Elaine stepped out the bathroom and found the room empty. She was about to step into the walk in closet, where she had kept her scrubs last night, when a garment bag and a two boxes caught her eye. She pulled her towel tighter around herself and made her way towards the bed.

The garment bag had a grey formal dress. It had a boat neck with a black belt on the waist and it was knee length. She opened one of the boxes next and blushed. It had a pair of black lacy undergarments yet she was grateful. She had felt the whole point of shower mute when she had worn her same undergarments from the previous day. The last box had pair of black stilettos. Elaine laughed at them.

She was supposed to head into a hospital and this whole outfit was contradictory. Heels and dresses just didn’t fit with her schedule. Even though she mostly changed into her scrubs but she never took the risk because sometimes she was directly pulled along the wave of activity once she stepped inside the hospital.

She appreciated his effort and also wondered how he knew her size but grabbed her scrubs from the closet and threw them on after she put on the fresh pair of undergarments. She stepped outside and saw him sitting at the table next to the bar, the breakfast was already set. She wanted to ask about the scars but she knew she was in no place to ask.

“It is bad manner to wear wrinkled clothes to work” He said as he gestured for her to join him. She glanced at the clock. She still had half an hour.

“Well at my work place there is no such thing.”

Aaron smirked but he had hoped she would have changed into the dress and heels. However she had her reasons. He watched her as she buttered a toast and kept it on her plate.

“That is all you going to have?” He asked as he looked at the rest of the breakfast spread. There were scrambled eggs, ham, bacon, French toasts and cornflakes with bagels and fresh baked bread. Okay, maybe he had ordered a little too much.

“I am not hungry and I am running late.”

Aaron nodded and tried to ignore the weird feeling in the pit of his stomach, he wanted to ask her to stay the day but she wasn’t free.

“Damn, I have to rush.”

“I will drop you off”

“Please no. I will get a cab. You also need to get ready for work” Elaine gesture at his outfit which was still the sweatpants and t-shirt.

“Unless like you I can head in whenever I want. I am the CEO darling” Aaron winked as he stood up and waited for her.

“Show off” Elaine muttered and laughed.

“I heard that”

“Good”

They kept up the light banter as they drove to the hospital. Aaron didn’t want this moment to end.

“Well thank you once again Aaron”

Elaine said as she removed her seatbelt and faced him.

“Don’t mention it”

“Well I have to go”

“See you around?” Aaron asked.

“Sure and I just hope I am not passed out”

Aaron chuckled as he pulled open the front compartment and handed her his business card.

“Just in case”

Elaine laughed and took the card.

“Thank you” She saw an emotion flicker past his eyes but before she could understand they were back to the hard steel grey.

Aaron nodded and Elaine got out and waved to him. He pulled out and she watched his car disappear into the traffic.

Aaron spent the entire morning with his real estate agent and he finally got his place and had it furnished and his belonging moved in.

It was now evening and Aaron parked outside the gym where he was going to meet Dante for a workout and a kick boxing session.

An hour later after warming up their bodies, Dante and Aaron faced one another.

“Ready to get your ass kicked Clark?” Dante smirked as he positioned himself.

“In your dreams Steele”

Dante swung and Aaron blocked and aimed a kick. They spared for a few minutes but Aaron had a tough time keeping his head focused. Dante got a clean hit and Aaron crumpled.

“What the fuck man?” Aaron growled as he grabbed his left ribs.

“Don’t ask me. You are the one who is miles away. What is going on?” Dante asked as he pulled up Aaron.

“Nothing” Aaron said as he flexed his trunk, making sure everything was still intact.

“It’s Olivia isn’t it? Man how can you still feel for that woman?”

“I don’t want to talk about it. Leave it.” Aaron snapped back. He didn’t know what he felt and what he didn’t feel anymore. Sure he craved Elaine’s company but his heart was still torn apart by that woman, more from what she did to their child, and his head was messed up by his past. How could he equate Elaine into all of this?

He was sure what he felt for Olivia was love but now he had his doubts.

“You are still seeing Dr. Ashford?” Dante asked referring to the shrink he used to visit.

“No, I haven’t seen him for a while now” Aaron said. No one except Dante and Rose knew what he went through right from his childhood up till now. They knew every little detail and yet they were always by his side, never judging.

“I think you should again. I feel like you are stuck again in a weird place.” Dante said as he shrugged.

“Last time I checked we were kick boxing, when did this turn into a therapy session?”

“You know what I am saying. Olivia has messed you up again. Maybe you loved her, maybe you didn’t but you are not able to get any closure and let it go. That, my friend, is toxic.”

