Chapter 26 Smooches can never be this Good

The sun shines through the window with the wind swaying the lacy curtains. The room miraculously feels so peaceful with the fresh flowers over the right side of the window. She is staring out the window with a calm face but with a troubled mind and heavy heart. Betty was confined in the hospital for three days with Tom, James, and Liz looking for her. Some employees visited and brought flowers to make them feel relieved during the trying times. The situation has taken too much toll on Tom, who preferred to be at the office for two to three hours for meetings and signing of documents and spend most of the days at the hospital. Liz and James would often come and visit the hospital after their shifts.

“Are you okay?”

She smiled in response, probably not in the mood to talk, and preferred to be silent.

“It’s time for the doctors to do some checking. I’ll be right back.”

Still, she remained silent the whole time. Tubes no longer on her nose making her look like a human once again. Memories are still fresh in her mind.

Stitching itself and now becoming a part of her.

A lone tear escaped from her eyes but her face remained calm and undisturbed. Misery and pain are brewing inside her but she knew she had to keep going and accept what happened. In time, she’ll be okay. In time, she’ll forget those days ever happened to her.

“She’s okay now. But I will not allow her to report to work for two weeks. Not yet. I will let her go home, but with maximum supervision by her guardian. Are you the guardian?

Liz’s mouth opens and closes like a fish, doesn’t know what to say. She would love to stay with Betty but she also has someone at home to tend to. Being the older sister of two kindergarten boys, her presence is much needed.

“No. Let me ring her guardian.”

It’s as if Betty doesn’t hear a thing, or if she does, she just keeps silent and doesn’t bother to pay attention to it. Like it doesn’t matter who will take her in and watch her 24/7 for two weeks. After a minute or two, someone walked in with a duffel bag and some packed lunch. He stared at Liz and then at the doctor who had been staring at him for too long.

“Is there any problem?”

“Okay, so I guess you’re the guardian. Ms. Hernandez did a pretty good job on her recoveries. She’s okay now, she can go home now actually but… she still needs supervision and on-time medication for her stitches and wounds. Also, I would recommend you to consult her to a psychiatrist for trauma, if there is.”

Tom stared at Liz with full understanding in his eyes why she had called him to go to the room quickly and the doctor wanted to have a word with him.

“Mr. Dawson, I’m sorry. I would love to look for Betty but I can’t bring her to my house in that situation. I have two younger brothers. I think it’s not good for her condition having someone running around and noises.”

“You don’t have to worry about it, Elizabeth. I would also love to look out for her. Partly I am blaming myself she is in this situation. Now, it’s still 9 am, you can go home and head to the office. No one is looking for the reception, you are needed there. I will let Miller drive you home.”

Liz nodded in obedience to her boss and quickly exited the room with her bag and coat.

His attention turned to Betty who is now still staring outside the window with unwavering eyes. She is deep in thought, sadness is still emitting from her and she still doesn’t want to talk.

The doctor excuses himself leaving Tom and Betty all by themselves.

Tom decided to pack some of their things. Blanket, socks, and some untouched food packs. He even threw all the empty water bottles and arranged the couch to its original state.

“Ms. Hernandez, have you heard what the doctor said? You’re going home. And you’ll be staying with me.” He casually stated while placing her neatly pile of fresh clothes fresh from the laundry.

Her head turned to his direction with an unreadable expression. She still looks weak and frail, with dark eye bags and slumped shoulders. She looks horrible, to be honest.

“Where is he?” she asked weakly and in a thin voice.

Tom stopped in mid-air, doesn’t know what to say. He would love to say he is now in jail but also afraid it would bring back those horrible moments.

“Where is he?” she asked once again but this time, tears pooling in her eyes, her shoulders began to shake and burst into tears.

“Come on now, you’re fine. Everything’s okay now. He is now in jail. See, he can’t lay a hand on you, okay?”

Sadness embraces her whole being with tears damping her hospital gown and Tom’s shoulders. If Betty is hurting, he might’ve been hurting twice as her. He needs to look after her, the company, the case, partly blaming himself for what had happened. But Tom is brave. He has to finish what he had started.

“He’s in jail? He told me he’ll jump to the rooftop with me just like how her daughter died.”

“Sorry, I’m sorry. Yes, he’s in jail now. Hush now, everything’s okay.” Tom is also fighting back tears. He had to at least look strong for Betty who is also fighting for her dear life. They stayed there rocking and comforting each other until Betty’s breathing evened out and whimpers escaped from her mouth like he is still frightened from something.

“Everything’s okay now, Betty. We’re coming home now.” He said assuringly like he is talking to a child.

