A WISH Episode 11??♂
Author: ADEMIDE
Theme: Buried in the snow
WEDNESDAY EVENING
HARRY’S BEACH HOUSE
Ephyra pressed the doorbell for the 15th time but got no response. She went to Goldmynes to ask for Harry’s address but Isobel asked her to stay around with her for a while..showing her pictures of Harry when he was little,his college days and his images as model. And when it was time Isobel ordered her driver to take Ephyra to Harry’s house.
“Well…maybe he doesn’t want me to come in..but Mrs Isobel said he can see anyone out here from inside his apartment” Ephyra said to herself
“I’m not leaving this place until he open up – but I can’t stay out here for too long because it would snow soon”
She gripped her coat tightly
“He should better open up or else I will have to bring down this door”
She kicked the door
“Ouch!” She yelped in pain
“Maybe…a proper introduction would do”
She cleared her throat and focused on the small device connected to the intercom inside.
“Hello Mr Harry Jones,I am Ephyra Adams. Your new PA and Maid. I will do a good job at taking care of you. So please open up so I can start work..Thank You”
She wanted to bow but unfortunately for her,she hit her head on the device.
“Argg!!” She rubbed it
“This is so annoying! Why won’t he open up after introduction!” Then she wanted to kick the door but she stopped.
Her phone buzzed. An incoming call from Isobel.
“Hello Ma’am”
“Yeah..Ephyra have you met Harry?”
“No I have pressed the doorbell but no response. I don’t think -“
“Do you want to give up?”
“No I don’t think he’s at home…. but I’ll wait for him”
“Okay I called his office and his secretary said he didn’t show up at work today”
“Maybe you should try calling him”
“He’s not picking up his calls”
She heard a car horn nearby.
“I think he’s here”
“Let’s talk later” Isobel said
Ephyra took few steps and she saw a car driving into the private driveway In Harry’s home. Her heartbeat accelerated when Harry came out of the car. And she did her best to put the brightest smile on her face. Harry noticed the Lady standing on his porch with a big box. Her back view didn’t looked like Eleanor or Shawna and she was on phone. His jaw dropped slightly when Ephyra turned to look at him.
“Psycho lady?” He muttered
Harry recognized her immediately. Ephyra waved at him as she waited for him to join her. His heart skipped beat as he took in her features. He admitted that she did look wonderful tonight. Better than the lady he’d met months ago. Her brown hair was carefree and cute. She opted in for a pair of blue knee length gown with a black woolen coat on it and a stiletto heels. He walked closer to his front door.
Harry was surprised to see her there. And he thought he was imagining things again. Over two months away,he’d tried to convince himself to forget about her but it was easier said than done. She had popped into his thought over and over again when he was busy at work. Harry had visited the same spot she had bumped into him that night but it seems they’d never reconnect. He had no idea why her image had flooded his mind when Shawna asked if he was in love. Was he in love with the woman? The psycho lady he barely knew. The psycho lady images always finds it way to his mind’s eye. It was hard to figure out why he couldn’t stop thinking about her. He stared at her and couldn’t take his eyes off her. Her aquamarine eyes with long thick lashes which had left him mesmerized the moment he’d looked into them that night. He wondered what she was doing at his front door with a box. She looked different! And he would have doubted it if he had seen her from a far distance. Ephyra had put extra effort into her hair and adding rogue to her cheeks. And he felt like reaching out to her and pulling her into his arms. But he wouldn’t do that.
“Good Evening Sir, I am -“
“What do we have here?” He asked with a frown
“Do I have a delivery? Oh! You can bring the papers so I can sign them”
Ephyra shot him a confused look. Harry clenched his fists to suppress the urge to touching her.
“Uhmm..” She cleared her throat
“I am not here to deliver anything” she pulled her box closer
“This is my personal box”
Harry tucked his hands into his pocket.
“Did you miss your way? And you need me to help you find your way back to your home?” Harry asked
“No I am your new PA and Maid” she replied
Her forehead creased
He couldn’t believe his ears
“Mrs Isobel Jones hired me to help you”
Unbelievable! He almost burst of happiness! She was his maid now!