Aaron raised his eyebrows at his best friend.

“What?”

“Just shut up Dante” Aaron said he headed towards the showers, he was no longer in mood for any kick boxing. He cleaned up and headed out of the door. Dante had beaten him to it.

“Just think about what I said” Dante said as he climbed into his car and pulled out of the parking.

Aaron made his way back home. He entered his new penthouse and threw his gym kit near the door and walked over to the bar next to kitchen and poured himself a drink.

He looked around. In mere hours, everything was set up. No one would have guessed this place was empty early this morning. Aaron had kept the décor of the house. It was recently renovated. So all he had to do was get it furnished and have his belongings shifted in.

“It is high time I give my secretary a raise” He muttered to himself. He finished the drink and decided to order Chinese for dinner and call it a day. However what Dante had said kept rattling his brain.

Elaine knocked and waited for Sam to open the door. She wasn’t able to make it to lunch with her as she was called in for an emergency. A 25 year old was driving a bike without a helmet and she spent the next five hours trying to put his skull back in shape.

Sam opened the door and Elaine gasped at her appearance.

“You look like hell Sammy”

“Please do come in”

Elaine stepped in and looked around the penthouse. She still remembered the crazy time they had when they had decorated this place and put together the furniture.

“Sam what is going on?” Elaine turned to her best friend.

“These came in the mail two days ago” Sam whispered as she walked past her and grabbed a box from the living area coffee table.

Elaine took the box and sat down on the sofa and Sam sat down next to her. Elaine pulled open the box and inside amongst the bubble wrap were two velvet boxes.

“Sam…”

“Remember when Will and I went to Paris?”

Elaine looked at Sam and nodded, her fingers hovering over the boxes.

“There was this shop that specialized in wedding rings…”

“Oh Sammy” Elaine whispered as tears collected in her eyes.

“They had those custom made with your partners heart beat engraved into it. Will and I weren’t even engaged then. I had loved the idea and had entered the shop and looked at the various designs but it was nothing serious. I had completely forgotten about it but William didn’t---“Sam’s voice broke as sobs shook her body.

“He remembered Ellie…He had those made for our wedding. No one knew except him and the order wasn’t cancelled. They came in the mail” Sam said in between sobs.

Elaine opened the boxes and looked at the gold rings. They were simple wedding bands and in the middle of the band, there were heart beat waves.

“Samantha...” Elaine kept the box aside and hugged her.

“He left me a letter with Dr. Mann.” Elaine said and Sam pulled back and looked at her.

“He wants you to be happy. He told me to tell you that he would be happy no matter where you and with whom ever you are….”

“There---“

“No Sam, I know it is too early but one day…”

“No Elaine…William was the only one for me….”

“You have your entire life in front of you! You are only twenty four”

“I don’t care Elaine.” Sam got up and starting pacing the living room.

Elaine decided to drop this topic. She understood that now was not the time and possibly not anytime soon but she needed Sam to understand that one day she had to move on.

“I am going ahead with the adoption”

“WHAT?” Elaine shot up from her seat.

Sam was infertile and Will and her had found out when she had gotten her check up done due to irregular periods. They had come to terms with it and William had suggested adoption. They had prepared their file and had decided to send it in a few months before the wedding so that their file would be assessed and cleared and they could adopt after the marriage.

“Sam…you do know what you are talking about right?”

“Please Elaine…just support me…”

“You understand what you considering on doing right? I mean…” Elaine didn’t know how to explain it to her.

“I very well know what I am doing. The baby will be a Sparks…the baby will be Will’s and mine. We had already decided. I am just going to make the necessary changes in the file and send it in.”

“Sam you are not thinking about the future…”

“He is gone Elaine. William was my future. The baby is my future now. My hope.”

“Exactly Sam, Will is gone but you are still alive. You need to start living it. Being a single mother is a big decision and…I don’t know what to say…” Elaine wanted to say so much but she didn’t know how to put into words and not hurt Sam. She was taking this decision while she was still grieving her lost love. She wasn’t thinking about how it will affect her future.

“Just say you support me..” Sam said as she came and stood infront of Elaine and leveled her gaze.

“Sammy..”

“Do you support me or not?”

Elaine stared at Sam.

“Your silence says enough. Get out…”

“Samantha”

“Leave Elaine. Now.”

Elaine grabbed her jacket and with one last glance at her best friend’s tear streaked face, Elaine left the penthouse. She needed to get her thoughts straight and Sam needed time to cool down. She would talk to her later.

Elaine got into her car and grabbed her purse. She pulled out Aaron’s business card and looked at it; then before her brain pulled out the logical card and changed her decision, she dialed his number.