Invited

Chapter 8: Signed Out

"Mavis, I'm going home now." Minerva turned to the woman behind a desk littered with papers and cards. A stack of cards lay within the reach for patients to sign out with.

Minerva took one of the cards on top. She began to write down Devon's information and treatment as he watched behind her.

Mavis looked up behind her computer, seeing her sister stand before her. "Before you go home, the individual who delivered your Lucan-Azure Estate letter is still here. He wants to talk to you for a bit."

Mavis pointed to a silver-haired man sitting by himself watching the news as it played out on the screen.

Minerva handed the finished card to Mavis, "I'll be right back. Finish signing out Devon for me?"

Mavis nodded, allowing her sister to walk over to the man.

Minerva tapped on his shoulder, alerting him of her coming up from behind. "Good afternoon, I'm Minerva Arcadia. You delivered the letter for me, correct?"

"Yes, I need you to confirm the attendance." He pulled out another piece of paper from an envelope, and showed her the paper in his hand, followed by handing her a pen. "Please sign here, and I can be on my way."

Minerva took his offered pen, signing her name to the paper.

Once she finished, he placed the item back into the intended envelope. He quickly bowed to her, causing Minerva to be taken back a bit, and left without another word.

She stood there dumbfounded, staring as he walked out of the waiting room. She couldn't hear the two behind her calling out to bring her back into reality.

"Minerva." Mavis called out. "Minerva Arcadia. Earth to Minerva Arcadia."

Snapping back, Minerva turned to her sister. "Yeah?"

"Devon is ready to go. I've done the sign out for him." Mavis handed Devon a half-folded sheet of paper.

"What's this?" He asked.

Minerva strolled back over to the desk, still with shock in her eyes.

"Your bill." Mavis retorted. "How will you pay?"

As if on cue, Mercer returned to the desk, finishing with his own patient.

"Devon, you have to pay up. Our hospital will find and fine you, if you don't pay." He added.

"BILL?!" Devon frantically unfolded the paper, seeing numerous comments listed of his treatment. At the end, a bold zero printed at the total line.

The two laughed as they watched the horror strip from his face to pure worry in the seconds it took to open that paper. Finally, Devon sighed relief seeing zero as his total.

"You two are the worst." He glared at both Mercer and Mavis, while this entire time Minerva is staring at the three of them still dumbfounded.

"Baby, you okay there?" Another wave of worry washed over Devon's face as he waved his hand in front of Minerva.

"Huh?" Minerva faced the three of them, confusion still plastered over her.

"It's the bowing, isn't it?" Mavis asked. "The man who delivered the letter bowed to us too."

"Really?" Minerva looked shocked as her siblings confirmed the action.

"It's been some time since anyone has bowed to us." Mercer explained, pulling the next set of files from the desk before them.

The three siblings stood in silence, Devon watching them from the sidelines.

"As much as I know about your family, I think you all are better off now than before." Devon spoke up, pulling on Minerva's sleeve to indicate he was ready to leave. "Now let's hurry up, before anyone sees that my bill is nothing."

"Oh, you're right. Let's go." Minerva quickened her pace to the door behind the desk. "Wait here while I get my things."

Devon patiently waited for Minerva to come out of the room behind them. She rapidly hugged both her siblings and grabbed onto Devon's unharmed hand, leading him out to the waiting room.

Waving to Mercer and Mavis, she pulled the door open and the two hustled towards her car waiting in the parking lot in front of the building.

"What do you want for dinner tonight?" Minerva asked Devon as she loaded their things into the backseat of her car.

"You making me dinner too?" He asked, opening the passenger side of the door and entering into the car.

Minerva circled around her car, getting into the driver's side. "Yes, but I'm going to go shopping first, and then we can get groceries for dinner."

"Shopping? What for?" He turned to her, puzzled at the thought of needing to shop for anything at this time.

"I'm going to get Layla some gifts." Minerva answered, starting her car, and proceeding to reverse backwards to get onto the main road.

Driving down the street, she made multiple turns and stops until they arrived to a shopping center far off from the hospital.