04

Esmeralda kept her word. James knew this the moment the policeman left the room and greeted him with a nod, but left.

He even tried to go back to her room, but the nurses wouldn’t let him. Apparently visiting hours were over.

He sought at the reception by the girl’s full name: Esmeralda Matinês de Los Santos. 

-Is someone staying with her tonight? 

The friendly receptionist looked at him, smiling.

-No.

-Didn’t you call her family?

-She said she doesn’t have any. Do you want to stay with her tonight?

That was the last thing James wanted.

-No, but I’d appreciate it if you could call me when she’s discharged. I put my contact in the form that I filled out, but I’ll leave you my card.

The woman accepted the card and went to answer the phone, which rang insistently.

James left, tired of that day. He checked his car before getting in. There was a small dent in the front, the result of the accident. 

-Great! This will cost me some money.

He even thought about cashing Esmeralda’s repair money, but he thought it would be a bit rude.

He called his assistant, Ramon. He wanted to know more about the girl’s past and if anyone could find out more about her, that someone was Ramon.

Esmeralda was not interested in learning more about James. To her, he was just another spoiled, rich boy who had to have it anytime he wanted it. And at the moment what he wanted was to get rid of a lawsuit. And although a lawsuit suits her, at least now she had a job.

Well, for at least two months, but okay. For two months, she wouldn’t have to worry about the bills to pay.

She could sleep more soundly. The rain fell light outside, and she was comfortable, despite still feeling a bit of pain. And so it was easy to sleep.

Esmeralda was stuck in her dreams. Or rather, in her nightmares. She dreamed that the car hit her again and again. She dreamed of her parents' deaths again. She dreamed of everything bad that had ever happened to her.

When she woke up, she was sweating cold. Her body hurt so much that it moved during sleep. She waited until a nurse entered the room and asked for some pain pills.

-Are you sure? The drugs we gave you were pretty strong. 

-Yeah, but I still woke up in pain. Can you give me some more medicine? Please.

The nurse didn’t seem very pleased, but he agreed.

The doctor will be with you shortly.

Is he releasing me? 

-Yes, you spent the night in observation and it seems that everything is fine, but we will keep eye on you for a while longer, so anything you feel, can come back.

-I won’t have to go back.

She made sure. Going back to the hospital was the last thing she wanted to do. She took a look at the time. It was still six in the morning. According to the nurse, the doctor who would discharge her would only start her shift at nine, so she wouldn’t leave the hospital until then.

She even thought about going back to sleep, but she was afraid of having bad dreams again. Her thoughts ran wild and went to James.

That strange man who invaded your life. The day before, she had many worries to pay attention to anything else, but today, with nothing to do, she relived the moments of yesterday. 

She remembered his deep green eyes. His poorly made eyebrows seemed to mark his gaze more. Her thin, lifted nose gave her a cocky one, and her fleshy mouth made her not want to pay attention to anything but what he said.

His beard was badly done and his black hair seemed to be very well combed.

If he hadn’t been so bold as to try to buy from you, perhaps she might have found him handsome.

ames started the day at half past five in the morning with a cold shower and a run of a few kilometers, followed by another shower, only this time with hot water. 

He had breakfast: eggs and orange juice.

And he was already on his way to his company when his phone rang. It was the hospital! He had completely forgotten about Esmeralda and that she would be discharged today.

-How great!

He drove to the hospital and had to wait half an hour until someone brought her into a wheelchair. 

Esmeralda was surprised to see James there, waiting for her. She was already resigned to taking a taxi or something, which would be a bit difficult considering she had a left leg in a cast. 

Getting in the taxi would not be the problem, the problem would be when getting out of the car. There, in the hospital, she had help from nurses and a wheelchair, but when she got home, she would not have anyone to help her or how to get around. It was something that made her anxious and on the verge of a panic attack, but since she didn’t want the doctors to find any excuse to keep her there for a while, she decided to think about one thing at a time. 

James looked at his watch with impatience. He was already late for an important meeting, but he wanted to exchange a word or two with the girl, go over the parts of her contract, and find out more about how it would all work out. 

Maybe it wouldn’t be the best idea to go over that contract now. Esmeralda looked in pain and seemed not to have slept much, but what other time would they have?

-Hi - she said a little shy when she approached. James ignored her and assured the nurse that he would take over from then on. - You won’t even say good morning to me?

-We are running behind schedule.

-You can say good morning to me while you push me.

-All right, good morning. Better this way?

-Not really. - James smiled. - You didn’t have to come and get me.

-I needed it. It’s in the contract.

-What contract?

-The contract you will sign. 

-Why do I have to sign a contract? Just my word is not enough?

-Cute, but no. Everything we do will be in a contract millimetrically designed so that neither party takes advantage of the other.

-Is that really necessary?

-It’s more of a security detail. 

-For who is it?

-For me! I don’t want any kind of lawsuit going behind my back after this is over and by a contract, you also exonerate me of the blame for your accident. 

Esmeralda wanted to be offended, but there was so much going on that she decided to ignore that offense. James helped her get into the car. He had to pick her up, and he needed someone to hold the door for her to come in. 

He sweated more than he would like with that action and when he got in the car, he turned on the air conditioning at full power. Esmeralda was a little cold, but she didn’t say anything. 

Put your address in the GPS, please.

Esmeralda did what he asked. Her home was an hour from the hospital and she thought James would complain, but he said nothing, and just started driving. 

-The contract is in the glove compartment, you can have a look before signing.

Esmeralda did not want to read anything, her head was hurting a little and she wanted to lie down, or talk a little, but James answered the phone and did not leave from the beginning to the end of the way.