Twist of Love Read Free Page A

said.
    Josie wandered on and on. But the area seemed to go on forever, like some coiling serpent. No doors led anywhere, and it was a place that never seemed to end.
    Then she saw a dim light at the end. It was faint at first, but it seemed to get brighter and brighter. Josie was filled with a sense of renewed hope. If she could just reach the light, perhaps she could find a way out of here.
    Josie moved towards the light. It was getting brighter and brighter now. She was so close to the light that she could almost touch it. This filled her with a great sense of relief. Josie reached for the light.
    “I've got you. Take my hand.”
    A hand suddenly stretched out from the light. It was human and very reassuring.
    The voice was also a familiar voice that Josie somehow recognized. She reached for the hand from the light without any hesitation.
    “Don't be afraid. I've got you.”
    She looked up at the man now holding her. It was Blake.
    “B...Blake?”
    Josie opened her eyes. She found her head plopped on her folded arms. They were on top of her desk. Piles of cluttered papers lined her desk, and the computer monitor was on. She squinted from the monitor's bright light and rubbed her eyes.
    “Just another dream...” she said sleepily. “I really should slow down. All those long nights doing patient rounds. Walking long hallways... damn. It's all getting to me.”
    Josie reached for her mug. She saw that there was still some coffee in it. She drank the remnants. It tasted cold and lifeless. She almost spat it out again. There was just no perk left in the drink.
    “What time is it..?” Josie looked around. Her desk clock read 10:30am. It was late in the morning and Josie had fallen asleep from sheer exhaustion.
    Slowly, Josie stood up from her office chair. She put on a new pair of shoes and walked out of the office. The nurses' station was the first thing she saw.
    A few nurses smiled at Josie and she smiled back. It was time to do her rounds. But just as she was about to walk to the rounds, a nurse stopped her.
    “Doctor Steele, Milla says someone wants to see you at the reception desk.”
    Josie stopped at the nurses' station.
    “Really? Who wants to see me?”
    “She says it's Blake Ingram. You handled his mother's case, a few weeks back.”
    Blake again? Josie felt a mixture of amusement and annoyance at the news. You had to hand it to him. He was really persistent.
    “Minor heart attack. Yeah, I know Ingram.” Josie said.
    “Won't you talk with him?” The nurse asked.
    She was now smiling the way Milla had smiled, when Josie had received the bouquet. It was really starting to annoy Josie.
    “Fine. I'll talk to him for a while. But he better not take up a lot of time...”
    Josie rushed to catch the elevator to the ground floor.
    Blake caught sight of Josie as she exited the elevator.
    “Hey! Josie! How's it going?” He asked as he waved to her.
    Josie tried hard to contain her irritation. She walked towards Blake and forced a smile onto her face. “I'm doing great. Just a whole load of work to be done. How's your mother doing?” She asked.
    “She's doing wonderful! I think she's really gonna be okay. I'm really grateful to you for your help.”
    “Ah, it was nothing. Just part of my job.”
    “Don't be modest. If it weren't for you, I'm not sure if my mom would be alive right now.”
    Josie waved off the compliment. She was already getting tired of talking with Blake, and it was starting to show. “It's nice to hear that your mom's getting better. You know I ought to...”
    “Boy. You're always so busy and on the go. I wonder how you manage with such a job. The pace at the High School is much more relaxed.”
    Josie couldn't help but frown. She didn't like how Blake had cut her off.
    “You know I do have a lot of patients waiting on me. I have to get going.” Josie said.
    'Ouch.' Blake thought. This was getting painful. “Well, maybe we could meet again sometime?” Blake said.
    “Ahhh... you're