CHAPTER 3

Fire meets Fate

                 Amanda's POV 

              *Seven Years Later*

"I searched some of orphanage homes I got from the last lead, but it was futile."

His words felt like a sword was pierced into my heart.

"What about the names of the ex workers you got from that particular orphanage?" I asked.

"Nothing, I'm still trying to reach them, many of the ex workers didn't want to talk about Anything that happened but I have asked for a meeting with the rest."

Frustrated, I downed the last wine in my glass, I had started looking for my biological parents two years ago, my father had shown me the adoption form the day I had found out the truth.

My search had ended with nothing as the said orphanage had burned down several years ago, too busy trying to start afresh, I had instead gotten a private investigator.

"You know how important this is to me, I want you to please leave no stone unturned –"

I was disrupted by a call from an Unknown number.

"Excuse me, Mr Lucas, I need to take this." I said standing up, leaving the investigator with his glass of wine.

"Hello." 

"Is this Amanda James?" The caller inquired.

"Yes, who am I speaking to please?" 

"Okay, This is the Secretary to Mr McDuff of the White Group, we have been trying to reach you for days now, please can you check your email immediately?"

The caller ended the call, confused I opened my email and the first one I saw was indeed from the white Group, it was Marked Urgent.

My eyes almost popped out from their sockets when I saw the content of the email, They were offering me a role as their lead Doctor in the branch they had just opened at Seattle.

I couldn't believe what I was seeing, I quickly rushed out to dismiss the investigator before heading out to meet Adam.

He had helped me get a house close to his, so it was easy to get to his place.

"Adam!!" I screamed immediately I sighted him at his garden tending to his flowers.

"Amanda? What is it?" He asked in shock.

"I got an email telling me that I have been appointed as the Head Doctor of the White Group new branch opening in Seattle."

"Girl what???" He screamed running to throw his big arms around Me in a hug "I'm super proud of you, I knew it was just a matter of time before your dreams become a reality, I'm glad you're getting your flowers." 

"This wouldn't have been possible without you Adam." I said hugging him tighter.

That was the truth, some years back I was a complete wreck, he had extended a hand of friendship and had insisted I take up a medical course, helped with my flight to New York and made sure I wasn't balled up in my room crying my eyes out.

Our efforts had started paying off when I didn't only ace my grades but also became the most sort after doctor in the whole of Canada.

"Amanda, we have to celebrate. I have this wine I recently got from Italy and guess what the seller said about it?"  He asked as we disentangled from the hug.

"What?" I asked excitedly.

"He said I should bring it out when I have something very good to celebrate, he said it calls more celebrations and I think this is the perfect time for it." He said leading me into his main house.

After three or more glasses of the most Nicely flavored wine I have had, we both lay down on his cushion.

"I'm scared Adam?" I blurted out staring up at his ceiling decorations, it was my favorite thing about his house.

"Why?" He asked sitting up to look at me.

"I'll be going back to Seattle,  Adam, it has been seven years, as much as I want to move away from my past, this offer is the biggest I can get to raise my career more but it'll drag me back to my past and I've been thinking if it's really worth it."

"Hey, come on, this is you actualizing your dreams, it's your efforts paying off, are you seriously going to let the fear of facing your past deprive you of this opportunity?"

"I don't know, thinking about it now, I've just realized that I've never actually thought about a day I'll be going back there, it has never crossed my mind."I said sitting up.

He moved closer to me and pulled me into his chest, wrapping his hands around me.

"You don't know how it's going to be if you never try, remember, you're not being chained there, if things doesn't go as planned, you can always come back. But I Adam, would not sit back and let you throw away this opportunity, I'll always be there if you need someone, anyone."

                                ~•~

"Doctor, a patient has just been moved into the emergency room and she needs urgent attention."

I closed the file I was reading and looked up at her.

"How old?"

"She's seven"

"She can't breathe and her temperature is low, she has been moved to emergency ward, oxygen mask had been fixed and we're waiting for you."

"Okay." I said picking my coat and the stethoscope.

My eyes fell on Levi, my son, he was on his iPad drawing his Anime characters.

"Baby, mummy will be back soon, stay here alright, if you want anything you can meet Mrs. Anderson, she'll be here in no time." He nodded, I kissed his forehead and left my office.

I had signed the contract and started working at the hospital in Seattle, although I was still trying to adjust to the environment, I already liked it here.

I followed the nurse into the emergency ward, everything was already set and the little girl was laying down on the bed unconscious.

"Can I see her report?" I asked the head nurse.

She passed me the booklet she was holding, the informations I needed to know where already filled out in blue ink.

I went through everything, it was a similar case that I had handled in the past.

"She's stable now Doctor, we don't know how long it might take before she gets another seizure." 

"We have to be quick then, I'll like to speak with her guardians before we proceed. Can you fix that?" I asked handing her the patient's report.

"Definitely Doctor, I'll bring them to your office."

I walked back to the office and sat back on my chair, Levi wasn't here, I knew he had gone to meet the caretaker I had gotten in the hospital for him. I couldn't leave him alone at home, I was still trying to get a good school for him and Adam would be too busy with work to have time to take on the role.

I brought out the file I was going through and continued ticking the places I needed corrections.

I heard my office door open but I was too engrossed to look up.

"Doctor, you asked for the parents of the patient."

"Yes" I said raising my head to look at the owner of the voice "I–"

I lost my voice, my heart slamming against my chest with vigour, the words unable to form in my mouth.

Ryan Steward! My ex-husband.

He stood there still looking at me with the same expression I could tell was on my face.

"Amanda?"

The door opened almost immediately and Levi ran inside with a pack of popsicle in his hand.

"Mummy."