A woman's dilemma - Episode 27

 

SO I KNOW SOME OF YOU THINK I DON'T POST AS OFTEN AS YOU'LL LIKE BUT I TRY TO POST DAILY BUT THIS WEEK, IT KEPT SHOWING ERROR AND STUFF FOR DAYS. I GUESS IT JUST MAKES ME FRUSTRATED AND TIRED OF WRITING SO DON'T THINK I'M BEING LAZY BECAUSE I'M TRYING SO HARD EVEN WITH SCHOOL STRESS AND ALL. 

Benedict:

 I grade the last of the test paper on my table then flex my knuckles with a satisfied yawn. I check the antic wristwatch on my wrist and shake my head at how fast time flies . It's past ten and I'm sure i'm the only one still here apart from the hospital's staff and patients. I wonder if my brothers were on duty tonight. My phone lights up with a text and I'm reminded again of the family dinner I'm supposed to be at. Only my sister bothers to remind me of these things. She knows how much I hate being in a gathering of my family. It never ends well. I shoot off a text telling her not to put her hopes on my coming home till the dinner ends before grabbing my suitcase filled with files I have to study.
  I contemplate stopping at my favorite bar as I lock my office door, just to make sure I'm late enough to not have to deal with any member of my family. 

PLEASE HELP. I CAN'T STAND BEING THE ONLY ODD ONE HERE. 

 I smile wryly at my sister's text

All episodes of this story can be found here >> https://www.ebonystory.com/story/a-woman-s-dilemma

. She got that part right, we are the only odd ones in our family of seven. Even my step mother is an optometrist. A doctor of some sort. Like my father and the rest of my three elder brothers. My sister is an aspiring actress which is worst than my case in their eyes. I remember being in her shoes as the worst child of the William's family. When I was bent on pursuing my dream as a basketball player. Before the accident. My knee twitches like it knows it's the reason I'm stuck teaching a set of kids anatomy. Even if it isn't going to be for long. Not that I'm much older than most of them. I was a child genius anyways which only further aggravated my father's anger. A waste of brains, he'll always call me. 

 I'M SORRY. I'M BURIED IN WORK RIGHT NOW. 

 I type out to my sister as I make my way down the hall. up phone beeps again. 

