Madoka smiled at Luella.
'Madoka, did you see Noll?' was officially the question she dreaded the most.
"He went out to get some fresh air with Lin," Madoka answered. Of course she knew where he really was.
"Oh," Luella said. "How is he?"
"He's better," Madoka said. "Though he is a tad bit grumpy because he can't go to work."
Luella chuckled. "I guess that's why he's always away," she said.
Madoka stiffened. "He's always away," she muttered.
"Yes," Luella said. "The maids said he usually went out of the house and rode a cab somewhere. I was actually worried about this habit that he's having. I don't want him to tire himself and end up fainting somewhere."
"Oh," Madoka said acting sympathetically toward Luella.
At the back of her head however, she was already thinking about how she should bribe the maids.
Since the doctor wanted Oliver to rest, it would be odd for Oliver to go out on a tour every day.
"Do you know where he goes to?" Luella asked.
"Well from what I know," Madoka said thinking hard on what to tell Luella. She can't tell her she doesn't know because Luella would panic. "He goes to the library. You know how he is."
Luella laughed. "You're right," she said. "He would read books if he can't work."
"I know Lin took him to the park today," Madoka said. "We figured too much reading would stress Oliver out."
Luella nodded. "That's good," she said. "Thank you so much for minding Noll."
"Oh Noll is like our little brother, Luella," Madoka said.
"We're really very lucky to have you in the family," Luella said smiling sweetly at her.
Madoka tried to keep her smile up.
...If they only knew...
"Hara-san," Lin said taking a seat next to Masako.
Masako looked up at him, wiping her tears.
"Please drink this," he said handing her a cup of tea.
"Thank you," she said holding the cup and taking a sip of the tea.
Lin sighed watching how swollen Masako's eyes were. "Dr. Davis is not that comfortable with expressing himself," he said.
Masako looked up at Lin and smiled. "Yes, he is quite challenged in that area," Masako said.
Lin nodded and looked at Mai.
He had to admit that he was amazed at Mai's recovery. The doctors themselves thought it was a miracle. They said that Mai was one tough girl.
Perhaps that was why Oliver acted that way. Oliver had met his match.
Masako looked away and sighed. "I always thought that I had the advantage," Masako said.
Lin looked at Masako.
Masako stared at the cup of tea in her hand. "I'm a medium," she said. "Just like his twin brother, Eugene Davis. I thought he would be more comfortable with someone who also has psychic abilities like him and his brother." She then looked at Mai. "I guess I was wrong."
Lin looked at Mai.
Masako wasn't the only one who thought that things would happen that way.
Lin and Madoka also thought that Oliver would fall for someone with psychic abilities – someone he would be able to relate his visions and experiences with.
Despite meeting so many people in school, Oliver devoted all his free time to his brother Gene. While Gene mingled with friends, Oliver stood silent beside him. While Gene flirted back with fan girls, Oliver sat beside him reading a book.
The mere presence of Gene seemed to make Oliver feel contentment.
At first they thought that it was caused by Gene and Oliver being twins. But when they made Oliver interact with others without Gene nearby, they found out that it had something to do with how Oliver felt comfortable with opening himself to someone.
Oliver was able to work and excel in groups like Gene did. But he maintained his distance from the groups after the task was done. He responded to their queries and helped them, but he rarely initiated conversations. And he never disclosed information about himself – his childhood, his hobbies, his feelings.
He only disclosed those things to Gene.
It stayed that way even when Oliver and Gene academically parted ways. It was at that point that people who envied and felt bitterness against Oliver made rumours that he and his twin were incestuous homosexual lovers. Add to that his study about Gene as a perfect medium.
He just hasn't found someone he could relate well with – that was what Gene told them whenever they discussed the rumour.
They figured that since Oliver seemed to 'relate well' with Gene, whoever he would fall for would be like Gene – a medium whom he would feel comfortable sharing his visions with, which was something Oliver frequently did with Gene.
Lin recalled how panic-stricken Oliver's face was when they got to the mansion and realized that Mai was locked inside a room with Norringbent.
He thought Oliver was haunted by the image of Norringbent strangling Gene that night.
Lin froze.
Norringbent tried to kill Gene.
Norringbent also tried to kill Mai.
What was it that they realized about Norringbent?
Masako sighed. "I'll be going now," she said standing up from her seat and giving the cup back to Lin. "Thank you for the tea."
Lin took the cup and stood up.
"Please keep the fruits," Masako said. "I hope she gets well soon."
Lin nodded. "Thank you."
Masako took one last look at Mai before she walked to the door.
Lin let her out.
After bidding Oliver goodbye, Masako walked away from room 503.
Oliver walked back into the room. He was about to climb up the bed and go back to sleep when he heard Lin say, "Noll." He stopped but didn't look at Lin.
"We need to talk," Lin continued.
Oliver looked up at Lin, raising a brow.
"Norringbent tried to kill Taniyama-san," Lin said.
Oliver kept his confused stare at Lin.
"He tried to kill her just like how he tried to kill Gene," Lin said.
Oliver froze.
Lin finally realized it.
Oliver sighed and looked at Mai. "Promise me you won't tell my parents about this," he said. "At least, not yet..."
Mai found herself in front of a small brick house – most likely still somewhere in England.
The sky was grey and gloomy. The house seemed a little old and worn but the drapes on the windows told her that people lived there. The house also had an old wooden fence around it.
Mai sighed wondering why she was there.
"Why are you here?" Mai heard a woman ask in a hushed tone.
