. Brent took a deep breath projecting his voice of the deafening roar of the DJ¡¯s speakers that filled the Loft. ¡°She had to work tonight.¡± he let out a sigh and continued. ¡°life of a nurse, I guess.¡± Jeff glanced over at him with a concerned look. ¡°You don¡¯t seem to be thrilled about that.¡± Brent shrugged. ¡°I love spending time with her. What can I say? But I am the one that got her the job at the hospital. I don¡¯t like that she¡¯s working so much but, in a way. . . I feel sort of responsible for it.¡± Jeff smiled briefly. ¡°Yeah I know what you mean man. I kinda miss her too. She¡¯s always so good at helping me land hookups.¡± Brent laughed and nudged his shoulder. ¡°Dude I don¡¯t want to know what crazy things you and my fianc¨¦ act out just to get you laid.¡± ¡°Oh come on Bro!¡± He laughed and leaned back into the couch. ¡°The Jealous ex, the unassuming depressed girl, The Business man¡¯s assistant. . . ¡° ¡°Ok Ok! Stop right there! You¡¯re going to make me squirt alcohol through my nose.¡± Brent laughed hysterically and leaned over taking a sip of his drink and set it back down. His eyes glanced out over the crowd. Hundreds of bodies out on the dance floor. Brent¡¯s mind began to race and his expression shifted to something more serious. All these beautiful women. What if he was wrong? What if one of these girls was meant to be the next chapter in his life. Girls in mini dresses, short skirts with blonde hair and beautiful white blouses that brought out beautiful blue eyes. Some in metallic pink skirts and matching crop tops. Brent had his doubts; it wasn¡¯t something that he denied. At the same time though, the more he thought about it, the more it brought a smile to his face. Katie was beautiful herself. From her long Ginger like hair to her beautiful green eyes. ¡°So dude?¡± Jeff¡¯s voice interrupted Brent¡¯s train of thought. ¡°Tell me, How does it feel to be engaged? Just one week away from your wedding. Are you nervous at all?¡± ¡°Psh! No!¡± Brent shook his head, lying through his teeth. ¡°I mean we¡¯ve got everything sorted out. We¡¯ve got caterers, my old landlord as a photographer, We even convinced the Bishop to perform the ceremony. This morning I even sent out the invitations. Everything is going to be just fine. And it¡¯s not like I have any doubt that she loves me. She lets me know like every day. And we go out on dates once a week. And when we¡¯re together. . .¡± Brent paused a bit as the thoughts ran through his head. Something about it calmed his nerves and washed away his thoughts. ¡°It¡¯s like there¡¯s no one else I''d rather be with. It¡¯s like I can¡¯t even picture myself with anyone else.¡± Jeff nodded his head with a half-smile. ¡°You know, man?¡± He said hold his drink up as the waitress walked by to refill it. ¡°You¡¯re lucky! There aren¡¯t a lot of men that get to experience that feeling.¡± He said before gesturing to the waitress to stop. Brent was a little shocked to hear that. In the time Brent and jeff had been friends, Brent never knew Jeff to be even a little bit touchy feelie. Brent stifled a chuckle. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re going to get all emotional on me now, Bro. The night is only just beginning and you¡¯re starting to sound like you¡¯ve had too much to drink.¡± Jeff laughed a little and set his drink down, gesturing to his friend to stop. ¡°I promise. I¡¯m not already drunk. Just hear me out here.I realize that probably sounds ridiculous coming from someone who actively tries to coerce different drunken women into bed with him on a weekly basis, but listen. Women like Katie are a rare find. Most women would tell me I''m sick or twisted for treating women like that. Katie doesn¡¯t even argue with it. She just goes with it. Any other woman I¡¯ve asked to help out either gets uncomfortable or I end up getting drinks thrown in my face. You gotta hold onto a woman like that. And don¡¯t think I haven¡¯t seen you looking around. You gotta stop that shit bro. That¡¯s how bad things start.¡± Brent set his drink down. ¡°What are you now? My mother?¡± He asked, tilting his head slightly and flashing his friend a smirk. Jeff¡¯s expression changed. ¡°No. I¡¯m not, but I am your friend.And as your friend I just want to see you happy.¡± A frustrated sigh escaped Brent¡¯s lips.¡±That¡¯s just it. I¡¯m Happy with Katie, but what if something happened? What if there¡¯s someone out there that can make me happier? What if that person is in this building?¡± Brent pointed to a random woman in the middle of the dance floor. ¡°What if it¡¯s her? ¡° he moved his finger pointing out another woman sitting at the bar. ¡°Or her? Or what if I''ve already met her?¡± ¡°Dude! You have met her! You¡¯re with her right now! You¡¯re engaged to be married to her a week from now. None of those girls are even checking you out.¡± Jeff paused and took a sip of his drink.¡±Except that one.¡± Jeff flashed a disapproving look. ¡°She¡¯s not that attractive anyways.¡± Brent perked up and began looking around for the girl Jeff was referring to. ¡°She¡¯s over there.¡± Jeff said again pointing to a woman with short mousey looking chocolate brown colored hair. The woman fixed her glasses and smiled at Jeff for a second then turned her attention back to her friends that share the couch with her. If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. Brent finally caught sight of who his friend was pointing to. ¡°Her? She¡¯s Beautiful! And she¡¯s giving me the look.¡± Brent flashed a smile at the woman.¡±You mean the curvy redhead? The one with the red lipstick? How can that not be attractive to you?¡± Jeff was confused. Brent¡¯s description didn¡¯t sound anything like what he was seeing. He scratched his head. ¡°Ummmmm no. . . I¡¯m talking about the stubby brunette with the glasses,¡± Jeff said looking down at his glass then back up at his friend. ¡°What? You¡¯re clearly pointing at the Ginger haired girl.¡± Brent was confused as well. ¡°Maybe they switched your drink for something stronger. Look, just take me over there and help me out would you?¡± Jeff flashed his friend a cold, disapproving stare and rolled his eyes. ¡°Fine but if you get in trouble, don¡¯t cry to me.¡± Jeff rose from his seat and dragged his friend with him. The sound of the music that reververberated off the walls of the club rang through both of their ears. Brent grew nervous. A guilty feeling started to wash over him. A voice in his head telling him what he was about to do wasn¡¯t right. His grew more foggy the closer they got to the other couch. ¡°Mind if we join you?¡± came Jeff¡¯s voice, leaving Brent somewhat startled. There she was up close. Brent¡¯s confusion faded as his nerves grew more tense. ¡°Not at all!¡± the woman shouted over the loud roar of the speakers. She scooted over and let Brent sit down next to her. ¡°I was just about to go grab drinks. What do you boys like?