ZIP IT DOWN

A few hours after leaving Eliza's house, Sarah arrived at her father's mansion. She had been looking forward to the family meeting her father had called, but her mind was still preoccupied with thoughts of Eliza and her troubles with Joe.

As Sarah entered the living room, she saw her family seated and waiting for her. Her father, a serious expression on his face, began to speak. "Sarah, we've called this meeting to discuss your future career path. We've been considering various options for you, and we'd like to discuss them with you today."

The meeting went on for hours, with discussions about job opportunities, career development, and future prospects. Sarah's parents presented various options for her, including job openings at the family company and other reputable organizations.

As the afternoon wore on, Sarah found herself growing more and more anxious to get home and talk to Danny. She had been wanting to tell him about Eliza's situation all day, and she couldn't wait any longer.

Her parents presented her with several options, each with its own set of benefits and drawbacks. Sarah listened intently, weighing the pros and cons of each opportunity. She was determined to make the right decision, one that would set her up for success and happiness in her future career.

As the discussion drew to a close, Sarah's father leaned forward, his eyes locked on hers. "Sarah, we want you to know that we're behind you, no matter what you decide. We just want what's best for you."

Sarah smiled, feeling a surge of gratitude towards her parents. She knew they only wanted the best for her, and she appreciated their support and guidance.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the meeting drew to a close. Sarah's parents smiled and hugged her, reassuring her that they would support her no matter which path she chose.

"I think that's all for today," her father said, glancing at his watch. "You've given us a lot to think about, Sarah. We'll discuss everything and get back to you soon."

Sarah nodded, feeling a mix of relief and excitement. She gathered her things and said goodbye to her family, eager to head home and share everything with Danny.

As she walked out of the house, Sarah felt a sense of freedom wash over her. She was finally going to be able to talk to Danny about Eliza's situation, and she couldn't wait to hear his thoughts.

She pulled out her phone and sent Danny a quick text. "Hey, I'm on my way home. Can't wait to see you."

Danny responded immediately. "Hey, babe! Looking forward to seeing you too. How's Eliza?"

Sarah smiled, knowing she would fill him in on everything as soon as she got home. She quickly typed out a response. "She's okay. I'll tell you everything when I get home."

Danny responded with a simple "Okay, see you soon."

Sarah put her phone away and started walking home. She couldn't wait to get home and talk to Danny about everything that had happened. As she walked, she heard the familiar rumble of Danny's motorcycle in the distance. She smiled, knowing he was on his way to pick her up.

As the motorcycle pulled up beside her, Danny smiled and handed her a helmet. "Hey, babe! Hop on, I'll give you a ride home."

Sarah smiled and put on the helmet, climbing onto the back of the motorcycle. She wrapped her arms around Danny's waist, feeling the familiar warmth of his body against hers.

As they rode through the streets, the wind blowing through her hair, Sarah felt a sense of freedom and excitement. She couldn't wait to get home and talk to Danny about everything that had happened.

As they pulled up in front of their apartment building, Danny killed the engine and turned to Sarah, a curious expression on his face. "So, what's going on with Eliza? You rushed to check on her after I told you what I saw on my way home. What did you find out?"

Sarah's eyes met Danny's, and she could see the concern etched on his face. She smiled softly and leaned in, her lips brushing against his in a gentle kiss.

"Let's go inside and talk," she whispered, her voice barely audible.

Danny's eyes crinkled at the corners as he smiled, and he wrapped his arms around her, deepening the kiss. For a moment, they forgot about Eliza and the worries that had been plaguing them. All that mattered was the warmth of each other's lips and the love that they shared.

Finally, they broke apart, gasping softly. Danny grinned and helped Sarah off the motorcycle, his hand lingering on hers as they walked towards their apartment.

As they walked into the apartment, Sarah slipped off her shoes and dropped her bag onto the couch. Danny followed suit, his eyes never leaving hers as he waited for her to begin.

Sarah took a deep breath and led Danny to the couch, where they sat down together. She reached out and took his hand, her fingers intertwining with his as she started to explain.

"It's Eliza," she began. "I went to check on her this morning, and... well, it's not good. She's in a tough spot, and I don't know how to help her."

Danny's expression turned serious, his eyes filled with concern. "What's going on?" he asked, his voice low and gentle.

Sarah's eyes clouded over as she began to recount her conversation with Eliza. "She lost her job at The Daily Grind," she said, her voice filled with empathy. "Manager Joe fired her, citing that she was lazy and incompetent."

