DOCTOR'S FEE INCIDENT 24

THE NEXT DAY, all were still asleep. Mom also made Gwen and Laura sleep there; they were in our spare room and not on the rooftop where Tejie often stayed. When I looked at the time, it was almost eleven in the afternoon.

When I came down, Mom was surprised to see me in such good condition. She was already awake and fixing our food.
"Ugh? Clyde?" She exclaimed when she saw that I had just taken a bath, I had shaved, and my hair was properly brushed up. "Baby? You—"
"Mom? It seems you saw a ghost." I asked her, chuckling. "Look at you."
"Ah.. wow." Her mouth was half open as she stared at me. "Ah! Have you called Irene? She said that—"
I cut her. "Is Laura still asleep, mom?"
Mom smiled. "Let's have coffee, baby, then—talk to Mom. I bet there is so much for you to tell me," Mom said as she held my hand and led me to the kitchen. No matter how old I am now, she thinks that I am her baby.
_____
CLINT AND CHARI'S POV
The whole house is quiet and calm. Tejie has a dance lesson, and Claudie is already on campus. I didn't send Laura home first; I let her friend sleep for a long time. And when they woke up earlier, I prepared their food and made some for them to take home.

I got the right timing earlier and spoke to Clyde heart-to-heart. I forced him to reveal all his feelings and pent-up anger. Luckily, he listens to me when it's serious talk. It turns out that he has been planning to break up with Irene for a long time because of her cheating, and when it comes to Laura, I can't say anything from what he told me about her. He keeps on smiling every time he mentions Laura's name. And he doesn't need to tell me, I already know how he feels by the way he speaks of her.
"Clint, what should we do?"
"Ma, nothing!"
"Clint, what if all of a sudden the wind blows differently and Laura won't talk to him anymore? My Clyde will completely go crazy."
"Ma, let's just leave them alone. Irene and Clyde have already broken up; they and Laura are free if they ever are; what's the problem? "
"That easy? It was just last night? And— What if—?"
"If Laura's husband comes," Clint answered quickly.
"Yes, Clint! I'm not going to let her leave Clyde after my son has gone insane with her! I won't allow it, Clint!"
Clint laughed. "And what will you do?"
I just kept quiet.
A moment later, I heard Clyde knocking.
_____
"WE'RE GOING TO LEAVE MOM," Clyde said, goodbye.
"We're going home, Aunt, we have work later," Laura said goodbye too.
Chari couldn't speak immediately because she saw that Clyde was already dressed and good to go.
"Dad, we're leaving," he said goodbye to Clint.
Chari grabbed Clyde's arm. "Clyde baby? Are you sure that you can do it? Can you drive? Are you going in?" she worriedly lingered at his waist. "Do you want me to drive you—"
Clint cuts her off. "Chari!"
"Clint, he might get dizzy or—"
"He can do that, Ma! He got into a fight with the four of them, and you saw how he did well, right?" Clint snapped at Clyde, then winked. "He can do that," Clint said again. "He won't get up if he can't. Then he's with Laura."
"Huh?" Laura turned to Clyde. They made eye contact.
"Ah,… Laura—"
"Ma, they will be late," Clint nodded at her.
Chari starts again. Worrying so much about Clyde.
"We're leaving, Mom. I'll take them to the condo, then I'll go straight to the meds. I'll call you when I get there, okay? Huh, Mom? " Clyde smiled.
Chari smiled too but with brooding eyes.
"Alright, thank you very much for the sleepover," said Laura.
Gwen also waved goodbye.
"Laura!"
Clint abruptly, "Chari."
Chari just looked at him and said, "Clyde, baby."
"Chari! Ma?" Clint signaled for a stop.
Chari nodded in response and stopped catching up to Clyde.
Clyde said goodbye once more, "Bye, Mom! We're leaving."
The young man could not bear it because he saw that his mother was very worried again. He was about to leave when he returned to hug Chari. "Mom, I'm okay. Promise. I'm sorry if I made you worried. Okay, I won't do it again," he said softly to his mother.
"Clyde, be careful, okay? Always be careful, okay," Chari keeps on reminding him.
Clint just put his arms around his wife to comfort her.
"Let him go, Ma. He's not a kid anymore."
"Clint... I feel like he's drifting away."
Chari loves Clyde so much that she doesn't want him to grow up.
_____
"DOC, PULL ME OVER HERE," Gwen said as she walked out of the car.
"What time are you coming back?" Laura yelled.
"I'm going to get some more stuff from Pillows, just be at the club first when I'm gone by eight," Gwen replied.
Laura just nodded.
"Bye Doc!" she shouted as she walked away.
I just waved at her, and Laura and I kept going.
"You ma'am?"
"Huh?"
"You? What are you planning? Let's eat first."
"Doc, I can't even breathe. I'm bloated. Your mother sent home a lot of food," she answered.
"Laura—stop calling me Doc. Call me Clyde, please!"
"I don't want to! I want Doc! Why are you interfering?"
"Really? Umm!" I pinched her thigh.
She raised a brow at me.
_____
LAURA AND I were so excited to talk that we didn't realize we had arrived at the place. I didn't park properly because as soon as I dropped her off, I would leave right away.
"What time do you come in?" I asked her while I was helping her with her stuff.
She was busy arranging her bags. She was carrying a big eco-bag full of food that Mom sent home.
And when everything is settled...
"Bye, Doc. Leave now because you might be late. It's my fault again when that happens," she teased.
I didn't move. I just sat there watching her, and when she opened the car door to get out,
"Laura—" I grabbed her left arm.
She looked at me.
"Laura—thank you," I said softly.
She just smiled at me and stared. Until I took off my seatbelt to get closer to her and touch her face at the same time to give her a kiss.
"Umm! No kissing, look at your lips!" she says giggling.
"Your clothes will become tangled; go now," she exclaimed, smiling.
I sighed.

She opened the door and went out.
I brushed my nape. I saw that she was looking at me while standing in front of the car door.
In a moment, suddenly…
"Do you want to go up first?" she asked.
I smiled at what she said.
She smiled. "Aren't you late?"
I looked at the wristwatch I was wearing. "I still have an hour. It's still quite long," I smiled. I bit my bottom lip. "We can still have a few rounds."
She bit hers too, followed by a silly smile.
"Let's go, doc, clean my wound," she whispered.
"Sure, Ma'am, my pleasure," I whispered back as I gave her a lusty stare.
June_Thirteen