SWNOVELS Chapter 40: Insecurity
Nancy could feel hostility oozing out of the beautiful lady called Phoebe. She wondered why she was being so hostile. She was not a threat to her nor her relationship with Mr. Campbell. In fact the relationship she had had would last her a lifetime considering the fruit of that failed relationship.
Right now, she was not interested in having any relationship bit to prepare for the birth of her baby and how she was going to cope with being a single mother but a good one to her baby.
The lady had definitely spent the night with Mr. Campbell. Yet she was feeling threatened by the mere presence of a secretary? What kind of relationship did they have then if she was not confident of her hold on her partner or any trust in him.
She felt that she had had enough and put down her spoon and fork.
She said thanks and got up to leave the table but her boss asked her to stay since he still had things to discuss with her.
Phoebe who had been happy that Nancy was going to leave the table, nearly shouted out her frustration, when Jason stopped her from leaving.
Dark eyes looked daggers at hazel eyes and Nancy refused to be intimidated. She had done nothing for which she should be ashamed or for which Phoebe should be hostile to her.
They stared at each other for a long time and Nancy who had wanted to give an excuse why she had to go to her room, sat back down, deciding not to move an inch except instructed by her boss.
She sat back and watched the other two finish their dinner as Jason ignored Phoebe and asked Nancy some more questions about the office while Phoebe seethed.
She felt like standing and throwing down her napkin and storming out the room but that would have been too revealing. So, she sat there and pasted a smile on her face but she could feel her face burning with humiliation and anger. Her cheeks too were starting to pain her from her false smile.
Thank goodness, the meal was finally over as Jason wiped his mouth and hands with the table towel and got up.
Nancy picked the tray and went into the kitchen. She wondered how Jason could be so unaffected. Didn't he feel the tension in the room?
And what kind of relationship did they share that made him act less loving towards Phoebe. She had been expecting a more blatant show of affection and had steeled herself to feel self pity because her of the betrayal of her so called love.
Nancy thanked Mrs Potts for the delicious meal and went off to her quarters where she fell into the bed drained. Even if she had not been pregnant, she would not have wanted to be the woman who would make another lose their love and that was why it hurt her that without knowing who she was, Phoebe was already judging her and being cold towards her.
But she was not going to allow that bother her because she had a whole lot of other things to concern herself with.
Nancy had to admit though that she was beginning to like her boss quite alot.
She rembered the part he had
played at the burial of his late secretary. At first she had waved it off with the explanation that he was just performing his duty as a good boss and anyways, the late Mrs. Amos had deserved it judging from the glowing accolade her colleagues had given her and as a result of her years of faithful service but he had gone the extra mile to give
scholarships to the late secretary's grand children and some other noble acts which Nancy had to admit had impressed her greatly.
She knew that the selfish lover she had had would never had done that.
The way he treated his staff was also worthy of commendation. He cared for their welfare. He was a freak for dedication and was strict but he was also king and generous. Just take a look at the way he just helped her. She had materialized out of the blue and yet without knowing her very well nor her background, he had helped her in more ways than one and that was why she was finding her present situation. endurable.
It was really easy to fall in love with such a person and with the way they were growing closer these days, Nancy felt that she would have to be careful. But definitely with a lady, friend like Phoebe, she had nothing to be afraid of now did she? She felt drowsy. She had wanted to knit some things for her unborn child. She wanted to make some things for it herself and buy the others but
she was feeling exhausted and
decided to just shut her eyes a little.
She must have dozed. She did that alot these days especially if she was not occupied. She was shocked to wakefulness by a sharp knock on the door.
She dragged herself off to the door thinking that it must be Tim or Sandy coming in for a chat or to inform her that her boss wanted her for something or maybe Mrs. Potts wanted her help with something. Judging from what he had said during breakfast, Mr. Campbell should have gone out by now. So who could it be and what did they want?
She opened the door to find Phoebe standing there as though she had come for a war.
'Phoebe, you are here. Can I help you with anything?'
'Of course. You can help me with plenty. But the first is that you not set your eyes on my man. I can see what you are trying to do. cozying to him, pretending innocence' Phoebe said looking hard at Nancy. Her brain was befuddled with sleep. She could not understand what she was blabbing about.
'What are you saying?' she asked.
'Oh, please do not pretend to be innocent or unaware of what I am saying. You better stay in your limit. Jason and I will soon get married and you will just be ruining your life setting your cap on him. He is already caught and he is mine'.
Nancy looked at the woman standing before her, with pity as her words sank in and shook her head.