Dear Sweetheart,

The Reset

It was an usual day at Woodland. All stuffs did their works as per assigned. Some sat at the counter and some helped the elders with their needs.

Lara too, being busy with the blankets and bed sheets to be washed. These had to be done once every week to ensure the cleanliness and comforts of the elders.

"Good day, Lara" greeted one of the nurse, Dane. He was the only male nurse there.

"Good day Dane. How's your wedding preparation?" asked Lara while she put the laundry into the washing machine. Dane told her he's going to marry his fiancée.

"Everything went smoothly. It just..." Dane seemed hesitates to continue his words. He lowered his head. Lara felt there must be something that bothered him.

Lara patted Dean's shoulder with a concerned smile on her face.

"I don't know what's bothering you but I'm sure it's going to sort out. The most important things, you are going to start a new life with someone you love" Lara's words to console Dane.

Suddenly, Dane bursted into tears. Lara flustered to see Dane like that.

"I just found out Edleen slept with other guy. She told me it was a mistake but how can I accept that?" Dane explained with shaking voice. Lara utterly shocked with Dane's story. She can't imagine if that happened to her.

"Did she still meet with that guy? What are you going to do then?"

Dane shakes his head.

"No. She said that guy already moved abroad. But still, my feelings to her already change. How I'm going to face this marriage?" Dane was confused if he's going to continue with the wedding or to cancel it off.

Lara sighed. She's not the right person to give Dane advices. She really wanted to console Dane.

"I believe you are going to make a right decision for your life. I wishes everything will be sorted out for you" Lara patted Dane's back to courage him. It's being hard on him to face all this.

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Lara took a rest after she finished her works. She sipped an instant coffee in a cup when Grandpa Jack's entered the pantry.

"Grandpa Jack, you're walking right now" Lara jovially welcomed Grandpa Jack. She helped Grandpa Jack to sit on the chair. Grandpa Jack seemed to walk just fine even he had to use cane to support himself.

"I feel like I am young once again" Grandpa Jack grinned from ear to ear.

"What happened Grandpa? It's been so long since last I saw you. You're always gone for your treatment" It's true that Lara rarely saw Grandpa Jack for the past few weeks. He's one of the elders that she closed to. He reminded her of her real late grandfather.

"There is one gentleman, sponsoring my treatment. I've been undergo the treatment. The doctors are so good and now I feel like a can run with my two feet" Grandpa Jack gently stomped his feet to show his improvement to Lara.

"I'm happy for you Grandpa Jack. It must be hard for you all this time" Lara held Grandpa Jack's hand inside hers. She always seen him on wheelchair and when his condition gone worse, he only laid down on his bed with the help of oxygen tank.

"But Grandpa, who's this gentleman, who sponsored you? Can you tell me his name?" asked Lara. It must be a rich person with a good heart.

Grandpa Jack put his hand inside his cardigan pocket and pulled out a piece of paper. He gave the paper to Lara. Lara looked at the paper with a phone number on it.

"That's his phone number. I don't have a phone so I can't call him to thank him properly. It's always his assistance who arranged everything for me "

"Do you want to call him, Grandpa Jack? You can use my phone" Lara took out her phone and dialled the number. After a few tones, someone picked up the call. A deep male voice heard through the phone.

"Hello. Good morning. I'm Lara. I volunteered at Woodland Nursing" Lara introduced herself first. No response from the other side.

"I'm sorry if I'm disturbing but Grandpa Jack wants to talk to you" Lara passed the phone to Grandpa Jack.

"Hello, Grandpa Jack's here. I want to thank you for sponsoring my treatment..."

Grandpa Jack continued to converse with the man on the phone. Lara was only heard from the side. Sometimes, Grandpa Jack laughed out loud. Must be something funny in their conversation.

"Okay. It's good to talk to you, young man. Yeah yeah. Don't worry, I'll talk to her" Grandpa Jack ended the call and gave it back to Lara. Her eyes narrowly looked at Grandpa Jack with her lips pursed slightly as he kept on smiled to her.

"What's with the smile Grandpa Jack?" Lara curiously asked the reason behind his smile.

"That young man asked me to ask you if you're willing to meet him" Grandpa Jack grinned, showed his implants. Lara flustered to hear that. She seemed hesitated.

"Why don't you go meet him first? Who knows, you might like him. Plus, it's like my way to pay him back. Pleaseee.." Grandpa Jack's face literally begged her to meet the man.