¡± Both men were startled by the offer. Usually Jeff was the one to offer to buy the alcohol. Brent opened his mouth to speak but nothing came out. He couldn¡¯t do it, as much as he thought about it. He couldn¡¯t bring himself to strike up the conversation. The woman stared at Brent then turned her attention to his friend. ¡°Is something wrong with him?¡± she asked curiously. Jeff shook his head and chuckled. ¡°He¡¯s just getting cold feet. You¡¯ll have to forgive him.He¡¯s not usually like this. He¡¯s been drinking Sangria all night and I¡¯ve been springing for Champagne.¡± ¡°Got it!¡± she nodded and turned around heading toward the bar. Jeff shook his head and let out a sigh. ¡°You are never living this down, man. For as long as we both live. I will never let you forget this.¡± Brent gave his friend a blank stare. ¡°Shut up. I got cold feet okay.¡± Jeff laughed. ¡°Cold feet my ass,dude. Here you are begging me to take you over here and break the ice, and you tanked.¡± Brent nudged his friend next to him. ¡°I didn¡¯t tank. I just got nervous . . I mean. . . what if. . ¡° Jeff gave his friend a smirk before interrupting him. ¡°What if Katie walked in? What if she got pissed off at you and left? Face it dude. I was right. You don¡¯t want to give her up. You¡¯re afraid to lose her and therefore can¡¯t force yourself to get comfortable with a complete stranger. No matter how ¡°attractive.¡± You think she is. HA!¡± Jeff said poking his friend¡¯s shoulder and giving him a playful nudge. The two men looked up right as the lady set two drinks down beside them. ¡°One glass of Champagne and one glass of Sangria,¡± she said as she took a seat next to Brent and made herself comfortable. ¡°There you go.¡± She said, setting the drinks down on the round glass table. ¡°I¡¯m Nat, by the way.¡± she said, offering her hand for a handshake. Brent shook her hand and spoke up. ¡°Brent and this is my friend Jeff.¡± Brent said, trying to push back the nervous foreboding feeling that lingered over his mind. Nat shook his hand and smiled at him. A voice Startled the two men. ¡°Who are our guests?¡± came the voice of a man in a black formal suit with a red tie. He made himself comfortable next to Jeff. ¡°This is Brent and Jeff.¡± Nat replied. ¡°This is my friend Luci whom I finally got out of his little hell hole to come out tonight.¡± Pam said, sneering at him playfully. ¡°What can I say? I prefer to stay in the dark. Why do you think I¡¯ve been working as a Coal miner for the last several years?¡± Luci replied with a sly grin. ¡°Oh just shut up and enjoy the daylight for a change. Who knows? You might accidentally stumble on something fun.¡± she chuckled leaning back against the couch. Luci turned his gaze to Jeff, who seemed to be distracted with his eyes fixed on a Blonde who had wandered out into the middle of the crowd. ¡°Ahhhhh that one looks tempting doesn¡¯t it?¡± Luci said with a grin leaning back against the couch and keeping his attention focused on Jeff. Jeff replied with a nod leaning back against the couch, glancing over at Luci then over at the blonde. ¡°I don¡¯t know if you¡¯ll be able to land that one. Might have to get a few drinks with her first.¡± Jeff looked down at his glass then reached into his pocket and pulled out his wallet.¡±I think I¡¯m up to the challenge. Do you want to make it a bet?¡± ¡°Oh I like you, boy.¡± Luci replied, taking a sip from his glass. ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be fair to challenge me,though. You see? I invented this game.¡± Jeff burst out laughing and shook his head. ¡°You know? That¡¯s a pretty big claim for a guy named Luci.¡± Luci stifled a chuckle.¡±I think you¡¯d be surprised how charming I can be. You got me in a good mood, so I¡¯ll tell you what. I won¡¯t set the same stipulation I usually set. If you can catch her attention before I do, I¡¯ll buy the last drink, you¡¯ll need to get her into the cab. Do we have a deal?¡± Luci said with a sly grin painted across his cheeks. ¡°We have a deal.¡± Jeff replied raising a glass to tap against Luci¡¯s Brent¡¯s gaze shifted between the two men. His look, growing more and more amused by the minute.To Brent it seemed his best friend had found a match for his gifts. He watched carefully as both men rose to their feet casually making their way to different sides of the room. He turned his attention to Pam. ¡°Does Luci do this often? This is like a weekly thing for Jeff. He pays more attention to this, than he pays to his actual dreams and aspirations.¡± Nat giggled. ¡°Oh Luci can be quite the charming devil. I¡¯m afraid your friend has met his match.¡± Brent flashed her a smirk. A familiar voice from off in the distance startled Brent and almost made him spill his drink. ¡°Brent? Who is this?¡± It was Katie, pointing her thumb over at Pam. Brent grew nervous at first. He took a quiet breath and looked up at the woman who had just arrived at their spot on the couch. Brent opened his mouth to speak but was interrupted by Jeff. ¡°Katie? You finally showed. This is Pam and that over there.¡± Jeff said, pointing at Luci in the distance talking to the single lonely blonde in the middle of the dance floor. ¡°That is the biggest cock block i¡¯ve ever come in contact with. It¡¯s only been 2 minutes and she¡¯s already flirting with him, like a lost school girl.¡± Katie laughed and made herself comfortable on the couch next to Brent. ¡°Oh So you¡¯ve finally met someone who''s better at picking up one night stands than you are? Do you want me to go provide a distraction?¡± She said, giving him a smirk. ¡°Oh Sweetheart! I wouldn¡¯t recommend that. Especially if you¡¯re in a relationship with my new friend over here.¡± Pam interjected, gesturing to Brent who smiled briefly at the woman¡¯s attempt to keep his head above water. ¡°Oh? So he did tell you about me?¡± Katie said glaring playfully over at Brent. ¡°Oh but of course darling. I¡¯m rather gifted at seeing the true nature of others. It¡¯s a gift i¡¯ve acquired over the course of a Very long Career. And Luci over there has a gift for being incredibly charming.¡± She replied, taking a sip of her drink. ¡°If he¡¯s so Charming then why aren¡¯t you two together?¡± Katie asked, tilting her head a little. ¡°Like I said dear. I¡¯ve a gift for seeing the true nature of a person. And I¡¯ve known Luci for what feels like a Centuries. Chapter 2 Chapter 2 Katie Benson- 38 years old Katie kicked her feet up on the desk of the nurse¡¯s station. She only had a few hours left of her shift and she would be off for the night. She hated covering shifts, but her and Brent needed the extra money to pay off the electric bill before they could move into their new place. Opened the doors of the cupboard and grabbed a small treat. Leaning back and opening it up. It was late, with the exception of a few patients most of the floor she was working on seemed to be pretty fast asleep. Not a lot of people were going to wake up and call her over the next few hours for a snack that would probably make it harder for them to sleep.She brushed the long ginger locks from her face. Peeling back the wrapper, she took a small bite of a rice crispy treat and scanned the hallways. A Quiet had started to settle over the hospital. Most of her fellow nurses were off. Or seeing their last patient of the night while introducing their replacement for the night shift. Katie drew a deep sigh and grabbed her phone from the pocket of her Green scrubs. Holding it up against her curvy chest, she tucked her head in to see the screen. She pulled up the text from Brent about going to the club in Downtown Salt Lake with Jeff. Her fingers quickly went to work on the keys. ¡°I¡¯m off at 12am. I¡¯ll meet you guys there at 12:30. After I change out of my scrubs lol.