The Doctor’s Advice
1252 Words
Evangeline woke before dawn. She lay still for several moments, staring up while the events of the previous night replayed one after another in her mind; the chair, the smoke, his questions, the warmth of his breath as he stood in front of her at the door, and the realization that she had almost leaned forward.
She squeezed her eyes shut. "No..."
Throwing the blanket aside, she climbed out of bed and knelt beside the small wooden chair that served as her bedside table. Folding her hands together, she lowered her head and whispered into the quiet room, "Father in Heaven... Please forgive me if my heart has wandered where it should not."
She remained there much longer than usual, praying for strength, and discipline. By the time she rose to her feet, the uneasy feeling inside her chest had eased, though it had not disappeared completely.
She washed her face with cold water, pinned her hair into its usual neat bun, and straightened the new uniform on her body. Today would be different. She would keep her distance, with no unnecessary conversations and no being alone with Mr. Moreno. Only work.
The smell of simmering broth filled the kitchen before sunrise. Evangeline stood over the stove, stirring the pot slowly as fresh ginger, carrots, celery, and herbs floated in the clear broth while oatmeal cooked in another saucepan.
The familiar routine settled her thoughts. Cooking had always done that; her mother used to say that good food carried peace with it, and as Evangeline arranged fresh fruit onto a serving tray, she silently hoped a little of that peace would remain inside the apartment today.
Footsteps echoed down the hallway and she stiffened. Without looking up, she reached for another bowl and focused on arranging breakfast.
Kylian entered the kitchen dressed in a white shirt with the sleeves rolled to his forearms, his tie hanging loose around his neck as though he hadn't yet decided whether he intended to leave the apartment or not.
He stopped, but she did not greet him immediately. Instead, she carefully poured the warm broth into a bowl before setting it on the dining table.
"Good morning, sir."
"...Morning." His voice sounded rough.
She stepped back and he sat down, letting silence stretch between them. The only sounds were the clink of his spoon against the plate and the bubbling coming from the stove. Kylian glanced up to see her wiping an already spotless section of the kitchen, her eyes deliberately fixed on the countertop, avoiding him. The realization irritated him more than it should have.
The sudden ring of the front doorbell broke the silence. Kylian stood up from the island without a word and walked down the hallway to answer it himself.
Moments later, he returned to the dining area followed by a silver-haired man that looked to be in his late sixties carrying a leather medical case. The man's expression softened into a smile the moment he saw Kylian. "You look less miserable than usual."
"I'll take that as a compliment."
"It was one." Dr. Whitmore set his case on the dining table before pulling out a blood pressure monitor. "Let's have a look at you."
Kylian never liked the examination that included; the blood pressure, the pulse, and a brief examination of his abdomen. The doctor compared today's findings against the notes in his folder, and his eyebrows lifted. "Interesting."
Kylian looked at him. "What?"
"When was the last time you had severe stomach pain?"
Kylian thought for a moment. "...few days ago."
"And during the night?"
"No."
"Burning after meals?"
"Hardly."
"Coffee?"
"I stopped."
"Alcohol?"
"I don’t take much anymore."
The older man leaned back thoughtfully. "This is quite a change. I've been treating this ulcer for months and I've changed medications twice. And yet, your condition improves dramatically since the last examination. I'm wondering what changed."
For the first time that morning, Kylian's eyes shifted toward the kitchen where Evangeline stood quietly near the stove, pretending not to listen. "My diet."
The doctor followed his gaze. "Your cook? She changed your meals?"
"Hm."
Dr. Whitmore closed the folder. "May I speak with her?"
Kylian gave a short nod.
Evangeline looked up as the older gentleman approached. "You must be Mr. Moreno's cook."
"Yes, sir."
"I'm Dr. Whitmore."
She smiled politely. "It's nice to meet you."
He glanced toward the pot simmering gently on the stove. "What are you making today?"
"Chicken broth with vegetables, sir."
"And what have you been feeding him these past few days?"
She hesitated, unsure why the question mattered. "Simple foods."
"Such as?"
"Broth... steamed vegetables... oatmeal... boiled chicken... ginger tea." She pointed toward a small bowl resting beside the chopping board. "I also avoid anything too oily or spicy."
The doctor listened with growing interest. "Who taught you this?"
"My mother."
"Is she a doctor?"
Evangeline laughed softly. "Oh no."
"Then how did she know all this?"
"Where I come from, we don't always have hospitals nearby. When someone had stomach pains, she made gentle meals until they recovered."
The doctor's smile widened. "Wow."
She lowered her eyes modestly. "I only cooked what I thought would help."
Dr. Whitmore looked back toward the dining room before returning his attention to her, his voice becoming warm. "Young lady... you've accomplished in a few days what medication struggled to do for months."
Evangeline blinked. "...Really?"
"Really."
A relieved smile spread across her face. "I was worried I wasn't doing enough."
"Oh, I assure you," he chuckled, "you're doing far more than you realize."
Across the dining room, Kylian watched the exchange in silence. It was the first genuine smile he had seen on Evangeline's face; she wasn’t nervous or being cautious. She smiled easily while speaking to the doctor, and he couldn't explain why it bothered him, but it simply did.
Dr. Whitmore collected his case and made his way toward the front door. As Kylian walked him out, the older man paused just before leaving and glanced briefly toward the kitchen where Evangeline stood.
"One last piece of advice."
Kylian looked at him expectantly.
"Don't lose that cook."
The door closed behind the doctor, leaving only the rhythm of her knife against the chopping board echoing through the penthouse.
Kylian stood at the door, his hand still resting on the brass handle. He looked back at the kitchen, then pulled out his phone and dialed his assistant.
"Sir?" Serena answered immediately. "I'm setting up your ten o'clock review now."
Kylian kept his eyes fixed entirely on Evangeline’s silhouette through the kitchen glass. "Clear my schedule for the rest of the day, Serena. All of it."
"Sir? You have three major acquisitions on the table—"
"Cancel them," Kylian cut him off, his voice flat and absolute. "I'm staying home."
He ended the call and slipped the phone into his pocket. His meetings could wait, the investors could wait. f**k! Everything could wait.
He turned around slowly, and through the open doorway, he watched Evangeline humming softly beneath her breath while she chopped vegetables, completely unaware that he was there.
She looked... peaceful.
He couldn't remember the last time he'd stood still just to watch another person exist.
Yet there he was, watching her.
Then, as if sensing something, Evangeline suddenly stopped chopping. A strange feeling crawled over her skin, breaking her concentration entirely.
She slowly lifted her head... and found Kylian already watching her.
Neither of them spoke.
And neither of them could look away.
- Writer
