She couldn't do it.
Reyona couldn't believe there would be a day when something as easy as breathing would become a problem for her.
Just as she had no idea that something as second nature as driving would become impossible for her.
She soon found out how much her body could work against her will after she got behind the wheel that evening.
She knew she had to go to the hospital.
And that was the intention as she left the restaurant and all its discoveries behind.
But then every single turn of the steering wheel robbed her of her breath, and she was soon breathing heavily and sweating profusely too.
The company was closer to the restaurant, so she headed towards it, hoping she wouldn't pass out while on the highway.
She managed to get to the company and thought of calling Samantha after all.
She dismissed the thought even before it formed.
Her employees had closed for the day, and the night lights were coming on as she drove into the parking lot.
One of the security men saw her sitting in the car and greeted her with a bow.
Reyona merely raised her hand to wave at him.
She contemplated asking him to drive her to the hospital, but that could cause panic among her employees if they knew she was not fine.
So, she called a cab.
While waiting, she looked at the calls she had missed while her phone was in silent mode.
He had called her twice.
She had missed calls from Jane and Samantha.
His call came through just as she was typing a message for Jane.
She ended the call and sent him a message.
I am busy.
She sent Samantha a message to tell her she was better now.
Then she responded to Jane about the question she asked.
"Yes, the beige garland will work well with the theme. Do the rest as you see fit. I trust your judgment."
To Samantha, she responded, "I am fine now. I am about to sleep. I will see you tomorrow."
The cab man called just as she sent the last message. "I am here," he said.
Reyona sucked in her breath and gingerly stepped out of the car, she waved at another security man standing at the front of the company and headed towards the cab man.
********
Reyona was so weak by the time she got to the hospital that she had to be wheeled to the emergency room.
She breathlessly explained what had happened, and the doctors got to work. They gave her medication to make her more comfortable while they ran scans on her stomach.
Reyona could see the look on the face of the nurse when her shirt was raised.
"Is it bad?" she asked.
The nurse, who had not realised she had been watching, looked back at her and said "No, no, just a bit bruised."
Right.
If the excruciating pain she was feeling in her back was what a bit bruised could do, then she never wanted to know what a lot could mean.
The high-necked cut of her shirt had managed to hide the finger imprints on her neck but the moment she changed into the hospital garb, it was plain for all to see.
The doctors asked if she wanted to call the police on whoever had done that.
Reyona let them know that the appropriate authorities were already on it.
"I believe I can trust your confidentiality too, right? If I can't, let me know and I will be on my way."
"Of course, you can, ma'am. We will do all we can to ensure you are comfortable and back on your feet in no time at all."
That was when Reyona could finally relax.
She told them about the tiredness she had been feeling before the incident too.
When she mentioned the constant urination, the doctor requested that they do a urinary test too, to know if she had any bladder infection.
She started feeling drowsy as the doctor explained that they would get back to her with her results soon.
She seemed to be floating in a euphoria caused by the medication given to her.
Her eyes drifted towards the clock as it fluttered close.
It was already 7:04 pm, and she could hardly feel any pain in her body again.
Bliss.
*******
The bliss followed her into a dreamless sleep.
And for a while, it stayed that way as peace settled into her subconscious mind.
Then all of a sudden, hateful eyes slammed into her mind's eyes.
"So, you think it will be that easy? Think again, bitch!"
Before Reyona could respond, the hate-filled face was gone and in its place was another.
"Jumped right from my bed into another, didn't you, whore? I bet you have been spreading them for your clients all this while. Think you could play me for a fool? I see through you!" the sneer was worse than the hate-filled gaze.
Then another replaced it as she saw the roguish grin she realised she had come to like so much.
She had hardly basked in it before it morphed into a mocking grin as he said "I bet you think I meant all that bullshit about love. Come on, don't be stupid. Of all the women I could have? Why would a man like me love a woman like you?!"
Cruel laughter followed that.
The echoes of Bitch! Whore! Stupid! Bullshit! Love! as the faces mingled and merged in her presence, had her straining to talk, yet her mouth wouldn't obey her.
Her heartbeat was erratic as she tried so hard to let these beasts know that they had chosen the wrong victim.
"Ma'am. Ma'am?"
They are calling her ma'am now? A new way to mock her?
A cool hand touched her arm and she launched upwards.
Her eyes looked unfocused at the nurse who had ducked to avoid her fist that had lashed out.
Reyona finally realised that she was still in the hospital and not in a dark bottomless vacuum where all she could see were hateful faces.
"Are you alright, ma?" the nurse finally said as he realised the danger was over.
"I… I am fine," she said as she focused on calming her breathing.
She could see the bedsheets twisted around her legs just as the nurse took the pillow from the floor.
Reyona did not need to be told that she had dislodged it while she had been struggling with invisible faces.
Damn it.
What was happening to her?
"It seemed you were having a nightmare. Would you like some water, ma?" the nurse asked as he helped her lean against the upraised pillow.
Reyona nodded and collected the glass of water with both hands.
She slowly sipped it to soothe her parched throat.
"Your phone was in…"
Her phone started ringing again on the bedside table.
It was Maxwell.