Wait…I don’t like Anyone staying with me. He thought deeply. Then Harry hang tough. A part of him wanted to invite her in but the other part disagreed.
“Who is she?”
“Who?”
“The woman who hired you”
“She is your mother”
“I don’t have a mother and I don’t need a PA or a maid. So I guess you are in the wrong place”
That’s a lie! He knew she was in the right place.
“Can’t you do something else aside working as a maid” he muttered As he moved to the door.
“Pardon?”
Ephyra heard what he said
He turned to face her.
“Can you do me a favour?”
“At your service Sir”
He covered the gap between them and expected Ephyra to step backward like most women would do but she didn’t. Ephyra stared back at him. And he wondered if she knew they had met once.
“How much did she pay you?”
“Who?”
“Old lady”
“Who is old lady?”
“Isobel Jones”
“Your mother?”
“She’s not my mother”
“And why are you denying your mother?” she met his gaze and Harry looked away
“How much did she offered for you to agree to work for her?”
“That’s between your mother and I”
“Tell me.. I’m Willing to pay more right now”
“Why?”
“I don’t need anyone around here”
“Why?”
“I like being alone”
She folded her arms
“How much do you have?” She asked
“Pardon?’
“can you pay me $10million”
Harry eyes widened
“For what?”
“So I won’t work for you or your mother” she replied
“Okay…give me your Account details I will pay it by end of the week”
“Then I will leave by the end of the week when you have the money”
“I’m not letting you into my house. Go and tell that old lady you gave up”
“I’m sorry I won’t be able to do that.. Pay me $10 million then I will leave to tell your mom I give up”
“What do you want?”
“I want to work for you Mr Harry Jones.. Oh maybe he’s inside” she was almost moving to the door but Harry blocked her pathway.
“Leave or else I will call the cops”
He meant otherwise in his mind but he didn’t want to admit that he wanted her to stay. She leaned in and placed her hands on his chest.
She must be a toucher!
Harry tensed up..jolt of electricity ran down his spine and his middle clenched at her touch. He stepped away from her.
“Don’t you ever touch me again”
He said I’m a harsh voice
“I’m not scared of the cops” she said sternly
“I have heard a lot of things about you. So stop being stubborn and tough because I won’t give up. Let’s stop this conversation and go in because I can see snow making it way down to the earth slowly”
“And who says you are coming in with me?”
“Me..look I won’t be staying for too long. Uhmm two months and I’m gone”
She moved to the door
“Open up and let’s go in” she said
He nodded in agreement. Her face brightened that he agreed to let her in
“Step aside”
“Why?”
“I can’t let you see my password”
“What’s so special about it? I need to know it as your maid”
“You are not scared of the cops right?”
She nodded
He watched her for seconds without pressing the buttons. Ephyra felt uncomfortable at his stare and she stepped backward. He was different from James. She thought
Harry occupied the space to hide his pins from Ephyra. The door buzzed and it opened
“Go and get your box” he said
The box was quite far to the door,so she went for it.
Harry stepped in quickly and shut the door.
“Hey!” She banged on the door. She hissed out loudly. She shouldn’t have agreed to get the box. Ephyra grumbled and stamped her feet. She should have suspected it. She hit the door with her foot and screamed in pain at the same time.
“Bad ass Boss! This is so annoying!” She grumbled
Ephyra hoped that Harry would change his mind and open the door before snowfall or else she would freeze to death out here
Her phone buzzed, she took it out of her jacket pocket. It was James.
“Hello James”
“How are you doing Ephyra?”
“I’m fine”
“Have you settled down in his home?”
“I’ve gat everything covered James” she lied
“Well.. If you are not comfortable there..you can come back and get a better job”
“I’m fine James…thanks”
“Okay”
“Extend my greetings to Gideon”
“Take care” he hung up
Harry was looking at Ephyra inside. He noticed that she was on phone..probably calling the old lady. He thought
Then he realized that she didn’t tell him her name. It was his fault! He did not give her the chance to introduce herself.
What was wrong with him? This was a great chance to get to know her..but he waved it off like it didn’t matter to him. He motioned towards the kitchen to prepared dinner.
