Redemption - Episode 35

 

Benedicta:

 I am wide awake when my alarm clock starts blaring and I weakly stand up to get ready to wake the kids for school. Thankfully, today is Friday and I hope to take a weekend break. I have an audition this afternoon. Plus, I need to see my baby boy. Last night was a rollercoaster of emotions I told myself I would not let it feel again and I just kept falling into fitful sleep with crazy dreams. The last dream was characterized by Luis's crying face morphing into Lucas's . After that, I couldn't go back to sleep. I just watched the clock hand count the night away.
  I am fully awake after a cold shower and in few minutes, I am in my work uniform. I check the time and see it's already 6:15am. I should go downstairs and make sure breakfast is ready for the kids.
  Even though I don't want to, I finally step out of my room. I so want to run back inside the room but I know I can't. I am his nanny. I have to do my job. I take in a deep breath and start to walk on when I notice something red beneath my sneakers. I move back in alarm only to discover it's a rose. A really pretty rose. And I just stepped on it. I crouch down and pick it up.
"Awwwwn, I am sorry little rose. Didn't see you there." I say while admiring it

All episodes of this story can be found here >> https://www.ebonystory.com/story/redemption

. It's still pretty even after I stepped on it. Wait a minute, there are inscriptions on the petals.
"I am sorry. Lucas." Awww. He got me a rose to apologize? I sniff the rose a little before skipping down excitedly to the kitchen.
"You are up." Joy, the house cook says as I enter the kitchen and I smile.
"A joyous morning to you Joy." I greet and she raise her brow at me.
"What?"
"Someone is excited." She says and I shrug.
"I am always excited. I mean, I slept and woke up. That's something to be excited about right?" I ask and she shake her head.
"Nah. That's not it. There's something different about this smile."
"No. There's not."
"Come on. Spit it out. You know I enjoy gossip." She says and I shake my head.
"There's no gossip here."
"Then what's that?" She asks, pointing to my hand and I quickly hide the flower.
"What's what?. Is breakfast ready?" I try to change the topic but the conniving woman launch herself at me and starts tickling me.
"Stop. Stop. Oh my God, I am going to pee my pant. Here. There." I giggle and push the rose out for her to see. I can't take the torture.
"Awww. A rose. Someone's in loveeee." She sings and I blush.
"Stop it. It's nothing." I say, twisting a lock of my hair like a timid teenager. Stop it for Christ's sake Bennie, you are a mother. I drop my smile at this reminder.
"What is it? Your smile just fell." Joy points out and I sigh. I wish Cheryl was here but she still hasn't called me back. I wonder if she ended up killing my brother then committing suicide. I make a mental note to call them later.
"It's nothing Joy. I should go wake the kids up." I say but Joy grab my hand.
"Nuh uh. You have been here a week but I notice, you don't talk about yourself much. I know people and I am sure, you have a story to tell. A sad past or something. It's in the way you are determined to work even when the boss tried to frustrate you when you first got here. It's like you are trying to redeem yourself." She says and I stare at her open mouthed. Does my face and action really say that much?
"Don't give me that look. I told you, I know people. And I did study psychology for a few years before I transferred to catering. Now, spill. What's making you frown? I mean the hot boss gave you a flower. You should be taking a ram to church for thanksgiving." She says and I shake my head.
"Ummm I'll love to chitchat but I got to get the kids ready." I say again.
"The kids were taken to school about an hour before you woke up." Joy tells me and my eyes bulge.
"What? But that's my job! Am I getting fired? Oh man! I shouldn't have banged the door in his face last night." I ramble panicky while pacing the kitchen
"What are you talking about?" Joy asks but I keep rambling because I am freaking out. My money!!
"That's probably what the flower was for. He's apologizing for firing me! He's such a jerk. He could have at least fired me personally. I have to talk to him. He's going to get it from me now that I am already fired." I shoot out of the kitchen towards his office.
"Babe! Bennie!" Joy tries to call out to me but I ignore her.
  I get to the office in records time and push the door open only to lose my footing when the door is also pulled from the inside.
"Oh my God!" I yell as my eyes close in preparation for my fall but luckily I get caught mid fall with a hand holding my uniform's waist band.
