"I'm sorry Dr. Cornick, but you're gonna have to stay for the night shift," said Dr. Richmond, the head physician of the hospital.

"I had my night shift four days ago. Why again now?" Samuel objected.

"Dr. Fournier went to run a seminaryin Houston. We need you here now."

"But my daughter is waiting for me," Samuel replied unhappily.

"If you have nobody to look after her, we may ask someone to bring her here. She can stay in recreation room."

Samuel nodded and looked at his watch. It was midnight. Then he took his mobile phone out of his pocket to call Aurah. He hit the first number on his speed dial. -She'd already become the first and the most important person in his life.-

"Hello," Aurah answered the call, yawningly.

"How is it going, baby girl?" Samuel asked in a cheerful tone. Even one word from Aurah's beautiful voice was enough to raise Samuel's mood.

"Fine," she said. "Well, you're sort of late. Something happened?"

"Yes, indeed. I've got to stay for another night shift tonight. The other doctor is out of town." He heaved a sigh. "Would you ask Ben to give you a ride to the hospital?"

Aurah grinned. "No need for that. I can spend the night in here."

Samuel's hand which was holding the phone froze. He cleared his throat before he began to speak again:

"I'm sure Ben won't like this idea of yours. So, the smartest thing to do is get you either here, or to Mercy's place."

Aurah whiffed."Ben wouldn't mind, since he'd already fallen asleep while watching TV."

Ignoring what she said, Samuel continued: "I'm gonna send someone from the hospital to bring you here."

"I said NO," Aurah growled. "If you can't come home, I'll spend the night here. This conversation is over!" She hung up harshly without waiting for a reply from Samuel.

Samuel stood immobile in the middle of the corridor, looking at the phone which was shut off to his face. He walked slowly to emergencyroomin desperation. For the first time in his life, he felt like crying. Fortunately this feeling didn't last long -because he received a text message… from Aurah!

"Dad, I'm sorry if I became mean towards you. I want you to know that I've never meant to be rude. If we show respect to each other's preferences, our relationship can get better. See you tomorrow morning. AURAH."

Soon as he read the message, Samuel's face brightened with hope. "She called me 'Dad'," he bumbled happily. "Aurah called me 'Dad'!" She might be a rebellious teenager, but she really cared!

Samuel's steps were speeded up automatically as he was trying hard to hold himself back from whistling and singing near to emergency room.

Aurah opened the door to Ben's room to check what he was doing. Ben had a small-screen television placed across his bed. When she opened the door and stood in the doorway, he suddenly took the remote and turned it off.

"What now?" He rubbed his sleepy eyes. "I did whatever you asked from me all day long. I took you to shopping and waited for three long hours while you were changing clothes. I took you to my favourite restaurant and waited on you for another long hour to finish your double-sized ice-cream… Can't you just leave me alone a bit? I have to go to work tomorrow. I need some rest."

Aurah raised an eyebrow with a tiny cunning smile upon her face. "Why did you turn off the TV when I came? Have you been watching porn?"

"What? No!" Ben jumped to his feet.

"I bet you have," Aurah said in with jarring voice in tone.

"Good Lord! What kind of a girl are you? Don't you have no shame?"

Aurah made a lip. "Why? You are not ashamed to watch it, but I should be ashamed to mention it, should I?"

Ben took his white t-shirt from the hanger and waved it like a flag in the air. "Okay, okay! You're right, I'm wrong. You're well-mannered,I'm shameless. You're a princess and I'm a miserable creature… What do you want now?"

"Samuel phoned to tell me that he would have to stay for a night shift at the hospital tonight."

Ben put his hand on his head and scratched his hair. "So, he won't be coming to pick you, hah?"

"Unfortunately." Aurah smoothly put her hands in her knee breeches' pockets.

"All right… Should I give you a lift to Mercy's or call someone to come get you?" Ben attempted to take his mobile phone out of the drawer.

"Neither!" Aurah gave a tiny smile. "I told my dad that I could stay here for the night. Now could you show me a bed that I can sleep on?"

Ben looked up at the ceiling, invoking God's pity and heaved a sigh: "You sleep on my bed and I'll sleep on the couch."

"Deal," Aurah cheerfully said.

Ben opened the wardrobeand took a blanket and a pillow for himself. "By the way," he said in good earnest, "I was not watching porno. I was watching The Mummy Returns!"

"The Mummy Returns of Rachel Weisz?"

"Yeah." Ben's smile yanked the corners of his mouth. "Another beautiful actress…"

Aurah turned to green with jealousy. "Another beautiful but anorexic actress… I guess you have a type!"

Looking at her from tip to toe, Ben smiled sincerely. "Sweet Aurah, have you ever considered this possibility that you see other people as anorexic, just because you're so chubby?"

Aurah frowned as she was looking for the sharpest response to give Ben a setting down. But she couldn't find anything to say. For the first time in her life, she came up against someone who was as witty as her.

That must have shown in her face- because Ben threw a satisfied look. "I have clean sheet in the wardrobe. Help yourself, baby girl," he said before he left the room.

Having been at her wits end, Aurah laid out the sheet on the bed. Then she laid herself down to sleep, still thinking of the young man who went to sleep in the living room…