PART THREE

Declan was sitting at his desk, peering into a box of congealed Singaporean noodles when he saw Miranda standing in his doorway.

"Hey you." he greeted her. "Want some noodles?"
"I'll pass thanks, Declan." There was a moment of silence between them.

"So have you heard from Claudia?" he asked. It had been two weeks since their meeting at the diner, and neither he nor Miranda had been able to contact her since. He was beginning to think that this mystery might never get around to being solved.

"Not yet." she replied. "Didn't you say you left her a phone message?"

"Several, actually." He grabbed a pen and started poking at the noodles. "But she hasn't replied to any of them, and it's been over a week now. Maybe she's out of town or something."

"Maybe." Miranda echoed, but she didn't sound nearly as optimistic as Declan did.

~       ~       ~       ~       ~       ~

Two hours later, Declan was rushing down the corridor near Peggy's office at St. Joseph's, when he collided headfirst with a petite young woman.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I wasn't looking-" he apologized, picking his books and papers up off the floor. When he looked up, he was surprised to recognize the woman he had bumped into.

"Claudia!" he exclaimed.

"Hi Declan." she replied. Her hands twitched nervously as she raised her eyes to meet his.

"Did you get my messages?" he asked. "I've been trying to call you."

"Yeah, I got them." she replied. Declan waited for her to continue, but she didn't.

"Is everything okay?" he asked.

"Declan, I'm not a mind-reader."

He paused for a moment. "What do you mean?"

"Exactly what I said." she replied, beginning to sound irritated. "I can't read minds." She spoke clearly and looked him directly in the eye.

"But at the diner-" he protested.

"Declan, I don't know. Coincidence, I guess. I've been seeing Dr. Fowler, and she's helping me sort things out."

"You mean like, medication?"

Claudia nodded. "I'm sorry Declan. I'm sure you'll find something else." She gave him a sympathetic glance and then walked away.

~       ~       ~       ~       ~

Miranda was still in Declan's office, tapping away at his laptop computer, when he returned.

"Hey-" she started, getting up, but he interrupted her.

"Guess who I saw at the hospital?"

Miranda gave a loose shrug. "Claudia?"

"Yeah." He sounded surprised. "How did you know?"

"Lucky guess." she offered.

"Anyway, uh, she's doing okay at the moment, but…"

"But what?" Miranda asked.

"She's not really a mind-reader."

"You mean it was a hoax?"

"Not really," he explained. "More like a delusion. But, what I don't get is how she did it. I mean, guessing what we were going to order at the diner…and other things."

Miranda began to look uncomfortable. "Other things?" she asked, remembering what Claudia had told her about Declan.

"Yeah. You know, personal stuff." When Miranda didn't respond, he continued, rather uncomfortably. "She said things about you…about me and you."

"Like what?" she asked. It almost came out as a whisper.

"Miranda, I'm in love with you."

She drew in a sharp breath. "You mean, that's just what she told you?"

"Yes, no, I mean, yes" he stammered. "But I mean it. I love you."

Tears glistened in her deep blue eyes and she moved closer to him. "I love you too Declan."