THE HANDSOME MEDICAL DOCTOR: CHAPTER EIGHT

Seven years ago.........

The sun was bright and early. It's rays, like fingers stretching across the darkened sky, bring with it a new day. Gradually, the sun fills the sky with its brilliance and a warm glow. ... The fiery ball of light rising from the horizon, colored the sky in shades of orange and yellow.

The piercing sound of the alarm clock brought Susanna back from the dead of sleep. She started to wriggle and stretch within her little cosy, warm, haven that is she calls her bed. As parts of her body were gradually turning on, she realised today was the day she starts her new job. She wakes up with a start and lifts reluctantly lifts her head off the pillow, squinting against the gossamer light flirting through the window.

She sighed again as she leaned over at the bulky black clock which was on the wall. She was already ten minutes late on her first day. She quickly stood up and entered the bathroom to get cleaned up. It only took her fifteen minutes surprisingly to freshen up. And soon she was on the road, walking to her destination.

With each stride her mind became more clear, more resolute, as if the growing physical distance between them had now become an emotional chasm. As the nascent sunlight caressed her skin, promising a new dawn, a new beginning, she entombed her memories of her parents who had died when she was only four in thick walled ice. Then, abruptly pausing to close her eyes and take in a deep breath of dewy air, she steeled herself to only think of her future from here on in. A future she would mould, build, direct. Then with each stride after that she felt more in charge, in command of her own mind, body and soul. She was a girl walking into her own destiny, a destiny that lay squarely in her own hands.

It took her only ten minutes to reach the bar on foot. She heated a deep right as she looked at the building. She knew she is not supposed to work here judging by the fact that this bar has a lot of negative reports. But what could she do? She never finished her school and the one certificate she had won't give her any work talk more of the 'work' of her dreams. 

She rested her hand on the rough paintwork that coats the door, closed her eyes and pushed. Rough wooden splinters cut into her palm; shards of black paint crumble to the floor. The hinges squeal as though they were a warning, but their plea is silenced by a wall of noise coming from inside the bar. 

Laughter overpowers the jukebox. Conversations swirled in a dirty cloud of smoke, the stagnant stench of cigarettes hides within the collaboration of mephitic odours. A sharp smell of drink wafts towards her, like black plumes bellowing from the windows of a burning house. There was even a hint of sick tainting the fragrance of the room. Just barely a minute inside this 'hell cave' Susanna doubt she will survive in this place.

She walked to one of the waiters who pointed to a wooden door at the far end of the bar, where she would see the 'Master' as they call him. Soles moving upon such solid ground, Susanna made a bold progress towards the door which was believed to be the office of the owner of the bar.

Knocking at the hard wooden door, she was usher in by a very deep voice which almost sound like a magma chamber of a volcano, deep, but filled entirely with the molten rock. His voice seemed to be powerful enough to make a person's bones feel like they were vibrating. Susanna was sure that when he spoke, he must surely get attention with that voice, whether they knew him or not.

She opened the door and walked inside.

His eyes; a well of jet black ink, held a gaze more fearsome than a tiger. A thin paper cigarette hung from his bottom lip, a small trail of smoke escaping from the corner of his mouth danced its way to the ceiling above them, making Susanna squeeze her face slightly in utter disgust. 

In one hand a gun lay loosely, his finger gently pressed against the trigger sending a bullet millimeters away from her face and onto the wall behind me with a bang that echoed throughout the room which made her look at him in utter surprise. His eyebrow raised in amusement at her reaction; nothing, not a flinch, only a surprising look was left on her face.

"You are the new Waitress" He said as he eyed her with uncertainty.

"Yes sir. A woman told me to resume today since i have gotten the job" She said as she tried to look formal but with his intense gaze on her, she felt she would shatter any minute.

"I am Daniel Brownwell, the owner of this bar. Go to the other room before this and get your clothes. You start immediately" He said as he looked away, smoking his cigarette.

She walked out of the room and let out her breath. She had been holding her breath due to the smell of the cigarette. She walked to the room that she was directed to and she was ready for work.

