Isobel had been beginning to worry about Dr. Clarkson. He hadn't come to call on her once since they went dancing nearly two weeks ago. It was so unlike him, as he usually dropped by whenever Lord Merton was not there. Whenever she attempted to catch a word with him at the hospital, he was always so engrossed in his work, and she was beginning to miss the glances and light touches on her shoulder. What made it worse was that no matter what, she couldn't quite get the feeling of his face so close to hers out of her head. Lord Merton had even chanced a chaste goodnight kiss the other night, and all she could think of is what if it had been him instead. It was completely ridiculous, infuriating even.
"I'm acting like some love sick school girl." She said aloud looking out her window. She told herself that she was only looking at the fall colors outside, but really she was waiting. It was silly, really, but she couldn't understand why he had suddenly lost interest.
She got her jacket and wandered out to the street. She would go to the hospital and talk to him. She needed to know if he had given up on her, then she could at least stop the nonsensical little butterflies in her stomach every time she thought of him.
When she reached the hospital, she found his office door open and he sat, his brow furrowed over something he was reading. She took one step and his head immediately shot up from what he had been reading, making her believe that he hadn't been concentrating that much at all.
"I was wondering when you would show up." He grinned.
"What do you mean, waiting for me to show up?" Isobel asked, trying to keep her tone even.
"Well, my dear, it's not very nice to pursue those who don't want to be, now is it?"
"Why yes-but-"
"I quite understand, and while you are here, I should tell you to get yourself ready for tonight. We're going to the cinema." He said, his matter-of-faculty tone not surprising her one bit.
"How do you know that I want to go?"
He rolled his eyes with a sigh.
"I'm coming by around four. If you aren't ready by then, I will go myself."
She was sitting in a dark theater with Dr. Clarkson and her mind couldn't help but wander. He had just gone and gotten them some popped corn with toffee and was now sitting as respectable distance away from her that he could manage.
"Why are you avoiding me?" She asked, voice louder than it needed to be.
"Hush now, it's starting!" He whispered, giving her shoulder a very light swat and then turning his attention to the screen.
It was called Paddy, the Next Best Thing, and it was one of those romantic movies, one that she would never get caught dead watching. And yet, there she was, enjoying it. Though the only reason was that halfway through, Richard moved his hand to cover hers on the arm rest between them.
She completely ate the love story up, and she wanted to throw herself off a bridge for it. The main character just seemed so much like her and the story a bit like the situation she was in now. She could hardly help but smile and cry with Paddy.
She hadn't even realized she had been crying until Richard handed her his handkerchief. She silently nodded a thank you, too emotionally attached to even be embarrassed by the whole situation.
"You know, I'm not avoiding you, I only want to make you realize that you miss me." Richard whispered into her ear during the best part of the film.
"I don't miss you ruining a good movie." She quipped quietly, wiping the tears from her eyes.
He chuckled and gave her hand a gentle squeeze.
It was then that Isobel realized that she and Richard could never go back to the way they were before, and, that she didn't want them to.