AYAD

Chapter 11

About a week had gone by since the drama unfurled, and Gracie was over it.

It's not that she didn't feel betrayed or hurt, she felt both and very deeply. It was more so that she was simply over it. She was over the disrespect, the anger, and fake friendship... Though it hurt, she felt lighter with the dead weight removed.

She had spent the week with her mom debriefing from the shock. Gracie had put her phone on DND, and was not speaking to anyone other than her mother, her patients and Jesus.

Gracie had just wrapped up her last patient for the day and was completing the visit note. That patient was moved on to Gracie's schedule last minute so she was having to work a bit later than usual. Lately she did not mind working later, it kept her mind busy and out of her feelings.

A few quiet knocks sounded from her office door.

"I know Rhonda, I'm wrapping up." She let out a defeated breath, and pushed a loose curl behind her ear. Rhonda never liked leaving until everyone else was out the building, usually she would give Gracie a pass, but lately she had been on Gracie's case about leaving timely. "I don't mind locking up, you can go."

The door creaked open, Gracie shook her head in annoyance and continued to type, not once looking up. "I don't know what to tell you, it's going to be another 5 or 10."

"Are you expecting somebody?" A deep, sultry, yet familiar soul-warming voice asked.

Gracie's fiercely-fast, typing fingers froze. She could recognize that comforting voice from anywhere. Her eyes slowly moved upwards from her computer, to the dashing green eyes of Dabir. She did not know why he was there, but deep down she was happy to see someone who grew to be a good friend. Her heart fluttered at the sight of his face.

But at the same time...

It was awkward. Afterall, she had just gotten out of a relationship with his brother, after experiencing a horrendous betrayal. The thought popped into Gracie's head: Is he only here to convince me to go back? Do they have him here doing Saheed's dirty work?

Her guard instantly went up.

"What are you doing here?"

Dabir was shocked by her harsh tone, but he was understanding. He figured she would not be happy to see anyone from the Ayad family ever again, yet he could not bring himself to let life move on as if she had never happened in his life.

"Well?" Gracie asked, scooting back from her desk to cross her arms and her legs. She felt herself on defense mode, as she waited to hear him make excuses for his brother.

Moments passed in silence, finally, Dabir broke it, "Have you been okay?"

"Have I been okay? No. YOUR brother got my friend pregnant, so no, I haven't been okay. Did you really come all this way to ask that?"

"I did."

Her frown fell, "You came just to see if I am okay?"

"You weren't answering my calls. I came to see that you were okay."

"Oh." Gracie's arms dropped down to her side, her legs uncrossed. Even her shoulders fell in surrender. She knew that she couldn't be upset with Dabir, he wasn't her enemy. Her pride was still hurt from being humiliated publicly. How could she have let herself get played so badly? "Okay, well, I haven't felt like talking, so...As you see, I'm fine, you can go."

"I'm relieved to see that you are okay, take care of yourself." With that he turned and left.

Dabir left for Gracie's sake, not his own. What he really wanted to do was pull Gracie into his arms and not let go until he was sure she was actually okay. He wanted to take her to dinner somewhere small and quiet. He wanted to apologize to her for ever getting her heart caught up with an idiot like Saheed in the first place. But he knew he couldn't do that. More than anything, he wanted her to be happy, even if it meant he had to leave.

He left the building the same way he came in, with a wide-eyed Rhonda oogling at him. He wore a perfectly tailored navy suit with a white shirt, his gold watch shined in the light.

"I've seen you before, you're her fiancé's brother right?" Rhonda asked as she gave her best flirtatious smirk she could muster.

Dabir looked back, he did not even notice her there, his mind was still wrapped around his conversation with Gracie. He was unsure as to why Rhonda was questioning him.

"My oh my, your daddy sure does know how to make 'em!" She stood up and put a hand on her shapely hip. "You got a girl?"

"Have a good night." Dabir replied politely but firmly, continuing on his way.

Meanwhile, Gracie was rushing to get her heels on and get out the door. She did not want the potentially last interaction between her and Dabir to be soured, she felt horrible for kicking him out the way she did.

She hustled as fast as she could. Rhonda was up front with a big pout on her face. "Did he already leave?!"

Rhonda was in her feeling over being turned down by Dabir, she was praying to her lucky stars that he would be her ticket out of the workforce. "He's gone, just like my chances."

Gracie's eyebrow raised, "What are you talking about? Actually hold that thought, I need to find him before he leaves."

Outside, the parking lot was empty, Dabir's car was nowhere to be found. Gracie sighed, and pulled out her phone.

It rang, and it rang, but to Gracie's delight there was an answer. "Hey, come back, I want you to go home with me."