¡± were the words she typed out. She waited a few minutes for a response, but nothing came. Brent had been doing a lot lately. He seemed to be ignoring her texts a little more often the last little while. It concerned her, but both her experience and intuition convinced her to think nothing of it. Still, she couldn¡¯t help but wonder what he was thinking at the moment. Part of her wished her shift was over already so she could be on her way to see him. Another part of her knew that even she needed a little time away from him. Katie let out a deep sigh¡°You can¡¯t miss someone if they¡¯re always there I guess,¡± muttered to herself quietly. She couldn¡¯t help but wonder if that philosophy was part of a bigger picture. She couldn¡¯t help but wonder if maybe her brain was just trying to tell her heart that He just wasn¡¯t as important to her as he was when she originally agreed to marry him. Katie stuffed her phone in her pocket and fiddled around in her pockets until she felt something. Her Engagement ring. She pulled it out and looked it over for a minute. It had a beautiful diamond studded band. The diamond wasn¡¯t huge, but it was okay. Katie wasn¡¯t the type of girl to get hung up over the size of a simple diamond. All she cared about was the person that did it. ¡°Sorry I¡¯m late.¡± came a familiar voice.Katie almost fell backwards in her chair. She hadn¡¯t realized just how much time had passed. She pulled her phone out and looked down at the time. It was already 11:30pm. ¡°Oh Dani? You¡¯re working tonight?¡± Katie said with a smile. Relief washed over the redhead as the thought occurred to her that her shift was almost done with. ¡°Are you ready to go learn how to get a blood sample from Mr. Martinez?¡± Katie asked, tucking her phone back into her scrubs and rising to her feet. Dani followed her to the supply closet to gather a few things before the two set off down the hall. ¡°As ready as I¡¯ll ever be. Katie?¡± Dani asked sheepishly. ¡°Thanks again for helping me get this job. Kolby took everything in the divorce.¡± She said, her gaze dropping to the floor beneath her. ¡°Of course sweetie. Anything I can do to help.¡± She said pushing the door open to the patient¡¯s room. ¡°Mr. Martinez! You know what time it is? He rolled his eyes sitting up in the hospital bed. ¡°Do you have to call me Mr.Martinez? How about just calling me Paul for a change will you?¡± He said blinking a few times and rubbed his eyes. He propped himself up in the bed offering his arm for the two nurses. ¡°It was just a car accident, you know? Plus all the pain has been centered mostly around my wounded leg. What do you ladies need my blood for anyways?¡± He asked with a hint of nervousness as Dani searched for the vein on his arm. Stolen story; please report. Katie laughed a bit as she scrambled around for a syringe. ¡°The wound seems to have gathered some infection, Paul. We just need to figure out how to get the swelling to go down.¡± ¡°By poking my arm?¡± He protested, watching as she rubbed a slightly dampened cotton ball over his arm. ¡°They just want to run another test.¡± she said gently piercing his skin with the needle. ¡°The sooner they figure out what to do the sooner we can get you out of here.¡± He withdrew his gaze for a few seconds. The television in the corner of the room seemed to only serve as background noise. He Quickly gathered his thoughts. Katie turned around and began cleaning the edge of the needle, then handed it over to Dani. He could hear the brief sounds of whispering. Dani took the needle and left the room in a rush. ¡°What if I don¡¯t wanna get out of here?¡± he said shyly. ¡°You know? I come from a family that¡¯s very well off. It¡¯s not like I couldn¡¯t afford to stay here for a few days.¡± ¡°Oh come on Mr. Martinez. Why would you want to stay here for any longer than you need to.¡± Katie laughed, slipping off her latex gloves and putting on another pair. ¡°Well. . . ¡° He paused for a second looking for the words. ¡°What if I wanted to take the time and get to know you more? You seem like a nice lady. I barely even felt that prick, so You have to have some kind of a gentle soul.¡± Katie blushed a little. ¡°What if I¡¯m not though? What if I¡¯m really just a cold heartless, controlling bitch, that¡¯s just really good at taking blood samples?¡± Katie jested taking a step closer to the bed. ¡°It¡¯d still be worth it.¡± He smiled gazing up into her eyes. ¡°A date with the most beautiful redhead in the city.¡± Katie¡¯s cheeks flushed a rosy hue. It wasn¡¯t often that men flirted with her. The closer she got to her wedding, the more she started to question her decision. Here it was, the chance for something different. She pondered for a second the idea of giving him her number but quickly changed her mind as soon as the gloves came off her hands. She held up her ring finger. ¡°Sorry.¡± she dropped her gaze for a second. As intriguing as it was to think about, the reality was there. She was engaged to Brent and she loved him so, but she couldn¡¯t help but wonder if the man she had agreed to start the rest of her life with, was really the man that she was meant to be with. The man let out a sigh, dropping his gaze for a second. ¡°Does he treat you well?¡± He asked, forging a smile and returning his gaze to her. ¡°He¡¯s a perfect gentleman.¡± she replied, slipping off her latex gloves and picking up the nicely bagged blood sample. ¡°Goodnight Mr.Martinez.¡± ¡°I can take over from here.¡± Dani interrupted while slipping on her gloves. ¡°You need to clock out. You know how HR is about overtime.¡± ¡°Yeah you¡¯re right.¡± Katie nodded, turning on the faucet and washing her hands under the running. ¡°I¡¯m going to surprise Brent at the club.¡± she said with an excited grin. She dried off her hands and pushed the door open. The hospital was quiet at this time of night. Most of the patients were starting to drift off to sleep. The sound of Katie¡¯s footsteps echoed softly through the corridors. She stopped at the nurse¡¯s station and placed her hand on the chair, supporting herself as she bent over to grab her bag. She slid the strap over her shoulders and pushed herself up. Her fingers curled slowly, then stopped suddenly. A white card had appeared in the palm of her hand. She opened her hand and read the inscription on the card, making her way toward the elevator. A dinging sound told Katie that the Elevator had arrived. She stepped inside the open door and leaned back against the wall of the elevator, reading the card once more. ¡°Aeryn Love M.D. Specialist in human affairs.