New Happiness, Begins
The Part 53

And Daniel is more than wet, dirty and fussy.

"What happened to you?" kendall asked while pointing to Daniel's wet figure and splashed with mud.

Daniel pointed at David. "Mrs. Booker took me by the shortcut." Then his eyes widened.

"Kendall, you can't stay here. There are grizzly bears everywhere. And the storm."

Kendall rolled her eyes and looked at David over Daniel's shoulder. "Times?"

At the ATV, David just shrugged.

Daniel looked at Kendall. "Your other hair. You look. beautiful."

Kendall blushed in such a gaze, happy to hear the praise despite the conflicting emotions raging within her. "Thank you."

"Is there a place for us to talk?" daniel asked with a pleading gaze.

Kendall observes the man before her, so familiar, but at the same time so foreign. The last time they met, Daniel lightly broke off the relationship and ended their engagement, confessing his love to a younger and more attractive woman, regardless of his feelings. But, now, Daniel's confidence and composure had vanished. He looks embarrassed. And the fact that the man came looking for her shows the constancy that surprised Kendall. Dismantle his self-defense.

Kendall pointed towards the dormitory. "My practice. You can clean yourself up there."

"You need a ride?" timbrung David's.

Kendall glared ferociously at him. "Thank you, but we're on foot." In general, he is tired of dealing with men's behavior. This morning alone two workers had come looking for Doc Kris to ask to be treated for illness or injury. When Kendall offers help, they politely decline and leave.

He started walking towards the dormitory, taking quick steps for the man beside him to try to catch up with "You know where I'm from?"

Daniel's shoes squeaked as he walked. "From Doctor Amanda. Don't be mad."

Kendall beaver. "You should have told me of your arrival."

"I left a voice note (voice message)."

"My phone can't pick up the signal except on the tower."

Daniel laughs. "Tower? What is this place.... g-dick?"

The man's laughter irritated Kendall. "This is a new city, Daniel. It doesn't have much infrastructure."

"I think you're responding to a newspaper ad, huh? It doesn't fit your character."

Kendall clenched her jaw. "But I did, right?"

"I think this place is dangerous" Daniel said as he looked around the uneven landscape. "Do you have tap water?"

"Yes." replied Kendall, through the teeth that were scratched. "Accommodation here is more than enough."

Daniel pointed to the group of workers they passed by. "What about the man who wanders? Who's keeping women safe?"

"The women themselves."

"And you're the doctor here?"

Kendall wet her lips. "Yes." Yeah." Daniel did not need to know that most of the city's residents did not want to be treated by him.

The aggravation pierced Kendall's chest. "I'm a doctor, Daniel. All places are worth me."

"You understand what I mean" said Daniel. "The conditions here are practically still primitive."

"You've seen his new clinic. It's better than my job in Denville."

"But where's your support staff? What if, even if it doesn't happen, something happens to you?"

"If there's an emergency I can't handle, Medevac will fly here."

"Because the communication on this mountain is very good" Daniel said.

"It has improved" Kendall said, inexplicably driven to defend Happiness.

They arrived in front of the dormitory. Across the street, Daniel's car. Kendall shook her head realizing the "shortcut" David was taking. What is the man trying to prove?

Daniel made a gesture with his hand. "I brought a change of clothes. I'll take my bag first."

Kendall waits while Daniel runs across the street to retrieve a suitcase from the trunk of his Mercedes. When the man returns, Kendall observes the designer's suitcase and is shocked to realize how inappropriate Daniel is in this remote area. David's work vehicle and leather duffel bag flashed through his mind, but he quickly brushed aside the comparison. Comparing the two men was just a futile act. It doesn't mean they're both in a race for his attention.

David's been keeping his distance since they came back from Atlanta yesterday. Obviously the man had got what he wanted, and Kendall could not be hypocritical. He sees David talking to Hailey briefly since their return. It seems that man has gone on with life...

"Said Doctor Amanda, you're just gonna stay here to oversee the construction of the clinic" Daniel said, breaking Kendall's daydreams. "Looks like the clinic was sudan."

Kendall suppressed her irritation. "Doctor Amanda misspoke. I haven't decided my future."

Kendall turned and walked to the dormitory veranda, nodding towards the women they passed by with an inquisitive expression on the face. He takes Daniel in and across the vestibule, stopping to caress the deer, Cupid, who can already walk around in a cast and can truly adapt to living close to humans. Around his neck was a necklace of sparkling pink dogs.

"So wild animals can just wander around in here?" ask Daniel.

"He's a patient, too" Kendall replied as she held a Cupid cast for a bit to check.

The deer sniffed Daniel and the man retreated. "You're a veterinarian too?"

"I did what I could" said Kendall, then took Daniel to another corridor into a room that had been turned into a place of practice. Kendall opened the door and entered, then pointed to the bathroom. "You can clean yourself up and change your clothes there."

"Where are you going?"

Kendall nodded to the writing desk by the window, but her gaze landed on the denim shirt David had given her, draped on the back of the chair. "I have to clear up some paperwork." The contract he had to decide on would be signed or returned to the Booker brothers.

To David.

Daniel walked into the bathroom. "I'm not long."

Kendall knew the man wanted to take a shower... Daniel doesn't like to be dirty. Contrary to David Booker, who seems to treat the dust and soil of this place like a proud second skin.

Kendall sits down and issues a two-year employment contract that she needs to sign at the Booker brothers' request. He had memorized the contents of each clause, but kept reading it again, as if by doing that a clear answer about what he should do next in life would appear. In the bathroom, the shower rang, a reminder of Daniel's presence. Kendall was still confused at the fact that the man had tried desperately to drive all the way from Denville to look for her.

He reached into the desk drawer to remove the leftover homemade licorice candy that Dok Kris gave him, then chewed it slowly, while his mind spun. Didn't he decide to leave Happiness? The workers have made it clear that they do not want their services. So why is he still holding onto this employment contract?

Because deep down, he still dreamed David Booker would express his feelings and ask him to stay. His heart that jolted when he saw the man proved that one night's love was not his style. Instead of being relieved after her curiosity was satisfied, the night at the hotel only deepened Kendall's feelings for the man.

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