Danny's expression darkened, his jaw clenched in anger. "That's ridiculous," he said. "Eliza's one of the hardest working people I know."

Sarah nodded in agreement. "I know, right? But that's not even the worst part. Eliza thinks it's because she rejected Manager Joe's romantic advances."

Danny's eyes widened in shock. "What? That's outrageous!" he exclaimed. Sarah's expression turned somber. "I know. Eliza's really hurting right now. She feels like she's lost everything."

Danny's grip on Sarah's hand tightened. "We'll be there for her," he said. "We'll help her get through this tough time."

Danny's expression turned determined as he stood up from the couch. "I'm going to go to The Daily Grind and have a talk with Manager Joe," he said, his voice firm.

Sarah's eyes widened in concern. "Danny, I don't know if that's a good idea," she said. "Joe's not a reasonable person. He's already shown that he's willing to hurt Eliza just because she rejected him."

But Danny was undeterred. "I need to know why he's being so wicked," he said. "What's driving him to treat Eliza this way?"

Sarah sighed, knowing that Danny was not going to change his mind. "Be careful, okay?" she said. "I don't want you to get into trouble."

Danny nodded, giving Sarah a reassuring smile. "I'll be fine," he said. "I just want to get to the bottom of this." With that, Danny turned and headed out the door, leaving Sarah to worry about what might happen next.

As Danny walked out of the apartment, he felt a sense of determination wash over him. He was going to get to the bottom of why Manager Joe was treating Eliza so poorly, no matter what it took. He started to walk towards his motorcycle, which was parked in front of their apartment building.

He got on his bike and started the engine, feeling a sense of excitement and purpose. He was going to confront Manager Joe and find out what was going on. As he rode through the streets, the wind whipping through his hair, he felt alive and focused.

But as he approached the intersection near The Daily Grind, disaster struck. A car ran a red light, and Danny's motorcycle crashed into it. He felt himself flying through the air, his helmet cracking against the pavement.

When Danny came to, he was disoriented and groggy. He tried to sit up, but a wave of pain washed over him, making him fall back onto the ground. He looked around, trying to remember where he was and what had happened. That's when he saw a figure standing over him, a look of concern etched on their face.

A stranger rushed over to Danny and helped him to his feet. "We need to get you to the hospital," the stranger said, his voice firm and commanding. Danny tried to protest, but the stranger was insistent. He helped Danny into his car.

Just as the stranger was about to drive away, Precious, who was engaged to Kelvin - Danny's close friend, rushed up to the car. "Oh my god, what happened?" she exclaimed, looking at Danny with concern.

The stranger nodded. "He was in a motorcycle accident. I'm taking him to Mercy Hospital," he said. "You can meet us there if you want."

Precious nodded, looking relieved. "I'll call Sarah and let her know what's happening," she said. "And I'll also call Kelvin too, he's Danny's friend."

The stranger nodded and drove away, leaving Precious to call Sarah and Kelvin to let them know what had happened.

As the stranger drove Danny to the hospital, Danny couldn't help but feel a sense of gratitude towards this mysterious stranger. He had no idea who the stranger was, or why he was being so kind to him. But he was just grateful to be alive, and to have someone to take care of him.

When they arrived at the hospital, the stranger helped Danny out of the car and into the emergency room. Danny was quickly whisked away to be treated, leaving the stranger to disappear into the crowd.

Sarah arrived at the hospital soon after, looking frantic with worry. She had been called by Precious, who had told her about the accident. Sarah rushed into the emergency room, looking for Danny. She was relieved to find him being treated by the doctors, and she rushed over to his side.

"Danny, I was so scared," she said, tears of relief streaming down her face. "I'm so glad you're okay."

Danny smiled weakly at Sarah, his eyes filled with pain and exhaustion. "I'm okay," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "I'm just glad to be alive."

Just then, Kelvin burst into the emergency room, looking worried. "Danny, man, I'm so glad you're okay," he said, rushing over to his friend's side. "I was so scared when Precious called me and told me what happened."

Danny smiled weakly at Kelvin, grateful for his friend's concern. "I'm okay, Kelvin," he said. "Just a few bumps and bruises."

Kelvin nodded, looking relieved. "I'm just glad you're alive, man," he said. "We were all so worried about you."

As the doctors continued to treat Danny's injuries, Sarah and Kelvin stayed by his side, relieved that he was going to be okay.

Kelvin looked at Sarah, concern etched on his face. "What just happened?" he asked. "Where was Danny going when the accident happened?"

