for June

25. Hunter-Prey

"I'm sorry, what did you say?" June asked for what might have been the third time. She was having difficulty hearing the triage nurse behind the inconvenient but necessary safety glass, but mostly because people in the waiting area were loud.

"He's not here anymore," the nurse replied once more, impatient.

"With whom?" June stared wide-eyed at the woman. "We left home as soon as we got the call, and that was only half an hour ago."

The nurse, her patience running more than a little thin, eyed the line behind June. She flagged a nurse who was signing out of her shift for the night.

June recognised the nurse. She was the one who had looked after Chad. She watched the two nurses exchange words before being dismissed from the window and told to wait on the side. "She'll come out and have a word with you. Next!"

There was nothing more to be said, and they stepped aside.

When the nurse walked out into the waiting room with her handbag on her shoulder and a drained look on her face, June stepped up. "Do you remember me? I was here with a pregnant lady and her brother, Chad Gilligan." She leaned closer to the nurse and whispered, "The author?"

"He gave me an autograph." The nurse kindly smiled. "What can I do for you, Jo, was it?"

"Jo's his sister, I'm June. It's kind of weird I guess, both of us having names with J."

Tom, who had been standing patiently behind June, cleared his throat. "June."

June blushed. "The nurse over there said he might have left already?"

It was then the nurse looked perplexed, her eyes fixed on June. "I saw him leave with you. I don't understand."
... Half an hour earlier...

"Thank you for this. I can't believe I forgot my phone with my sister." Chad handed the phone back to the nurse. He eyed the busy waiting area. "I'll wait out there, I guess."

The nurse handed him a bottle of water. "I finish soon. If you don't mind the company, I can wait with you till your ride gets here."

"That'd be nice, thank you. I'm sure they won't be long."

She hesitated a moment with an awkward smile on her face, "Can I?"

"Get an autograph?" Chad asked. He didn't mind giving her a token of appreciation and it wouldn't even cost him anything. "As long as we don't mention the other name out loud," he winked, leaning in slightly to whisper.

A wide grin spread on her young lips. "Oh, would you? I didn't want to ask but." Chad nodded, reciprocating her smile.

Within moments, she rushed back to his side with a general admissions form ripped in half. "I couldn't find any other paper."

"It will do," he said with a smile, taking the proffered pen and paper. He leaned it against the wall and asked, "Who shall I make it out to?"

"Megha. That's M, E, G, H, A."

Chad signed, 'Dear Megha, thank you for looking after me. I know who to see in triage next time I fall and hit my head. Love, Zachary Eve.' He signed his winged autograph beneath the message and dated it before passing it back.

The way the woman's beautiful eyes twinkled as she read the message made him smile. When she looked up, those eyes kept dancing. "Did I do good?" he teased, his voice deepening a little, and a blush of red spread across her smooth caramel-hued skin. He was flirting, and she was responding. HOLY SHIT, I am Zach. He had turned on his charm without realising, and she was responding to nothing more than his voice and stance. Maybe now, I have a shot with June, Chad grinned happily, as the petite lady excused herself and rushed off, showing the autograph to her colleagues.