Lara let out a deep sigh. Looked at Grandpa Jack's face, she doesn't have heart to dissapoint him.

"I'll just meet him because of you Grandpa. Not more than that" Lara jokingly warned Grandpa Jack from having any hidden agenda.

Grandpa Jack cheered joyfully like he just won the lottery.

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At The Cave

Many customers filled the outsite area of The Cave, a restaurant specialised in Mediterranean cuisine. The attraction for this restaurant, of course where the visitors can enjoy a beautiful sunset on the horizon. With the coolness of sea breeze, it's the best choice for a romantic date.

That's why Lara don't understand the reason for that man chose this place. She went there as she promised to Grandpa Jack. Lara waited for that particular man to arrive. She looked over at her soft yellow midi dress. At least, she dressed properly for the place.

Lara stared at the Standview Beach when someone suddenly sat in front of her. To her surprise, it was Carl.

"I'm sorry but I'm waiting for someone. I'll be thankful if you may leave..." Lara politely asked Carl to leave. She don't want to cause a scene. There's nothing good when she met with Carl.

A male waiter came to take their orders. Lara wanted to stop the waiter but Carl stopped her first.

"I would like a baked garlic lemon Salmon and a shrimp pasta. Hmmmm and apple olive oil cake for dessert. You?" Carl asked the confused Lara. She shakes her head and the waiter leave both of them.

Carl seemed to enjoy the night like nothing's happened.

"If I may ask, what are you doing?" a cold voice came from Lara's mouth.

"Having a dinner with you, of course" Carl smiled sincerely. That smile. If Lara don't know him better, she might fall for it. Carl don't have dimples like Daniel, but still, his smile with his perfect teeth could lure any women. Suited the rumors of him being a player.

"I said that I'm waiting for someone" Lara kept her voice calm but still showed firmness.

"Doesn't it seems weird to you that someone is still not coming?" Carl leaned towards Lara with his chin on his hand.

That's right. It almost half an hour she sat there but no one came. A sudden weird thought came to her. No way...

She looked at Carl suspiciously. Carl's still smiling.

"You're the one who sponsored Grandpa Jack's treatment?" Lara still felt doubt at Carl. Why would he?

Carl leaned back and slowly nodded his head.

"Then you knew I'm the one who called you the other day?"

"I don't know your number but when you introduced yourself, I immediately recognised it was you" Carl explained himself.

"Then why you still wanted to meet me?" Lara can't believe it. Carl stayed silent for a while, tried to look for suitable words.

"I just want to be friend with you. I know our past encounters was so bad. I admit that. I just want to have a chance to say that I am sorry" Carl's sounded sincere. He looked into Lara's eyes with hopes his sincerity was conveyed throughly.

Lara was totally baffled with Carl's explanation. First, he sounded so serious and sincere. Two, there's no reason for them to be friend. He's not a usual type of friend that she can find during schools or at the workplace. He's a royal. Their environment were totally different.

"You're sure you heard yourself loud and clear, right? Because for me, you're sounded ridiculous when you said we.... to be friends?" Lara just wanted to make sure Carl heard himself properly. Maybe he will admit that idea was not going to work, and hopefully, to take it back.

"Nope. I really want to be friend with you. Just like... how you were friended with Daniel" He may seem like he's whispering but Lara can clearly heard him.

"What do you say? How do you know about..." Lara stuttered to hear that. The only parties knew about her and Daniel only their families and Joy.

"Daniel was my personal guard but he's also my close friend. He told me everything about your relationship. How you guys met and all that. But he didn't said it was you at first."

"I just happened to know when I saw you guys at the royal banquet, during dance ceremony. I've never seen him smile so brightly to a woman before. Then I realised, it was you, that woman Daniel told me" Carl explained. Lara silently listened to it. Her fingers played with the end of tablecloth.

"Then, it was not good for Daniel, right?" she sounded worried and sad. Lara don't want any harms on Daniel because of this. He worked so hard to achieve everything he had now.

"Don't worry, I won't tell a soul. But... Only if, you accept to be my friend?" Carl extended his hand, as a sign of friendship with Lara.

Lara contemplated about Carl's offer. But, the thought about Daniel, made her to extend her hand too and reached for Carl's.

That very night, they officially became a friend with Lara's not realised the price for it.