One Wild Night

"What do you think?" Lucy asked some minutes later as she stood in front of Tom, dressed in a gorgeous ivory satin button-down long-sleeved blouse tucked into tailored beige trousers with a cinched high waist.

Instead of packing her hair in a ponytail as usual she had combed it to the side and let it flow down her shoulders.

She had also left the first three buttons of her blouse open to reveal the simple yet polished gold necklace that adorned her neck, which matched the earrings she was wearing.

She was carrying a beige-colored handbag, and on her feet were a brown pair of high heel sandals.

Tom looked her over with an admiring gaze, "You look like you're about to sign a million-dollar deal," Tom said, and Lucy gave him a satisfied nod.

"That's the look I was going for when I picked this..."

"We," Tom corrected, and Lucy flashed him a smile.

"Yeah, we picked it together. I think I'm ready to go," Lucy said as she admired her reflection in the mirror once again.

Her makeup was mild and sophisticated, and she had stuck to her glasses as she usually did instead of ditching them for her lenses as she knew Tom preferred.

"Let's leave then. I will wait in the car until you're done, and then I'll drive you to the airstrip," Tom said as he picked up the duffel bag she was taking with her on her trip to see Sonia.

"Aren't you too casually dressed?" Lucy asked as she eyed Tom who was dressed in a short and a t-shirt.

"It doesn't matter. I'm your driver, remember?" he said with a playful wink, and Lucy giggled as they both walked out of the bedroom.

"Why don't you come with me?" Lucy asked, and Tom shook his head.

"I would love to, but the trip isn't about us. It's about Sonia. Try to have as much fun with her as you can, I will take care of things over here," Tom said, and Lucy sighed.

"I'm going to miss you a lot," Lucy said with a pout as they walked down the stairs and Tom chuckled.

"I should find the person who said change is the only thing constant in life..."

"Why?" Lucy asked in confusion.

"I need to write the person a cheque 'cause you're proof of the correctness of that statement," Tom said, with a grin, and Lucy scowled at him.

"I'm going to miss you more. I'm trying not to dwell on it," Tom said as they got to the foot of the stairs.

Lucy glanced in the direction of the kitchen when she heard Jamal's laughter, "I should say hello to them before leaving," Lucy said as she headed for the kitchen.

"You don't have much time," Tom reminded her patiently.

"I will be fast," she assured him as she hurried into the kitchen.

"Wow!" Lucy exclaimed when she saw Jamal standing beside his mother, his face looking flour white as he laughed at her.

"Lucy!" Jamal exclaimed when he sighted her, but before he could hurry over to embrace her, Lucy sidestepped him.

"Sorry, Jam. I'm on my way out, can't get any stains on these clothes," Lucy said, while Jamal eyed her with interest.

"Where are you going? Your dress is too pretty for the hospital," Jamal said, and Lucy grinned.

"Not the hospital. I have a meeting to attend, and after that, I'm traveling to see Sonia," Lucy said for the benefit of both Jamal and his mother.

"Oh! When will you be back?" Jamal asked, and Lucy shrugged.

"Hopefully before Monday if Sonia lets me bring her back with me," Lucy said, and Jamal sighed.

"Is Tom coming with you?" Jamal asked, and Lucy exchanged an amused glance with Candace.

"No, but he's dropping me off at the airstrip," Lucy explained.

"Can I come with you?" Jamal asked hopefully.

"No, you can't. You have to stay with me. Don't forget you promised to pay Aaron a visit. Do you want to go back on your word?" Candace reminded him.

"No," Jamal told his mother before facing Lucy again, "I will miss you."

"I will miss you too. I have to leave now," Lucy said as she leaned forward and kissed his cheeks before straightening to look at Candace.

"I'm making breakfast for Aaron and Harry," she said, making Lucy smile.

"I know they will love it and..."

"Jewel!" Tom called from the living room.

"Tom will be back to drive you to the hospital. Give my love to them," Lucy said with a wave before hurrying out of the kitchen to join Tom.

"I should call my parents to let them know I'm visiting," Lucy said once they got into the car, and Tom gave her a nod.

She dialed her mother's line, and it didn't take long before Janet received the call, "Good morning, darling," Janet greeted.

"Good morning, mom. I heard from Jade that you are coming down with Tom's parents."

"Yes. Our bags are packed. I think I would feel better if I'm over there with them," Janet said.

"Well, I'm traveling down to be with Sonia, so you might not meet me when you get here. You will find my apartment key on the top left tire of my car. You can stay at my apartment," Lucy said, and Tom turned to spare her a glance.

"Why your apartment? Can't we stay at Tom's place? Evelyn called last night to say they would be traveling with us too. And why are you going to be with Sonia? Is she ill? She was fine when I saw her yesterday, and she is with Evelyn and Desmond," Janet said, and Lucy sighed.

"Something came up so I need to see her. Stay at my apartment until I get back. Why should you stay at your daughter's boyfriend's home when she is not there?" Lucy asked with disapproval.

"I don't think Tom minds. Besides..."

"I mind! It's either you stay at my apartment or you don't travel down at all," Lucy said firmly.

"Fine. Have you heard from your brother yet?"

"No. We should hear from him before the end of the day. He said he will call when he arrives," Lucy said, and Janet sighed.

"Alright. When are you traveling? Our flight is for ten."

"I should be leaving here on or before that time too. I will let you know when I get there. Give my love to dad," Lucy said before hanging up the call.

"I thought they were going to stay at my house," Tom said, and Lucy shook her head.

"I don't think they should do that when I'm not there," Lucy said and turned to Tom when he said nothing.

