Chapter 3 Rachel's fear

"I..."  Rachel begun searching for the words to cover her embarrassment.

"Nevertheless, Here is you tablet  I want you to take note to whatever I tell you during inspection I hope you know how to use it. To keep your hands from doing unnecessary things."  Rachel control her temper no doubt in her mind the man do recall her and her deeds earlier. 

Either he is making her guiltier by the minute or saving for her to make a mistake to find a reason to fire her. To which she takes it up as a challenge. And to to think he called her a crazy woman means she had scores to settle wit him. If only her job is not at stake. 

"Don't scare her Cole or  you'll be with out a PA for a while I'm sure you don't want to inconvenience yourself." Eric threaten his friend.

Cole's grin holds a meaning that made Rachel a little nervous. "Come on Miss Barnes , the chopper is waiting."

When Rachel saw the chopper she begin to feel nervous. "You don't have fear of flying  Miss Barnes, do you?" Her boss asked.

" No sir!" She replied, only fear of heights she thought to herself. She kept repeating to herself as she climb on the helicopter. "You can do it Rach, just don't look down." She prayed quietly.

" You were saying? " She forgot that the microphone on the helmet that was handed to her was on and her boss can hear her muffled whisperings.

"Nothing sir!" She regretted not accepting Phil's offer to sign her up on classes that will help her overcome her fears. When the chopper lifted from the ground she held on something to steady her. She fought a battle with herself not to puke . "Look over there Miss Barnes that will be the site of our new housing project. " She open her eyes to see but hold tighter to the thing she grab trying to equalise her physical turbulence with her emotional fears. Before replying  " That is a very nice view sir..." But her voice betrayed her efforts,and it didn't escape her boss.

"Are you afraid Miss Barnes?"  She look at her boss unaware that her face is wet with perspiration. "I..."

"There's no need to deny and try to be brave. Miss Barnes! You are crushing my fingers to the bones ever since we took off and you're bathing with your own perspiration.

"Oh! I..." She look at her hands indeed she is holding on to her boss hands as if her life depended on it. She immediately release her hold. But her boss took her hands into his. And massage it gently. Rachel confused with the sensation, it made her forget about her fears and concentrate on the new feeling his touch brought her.

"Feel better now?"  Cole ask her.

"Yes! Thank you boss."  She replied. "Much more better!" She added in her thoughts and was not aware that her thoughts brought color to her face.

Cole simply smiled as if he is reading her thoughts.

"Have you tried to find cure to it? " He asked taking off her mind with her phobia.

"No! My friend suggested it one time, but I refused, I was so busy with my previous job that I cannot find the time to do it." She explained.

"Then I suggest that you find the time while your working with me, Choppers are my thing and it gets me to sites in no time, plus I get to see the aerial view of my constructions."

"Yes sir." They continue their conversation with work topic as they near the site. Rachel can't help but admired the intelligence of her boss no wonder at a very young age he is already achieved so many thing making him one of the sought after construction firm making him and his family one of the top five  rich family in the city.

When they descent to the site  she was busy taking notes and recording  that she didn't noticed that her fears are no longer bothering her.On their way back she was surprised that they took the road. 

"You don't have to make adjustments for my fears boss I promise to find solutions to get over it." She tried to compromise.

"I'm not making it for your sake Miss Barnes. I'm afraid my fingers cannot take the punishment once more, besides I need to pick my clothes on the laundry, that was my aunts gift, that I cannot  discard it. I am also want to try out this restaurant that came highly recommended on our way back." She explained. Rachel recalled the events on their first meeting that morning.

"I'm sorry boss!" She abruptly said.

What for? "

" For soiling your clothes this morning. I just don't know what came over me acting like that. Probably stress just piled up on me that why I lost my cool." Cole smiled at her.

"It was quite effective you know. I was able to witness first hand a hit and run." Cole said.

"What?" She reacted in her mind. "I took back all I said about apologising. You didn't even apologize for calling me a crazy woman." She keep her thought to herself seething in annoyance. She spend the rest of the ride in silence.

But she was silently thinking of what will her parents do, especially her mother who show partiality when it comes to her and her twin sister.

In her mother's eyes she cannot do anything right except, keeping Reba out of trouble. In their home only her father and their housekeeper who was both a lesser voice compared to her dominant mother. A reason why she decided to find a place of her own once she started to earn.

Rachel unaware that in her silence her boss keep stealing glances on her studying her face with cross brows as if trying to decide on something.