Lowering walls

Daniel seemed...scared? Or was he angry? She couldn't differentiate for the first time and that irritated her. He burst into her cabin and stood panting for a moment. After a deep breath and courage of mind to put together the words he never, even in his worst nightmares, thought he would have to use, he spoke, "Vic is dead"...

Rose didn't move for a minute after hearing it. She just froze. Daniel couldn't comprehend what was going on in her mind. He was trying to act as strong as he could.

After a moment, Rose asked in a very flat tone, "How?"

Daniel took a deep breath and replied, "Accident." He continued as he sat down on the chair in front of her, "They took him to the hospital but they couldn't save him." A few drops of tears formed in the corner of his eyes but he quickly erased them with his thumb. He had to be strong.

"Are you okay?" he asked at a very slow pace.

After a moment when she didn't respond, he repeated his question "Are you okay?"

She came out of her trance and with a nod murmured a small 'yes' and struggled a small smile. It was not even eligible to be called a smile but it was her effort to assure him that she was fine.

Daniel did not expect her to react as she did. When the news broke in the office, Sophie and some other girls broke out having loud sobs, and Daniel couldn't help but worry about Rose's reaction. But her reaction was the contradiction of how he had assumed it to be. Even in such a situation, she was calm and collected. This didn't show that she was emotionless but it showed how strong she had had to be.

Daniel sunk lower in his seat and took his head in his hands. His brain was bursting. Sadness clouded over his features but a very furrowed forehead was visible.

Rose spoke in a very whispery voice, "Are you okay?"

Those words broke the wall that Daniel had created to stop his feelings. He took a shivery breath and tears glistened in his eyes. His lower lip trembled and his jaw clenched. He looked at her with all the strength he had left, and tried to reply the same thing that he replied to almost everyone in the office, a falsely traded 'okay'. Oh boy, he really tried. But he just couldn't lie, no he couldn't. So in a croaky voice, he spoke up the word that he had wanted to tell everyone who asked him if he was okay, "No," and let the pool of tears that he held in his eyes flow out.

He just couldn't keep it in himself anymore. So he stood up from his chair and screamed out loud, "NO, I AM NOT OKAY! I LOST A PERSON WHO WAS LIKE MY BIG BROTHER I NEVER HAD! AND I DON'T KNOW HOW I AM SUPPOSED TO BE OKAY!" With this, he fell on his knees on the floor and let out loud sobs.

Rose didn't know how to console him. She was never good at it. So she asked him, "Should I hug you?"

He looked at her with red eyes and in a low voice replied, "Yes, please. If you want to, of course."

She got up from her chair and slowly sat on the floor and hugged him lightly. He, in between his sobs, said a little thank you. She didn't say anything, she just stayed by his side for she knew that that spoke all the things she couldn't say.

This scene was being watched by Amelia whose eyes were swollen due to the crying, not that she let anyone know it. She was on her way to Gerald's office to apologize.

When the news broke, Amelia was panic-stricken. She didn't believe it for a second but when she was sure that it was not a sick prank, her eyes flooded with tears. She was sad and angry and confused about what she was to do. She ran up to Gerald who had just disclosed the news and asked him in a breathy voice, "Should we go to the hospital? Should we inform his family? Does anyone have contact with his family? Shouldn't we first identify him? What if the police made some mistake?" in a rapid speed.

Gerald without a moment shouted at her, "YOU ARE NOT DOING ANY SUCH! STOP BEING SO ANNOYING!"

She was just not in a good state right now and so she said back to him, "WITH YOU ACTING SUCH, NO WONDER WHY NO ONE IN THE COMPANY HATES YOU!"

That was a few minutes ago, now that she understood what she had said, she was sorry about it. Perhaps both of them were disturbed and hence spoke things that they never meant.

She smiled weakly at the cabin where Rose, the person who never even talked to anyone when she was not at work, was consoling Daniel who was crying on the floor. Taking a deep breath, she started walking towards Gerald's office. He was not there so she turned back around and in the office directly opposite to Gerald's, that was Vic's, she saw Gerald quickly going through the drawers and cupboards of Vic's cabin...

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This was a very emotional part of the story. Rose finally lowered her walls for Daniel...

But, but, but... Why is Gerald in Vic's cabin? Or more importantly, What is he searching for? Comment down your opinions, I would love to see them...

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