When fate plays its hand

Paul didn’t notice anything was wrong. Just as he was about to close the door. Susan called out “Wat What are you doing? She grabbed the handle before he could shut it

He looked confused. “Aren’t you leaving?

“I’m

Tm not leaving yet, and you’re already closing the door? She raised her voice, and the words came out sharply. It was hard to tell whether she was questioning Past or venting her frustration to anyone nearby

Paul

Paul was taken aback “Aren’t you leaving soon? If you don’t close the door, all the heat will escape

Susan didn’t know what to say

“Tell the driver to take it slow on the way back. It’s been snowing, and the roads are slippery her bag to her before shutting the door behind him.

ded

Susan was so frustrated she could’ve kicked off her heels Unbelievable. How could you treat this? You’re my son for crying out loud I might as well have raised a dog instead!”

Miranda’s foot was almost healed, but just to be sure, she decided to get it checked out at the hospital After packing her bag she bumped into Paul while heading out the door

“Where are you going?” he asked.

“To the hospital for a check–up

They went downstairs together and crossed the street

Miranda headed for the garage to get her car. Since it was brand new, she wasn’t quite used to it yet. As she pulled out, she came dangerously close to scraping the car beside hers

Thankfully, Paul reacted fast enough to warn her just in time to avoid any damage. She had only driven a short distance the day before when she bought the car before letting him take over. He had even parked it for her once they reached the garage

Sitting behind the wheel, she awkwardly rubbed her nose “Sorry I haven’t really driven much since I got my license”

Paul quickly locked his car, walked around, and slid into the passenger seat

Miranda blinked in surprise

“I don’t feel comfortable letting you drive alone since you’re not familiar with the car. I’ll go with you to the hospital and be your driving coach while we’re at it,” he said

To be honest, she was a little touched. She felt uneasy about driving alone, and having an experienced driver with her would definitely put her at ease.

But then she asked, “Arent you busy?” Ccontent © exclusive by Nô/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

“It’s fine. I’m not busy this week.”

But Miranda had missed one thing if he wasn’t busy, why had he come to the parking garage to get his

car in the first place?

There were plenty of intersections on the way to the hospital, and the red lights gave Miranda a chance to catch her breath. She was getting the hang of it, but she still drove cautiously.

Paul sat beside her and gave her guidance. He occasionally reminded her to use the turn signal and check the rearview mirror.

It was in these moments that she could truly see his patience.

A few times, she changed lanes without checking the rearview mirror, which was a risky mistake. He tightened his grip on the seat and said firmly, “Don’t do that again.”

Miranda quickly apologized but forgot again as they reached the next intersection.

“Miranda!” At the reminder, she snapped back to attention.

Paul let out a quiet sigh of relief. “Did you remember?”

“Yeah.” She nodded.

She had been expecting him to start yelling, but instead, he only called her name firmly and with a seriousness she wasn’t used to.

Miranda couldn’t help but notice how remarkably patient Paul was

At the hospital, the doctor immediately ordered her to run some tests. The results came back by 11:30 am, and it was the same doctor who had attended to her during her last visit.

‘There’s nothing major to worry about. But you should still be cautious for the time being. Try to limit jumping or running to avoid further injury. Also, get plenty of rest and stick to a light diet.”

No medication was prescribed this time.

I

Miranda pointed to a spot on her ankle. “It still feels a bit swollen and sore when I press here. Is that

normal?”