Sarah took a deep breath, trying to explain. "Danny was on his way to see Manager Joe at The Daily Grind," she said.

Kelvin's eyes narrowed. "Manager Joe? Who's that?" he asked.

Sarah hesitated, unsure how much to reveal. "Manager Joe is the manager of The Daily Grind," she said. "He's been treating my friend, Eliza, really poorly.

Kelvin's expression remained neutral as Sarah explained the situation. "So, Danny was going to confront Manager Joe about how he's been treating Eliza?" Kelvin asked, his voice calm.

Sarah nodded. "Yes, that's right. Danny was really upset about how Eliza was being treated and even Joe has."

Kelvin shrugged. "I don't blame Danny for being upset, but I'm not surprised about how Eliza's being treated either."

Sarah looked at Kelvin curiously. "What do you mean?" she asked.

Kelvin's expression turned serious. "I mean, Eliza's not exactly the most... fortunate person, is she?" he said. "I've seen the way things go for her. Anytime someone tries to help her, something bad happens."

Sarah's eyes widened in surprise. "What are you talking about?" she asked.

Kelvin's voice dropped to a whisper. "I'm talking about her parents. They tried to help her, and look what happened to them. Her dad got killed by their neighbor after borrowing money from him, and her mom passed away a few years later. That's not just a coincidence."

Sarah's expression turned somber, and she nodded slowly. "I see what you mean," she said. "I hadn't thought about it that way."

Kelvin's expression remained serious. "I'm just saying, maybe it's not a good idea to get too involved with Eliza. For our own good, I mean."

Sarah's eyes widened in surprise. "I see what you mean," she said. "But it's not like Eliza's a bad person. She's just... unlucky, I guess."

Kelvin shrugged. "Maybe. But I still don't think it's a good idea to get too involved with her."

Sarah took a deep breath. "Well, it's too late now. Danny's already gotten involved, and now he's lying in the hospital because of it."

Kelvin's expression turned somber. "I know. I'm just worried about Danny, that's all."

Sarah nodded. "I am too. But we need to focus on getting him better right now. And we also need to figure out what's going on with Eliza and Manager Joe."

Kelvin raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

Sarah's expression turned angry. "I mean, Manager Joe fired Eliza yesterday. And now Danny's in the hospital after trying to confront him about it. It's just too much of a coincidence."

Kelvin's expression remained neutral. "She deserved it," he said, his voice firm.

Sarah's eyes widened in surprise. "Kelvin, how can you say that?" she asked.

Kelvin shrugged. "Maybe Eliza is just lazy and not doing her work well. I'm sure she always goes to work late. It's no wonder Manager Joe fired her."

The doctor interrupted their conversation, his voice firm but polite. "It's time for the patient to rest," he said. "I'll need to ask you all to step outside for now."

Sarah and Kelvin nodded in understanding and began to gather their things. "We'll be right outside," Sarah said to the doctor.

The doctor smiled and nodded. "I'll come out and update you on Danny's condition as soon as I can," he said.

As they stepped out into the hallway, Sarah turned to Kelvin. "I'm going to go get some fresh air," she said. "Want to come with me?"

Kelvin nodded and followed Sarah out of the hospital.

As they walked out of the hospital, Sarah wrapped her scarf tighter around her neck, bracing against the cold winter air. The snowflakes fell gently around them, casting a serene silence over the scene.

"I'm so worried about Danny," Sarah said, her breath misting in the chill air.

Kelvin nodded in agreement, his eyes scanning the snowy landscape. "Me too," he said. "But the doctor seems to know what he's doing. I'm sure Danny will be okay."

Sarah nodded, trying to reassure herself. "You're right," she said. "Let's just hope he recovers quickly."

As they stood there, a nurse emerged from the hospital, her bright pink coat a vibrant splash against the winter whites. "You're Danny's friends, right?" she asked, her voice cheerful despite the cold.

Sarah smiled warmly at the nurse. "He's my fiancé," she said, "and Kelvin is his best friend."

The nurse's face lit up with a friendly smile. "Well, I'm glad you're both here to support him. I'll go get you some hot chocolate to warm you up."

"No, thank you," Sarah said quickly. "We're okay."

Kelvin nodded in agreement. "Yes, thank you. We appreciate your kindness."

The nurse smiled and nodded. "Alright, I'll let you two be then."

Just then, the doctor emerged from the ICU, a warm smile on his face. "Good news," he said. "Danny is doing well, and we're planning to discharge him tomorrow."

