Sunday, May 24, 2009

At The Beginning Where Love And Life Collide

The tall silver building glimmered in the beautiful sunlight of Sydney, Australia. The dark tint on the windows of the sixteen-story building displayed the reflection from the unrealistic blue shade of the oceans in Australia.
When looking at the building, one would get a sense of wealth and casualty. The building looked awfully cool in the scorching sunlight. This was the kind of building that made you smile, unknowingly.
The west wing was under construction, though. Dust blowing in the summery air was a minor turn off, but there was nothing to be done that could speed up the construction process. The sounds of the large machinery often bothered the staff at the South Western Sydney Medical Facility.
Eight years of intense studying, long days and even longer nights had brought her to where she stood now. Miranda Davis, a twenty-eight-year old woman from the slums of New York had created a life for herself.
After just two years working at a top-level medical facility, Dr. Davis had earned a hell of a lot of respect and been dubbed one of the best dentists in south-western Sydney.
Her heels clicked against the white tile on the seventh floor. Miranda had a meeting all morning with the other doctors in the building to discuss issues pertaining to the construction. Some were saying that their patients were complaining about the noise.
But before she made her way up to the tenth floor for the meeting she wanted to drop some things off in her office. She’d worn a jacket – not because it was cold, but because the dust level was insane and she didn’t want to get her clothes dirty – and wanted to hang it up, along with her extra pair of shoes.
Miranda walked down the long, wide hallway that was painted a soothing brown just a shade or two lighter than the large wooden doors. Her office door was marked 7026.
She closed the door behind her and swore quietly. She’d forgotten to turn the lights on before she closed the door and trapped herself in the dark office with all the blinds smothering the sunlight.
Putting her things away and giving her office a once-over, she checked her watch. She had ten minutes to kill before the meeting officially began. The lunchroom would be open by now, she thought. She could go for a nice coffee.
She was just locking her office when she heard someone approach her.
“Miss, you are not permitted to be here.” He was attractive and looked to be one of the many construction workers who were assigned to this site.
“I work here, pal, so kiss my ass.” She hadn’t any tolerance for the construction workers today. They had pissed her off this morning. One had whistled and the other said provocative suggestions to her while she was getting out of her car.
“Well that’s just too bad, now isn’t it? But you’re going to have to relocate your office for the next few days.”
“Why?” She’d started to walk away but he fell into step right next to her.
“Because this is a construction zone and civilians are not permitted on a construction site without safety gear.”
He and his rules could shove it, she decided. “I believe that the construction zone is on the other side of the building, not mine.”
“We are moving closer to this area for several repairs that will take a few days, so every office on this side is to be evacuated until we finish.”
“And you’ve just decided to tell me this now, when I have patients coming in for appointments today.” She wanted her damn coffee and he was delaying her.
“We apologize for the inconvenience—”
“Good. But I’m still not moving, at least for today.”
She was really making this difficult. “Look, you will relocate your business for the next few days on my asking or I will go to the owner of this building and demand it.”
“Go for it.”
He stood there watching her as she strode off. How dare she refuse his orders, he was the architect of this whole reconstruction deal and some young, tight-assed doctor was telling him otherwise. He ran after her and caught up just as she was stepping into an elevator.
He grabbed her arms and spun her around to face him. At her protest he shoved her against the elevator wall.
“You will relocate to another office,” he demanded, nose to nose with her.
“Bite me, asshole. Now let go of my arms before I ram my knee into your balls.”
“You are the most stubborn, ignorant, tight-assed person I’ve ever met,” he said between his teeth. “And it makes me want you.”
Before she could comprehend what he said, his lips were crushed against hers. She tried to wiggle out of his grasp but then found her lips fused to his and her arms wrapped scary-tight around him.
The elevator door opened and they jumped apart. She fixed her rumpled shirt and stormed off.
Two weeks later, she still thought of him. She couldn’t get the taste of him off her lips. The smell of him out of her nose. She hadn’t seen him for a few days and deep down, she was disappointed.
That was until she saw him. He stood there, leaning against the wall near the elevator. His eyes locked on to hers the minute he’d heard her heels click. He couldn’t get her out of his mind. He needed to see her again, to smell her again.
“Stalking me?” Miranda smirked.
“I’m here for an inspection, you know, to make sure that everything is where it should be.”
“Uh-huh. Well, I hope it is.”
“Hey, look,” he said as he rubbed the back of his neck. “I… I never did get your name.”
“Why would you need it?” She kept her face blank but her heart leaped in her chest. Then she remembered, she never got his either.
“So I can file a complaint against you.” That was good, he thought. Keep it playful.
“Huh. Well, in that case I’m not going to tell you. But you can tell me yours.”
“Why?”
She smiled. “So I can file a complaint.”
Har-de-har. I’m Adam.”
“I’m Miranda.”
He took a deep breath, a steadying breath. “Can I ask you something?”
“Shoot,” she said mildly as she walked to her office.
“Are you, you know… seeing anyone?” God, he thought, he actually asked her. Out loud.
“No.” Even though she said it calmly she was freaking out inside.
“Would you like to go out with me, sometime?”
“On a date?” She asked.
“No, to shoot up a hospital. Of course a date.”
Hmm… well since I do work in the medical business the hospital invitation doesn’t fly with me. But I’ll take the date one.”
“Great. How about tonight?”
“Uh, sure,” she said as she sat in her chair.

They went out and had a great time. Miranda and Adam saw each other several more times before becoming a committed couple. They found out more and more about each other and were having the time of their lives. Sure, there were the ups and downs of a relationship but they always pulled through it - together.
Two years later, Adam showed up at Miranda’s office in the middle of the day. She hadn’t expected him to just pop in and was a little angry that he did. She had patients to work with and couldn’t have her boyfriend messing it up.
She stalked over to him with a stern expression.
“What?” She demanded.
“Good afternoon to you too, darling,” he said with a smile.
“Look, I’m busy here, pal. After our little vacation last week I’m up to my neck in make-up appointments.” They’d gone to Italy for two weeks because he had a project there and he wanted to take her away from work for a little while to be with him.
“I know, this will only take a minute.”
She sighed loudly. “I don’t want to have to hit you in front of my patients; it would set a bad example for the children.”
He laughed. “Miranda, dear, I love you so much, ridiculously so. For the past two years you’ve complicated my life but for the better. I wouldn’t change a thing.”
“Did you just come in here to confess your love for me? Hun, we live together. You could do it there,” she interrupted.
“Ah, yes, but where’s the spontaneity in that?” He got down on one knee. “Miranda, will you marry me?”
“If I say yes will it get you out of here faster?” Even though she said it in a serious tone she smiled.
“Probably, I mean, if you said no then I’d be in your hair until you said yes.”
“Yes. Yes, I’ll marry you,” she said as he stood up. She jumped into his arms.
“I love you,” he said as he pressed his mouth to hers.
“I love you, too.” She smiled against his lips as everyone in the room clapped.