Page 122 of Dr. Damaged Protector

Chapter thirty-six

Where is She?

Lucas

She told me that she was meeting with someone at Cafe au Pan, the weirdly named cafe, by four p.m. and would be back at the hospital by five. I decided to head home. I called her number, but she didn't answer. I assumed that she wasn't paying attention to the phone.

Besides, it was just a few minutes past five; maybe she got carried away. She had been acting strangely this morning. But at least, I got to massage her feet and her back. I became very unsettled. I called her number again, and she still didn't answer.

I decided to look for her. My first stop was the cafe. I entered it and looked around. She was nowhere to be found. I excused myself and thought about where she could have gone.

“Did she make a mistake and head to the hospital instead?” I asked as I dialed her phone again; but this time it was switched off.

I decided to check out the hospital. As I arrived, Jane was about to leave.

“Hey did you see Olivia by any chance?” I asked. “Did she tell you she was going anywhere?”

“Yes, she said she was going to the cafe,” she answered, “but she mentioned telling you.”

“Yeah, she did tell me, but she's not at the cafe and she's not home yet, either,” I explained. “I tried calling, but her line is switched off. I gave her two missed calls before that.”

“What time did she say she would be back?” she asked.

“Five p.m.,” I replied and checked my watch. “It's a few minutes past seven.”

“Maybe she's home by now,” she said. “How about you go home, and I remain here and wait.”

“She's not home yet. I told the security to tell me if she had returned,” I explained. “I'll go back to the cafe and ask.”

“I'll stay here and wait if anything happens,” she suggested.

“Thank you.”

****

“I'm sorry but did you see this lady?” I asked the staff members.

“Sorry, a lot of customers come in.”

“No, I'm on the evening shift. Maybe she came in the afternoon?”

“Is she your girlfriend or something? She's kind of hot.”

“Never seen her before. Maybe she came in the afternoon…or morning. Most of us are evening staff. The kitchen has full-time people, but I doubt if any kitchen member saw her,” the manager explained.

“I see, thank you,” I said before leaving.

It was past eight, and I was still unable to find her. I started to panic.

“Hello boss?” Jane called. “Any luck on your end?”

“None. They don't know anything,” I replied, trying not to break down in tears.

“Sir, just calm down,” she advised, but her voice sounded like she was the one on the verge of panic.

“I will try the police,” I said as I got to my feet. I didn't even realize that I had fallen to my knees.

“I’ll keep waiting,” she promised.

---