Oxytocin (Medicinal Love Book One) FIRST DRAFT ONLY

Chapter 39

February 5, 2012 / 3:53 pm

Aija sighed as she sat on her patio looking at the Seattle skyline underneath a thick blanket. This used to be one of her most favorite views but now...now it seemed dull, lifeless. She knew it was just her mind making her feel this way but still things right now felt so meaningless without Hikaru. He had been gone for almost a month now but to Aija it felt like forever ago. Despite that, however, she didn't feel like she did when she lost her job and she was surprised by that. The depressed state she was in last season almost seemed non-existent and with that, she knew she could go on. The problem was...where to start and so many questions ran through Aija's mind.

Stay in Seattle?

Move home?

Find a new place altogether?

Keep going with Dior Chanel?

Date again?

Turkey and cheddar or tomato soup?

She pondered all of this as Prada came outside with her in the cold. Brought out of her thoughts, Aija looked down at her shivering pup and shook her head.

"Well, that's what happens when you come outside without your sweater, girlfriend. Come on, I'm done out here anyway."

The two made their way inside as the front door sounded off from a knock. Prada ran to the door barking as Aija cocked her head in confusion. She wasn't expecting anybody. Peeking out of her peephole she could see Shae's face and opened her door.

"Hello, Aija!" Andrew greeted as he walked inside behind Shae with a bottle of wine- Shae herself holding what looked like a Chinese food container.

"Hey, what's...what's going on?"

Christopher walked in with more containers followed by Marabelle who held drinks. As they all situated the food around the dining room table, Aija looked at Shae in question. Shae gave her a warm hug and her soft eyes held hers.

"You usually have a dinner party around this time but we've noticed you didn't plan one. So we did it for you."

Aija blinked; in all of this going on with Hikaru, she did realize that she completely missed out on this season's dinner party. She dropped her hands to her thighs with a sigh. "I know. I was planning on doing it a couple of weeks ago, but then..."

The room got silent as everybody started to think about what happened with the Mizuno family. Mara glanced from one person to the other, not really understanding what had previously taken place so she smiled and started passing out plates.

"What's done is done, right? It's in the past and this dinner is our present so let's not linger on things that we can't control."

"Yes." Aija agreed sitting down at the dining room table. "So let's eat."

"Drew wanted me to get Japanese food, but I told him that was insensitive, Aija." Marabelle continued as she started plating food

Aija giggled. "Good looking out, Mara." She said while Andrew threw his hands up in the air. "It's just food!"

A conversation ensued between the five and Aija couldn't help feeling like the fifth wheel as she looked over the two couples. These four had come to be her second family; they were such a constant bright light in her life and as she watched them bicker and laugh amongst themselves, she sighed happily, gaining all of their attention before getting all of their goofy smiles. Aija laughed at how silly they all looked. Christopher cleared his throat, noticing her.