Falling in Love : I love you, Today and Forever

2"Now, tell us. Where have you been all these days? Do you have any idea how worried we were for you? How did you go missing when you were will us all the time?" Ryder reprimanded Preston black and blue, not giving the man a moment to argue or fight back.      3

"Since the time you went missing, we have been searching for you." Ryder's expression turned terrible when he remembered the time he had almost given up when he could not find his friend anymore. It was more devastating than how he felt when Maggie went missing.     

"I thought we lost you." His face paled and Preston felt a pang in his heart when he saw his friend's miserable state.     

"Yes, Preston. You will have to compensate for our mental trauma because of you." Valerie too butted into the conversation and rebuked him lightly.      

"Yes. You are right, Val. Otherwise, I will kill this guy myself." Ryder glared at Preston, his expression showing how aggrieved he was and Preston shook his head helplessly.     

"Fine, fine. I apologize for putting you guys through such agony."     

"That's more like it," Ryder exclaimed and snapped his fingers. "But just a mere apology will not be enough."     

"I know. I know. How about this? I will treat you guys to a scrumptious dinner when you both recover. Will this suffice?" Preston looked at his friends hopefully, a teasing smile lingering on his lips.     

"It might do. But we won't guarantee it." Valerie leaned back on her bed, supporting all her weight towards her right.      

"Yes. You may have to compensate us more if we are not satisfied."     

"Fine. Fine. Anything you say." Preston gave up and let them have their way.     

"Good, now tell us what happened to you. Where were you all these days?"     

However, before he could start with the story he had prepared beforehand, the ward door opened and Maggie entered, only to halt when she saw the man she had expected to see someday standing before her.     

Though surprised, Maggie did not react much and only smiled faintly. "Long time, Preston. How are you?" Her gaze flickered and she did miss the bandage on her forehead.     

"I am okay, Maggie. How are you?" Neither Ryder nor Valerie overlooked the way Maggie was treating the man they were meeting after a few days. Her indifference stunned them and for a moment, they did not know what to make out of her unexpected behavior.     

'Why is Maggie behaving this way? What's wrong with her?" Valerie frowned and stared at the lady enquiringly. But did not voice out her questions, making a note to speak to her in private later.     

"I am great, Maggie. How are you?" Preston ignored her strange behavior as much as possible, even though he started to suspect her somewhere in his heart. 'Does she know about me? Did she find something against me?' He wondered and this time, he did not brush off his suspicions just like that.     

Unlike Ryder and Valerie, it was easier for Maggie to find his secrets if he was not careful, especially when she had worked with Jared for a few months. So, he observed her a few more times, waiting for her to give away something, anything.     

But he could find nothing from her expressions and eventually, he moved his gaze away from her when he heard Ryder's voice again.     

"Hello, where did you get lost? We are still waiting for you to answer our questions." Ryder waved his hands before Preston and brought him out of his thoughts while Maggie walked around him and handed Valerie a bag.     

"Deputy, I have brought everything you asked me to. Please take a look."      

Preston eyed the bag warily but looked away before he got caught.     

"Ahh, yes." Preston masked his expressions and smiled faintly as he looked at the three people waiting for him to start speaking.     

"I do not know what exactly happened. I presume the explosion's impact was so strong that it threw me to the sea."     

Maggie raised her brow at him. But did not say anything and waited patiently for him to finish.     

"When I woke up, I was lying at a hospital far away from here. One of the fishermen found me unconscious and floating on the water in the dawn." Preston explained and frowned for a moment when he realized how stupid and fake his story sounded. Nervous and worried, he raised his eyes to peek at his friends, hoping against hope that the three people had bought his lie.     

While Valerie and Ryder's expressions were easy to read, it was Maggie who frightened him and he could not look at her for even a second. She was too impassive for his liking.     

"I was unconscious for a few days and when I woke up, I could not contact you guys at all. The place I was at was secluded and it took me some time before I could leave." Preston continued, not knowing what else to say.     

"What hospital were you admitted to?" Maggie was first to question him and Preston immediately realized she was doubting him. But he remained calm and in control of himself.     

"The North General Hospital," Preston answered with a smile and Maggie nodded to herself.     

"How did you get out of the place?" Valerie took her turn next and Preston understood that his story had ignited flames of suspicion in his friends' minds and he cursed Jared for coming up with a stupid story. Yet, he still did not give up and continued with what he had prepared.     

"The fisherman who admitted me to the hospital helped me. His son is a delivery boy. He helped me call you guys and dropped me off till here after I was discharged from the hospital."     

"Then, why did you not call us all these days? I don't think you woke up today and were discharged right away." Maggie narrowed her eyes and Preston almost smiled to himself on seeing her so vigilant.     

'Nevertheless, Jared was once crazy about you.' He thought. "The place I was at was too secluded and I could not contact your guys at all. The signal connection over there is weak and broken sometimes."      

"I see." Maggie nodded and crossed her legs as she examined the man. After his explanation, her suspicions increased, and she could not help but feel something amiss about him.     

'Why do I feel that he is lying to us? What is this strange feeling?' She wondered and glanced at Valerie, who too had her lips pursed.     

"Guys, guys, can you two shut it out?" Ryder intervened before Valerie could ask her next question. "Preston has returned after a few days and he is hurt too. Look at his forehead, the wound still seems to be open. Can we postpone this interrogation for the time being and focus on our friend's well-being? He needs medical assistance."     

Just as Ryder had pointed out, Preston's bandage around his head had turned red near his wound. Blood would surely seep out if he did not get his wound treated.     

"I will call the doctor. You need to get your wounds treated first." Maggie offered and walked out before Preston could stop her.