Oxytocin (Medicinal Love Book One) FIRST DRAFT ONLY

Chapter 23

September 5th, 2011 / 11:27 am

The atmosphere was dark and quiet except for the soft whimpering of the tiny Yorkshire Terrier at the end of the bed. Yet despite the soft as a whisper sound, the lump didn't move from under the covers of the queen-sized bed. The air was stale lacking any kind of pleasing aroma and all in all the area felt more like a prison than a bedroom made for a woman of class. A louder whine prompted the lump to move at long last and revealed a disheveled Aija who couldn't help but glare at the dog she loved so much.

"Prada! What's your problem?" she said in a harsh tone that made Prada's ears flatten to her head. Guessing that her dog was hungry, she got up out of the bed with a sigh. Prada followed Aija to the kitchen to where there was an overflowing bowl of dry dog food. Aija scowled slightly before looking down at her dog, who proceeded to run to the front door and back. Aija looked at it; instant dread overcoming her. She didn't want to go outside in the least. She opened the door and Prada ran outside to relieve herself.

This was a first for Aija; she always walked Prada on her leash, but lately...the thrill of leaving her house was gone. She knew there was a chance her pup could run off or even get picked up but strangely, the thought didn't even cause her discomfort. Nothing did ever since she got laid off from her job.

Prada came back inside, shaking her fur and although Aija was thankful for her pup's loyalty to her, she didn't show it as she closed the door, wrapping her robe closer to her body while her feet returned her to her bedroom. Her eyes glanced around the dark area. She hadn't opened her blinds in about a week, her clothes were on the ground from that Thursday that turned her life around, and she could tell she needed a shower. But despite that knowledge, she didn't care. Why should she? What was happening in her life other than the fact that she couldn't pay her rent and bills? She just wanted to wait for the inevitable which was getting kicked out of her condo; clothes, furniture and all.

As she climbed back into bed, her joints aching from not moving around, she heard her cell phone ring and inwardly hoped that it wasn't Hikaru. She had told him after dinner on Monday that she needed time for herself. He was confused and asked her when she would want to spend time with him and she told him, "I'll call you and let you know. I need time." He had respected her wishes and she hadn't heard from him. She felt a lightening in her heart as she knew that he was probably plenty worried about her, but still, he loved her enough to respect her feelings.

When the name on the phone wasn't Hikaru but her aunt, she sighed and answered the phone. She didn't want to make her family worried; if Evelyn got worried she would surely call her father and her father would surely come back down to try to fix things.

"Hello?" She croaked out.

"Miss Aija? Are you all right?"

Aija laid back on her pillows as she held her phone to her ear. " Hey, Auntie Eve. Yeah, I'm fine. Why do you ask?"

"You sound sick. Your throat bothering you?"

Shaking her head, Aija cleared her parched throat trying to convince her aunt she was fine, despite being the opposite. "I'm okay. Really."

"All right..." Evelyn's voice didn't seem convinced and Aija knew she had to change the subject. "What's going on?"

"Well, you know me. I love to try to keep in touch with you, lady."

Aija pushed down the urge to smile. "That you do."

"How are things at work?"

Instant pain hit Aija's heart and she quickly lied, "Things are fine. Keeping busy." She didn't want to lie to anybody, least of all her favorite aunt, but more than anything else, she didn't want to burden family and friends with something she had to deal with herself. She stubbornly knew that she could fix this, she just didn't feel like doing it right now.