Chapter 6: I Almost Killed Someone!

Naomi West

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“Ben, be quick. Or you’ll be late for school.” I pack Ben’s lunch box and place it inside his backpack.

It’s been around a week since our move. The first thing I did after securing my job was to find Ben a good kindergarten in the neighbourhood. It excites me to think Ben will be in elementary school next year.

I call him out once again. No response comes from him or Marcus.

I drop the bag on the kitchen counter and make my way towards his bedroom. When I push open the door, I find Ben’s entire closet lying on the floor. I guess he wasn’t able to find his dress.

“Marcus?” I retreat from his room and go to search Marcus’s bedroom. The two of them must be up to something.

I push open his door and step inside. I don’t notice it at first, which is my fault.

“Boo!” Ben and Marcus scream at my face, and I scoot back in fright. I scream and clutch my heart. My mouth gapes in shock.

“Benjamin Marcus West! How dare you?” I put my hands on my waist and try to act intimidating. I sprint towards Ben and pick him up in my arms. As revenge, I ruffle his hair until he looks like he’s just risen from bed.

He’s wearing his uniform, and Marcus is ready for his first day at work as well.

After the event, Marcus got the post of an editor at Skylight Novels and my plot got accepted. I can finally start writing my novel from today onwards.

“Let’s go, Ben. Or you’ll be late for your first day.” I take Ben’s little hand in mine and leave the apartment.

Ben turns back around and calls Marcus, “Goodbye, Uncle Marcus.” He waves energetically at him.

I catch a glimpse of disappointment on Marcus’s face before he covers it up with a smile. At this moment, I feel bad for him. Marcus wants Ben to acknowledge him as his father by choice.

But even an idiot can tell that he’s hurting.

“Let’s go, Ben.” I push us out the door.

Downstairs, we get into the car and drive off towards his school. During the drive, I keep glancing at Ben in the passenger seat. He’s quietly fumbling with the water bottle around his neck.

“Something’s on your mind, little demon?”

I occasionally turn my head to look at him. Minutes pass by and he doesn’t speak. I pull over before his school. I’m undoing our seatbelts when he speaks out.

“Mommy, who’s my daddy?” Ben looks at me with his big puppy eyes, genuine curiosity and sadness swimming in them.

I was hoping he would ask me such a thing at an age where I could give him an honest answer.

I open my mouth, but nothing comes out.

“My friends at old school all have daddies. Where’s my daddy?”

I bit my lip. I get out of the car and hold the door open for Ben to come out. Once he gets down, I crouch down to his level. I take his tiny hands in my hold. I try my best to smile and give him a satisfying answer.

“Ben, your daddy is working somewhere far away. That’s why he’s not with us.” I cup his face and peck on his head. It’s breaking my heart. If only I could tell him about Denzel.

“Will he come back?” His eyes cast down on the grey pavement.

“He will, one day.” I lift his chin to look him in the eyes. I try my best to cheer him up. “And when he comes back, you’ll recognize him right away.”

Ben blinks and looks at me with perplexity. “How?”

I smile. “He’ll look just like an older version of you.”

Ben joyfully hops and goes inside the school building. I bid him goodbye before getting back into my car. I need to take a quick trip to the grocery store before going back.

While driving back, the thoughts of Denzel trouble me. I want Ben to meet his father, but it’s difficult for me to put faith in Denzel. What if he gets greedy after seeing Ben? Worse, what if Ben chooses him to stay with instead of me?

I shake my head. It scares me to think like that. I don’t want to lose my son at any cost. Maybe I’m too deep into my thoughts that I don’t notice the speed bump.

I try to get a hold of the car and pull the brakes, but before I realize it, I have hit something. A heavyweight falls before my car and my heart races a hundred miles per hour.

Getting out of the seat, I rush towards the body. I spot blood under the front tires and on the headlights, just before I see a man lying face-down on the ground a minute away from getting squashed by the tires.

I panic. I sprint towards the stranger and turn his body to face the sky. Another horror engulfs me when I see the stranger’s bloodied face. It’s him.

Denzel freaking Flynn.

I don’t let my thoughts the chance to get filtered. I try with all my might to lift him and get him into the passenger’s seat.

I know little about first-aid and my brain is thoroughly frozen. My body is working on its own accord, as if it’s designed to work like that.

Twisting the ignition key, I start the car. I blow away at full speed. I’ve checked his pulse, so he looks like he’ll live. In the meantime, I drive us to the downtown hospital, the nearest one on my way.

I’m on edge the entire drive. When I see the hospital building, I pull over. There’s already a team of nurses and doctors at the entrance who take away Denzel on a stretcher.

I stand at the door and watch him leave. His bloodied face etches itself into my mind. My brain is still not functioning properly and I’m afraid I can’t go through this alone.

I retrieve my phone from the car and search for Jake’s number. He’s Denzel’s best friend. He’d know what to do next.

Jake picks up the call after some time.

“Hello,”

“Jake!”

“Naomi, wh–”

“Jake, just listen.”

I leave nothing out and spill all the contents of my heart. Jake ends the call, assuring me he’d be here soon.

After I hang up, I go inside the building. The staff seem to be in a hurry and the waiting room is in pure chaos. The doctors come with white gloves and leave the OT with red stains on them.

