*Chapter Song~Anxious*

*by~Dennis Lloyd*

"Say you want me, babe! It's not that hard to confess." His hoarse voice murmured into Hailey's ear as he twisted her hand at her back.

"Go away, Adam! I have told you. I'm over you. And if you think these erotic traits of yours will amuse me anymore, you must be out of your mind. Leave me!" Hailey grunts pushing him away with her right hand.

"Oh! So now you must be interested in etiquettes and all. After all, that is what only thing you can expect from Doctors." He grinned venomously.

"What!" She got shocked to hear it. First, it took her a second to assess his true meaning, "You are disgusting Adam! Yet, even if it's true. You have nothing to do with it. You were not there in my life. I haven't cheated anyone like you. If you think that I'm interested or involved with Dr. Miller then respect it and go away!"

"I might have chosen to forget you like earlier if you had agreed that night in the club but the way you refused me. Tried to play hard to get, claimed that I have no control over you." He walked closer to pin her against the wall behind, "I took it as a challenge Honey! And you know I never back-outs or loses challenges."

"You have lost this one years ago Adam! Go away! You will get nothing from me."

"You wanna bet?" He stroked her head lightly, walking backward, "I won this game years ago. And its evidence is lying somewhere here, in these rooms." He l
Pointed the patient's rooms around.

Hailey felt numb to imagine that he was talking about Cora. But she acted calm,
"Stop your nonsense and leave before I call for guards!"

"Oh! So even Guards etcetera here know about your relations with the owner Miller? Or else why they would listen to you?" His voice turned serious.

"Think whatever you want, just leave or I'm gonna file the complaint I refused earlier." Finally, Hailey tried to use the weapon she had prepared for him.

"Go do it! But... Before that let me see my daughter." He chuckled and walked away, leaving Hailey numb.

"What! Which daughter are you talking about? There's no one." She screamed walking fast to hold his hand.

"Oh, you forgot our daughter? Yeah, certainly. After all, you got a new lover. Why will you think about my poor, sick daughter?" His finger glided on her arm for a second as if suggesting her some option to stop him.

"Shut up! You have been dreaming. Stop all this and leave!" Hailey pushed his hand away with disgust.

"Fine, choice is yours. Come back to me or" his hand grabbed her shoulder like some predator clutching at its prey, "I will compel you for it."

"Stop pretending Hail, you got discharged this morning only. If your daughter isn't here for her heart treatment then why are you still here?"

Hailey went blank at his knowledge about Cora and her illness.

"Ah! Don't give me that dumb look of yours. After your words that day, I thought to check on your mother. After reaching your building I realized that she had died years back. I heard about her but didn't have time to visit. But now, see I'm here, and forever."

"I don't want you in my life.."

"Shuuu.... Where you learn these ill manners Hail, have you forgotten? When I talk you will listen to me first." He placed his index finger on her lips.

"Yeah, what was I about to say. Yes! There I got to know about our daughter. What was the name that old neighbor of yours told me, Cora! Yes, Correa... Where are you dear? Look Daddy is here." He started to call for Cora.

Hailey tried her best to stop him but his voice had already created a mini havoc in the calmness of the hospital.

A few nurses and doctors had arrived to look into the matter but Adam was untameable.

Pushing all aside, shouting for Cora he reached to her cabin.

"She isn't here." Hailey stood between him and the door.

"That means, she is in this cabin only. I know you, babe. Doesn't matter how badly you insist to be changed, you can't change your basic instincts." He held Hailey by the arm, "look at your face, you are pale, your voice trembling, it's proof that I'm at the right door. Here I come my key to Hailey's life." He laughed aloud like a freak and shoved her aside.

As soon as his hand grabbed the knob of the door, a strong blow met his jaw.

He stumbled back, shocked, he tried but all he could see, was a blurred figure of Hailey.

She was standing close to someone, before he could get whom, another strong blow struck on his right temple.

His view gone away for a moment, and he fell on the floor.

"Arthur, No!" Luke shouted aloud rushing toward Arthur to stop him from hitting the third time.

"Throw him out of the premises, warn the guards, if this creature ever appears in, they will be fired!" Arthur declared making Hailey stand on her own.

Hailey stood like a lifeless mannequin. Gazing at Arthur with wide eyes.

Guards took the semi-conscious Adam up and were about to leave when Arthur spoke with a bit of hesitation, as if controlling himself, "give him required medication before throwing out, and warn him too."

***

"Woo... Have you seen Dr. Miller? That was a strong punch."

"Yeah, like a perfect Hero, he stepped in the situation and Bang! Everything is under control."

Hailey overheard two nurses gossiping in the corridor. It actually surprised her a great time, the way Arthur, a person who always looked so calm behaved so violently. So violent that just in two punches he took Adam on the ground.

"Our Dr. Miller is perfect savior. Isn't he?"

"Certainly he is. But I'm curious to know. For whom he behaved so protecting. I mean, he is protective of everyone associated with him. Even us, his whole staff. But was it for the young girl Cora, whom he takes his daughter or her mother?" One of the nurses whispered with a snort.

"Hey, shuuu.." The other warned her as Hailey and Meril walked past them.

"Well, I wish both were the reasons behind his deed." Meril chuckled with a murmur.

"Meril! Stop this. You know he is protective for Cora, and" Hailey chid at Meril.

"Woo hooo... You accepting his protecting behavior towards Cora! Now that's something really big." Meril exclaimed.

"Accepting? This time I'm thankful for it Mer, as it doesn't matter how badly I want to be everything in my daughter's life. But the moment, Adam shoved me away. I felt helpless to save my baby from that monster." Tear of helplessness and frustration flooded her eyes.

"Hey, I think you forgot that we are in a hospital. I'm surprised how he appeared so shamelessly and started to claim for Cora." Meril tried to divert the topic by rubbing her friend's shoulder.

"It's not about Cora, Mer. He wants to be back in my life. To make it worse, as if he had left anything like life in me. He has taken me as a challenge. To see me broken, crumbled in his feet. He will do anything." Hailey analyzed the situation.

"Relax, he won't show up again. Arthur has stuffed him with a good dose." Meril chuckled to think about it.

Hailey looked up at her for a second before both of the friends busted into laughter.

"You Devil! You enjoyed it too." Meril slapped at Hailey's back joyfully.

"Certainly, he did what I wanted to do for so long." Both chuckled for a few minutes before entering the room of Cora.

"Mom, you are laughing!" Cora exclaimed to see Hailey happy.

"Yes, as my baby has enjoyed a nice siesta." Hailey hugged Cora in her lap.

"You look pretty when you smile but prettiest when you laugh like this." Cora complimented her mother with a peck on the cheek.

"But why is daddy so tense?"

"Your Dad and tense? When you saw him tense?" Meril inquired while Hailey looked confused.

"Yes, a few minutes ago when we were chatting, he got a call and said, 'I'll be there. Ask her to sit in my cabin.' " Cora tried to copy Arthur's voice, word to word.

Hailey looked worried now as the thought flashed in her mind that Adam might be behind this. What if he had complained against Arthur?

After all, it was Adam. He could do anything. She didn't want any trouble for Arthur, just because he saved her and Cora.

"Mer, you stay with Cora. I'll be back in a few, " Hailey made Cora lay on the bed and walked quickly towards the door to leave.

"Mom, give Daddy my kiss and say him my I love you too. As he left in such a hurry, I guess he might haven't heard me saying it." Cora instructed Hailey.

Hailey felt awkward at her words as Meril had started to giggle like idiots.