"Tell me what you're thinking," Lucy urged him.

"I just don't see how they're going to be of any help to Candace or Harry from your apartment when Candace and Jamal are in my house. They're here to be with them not to see you, am I wrong?" Tom said reasonably.

"You have a point," Lucy said with a sigh and Tom gave her a nod.

"However, if you're not comfortable with them staying at my place in your absence, I could arrange for Adolf to pick them up and bring them over during the day or take them to the hospital, and drop them off at your apartment in the evening," Tom suggested, and Lucy smiled at him.

"Maybe you are right. They should probably just stay over at yours. That way they can be with your parents," Lucy said, and Tom nodded.

"I thought so too."

Lucy glanced at her phone when it started ringing, and she received the call when she saw that it was from a foreign number.

"Hello, Princess Lu!"

Lucy's face split into a wide smile once she heard the pleasant voice on the other end of the line and she giggled, "Tyler! I thought you'd never call!" She exclaimed, and Tom looked at her when he heard the excitement in her voice.

"I was heartbroken. I heard from Lucas that you fell for some big-shot businessman," Tyler said, and Lucy laughed.

"Tom is hardly a businessman to me. But yes, that's right," Lucy said, and Tyler groaned.

"You're trampling on my heart now. That's unfair," Tyler complained, and Lucy smiled.

"Too bad for you. How have you been? What have you been up to? Lucas said he's on his way to visit you," Lucy said and listened as Tyler told her all about his clinic.

"That sounds interesting. It's good to know you're doing so well for yourself," Lucy said with a happy smile.

"What about you? How have you been? And please tell me you plan to break up with this boyfriend of yours. I'm your one true love, you know?" Tyler said, and Lucy giggled.

"I've been great. Never been better. My boyfriend is here. Do you want to say hello?"

"What? The girlfriend snatcher is there? Put him on the line," Tyler said, and Lucy grinned as she placed the call on speaker.

"Ace, meet Tyler a very good childhood friend. Tyler, meet Tom, the love of my life."

"Ouch! You hurt me deeply, Lu. I thought I was the love of your life?" Tyler asked, and Tom snorted.

"You thought wrong," Tom said, and Lucy laughed when Tyler hissed.

"That sounds like the voice of a typical girlfriend snatcher."

"Only you would know how one sounds," Tom retorted.

"You are lucky I'm so far away else you would never have stood a chance," Tyler bragged.

"I would never have traveled so far away from her in the first place if I wanted her. You don't stand a chance," Tom countered and Tyler sighed.

"Whatever. You win!"

"See how easily you gave up. It's no wonder you didn't win her heart in the first place," Tom taunted.

"I don't like your boyfriend, Lu. Break up with him!" Tyler cried, making Lucy laugh out loud.

"You better take good care of her, or else you will have me to contend with," Tyler threatened.

"You have nothing to worry about. She is in safe hands. That's more than I can say for you if you threaten me one more time," Tom threatened, and Tyler sighed.

"Why don't we become friends instead? I don't like being enemies with wealthy people," he offered, and this time Tom laughed.

Lucy smiled as she listened to them exchange pleasantries and converse. By the time Tyler hung up, they sounded like they had been friends for a long time.

"We are here," Tom announced as he drove into the parking lot of the foundation building.

Away from there, Sara was seated on the yoga mat in her hotel room, trying to meditate and calm the turmoil brewing inside her, when her assistant knocked on their adjoining bedroom door.

"Come in," Sara said impatiently, irritated by the interruption.

Emma walked in and stood in front of Sara as she waited for her to finish her session and look at her.

After some minutes, Sara opened her eyes and glared at Emma, "I hope you have a good reason for interrupting my routine?"

"I thought you might be interested in seeing this," Emma said, her voice bubbling with excitement as she stepped forward with her iPad in hand displaying the screen to Sara.

"What's that?" Sara asked impatiently.

"You received a mail from a research center for primary sclerosing Cholangitis. I was praying for you this morning and..."

"A research center?" Sara asked in disbelief as she snatched the iPad from Emma and read what was displayed on the screen.

"Pass me my phone," she ordered, and immediately Emma picked it up from the edge of the bed and handed it to her.

Sara dialed her doctor's line, "Are you aware of any research center for PSC? Did you give my contact details to any research center?" Sara asked immediately after the doctor received the call.

"This is barely eight in the morning and it's Saturday. You can't just call my private line this way unless it's an emergency, and even if that's the case you should call the hospital," the doctor reprimanded her harshly.

"This is Sara Wal..."

"I know who I'm speaking with, and I'm letting you know it's not okay to call my line by this time of the day or week no matter who you are," the doctor repeated, annoyed by her arrogance.

"Alright. I'm sorry," Sara said even though she didn't appreciate his tone.

"I didn't give your details to any individual or organization but it's not impossible for them to get it, especially if they got it from someone who works at any of the other hospitals we have submitted your details," the doctor said, and Sara sighed.

"I received an email from a research center that focuses on PSC," Sara explained.

"Text the details of the center to me and I will check it out later to see if it's legit," the doctor promised before hanging up.

"Should I text him the details?"

Sara scoffed as she handed her phone back to Emma, "Don't. Sly old man. I'm sure he doesn't want me to seek help elsewhere. He probably wants me to keep depending on him to keep me alive," Sara said with a smirk.

"I will look into the place myself. Maybe this is the break I need," Sara said with a sigh as she closed her eyes once again, ready to resume her exercise.

She hoped Amos was working hard to find her missing daughter. She needed to take care of that business and clean up all that mess so she could finally go back to living her best life. She couldn't wait to do that.