They arrived in the mansion after taking her clothes and belongings from her apartment. Bought some fruits on the way and some books she requested to kill time for the next two weeks.

The feeling of having someone to look after is making him partly proud. Is he selfish now for feeling that way? Proud that he can take care of Betty when no one else does. Not only proud but also a feeling of satisfaction that in some ways he can prove what he is truly capable of. But he thought, if he will prove something to her, he hopes it’s something in a good way. Not in the same situation they are in right now.

“Go change into something comfortable then we can eat dinner. You have to take some of your meds.”

She’s like a child now being guided up to her room with Tom dragging her suitcases upstairs. He also made sure to let his caretakers stay in the mansion for two weeks to take care of her. Someone who would give her meds and prepare breakfast for her.

“I’ll be in the kitchen.”

“Okay, I’ll be down in five.”

After washing her face, tied her unwashed hair into a messy bun and changed into fresh pajamas and fluffy socks. She went down to the kitchen immediately as her stomach grumbles in protest. There she saw Tom in a plain white shirt, loose blue jeans looking so serious preparing the table with different types of foods.

“Here you are. Come here, let’s have dinner.”

Gretchen, his caretaker appeared with a bottle of juice and some freshly sliced fruits.

“Gretchen, this is Ms. Hernandez. She will be staying with you here in the next two weeks.”

Gretchen smiled at her arranging the foods on the table.

“Nice to meet you, Ms. Hernandez.”

“Just Betty. Just call me Betty.” She smiled and instantly warmed up with the old woman.

“Come on, let’s eat.”

After a couple of trying to let Gretchen join them, the old woman seems to not be used to eating with her boss around but instead declined their offer politely.

“Are you okay?” he asked scooping some of the food to his plate.

“Yeah. I have no choice but to be okay.”

She is not mad at something or anyone. She’s mad at herself for always so helpless and always ends up asking for help from Mr. Dawson. Her sense of pride is all ruined but summing all up, she is indeed in need of help from someone capable to help.

“I’m sorry.”

“No, it’s okay. Let’s eat now, we don’t have to feel sad when eating.”

Tom understood that this isn’t the right time to add the weight to her chest. She still looks pale, weak, and not in the right condition to discuss such a depressing scenario.

“Yeah, you’re right. Eat more, you have to take your medicine.”

The woman just smiled and nodded then started eating silently. Tom has been taking precautions to make things comfortable for her. Now that she is staying in his house, taking his time to take care of her for free and doing office works by himself.

Life at the company after the incident went back to normal. Though most of them were pretty discouraged with the security and began installing more CCTV cameras and deployed three more men in black at the lobby monitoring the visitors. Security is their top priority now.

“Stop looking at me like that, sir.” She huffed slightly annoyed at Tom’s blunt actions these past few days. It’s natural for someone to worry yet feel pity for someone who has been living alone, literally no one to call for help then being in a situation like this.

“What? I simply adore you, Ms. Hernandez. You’re a brave woman.”

They ended up staring and smiling at each other like crazies sitting face to face. With that, they finished their meal, went to each other’s room, and decided to call it a night.

Betty is staring at the ceiling with her back flat on her bed. The constant whirring of the air-conditioning unit gives off a calm vibe. She can’t help but feel anxious with the thousands of what-ifs in her mind. What if she died that night? What if Tom and James didn’t come over to help her? What if she never accepted the job, could she be living in her old town in peace without living in fear someone would just snatch her off the street and be a hostage? She is zoning out for a long period, with her light turned off and curtains swaying through the wind. With things going on with her mind, a sob escaped from her lips. Suppressing it with all her might that someone would hear it. Anxiety slowly grows in her eating her alive. Chest tightened, heavy breathing with tears falling on her cheeks she surrendered all her being to the sadness that overpowers her that night.

The lights suddenly turned on, showing Tom in his gray hoodie jacket and black jogging pants. Worry etched on his face as he ran to Betty’s side scooping her up to sit on the bed.

“Hey, what’s wrong? Huh? What’s the matter?” He asked with urgency in his tone.

Betty is sobbing like she just witnessed something horrible. Tears streaming down her face but when she saw Tom, the sadness miraculously disappeared. She looks like a child crying to her father after having a nightmare. She stopped crying staring up at Tom’s worried face. Like she has just seen her favorite person, she then threw her arms around his neck. Tom was frozen for a moment but his body reacted as soon as he realized the current state, they’re in. Patting her head in comfort, they stayed there until Betty’s breathing evened out and she stopped sobbing.

“What happened?”

With gentle strokes on her head, Betty calmed down burying her face on his chest.