“She would leave after some minutes” he thought
Minutes clicked by and he cursed under his breathe when the doorbell sounded..but he ignore it.
He carried his food to the intercom. Ephyra was still there. He checked out the window,it was already snowing.
“She would get cold and call the old lady that she give up” he whispered
“Two hours more and she would get tired…” He concluded
Ephyra pulled off her heels and buttoned up her coat to avoid cold. She fought the strong urge to call Isobel and tell her that she gave up.
“No..no..you can do this Ephyra… No Giving Up”
♦ ******* ♦
ONE HOUR LATER
The cold air made her gasp and she pulled her jacket more tightly around her. Ephyra stepped into the snow to see if the lights were on. The snow immediately penetrated her boots,the howling of the wind scared her a bit. She started forward, the cold made her barehand and knee ache so she pushed her hands into her pocket.
“Mr Harry!” She called but her voice was lost in the wind.
“Mr Harry!” She yelled again. She started to the side of the house. As she walked keeping her head down against the driving snow.
“Mr Harry! Open the door!” She screamed. All she heard was the wind..more and more snow as she called out to him. It was then it hit her that Harry might be asleep. She looked closely the lights were on through the curtains. She wandered to the right side.
“Harry! Please open up!”
The snow caught at her feet tripping her, sending her falling. And there was no hands to stop the fall. And she went down into cold wetness, which went down her neck,up to her sleeves, into her nose and mouth. Ephyra wondered if a person could drown in snow. She couldn’t find anything to hold on to,to get back on her feet. The cold was overwhelming and she was gasping, totally off balance. She knew she should have waited on the porch. She hit the icy ground with her hand. She wasn’t born and bred to this life. This sort of weather did strange things to people.
“Mr Harry!” She screamed
His eyes flare open immediately when he heard the loud cry. He remembered the psycho lady was still out in the cold while he had fallen asleep on the couch.
“Damn it!” He muttered
He rushed to his room to grab a jacket. He didn’t know what to call her as he looked around him into the night and storm.
“Lady!” He shouted in the wind.
He cupped his hand at his mouth and tried again
“Miss!” He listened for a second and then he heard a voice.
“Mr Harry!”
He wasn’t sure if he heard it or he’d just imagined it until he heard it again. He took off in the direction of the sound,stumbling through the snow. He saw a figure in the swirling snow.
“Mr Harry!” Ephyra cried. He headed for her then he was there. Harry grabbed her hand, lifting her up. And without thinking he pulled her to him and the next instance her arms went around him,hugging him tight,her face buried in his chest. The instant he held her,he felt something in him that he’d been trying to keep at bay. His heart arched from a fear that came from knowing what could have happened to her. The fear caught him and his hold on her tightened for a moment.
“What in hell were you thinking?” Harry demanded with more roughness
“I was…calling..for you” she said in a voice so unsteady and low that he almost couldn’t make out her words. He held her away from him and saw her chin trembling. And he grounded out
“You’re a fool”
“It…was..your..fault..” She shuddered violently. He felt her unsteadiness. He wanted her gone. He wanted to be the way he’d been for years – alone. He tried to let her go but the moment he did,he felt her fade to one side,so he had no choice but to keep that contact. The wind grew in intensity as he slipped his arm around her shoulder letting her lean against him and turned her towards the porch. As he pulled her to his side,she hid her face in his jacket. Ephyra seemed to have no strength. By the time they got to the porch Ephyra was badly able to walk. Her jacket was heavy with snow and she was pale. Her breathing was unsteady and shallow and she was shaking all over. Ephyra hugged herself as Harry opened the door. He helped her with the box.
“Take off your coat” he said when they stepped in.
Her hands were shaking so badly she couldn’t pull at a button. He unbuttoned her jacket for her and tossed it on the floor.
“Full heat will only hurt you more” he said. Harry knew the signs of hypothermia. Heat could do more damage to her. She needed to regulate her own body heat. He felt the urge to touch her pale cheeks.