Sarah's eyes lit up with excitement. "That's wonderful news!" she exclaimed.

The doctor nodded. "Yes, but I do need to caution you, Sarah. Danny will need someone to take care of him at home, at least for the next few days. Can you make arrangements for that?"

Sarah nodded eagerly. "Of course, doctor. I'll take care of him."

Just as the doctor finished speaking, Sarah's phone rang. She glanced at the screen and saw Eliza's name flashing. "Excuse me," she said to the doctor and Kelvin. "I need to take this."

Sarah answered the phone, her voice warm and friendly. "Hey, Eliza! How are you?"

Eliza's voice was petulant on the other end of the line. "I'm so bored and lonely, Sarah. Where are you? I need some company."

Sarah's expression turned cool as she listened to Eliza's pleas. "Eliza, I'm busy right now," she said curtly. "I'll talk to you later, okay?"

Eliza's voice was oblivious to Sarah's tone. "But where are you? I want to come see you," she said.

Sarah's frustration grew. Eliza wasn't even asking about Danny, or how he is doing. She is only thinking about herself. "I'll talk to you later, Eliza," Sarah repeated firmly. "Bye."

With that, Sarah ended the call, feeling a mix of annoyance and disappointment. Kelvin and the doctor were watching her with concern, but Sarah just shook her head. "It's fine," she said. "Just Eliza being Eliza."

The doctor, noticing Sarah's distress, offered a reassuring smile. "Don't worry, Sarah. You're doing a great job taking care of Danny. We'll get him home tomorrow and he'll be back on his feet in no time."

Kelvin, who had been quietly observing the conversation, spoke up. "Yeah, Sarah, you're doing great. We'll all be here to support you and Danny."

Sarah smiled weakly, feeling a sense of gratitude towards Kelvin. "Thanks, Kelvin. That means a lot to me."

The doctor nodded, his expression professional. "I'll let you two get back to Danny. I'll check in on him again later."

Sarah nodded, watching as the doctor walked away. Kelvin stood beside her, his eyes fixed on the door the doctor had just exited.

The silence between them was comfortable, but Sarah's mind was already turning to Eliza's phone call and the conversation they had just had.

Kelvin broke the silence, his voice low and curious. "What did Eliza want?" he asked, his eyes fixed on Sarah's face.

Sarah hesitated for a moment before answering. "She was asking me to come over. She said she was bored and lonely."

Kelvin shook his head, his expression disapproving. "I told you, that girl always thinks about herself. She's wicked. Why didn't she even ask about Danny? Or is she pretending like she doesn't know anything about the accident?"

Sarah sighed, feeling frustrated with Eliza's behavior. "I don't know, Kelvin. Maybe she's just really self-absorbed."

Just then, Kelvin's phone rang, shrill in the quiet hospital parking lot. He glanced at the screen before answering. "Hey, I need to take this. It's work-related."

Sarah nodded understandingly. "Go ahead, I'll be fine here."

Kelvin nodded and walked a short distance away to take the call. Sarah watched him go, feeling a pang of loneliness as she stood alone in the parking lot.

After a few minutes, Kelvin returned, his expression apologetic. "I'm so sorry, Sarah, but I have to go. It's an emergency at work."

Sarah nodded understandingly, trying to hide her disappointment. "It's okay, Kelvin. Go take care of things. I'll be fine here."

Kelvin hesitated for a moment before nodding and turning to leave. "I'll check in on you and Danny later, okay?"

Sarah smiled weakly and nodded. "Okay. Thanks, Kelvin."

As Kelvin drove away, Sarah couldn't help but feel a sense of relief wash over her. She was grateful for Kelvin's support, but she knew she had to be strong for Danny.

Just as she was starting to feel a sense of calm, Sarah saw the doctor walking towards her. His face was etched with a warm smile, and Sarah's heart skipped a beat as she wondered what news he might bring.

"Sarah, I have some good news," the doctor said, his voice filled with warmth. "Danny has woken up."

Sarah's eyes widened in shock, and she felt a rush of excitement course through her veins. "Really?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

The doctor nodded. "Yes, really. He's still a bit groggy, but he's awake and he's asking for you."

Sarah's heart soared as she rushed towards the hospital entrance. "I'll be right there," she called out to the doctor, not waiting for a response.

As she burst through the hospital doors, Sarah felt a sense of hope and joy that she hadn't felt in hours. She couldn't wait to see Danny and hold him in her arms.