Chapter 61 Narcissist
"Yes, one for you and one for Miss He. Mr. Fu said that you could take hers to her," Hiram replied casually.
There was an awkward silence. 'I don't even know where she lives,' thought Jay to himself, sadly.
The problem was, it was his fault he didn't know where Doris lived. He had driven her away and was too proud to seek her out.
"What's wrong? Would it be inconvenient for you to drop it off, sir? If so, I'll take it back to Mr. Fu and explain that." Jay didn't reply and the awkward silence stretched out between them again, longer this time. "Ahem." Jay cleared his throat, hoping to nudge a reply out. Then he finally answered, "No, it's fine. I will get it to her."
"That's good. And Mr. Fang, Mr. Fu said please don't be late."
The day passed in a blur and it was suddenly the next morning and time for Jay to search Doris out.
Jay put extra thought into his outfit, perhaps nervous to look nice for her, perhaps just trying to buy time. Before long, he found himself at the Affiliated Hospital of the Medical University.
He might not know where Doris lived, but he did know where she worked.
Fortunately, Doris was in the outpatient service that day, which made it easier for him to approach her alone.
Doris was not expecting Jay and was caught completely off guard as she called his name off her appointment list.
"Number 78, Jay Fa..." Doris' voice trailed off in obvious shock.
What was he doing here? At her work? Was he ill or just there to see her? Maybe it was just someone with the same name. It wasn't impossible. Maybe even more likely than Jay swallowing his pride to seek her out after how they left things.
Her mind continued to conjure up possibilities until Jay entered with his hands into his pockets.
"What are you doing here?" This time Doris spoke her question out loud, her eyes coldly assessing Jay for injury.
Jay leaned over and looked into Doris' eyes and said, "Doris, you promised me you would take care of me until I was fully recovered. It still hurts. So tell me, who should I go to if I don't go to you?" "You..." Doris mumbled to herself, trying to think up a reply. This was not what she had expected. But it wasn't an apology either. Doris collected herself and snorted, "You were quite well when you threw me ou of your house, weren't you?" She got angrier as she continued, "Oh, I see. You threw me out so you could go enjoy the company of other girls, and now your little soldier is too strained, is it?" She crossed her arms over her chest. "Well, it sounds like you got what you wanted, but now you'll get what you deserve, because I won't come back just because you snap your fingers when you're tired of the game." "Doris! That is not what that was!" It was unbelievable how well she knew how to get under his skin. Jay gritted his teeth to stop from making the situation worse. She knew he would want to correct her. He would never get tired of flirting with pretty woman. That wasn't why he was here though.
Doris was a tease herself and it was one of the things he liked about her: that they had that in common. Right now though, it was clear they also had a quick temper in common and he fought to keep his in check.
Jay smiled through his anger. "Okay, Doctor..." he sarcastically addressed her. "Even if I am just tired," he said this part with ire, "you should still check it out, right? just to be safe?"
Doris smiled sweetly for a second, pretending to let him win. However, it became clear that she was, in fact, not caving to his demands, as she trilled, "Doctor Zhang, can you please examine this patient for me? I think it would be more appropriate for a male doctor." Doris' smile gave way to a smirk.
"Of course, on my way," an approaching voice replied. A young man appeared. It was clear he was a new graduate and was eager to please.
"No! Get out. I don't want you as my doctor," growled Jay.
The doctor was startled. How did Jay already object to him? He hadn't met him before or spoken to him yet. Was this a trick? He nervously looked to Doris for direction as she had called him over.
Doris just nodded in a dismissive way and the young doctor took this as his cue to leave. She turned to Jay and said with a sigh, "What do you want from me, Jay?" Doris was still hiding behind her desk and began to fiddle with the computer mouse so harshly that it broke. She didn't even notice as she continued,
'Tm working, Jay. Now, stop with your nonsense! Tell me what is you want."
Jay glared back at her. "No. You aren't even listening to me anyway." Instead of continuing, Jay picked up his phone and called someone. She couldn't hear what he said but as he hung up a nurse outside shouted, "Attention please, Dr. Doris, unfortunately, is feeling ill. She asks that you please see Dr. Zhang today. Thank you for your cooperation."
