Appetite For Love

Chapter Twelve

Aden looked at the two missed calls and the one rejected call from Aïda.

He was in the shower when he heard the phone ringing the first time but, he was in time for the second call but, he just ignored it. His emotions, concerning her, were all over the place. To top it off, the doctor had just summoned him to the hospital. At that moment his family came first,  not someone who barely had any time for him. Yes, his emotions were that messed up. Or maybe his head was starting to clear up and these so-called feelings were coming to an end.

He waited for her call that night. Even on the following day but, it did not come. He wanted to call her but he figured that if she felt anything for him, even if it was only friendship, she would have called. Well, now she called but it was too late.

He had been correct about her all those years ago but his hormones got the better of him.

He had rejected Tiffany's advances for him for so many years because he did not feel butterflies when she was around him. Yet the woman who gave him butterflies in his stomach, and caused his knees to weaken, could not care less about him.

"Aden are you ready? We're waiting for you downstairs."
"I'll be down in a moment, Tiffany."

Tiffany had turned down her photoshoot in New York to support him. At the last moment she had called the agency and asked them to use another model. He had not known about it until about an hour ago when Johanie told him. She had lost a lot of money but clearly he was more important to her. He needed that in his life people he could count on and off the sports field.

He almost left his life in the UK for her . He won't make that mistake again.

He needed to get to the hospital and find out what the doctor had to say. He was so anxious that it felt like he would explode. Every fibre of his being seemed to be on edge. Aïda was the least of his issues.

An hour later Aden, Adriaan, Johanie were in the hospital waiting for his brother's doctor. The atmosphere felt tangible.

The doctor arrived five minutes later.

"Good evening everyone. Mr van den Heever could I have a word with you in private?"

Aden could only nod his head. The words were not coming forth.

"Follow me to my office."

His friends glanced at him with deep sympathy.

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Aïda found herself back in the kitchen at Tuis Kombuis. Her finger was still sore but she had on a plaster, a fingercondom and gloves. Not even a throbbing finger could stop her from working tonight. She tried to avoid using her injured hand as little as possible.

Work and lots of it was the only thing could help her get through the evening. She had no idea what she would do after work and as exhausted as she was, she doubted that she would be able to sleep. However, first things first, get done with work.

She had called Aden two more times but his phone just want to voicemail after a while. Which means he did not want to talk to her. It hurt so bad.

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"Please take a seat Mr van den Heever." The surgeon said.
"I'd rather stand." Aden answered.
"As you wish but, under the circumstances it would be best for you to have a seat."

Aden sat down, his anxiety only increasing. He could heart his heart beating seemingly at an excelerated pace.

"Tell me the truth doctor. I'm as ready as I'll ever be."
"As you know, we've removed Heinrich from the medically induced coma yesterday morning. Since then his condition has only deteriorated."