Page 47 of Ghost Of You
“Laelia Jayne Marie Thorn,” I respond quickly.
“Date of birth?”
“Thirteenth of December, ninety-three.”
There’s a pause, and my stomach tightens with worry.
“I’m sorry, we don’t seem to have a Laelia Thorn on our records,” she says.
“What do you mean you don’t have her on your records? She visited you not that long ago,” I argue, frustration creeping into my voice.
“I understand, but she’s no longer on our records.”
“Killian,” Laelia whispers, her voice barely audible. “Just leave it.”
I shake my head at her, refusing to give up. “How do you lose someone’s records? She’s never missed an appointment, she hasn’t moved house, and she hasn’t changed doctors. Why have you taken her off your records?”
“Killian,” her voice breaks again. “I’m no longer with them.”
I sigh, rubbing my temple as the stress of the situation weighs heavily on me. I’m not even listening to the woman on the other end of the phone anymore. “It doesn’t matter,” I say, trying to keep my voice calm. “Sorry for the inconvenience. It turns out she’s moved doctors. I hope you have a good day,” I add before hanging up.
I place my phone on the coffee table and turn my full attention to Laelia, my heart aching for her. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you,” she says softly, her voice filled with regret. “I moved because I wanted a practice that’s more focused on pregnancy. I hope you’re not mad.”
“I’m not mad, beautiful,” I assure her, leaning in to press a gentle kiss on her forehead. “I just assumed you were still there.”
Her eyes flutter closed at the tender touch, and I can’t help but feel a surge of love and protectiveness for her. “Will you let me get you something to eat?” I ask, my voice warm and caring.
A small, weak smile tugs at her lips. “I have a craving for ice cream,” she says, her voice almost childlike in its softness.
I kiss her forehead again, a smile spreading across my face. “Ice cream it is,” I say, getting up and heading into the kitchen. I scoop a bowl of vanilla ice cream and bring it back to her, placing it gently on the coffee table. She tries to get comfortable, her eyes lighting up as she sees the treat.
“Vanilla ice cream,” she grins, a playful twinkle in her tired eyes. “I should’ve known.”
I laugh softly, remembering the first time she teased me about my love for vanilla ice cream. It’s a small moment of normalcyin the midst of the chaos, and for that, I’m grateful. We’ll get through this, together.
Chapter twenty-five
28th August 2017
The bell jingles and we burst through the door, swinging it wide open to reveal a world of vibrant colour. The floor is a pastel blue, sparkling with sprinkles of glitter, and the pale pink walls are adorned with painted ice creams. Tables are scattered around, filled with people indulging in creamy, sweet treats, their laughter mingling with the clinking of spoons and the soft hum of conversations.
As we approach the counter, my eyes widen at the display of ice creams—an entire rainbow of flavours stretching out before us. From what I can see, there must be at least thirty different kinds, all vying for attention like a candy-coloured kaleidoscope. Thank goodness I don’t have to choose just one because that would be downright impossible.
Behind the counter stands a man dressed in the most ridiculous uniform I’ve ever seen—a light blue shirt paired with matching pants, topped off with a pink and white striped apron bearing the shop’s name, 'Brain Freeze.' His hat is equally absurd, but it fits the whole quirky vibe of the place. I silentlythank my lucky stars that I don’t have to wear anything like that to work.
The man’s gaze lands on Laelia, and his face splits into a grin. He looks her up and down, clearly taking his time, and I feel a burning sensation flare up in my chest. My left eye twitches as a dark thought crosses my mind—if he doesn’t stop staring at her like that, I’ll gladly shove his head into one of those freezers, and I won’t feel an ounce of guilt about it.
I clear my throat loudly, making sure he knows I’m here. Both Laelia and the man snap their heads in my direction. Laelia gives me a sweet smile before turning back to the counter, but I’m not done. I narrow my eyes at him, delivering a glare that could cut glass. The guy gets the message, swallowing hard as he adjusts his posture, suddenly more respectful—less like a predator sizing up prey.
Yeah, that’s right, buddy. You better behave like a good little boy unless you want to find out how quickly I can turn you into a human popsicle.
Laelia, blissfully unaware of the silent standoff happening beside her, continues to smile politely at the man. He keeps stealing nervous glances at me, clearly rattled, while I keep my eyes locked on him, daring him to step out of line.
“Hi,” Laelia says, her voice as sweet as sugar.
If it were me, sweetness would be the last thing he’d get.
“H-hi,” the man stammers, his voice shaky. “Welcome to B-brain Freeze. What c-can I get for y-you?” He tries to keep his focus on Laelia, but I can tell he’s very aware of my presence, like a mouse under the watchful eye of a hawk.