Chapter 11

A notification on my phone had my attention as it broke me out of my thoughts and I closed the file that was in my hand and threw it frustrated on the table before getting up and wearing my suit as I picked up my phone and walked out of my office handing the cabin keys to the guards.
"What is it, mom?" I asked as I kept the phone on loudspeaker and got inside my car ready to drive off back home.
"What is this tone Zac?" she sighed and I drove past my office building and switched the wipers on as it began to pour.
"I'm driving back home mom. Let me have you call back after I reach bac-" I stopped in the middle when my eyes fell on the car parked with its lights on and hood open at the side of the road. But it wasn't the car but the lady who paced around completely soaked in rain before the car looking terrified as she continued to click on her phone.
"I will call you back mom," I said as I hung up without even hearing her reply.
"Ms. Dimir?" I said once I parked my car next to hers and rolled the windows down.
"Mr Sullivan?" she seemed off guard for a moment but then as she got her senses back she ran towards my car and looked in.
"What's wrong?" I found myself asking.
"Thank God! Mr. Sullivan...Oh, it's my car. It gave up upon me," she cried and it was when we looked up towards a group of built up guys coming towards us crossing the road.
Not wanting to create a scene or let Dimir know about my night duty I took a decision and looked back at her to find her staring at them looking frightened.
"Close the hood, lock your car and get in..." I said and her head shot up towards me. She nodded frantically and without even second thoughts she ran to her car and closed the hood and took her purse out before locking the car and ran back as she got in and closed the door in a hurry. I locked the door and looked at her to find her inhaling in deeply and exhaling out. She looked terribly frightened because of the situation.
I pulled up back to the road crossing the group of guys who banged on my window yelling at us seeming drunk.
"Oh god!" I heard her whisper as I sped up and turned the heater on.
"There's a towel in the backseat. Use it to dry yourself before you catch a co-" she interrupted me by sneezing "cold..." I finished up and looked at her as she gave me a sheepish grin.
"Excuse me," she murmured and fetched the towel from my back and used it to wipe herself dry before wrapping it around her body.
As I drove silently...I could feel her gaze on me all the while to the extent which made me uncomfortable and I stared back at her raising an eyebrow to which she shook her head no whispering a low 'nothing'.
"Yes, that building over there..." she pointed at the building and I nodded in response as I drove towards the direction. As my car came to a halt I unlocked the door and waited for her to get out because it was still pouring heavily and in the moment anything but to be back home where I could rest peacefully after working continuously for days.
"Thank you so much for dropping me today," I heard her talking and I nodded in response. Her eyes brightened up even in the dark and she smiled widely as she opened her mouth once again to speak up "Would you like to have some coffee up in my place?"
"No. It's alright. Thanks for inviting me Ms. Dimir," I said and witnessed as looked a little sadder after hearing my reply.
"Then... I guess I will be leaving now," she smiled and I waited patiently for her to exit.
"Good night," she said as she finally opened the door and walked out to the rain.
I thought she would run straight into her the building's wing but she stood there with her purse over her head that had me rolling the window down as I spoke up "Go in Ms. Dimir,"
"No, you go first," she said and I found myself little irritated by the situation.
"Ms. Dimir, Just go in!" I heard my irritated voice to which she seemed little taken aback. But then once again she regained her composure as she smiled and turned around running back into her building.
"What a woman," I muttered to myself as I rolled up the window and drove off towards my home.
As I parked my car and got out avoiding the umbrella that was under my back seat and the still pouring rain...I walked towards the house with the rain drenching me but at that moment it wasn't what that got my attention but the figure that came running towards my direction. As I squinted my eyes and wiped the rain away from my eyes I recognised the person who came running towards me completely drenched...but it looked she wasn't alone.
"Kiara?" I heard myself.
"Zach-Zachary!" came out her croaked voice as she came running towards me and stumbled before me but if it wasn't for me to catch her by her arms then she would have tumbled down.
"What in the world are you-"
"She is alive...She is ALIVE!" she cried as she looked up at me avoiding my question.
"Kiara..." it was Kristian who was running after her. He ran up to us and stopped right next to me completely, drenched.
"What are you-"
"She is ALIVE! I saw her!" Kiara cried as she pulled herself up and got hold of my forearms as she shook them frantically trying to gain my attention.
"What? Whom did you see? Who is ali-"
"JULIETTE!"
A loud thundering was heard followed by flashes of lightning and suddenly the rain stopped with three of us standing motionless on our spot staring wide-eyed at each other.