“You..left..me..out..there” she shuddered violently again
“I thought you were going to give up” he said
“Sound… Like a plan” she muttered
he looked at her again
“Where..is ..my ..room.?” She asked
“Come on..” He pointed towards a direction. She looked at him and it was then that Harry realized something was wrong. She shivered violently again,her whole body shaking, then her hand went towards him and as he reached for her hand,he saw her falling to the ground. He caught her and then scooped her up in his arms. She was completely limp and he knew she was unconscious. Then he rushed her to his bedroom.
?
Wow! I think this is where their love story begins! ?
∆∆∆∆
A WISH Episode 12 ?♀
Theme: In His Home
HARRY’S BEACH HOUSE
Ephyra felt a hand on her forehead,a gentle contact,warm and careful. She felt a pain when the soft warmth dissolved and comfort was gone. Her skin on fire, an aching all over. She felt the heat and cold,the pain and burning and bone deep aches. Then the shaking started, convulsive shivering. She heard a deep voice,soft and soothing. She felt something against her lips,cool liquid and she choked on it and the managed to swallow. The shaking grew until someone gather her in strong arms,holding her tightly as if to keep her steady. And gradually,the shivering lessened and she snuggled into the warmth. The voice whispered she’d be okay. And very slowly she fell asleep.
Ephyra didn’t know anything until she felt herself waking from a deep sleep.
She heard a voice
“I wish I could get her to the hospital” Harry said on phone
“Even if you could,she can’t go back outside” Doctor Brandon replied
“She’s doing better” His voice was low
“Well she’s lucky you knew what to do” the doctor said
“Really lucky Doc… Thank You”
She was too weary to open her eyes or speak. Harry touched her wrist,holding it lightly,then the touch was gone.
“Her pulse is strong,a bit fast and she’s breathing well. Her body temperature is normal and her color’s better”
“You did a good job” the doctor said
“Just make sure she’s fine”
“Of course..thanks” Harry cuts the call.
He touched Ephyra again,this time on the forehead. He leaned closer and whispered to her.
“You are okay…just rest”
Then she let go and tumbled back into the comfort of sleep. Harry watched Ephyra settle and something in him eased. He took a deep breathe for the first time since he had carried her into his bedroom more than 8hours ago. He could hardly breathe without tightness. She’d be okay.
He moved out of the room to get a cup of coffee in the kitchen.
♦ ******* ♦
Ephyra woke up with a start to darkness. She blinked,a panic of not knowing where she was or what had happened choking her for a minute. Then she remembered everything. She closed her eyes for a moment and lay very still as she remembered Harry. She was in bed,she knew that and she was warm. She opened her eyes slowly trying to focus. She slowly turned her head toward the light source in the room. She looked beyond and her breath caught. Harry was there. He was sitting in a couch about two feet from the bed,his eyes on her.
“You..” she said
“You are awake” he said softly
He stood up. Harry was dressed in a flannel shirt and jeans and hair slicked back from his face. He moved towards the bed.
“How do you feel?” He was bending over her,then he touched her forehead.
“Good” he murmured
She shifted slightly to test her body and that was when she felt the blanket directly on her skin. She peered under the blanket and saw that she was naked. Ephyra pulled the blanket up to her chin and glared at Harry.
“What did you do to me?”
“Questions again” he reached for her wrist and circled it with his fingers. She tried to get free but Harry didn’t stop touching her.
“You must be feeling better”
He said with a smile as he took her pulse. That wasn’t funny! Here she was in her bra and panties,in a bed in his home. She trembled and tugged to get free
“Let me go or I’ll -“
“Shh..let me concentrate” he said
She bit her lip and waited,then he finally let her go and stood back.
“Now what do you think I did to you, or I was doing to you?”
He asked
Ephyra kept the blanket up to her chin.
“I’m naked”
That brought a small smile to his lips that only made her face burn
“Not completely.. It’s best to get rid of clothes where there’s a chance of hypothermia especially if they are wet and cold”
She didn’t know the meaning of Hypothermia
“But…”
“You passed out and you weren’t in any condition to undress yourself” it didn’t make her feel better
“Well…so..you just..undressed me” she stuttered
“You looked pretty awful when I found you but now you are in a good shape and the shivering stopped”
“So.. whose…fault was that..”
