Painful Smiles

Claudia slowly crept into the bed and covered the sheets. Soon she fell asleep.

Few minutes later, the nurse came in and took the note, she opened it to read. Michael should hold unto this. As she gave the letter to him, his eyes widened. His emerald pupils began to shake. ‘From Dad?’ he asked.

The nurse could sense fear in his tone. ‘No, dear’ she replied, ‘From the girl who donated blood to you. And look, don’t play this prank again, she’s just a kid like you and doesn’t owe you any blood donation’.

Michael frowned, ‘I didn’t ask any little girl to donate blood. Why’d she give me? If she wants to die, then she should die’.

Audrey shook her head, the boy wasn’t even guilty for all the stress he’d put everyone in, she sat beside him, ‘That girl nearly died, boy. Write back to her when you’re done. Be nice’.

He unfolded the letter and first thing he saw was ‘Frenchie’. ‘I don’t have a name’ he pointed at the word. ‘Don’t you think it’s better to hide your name so she doesn’t know that the son of the CEO of Bleu Cristal tried killing himself! To save you and your dad’s reputation..’

‘I care less about his reputation or mine, or that company filled with employees who dresses like mafias and women who have never known a Church, swearing and using dirty languages, even in front of their boss’ Michael retorted.

Audrey was taken aback from his outburst. Yeah, lots of the Bleu Cristal workers were reported to be rude and vague.

‘I know some women are already flinging their skirts open trying to seduce my father now my mom is dead’ he continued.

‘They can have him though’ he wanted to add but swallowed it.

‘Alright but putting us in this stress is not fair. I had to suck up blood from a girl your age to save you’ Audrey lamented.

‘I know you don’t care but I feel bad’ she added.

‘I care. Is she okay?’ Michael said plain faced.

Was he serious? Or acting serious?

‘Never mind, she’s alive at least. Write back a letter. Be nice’ she reminded again before placing her head on the desk hoping for a few minutes sleep.

‘What would I call her? She kept a ridiculous smiley face as her name?’ he whined back.

She ignored him.

‘What does she look like though?’ he asked.

‘I know no shit about her. What’ll I write? Thanks for letting them suck blood from ya? I’m not ungrateful but she actually stopped me from meeting my mom. So I don’t know’ he paused, ‘Is she pretty though?’ he asked with a louder pitch. Audrey turned her head to the other side.

‘Fine, I’ll give her any name I feel like. Nice or not. Freaking don’t care.’ he said and finally shut up.

Audrey gasped silently. He complains his father’s workers talked vague while he spoke more matured for his age.

She had thought his father was a Mafia Lord due to the way he dressed and spoke. He looked really young for a thirty-five year old man when she had first met him. When she realized he was the hidden CEO of the multi-million European company, she was dumbstruck.

She was actually applying to be a nurse at one of his institutions, there at the US. But then he said to work for him, personally. He had stressed on the personally.

She thought he wanted her close for other intentions but when she knew she had a wife who was a real wife, she loosened up a bit. He just wanted some one who was a nobody and won’t be a threat to his family.

Those were the exact words he used.

‘I need a nobody who wouldn’t be a threat to my family. Would you take the offer?’

Of course, she did. She quickly agreed to be the ‘nobody’. With a whooping sum for starts. The amount took her for months, buying whatever she liked.

‘So, you’re okay with me giving her a name? Any name?’ Michael started his whining again.

‘Yeah, I trust you have brains, boy’ she smirked.Text property © Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org.

He twisted his lips, ‘Guess, I disappointed ya’ he handed the letter to her.

She opened it.

Aish, has this boy given a whole letter. ‘Didn’t know you’re this good at English’ she said, her eyes still looking around for mistakes. There was none. He could be brilliant sometimes.

She frowned, ‘BloodyPie? That’s your name for her?’ she strikes it with her pen. ‘Told you it’s disappointing’ he shrugged casually.

Mrs. Larabee peeked into the room when Audrey opened it. Audrey had met the mother while going in to drop Michael’s letter. ‘You can see her she’s okay now’ Audrey smiled as she unlocked the door. ‘Why is she locked alone?’ Mrs. Larabee asked while entering the room.

Audrey smiled trying to ignore the question. Mrs. Larabee touched her daughter’s neck to check her temperature. ‘We like testing at home. I want to bring her home. You’ll pair for a homeschool teacher for her. She can’t miss school’ the mother said authoritatively but calmly.

Audrey nodded, she must obey. She owed them. Not like it was she paying, Michael’s father will. She swallowed saliva when she remembered that Michael’s father would be returning home from Japan in the next two days. If Michael is not in better shape by then. Her head could be in danger, and her sister’s.

Mrs. Larabee phoned her husband to inform him to prepare for their daughter coming home, she turned to face Audrey. ‘Where is the boy that had her blood?’. Audrey smiled again to divert the question but this one was direct and needed an answer.

She smiled as she said, ‘Well, I’m sorry. I can’t show you the boy. You know he’s family is a one of a kind’.

Audrey regretted her words as soon as Mrs. Larabee’s face turned red hot like a volcano that was about to erupt.