¡± she muttered quietly to herself. The door opened and Katie made her way down the hallway carefully. Along the walls of the main floor, were pictures of all the practicing attendings in the hospital. Katie slowed her pace just enough to read through each one. ¡°Dr. Love. . Dr. Love. . .¡± She muttered to herself, searching the walls and pictures carefully. Much to her surprise, she couldn¡¯t find the name anywhere. She glanced down at the card once more, making her way through the automatic doors. In all her time in healthcare, she¡¯d never heard of anyone that specialized in ¡°Human Affairs.¡± The whole concept made her think. She stuffed the card into the pocket of her scrubs and opened her car door. She turned on the radio and jabbed her keys into the ignition. Her mind raced, pondering the events in the final hours of her work shift. Did Human affairs mean he was some sort of relationship counselor? Who could possibly know about this though? She¡¯d never shared any of her fears or concerns with any of her coworkers. How could anyone possibly know something wasn¡¯t right in her mind? Questions filled her mind the entire drive down the road. Chapter 3 Chapter 3 Katie Benson and Brent Moore-34 and 38 years old Katie shot a glance at Brent and leaned over, whispering into his ear. ¡°We are so talking about this when we get home.¡± Brent¡¯s cheeks flustered. A feeling of dread washed over him. He knew what was going to happen. He made an attempt to hide his dread from the rest of the table. ¡°So Jeff, what did Luci say to her?¡± Brent said, taking a sip of his drink and setting it down. A baffled expression crossed his features. Jeff flashed him an unamused look. ¡°We didn¡¯t exactly exchange secrets. . ¡° He said with a low growl. Katie laughed and waved the waiter off. ¡°Awwww. Poor Jeff here needs something to do for the night.¡± She chuckled, taking a sip of her drink. ¡°Come on, darling. I¡¯ll help you find something.¡± Jeff grumbled in response and rose to his feet. Katie set her drink down and rose up. ¡°So who am I playing tonight?¡± she asked him. Katie detested the idea of what he did, but he was Brent¡¯s best friend, so she put up with it. Plus, she enjoyed the chaos ever so slightly. Brent flashed a brief smile, watching the two walk away. He glanced over at Nat for a second before letting his head drop. Nat scooted closer and gave him a nudge. ¡°Not looking forward to going home, I¡¯m guessing?¡± She said, a soft giggle escaping her lips. Brent looked up at her with a puzzled expression.¡± How did you. . . ?¡± ¡°I have a gift for determining the nature of things. Even short conversations.¡± she said, looking down at him. ¡°She didn¡¯t seem very happy for a moment there.¡± Brent avoided eye contact, turning his head away and scratching behind it. ¡°Yeah. . I mean. . not a lot of women like to see their fiance sitting next to a strange beautiful redhead.¡± Nat flashed him a smile and tilted her head. ¡°Thank you. Not a lot of people see me as beautiful. Some barely even notice me.¡± ¡°What¡¯s not to notice.¡± Brent replied, giving her a brief smile and looking away. Nat let out a sigh and smiled at him. Brent turned away awkwardly, letting the silence fall between them. Katie made herself comfortable at the bar. She threw her hand up, waving down the bartender. ¡°Can I get a Vodka Martini please?¡± Jeff walked over and took a seat next to her, scooting the chair a little closer to talk over the music that echoed throughout the building. This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡°Vodka Martini? That¡¯s a little stronger than your usual drink. Is something wrong?¡± He said looking over at her, then at the Bartender. Katie folded her arms and leaned over, trying to raise her voice above the noise.¡±I¡¯m expecting a long night. I need motivation.¡± Jeff gave her a confused look and replied. ¡°Why are you expecting a long night?¡± Katie simply replied by pointing at the table where Brent and Nat were sitting. ¡°Ohhhhhh them huh? So I¡¯m guessing that means you figured out what happened.¡±Is that why you¡¯re here with me as opposed to sitting next to your fiance, between him and some girl.¡± ¡°I¡¯m just too upset. I needed to get away from the scene for a little while.¡± She replied, her gaze focused on Brent and Nat. ¡°What do you think they¡¯re talking about anyways?¡± she said, giving Jeff a light nudge on the shoulder. Jeff shrugged and waved at the Bartender. ¡°I mean I get that she¡¯s really pretty, but is that all? What even drove him to come over to her?¡± ¡°Vodka Martini.¡± came the voice of the Bartender, Sliding Katie¡¯s drink over and taking a few bills from her. ¡°And you?¡± He asked Jeff. ¡°Just a beer please.¡± Jeff replied, smiling at the man, before turning back to Katie. ¡°How long have you been dating guys? Really pretty is more than enough reason for a guy to see something.¡± Katie chuckled a little. ¡°I may not be the best one to ask. I don¡¯t even see how she¡¯s that pretty.¡± ¡°Ok, you must be sick. First you lose a bet to a complete stranger. Now you don¡¯t even see How Gorgeous she is? How much have you had to drink tonight?¡± ¡°Not as much as you think.¡± Jeff replied with a laugh. ¡°Look.¡± Nat said, tapping Brent on the shoulders. ¡°Don¡¯t look so disconsolate.It¡¯ll all work out if it¡¯s meant to work out.¡± ¡°Easy for you to say. You¡¯re not attached to someone and living with them.¡± He said with a huff. ¡°Darling I live with a lot more than you could ever possibly understand.¡± Nat replied with a smirk. ¡°Ok I know someone that can help you. He¡¯s a Doctor that specializes in human affairs.¡± ¡°Mortal affairs? What the hell are human affairs?¡± Brent said, bewildered. ¡°Like some sort of marriage or relationship counselor?¡± ¡°Something like that.¡± She said reaching into her bra and pulling out a card. ¡°Give him a try. You¡¯ll see results in a matter of days, I promise.¡± Brent took the card and set his drink down with a few bills next to it. ¡°Thanks, I guess. I gotta get going. I¡¯ll uhh. . I¡¯ll look into it.¡± Nat smiled and nodded, watching the man walk away. Brent gestured to Katie. ¡° Are you ready to go?¡± Katie set her drink down and took off scurrying over to catch up with her fiance. ¡°Are you going to talk to me?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll get plenty of talking in when we get home.¡± She replied, stepping through the door that Brent had opened for her. Chapter 4 Chapter 4 Brent Moore 34 years old Light beamed in through the windows of the two story house. Brent opened his eyes slowly, bringing his hand to his head and rubbing his temples. A large pain covered what felt like both sides of his head. The pain barely allowed him to keep his eyes open. He Squinted in pain and rolled over in his bed, staring up at the ceiling. ¡°Ugh! what time is it?