“I told you to leave but you refused. I thought you were going to come loose with all the shaking you were doing”
“I..i..feel..okay now. My clothes..where -“
“You still want to stay around and work for me?”
“I’m not giving up Mr Harry Jones”
He kept watching her and it made Ephyra uncomfortable. Her face colored when she remembered someone holding her when she was shivering. It was Harry holding her when she was wearing only bra and panties.
“Perhaps…how long have I been out?”
“29 hours”
“I’ve been here for a whole day!”
“More than a whole day”
She tried to maneuver herself into a half sitting position with her back against the headboard.
“I’m hungry” Ephyra said abruptly
He stood there silently,and she became uncomfortable at his silence.
“Mr Harry Jones can I get my clothes?..I need to eat or I’ll die of hunger” she murmured
“Okay”
“Wait..is this my room?” He turned to face her
“No” he walked away and came in later with her box.
“Thanks” Harry moved out of the room. She went to the door and locked it. She took out her towel and nightgown and went to the bathroom.
♦ ****** ♦
Ephyra walked into the kitchen. Harry was there, a pot of coffee on the gas and he was taking something out of the toast machine.
“Cinnamon toast” she said
“Yes”
It was getting close to midnight. She sank into a chair at the kitchen table. He brought two coffee cups to the table and sat across from her. Harry sipped his coffee and ate his toast. Ephyra sat back cradling the mug in one hand.
“Now let’s do a proper introduction” she said
Harry put down his mug and looked right at her.
“I am Ephyra Adams”
“Ephyra Adams” he nodded slowly
“Your mother hired me to -“
“She’s not my mother”
She exhaled noisily
“Why do you keep saying that your mom…” Her voice trailed
“Stop…if you want to stay around then stop talking about that woman” he stood up and walked away
“What’s so wrong about his mom? He’s so proud! She did nothing wrong! And isn’t he old enough to realize that… Jerk!” She took another sip of her coffee
*
*
*
NEXT MORNING ?
Harry yawned loudly as he made his way to the kitchen. He was tempted to check on Ephyra but he walked on. He stopped at the entrance of the kitchen. Ephyra was there working her way around the kitchen as she hummed a song he couldn’t make sense of. He cleared his throat and she turned to face him.
“Oh! Good Morning Boss!” She greeted cheerfully
“Good morning Ephyra”
He gulped down a bottle of water from the refrigerator.
“Can we talk?” She asked
“Yes..as long as it’s not about old lady”
“Well it about my job”
“You’re giving up?”
“Never! I was just about telling that I won’t be giving up anytime soon”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes..I’m not the type to give up easily” she replied
“Get ready we are heading to my agency”
“But..the snow…”
“It not snowing anymore..and the roads are cleared now”
“Okay Boss. Food is ready”
She said when he was almost leaving the room.
“I am not hungry”
“Okay”
* ****
* *
******
Harry rolled his eyes when he saw Ephyra. He was surprised to see her on heels in this sort of weather whereby the roads are still slippery and not fit to walk on.
“You can’t come with me in my car” Harry said
“Why?” Ephyra demanded
“I don’t like sharing my car with anyone”
“What?”
“You heard me” he moved to the driver’s seat and entered the car.
“But I am your PA, so I have to be everywhere you are….” Ephyra moved to him
“Why?”
“If..if anything happens or goes wrong with you..then I get blamed for it”
“I don’t care” he grounded
“What?” She glared at him
Harry glanced at his wrist watch
“I’m running late make sure you meet up at Gold Mall”
“Are you serous right now Boss?”
“Dead serious Miss” he grinned. He was almost closing the car door but Ephyra held it. He tried to pull it but he couldn’t. Ephyra was holding it with her super strength.
“Won’t you let go?”
“I won’t let go until you agree to give me a ride”
“No”
“How do I get to Gold Mall? I don’t even know the place” she said sincerely
“You can ask around or use your google Map”
“Well you and I both know that no one lives around here. And I have to walk to the next bus station to take a bus which will also take a while…”
“Like I said.. I Don’t Care. Meet me at the Mall by 9:00 or else you get fired!” He pointed at her
“9:00?! How…”
She loosened her grip on the door and Harry closed it,shoving her aside in the process. She staggered backwards on heels and hit the ground hard suddenly. Harry drove off without looking back at her.