"You jerk! You fired me?! All because I said I have a little crush on y___ oh my God!" I clasp a hand over my mouth as I lift myself up to come face to face with the perfectly made up face of talina.
"Uh. Talina! Oh I am sorry. I am Benedicta. Big fan of yours. I have always dreamt of singing like you and making a duet or something cool like that." I ramble excitedly once I overcome my shock. I wipe my hand on my uniform and stretch it out for an handshake.
 Talina has a look of disgust on her face as she eyes my hand disdainfully.
"I can see the nanny has big dreams." She finally says and I feel like my dream has been dashed to the wall.
"What?" I ask throatily. It's like the air has been sucked out of the room.
"Flirting with Lucas, Your boss. My man. All because of a sad little dream of singing like me? Come on, be realistic."
"But?__"
"He told me all about your little crush. I don't mind letting him play around with a cheap thing like you. It's not cheating if the girl in question stinks of naivety and desperation." What the hell?
"Listen to me. I won't let you talk to me like I am lower than you. We are both humans and I ___" I fire at her but don't get to finish when she lands a hot slap across my face. Ouch!
"We are not the same stupid! He's just using you. Men would be men. They can't say no to free sex from a gold digging slut." She spits out and I whimper while still clutching my stinging face.
"You know what? You can have him. Both of you belong together in hell!" I spit out before running out of Lucas's office. I can't let her see my tears. They don't deserve to make me cry anymore! I try to harden myself but the tears are traitorous. They pour out like an ocean without it's dam as I dash out of the house.
"I hate you Lucas! I am not a slut!!" I yell into the quiet street as I cry heart wrenching tears. Why do I always have to love the wrong people? What am I saying? This isn't even love. It's just a crush. I tell myself but who am I kidding? This hurts more than a crush should hurt.
 I back up to a mango tree just few houses from Lucas's as I try to collect myself.
"Come on babe. You don't need this. No amount of money is worth this. You just have to go to your auditions and pray for the best." I say, wiping tears off my face.
"Achieve! Achieve. Achieve." I chant as I start walking back to Lucas's. I don't think the jerk is home so I should just pick my things and leave. I don't want to face him. He can't know I am affected.
  I start hurrying to the house when a black van zooms pass me, almost hitting me. I am not even on the road. I am on the sidewalk. What's wrong with the driver? Oh I am done, letting people treat me like I am nothing.
"Hey! Stupid Driver! You almost ran me off the sidewalk bastard!" I yell while running after the van. He better stop. I am going to let my anger out on this drunk.
"I said stop!!!" I yell and the van finally stops. I run the few steps to get to the driver's side of the car.
"Mr man! You do not get to drive like that okay? If you had hit me, a sorry is all I'll get!" I spit out while knocking on the tinted window.
"Open this stu__" my words get caught in my mouth as the window comes down and I see a masked man behind the wheel.
"You were saying?" He asks while smirking sinisterly at me. He sounds vaguely familiar.
"Umm. I was saying umm I am sorry for being in the way? Umm good talk. Bye" I squeal as the door pushes open and I take to my heels while screaming at the top of my voice.
"Help!! Somebody!!" I yell as I run towards Lucas's house. I can hear the footfalls of the masked man and it is very close.
"No!!" I yell, kicking and screaming as strong arms pick me off the ground and throw me onto his shoulders like I weigh nothing.
"Stop struggling.

Read " Make You Mine(Redemption 2) " by the same author ( Ameh juliet )

. You will hurt yourself." He warns. Like he cares.
"Please, you have got the wrong person. Let me Go! I don't have any money to give to you. My boss is rich and he's a jerk. He must be the one you want!" I try to struggle with the man, who I think just chuckled. He's way stronger and he's not letting go. I look backwards yo where we are heading towards the van and I panic. I put my teeth against his ear and chew it. Hard.
"Arrghhhh. Benedicta!" He yells as he pulls the door open and throws me inside.
"You know my name? Who are you? I am going yo get you locked up once I get free. You would regret this!" I ramble and try to get past him but when he presses an handkerchief against my nose, I go weak and start to lose consciousness.
"I don't get paid enough for this!" I hear the masked man say before I black out.

Dun dun dun
Suspense music.
Who is kidnapping our heroine people?
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Laters.