Recovery

JAMIRA

In those two days off work, my wounds healed significantly. My face had noticeably reduced in size. Although it still had healing to do, it currently appeared puffy, as if I had been lying on it incorrectly. My arms are covered, so I’m not concerned about that. However, I was worried about my neck. The bruises had become a lighter purple compared to four days ago, but they were still noticeable.

I practiced covering my neck with makeup, but it looked much darker than my face. Perhaps I’ll just try a jacket or a scarf. I didn’t want to miss any more workdays, so I had to find a solution.

My phone buzzed with a message from Eric. I couldn’t let him see me like this. He’d go crazy. He had already shown signs of jealousy, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he was possessive as well. Don’t get me wrong, he’s a sweet and caring guy, but I can’t quite say much about his temperament yet. But if I had to guess, it wasn’t good.

When I didn’t respond, he called. Ayana walked into the room, holding back the curtain just enough for me to see what she was pointing at.

“Girl, have you seen this silver truck before?”

“Truck,” I asked, puzzled.

“Yeah, it’s parked near your car at the end of the driveway.”

I went to the window and saw Eric calling my phone again. Frantically, I exclaimed, “Shit, that’s Eric!”

“Well, girl, you better get out there before my mom gets there first. You know how she is.”

“I know.”

I rushed to grab a jacket, zipped it all the way up, and tied it. Then, I grabbed my slides and headed for the door. Once I opened it, I saw that it was indeed Eric. I was happy to see him, but also afraid to face him.

I went to the truck and climbed in. I didn’t want to expose my skin, so I sat with my body closed off, using my arms and hands to block access to my upper body.

He noticed it almost immediately. But when I shifted in my seat, I turned my head a bit too far, and he saw my neck. Before I knew it, he was inspecting my body. I realized then that I had lost the battle to hide from him.

Just as I had expected, he went berserk. He kept yelling and asking what had happened. I didn’t want to tell him; I was afraid of what he might do. I had never seen him lose his temper like this, and I felt helpless.

Eventually, he calmed down and held me close, which made me cry because he cared so much. And my back still hurts, so there’s that. When he rubbed my head and told me not to worry about it, I somehow felt like a weight had been lifted. I trusted him.

He told me to get Ayana. I didn’t want to because I didn’t know why, but here I was, going to get her. I stepped inside.

“Yana, that man wants you.”

“For what? I don’t know him!”

“Yana, just go.”

“Ugh, fine.”

I stood at the door as she went over to talk to him. After about twenty-five minutes, she came back yelling, “Ooh, girl, I like him.”

I liked that she said that because it’s rare that she likes anyone. We went inside. I looked up to see Ayana smiling back at me.

“What?”

“You’re falling for that man, fast too.”

“Girl, no.”

I ran back upstairs to prepare for work tomorrow.

That night, when I went to bed, I tossed and turned. Something wasn’t right, and I couldn’t figure it out. I just felt uneasy. Suddenly, I made a dash to the bathroom and threw up. Everything came up out of nowhere.

That was weird. I did feel better though. After I brushed my teeth, I went back to bed. This time, I was able to drift off to sleep.

The next morning, I was greeted with warm smiles and coffee. Malaysia ran up and hugged me.

“Girl, where have you been? I have so much to tell you.”

“Is it bad?”

“No, maybe, it’s juicy.”

I was excited to hear what she had to say. Even though it had to wait until after school.

I stood outside my door greeting the students as they entered as usual. I looked up and saw two familiar faces.

“Ms. Hines! You’re back!” Kayla exclaimed as she dashed towards me, enveloping me in a warm hug.

“I’ve missed you too, sweetheart ,” I replied, my voice filled with affection.

As she gracefully entered the classroom, leaving me and Eric in the hallway, he extended a hand, gently touching my scarf. A slight smile graced his lips.

“Silk. It’s lovely,” he remarked with a playful glint in his eye.

I felt a blush rise to my cheeks and averted my gaze. He reached out, cupping my chin, and gazed into my eyes.

“You’re still as beautiful as ever,” he said, his voice filled with admiration.

“Thank you,” I replied, a smile tugging at the corners of my lips.

“It’s a pleasure to see you again,” he said, his presence sending shivers down my spine.