“Yes, I wanted to avoid causing you more disturbance. Good to hear from you.”
“Good to hear from you, too. How is Zoey?”
“Zoey is fine and out of danger.”
“Oh! That’s good to hear.”
“Thank you for your efforts.”
“It is my pleasure.”
“Extend my greetings to your son-in-law. You are a brother indeed.”
“Do not think much about it. Which hospital are you?”
“We are at the government hospital.”
“It is all right.”
Now, Nichole joined him in the car, and he drove off. Then she asked, “Why are we using this car?”
“It is bulletproof. I don’t like moving about with security guards, but we may resort to it if there is a need for it.”
“It is okay. I can understand”
“Besides, most people will associate us with the other car than this.”
“You are right.”
They drove silently and after a while, Arthur asked her, “When is your annual leave?”
“My annual leave is in two months.”
“Can you take part of it before then?”
“I will find out. Why did you ask?”
“I want us to go for our honeymoon. How about that?”
“Wow! That will be nice. I will find out from my superior. Like how many days are we talking about?”
“Five days will be fine.”
“It is OK. I love you, Hubby.”
“I love you too.”
They drove into a mall and got a flower for Zoey before proceeding to the hospital.
At The Government Hospital Zoey’s Ward
Arthur and his wife were the only visitors to Zoey’s ward. Oscar had not informed anyone of the incident or that his wife was in the hospital. When they arrived, Zoey was a bit revived. The drip that the nurse administered to her rehydrated her body and boosted her energy. She was happy to see the visitors, whom she thought were mere brothers and sisters-in-law.
“Good to see you. I am sorry that I failed you, Nichole,” she apologized.
“Oh! Zoey, you don’t have to see it that way. It was not your fault. We brought this for you,” Nichole responded.
Then, Arthur, who was watching them silently, added, “We wish to see you on your feet, very soon.”
“Oh! Thank you very much. I appreciate your gift, and I can’t wait to be on my feet.”
“Thank you for coming, and thank you for the gift,” Oscar appreciated them and collected the flower from his wife.
He kept it neatly beside his wife’s bed.
“We will be on our way. You need to rest,” Arthur announced and stood up from his seat.
“This is your purse, Zoey. You left it in my car.”
“Oh. I have not thought of it. Thank you, Nichole.”
“It is all right, Arthur. Thank you for your efforts,” Oscar said.
“Thank you for coming,” his wife appreciated them too.
“You are welcome. Get well soon,” Arthur and his wife said simultaneously.
They walked back to the car park, got into their jalopy, and drove to the Administrative Block where Nichole’s office was located. He parked in the vestibule and gave her an affectionate look before he asked, “What time is your team getting off work?”
“My team will get off by noon.”
“It is all right. See you later. I will pick you up at lunch.”
“That will be fine. See you then.”
(Peck)
She got out of the car and her husband drove off. To her consternation, she saw five of her colleagues clustered at the vestibule, waiting to see who would come down from the bucket of bolts. Then, they burst into raucous laughter when she got out.
“Not just an ugly duckling, he also rides a rust bucket,” Lorene said to Evelyn, and the team members who missed the opportunity of seeing her husband the previous day also mocked.
“No wonder they hurriedly left yesterday.”
“Today, we had uncovered her secret. An ugly duckling who rides a bucket of bolts.”
The janitor, who assisted her the previous day, was startled, too, due to their uncivilized behavior. That act rendered Nichole motionless.
When she found her bearings, she giggled and spoke their languages, “I am proud of my ugly duckling with his jalopy. At least, hawks and husband poachers will stay away from him.”
Before that day, Nichole could not have exercised such boldness, and they wondered where she got the confidence. Now, they were ashamed and annoyed because of her statement. They returned to their offices with their tails between their legs because they were guilty of all that Nichole accused them of including Evelyn, the married woman among them.
Afterward, Nichole walked to her office with a sense of smug superiority.
At The Underground.
Stephen, the infamous lover of Nichole, was still expecting calls from the wolves or news from the authorities through the media, but he got none. He was restless at that minute. Then, he recalled that when the government is being pensive over issues like that, then, they are up to something expensive. He waved the thought aside when he remembered how skillful the wolves were.
Then Jude asked him, “The government is not saying anything about the arrest again. What do we do?”
“Nothing. The wolves had taken care of it, and they would soon get over to me. We will return to my house on Friday when the storm is calm. I have missed my woman.”
“It is all right, Boss.”
“Since that fool is not dead, we will go to the court on Thursday incognito to see whether the marriage ceremony between him and his late brother’s wife will take place,” said Stephen, who was only playing along with him.
Jude was not aware that he was only going to see whether Arthur intended to marry the woman that he was interested in and had in his custody.
“Yes, Boss. I was sure of my source. Let us see whether it was a mere rumor.”
His partner’s ominous advice suited the cotton-headed ninny mugging, and he accepted, “You have a point. It does not matter how he dies, I can’t wait to see Denise without a father figure,” he concluded and smirked in triumph against Arthur who had never thought that he was incubating such plans for him.