“You’re right. It isn’t any of your business.” She smiled, not wanting any animosity between them.
“I just think you should look into this nursing program or reconsider your job even. It seems to me like you left something you love.”
She sat straight, proper. “Well, thank you for your advice,” she told him as she slid away, not quite so elegantly. “I should get going.”
He got up and followed her. “Right...” he said, walking beside her on the way to the door.
“Again... sorry to butt my head in-”
“It’s ok. No offence taken. I’ll show myself out.”
Michael regretted every word he had said to her. He paced up and down his office. Why had he even bothered to give his point of view? She was probably not going to consider it. Why did he even care? He got himself another drink. Why was he drinking in the middle of the afternoon – this was quite unusual for him. He barely knew her and she was turning him into an alcoholic. He just couldn’t get her out of his mind. Why had he reacted the way he did at the mention of Robert’s name. He didn’t know this guy; had never met him, yet he didn’t like the guy at all. He seemed like the type who always had a self-serving agenda. Why couldn’t she see that? Why was she even with him? What redeeming qualities did this guy have? He desperately wanted to meet this Robert.
“I’m being an absolute idiot,” he told himself as he sat down his glass.
“I’d care to disagree,” Dot said as she slowly entered the room.
“My son is no idiot.”
He turned around, embarrassed.
“Now tell me...” she came closer, slowly.
“I just saw Angela leave. She was here for a while.”
He stared at her, speechless.
“What is going on with you two?” She was as nosy as her son.
“Nothing Mum. Don’t be ridiculous,” he said as he looked away.
“I saw something between you two. I felt it. I may be old but I’m not blind.”
“You’re insane is what you are.”
“Well, is she not good enough for you?” she teased. “Or, is that microscopic diamond on her finger holding you back?”
“Trust me mother… that’s not a microscopic diamond, I noticed it the first day I met her,” he said as he stared out the window at the same garden Angela had just admired.
“Well, Michael, you’ve achieved many things in your life. I’m surprised you would let a little setback like this hold you back.”
“It’s not just alittlesetback. It wouldn’t be right. I would never put her in that situation. And besides, I have no interest in a relationship right now.” He knew as he said the words that he had to follow them. He had to stay away from Angela Jenkins.
Robert’s alarm went off at 6:00 am like any other day. He always drove Angela crazy by pressing on the snooze button every ten minutes for about an hour or so. Finally he would get up for good.Thank God,she thought. She would usually have an extra thirty minutes to sleep because she didn’t usually get up until7:30. But she wasn’t going to do any sleeping in today. She was eagerly waiting for him to get on his way. When she heard him turn off the shower, she walked over to the bathroom. As she walked in, Robert jumped as he toweled himself dry.
“You scared the crap out of me. What are you doing up?”
“I’m feeling energetic today. I thought I’d get an early start.”
Robert started dressing himself without paying another thought to her. She turned the faucets on and tested the water. She hopped in the shower and started washing her hair. Robert would be gone soon. She could hear him brushing his teeth with his electric toothbrush. She conditioned her hair.
She stepped out of the shower and grabbed a towel to wrap around her head. She went to grab the large bath towel off the floor, but of course it was soaking wet and there were no other ones in sight. She ran off, naked and dripping to the linen closet. She shivered as she grabbed a plush towel to wrap herself in.
“Robert,” she yelled as she wrapped the towel around her slender body. No answer. “Robert,” she yelled again as she walked over to the stairs to peek down. He was definitely gone. The place was hers. She quickly walked over to his office. Her heart was beating a little faster. She wasn’t accustomed to snooping into other’s lives. Of course, she might have done it before but it certainly wasn’t a habit.
She went to his computer, and was instantly deterred; it was locked. She had no clue was the password could be. No luck there. She proceeded to go through the papers on his desk without disturbing anything. There was nothing unusual; bills, invoices, property info sheets, directions.
“Oh what am I doing? I’m being stupid and insecure.”