LIAR :/

  I grin down at my phone just as I turn the corner and the cold night air cools my face. I walk down to the parking lot to get my car just when I notice light coming from a class. I stop in my steps to wonder who is inside by this time. Maybe night reading? It's too quiet tho and I have never seen anyone out here by this time before. 
  I abandon my walk to my car and divert to the walkway leading to the class. I peek through the window before making the decision to go in. I don't see anyone the first time I look and would have imagined that the light was left on by a careless student but then my eyes catch a head of unruly hair just behind a desk inside the classroom. I can't see the face but the outline from the back tells me it's a woman in there. What is she doing lying down on the floor by this time of the night? I'm pondering whether to ask her to leave or ask what she's doing when the head comes around and our eyes clash. My brows furrow as I stare into the bright eyes of my new student. The tardy one who was supposed to submit her version of the test to me earlier today. I never thought she would submit seeing as she's probably a rich heiress who didn't have to be in school to make it in life.
"Sir!" She shoots off the floor and that's when I notice the library of book piled up at her feet. 
"Oh! I was making some research." She says as way of explanation for the books when she notices my eyes on them and I nod silently. It goes quiet when she continues to bite down on her lips and watch me.
"What are you doing here this late?" I ask to break the awkward moment.
"Late?" Her eyes goes to the wall clock at the front of the class and her eyes goes wide as saucers.
"10:36!" She squeals and starts grabbing all the books from the floor. I shake my head at her tardiness when she keeps dropping the books from her hands.
 I know I don't have to but I take the few steps to bring me into the class and crouch to the floor to help her. 
"Oh you don't have to." She tries to pry a book on eye anatomy from grasp but ends up losing her balance and falling into me when I pull on the book.
"Christ!" She completely headbutt my lips and u curse silently at the sharp pain and the coppery taste of blood on my tongue.
"Oh no! I'm so sorry." She tries to steady herself as she peels her body from mine but almost plants her head into the ground in the process. 
"Careful!" I chastise her as I grab her hand and hold her up. Her hand shakes in my grasp and I awkwardly drop them with an exhale of breath. A pick up a few books off the floor and stand to tower over her.
"A nurse is supposed to be well comported." I say when she stands up, her hands filled with various books. 
"I'm sorry sir." She says quietly. 
"Don't apologize. Do better." I drop the books in my hand on the pile in her hand and start to walk away. 
"Wait!" Her voice stops me and I turn around with a frown. What is it now?
"My paper. You said I should have it before the end of the day." She nods to some papers peeking from the pile of books and I frown.
"You stayed this late to get it done?" My surprise is evident in my voice. I expected her to try and bribe me for her marks on the test. She looks away shyly at my intense stare.
"I can't fail your course. I want you to see how badly I want to be here." She says.
"You don't have to impress me." I tell her as I take the papers from the pile of books. She gives me one of the shy smiles I'm starting to think are part of her personality.
"I know I don't have to but I keep finding myself​ wanting to do better. Please you." I think she realizes she's said too much and I really don't know what to say to her honest confession.
"I should not have said that. I'm sorry." She stands awkwardly​ under my scrutinizing gaze.
"Don't apologize. Come on. I'll give you a ride home." I take the pile of books from her and walk ahead of her before she objects or anything.
 The sound of her footsteps tells me she's following and I try not to look back at this mysterious lady who seems to be more than I give her credit for. Maybe I'm being too harsh or judgmental.
 I make it to my car and open the backseat door.
"Thank You." She actually thinks I opened the door for her and starts to get in but I block her path. 
''What are you doing?" I ask her. She looks confused for a moment until I drop her books into the back of the car and slam the back door shut.
"I'm not your personal driver." I say as explanation as I pull the passenger door open for her to get in. There she goes, biting on those plump lips of hers with that innocent look on her face. I wait for her to arrange herself in the car before I shut her door for her and walk around to my side of the car. I don't know why I'm being the gentleman tonight. I can't remember being the guy who pulls doors open for a woman. Even the few ones I dated over the years before my accident.
"Buckle up." I say as I put the car into reverse and drive out of the hospital's premises. The car is quiet after she gives me her address and in a bid to make it less awkward, I turn on my car's radio. The usual news of politics comes up and this morning's story on the fire accident on one of the Governorship candidate's house comes up. I turn it up and listen as the radio station announces that the bodies found at the  accident scene has now be confirmed to be the wife of the victim and two staffs. Horrid details are given on how the wife's body was too burnt to be certain but the partially burnt scarf on her neck confirms that it really the wife. A strangled cry from the car reminds me of my company in the car and my head is snapped to the side to find her shaking her head vigorously while tears flows down her cheeks and soak her gown. I feel panicked as usual at the sight of an emotional female. 
"What's wrong?!" Her hands clamp over both her ears.
"Turn that off!" She yells over the radio's sound." I quickly turn it down and slow down to a stop at the side of the road. What's wrong with her?
"Are you okay?" My hand awkwardly hover over her shoulder. I should pat her down right? Tortured eyes blink shut just as she launches her body into my arms. I stiffen in shock and nearly throw her off me. I don't remember being this close to a woman in years.
"She's dead." She sobs into my neck, which stops me from taking any actions to pull her warm body away from me.
"It's going to be okay. It will." I reassure her. She pulls away from me at my words and eyes me weirdly.

Read " To Hate Emmanuel Johnsons " by the same author ( Ameh juliet )

. Did I do something wrong? I clear my throat when she doesn't speak and keeps staring. There's still tears on her face so I take the initiative to pull my handkerchief out of my pocket and hand it to her. 
"Your face." I say stupidly when she takes the handkerchief but keeps staring at it.
"This handkerchief... " she trails off without finishing. 
"What's wrong with it? Is it stained?" I try to take it back but she holds on to it for dear life.
"What's your name?" She asks like she's in a trance. I frown at the turn of events. Has she lost it so suddenly and in my car? 
"Are you okay? Should I take you to the hospital? " I ask her and lift my hand to feel her temperature.
"Your name!" She snaps at me and recoil back. What's with her and my name. 
"Please. I need to know your full name." Her eyes go from my handkerchief to my face.
"Benedict Williams." I answer despite my confusion.
"No!" Her face pales at my words. She looks ready to faint. 
"Are you okay?" I take her cold hand which she pries off. 
"No." She says again and before I can register her movement, she pushes her door open and falls out.
"Christ! What are you doing?!" I yell at her but she rights herself and breaks into a run.
"Wait!" I push open my own door and before I can get to her, she stops a cab and gets in like the hounds of hell are behind her. 
 A call stops my pursuit.
"Yeah?" I say without greeting. 
"It's father. He just had an heart attack. He just got taken into the operating room." My sister's panicked voice is enough to shake me out of whatever trance I'm in. 
"I'm on my way. Text me the hospital." I hurry back to my car all thoughts of this strange encounter pushed to the back of my mind to be ruminated on much later.