¡± his voice reverberated off the walls, with no response to be heard. Ocean blue pupils shifted from one side to the other, slowly tilting onto his back.His head turned, eyes coming to rest on the empty space in the bed that was normally occupied by Katie.A long groan escaped between his dry lips. Fingers curled ever so slightly, dragging across his face. His hand stretched out over the nightstand, fingers wrapping around Cell phone, bringing it into view. It was only a quarter past ten, but it was a Saturday.Brent didn¡¯t have the greatest of memories, but he could recall Katie mentioning that she didn¡¯t work until the afternoon. He peered around the room, searching for any trace that might tell him where she was.First to her laundry basket where Katie kept her clothes neatly folded and stacked. There was a pair of pink scrubs missing from the basket. Brent closed his eyes for a minute, trying to recall the night before. He couldn¡¯t recall her saying anything about going into work for an early shift. The rest of the night slowly crept back into his memory. He fidgeted a little in the bed as the sound of Katie¡¯s screaming voice echoed from one end of his brain to the other. He could hear the sound of the card slamming down on the wooden nightstand. Before that, He remembered the sound of her voice demanding that Brent let her see what she witnessed Nat handing him. He could recall his thoughts at that moment. The worry that if she saw the card of this ¡°Dr.Love¡± that she might get the idea that he was asking around about a relationship counselor. Brent shuttered at the idea of having to go in for counseling so close to his wedding to Katie. Brent opened his eyes, letting out a soft sigh. His fingers brushing across his phone screen. He came across Danielle¡¯s name and thought about it. Dani might have heard from Katie, but Brent didn¡¯t want to go to the trouble of contacting her. Knowing full well that Dani wouldn¡¯t take too kindly to the idea of her friend¡¯s fiance getting what seemed like a number from a total stranger. Brent quickly scrolled past her and pulled up Jeff¡¯s number. His digits began tapping at the keyboard, writing out the words, ¡°Hey man, have you heard from Katie?¡± He read over it for a second and continued texting. ¡°I woke up this morning and she was gone. Did she mention anything to you last night about being early to work or something?¡± Brent hit the send button and drew a deep breath, letting his arms drop to his side. As he waited patiently for the response, his thoughts began to race. Brent peeled his covers away and sat up in the bed. He rubbed his eyes for a few seconds and glanced back down at his phone. Nothing was coming up. He could text Katie herself and ask, but the conversation from the night before left him thinking that he was the last person she wanted to hear from at the moment. Brent swung his feet over the edge of the bed and planted them on the floor. He brushed his finger across his phone screen once more, but no notifications came up. He took a deep breath and tried to push it out of his mind. Maybe he¡¯d distract himself by getting ready for the day. He took a deep breath,brushing his long blonde hair out of his eyes. His eyes shifted once more before finally bringing himself to get up from the bed. His phone fell off his lap and landed on the bed. Brent gathered his clothes and walked into the bathroom, pausing to stare at himself in the mirror. He couldn¡¯t hold the gaze of his own reflection for even a second. A sinking feeling in his heart left him with a heavy guilt. He caught sight of one beautiful woman and made a feeble attempt to flirt with her. The only thing that he even got out of it was a lousy calling card for what sounded like a crackpot of a doctor. He attempted to flirt and got a number for another guy. Brent stifled a chuckle and turned on the water. This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. The sound of the doorbell could be heard over the roar of rushing water from the showerhead. Brent turned off the water and stepped out of the tub, scrambling for his towel. He ruffled his hair and wrapped the towel around his waist. He snatched his pants and undergarments from the counter and draped them over his back. A few seconds later Brent pulled open the door to see his friend standing on his doorstep. ¡°Two things man; You and your fiance need to stop dragging me into your personal problems. And please tell me you don¡¯t make a habit of answering the door like that.¡± Jeff said, pushing past his barely clothed friend. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Are you Jealous?¡± Brent replied, shooting his friend a smirk. ¡°Me? Jealous? I¡¯m not the one over here looking like I''ve skipped leg day for the last 8 weeks.¡± Jeff replied, turning around and walking backwards down the corridor. Brent rolled his eyes and shut the door behind him. Brent shook his head and chuckled at his own comment. ¡°Katie didn¡¯t sound too happy at the club last night. I haven¡¯t seen her that upset since you went out of town to spend Thanksgiving with your friend from the northern part of the state.I told you it was a bad idea to talk to that . . Nat girl. What were you two talking about anyways? And what was that card she handed you all about? Katie made me watch the whole thing with her last night.¡± ¡°That¡¯s just it.¡± Brent said, watching his friend make himself comfortable on the couch in front of the television. Brent disappeared into his room for a few seconds and returned with the card in hand. ¡°All she gave me was some contact information for some kind of Counselor or something. His name is Dr. Aeryn Love.¡± Brent said, handing the card over to Jeff. Jeff paused and read it carefully. ¡°Dr.Love? Really?? Is this thing even real? A relationship counselor with the last name ¡°Love?¡± That sounds ridiculous.¡± Brent responded with a chuckle. ¡°Look man. From the sound of it, you need something to distract your mind from your current predicament. Come With me to the mall. I need to go pick something up. Maybe we can get some Pizza and talk about this a little more.¡± Jeff stated, taking a deep breath and tilting his head with a smirk. ¡°I can¡¯t man. I need to figure out where Katie is. And maybe just be alone with my thoughts.¡± Brent replied, breaking eye contact and looking away. ¡°No you don¡¯t man. Man was never meant to spend hard times alone with his thoughts. That¡¯s how paranoia sets in and makes things worse. Come on, go get your clothes on and let¡¯s go.¡± Jeff retorted. A chuckle escaped him as he watched the wide eyed expression of his friend once it dawned on him. ¡°You just remembered that you were still in a towel didn¡¯t you?¡± Jeff paused then interrupted his friend before he could speak. ¡°No need to answer that, just go. I¡¯ll wait right here.