“I’m scared.” Simple words yet pierced through Tom’s heart deeply.

“Don’t be scared. We’re safe here. He can no longer hurt you.”

“No. I’m scared I’d not wake up if I fall asleep.”

Tom froze putting a hand on her shoulder to make her stare up at him.

“What are you talking about? You’re okay. Everything will be okay. Look at me.”

Betty lifted her head to meet Tom’s eyes. It’s dark under the shadows of his hair.

“You’ll be okay. I’ll never leave you, Ms. Hernandez. You’ll be okay, I promise you that.”

Assurance can be heard from his words and we know when Tom is serious about something, he will do about it with all his power.

Especially for this woman.

“Thank you.”

“Now, you better go to sleep. It’s past twelve. You have to get more rest to fully recover.”

Tom turned to turn off the lights but Betty was fast enough to hold his sleeve. He stared at her waiting to say something, but he is quick to understand what she is trying to imply.

“Please stay for a minute.”

This is not the usual Betty that tends to shy away and hide in her shell in times like this. But she opted to do the opposite and held his shirt even tighter making him stay with her for a minute.

“Okay. Let me just get some pillows and a blanket. I’ll be back in a minute.”

Tom smiled at her assuring, left the room with bullets of sweat on his forehead, and headed to his room just a few steps from her room. He paced back and forth thinking if it’s a good idea, before slamming the door shut behind him and head straight to where Betty is.

She is silent, staring at the window where a few rains drops splattered on the window sill. The air became chilly, damping the curtain in the process. Tom decided to close the window and shut the blinds entirely.

“You’ll catch a cold. I’ll turn on the heater later.”

“Thank you.” She silently responded burying herself into the duvet, in the comfort of having someone she trusted in the room with her. Scooting over to the right side to make enough space for Tom.

Sharing the same bed with the person with who you shared an unintentional special feeling couldn’t get more awkward than this. But Betty is fast asleep, lying on her back with her blanket up to her chest.

“How can she fall asleep on this situation?” he huffed turning on his back and attempted to shut his eyes.

One sheep, two sheep, three sheep…. forty eight sheep…

“wtf.” He muttered turning from left to right until he turned around to face Betty.

His heart almost leaped out of his chest when he saw Betty staring at him with wide eyes.

“Why—why are you still awake?!” he whispered sitting on the bed shocked with what he had witnessed.

“How am I supposed to sleep when all you did was turn?” she answered flatly then yawned. It’s already three in the morning and they’re still awake for crying out loud.

“Sorry. Go to sleep, I’ll better go back to my room.”

“No, please.”

How would he able to resist those innocent eyes staring up at him begging him to stay for a minute.

“I’m sorry. The truth is… I never really wanted to be alone. It was so hard for me to live with myself. I have to at least look strong ‘cause even I, too tired of myself for being this way.”

“Come here.” Tom is pained looking at his assistant slithered away from her skin, revealing her true self to him entirely.

He then lied down beside her and caged her in his arms tightly burying his face on her head.

Raw, bold yet warm intimacy. The Boss and assistant relationship cannot be spelled out nor be found on any dictionary. Too afraid to be real yet brave enough to make them feel, how they truly cared for each other.

“It’s okay. You can be brave anytime you want, but you can be your true self when you’re with me. I will not judge you.”

Betty stared up at him while still in his arms. The table had truly turned three sixty degrees. Betty stared at him with dilated pupils, like dark orbs fully covering her entire eyes. He got enticed and lost in her eyes that he can no longer control what he is doing.

His lips crashed into hers once again, but this time she does not budge. A slow, warm, and passionate kiss is shared between two primal beings. Chest to chest, afraid to let go. They didn’t even dare to pull to breathe, as the kiss intensified. Tom held her back to deepen the kiss more, whilst Betty threw her arms around his neck. The kiss lasted for a minute. It was Tom who broke the kiss, then planted his lips on her forehead. A kiss that can make women crazy. A kiss of respect.

“You have no idea what you’re doing to me, Ms. Hernandez.” He murmured, showering her face with kisses.

“What are we doing?” she asked sadly but that doesn’t bother Tom anymore. He had been questioning himself like that for the past few months, but he always came up with one answer.

He fell in love with his assistant.

“Just don’t say anything.”

He kissed her one more time but this time, a kiss that puts an end to her question. Betty closed her eyes getting lost to his kisses once more. But it never lasted for too long. Not because he does not like how it turned out but he is afraid of where this could lead to. No one dared to speak. Instead, Betty closed her eyes and fell into a deep slumber in the arms of the man beside her.