I had been in the waiting room for about thirty minutes holding the bloody hand to my chest. The handkerchief had turned red stained with my blood and was throbbing painfully. I had already filled out all the forms required but I still had to wait in line even if I was probably bleeding to death. This was the closest clinic I could find and it was a private one. I wonder how they could be understaffed considering I had already paid a thousand shillings just for the consultation fee.

"Miss Irungu, the doctor will see you now." The nurse announced.

Fucking finally.

I followed her and she led me into the consultation room.

"Sorry for the long wait. We are a little understaffed today. A few of our doctors went for a conference leaving us in a little dilemma." She apologized opening the door for me.

"It's okay. Just glad I can finally get this looked at." I replied and walked in.

She closed the door behind me and I looked ahead to face my doctor. I don't know if it was due to blood loss or because of the fact that I had thinking about him all day but I think I was seeing things. Standing next to the examination table looking at a chart was Gabriel looking sexy as sin in scrubs. He hadn't noticed me yet and I decided to walk back and run away from there. I knew I was going to run into him sometime because we had the same group of friends but I didn't think it would be this soon. I was definitely not ready to face him.

He looked so handsome and rugged at the same time. His hair was still short like the last time I had seen him and his face was clean shaven except for very sexy looking sideburns that ended just below his temple. He had definitely lost a lot of muscle but he was still muscular just not as before. He was biting his lower lip and he seemed to be deeply thinking about something. Oh how I had missed kissing those lips. Bad Nia. Oh yes I was getting out of here before this situation became too much to handle for my fragile heart.

Looks like luck was not on my side because as soon as I got a hold of the door handle he turned to look at me. To say he was shocked was an understatement. His eyes widened and his mouth fell open. I stood there awkwardly transfixed in place not knowing whether to continue with my escape plan or forget about it.

"Nia?" He breathed out as if not really believing it was me.

"Gabriel." I replied in a whisper his name feeling foreign on my lips. It had been so long since I had said his name.

I started feeling dizzy and I looked at my bleeding hand to see that it had gotten worse and was bleeding all over the floor and the front of my shirt was now soaked in red. Before I could say anything else I felt myself loose control of my body and I was falling to the floor. The last thing I heard before succumbing to the darkness was Gabriel shouting my name.

When I came to the first thing I noticed was the stiff bed I was lying on. I squinted my eyes opening and thankfully the light wasn't too bright. After a few blinks I could see clearly. I looked around the room and noticed that I was in a doctor's office as advertised by the medical posters on the wall and the desk and chair on one side of the room. There was a doctor's coat hanging on a hanger next to a very sleek looking leather jacket. I noticed the picture frames on the desk and when I concentrated hard enough I saw the faces clearly. There were three frames in total. One was of a huge family, another was of a very familiar group of friends and the other was of a couple embracing lovingly. One particular face stuck out, Gabriel's. Then everything came back to me and I realized where I was.

This was Gabriel's office. Oh shit. Thank God he wasn't here. I had to leave. I quickly sat up and that caused another dizzy spell and I had to lie back down. I lifted my right hand up and noticed that it was bandaged neatly. There was an IV in my left hand. That was going to be a challenge if I was going to escape. I had seen enough movies to know that I shouldn't pull that out unless I wanted blood all over me again. Speaking of blood. I wasn't wearing my blood soaked T-shirt, instead I was wearing a white T-shirt instead. It was twice my size and smelled very familiar. It was Gabriel's T-shirt. Oh Lord. Why me? He had changed me! I mean what was the big deal considering he had seen me naked but still it wasn't the same. Thankfully I was still in my jeans. I then sat up slowly to prevent another dizzy spell and swung my legs over the high bed. My shoes were next to the bed and my bag was on his desk. Now if I could just find a way to get this IV off.

The door swung open just as I grabbed the needle to pull it off. Lady luck why do you hate me today? Why can't you just be on my side for once? I closed my eyes and hoped it was a nurse telling me I was free to go but even I knew that was wishful thinking.

"Running away again?" He asked and his voice was too close.

I opened my eyes and he was standing right in front of me. Too close budy, back up. He hadn't changed his cologne so he smelt so good. I wanted to close my eyes again in delight but that would look creepy.

"Why am I in your office and not in a ward?" I asked him looking away.

I was always so confident around Gabriel but now I didn't know what was happening. I couldn't look him in the eyes. He was giving me this look that I couldn't quite decipher and it was unnerving me.

My heart was beating very fast in my chest and I could feel my hands start to shake. What the fuck was happening to me? Calm down Nia. You can do this. Just look up smile and make sure this is over soon before you pass out again.

"I wanted to keep you here and make sure that you were okay." He replied still searching my eyes for I don't know what.

"Can you please get this off me?" I requested holding out my arm with the IV.

"Yeah sure. Do you know why you passed out?" He asked.

"Blood loss because of the cut in my arm." I replied.

"Yeah that's true and also the alcohol in your system wasn't helping your case. You need to lay off alcohol for a while and drink more water." He instructed and I laughed.

"What's so funny? "He asked as I watched him out on a pair of gloves.

"It's just like the first time we met all over again. You banning me from drinking alcohol." I replied with a fond smile at the memory.

He smiled too and grabbed my hand to remove the the long ass needle. Oh God! His smile. I had missed seeing that so much. He removed the tape holding it in place before careful pulling it out and putting cotton wool to stop the blood from oozing out. His hand was warm and strong. I missed the feel of his hands in my soft skin. Were they still as rough as before or were they soft and smooth now. And here I was back in the trap. Gabriel's trap.