¡± Brent closed his lips and darted into the bedroom. The subtle sound of wooden drawers opening could be heard from outside the bedroom. Brent pulled out a pair of socks and stumbled back into the bathroom, snatching his clothes from the lid of the pot. He had gotten so wrapped up in the conversation that he¡¯d forgotten where he was. Brent opened the bedroom door a few minutes later, this time fully dressed, jingling the keys in his pocket. ¡°So am I driving or are you?¡± He asked a seemingly startled Jeff. Jeff spun around, peering over the couch with a grin. Chapter 5 Chapter 5 Katie Benson 38 years old Katie opened her eyes slowly. Her thoughts had been racing all night. Brent was still fast asleep. Her rosy red cheeks felt dry. Her digits brushed across a spot on the sheets of the bed. It felt cold but no longer dampened from the tears that rolled off her cheeks the night before. She rolled over on the bed, glancing over at Brent to make sure she hadn¡¯t disturbed him. She took a deep breath and let out a long sigh. Her eyes closed once more. The memories of the argument played back in her head like a movie. She could see it all again as if it was happening in real time. Brent¡¯s voice echoed through her head. ¡°Why won¡¯t you let me see it?!¡± she heard herself yelling. ¡°Because you won¡¯t like what it says!! I don¡¯t even like what it says!¡± came the sound of Brent¡¯s voice yelling back at her. ¡°Why the Hell Not?!¡± She yelled back, her voice starting to get choked up. Her eyes had closed. A single, small tear starting to form at the edge of her eyelids. ¡°Because it was a moment of weakness.¡± he replied, a stern expression forming across his face. ¡°And not one that i¡¯m particularly. . ¡° ¡°Oh No! It¡¯s not a weakness! Nuh uh!¡± she screamed reaching for the card, but Brent pulled it away. ¡°Obviously something is wrong if you¡¯re out taking phone numbers from other girls!¡± ¡°Fine! You wanna see it so badly?!¡± came the sound of her fiance¡¯s screaming voice as he slammed the card down on his nightstand.¡±Come get it!¡± ¡°If you¡¯re going to act like this, forget it!!¡± she screamed, brushing the tears away from her cheeks. She pushed past him and slammed the door of the bedroom.This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. Katie opened her eyes again, brushing her long red hair from her eyes. A tear hand formed and trickled down her cheek. She took a deep breath, but her breathing had started to get shallow. She tried to choke back her tears. A feeling washed over her. Feelings of inadequacy. She hated this feeling. It brought up a familiar thought. The same thought that crossed her mind the night before. Was this really him? Was Brent really the person she wanted to spend the rest of her life with? The fight played over again in her head. She poked her head up the second she thought about it. The card was still on his nightstand. She hadn¡¯t looked at it, even after she pushed him out of the room. She was afraid to. Another girl¡¯s number? And what made it worse was the fact that he kept it. Brent didn¡¯t really seem to think about things like that. He didn¡¯t seem to care how it looked or reflected on him. Was he having doubts about their wedding as it drew so close? Katie¡¯s mind was flooded with questions. She finally sat up in bed peering over her shoulder at her sleeping fiance first, then glancing over at the nightstand. She took a deep breath, letting her gaze drop to the carpeted floor beneath her. The subtle sound of a meow alerted her to the cat¡¯s presence. Tabbyona, her and Brent got her from a stray that one of Katie¡¯s patients had adopted. Katie flashed her a brief smile that quickly fell away from her face. Katie rose up from the bed, slowly pulling her emerald green up over her torso and fastening it to her midriff. Katie rose up on her tiptoes and stepped carefully around the corner of the bed, trying to avoid stepping on any of the clothes that Brent had left laying around the room. Brent wasn¡¯t exactly the cleanest of fiances to live with, but at least he wasn¡¯t like any of her exes. He wasn¡¯t demanding of her and he even still went to the trouble of holding doors open for her. He always told her that his mom would kill him if he didn¡¯t. It sounded a little corny to her, but she didn¡¯t mind it. Katie took out her phone and pulled up a flashlight, hovering the lit up screen over Brent¡¯s night stand and picked up the card. Katie lifted the card up to the faint morning sunlight that cascaded between the closed blinds. She could barely make out the contents of it. Her sadness started to fade once she realized what it said. Katie scurried over to the clothing basket and dug around for her outfit from the night before. Stuffing her hands in the pockets of her dirty scrubs, she searched for it. The same card that she had picked up on her way out of work. A brief feeling of relief washed over her. Why had he refused to show this to her? What was her fiance so afraid of? Without paying attention to it, she set her own card down on Brent¡¯s night stand on his side of the bed. She tiptoed back over the mess in their room and leaned down, grabbing a random pair of scrubs from her laundry basket at the edge of the bed. Katie opened the bathroom door and slipped inside, quickly shutting the door behind her and turning on the lights. She slid the robe off slowly, reading over the card again. Why had her fiance even received this? Was he still hiding Nat¡¯s number? She folded her robe and finished undressing before slipping into the shower. The entire time the water drenched her strawberry blond hair, she thought about it. Who was this ¡°Dr. Aeryn love?¡± The more she thought about it, the more her curiosity began to get the best of her. Chapter 6 Chapter 6 Brent Moore 34 Years old Brent opened the door carefully, smiling at a small family that brushed past him. Before he could take a step in, Jeff scurried out in front of him. The sound of the cool breeze quickly changed to the roar of bustling that echoed through the large building that was the mall. Small crowds moved across the marble floors. Jeff gestured toward Brent to follow him. Brent stuffed his hands into his pockets, his gaze shifting from one side to the other, taking in the scenery. ¡°You dragged me all the way out here, because you want to find a video game?¡± Brent asked, coming to a stop at the top of the escalator. Jeff turned to his friend softly leaning back against the sides of the escalator. ¡°That¡¯s not the whole reason. I also get bored when my roommates aren¡¯t home. I don¡¯t like to be a lone Brent, You should know this.¡± Jeff paused for a second, stopping to step off the escalator that had reached the bottom floor of the mall. ¡°Plus it helps to get out of the house and get your mind off things.That¡¯s the important part.¡± Brent quirked a brow, glancing over at his friend. ¡°What makes you think I need to get my mind off things? I would have been perfectly happy just sitting at home and streaming movies off my console.