I clutch my heart and walk back and forth in the waiting room as worries crowd my head and I overthink every scenario I could go through. But the fear of hurting Denzel is way worse than the fear of receiving any penalty.

An hour or two goes by in anticipation before I hear footsteps stomping on the ground. I turn my head towards the entry and see Jake scampering my way.

I meet him at the entrance, and he takes a jiffy to catch his breath. Then, without a minute’s delay, he starts bombarding me with questions.

I tell him that Denzel is with the doctors. Jake has just calmed down when a surgeon walks out of the OT.

“Is he alright? Can I see him?” I question the doctor as soon as he’s out. My heart is drumming rapidly against my ribs. It feels like my heart would break out of my ribcage any second.

“He’s doing good. He’s conscious but needs rest.” A heavy burden lifts off my shoulders when I hear the doctor’s words.

He walks towards Jake and shakes hands with him before muttering something in his ears. Jake looks at me and then at the doctor. I’m not sure what the issue is, but later Jake walks away with the doctor to discuss something. He nods at me, telling me to wait.

I do as I’m told. I stand outside the OT and try to get a glimpse of Denzel from the transparent window. He looks sound asleep from anaesthesia, but then I see a vague motion in his fingers.

He opens his eyes. I freeze on my spot at the window and watch as he gradually wakes up from sleep. He straightens his back on the bed and curiously scans the room. To me, he looks confused about all the wires that connect him to the machines.

I can’t wait anymore.

I sneak inside the room stealthily to not alarm him. I close the door after me once I’m inside. At the creak of the door, Denzel becomes alert and immediately tenses on the bed.

“Hey, it’s fine.” I coo him as if he were Ben. I get close to him and notice the number of bandages wrapped around his body for the first time. He has a fractured leg and arm, and there is another bandage around his head.

“Are you okay?” I worriedly ask.

His eyes narrow and zoom in on my face. He’s intimidating me, even in this position. I’m mentally prepared to be scolded, but Denzel’s words chill me to the bone.

“You’re not a nurse. Who are you?”

A second of silence passes, and then I start laughing hysterically. This has to be some sort of getting-back-at-me joke. What am I living in, a K-Drama?

I laugh until my voice echoes in the room. Denzel is quiet on the bed, not uttering a word. However, when I look at him closely, I find him trying to get out of bed.

In a flash of seconds, I find myself by his side, supporting his body. Denzel never fully gets up from the bed because soon his head starts to hurt. When I observe his pain, I know he’s not messing with me.

I quickly leave his side to get a doctor. Jake and the surgeon have returned. As soon as I leave, the doctor enters the room. I see the nurse injecting Denzel with something, and he instantly calms down.

When the doctor comes outside, he gives me a disapproving look. Jake nods to the doctor and goes to keep an eye on Denzel. The doctor asks me to follow him away from the OT.

“What’s wrong? I thought you said he was fine.” My voice heightens from feeling panicky.

“He had a concussion which caused amnestic syndrome in him. For now, we’re not sure how much of his life he’s lost.”

The ground slips underneath my feet. I think I didn’t hear him correctly. Is this happening for real?

“Naomi,” I spot Jake behind the doctor, gesturing me to step forward. “He wants to see you.” He says once I get close enough.

What? Did he suddenly recall memories of me?

I pacify my frightened heart. As soon as I’m inside the room, Jake locks himself out. I turn to look at Denzel, who squints at me. Judging by his stance, I believe he doesn’t recall anything.

“So, you’re the woman who hit me?” My fear and anxiety paralyze me. I’m glad that Denzel wasn’t hurt... much.

I nod slowly.

“How do you want to pay me back?” He asks casually.

“I can take care of your medical bills.” I realize too late that I just offered to help a billionaire financially.

I have screwed up big time.

“It’s already taken care of.” He eyes me like a predator. There isn’t much I can do for him—except I can surrender to the cops.

“I don’t know. I’m truly sorry. I feel awful.”

“You feeling awful doesn’t bring me back my memories.” His voice is as cold as ice. They cut me like a knife.

“I know, I know. How about... why don’t you name it? If it’s under my capability, I’ll do it.”

I beg. If there’s any way I can somehow help him gain his memories back, I’ll give it my best shot.

“I do have something in mind.”

“Anything.” I desperately try.

He seems to be in grave thought before speaking out. “You can take care of me until my memories come back.”

What? My brows almost hit my hairline. Why would he expect me to take care of him when he has lackeys to cater to his every need?

“Anything but that.” I refuse him sternly.

“I have people who can take care of me, but if I go see my family in this state, they’ll be devastated. So, you, who are responsible for my situation, should help me recuperate before I can go back to them.”

I shake my head continuously at his offer. There's no way I can take him under my care. I already have a five-year-old draining my energy every day. Marcus would never agree to it.

“Then I hope you’re comfortable with prison life.”

My eyes widen. “What!”

Denzel gives me a blank stare. It’s wondrous how losing his memory hasn’t helped his personality teentsy bit.

“You have two choices, Miss West. Which one will it be?” He gives me one of his fake business smiles.

Denzel Flynn, I seriously regret not running you over.