The Tiger Inside

By Nasu Hasami

"I thought love was only true in fairy tales."

~The Monkees~

21. Revelation

Mulan is soaking in the tub when the realization smacks her down.

Why did she use the elevators when they kept breaking down?

Why didn't she use the stairs?

How many times had she watched the video of Shang and his niece stabilizing a plush unicorn?

It had been weeks since the assault but Shang was still wearing the tie-dyed Crocs and had a different colored stethoscope for each day of the week.

He kept a Snickers bar in his breast pocket.

He brought her coffee and sandwiches, yet they'd barely spoken to each other.

On Friday, when Mulan finds herself in another broken elevator with a certain cardiothoracic surgeon, she is hiding a huge smile behind her enormous latte.

'The universe is trying very hard to tell us something,' says Shang.