Her phone beeped. It was Isobel.
“Good Morning Madam Isobel”
“How are you doing?”
“I’m fine..thanks”
“What about Harry?”
“Oh! He’s fine”
“Where is he?”
“He left not quite long”
“Perhaps… Is he giving you any problem?”
“No”
She tried to stand up bit she screamed at the sharp pain in her ankle.. Ephyra wondered if she had broken a bone.
“Are you okay?” Isobel asked
“Yes..yes..I’m fine” she lied
Slowly she removed her heels and made her way back to the front door.
“Did he tell you where…”
“Gold Mall..he asked me to meet him at the Mall”
“Did he tell you why he wants to visit the Mall?”
“Probably to buy some stuffs…”
“I’m just surprised at his sudden visit to the Mall. He has not been there for years now”
“Well..maybe he want to check it out today”
Ephyra limped back to the door.
“So why are you alone?”
“Uhmm..I need to clear something up at home before joining him at the mall”
“So..did you talk to him about me?”
“Yes I did”
“So what did he say?”
Ephyra was silent
She tried to think of what to say to Isobel. Lying was not the best in this situation.
“He denied you”
Now it was Isobel’s turn to be silent.
“I’ll keep trying my best…”
“Thanks…I’m just glad that he didn’t call me up to complain about you. So I guess you are both doing fine”
“Yes we are fine”
“Please take care of my son”
“You can count on me Madam Isobel”
“Bye”
“Have a nice day” she hang up
“This is so annoying!” She said after trying Harry’s passwords.
“Its so painful…” She rubbed her ankle gently
“Argg! Harry! You bastard!”
She dialed his number and he picked
“What do you want?”
“Well..you see Boss..I need to get my phone from the house but I don’t know the password”
“Your phone?”
“Yes”
“So what are you using to call me?”
Then she realized what she just said
“Oh sorry Boss! Not..my phone…i meant to say my wallet. Yes..yes my wallet. I don’t have money in my jacket to pay a Taxi”
“4801” he said
She pressed on the buttons and it opened
“Oh thanks Boss!”
In the real sense Ephyra wanted to change her heels into a comfortable boot.
“Mr Harry was so wicked for pushing like that..he thinks I am going to hive up because of this…fool! Never!”
***
***
***
She came out minutes later and started the trek to the nearest bus station. She prayed that a taxi should appear out of no where to help her to the Mall. Ephyra became frustrated when none showed up. She got to the bus station and she saw an old man offloading cartons from an old truck into a mini mart next to the station.
“Excuse me Sir” she said
The man turned to face her
“How may I help you..young lady?”
“When is the next bus arriving?”
“I have no idea..I haven’t seen any bus around lately”
“Why?”
“They only come around if people want to visit the beach mostly during festive period or special days”
The old man groaned in pain when he bent down to lift a carton
“Oh sorry..let me help”
She carried three heavy boxes into the mart.
The old man was surprised. Ephyra saw an old woman in the store. She sat at the pay desk.
“Good Morning Ma” she greeted her
The old lady was stunned
“Uhmm..where should I drop these cartons?”
“Over..over there” she stuttered
Ephyra dropped it and went back to the old man.
“How..how did you manage -“
“Give me a ride to town” she cuts him off to silence him. She knew it was her Super strength at work and she was not ready to tell him about it. He might think she’s crazy.
“I will help you with the boxes and you give me a ride into town. And I can drive If you let me” she said
James had taught her how to drive when she was eager to know learn Human Stuffs.
“Okay…but can you drive?”
“Yes” she arranged four cartons, bending over to lift them again. Then she suddenly felt the sharp pain in her ankle but she ignored it.
“Just relax..I will take it all”
“Thanks”
Minutes clicked by and Ephyra finished carrying the boxes. The man drove her to the town and she thanked him. She took a taxi to Gold Mall.
??
A WISH Episode 11 – 12
#OpraDre
To Be Continued……
Drop Your Comment …
