It was when she heard the glass behind her break with a loud crack sound that she came to her senses. She looked into the direction the vase had flown from and found a man, a very angry man, staring at her.
He was sitting in a wheelchair and the way he was looking at her seemed as if she had just announced she was going to snatch his property. He looked at her as if she had committed a gruesome crime against humanity and the man looked oh-so- willing to kill her with his own two hands.
Turning around, she walked out of the room to the living room and slumped on the nearest couch. Taking out her phone from her purse, she dialled a number.
"This is Dr. Mathews speaking." came the voice from the other end.
"Where did you send me?" she asked as the glass shattering incident reeled in front of her eyes.
"Oh. You reached there? How are you feeling?"
"Scared for my life."
The doctor gave a nervous laugh. "Seems like you met him already. I am sure you will do a great job-"
"In dealing with the child?" Rose asked interrupting him.
"Well, he is, with his temper at the moment like a child throwing tantrums." His voice trailed off as if he could feel her anger on the other side of the phone.
"So, you want to say that there is a child trapped in the body of that grown up man!?" Rose taunted.
"Uh-huh. You can say something like that."
"Sorry, sir but I do not perform exorcisms."
She heard a chuckle come from beside her and it was then that she realised the old man was standing with the glass of water.
Thanking the old man for water, she resumed her conversation.
"You lied to me! You'd said it'd a child that I was supposed to look after." Rose said in an accusatory tone.
"I was talking about my client's son. I never said that the son was a child not a grown up man."
Well, he is right. He never called the patient a child. She admitted silently.
"How could you do this to me? You know very well I only work as a caregiver for children." She sighed rubbing her temples which were ready to burst with pain.
"Come on, Rose. You can do it. Think of him as a child and you are the best person who knows how to deal with kids. He's a new challenge and you adore challenges. Remember?"
She pursed her lips. Now he was using her words against her.
Her head was still aching while her heart was still trying extra hard to keep itself running. What had happened moments ago was actually a heart stopping experience and she never wanted to feel like that again.
"Had I not been lucky enough I would have been lying there on your surgery table with a team of doctors stitching and sewing my head." She complaint.
"Uh.. was it that bad?"
"Oh. Trust me. Maybe you would even have been performing postmortem on my body."
"Please, Rose. I sent you there with high hopes-"
"And I am coming back because if I am not alive then how will you ever be able to place your hopes on me again." she said adamantly.
"You cannot do that. You have signed a contract and it says you can leave only if your employer fires you. If he misbehaves or harasses you, only in that case you are allowed to quit. Otherwise, serve your full term."
"Him throwing a vase at me can be called harrassment."
"It can be proved as an accident." Doctor countered.
"I can't believe it! I trusted you during all these years!" she groaned at her helpless situation.
She couldn't believe that the contracts she had been signing for years, contracts that till date were same, word by word, those same papers today had bound her here leaving her in a helpless situation.
Oh God, I can't even go back to my house. I have rented it for 2 months till my services here are no longer needed. I am so stupid! She cursed herself under her breath.
No you are just greedy. An inner voice supplied.
Shut up!
Sighing, she asked, "How long is it going to take for him to be able to walk again? This man has one hell of a temper."
There was a long pause and for a minute Rose wondered if doctor had cut the call.
"He has a spinal cord injury, Rose."
She was quiet for a minute before she asked, "He... He will be able to walk. Right?"
She heard the doctor sigh. "He has a spinal cord injury. So, the chances of him being able to walk again aren't very bright."
Now Rose could understand the reason behind the bitterness in the other man's attitude and the scary look he threw her way.
"No wonder he was angry." She murmured before asking. "But still isn't science doing wonders day by day? So there should be a solution to this."
Doctor sighed. She could picture him leaning back in his chair while rubbing his eyes. "Science alone can't do much. There are studies being carried out about this but for Arden, even if he can use his upper half if the body, his lower half is now paralyzed."
"He suffers from back pain, can't sit in one position for long and has issues he'd rather not talk about."
Rose kept listening quietly as the doctor continued, "He lost his ability to walk in an accident 18 months ago. Since then there have been around a number of physiotherapists and caretakers who have been working with him and for him."
"But slowly his hope of being able to walk again diminished and so did the cheerfulness in him. He turned bitter."
Rose heard a murmur of the nurse from the other side followed by the doctor's voice, "I'd need to go now. But Frank will explain you your role there. I have put my faith in you, Rose. Please don't let me down."
With that he cut the call. Rose sighed as she stared into the space. She could never have thought that a man who was living in such luxury, behind the walls of this huge villa he was so isolated and lonely. So vulnerable and powerless.
Frank placed a cup of tea in front of Rose as he took a seat opposite her.
"I'm a butler at this house. I've been working here since Arden was five. I've seen him growing."
Rose could see a small smile on his lips as if he was reliving those moments before it turned somber again.
"Before the accident, he was playful. He wouldn't sit at one place for long. Be loved outdoor activities. He hard working and smart. He still is... It's just that he has lost his hope."
"He has become moody, and often snaps at people." Frank looked up at Rose apologetically.
"I apologise for the incident this noon."
"It's alright. I understand." She smiled back reassuringly.
"Currently, he is working with a physiotherapist. I'm some days he won't work and some days he oush himself so hard that it scares me sometimes if he's trying to kill himself."
"I have been called urgently at my hometown. In my absence there's no one to look after him. His doesn't want his parents to see him like this. But he can't be left alone and that is why you've been hired.
"He's fired all the previous caregivers but you have to make sure, you stay. Your work will involve keeping him company, make sure he exercises so his muscles do not waste. He needs to take his medicine on time. Keep an eye on him."
Rose just looked at him, not sure what to say or how to answer.
"Am i clear, Ms Roberts?" He asked again.
"Y- yes." She answered.
A small smile touched Frank's lips as he said, "He’ll likely bite your head off, but I'm sure Dr. Mathews knows what he's doing."
Getting up he picked up her empty cup of tea and looked down at her.
"I'll show you to your room which is adjacent to Arden's. So that you can reach to him quickly if he's in need of something. I think you too would want to settle down. So, your work starts tomorrow morning."
With those final words, Frank left to the kitchen while Rose sat there. Still. Unmoving.
Inside, her stomach was in knots and ropes constricted her chest. She fought to breathe without gasping. It was all too much for her. Her stomach roiled and she swallowed bile and fear.
That feeling from years ago was slowly creeping up her skin and she fought hard to put it back in that closed box of her memories. Sealed and never to be out. Or so she hoped.
*****
So, I hope you understood why this time there were no characters or aesthetics.
This is kinda heavy topic to deal with but I'm sure Rose and Arden's upcoming interactions will help you survive.
I'm still working on this novel so even I'm not sure how events will unfold. I hope I'll get your support till the last word of this story. ❤️
*This story has been on my mind for so long and now I'm so nervous* 😭
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Guys, do me a small favor.
Go to my page and you'll find "It Began With A Kiss Published"
Read the chap. I need your opinions 💕