Shattered

8. New lives.

Beth collapsed on top of the suitcase she packed. The large black bag and a small duffel bag was filled with all she would need in Alec's house. Alec's house, that was where she was shifting for what right now looked like an year.

Two days back she had received a message from his secretory regarding the conditions D.A had put up for their marriage and because of those, Alec and she had to move in together. Alec had asked her to move in his house. He never gave her an option to stay in her house while he shifts, but as dominating Beth found it, she was glad he didn't give her that choice.

For her, her apartment was her own space. Like a personal bubble, a shield against the harshness of the world outside. It was an escape and so no one was allowed to enter in, including her mother.

But it was time to move out the haven she built and as much as it terrified her, she knew she would back here soon. The only thing was, she didn't know how far that soon was, but she it was much closer than expected it to be.

•

Alec was typing out the last draft for the presentation, when he heard the doorbell ring. He heard Mrs. Norris talk to the visitor and when he heard the a female voice, he knew who the guest was. Typing out the last few lines of the presentation, he went outside in the living room.

She sat there, on the off white couch, legs crossed and hands rested on her knees. She was wearing simple jeans and t shirt. A very informal attire, but there was nothing informal about her manner of sitting and he knew, it is going to be more uncomfortable than he had expected it to be.

Her bags were lying next to her. Just a large suitcase and a small duffel bag, not much luggage, He thought. He heard his housekeeper preparing the welcome beverage for her.

"Hello", he greeted her.

"Hello." She looked at him. Her hands fidgeted a little and curled his in tight ball.

Awkward silence stretched between the two for a minute until Mrs. Norris intervened. "Madam, your tea. Would you like something more?"

"No, thank you." She gently bowed her head in acknowledgment.

"Would you like to see around, madam? I am sure-"

"Thank you, but for now I would just like to see my room." She said looking at Alec. My room, that is what she had said. Alec breathed a sigh of relief. He wasn't looking forward to share his room with her, thankfully she wasn't either. But this also meant they would have to be careful when D.A would come for their inspections.

"Thank you Mrs. Norris. I will show her to her room."

"Yes, sir." She said as she left, leaving the two to indulge in the awkward silence that was taking over the atmosphere again.

"You have a lovely house." Beth finally said.

Yes, it was a lovely apartment. Melissa had designed it herself. She was the city's leading home décor expert and he had hired her to design his house when he had bought it. That was how the two had met. The first time he had seen her was in a purple pencil skirt and a white blouse in her office with blue charts tugged under her arms. She had taken over one month to remodel the entire apartment and she had done one hell of a job. The bland white walls had been textured with various shades of brown.

The off white couch and chairs complemented the walls and dull mahogany curtains and rugs filled in the required shade in the room. And towards the large window that opened into the balcony, a fine, dark mahogany piano was kept. Next to it where the stairs that led to the bedrooms. The wire lamp shades lit up that area, not too much but enough to suit the need and keep the feel just right. The shelves were filled with several ornaments and pictures of Melissa and him.

"Thank you. Your room is upstairs, door on the left."

Beth walked towards her bags but he stopped her. "Leave them, Roger, will take them."

"Roger?"

"Mrs. Norris's husband and my bodyguard."

"Oh. Well then, I have work in the hospital, so I need to leave. I will then, see you in the evening probably."

"Okay." And with, that both went their separate ways.

•

Beth had to get out of that house. Yes, it was only a house. It just didn't feel like a home to her. It just had this certain vibe to it. She didn't have any work in the hospital that day, but she still went there. That place felt more like a home to her than that apartment did.

After visiting her mother, she decided to stay the night with her friend and her mother's surgeon, Lucy.

"Hey." She knocked and entered in her cabin. Lucy was nose deep in paper work.

"Hallo!" She greeted back in her cheery voice. "How are you? You have been back in your shell for quiet some time."

Lucy and Beth had been friends since their residency years. It was in fact Lucy, who had informed her about the vacancy in Cardio Thoracic department when Beth was moving in the city. Lucy had known her for more than six years and over the years, their friendship had only grown.

"Yeah, well there has quiet a lot of activity."

"I heard you got married."

Beth sighed. "Yes, a very wrong decision but it had to be made."

"Grace's son then?"

"Yep."

"Nora's deal, I am guessing."

"Yep."

"I thought you had just said it to get her into the surgery."

" I had but circumstances got very chaotic."

"Huh, damn. So what else is new?"

"I am crashing at your place."

"What happened?"

"Long story."

"Tonight, over a cup of coffee?"

"No, a glass of wine."

"Definitely."

****

Okay, so here it is guys, new chapter!

shilohivy were very upset with my late updates, especially Shiloh, so she was the one who pushed me to write sooner.

Well, I know it's a little sketchy, but a lot has been going on in life and unfortunately, I didn't have much time to fix it.

Again, we get another glimpse in our characters lives and how they both are dealing with the new change that has come their lives.

If there is any feedback regarding the book or chapter, please put it down in the comments. Press the little star on the corner to vote and share it with people I can't reach. Thank you for reading and supporting me.

I will be back soon, until then,

Cheerio!

****