Doris stood there in shock for a moment before yelling indignantly, "Jay Fang!" Doris was angry, but also stuck. She couldn't very well undo an announcement like that and just ask the patients to come back. Moreover, she knew Jay better than to think he would leave before getting what he wanted. It was clear she would get no work done today until she heard him out.
"Well, I'm listening now. What do you want to say?" Jay lounged in his chair, completely at ease now that he held the power again. He looked straight at Doris as she said,
"Did you forget who ended things, Jay? Who threw me out?" Doris had a hint of sadness in her eyes as she said this.
"I..." Jay broke off, unsure what would undo the hurt. "...I was just kidding?" This was almost a question as Jay looked at her, hoping it would suffice. Jay was shameless! He relied on his charm too much and his pride rarely let him actually apologize, even when he was clearly the one in the wrong.
Doris riled herself up internally and stared back at Jay before replying, "All right. That's how it is then. Your injury is not why you're here. You are fine. You can go." When he did not move, she continued, "From my point of view as a doctor, I have fulfilled my duty. Please see another doctor in the future."
Jay shook his index finger and said, "Not good enough. You might feel like you don't owe me, but you do owe someone."
Doris was enraged. "What. Do. You. Want." She enunciated every word.
However, Jay was eerily calm as he said, "After everything, Charles deserves your kindness."
Doris interrupted him, "Yes. Charles handled the issue. I'm very grateful to him. I'll be indebted to him for the rest of my life."
"I don't think that's what he wants though. He wants you to be with me. Shunning me, is shunning him. I mean, look what he asked me to give you." Jay finally pulled the invitation out slowly. "It is an invitation to his home for his birthday dinner tonight. You wouldn't want to blow him off on his birthday if you're so grateful, would you?"
Doris' system was becoming weary of all the shocks Jay continued to deliver. She gaped as she asked, "He invited me to his birthday party? Through you?" Doris couldn't believe it and opened the invitation. When she saw the naive, but strong handwriting, she guessed that it was written by Bobby. She asked, "So, really, Bobby invited me?"
"Whoever actually wrote it, they are members of Charles' family and it is his birthday. Since they sent you the invitation, will you go with me or not? Clearly, we were intended to go together since I was given your invitation." Jay said this last part with a smirk like a chess player that realized he had won.
Doris knew he had won also and replied, "Yes, of course." She sighed and took the invitation from his outstretched hand. Doris put the invitation into her bag and threw one last jab, "It's Charles' birthday. I won' hold your behavior against him. Besides, his friends are pretty influential and wealthy. Maybe I will meet my Prince Charming, even if I show up with you."
Jay snorted. He jumped up from his chair and moved closer to her, raising his voice. "You are blind, Doris. Everyone in the city knows that I'm the only Prince Charming that will be at this dinner. Every female from eighteen to thirty years old that crosses my path seems to agree, but you."
Doris was unsurprised by such an outburst from him. "God, do you hear yourself? How narcissistic are you?" Doris rolled her eyes at Jay.
"Fine, if don't believe me, come to the party for that reason then. Meet all of Charles' friends. You'll see there's no competition." Jay decided the conversation was done and leaned over to turn off her computer for her.
Knowing she was trapped, Doris allowed it and got up to follow Jay out the door and to the party.
Unbeknownst to them, lots of other men would be at the party, and some were charming, but almost all were children since Bobby had written the invitations.
Also conflicted about attending and leaving work to head to the party was Nancy.
In the silence of her car, her cell phone suddenly ringing snapped her out of her thoughts.
When she saw it was Fannie calling, she was no longer annoyed, but excited. She was hopeful because it was unlike Fannie to call her when Nancy sought her out multiple times a day already. "Fannie," she answered hurriedly, "you have news?"
Fannie's voice came through the phone, "Yes, sister. I've heard that she has been living with a family outside the city. They are good people and she seems safe and well taken care of actually. However, we would obviously need to see her to know it is her for sure,1 Fannie said this enticingly.
She knew Nancy. She would fixate on any news and follow any lead.
Even if it was a fake one, Nancy would go to confirm it.
"Fannie, where are you now? Take me there. I will meet you wherever." All thoughts of attending Charles' birthday fell from her mind at the thought of possibly being reunited with her daughter.