Chapter 3

"Is Miranda having trouble finding a parking spot? I can go help—"

Calvin saw Hansel's furious face and the realization dawned on him. "Oh! Hans, hasn't Miranda returned yet?"

It was long past three hours.

Hansel shrugged. "Returned? You thought I was joking when I said I was breaking up with her?"

He walked past Calvin and sat on the couch.

Calvin scratched his head. Were they both serious about breaking up? He shook his head a moment later. He was probably overthinking it. Hansel could initiate a breakup anytime and mean it. But Miranda? Calvin was sure everyone agreed that Miranda was the exception. Everyone in their circle knew that…

"Hans? Why are you alone?" Hansel's friend, Zach Graham, asked, adding fuel to the fire.

He crossed his arms, looking amused. "You bet she'd be back in three hours, but it's been a full day."

Hansel grinned. "So I lost. What's the punishment?"

Zach raised an eyebrow. "Let's change things up. Drinking isn't the punishment this time."

"What do you mean?"

"Call Mimi and say, in your softest and gentlest voice, 'I'm sorry, I was wrong. I love you.'"

Everyone laughed. Calvin immediately grabbed Hansel's phone and dialed Miranda's number.

After the initial beep, a recording said, "Sorry, the person you are calling is unavailable."

Wait, did that mean he'd been blocked?

Hansel was stunned. The grins on everyone's faces vanished as they exchanged glances.

Calvin hung up and returned the phone. "Well, maybe there's a connection error. Miranda wouldn't block Hansel's number, not unless pigs flew."

He trailed off, feeling awkward.

Zach pondered. "I think Miranda's serious this time."

Hansel scoffed. "Of course the breakup was real! Did you think it was fake? And I'm not playing this game again. If any of you mention Miranda's name again, don't blame me for shutting you out."

Zach narrowed his eyes. After a moment, he said, "Sure, as long as you don't regret it later."

Hansel's lips twitched. He didn't think much of it; he never regretted anything.

Sensing the tension, Sam Cooper, another friend, said, "Aw, come on, let's not get too serious. We're all friends, aren't we?"

Early the next morning, at about 7:00 am, Winter returned from her morning run and smelled delicious food coming from the kitchen.

Miranda emerged with a pot of cream soup. She wore a houndstooth dress that showed off her legs. She wore no makeup, but she still looked beautiful.

"Hurry up and shower before breakfast."

Winter was surprised. "Did you change your… You look good with your hair in a ponytail. Where are you going, dressed up like that? Are you going back to Hansel? Or is he coming to pick you up?"

"Can't you just think better of me?"

"If he's here to pick you up, of course I can't," Winter replied, walking to the dining table. She realized Miranda had prepared a feast.

"Go shower!" Miranda exclaimed, slapping Winter's hands away. "You're filthy!"

"You're playing favorites! Why don't you slap Hansel when he uses his hands?"

"I'll slap him next time I get the chance."

"I'll never believe you."

After showering, Winter realized Miranda had left with a food container.

"Ha! She made breakfast for me, but she still took some for that bastard. Silly girl," Winter grumbled.

"Chris, how are you feeling today?"

Christine was reviewing her thesis in her hospital room at Westerton Hospital when she heard the familiar voice.

She set down the documents and adjusted her glasses. "Matt? What are you doing here?"

"Wait, don't move," Matthew Sanchez said, quickly placing a pillow behind Christine's back. "Your wound hasn't fully healed yet."

"It's just a minor appendicitis procedure. The doctor kept me here because he said I'm recovering too slowly due to my age. Oh, by the way, has the college approved our Master's student slots?"

"Yes. You got three slots, and I got four."

"Three slots?" Christine murmured. "Why? Are you still only planning to take two students?"

"Yes. I'm getting old. I can only handle two."

Matthew's lips tightened. He knew Christine was holding a slot for someone special, but she wouldn't admit it.

"Dr. Youngoh? Dr. Sanchez, you're here too?"

Solomon entered with two students and a basket of fruit and flowers. "We're here to visit Dr. Young."

While chatting, one student mentioned, "I heard there's a genius first-year student offered the combined Master's and Doctorate program."

Only three students had been offered this program in the past ten years in the Faculty of Bioinformatics at Bedford College.

"I also heard she won gold in both the Math Olympiad and the Computing Olympiad last year. That's how she got into our college!"

"Two gold medals? That's just alright. I remember a senior who was also Dr. Young's student. She won four gold medals—Math, Physics, Chemistry, and Computing. I think her name was Mi… Mi-something."

"Okay, time's up," Matthew interrupted. "You guys can go now."

"Oh, alright. We'll be leaving now, Dr. Young."

"Alright."

After the students left, the student who'd spoken hung his head. "Sol, did I say something wrong? Why did Dr. Young and Dr. Sanchez look angry?"

Solomon was also puzzled.

Back in the room, Matthew said, "They didn't mean to bring it up. Don't think too much about it."

Christine waved her hand, but her lips trembled, and tears welled up. She couldn't stop them.

"She was such a prodigy… She shouldn't have… Why didn't she cherish her talent?"

Matthew tried comforting her. "Don't get so worked up—"

"Matt, do you know what she told me last time we met? She said she was giving everything up for love! Ha! Love? She doesn't even know how much she hurt me…"

Miranda stood outside the door, clutching the food container. Tears streamed down her face.

"I'm sorry, Dr. Young," she thought.

Miranda couldn't bring herself to enter.

She left the food at the nurses' station. "This is for Dr. Christine Young. Please give it to her. Thank you."

"But you haven't registered yet—hey! Why are you running away?"

Miranda ran to the hospital exit, breathing in the fresh air. But the guilt remained.

"Miranda?"

A tall woman in a suit, with exquisite makeup and a Lady Dior bag, approached. She was Tina Johnson, Hansel's younger sister.

"Oh, it's you! What are you doing here—instead of at home?" Tina asked, looking at the building. She was relieved it wasn't the gynecology ward. If Miranda were pregnant and forced to marry Hansel, Tina and their mother, Evelyn Stewart, would likely have a heart attack.

"Tina," Miranda greeted, forcing a smile.

"Why are your eyes red? Did you cry? Did you argue with Hans again?"

"No."

Tina assumed Miranda didn't want to admit it. She felt sorry for her; she liked Miranda. But that wasn't enough to marry into the Johnson family. Evelyn was strict about her future daughter-in-law's education. Only the best from Ivy League schools were acceptable.

"It must be tiring being with Hans. He has a terrible temper. Just hold on, okay?"

Miranda started to say, "Actually, we've br—"

"I have to go. We'll talk later, alright?"

Tina checked the time and hurried into the hospital. She was visiting Christine. She'd heard Christine liked well-behaved students, so she dressed up nicely. This visit could determine if she'd be offered the combined Master's and Doctorate program.