                         📖

If stress is coffee in a cup, and if the cup spills you are overwhelmed and sick, then it makes sense to put a lid on that cup. This is managing your life, choosing wisely what you can and can't cope with. This way we keep an open heart and see that we are doing the most we can do whilst remaining in good health. One way I put a lid on my cup is not to watch the news, to talk with those who bring a sense of love into my life. We can make choices to care for the self and still be kind. You can care better for others from strength than weakness and you can always keep your sense of duty to others as your moral compass, as the reason you come back to help even at the expense of your own comfort. It's a prudence with integrity that awaits the right moment to be brave.

Whenever Susanna is stressed, angry, afraid or sad, she goes somewhere quiet and is still for a time, letting the feelings of fear and sadness ebb and flow. Then, when she is ready, she counts the unfortunately events which happened on that day. It turns her around and she tries to be stronger. After that she rests some more until she is ready to reface challenges.

Susanna was stressed as soon as night arrived on the first day of work. It was 8:53 pm and still she was still working. There was a party at the bar and the music made her have an unexpected headache. It was so loud that she feared even the angels will come down angry. The lyrics swam through her cerebral cortex like a nightmare, the notes making her nauseous, not giving the a chance into her soul and her entire being.

She picked up the tray and walked into the bar, Giving some people their drinks, she closed her eyes as she was very disgusted by what people here do. They even f*cked shamelessly without shame! 

She picked another tray again as she was told to serve the guests outside. Getting very tired, she walked out nonetheless. She walked around the building, giving people their drinks some she avoided because of their drunken state and some because of the way they looked at her lustfully.z

"You mind for drinks?" Susanna asked the two men who stood there without looking at their faces. 

"You do not face the ground when serving guests. It is very unprofessional"

Susanna raised her head in utter surprise as she met a familiar black ink eyes. She did not know he attends a party though by his own bar. She knew he was the owner while she had worked that day.

"Sorry Mr. Brownwell. Care for some drink Mr.."

Her eyes met a striking ocean blue eyes. Looking at his face only, she thought he was the most beautiful creature she had ever seen. His facial features were babyish, big eyes, soft skin and a button nose. There was nothing rugged about his looks at all, even his jaw was shaved absolutely smooth. She had never admitted a man just like she is doing , but she just slayed her with how beautiful and good he looked, how attractive.

She felt like taking his face in her hands delicately and putting wet kisses on it. She did not know why but she finds it hard to stop looking at him. He was so handsome to be ignored.

"Are you okay?" he asks the question smoothly, the baritone of his voice reverberating through Susanna's bones as Daniel Brownwell takes a drink off the tray she was carrying. The low rumble of his voice felt so comforting as it wrapped around Susanna and carried her off to a world where sound is the power that could change everything wrong in the world.

She squeaks and then flushes lightly when she realizes that the handsome man was waiting for an answer. "I'm fine." She pips. The chuckle that replies is that soft, rolling thunder that billows across the dark skies on a stormy night.

"You were not fine a moment ago. You looked dazed" He said again, smirking at her.

"I am sorry Mr...."

"Mike. No need to add the Mr. It makes me look old which i ain't"

"Oh! Ok sir" She said as she looked away. 

"I have to go Daniel. Your name blonde?" He asked her again, fiddling with the drink he still held.

"Susanna"

"Nice to meet a beautiful blonde like you Susanna. I must get going. I'll catch up with you later Daniel" He said as he hugged Daniel. He smiled at her once again before walking far into the still night, with hands in his pockets. He looked like a god.

A handsome god.

"You know is not good to crush on my customers" Daniel said, causing Susanna to turn her gaze from the 'walking god' to him.

"You like him don't you? I assume you to stay away blonde. As much as i am his close friend i know Mike very well, he will hurt you if you fall in love with him. So it is better you try to get that in your head. You are dismissed for the night, Make sure you are early tomorrow" He said as he smiled, and then turned, walking into the bar.