He took the cotton swab off and put a band aid over the tiny hole on my skin since the bleeding had stopped. He took off his gloves tossing them in the bin next to us but didn't move though. What was he waiting for?

"Is that it? Can I go now?" I asked really wanting to get out of here.

I was not expecting that this is where my day would lead me. I had always pictured how Gabriel and I would meet again. This was definitely not one of the many scenarios I had made up in my head. He looked so handsome it hurt to just look at him. If I leaned in I could kiss him and feel his soft lips on mine. If I lifted my arm I could touch him and feel his skin on mine. If I wanted I could wrap my arms around him and remind myself how it felt to be in his embrace. All this were thoughts of a girl who had missed the one man in her life who had meant more to her than a simple fuck. This gorgeous specimen here was all she had thought about the past three years and now that he was finally here she was confused. Hold him? Runaway? What?!

What if he was married or in a relationship? Fuck. I needed to get out of here.

"Baby girl look at me." He said pinching my chin and tilting my head up to look at him.

My breath hitched at the endearment. A married man would not call his long lost love a name like that. Hope sparked in me so I looked up from my hooded eyes and met his gaze. He was looking at me with so much love and adoration that my insides melted.

"I missed you." He whispered stroking my face.

I leaned into his touch feeling his skin on mine. I was going to lie to him and say I hadn't missed him but my body was already speaking for me so I decided to be honest.

"I missed you too." I replied and before I could comprehend what was happening I was pulled into his embrace.

Now this was home, I thought to myself as I clutched the lapels of his white coat and clung to him inhaling his manly intoxicating scent.

"Why did you never reach out?" He asked his hands still around me.

"You never reached out yourself. It's not like I blocked you're number or anything." I replied and he pulled away.

Wait please a few more minutes, I begged mentally but I let him go physically as my hands dropped to my side.

"I was scared. I was so scared you'd reject me all over again so I stopped myself." He answered looking at me.

"I can understand that." I replied with a small smile on my face.

He had admitted to missing me just as I had missed him. Maybe there was hope after all. He smiled back at me and I noticed him looking at my lips then my eyes. He leaned in and I didn't move back or stop him. I wanted this as much as he did. I wanted to feel his lips on mine after three long years. Just before our lips touched the door flung open and a pair of heels clicked in and we pulled away.

Lady luck why today of all days?

"Gabriel darling you ready to go?" A soft voice asked behind him and he stepped aside revealing a very beautiful lady him next to his desk.

She was wearing a red maxi dress with slits on both sides reaching her thighs, white heels to match the white blazer wrapped around her shoulders and her small white clutch. Her hair and make up was perfect. She was taller than me with dark skin and pretty brown eyes. Coming from me,this lady was gorgeous and she had called Gabriel darling. What the fuck was going on?

"Yeah just a moment." He said turning to her before turning to look at me. "Can we talk?" He asked pleadingly.

I looked at him and back at the smiling lady in the room and felt out of place. What was I about to do? This lady was clearly here for Gabriel and from the way she looked at him meant she was interested in him. Maybe she was his girlfriend. Oh God! I had almost kissed another man's girlfriend. Nia get out of here. I yelled at myself.

"I'll just be going now. Thanks for your help." I replied raising my bandaged hand.

I jumped off the long bed and wobbled for a while before I composed myself and supported myself with the bed before Gabriel could help me. I quickly put on my shoes with a little struggle but I finally managed.

"Gabriel we are going to be late for our date if we don't leave now." The lady commented and I felt a stab to my heart.

"A few more minutes and we'll go." He replied.

A date with another girl. Who was I to feel hurt anyway? I was the one who had left him so I had no right to judge him for moving on. He deserved that much.

I grabbed my clutch from the desk and the picture frames caught my eye again. One was of Gabriel and his family, the other one of him and the guys and the other one was of Gabriel holding a sleeping female in his hands. I couldn't see her face or her body because she was covered in a duvet and her face hidden in the crook of his neck and her hair covering the rest of it. He really had moved on. I bet the lady in the picture was of the lady in the office. I need to leave.

"You guys have a fun night. Thanks again Doctor."

"Thank you and we will." She gushed holding his bicep and looking perfect next to him.

I gave Gabriel one last look and walked out of there. He looked like he wanted to chase after me but he didn't. Why? Because he already has someone else to stand next to him and go on dates with.

It was dark when I walked out of the clinic meaning I had been unconscious for the better part of the day. I unlocked my car and got in quickly. I put my hands on the steering wheel and laid my head on it. Something felt wrong and when I looked up to inspect further I noticed that my ring was gone. Gabriel must have taken it off to treat my wound but and now I didn't have it anymore.

Maybe it was for the best that he took it. Maybe now I could finally move on without any physical attachments to him and because I had finally seen him and found out that he had moved on. Maybe that was the push I needed to finally get over Gabriel for good.

But who was I kidding? It had been three years. There is no way I could move on just because I saw him with someone else. I imagined him with other women all the time in my head and never forgot him. This may have been in person but even I knew I couldn't move on.

I needed a drink. Fuck. I couldn't because the doctor said so. Junk food and movies it is then. I thought as I started the car and drove off. Whatever it takes to get Gabriel and the lady in the office out of my head. This was like little miss sundress all over again, only this time Gabriel was not my boyfriend and he could do whatever he wanted. The heartache that thought brought was unbearable. I don't know if junk food and chocolate would cure this but it was the only option I had.

*********************************************

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Love @Lyssah.