Jackson sat waiting in his doctor's office after going through the yearly checkups required to keep his license as a helthcare professional "what is wrong?" he asked when he saw the frown on the doctor's face as he went through his results.

"There were heart murmurs, no need to be alarmed...yet...i will order some follow up tests to make sure there isn't anything major" the doctor filled out a sheet for the tests and handed it to Jackson.

"I can't do these this week, i'm starting a new case this afternoon, i won't know when i'll get the time until i get there and assess the situation" Jackson tried to read the scribbles on the sheet wondering why doctors, as learned as they were, always had crappy handwriting.

"That's ok" the doctor stood up and offered his hand as a sign of dismissal "but don't take too long, you never know"

"I'll get it done as soon as i can, thank you" Jackson shook the offered hand and left. He tossed the sheet in the trash can when he got out. Doctor's were always nitpicky, blowing the slightest thing out of proportion and finding problems when there was none, he looked at his clock and he had just enough time to grab an early lunch before he had to go and pack up.

Jackson struggled with his bags up the short stairs to the front door and was met by the housekeeper “Jackson” he shook her hand enthusiastically with a broad smile “from visiting angels, I’m Mr. Tuan’s new companion”

“right, right” the middle aged woman already deciding that she liked Jackson “follow me, I’ll show you to your room” she led the way as Jackson heaved his bags along “the last aid only lasted two days” she said over her shoulder “I hope you stay longer” she unlocked the door to a luxuriously furnished room “he has his bad days but he’s a good boy, he his. I raised him since he was born, he was a sweet child but very unlucky, he's suffered too much for such a young age” She sniffled and wiped her eyes.

“Where is he?” Jackson asked after putting his bags away.

“That’s his bedroom” she pointed to the door opposite Jackson’s room “he stays in there all the time and sometimes there” she pointed to the door next to Mr. Tuan’s bedroom “don’t go in there, I don’t know what he keeps there but no one goes in there” Jackson nodded.

“I’ll go find him and introduce myself” he smiled at the teary woman.

“Ok if you need anything don’t hesitate to ask” the woman walked out leaving Jackson by himself.

Mark sat behind his canvas in his drawing room, he was surrounded by rows and rows of paintings he had done over the years, painting was his escape, putting the world as he saw it and his feelings on paper, he’d never shown his paintings to anyone because he felt it would be like having someone read his dairy. His latest paintings were that of the man he had met a few days ago at the bus stop, he just kept painting him one canvas after another, as if that would get him out of his system. “Mr. Tuan!” Mark heard the voice and thought he had imagined it, probably because he had been playing it over and over again in his head to calm himself down, he put down his brush and listened “Mr. Tuan! Are you in there?”  He run to the door sending a few paintings to the floor, he felt a certain spark inside of him, a warm feeling he hadn’t felt before and it was a feeling he liked very much, he reached for the door knob and froze as the fear of encountering another person gripped him. “Mr. Tuan!” Mark leaned his ear against the door “My name is Jackson, I’m your new aid” Mark already knew his name, he closed his eyes and listened as he felt a calmness wash over him “I...Uh…I’m going to unpack my things, I hope you come down for dinner” Mark heard the footsteps retreating and opened the door, he didn’t want him to stop talking, he didn’t care what he was saying he just wanted him to keep talking, he liked how he felt when he heard his voice. he liked how the voices stopped when he played his words back in his mind. He began walking after him slowly, for the first time he wasn’t afraid, for the first time he wanted to be in the presence of another person.

Jackson slid the black curtains open to let in some light as he made a mental note to change it, the rest of the house could be pitch black if they wanted but his room was his to do what he wanted with it, he opened his suitcase and picked up his client’s case file, ‘Mark Tuan, 22, Paranoid schizophrenic’ he read ‘not speech impaired but chooses not to talk’ he continued.

Mark stood in the door way of Jackson’s room, the light behind him made it seem like there was a halo around his head, he squinted and covered his eyes from the light. The movement made Jackson look up at the young man shielding his face “Oh I’m sorry” he closed the curtains “I know you” he beamed when Mark removed his hand from his face “you’re the Beethoven guy” Jackson knew to keep his distance.

‘and you’re the guy from the bus who couldn't shut up’ Mark smiled in his mind.

Jackson saw the expressionless face and dead eyes, but he knew he had caught Mark’s interest since the latter was still standing there “Come in Mark, is it ok if I call you Mark?” Jackson moved his suitcase from the bed “sit down”. Mark began to walk toward Jackson, his feet began to feel heavy, he liked hearing him talk to him but his paranoia was begining to set in due to the prolonged direct exposure to one person, the longest he’d ever engaged anyone was his therapist, his skin began going white as anxiety set in, he spun around and barged into his room just before he threw up. Jackson started to go after him and stopped deciding to take it slow and give Mark time to get used to his presence, he had been surpr