Who was the reason?

Stop being a kvetch. Manacle yourself from beefing about something necessary. - miss_polarity

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Monday. Five o'clock.

There is a continuous, thunderous pulsation in Malykith's ears. She believes there was none—not a tiny thing—she did. But was there really nothing? Because if there wasn't, why would Ella become so furious? Why did Ella lose her mind? Why had she suddenly broken out a tear? Why... is she losing her life?

Then came the sound from the door. Sean stares at it for quite some time before he stands up and opens it.

"Greetings." Says Séance in his morning tone. After exchanging pleasantries, he looks around immediately. He spots Malykith who could not stand his gaze and takes an abrupt step backward. "Miss Malykith," he nods at her. He turns to Sean again.

"Would you let me move her to my office, young sir?"

Sean barely shakes his head in response.

After earning his permission, Sean opens the door widely for Malykith.

"Come to my office."

The office was dark. Although there are other colors—blue, violet, and red—accentuating the color of its hedges, it is unlike every ward in the hospital. The room reflected feelings of melancholia. Nonetheless, it did justice to his name, Séance. The room almost served as a place for ‘meeting where people try to communicate with the spirits of dead people’.

Though the hospital is not the most prestigious hospice in the area, Doctor Séance had himself a five-by-five-meter office. And instead of a lamp or any luminescent orbs, the room is far by the design of a contemporary office—it was illumed of dandelion-scented candles. One on each corner of the room, two on his table, one on either side of his bed, and three on his coffee table. The aroma is surprisingly mild and not overpowering even though there was not any window for circulation.

“Take a seat.” Séance beckons Malykith after preparing warm teas. “I trust you’ll be fine drinking oolong.” When he finds her still standing, he prods her to the seat across him. Upon observation, he was not surprised to witness Malykith stiffen and appear glued to the spot—it was something someone nervous does out of fear. But what surprised him was far beyond what he imagined.

“Please, have a drink. I am a doctor; I won’t poison you.”

When she finally sips on her glass, Séance did not waste any more time. “You were the first one to wake, am I right?”

In an eyeblink, she responds, “No.”

He was taken aback by her crude retort. He does, however, let it go. ‘She might have been offended with my question,’ he thought.

“So, it was Ella. Had she been ravaging since her wake?”

“No,” she replies yet again in a boorish tone—almost like she seems bored.

Séance on the other hand still holds his annoyance. He knew that he was becoming irascible from having no sleep. He pronounces coolly, “Then, would you care retelling me what happened before everything turned to mess?”

Again, he was bemused when he realized and saw how Malykith’s eyes brightened and bore colors. It was as if she has been looking forward to spending her time storytelling. She discreetly grins. ‘Am I here because of my being awake early in the morning?’ was what she has been thinking. She puts her teacup modesty on the table before diffidently beginning her reiterating.

“Should I tell you all the specifics?”

Séance cannot read through the maid’s actions. He becomes impatient as Malykith seems to be prolonging their conversation. Otherwise, he nods. “Yes, please.”

Instead of answering and ceding to the doctor’s request, Malykith expresses her displeasure. “I am sorry for being uncouth but you seem to be overcrossing your boundary, doctor,” she says accentuating Séance’s rate. “Yes, mademoiselle is in your care. But it is not your responsibility to know everything that happens to her.” She continues.

Séance breathes in exasperation and likewise places his cup on the table, “Miss, please. I need your cooperation. The patient’s not in her right mind. Ella hasn’t been speaking since her wake. I may be playing detective but I cannot afford to miss any lead. Your madame’s condition is but anything simple. If you do want to bring your little miss back to her usual self, please tell me anything you think is necessary for me to know.”

There was a hint of frowziness in Malykith’s thoughts.

‘All I am being cautious of is transgressing mademoiselle’s privacy. Else, there is certainly nothing to hide,’ she reasons out in her mind.

She tentatively commences, “You should know it is not new for a maid like me to be an early bird. That, especially since today is mademoiselle’s discharge. For all I am aware of, young miss has been awake even before I did. And like what I am supposed to, I made her breakfast, readied her clothes, and tries to make her talk."

He ponders on Malykith's facts for a second before asking her, "Was there anything you mentioned about 'that' day?"

"No, doctor. Nothing regarding that."

"Please, go on."

She soughs through her nose. "I just talked about us leaving. Her discharge. And who was the happiest now that she is fine? I focused solely on describing whatever comes to mind. And that's just it."

"Who?" He utters absent-mindedly. Malykith's brows align.

"What do you mean 'who?', Sir?" She wonders. Then their eyes met.

"Who was the happiest?"

Her mouth and eyes respectively unfold and narrows from bafflement. “Happiest? Are we on the same page, doctor?"

"You mentioned something about 'someone who’s the happiest seeing that she's now alright'." He points out.

She makes an ‘oh’ remark.

He advances from his seat. “Who were you talking about?” Séance utters prompting her to speak.

“My uncle. Soller.” She says with traces of bewilderment from Séance’s sudden charge to her.

Nonetheless, Séance notices the change in the atmosphere and returns his back to the backrest of the sofa. “Sorry about that.” He says in reticence. “Regarding Mr. Soller, had Ella reacted upon hearing his name?”

“No,” she shakes her head assertively. “Mademoiselle has been in silence for weeks; I should have noticed if she becomes sensitive to the topic.” She articulates as she tries to relax her muscles.

Laid-back silence ensues. Afterward, both of them drink their glasses empty.

“I see. Thank you for sharing Miss Malykith.” He stands up from his seat followed by Malykith.

“Thank you for the tea. And I am sorry for my rudeness, Sir.”

“It is alright.” He states with a smile.

Both of them walk toward the door. “For now, all we have are circumstantial theories,” Séance verbalizes. “I have to say: Do not be surprised if we meet again.”

“Yes, of course, Sir. I’ll be much cooperative then.”

Séance laughs at Malykith’s rejoinder. “I will be looking forward to that.”

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Fight, XOXO