Chapter 4: Dare to Hope

'Thank you for the money but how are you going to get me the job?'

'I now know where you are living, that was one reason I wanted to take you home. So, I shall get in touch with you. I have to speak with my friend and see what vacancies he has at this firm. I shall call in a favour he owes me and get you the job. But he is a perfectionist. He likes his employers being dedicated to duty. If you are lax with your work, then he just might relieve you of the job and I would be unable to do anything about it'.

'You do not have to worry. I shall not disappoint him. He will never regret giving me the job and neither will you for getting me the job', she gushed out excitedly.

The excitement on her face was something to behold.

'I have not spoken to him yet. You don't have to thank me yet'.

'No matter what his response is, that you have thought of it is enough for me and I am sure that even if he does not have a vacancy, you would find another place for me, I am sure of that'.

'So much confidence. I hope that live up to your expectations. But I have a question, is there any skill that you learnt or if you went to college, what did you study?' He asked so that he would know how best to help her and what job would best suit her.

'I went to a nursing school, so I have idea of medicine and nursing. I am also very good at typing, so any secretarial job would not be difficult for me', she supplied hopefully.

Jason nodded. He thought as much. Her speech was polished and showed that she must have acquired some form of education.

'What is your name?'

he asked realising that since they had met, he didn't know her name and neither did she know his.

'I am Nancy. Nancy Jones'. she said looking at him questioningly.

He saw her look and smiled

'I am Mr. Jason Campbell'.

'Well Mr. Campbell,I must say it has been a pleasure meeting you irrespective of the usual circumstance of our meet'.

'The pleasure is all mine, Miss Nancy. Well we are here.' He said as he applied the brakes and got out of the car and went round to open her side of the car.

She alighted and said goodbye to him. She found that she was hungry and dizzy and just wanted to get to her room as soon as possible and eat some of the stale food that she had kept there.

'Bye, I shall expect your call' She said, remembering that she had given him her number while still in the car with him when they were talking about him visiting her to tell her of the outcome of his discussion with his friend about the possibility of getting her employed.

'No,no. You are forgetting that I need to know exactly which of part of this buildings you stay in, so that I don't need to start asking questions when I come to visit for any reason. And you are dizzy and weak, I need to assist you to your room or apartment and ensure you ate asleep before leaving It is my duty,you know'.

Nancy was in a state of panic. What was she going to say to him to make him change his mind about going in with her? She couldn't possibly allow him get in and find the horrible situation she was living in. She had too much pride for that.

'Could you not mind your business for once? I have already given you my number. If you come here next time and cannot locate me, could you not call on the phone? I am not in the mood to receive visitors no matter how indebted I feel towards them and my apartment is unkept at the moment

 So please go. We shall be in touch'.

Jason could not understand why she was being so secretive but he saw that she was not in the mood for argument and he would have carried her into the apartment but it was clear that she didn't want him in her apartment that day and wondered if her boyfriend was in there and if that was the reason she didn't want him entering her room.

'It's okay. You don't have to get so worked up. I shall not come in if you don't want me to but I shall remain here till you get in. This is just to ensure your safety'.

'Thank you very much but that will not be necessary. You have done the important part which is to take me to the hospital, foot the bills of my treatment and giving me a lift home. The rest isn't really that important and I am not a helpless woman no matter what you might think'.

He nodded. She was not helpless and that was why she had wanted to end her life just this morning, he thought to himself but he just waved bye ,got into his car and drove off.

He was not really interested in her other than the fact that he felt extreme pity for her and her plight.

He wondered if her boyfriend had really been in the apartment, why he had not called her even once since she had been away because he could not remember hearing her phone ring.

Anyways, that was their problem If he could get her employed, then he would have satisfied himself that he had done his part in making life a little better for a fellow human being and preventing a further attempt of hers to commit suicide for that was what she had intended this morning and nothing could convince him otherwise.

He forgot all about her as he drove not to his house but to the office.

He was surprised to find that his personal secretary was not at work. This was quite unlike her. He asked his other employees and they told him that Mrs. Amos had had to go back home because she was not too strong. She had come to work but could do nothing and had had to go back home but only several attempts to reach him had failed.