THE WALL OF ICE
Fay rolled her eyes and walked out, she didn't look back. She took a shower and got dressed in her sharpest suit, grabbed her medical bag and stood at the front door.
"I'm leaving for the hospital," Fay said, looking at her watch. "The door locks automatically behind you. Don't be here when I get back. I mean it, Kei. Last night was a medical emergency, nothing more."
Kei, sitting at the kitchen table wrapped in a blanket, just waved her spoon. "Have a good day at work, Dr. Sterling! Don't work too hard!"
Fay groaned and slammed the door.
Despite It, Kei didn't just go home and stay there. After a long nap and a hot shower, she felt her energy returning. She knew Fay was stubborn, but she was more stubborn. If Fay wanted to play "enemies," Kei was going to be the most loving enemy in history.
In the late afternoon, Kei showed up at Sterling Hospital. This time, she wasn't carrying flowers or food. She was carrying a small, colorful box.
She waited near the staff exit. When Fay finally walked out at 6:00 PM, looking tired and stressed, her eyes immediately landed on Kei. Fay's face fell. The soft moment from the night before was completely gone, replaced by a wall of ice.
"Why are you here?" Fay asked, her voice flat and cold. She didn't even stop walking, she headed straight for her car.
"I brought you a gift!" Kei said, jogging to keep up with Fay's long strides.
"I don't want it," Fay snapped. "I told you to leave me alone. Do you not understand English? Or do you just enjoy being ignored?"
Kei stopped in front of Fay's car door, blocking her. She held out the box. "It's a new pair of surgical insoles. I noticed your shoes look uncomfortable yesterday. Your feet must hurt after standing all day."
Fay didn't look at the box. She looked Kei straight in the eyes, her gaze filled with a cold anger. "Do you think I can't buy my own insoles? Do you think I need your charity?"
"It's not charity, it's a gift," Kei said softly.
"I don't want anything from you!" Fay raised her voice, making a few passing doctors look over. "I hate that you're here. I hate that you think you can just show up and act like you care. You left for ten years, Kei. You don't get to care about my feet now."
Fay pushed past Kei, opened her car door and sat inside. She didn't even look out the window as she started the engine.
"I'm not giving up, Fay!" Kei shouted over the sound of the engine, holding the box to her chest.
Fay didn't respond. She drove away, leaving Kei standing alone in the parking lot. Inside the car, Fay gripped the steering wheel so hard her knuckles turned white. She hated Kei she really did. She hated her for making the ice melt last night and she hated her even more for making it so hard to freeze it back up today.