26

The phone in my hand stopped ringing. I sighed in relief, hoping they would give up and ask the receptionist for information instead.

I was about to turn around when I felt a hand on my shoulder.

"Nikki?" Rebecca called. She had gone ahead and called me by my secretarial name, only managing to make things worse. How could she even recognize me from behind? Did this mean Chad's mom would recognize me as well?

I was too confused to understand what was going on. Without stooping to think, I lowered my head, so my hair would fall to the sides of my face and act as a shield.

I turned to the left without waiting to warn them first. As soon as I could turn around without being seen by them, I took my exit from the hospital, running until I found my parked bike.

I was out of sight and mind and I sighed in relief, grateful to know she hadn't caught me. Who knew what could happen if she found out I was nothing but a plain, old secretary.

*

I sunk into my couch, knowing the best option was to go to sleep.

There was nothing more strenuous than pedalling through a wide range of distance.

A part of me felt guilty and responsible for Chad's accident but the greater part feared what could happen to me especially if he informed Rebecca that he had been on the way from my house to work when the accident had occurred.

Lying there and out of breath, I wondered why his mother would still hang out with Rebecca even after meeting Mandy. It was unfair to give her hope when she knew her son had a new girlfriend.

"Rich people," I scoffed, standing to my feet, "I could never understand their asses." I went into the kitchen to fill myself with a glass of water when my ringing phone brought me back to the living room.

My heart skipped, thinking Rebecca had managed to find out that I was a phony. I relaxed when the caller identified as Tom.

"Hey, Tom." I sat back on the couch, my hand on my lap.

"Hey." I could just hear him smile. "So my mom was discharged today, and she happens to be doing just fine. I just thought I would let you know that part." He said.

"Thank goodness." I sighed in relief. Talking to Tom didn't feel like I was talking to my boyfriend. The emotional attachment seemed to have transformed to the feelings between siblings.

"It can't be because of Chad, could it?" I asked him unconsciously, trying to find answers for myself.

"What?" He sounded confused and that snapped me back into reality.

"It's nothing, never mind it." I discarded the thought.

"Isn't he your boss from work? The one that humiliated me the other day?" He scoffed, clearly not ready to drop the topic and move on.

I did suggest having sex with Chad. He had to be the reason behind my emotional detachment from Tom.

"Yup, he is." I provided an answer to his question.

"Why would you suddenly bring him up?" He asked. I closed my eyes and massaged my forehead with my fingertips.

"Because…"

*

Chad

The nurse returned with Rebecca and my mother after a few minutes. I stared blankly at them, unable to ignore the pain in my abdominal area, arms, legs and almost every functional body part I possessed.

"Oh my God! Chad!" Rebecca threw her arms up in the air, running to my side regardless of her heels.

She laid her head on my chest, earning a groan of discomfort.

"I'm sorry." She raised her hands in defeat, backing away from me, "I'm sorry.

"How did you two get to find out about me being here?" I squinted my eyes at them, internally reliving the accident scene in my head. I had been distracted by my thoughts about Nikki that everything felt like it had happened too quickly.

"Nikki called me." Rebecca didn't sound proud to say the words aloud. She folded her arms across her chest, "she told me where you were and so I called your mom so you would have a family member's awareness of the situation." She explained further.

"Nikki called you?" I wondered how she would have known where to find me. I almost twitched my lips into a smile after remembering her hate for Rebecca. It must have taken a lot of grace before she dialed her.

"Mom." I widened my eyes, remembering who Nikki was to her. I turned to look at Rebecca, "where is Nikki now?" I was wearing my best confidence act. What if a drama had occurred between both women? Things didn't feel so good.

"She literally ran off as soon as I got here." Rebecca rolled her eyes with a conclusive sigh. That was enough proof for me that nothing had happened.

"Can you give us some alone time?" My mion spoke for the first time.

Rebecca wasn't willing to let go but she had a thing for pleasing her supposed in-laws.

"Sure." She lowered her head so she could kiss my forehead. I closed my eyes at that and reopened them after she was done.

Rebecca exited the hospital room, leaving it to just my mother and I.

"How did this happen?" She sounded relieved to have gotten rid of Rebecca.

"It's a long story mom, I'm fine now so don't worry about it." I hoped I sounded as convincing as I willed to.

"Hmm." She held my hand in hers and kissed my palm.

I forced a smile at her and shook my head,"we will go home soon, okay?" She looked worried and I tried to sound positive seeing how it could be the only reason behind her expression.

"Chad?" She called for me, even though I was already looking at her.

"About your secretary, Nikki?" She began, "is it just me or does she look like Mandy?" She asked, causing my heart to skip a bit.