¶Chapter Song- let me down slowly¶
*By-Alec Benjamin*

"What do you mean by 'Dr. Arthur is a miserable person ?" Meril questioned Luke, holding the hand of her faint friend Hailey, "He is the most successful, young doctor I can see in our city. He has achieved so much in the last few years."

"Success is not a parameter to measure someone's happiness or peace Meril. You must have heard about Arthur in the last three or four years. Because the world counts only success not the struggle behind it." Luke checked Hailey's eyes and temperature and continued his talk.

"No one knows where Arthur was before he founded this hospital."

"He was practicing with Dr. Matthew Jones," Meril replied showing her knowledge about The Doctor, after all, she had done her homework before getting Cora there.

Dr. Matthew Jones, the well-known Child-specialist of the country. Dr. Miller had mentioned him in one of his iconic interviews.

"Yes, he was, but do you know why he had disappeared from 2012 to 2013?" Luke inquired with a smirk as if challenging Meril's research about his friend.

"Yes of course...." Meril thought for a second, "He must be studying at Stanford University"

"No, he was struggling with his self-doubt and hatred as his marriage got broken. His wife..." Luke paused while Meril 's eyes go wide with shock.

She never knew that Dr. Arthur was married ever. It might be a secret as he had hardly replied ever to any personal question of any reporter.

"Who was the fool to ditch him?" She gasped.

"Fool! No, she was too smart for a person like Arthur." Luke got a sarcastic smile. " Arthur was the bright student. Best of our batch. She was the second-best. All She could see was the promise of a bright, and wealthy future with Arthur. So, before seizing our degrees Mr. Arthur Miller was the husband of Mrs. Lilly Miller."

"Oops! My fault! I mean Dr. Lilly Jones." Luke rectified and reframed his sentence.

" What? You mean Mrs. Lilly, Matthew Jones!" Meril exclaimed with surprise.

"Yeah, you got it right. She was Arthur's childhood love. I wish it had stopped there only. But that girl followed him to college too. They got married too but when she saw Arthur was satisfied, practicing at his small-town children's hospital. That too at a small salary just because he wanted to serve." Luke took a deep breath taking a chair opposite to Meril.

"So? How that happened? I mean if she was his wife then how she got married to his idol?" Meril questioned with some hesitation?

"Ok! So that part of the story is more interesting for you than my poor friend's heartbreak?" Luke replied with a smirk.

"No, actually I have witnessed worse heartbreak story, so thought to skip that part," Meril replied with a sad smile.

"Really?" Luke looked up at her with questioning eyes.

"Yeah, this silly girl lying just in front of you has made the same mistake. Fallen for a wrong guy in her high school, got pregnant, got ditched, dropped out of college, and study as well just because she wanted to keep the child." Meril smiled at Luke sadly holding the hand of Hailey.

"And as if it wasn't enough. Years after struggling to get some stability in life she gets to know the same child may not live long because of this chronic illness." Her eyes turned red with the pain of her friend.

"Seems like we both have witnessed a lot of pain in our close one's lives," Luke said with a fake smile looking at sleeping, Hailey.

"Yeah, just hope Dr. Miller will get his share of happiness," Meril replied with a forced smile.

"Wish the same for Your friend." Luke patted at her shoulder just to console, " don't worry, she is out of danger, and about Cora, I assure you, She is in good hands."

"Oh, how can I forget. I should have checked her, she might wake up and ask about her mother." Meril was taken aback by the sudden realization that she hadn't seen Cora for long.

"Don't worry. I told you she is in good hands. I'm talking about her care too." Luke repeated to assure her.

"I didn't get you."

"Ok, come." Luke held her hand to walk her to the room of Cora, "just have a look." He gestured her to peep inside her room. Meril did the same and looked up at him with more confused expressions.

"I thought Dr. Miller might have left by now."

"No, but is he sleeping?" Luke questioned.

"Yeah, Cora is sleeping peacefully holding his hand while he is sleeping in that chair leaning against her bed," Meril replied still confused.

"I knew it. But he would never admit." Luke said walking back toward Hailey's room.

"May I know what are we talking about?"

"Cora, as you said, She is the reason your friend Hailey fought all battles alone, for. And as we can see she is still lively. In these hardships too."

"Yeah, they both were quite happy before Cora had all these health issues. She is her life force." Meril replied with a real smile this time.

"Arthur had gone through a lot, like really a lot. But the only thing to push him this long was his anger to trust a wrong woman. He was shattered when he got to know that woman killed his unborn child. It may sound crazy but he was really happy to hear her pregnancy news." His eyes turned gloomy to recall all the past of his childhood friend.

"I can understand."

"No, I guess none of us can. As even I thought he has moved on. Unless I saw him now. Now, when he is with Cora. You know he is different. He laughs! he smiles! He has started to talk. He has started to ask something for himself. All these years I have seen him neglecting his existence like anything. And tonight he shouted on me." Luke smiled brightly while his eyes got flooded.

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that..." Meril tried to say something but couldn't complete her sentence as Luke cut her in mid.

"Sorry? No! I'm happy Meril. He reacted to something after all these years. He asked for something after so long. He admitted that he loves to be with Cora. Your little angel is pumping life in my withered friend." Luke laughed in tears.

"Oh dear... that's something I just overlooked." Meril smiled holding his hands in hers while she felt some kind of threat.

Threat, as she knew how possessive Hailey become when it comes to Cora.

And the way Arthur was sleeping holding her hand was certainly not a pleasant sight for Hailey as Cora was the same comfortable with him.

It might piss Hailey that her daughter is relying on and connecting with someone else apart from her.