¡± Jeff shook his head and rolled his eyes. ¡°No you wouldn¡¯t have, man. Nobody should be alone when they¡¯re having relationship problems.¡± Brent nodded, instantly, ¡°Yes they should, some people need time to think things through.¡± He glanced up at the sign that Brent recognized as Jeff¡¯s favorite game store. ¡°Not for a whole day. I¡¯m telling you, Man was not meant to be left to his own thoughts for long periods of time. After a few hours, the crazy starts to set in.¡± Jeff replied, coming to a halt in front of the shelf. ¡°This is what friends do. They help you find distractions from the crazy. And I hate to tell you this, but You¡¯ve been getting that a lot lately.¡± Brent opened his mouth to reply, but before he could push out a sound, a familiar voice interrupted them. ¡°Hey you two! Fancy running into you again.¡± came the sound of Nat¡¯s voice, peering at the two men from the other top of the game shelf. Both boys looked up, Jeff¡¯s expression flashing a smile and Brent dropping his head instantly. Nat? What brings you in here? And with. . ¡° Brent paused for a second looking up only to catch a glance of the man that Nat was standing next to. The Man¡¯s long dark brown hair hung merely centimeters from his shoulders. His matching beard hid what Brent could only describe as an angelic complexion. ¡°Who might this be?¡± Brent asked, offering his hand for a greeting. Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. Nat flashed Brent a grin and looked up at the rather tall man. ¡°Oh I call him Chris, but He gets called other names too.¡± she said, observing Brent¡¯s gaze falling away from hers. ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure.¡± Chris said, shaking Brent¡¯s hand and flashing him a smile. A feeling of warmth and content washed over Brent¡¯s face. A feeling that seemed to compel Brent to smile back. Brent shot a glare at Chris¡¯s hands. A scar sat in the middle of his palms. A scar from Brent could only conclude as a wound. ¡°Whoa! What happened there?¡± Brent asked, reaching for the man¡¯s hand.Brent¡¯s finger¡¯s lightly brushed over the scar, looking at it in astonishment. ¡°Oh Brent here is a Carpenter. He had a bad misunderstanding with some nails.¡± Nat interrupted as Chris pulled his hands away and picked up one of the games off the shelf. Jeff lightly swatted at Brent¡¯s hand, casting a friendly glance over to Nat at first and then again to Brent. ¡°Come on, man. I¡¯m sure they didn¡¯t come in here to have you examine his hand.¡± Jeff said, picking up one of the games and staring at it, before flipping it over. ¡°What brings you and Chris here?¡± ¡°I wanted to see what sort of things people come up with.¡± Chris replied, putting one game down and picking another back up. ¡°I Enjoy creativity of others. There¡¯s beauty in all creation.¡± Chris continued, smiling down at one of the games.¡±I¡¯m a creator myself. I can¡¯t help it.¡± He said, looking back up at Brent and Jeff. A silence fell between the four as they nodded in agreement. Jeff swiped the game from the shelf and set it down on the counter. The Cashier picked it and waved it across the scanner. ¡°32.04 please.¡± came the voice of the cashier. Jeff reached into his pocket and unbuttoned his wallet. He stretched it out and began to rummage through it. He pushed a few cards aside and pulled open the main pocket. Fingers brushed across the edges of the bills. Jeff counted it out carefully, mouthing the numbers as he went along. ¡°Crap!¡± He glanced over at his friend. ¡°Hey man? I¡¯m short 7 bucks, can you help me out? I¡¯ll pay you right back as soon as we get back to my place.¡± He said flashing a smile over at Nat and Chris, who¡¯d stepped into line behind them. Jeff grew nervous cycling through the bills in his hand, mouthing off the numbers as he counted. A sorrowful sigh escaped his lips as he rested his hand with the cash on the counter and dropped his head. The sound of the drawer opening alerted the two men. Jeff watched as the cashier scooped the money into the drawer. ¡°But I don¡¯t. . ¡° Both men shot the cashier with a confused expression. ¡°Have a good day. Thank you for coming in.¡± the girl said, ripping the receipt from the printer and handing it over to Jeff. Both men looked over the receipt with curiosity. ¡°Exact change? It¡¯s a. . ¡° Before Brent could finish, Chris and Nat approached them. ¡°Hey are you boys hungry?¡± she asked, looking between the two. ¡°Chris and I are thinking about getting something from the food court and thought you might like to join us.¡± ¡°We¡¯d love to but that was the last of our money.¡± Jeff replied, giving her a shrug. ¡°We couldn¡¯t possibly ask you to.¡± Nat waved off his response with her hand. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. We have you covered.¡± she replied, pulling the straps of her leaf green purse up over her shoulder. ¡°Well thanks! We¡¯ll pay you back.¡± Jeff responded, gripping the shopping bag tightly. ¡°What¡¯s your number? I¡¯ll call you when I have the money. ¡°We¡¯re not debt collectors, don¡¯t worry about it.¡± Chris interjected, turning his back toward the men and walking out of the store. ¡°Did you see what I did there?¡± He whispered to Nat. Nat rolled her eyes and continued walking. ¡°Do you have to show off like that?¡± she asked, nudging him on the shoulder. ¡°Chris looks like he¡¯s in dire need of a shave.¡± Brent whispered to Jeff as they followed closely behind the pair. ¡°Do you remember Principal Boon in High School? He looks just like him.¡± Jeff tilted his head and scratched the top of it. ¡°Are we looking at the same person? I don¡¯t remember Principal Boon ever having a beard.¡± He said, stepping onto the escalator behind them. Chapter 7 Chapter 7 Katie Benson and Brent Moore- 34 and 38 years old The car took a sharp turn at the intersection and pulled into the driveway slowly. ¡°Thanks for Dinner,¡± Brent said, turning to face Nat and Chris in the backseat. ¡°Are you sure you two can get home from here? I have the gas, I don¡¯t mind taking you home. It¡¯s the least I can do for buying dinner.¡± He said turning the ignition and removing the keys from it. Jeff wasted no time in opening the passenger side door and letting himself out. Brent shot a glance at Jeff who¡¯d casually drifted out to the front of the car. Brent¡¯s gaze focused on the sight in front of him. Katie¡¯s car was parked in the open garage. A sense of dread washed over Brent. He could feel his heart beating in his chest as his mind shot off like a rocket. ¡°We have our ways of getting home, Don¡¯t we Chris?¡± Nat replied, glancing over at Chris to see a nod. ¡°Plus. I wouldn¡¯t want to keep you from your fiance.¡± Nat continued, watching Brent¡¯s gaze escape her own. Brent rolled his eyes as if he¡¯d just had a thought that he chose not to vocalize. Nat¡¯s expression changed just a little. ¡°I know you aren¡¯t looking forward to what¡¯s coming, but I can assure you, it will help in the long run.