The Lipstick

Rose received a call from the mental institute. Though Saturday, she went to the hospital hurriedly. She took off with only a phone and a wallet with her. She arrived in the hospital and entered her office, her file were scattered again. She was irritated, trying to find a certain file. After few minutes of finding it, the paper hid under her thumb and grabbed the file home.

…

Sunday passes by like a second and soon it is Monday again. She was walking her way to work when her phone vibrated in her pocket, she was tingled so she took it out from her slacks and answered "Hello?" she murmured on the phone.

"Can we have an appointment today, doctor" Mr. Anderson on the other side sounded miserable.

Her feet came to a stop "Yes, of course. Is something the matter? I can head over now" she was concerned.

"No." he hesitated "Actually yes"

Rose began to continue walking again "All right, do you want to talk now or can you wait for me?"

He was silent for a few seconds "I'll wait".

"I'll head over now. See you, Mr. Anderson." Rose released the phone from her ear and ended the call.

She hurried her way to take a bus to Mr. Anderson's building. Soon, she arrived before his building. It sure stood tall, and it looked more alive compared to last time, where she confronted Janine, Mr. Anderson's wife. She was rather relieved of what had happened last Friday after their encounter, now Rose knew the root of everything. He was not lying to her nor was the information given to her. There is something with Mr. Anderson that she will reveal to him today.

The door opened by Rose, the people on the lounge looked at her, it was so much attention she could never handle, 𝘏𝘰𝘸 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘭𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘐 𝘸𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘨𝘯𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘦? She poised herself and walked towards the elevator in the lounge. Her heels stamped on the huge tiles stopped before the elevator. Before she could push a button, a tap on her shoulder made her stop reaching out to the button.

Rose turned to look and it was Mr. Anderson. He looked, disturbed and… need a year-long sleep. Rose flinched to his sight, he looked terrifying than when Rose encountered a real ghost. She almost screamed if she had not recognized his face. "Ah, Mr. Anderson" she exhaled. She did not mean to study his face.

𝘓𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘴 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘮𝘦. Rose turned to face him completely, "Mr. Anderson, I think you have so much to tell me. But I will have to tell you something first. Where do you think we could talk privately?" She asked calmly.

Mr. Anderson did not speak. 𝘈 𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘧𝘦𝘸 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘥𝘴, 𝘐 𝘴𝘦𝘦. Rose opened her mouth to utter a word but then he pushed the elevator button up. It opened and gestured Rose to go in. 𝘐𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘷𝘢𝘵𝘰𝘳? Rose step inside and he followed her. As they were inside waiting for the floor to reach the top, there was silence between them.

It has been a couple of minutes of awkwardness, to break the silence, Rose talked first. "Funny thing, I first met Janine in this elevator," she said in secretly informing him that she had encountered his wife. Rose turned to look at him. His eyes and mouth were wide open, perhaps surprised? shocked? Rose was stunned by his expression.

"who-what did you say?" he stuttered.

"I mean your wife"

he averts his gaze athwart Rose. "She died"

"I know, you told me."

surprised, he turned to look at Rose "I did?"

Rose did not nod nor answered, she simply smiled.

Ding!

The elevator door opened slowly, Rose stepped out and walked along the corridor until the end corner, Mr. Anderson walked in a slow pace making Rose head over first. They both entered his office.

His back leaned against the door "Doctor I'm sorry I-" he looked down

"I know everything." Rose smiled, she sat on the empty chair and gestured Stephen to sit on the couch across her, he walked and did so quietly. It looks like he wanted to stop seeing his mental helper, and Rose felt this will be their last day. Might as well reveal everything to him.

"Mr. Anderson, I met your wife on the first day I got here, she lead me to your office. She seemed nice."

"I also met her last Friday. She told me everything." she added

Mr. Anderson was in the verge of breaking down to tears but maintained a strong face.

"Stephen, she blamed her womb for not being able to carry your baby. She regretted stabbing herself now that she saw how miserable you are."

He got up "No, what are you saying?! That can't be true she killed herself for that? She gave me a son!" he scowled. Thi𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘱𝘦d 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴? 𝘥𝘦𝘧𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘮𝘦𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘴𝘮? Rose wondered

Rose stood up and walked to the door "Mr. Anderson, your 'son' is merely a hallucination of yours. He only existed in your mind. And you need to sleep, please go to the hospital. Delirium is treatable." she assured him, yet he still looks stunned. It seems he would not listen to her any longer, 𝘮𝘢𝘺𝘣𝘦 𝘪𝘵𝘴 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘨𝘰 𝘯𝘰𝘸. She stood straight and walked to the door.

𝘐𝘵 𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘴 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘥𝘴 𝘸𝘰𝘯'𝘵 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘰𝘶𝘵, 𝘐 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘰 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘩𝘪𝘮 𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘺. Then Rose remembered what Janine left her, she rattled her bag and her hand came to touch something rectangular. "You know, her eyes were beautiful ivy" she paused before the closed door.

Mr. Anderson stamped his feet to walk behind her, Rose turned to face him and he came to a halt. She clasps his hand and placed a box on his palm, "Mr. Anderson, she loves you so much. She asked to please take care of your health. She left me with this, but I think it's better off in your hands" Rose's sincere charisma fazed him, then she walked beyond the open door and shut it behind her, leaving him in the room. He seemed stranded to the words Rose said, it looks like reality finally struck him.