Charmaine unclipped her badge from the lapel of her jacket and slid it into the pocket.  The weather was getting cool despite the hard blare of the sun.  She passed a jewelry store and a small pendant caught her eye.  It was in the shape of a tear drop but what caught her attention was the color of it.  It was opaque instead of the clear clarification diamond which people would pay thousands, even millions for.  She looked longingly at it, her eyes flitting to the small price tag shamelessly attached to it.  For that amount, she could buy herself a brand new car.  Shaking her head in amazement she continued her stroll up the block.  Suddenly, her eye began to twitch and she lifted her hand to rub at it.  When the twitching had gone she focused back on the path in front of her.  To her annoyance Raymond Lam was walking down the street in her direction.  He didn’t see her yet as his face was slightly averted.  Just then he turned his head and saw her.  With their eyes locked they shortened the distance between them slowly and cautiously, like two predators waiting to see who would make the first strike.  When they were less than two feet away, Raymond took the initiative and greeted her in his usual arrogant way, “Hello Madame Sheh.  Out to catch more bad guys?”

Charmaine wondered whether his attitude was inherited or was it something he acquired during his years of hanging out and debauching with his so-called friends.  Controlling the urge to make a snippy comeback she said in a sugar sweet voice, “Actually the only bad guy I want to catch is standing right in front of me.”

Raymond heard the sarcasm in her voice and it hit a nerve in him.  With clenched jaws, he said tightly, “I think you should change your line of work.  Being a cop doesn’t suit you since you obviously have poor judgment.  You should consider being a lawyer.  They have ways of twisting everything around to suit themselves.”

Irked by his words, Charmaine stared angrily at him and was about to curse him out when he suddenly pushed her roughly away.  She fell and landed on her but during her disgraceful fall she saw a large crate crash onto the ground where she stood only seconds ago.  Shocked by the close call, she searched the crowd frantically for Raymond Lam and found him lying next to the crate, his left hand clutching at his right arm.  His face was pale and he looked to be in extreme pain.  Realizing that he had intentionally pushed her out of harm’s way and therefore injuring himself, Charmaine quickly rushed to his side, “Are you okay?” she asked as her hands felt around his injured arm.

“Ouch!” Raymond cried out then groaned, “I think my arm is broken.”

A crowd had already formed around them and Charmaine looked pointedly at a young man who stood directly in front of her trying to get a closer look.  “You,” she said with authority, “Call for an ambulance.”

The young man saw her grim expression and quickly made the call.

With Raymond still lying helplessly on the ground Charmaine stood up to examine the crate.  She tilted her head up and saw a crane hanging just above them with its hook still swaying gently in mid air.  The crate most likely dropped from the hook.

“I’m sorry.  So sorry,” someone shouted nearby.

Charmaine turned towards the voice to see a stocky middle age man dressed in construction clothes running towards her.  She pointed to the crate and asked, “This belong to you?”

The man paled and stammered, “Y-Yes.  I was trying to move it but s-somehow the cord s-snapped and the crate fell.  I-It was an a-accident.”

“In your line of work you should make sure that these kind of accidents don’t happen,” Charmaine scolded heatedly.  “Luckily no one was seriously injured this time.  If someone was to die from this accident, not only will your license be suspended but you will have to live with the guilt for the rest of your life.”

The man looked to be on the verge of tears as he nodded with contrite, “I know.  I know,” he stuttered, “I’ll be more careful.”

Two uniform officers arrived at the scene and it turns out they were from her station.  “Get a statement from this guy,” Charmaine instructed and they pulled the construction guy aside to do so.

Raymond who had been quietly listening to the conversations around him looked up when he saw Charmaine squat down beside him.  With his arm still throbbing with pain he mumbled, “It was an accident.  You didn’t have to be so harsh with the guy.”

Ignoring his comment, she saw the beads of sweat that now covered his face and thought he looked even more paler than a few minutes ago.  “Does your arm still hurt?” she asked gently.

Raymond was taken aback by the softness of her voice and numbly nodded his head.

The ambulance arrived and the paramedics quickly went to Raymond’s side.  They took his vitals and asked him some questions which he was able to mumble out.  Then they returned to their vehicle and brought out a gurney.  Helping Raymond onto the gurney was not easy since every little movement seem to cause more pain to him.  He yelped and cursed throughout the ordeal and only quiet down when he was secured in the ambulance and on his way to the hospital.

At the hospital Charmaine paced the floor as she waited for the doctor to examine Raymond.  When she heard the rustling of the curtain being drawn back she quickly rushed into the examining room.  Raymond was sitting on a makeshift hospital bed with his legs dangling over the side.  His injured arm was encased in a cast.  He was fumbling with the sling that held the cast and looked up when he heard her enter.  Their eyes held for a few seconds before Charmaine turned to the doctor, “How is he?” she asked.

“He’s fine,” the doctor answered, “His elbow joints got slightly dislocated.”

Charmaine gave Raymond a quick glance then turned back to the doctor with disbelief, “That’s it?  No broken bones or torn ligament?”  She thought it was something more serious and severe given the pain he was in earlier.

Raymond misread the meaning in her words and thought the dislocated joints weren’t enough for her.  Glaring at her he snapped, “How hurt do you want me to be?”

“That wasn’t what I meant,” Charmaine hissed angrily.  “You were in so much pain before I just assumed it was more severe than a dislocated joint.”

Raymond saw the concern on her face and realized that he had misjudged her.  Avoiding her angry stare, he mumbled, “Sorry for jumping to the wrong conclusion.”

“What Mr. Lam needs is a few days rest and not to move that arm.  I put the cast on him to ensure that.  He needs to come back in five days so that I can remove it.”

“Thanks Doctor,” Raymond said as he slid off the bed.  “Can I leave now?”

The doctor smiled at them.  “I don’t see why not.  See you in five days,” he said as he left the room.

Alone Charmaine and Raymond stood in awkward silence.  After a moment, Charmaine smiled warmly at him and softly said, “Thanks for saving me.”

“No thanks needed.  I would have done the same thing for a stranger,” Raymond said casually and wondered why he never noticed how pretty she was before.  Maybe it was because whenever he saw her she always had a sour expression.

Charmaine nodded at his answer then said, “Since you’re okay then I’ll be going.  Bye.”

“Wait,” Raymond called after her, “Would it be too much trouble for you to give me a ride home.  As you can see driving is off limits to me for a few days.”

Charmaine saw the humorous gleam in his eyes and gave him another smile.  “I suppose that’s the least I can do.  After all you did save my life.”

Raymond didn’t know what was happening inside him but his heart was hammering like crazy.  Taking deep long breaths to steady his racing heart he followed her out all the while admiring her from behind.