Bae
"What’s our table number?” Olivia asked her colleague Blake as they navigated the conference hall.
“Table 12,” Blake replied, gesturing towards the far side of the room.
Attending a three-day medical conference hosted at a lavish hotel in downtown Montreal, Olivia and her physician colleagues represented Castle General Hospital from Toronto. The hospital spared no expense for the event, especially with its CEO, Dr. Gregory, in attendance.
When Dr Gregory assumed the CEO position two years ago, his mantra was for every employee to respect each other regardless of job title.
This mantra, like many others in this era, was a deliberate effort to avoid reliving humanity's past mistakes. Exactly 2946 years ago, in the year 2054, humanity faced a catastrophic collapse triggered by selfishness and greed. To make matters worse, a deadly virus ravaged the population, claiming billions of lives, 7 billion to be exact, and erasing swathes of knowledge. In the aftermath, the surviving populace endeavoured to reconstruct society from the ground up. However, with the scarcity of intellectuals, knowledge regressed plunging civilization into a state reminiscent of the medieval ages. The once prosperous history of the world faded into obscurity, buried beneath the sands of time. Yet, within the annals of history, one figure stands out: King Alexander, a beacon of wisdom amid chaos. Alongside a select few, he played a pivotal role in laying the foundation of the world humans inhabit today earning the title of the founding father of the new era.
As humans find themselves in the year 5000, echoes of the tumultuous Varinthian era (2055 - 3500), marked by the dominance of greed and power, begin to resurface. Consequently, the imperative to steer society onto a different course has emerged as the foremost objective for Vision 5050.
Blake’s sudden exclamation drew Olivia’s attention back to the present as she pointed excitedly towards table twelve.
“Yes, I see that’s our table. Nothing to get worked up about,” Olivia reassured her.
“Look again!” Blake urged.
Glancing over, Olivia’s heart skipped a beat. There he was, Jae, as everyone called him. Dr. Jae-yoon Bae was the head of the ED department and the object of Olivia’s two-month crush. She thought even his last name, “Bae,” seemed fitting. Drop-dead gorgeous, fluent in multiple languages, accomplished and adored by everyone, Dr. Bae epitomized the ideal man, at least to these two.
Approaching their table, Jae smiled warmly at them. For Olivia, it felt surreal, like a scene from a movie unfolding in slow motion. However, Olivia’s hopes of sitting beside him were dashed when another colleague, Dr. Veronique Manning, rudely cut in and took the spot next to him. Veronique’s condescending attitude made her infamous among nurses and doctors alike.
With a forced smile, Veronique glanced at Olivia before returning her attention to Dr. Bae. The doctor mouthed an apology as Olivia awkwardly took a seat nearby, feeling a mix of disappointment and frustration.
“That bitch!” Blake exclaimed, barely above a whisper.
“Shh, keep it down,” Olivia cautioned her. “What happened to solidarity among women? Besides, I’m taken, remember? It’s better this way. I should keep my distance.”
“Hmm, your boyfriend is great, but Jae... he’s in a league of his own.”
“Alright, calm down. You’re interested in Jae, too. Why don’t you make a move?”
“Make a move? He is way above my league. Like a thousand times above. But you, on the other hand, are a perfect match league-wise.”
“I already told ya, I got a man.”
“What’s your man got to do with him?”
Reciting lines from an early 90’s song by Positive K, they burst into laughter, drawing the attention of everyone at their table. Olivia quickly cleared her throat and nudged Blake to compose herself. Blake’s contagious laughter made people at the table smile in response rather than be annoyed.
As the keynote speaker took the stage, the conference officially began, and all eyes turned to him.
For the remainder of the conference, Olivia consciously tried to avoid Jae. She breathed a sigh of relief once she checked out of the hotel, leaving a day early since the last day’s schedule was only half a day with less exciting topics.
“It’s for the best, Blake. Getting too close means temptation. If I were alone with him and he made a move, I don’t know if I could resist.”
“I understand, and you and Jaime are adorable. But that doesn’t mean you’re blind.”
“We are cute, aren’t we?”
In the lobby, Olivia kissed Blake before hailing a taxi to the airport. After she waved goodbye to Blake, Olivia turned around and accidentally bumped into someone.
“Oh, sorry, I’m so sorry.”
“It’s fine,” he said.
Looking up, Olivia saw it was Dr. Steele
“Harry! I didn’t know you were attending the conference.”
“Olivia! Hi.” He fixed his glasses.
Harrison Steele was a pathologist at Olivia’s hospital. He was a brunette with bewitching green eyes peeking out from behind glasses that were just a tad too big, giving him a charming, geeky aura. Despite his unconventional appearance, he had an undebatable allure—a blend of intelligence, kindness, and a hint of mischief. However, Olivia considered him more of a friend or acquaintance, as she didn’t honestly know him beyond the surface.
“Yes, I am. I mean, no.” He let out an awkward laugh. “I mean, no, I’m not at the conference. I’m visiting buddies from university. We try to meet every year to catch up.”
“Oh. Mcgill?”
“Yes. That’s the one.”
“Nice. I came for the conference.”
“Ah, I see. Maybe we could grab coffee sometime?”
Olivia gestured to her hand luggage.
“Ah, I see you are heading out. Well, some other time then.”
“Yeah.” Olivia nodded.
With that, he swiftly departed without a goodbye, leaving her standing there, uncertain whether he had been present or if she had imagined his presence altogether. Glancing around the lobby, she could not even glimpse his retreating figure.
Lightning speed, that one, she thought to herself.
Olivia arrived at her condo around 9 p.m. It was a charming two-bedroom residence she and Jaime acquired five months ago following his marriage proposal. Positioned on the 8th floor of an elegant high-rise, their condo offered splendid vistas of Lake Ontario. The layout facilitated ample natural light, complemented by contemporary furnishings and chic décor personally selected by Olivia.
Their comfortable seating provided a serene backdrop to enjoy the picturesque lake views. It offered an ideal setting for relaxation, observing sailboats, or admiring breathtaking sunsets through floor-to-ceiling windows. The balcony, a highlight of the residence, presented an idyllic space for alfresco dining or sipping your morning coffee with a view.
The primary bedroom she shared with Jaime served as Olivia’s private sanctuary. It featured heated hardwood floors, luxurious rugs, and a king-sized bed adorned with exquisite linens of her choice. Olivia’s favourite part of her morning was waking up to the gentle sounds of waves and the sun’s radiant dance on the water.
After a demanding day, Olivia finds solace in a rejuvenating soak in the tub while marvelling at the expansive views through their sizable windows.
Upon her entrance, she endeavoured to close the door quietly, hoping the audible chime of the automatic lock did not betray her efforts. Hopeful Jaime had not heard, she manoeuvred around his scattered shoes, discreetly stowing them in the closet. She noticed a pair of black sneakers in the closet, evidently not hers.
Wait, when did Chloe leave her shoes here?
Pondering over when Chloe had left her shoes behind, Olivia dismissed it as another instance of Chloe’s forgetfulness. Pushing her luggage aside, she proceeded towards Jamie’s study, anticipating finding him engrossed in coding. She heard muffled moans from his study and wondered if Jaime was watching an R-rated movie. With a burst of excitement, she swung open the French doors and exclaimed, “Surprise!”