¡± ¡°I guess,¡± Brent continued with a sigh, opening his door and planting one foot down onto the concrete driveway. ¡°I just wish I could have stopped myself from doing it to begin with. There¡¯s no turning back now though, I guess.¡± He said, planting both feet and pulling himself up out of the driver¡¯s seat. ¡°If I hadn¡¯t though, I guess we wouldn¡¯t have met.¡± Nat flashed her friend a smile. ¡°Come with us tomorrow. We¡¯re going on a hike after work.. Maybe a little time in nature will take your mind off things.¡± The ginger haired beauty said, pushing the door of the back seat open and offering a hand to Chris. ¡°Let nature run its course, darling.¡± ¡°Sounds fun to me.¡± Brent said, looking up at Jeff. ¡°Are you coming with us?¡± ¡°No Thank you!¡±Jeff shook his head without even giving it a second of thought. ¡°Nature and I don¡¯t get along very well. And I need to keep up appearances. I¡¯m going to the club tomorrow night.¡± Jeff patted his pockets, to make sure he had everything, then reached into the car to grab his game.¡±I¡¯m taking this thing home to give it a try. Let me know what happens with you and Katie, would ya?¡± He said, taking his keys out and opening the driver¡¯s side door of his car.¡±Text me when you get back from your hike.¡± Jeff said, shaking his friend¡¯s hand and turning the ignition. ¡°Have a good night man.¡± Before Brent could say it back, Jeff had already taken off down the road. Brent peeked up at the house from the driveway. His head dropped again, dragging his feet up along the cement pathway. Brent couldn¡¯t help but feel a little scared. The door knob turned and the door slid open. Brent took a step through the doorway, Quietly closing the door behind him. A silence filled the air as he made his way through the living room. The light in the kitchen above the stove was on, but that seemed to be the only sign of life in the house. Brent¡¯s eyes scanned the floor of the darkened house until they settled on the crack in the doorway bedroom. The light was on, which left Brent thinking that Katie was in there. Katie had pulled the covers over her torso and rested her head on the pillow. Her eyes gravitated from the television to the card that was on the table. Her mind wandered, contemplating if this was what she wanted. This card was different from the one she found this morning. This had an appointment time. An appointment to see Dr.Love. She thought about it. Did she really need this? And why did the Doctor only want to see her and made no mention of bringing Brent with her. What kind of relationship counselor didn¡¯t want to see couples together in one room? She thought for a second about canceling her appointment. A voice in the back of her mind argued with it though. She started thinking about everything. She thought about the patient she¡¯d taken care of the previous night. That wasn¡¯t the first time though. She needed answers. Her and Brent never fought like this before. They¡¯d always been close. She felt more comfortable around him than Dani, even. Her doubts had only surfaced in the few months since Brent proposed.This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. Katie glanced up at the door, watching her fiance step through it. Katie didn¡¯t feel like arguing. But she could sense something was coming. She pulled her phone up to her eyes, refusing to keep eye contact with him.¡±Hey,¡± she said, cycling through her phone and entering a time for her alarm to wake her up. Brent plopped down on the bed in front of her. Katie peered up over her phone screen. ¡°So? What happened this morning?¡± Brent asked in a low tone. He barely caught her gaze, but refused to keep it. ¡°I didn¡¯t wake up to your phone going off, so I know you couldn¡¯t have been called in early.¡± Katie shifted her gaze to the door. ¡°I left early.¡± she asked, pretending to watch her screen, while her ears tuned into the voice of her fiance. ¡°Should you answer the same question?¡± Brent discarded part of her reply. ¡°But where did you run off to that early in the morning?¡± Brent said, rubbing his temples, feeling the early signs of a headache setting in. ¡°You didn¡¯t answer my question. Where did you go all day?¡± She asked the tone of her voice rising. ¡°I asked my question first. Why did you take off so early?¡± He asked, raising his voice even higher. ¡°I left early to go in and make a Doctor¡¯s appointment! Now Where did you go all day?¡± she shouted, setting her phone down on the nightstand. ¡°Oh. . .¡± Brent said, dropping his gaze. He took a deep breath before answering her question. ¡°I went out with Jeff to the mall to pick up a game.¡± ¡°Jeff told me the other night he didn¡¯t have any money. And I know it doesn¡¯t take him all day to pick out a game. Now where else did you go and tell the truth.¡± Katie replied sitting up in the bed. Brent closed his eyes, Quietly dreading the answer that came out of his mouth. ¡°We ran into Nat and her friend and. . ¡° ¡°So you went out with her? You went out with that girl from the club? Even after our little talk last night?¡± Katie let her head crash down onto the pillow. ¡°I can¡¯t deal with this right now! Good night!¡± she said, reaching out and turning the lamp light out. ¡°It wasn¡¯t like that! Jeff and I just had dinner with her and walked around the mall.¡± Brent replied, gazing at the darkened silhouette of his fiance. He shook his head in disbelief and slipped into the covers, closing his eyes and letting the tense silence settle in. Katie rolled her eyes and refused to reply with anything other than a huff from her nostrils. Her thoughts ran at what felt like a hundred miles an hour. She attempted to close her eyes and drift off to sleep, but her mind was at war. Imagining everything she wanted to say, but didn¡¯t have the energy to push from between her lips. She tried as hard as she could to let the anger slide through her veins. She hated her fiance at this moment. Never before had she felt such a sense of detachment from her fiance. She drew in a deep breath and opened her eyes. The silence had lingered into the air and held still in the cold night air. The moon cast it¡¯s beams, sending them cascading in through the window seal. Her gaze settled on the outstretched shadow of the card that had the Doctor''s contact information on it. The card sat on her night stand just a few feet from the bed. Brent was fast asleep next to her. His ability to suppress even the most heated of arguments was nothing short of astounding to her. She extended her arm out and grabbed the card carefully rereading the print. What could someone who deals in ¡°human affairs,¡± possibly do for her and her troubled relationship? She flipped the card over to one side and scanned it, before stopping at setting it back down. Katie rolled over on her back and gazed up at the ceiling. What could even be considered as ¡°Mortal affairs?¡± She tossed the card down again and rolled back over on her side, letting out a tired yawn and finally managing to close her eyes.